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55 views34 pages

Bul 04

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Deddy PhysVierr
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© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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14 EUROPEAN

14 EUROPEAN
56TH EUROPEAN
TH
THTEAM CHAMPIONSHIPS
SMALL FEDERATION
12 NATIONAL
TH
WOMEN’S PAIRS GAMESCHAMPIONSHIP
TH
SMALL FEDERATION GAMES
10 NATIONAL
Larnaca, Cyprus •SENIORS’ PAIRS CHAMPIONSHIP
1 - 3 November 2022
Herning, Denmark
DAILY• BULLETIN
Larnaca,24Cyprus
June -• 41 -July, 2024 2022
3 November
Editor: Brian Senior [ Lay-out Editor: Francesca Canali [ Photographer: Arianna Testa
DAILY BULLETIN
Issue No 1. Wednesday 2[ [ [
Editor: Mark Horton November,
Co-Editor:
2022
Jos Jacobs Journalists: David Bird, Brian Senior, Marc Smith, Ron Tacchi
[Brian
Editor: Senior [ Lay-out
Photographer: AriannaEditor: [ Layout
TestaFrancesca Canali
Editor:
[ Francesca Canali
Photographer: [ Testa
Arianna

IssueIssue
No 4.No 1. Wednesday 2 November, 2022
26.06.2024
UNDERWAY!
The 14th European Small Federations Games is underway in Larnaca, Cyprus. Fifteen national teams will play a complete round robin

UNDERWAY!
Destiny is Calling
over three days, each day comprising 5 x 10-board rounds, including one bye round per team. And that will be that; no qualification, no
knock-outs, just a pure round robin with the top teams at the end of three days taking home the medals, the glory, and the satisfaction
of a job well done.
Serbia leads the way at the end of day one, closely followed by Croatia and the Faroe Islands, but no team is tailed off at the bottom
of the rankings, and any that have a good run over the next two days can still contend at the top.
The 14th European Small Federations Games is underway in Larnaca, Cyprus. Fifteen national teams will play a complete round robin
over three days, each day comprising 5 x 10-board rounds, including one bye round per team. And that will be that; no qualification, no
knock-outs, just a pure round robin with the top teams at the end of three days taking home the medals, the glory, and the satisfaction
of a job well done.
Serbia leads the way at the end of day one, closely followed by Croatia and the Faroe Islands, but no team is tailed off at the bottom
of the rankings, and any that have a good run over the next two days can still contend at the top.

CYPRUS CROATIA CZECH REPUBLIC ESTONIA

CYPRUS
FAROE ISLANDS HUNGARY CROATIA LATVIA CZECH REPUBLIC
LITHUANIA ESTONIA

Finland’s Pia Erkkila & Raija Tuomi topped the qualifiers in semifinal A of the
Women’s Pairs, ahead of Denmark’s Nadia Bekkouche & Trine Binderkrantz Thursday 27th Schedule
and Poland’s Cathy & Sophia Baldysz. Meanwhile, Serbia’s Jovana Zoranovic &
Selena Pepic were the winners of semifinal B. 10:00 Women’s (FA1, FB1)
Seniors’ Pairs (FA1, FB1)
In the Senior Pairs Poland’s Michal Kwiecien & Wlodzimierz Starkowski led the Open Teams (Round 9)
qualifiers into the Final, followed by Israel’s Avi Kalish & Nir Grinberg and Sweden’s 13:15 Open Teams (Round 10)
Per-Inge Helmertz MALTA
& Arne Jordestedt. ROMANIA SAN MARINO 13:30SERBIA Women’s (FA2, FB2)
Seniors’ Pairs (FA2, FB2)
FAROE ISLANDS HUNGARY LATVIA LITHUANIA
The Open series saw more movement at the top on day 3. Denmark continues 15.55 Women’s (FA3)
to lead from Sweden, while Switzerland has cruised into third place. Italy, Seniors’ Pairs (FA3)
Netherlands, Belgium, Norway and Poland complete the top eight, leaving
Germany, England, Israel and France playing catch up. 19.00 Prize Giving Ceremony

