October 2008
World Mind Sports Games Beijing
These games, hot on the heels of the Olympic and Paralympic games, have just started in China. The games include a bridge Olympiad which replaces the previous World Bridge Federation competition and is on a similar format. Each WBF affiliated country may send a team for the Open, Women's and Seniors. In Beijing there is also a parallel youth programme.
Suffolk player David Price is representing England in the Seniors'. They are seeking to qualify by finishing in the top eight from Group K. If David can overcome that hurdle, he can look forward to the knock-outs.
The bridge website of the games is an excellent resource with daily bulletins to download, which are the equivalent of free bridge magazines. You can also watch the play live on BridgeBase online either in a web browser or by downloading their application. Check out the schedule for playing times.
England is represented in all the categories and is fancied to reach the knock-out stages in each. Those of you who were in Suffolk in the 1990s might spot the name of Mike Ash who is playing for the Scottish Open team.
Latest: England Seniors' team is 3rd, as is the open team, the women are first. Three rounds to play in Open and Women's events, two in Seniors; no play Thursday, qualifiers complete on Friday.
Bridge in the Cupboard
Why, oh why, don't I play play hands like this? Dorothy, the Six of Clubs puts on her red shoes and dances.
Forthcoming Events
Felixstowe Congress 2008
Saturday & Sunday 11th/12th October
It is still eminently possible to enter the Felixstowe Congress. As a reminder, this year the Championship Pairs is Green-Pointed. That event is on Saturday and Sunday is a Swiss teams.
Jeff Orton is running a partnership desk: if you're in need of a partner or team-mates, Jeff will take your details and requirements and find you a match. Contact by email or call on 01206 861729.
The Suffolk Committee acknowledges with thanks the sponsorship of Dummett Copp, patent and trade mark attorneys: www.dummett.com
Saturday/Sunday 11th/12th October 2008
Felixstowe Leisure Centre
The format is the same as last year and to an almost identical schedule:
Saturday 11th October
- 1:00pm
- Green Pointed Pairs - Qualifier
- 6:00pm
- Championship Pairs Final - approximately top quarter
Consolation Pairs Final - second quartile
Open Pairs Final - remainder of field - 9:30pm
- Finish
Sunday 13th October
- 11:00am
- Swiss Teams - 7 x 6 board matches
- Break
- Between matches 2 & 3
- 7:30pm
- Finish
The costs are: Full Congress £30.00, Championship Pairs £18.00, Swiss Teams £14.00. You can download a full entry form. Entries to (01206 861729). Jeff is also running a partnership desk, so if you lack a partner or are looking to fill a team, get in touch.
Results
Ipswich & Kesgrave Swiss Pairs
Ipswich and Kesgrave held their annual Swiss pairs in September; a pair of regulars from the club held off the field:
| 1. | Ralph Parish / Robert Green | 90 VP |
| 2. | Rick Hanley / Jeff Orton | 87 VP |
| 3. | Norman Less / David Haig-Thomas | 82 VP |
Joan Mayhew and Anne Wilmer narrowly missed out on the places by finishing fourth but took away the ascenders' prize.
Full results are on the Suffolk website.
Men's Pairs
And Robert Green was there again a week or so later:
| 1. | Colin Bamberger & Robert Green | 63.46% |
| 2. | Alan Green & Roger Tattersfield | 59.89% |
| 3. | Peter Carlisle & Malcolm Gosling | 58.79% |
Full results are on the Suffolk website.
Ladies' Pairs
The other half of the competition was won by the narrowest of margins, a single matchpoint. Nicely judged by last minute entrants, Jackie Driver and Fleur Waters.
| 1. | Jackie Driver & Fleur Waters | 58.33% |
| 2. | Maria Allnutt & Debby Sutcliffe | 57.64% |
| 3. | Marion Berry & Alex Parker | 55.56% |
The Ladies' Pairs was conspicuously less well attended - does anyone know why that was so? Full results are on the Suffolk website.
Abbeygate Shield - Suffolk Club Teams of Eight
Held last weekend; congratulations to Frinton who have also earned the right to represent Suffolk in the Garden Cities' Trophy.
| Fri | Col | Bur | Woo | Sto | Fel | Cla | Fra | VPs | |
| Frinton | X | 19 | 12 | 16 | 13 | 17 | 2 | 20 | 99 |
| Colchester | 1 | X | 10 | 14 | 12 | 20 | 19 | 19 | 95 |
| Bury St Edmunds | 8 | 10 | X | 11 | 12 | 19 | 18 | 7 | 85 |
| Woodbridge | 4 | 6 | 9 | X | 7 | 17 | 17 | 20 | 80 |
| Stowmarket | 7 | 8 | 8 | 13 | X | 7 | 16 | 16 | 75 |
| Felixstowe | 3 | 0 | 1 | 3 | 13 | X | 16 | 18 | 54 |
| Clare | 18 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 4 | X | 17 | 49 |
| Framlingham | 0 | 1 | 13 | 0 | 4 | 2 | 3 | X | 23 |