Prize Giving
SLOVAKIACeremony SLOVENIA UKRAINE BBO Schedule
The Prize-Giving Ceremony of the Women’s & Seniors’ Pairs and the Online ROUND 9 Norway vs Belgium
Women’s Team Championship and the Opening Ceremony of the Team Israel vs England
Championships will take place in the Theater Hall of the Venue at 7 PM today France vs Bulgaria
MALTA ROMANIA
(entrance ground floor). Afterwards, drinks and food can be purchased from
SAN MARINO SERBIA
Netherlands vs Croatia
the vendors around the pyramid.
ROUND 10 Switzerland vs Denmark
Israel vs Poland
Registration Ireland vs Lithuania
The Registration Desk will be open: Norway vs France
today 12.00 - 18.00 tomorrow 9.00 - 9.55

LoveBridge are broadcasting a match


Captains’ Meeting in every round.
The Captains’ Meeting (Women’s / Seniors’ / Mixed
SLOVAKIA Teams) will
SLOVENIA Just go to:
UKRAINE
be held at 5.00 p.m. in Room 5A, first floor. https://vugraph.lovebridge.com

Nordic Bridge Supply


ORDIC
N
BRI

www.nordicbridgesupply.com
PL

D
GE SUP
56th European Team Championships — 12th National Women’s Pairs Championships — 10th National Seniors’ Pairs Championships
14TH EUROPEAN
SMALL FEDERATION GAMES

Editor’s Log
Larnaca, Cyprus • 1 - 3 November 2022

DAILY BULLETIN
Editor: Brian Senior [ Lay-out Editor: Francesca Canali [ Photographer: Arianna Testa

Issue No 1. Wednesday 2 November, 2022

UNDERWAY!
The 14th European Small Federations Games is underway in Larnaca, Cyprus. Fifteen national teams will play a complete round robin
over three days, each day comprising 5 x 10-board rounds, including one bye round per team. And that will be that; no qualification, no
knock-outs, just a pure round robin with the top teams at the end of three days taking home the medals, the glory, and the satisfaction
of a job well done.
Serbia leads the way at the end of day one, closely followed by Croatia and the Faroe Islands, but no team is tailed off at the bottom
of the rankings, and any that have a good run over the next two days can still contend at the top.

CYPRUS CROATIA CZECH REPUBLIC ESTONIA

FAROE ISLANDS HUNGARY LATVIA LITHUANIA

MALTA ROMANIA
Mark Horton SAN MARINO SERBIA

Star date 27/06/24


SLOVAKIA SLOVENIA UKRAINE

If you can find the time there is no shortage of


things to do in this part of Denmark. A visit to Uhre
Church should be on everyone’s list. It takes just over
10 minutes to reach it by car.
The White City at Birk is fantastic, with its modern
art museums, Geometric Gardens and Sculpture Park.

In case you haven’t noticed, there are other (albeit


minor) sporting events taking place at the moment.
On Tuesday evening we spotted members of the
French team following their team’s fortunes in the
Euros.

The Teater restaurant will be open tonight for


dinner, and on the potentially problematic dates of 29
June and 1 & 3 July. It will not otherwise offer dinner,
but it will continue to be open for lunch every day.

16TH WORLD BRIDGE GAMES


Buenos Aires, Argentina - 22 October - 3 November, 2024

3 EVENTS
open to all players

Warm up with the


1-day BAM on 28 October
6 guaranteed days of play in either
the National Pairs or the Transnational Teams
from 29 October through November 3

2
56th European Team Championships — 12th National Women’s Pairs Championships — 10th National Seniors’ Pairs Championships
14TH EUROPEAN
SMALL FEDERATION GAMES
Larnaca, Cyprus • 1 - 3 November 2022

DAILY BULLETIN

Italy v England RR3


Editor: Brian Senior [ Lay-out Editor: Francesca Canali [ Photographer: Arianna Testa

Issue No 1. Wednesday 2 November, 2022

UNDERWAY!
The 14th European Small Federations Games is underway in Larnaca, Cyprus. Fifteen national teams will play a complete round robin
over three days, each day comprising 5 x 10-board rounds, including one bye round per team. And that will be that; no qualification, no
knock-outs, just a pure round robin with the top teams at the end of three days taking home the medals, the glory, and the satisfaction
of a job well done.
Serbia leads the way at the end of day one, closely followed by Croatia and the Faroe Islands, but no team is tailed off at the bottom
of the rankings, and any that have a good run over the next two days can still contend at the top.

CYPRUS CROATIA CZECH REPUBLIC ESTONIA

FAROE ISLANDS HUNGARY LATVIA LITHUANIA

MALTA ROMANIA SAN MARINO SERBIA

SLOVAKIA SLOVENIA
David Bird UKRAINE

I was looking forward to some great action, with with the }Q, the ]A and the {K. In the three-
our gallant English lads facing strong opposition from card ending he was able to play a heart to the 9,
Italy. Nothing grabbed my attention on the first four endplaying West for an overtrick. A smooth +650.
boards, then…
Closed Room
Board 5. Dealer North. N/S Vul. West North East South
[ K J 10 Versace Gold Sementa Robson
] A765 — 1NT 3NT Dble
{ K85 4{ Pass Pass Dble
} A 10 6 All Pass
[ 9 6 4 [ 75
] Q 10 8 4 2 ] — Sementa raised the initial hurdle one notch higher.
{ Q J 10 { A97643 Whether that was right or wrong, I leave it for you to
} K 4 } J9832 judge. However, Marc Smith and I have often noted
[ AQ832 that many swings seem to go to the side that pre-
] KJ93 empts just one level higher. What should Robson say
{ 2 over this intervention?
} Q75 With his majors the other way round, it would have
been attractive to bid 4{, as I see it. You would then
Open Room be happy to pass 4] if partner bid this with equal
West North East South major-suit lengths. Not so easy with his actual lengths,
Handley-P. Donati Townsend Percario and he decided to double, despite the prevailing
— 1NT 2NT* 3{* vulnerability. When 4{ came back to him, he had to
Pass 3[ Pass 4[ choose between double and 4[. It was not a pleasant
All Pass choice. He doubled and led his trump, won in the
dummy. Declarer could escape for one down, but
The 2NT overcall caused no problems, the Italians opted to ruff a heart. After a club to the king and ace,
reaching 4[ with ease. Townsend cashed the {A Gold does best to return a major. His choice was the
and switched to the }9, drawing the king and ace. {K, and that meant only one down. It was +100 and
Donati played five rounds of trumps, continuing 11 IMPs to Italy.

Tom TOWNSEND Giacomo PERCARIO

Ben HANDLEY-PRITCHARD
Giovanni DONATI

3
56th European Team Championships — 12th National Women’s Pairs Championships — 10th National Seniors’ Pairs Championships
14TH EUROPEAN
SMALL FEDERATION GAMES
Larnaca, Cyprus • 1 - 3 November 2022

DAILY BULLETIN

On Board 6, both sides reached 6], needing no Yes, Percario did pass first-time round. He clambered
Editor: Brian Senior [ Lay-out Editor: Francesca Canali [ Photographer: Arianna Testa

Issue No 1. Wednesday 2 November, 2022

UNDERWAY!
The 14th European Small Federations Games is underway in Larnaca, Cyprus. Fifteen national teams will play a complete round robin
over three days, each day comprising 5 x 10-board rounds, including one bye round per team. And that will be that; no qualification, no

trump losers with ]Jxxxx out, and also a club finesse. back on the train and the Italians collected +650.
knock-outs, just a pure round robin with the top teams at the end of three days taking home the medals, the glory, and the satisfaction
of a job well done.
Serbia leads the way at the end of day one, closely followed by Croatia and the Faroe Islands, but no team is tailed off at the bottom
of the rankings, and any that have a good run over the next two days can still contend at the top.

CYPRUS CROATIA

Trumps broke but the }AQ were offside. No swing.


CZECH REPUBLIC ESTONIA

FAROE ISLANDS HUNGARY

On Board 8, at Love All, both sides missed game


LATVIA LITHUANIA

Closed Room
MALTA ROMANIA

with SAN MARINO SERBIA

West North East South


SLOVAKIA SLOVENIA

[ K 8 6 ] A K J 8 7 { J 7 } Q 7 2 facing Versace Gold Sementa Robson


UKRAINE

[943 ]63 {AQ5 }AJ964. — — Pass 2{*


With a 2} response often forcing to game nowadays, 3} 4}* Pass 4]*
the bidding at both tables was an uninspiring 1[-1NT. Pass 4[ All Pass
Italy gained 3 IMPs for their +230 against +150.
Bulletin-worthy deals were in short supply… but 2{ Weak ]/[ or 4441 16+
both sides overcame opposition bidding well on this
deal: Gold’s 4} asked partner to transfer into his long
suit. That was +620, and only 1 IMP changed hands.
Board 10. Dealer East. All Vul.
[ K 10 Board 12. Dealer West. N/S Vul.
] A986 [ J 10 6 3
{ AQ9854 ] A K 10 4
} 5 { QJ
[ Q 7 6 [ J5 } Q94
] K J 2 ] 10 5 4 3 [ K 5 [ AQ98
{ 2 { 10 7 6 ] 7 6 2 ] QJ8
} A Q J 9 4 3 } K872 { 10 { AK8654
[ A98432 } A K J 10 8 5 2 } —
] Q7 [ 742
{ KJ3 ] 953
} 10 6 { 9732
} 763
Open Room
West North East South Open Room
Handley-P. Donati Townsend Percario West North East South
— — Pass Pass Handley-P. Donati Townsend Percario
1} 1{ Pass 1[ 1} Dble Rdbl 1{
2} Dble 3} Dble 2} Pass 3NT All Pass
Pass 3] Pass 3[
Pass 4[ All Pass Percario led the [7 to the 10 and queen. Townsend
crossed to the [K and cashed the }AK. It seemed

Andrew ROBSON

Antonio SEMENTA

David GOLD Alfredo VERSACE

4
56th European Team Championships — 12th National Women’s Pairs Championships — 10th National Seniors’ Pairs Championships
14TH EUROPEAN
SMALL FEDERATION GAMES
Larnaca, Cyprus • 1 - 3 November 2022

DAILY BULLETIN

that he had to take this chance, but the defenders now Board 13. Dealer North. All Vul.
Editor: Brian Senior [ Lay-out Editor: Francesca Canali [ Photographer: Arianna Testa

Issue No 1. Wednesday 2 November, 2022

UNDERWAY!
The 14th European Small Federations Games is underway in Larnaca, Cyprus. Fifteen national teams will play a complete round robin
over three days, each day comprising 5 x 10-board rounds, including one bye round per team. And that will be that; no qualification, no

had the }Q among their assets. When a heart was led, [ 10 3


knock-outs, just a pure round robin with the top teams at the end of three days taking home the medals, the glory, and the satisfaction
of a job well done.
Serbia leads the way at the end of day one, closely followed by Croatia and the Faroe Islands, but no team is tailed off at the bottom
of the rankings, and any that have a good run over the next two days can still contend at the top.

CYPRUS CROATIA

Donati rose with the ]K and cashed the established


CZECH REPUBLIC ESTONIA

] Q7643
FAROE ISLANDS HUNGARY

club. Townsend had nowhere to go, and it was one


LATVIA LITHUANIA

{ Q 10
MALTA ROMANIA

down. Every chance of a flat board, you might think


SAN MARINO SERBIA

} KQJ9
SLOVAKIA SLOVENIA

(or hope). UKRAINE

[ J 9 7 6 4 [ Q5
] 10 8 2 ] KJ5
Closed Room { 5 3 2 { A9874
West North East South } 8 4 } A32
Versace Gold Sementa Robson [ AK82
1} Dble Rdbl Pass ] A9
3} Pass 3NT All Pass { KJ6
} 10 7 6 5
Diamonds were not bid at this table either, and
Robson’s fingers moved in that direction. His choice Open Room
was a ‘second-best from a bad suit’ {7. This was West North East South
followed onto the table by the 10, jack and king. Handley-P. Donati Townsend Percario
Sementa continued with the {A. Had his eagle eyes — Pass 1{ 1NT
missed the {7 on the first trick? They had not. He led Pass 2{* Pass 2]
the {5, forcing the {9. He was now heading for an Pass 3NT All Pass
overtrick. The defenders had to take their chance in
hearts, but a heart to the king and a low heart return Handley-Pritchard led the [4 to the 10, queen and
meant +460 for Sementa. It was 11 IMPs for Italy. king. Townsend ducked the first two rounds of clubs
England rescued some IMPs on this deal: and also the {Q. He won the second diamond and
cashed the }A. Declarer won the diamond return and
cashed a good club. Ace and another spade was the
end of the party. The defenders cashed out and the
game was one down.

Closed Room
West North East South
Versace Gold Sementa Robson
— Pass 1NT Pass
2]* Pass 2[ All Pass

All roads led to two down, after a club lead, and


England picked up 7 IMPs.
There is often a ‘final firework’ on the last board of
a session. Board 16 here was no exception. A thrilling
auction drew to a close with no fewer than eighteen
bidding cards on the table. I will spare you the full
details, because the final contract was 1NT.
Italy emerged the winners by a margin of 35-17.

Giacomo PERCARIO, Italy

5
56th European Team Championships — 12th National Women’s Pairs Championships — 10th National Seniors’ Pairs Championships
14TH EUROPEAN
SMALL FEDERATION GAMES
Larnaca, Cyprus • 1 - 3 November 2022

DAILY BULLETIN

Norway v Ireland RR4


Editor: Brian Senior [ Lay-out Editor: Francesca Canali [ Photographer: Arianna Testa

Issue No 1. Wednesday 2 November, 2022

UNDERWAY!
The 14th European Small Federations Games is underway in Larnaca, Cyprus. Fifteen national teams will play a complete round robin
over three days, each day comprising 5 x 10-board rounds, including one bye round per team. And that will be that; no qualification, no
knock-outs, just a pure round robin with the top teams at the end of three days taking home the medals, the glory, and the satisfaction
of a job well done.
Serbia leads the way at the end of day one, closely followed by Croatia and the Faroe Islands, but no team is tailed off at the bottom
of the rankings, and any that have a good run over the next two days can still contend at the top.

CYPRUS CROATIA CZECH REPUBLIC ESTONIA

FAROE ISLANDS HUNGARY LATVIA LITHUANIA

MALTA ROMANIA SAN MARINO SERBIA

SLOVAKIA SLOVENIA
Marc Smith UKRAINE

These two teams both finished the opening day near Next, with only the opponents vulnerable, you are
the top of the table, Norway in fourth place and Ireland sitting in the East seat with:
in seventh. However, they had contrasting starts to
the second day. Norway enjoyed a comfortable victory [ 10 8 7 4 3
over Romania, but the Irish were being blitzed by the ] K J 10
home nation, which dropped them into the bottom half { J
of the table. Now the men from the Emerald Isle face } Q J 10 3
one of the toughest tests in world bridge as they take
on the might of the Norsemen. Did they remember to West North East Soth
bring their four-leafed clovers? We’ll see… Aa Hanlon Livgard Boland
As usual, we begin with a couple of problems. Firstly, — Pass Pass 1}
with neither side vulnerable, you are South holding: Pass 1{ Pass 1]
Pass Pass ?
[ 9
] 3 What action, if any, do you take?
{ K 10 9 7 5 3
} K9432 Finally, with only your side vulnerable, you hold in
the East seat:
West North East South
— 1NT 2}* 2[* [ K742
3[ Pass Pass ? ] A K J 10 9 2
{ AJ
1NT was 15-17 and East’s 2} promised both } A
majors. Your 2[ bid then showed an invitational or
better hand with diamonds. What action do you take West North East South
now? If you pass or double, what do you lead? Pass 3} Dble 3]
Pass Pass ?

What action, if any, do you take?

Allan LIVGARD Conor BOLAND

Tom HANLON

6 Terje AA
56th European Team Championships — 12th National Women’s Pairs Championships — 10th National Seniors’ Pairs Championships
14TH EUROPEAN
SMALL FEDERATION GAMES
Larnaca, Cyprus • 1 - 3 November 2022

DAILY BULLETIN

One of the great privileges of this job is that we get +130 and marmalade sandwiches all round.
Editor: Brian Senior [ Lay-out Editor: Francesca Canali [ Photographer: Arianna Testa

Issue No 1. Wednesday 2 November, 2022

UNDERWAY!
The 14th European Small Federations Games is underway in Larnaca, Cyprus. Fifteen national teams will play a complete round robin
over three days, each day comprising 5 x 10-board rounds, including one bye round per team. And that will be that; no qualification, no

to report on many wonderful plays by the world’s best


knock-outs, just a pure round robin with the top teams at the end of three days taking home the medals, the glory, and the satisfaction
of a job well done.
Serbia leads the way at the end of day one, closely followed by Croatia and the Faroe Islands, but no team is tailed off at the bottom
of the rankings, and any that have a good run over the next two days can still contend at the top.

CYPRUS CROATIA

players. However, we all know that bridge is primarily


CZECH REPUBLIC ESTONIA

Closed Room
FAROE ISLANDS HUNGARY

a game of mistakes. Readers like to see that they are


LATVIA LITHUANIA

West North East South


MALTA ROMANIA

not the only ones who go down in a contract that


SAN MARINO SERBIA

Fitzgibbon Bakke Mesbur Brogeland


SLOVAKIA SLOVENIA

could (and perhaps should) have been made. This was


UKRAINE

— 1NT 2}* 2[*


one of those matches where both sides had enough 3[ Pass Pass 5}
chances to win by a country mile. Only the Editor is Pass 5{ All Pass
allowed to change the names to protect the guilty, and
I am but a humble scribe, so apologies to those who After the same start, Boye Brogeland decided that
might have hoped that their fumbles would be lost in his hand was a tad too good for a non-invitational 2{,
the mists of time. We begin, appropriately, with the so he showed his longest suit via a 2[ cue-bid. He
opening board of the match. was then left with the first of the problems above at
his next turn. It is hardly obvious to double and lead a
Board 17. Dealer North, Non Vul. trump, but that would have been +300. Declarer can
[ J65 score only one ruff, and will thus lose three hearts in
] K Q 10 9 5 addition to his top losers in the minors. Leading your
{ AQ singleton heart would even nip the contract by a trick
} A 10 7 (assuming partner switches to a trump when he gets
[ Q 7 3 2 [ A K 10 8 4 in).
] A J ] 87642 Brogeland was not interested in such small potatoes,
{ 8 6 4 { J2 and he jumped all the way to game in his second suit.
} Q J 8 5 } 6 And quite right he was too, at least, theoretically. We
[ 9 have already seen that declarer has three unavoidable
] 3 losers in a club contract, so Christian Bakke judged
{ K 10 9 7 5 3 very well to correct to diamonds at the five-level. All
} K9432 he now had to do to get his side off to a flying start
was to make eleven tricks.
Open Room Adam Mesbur led a top spade and switched to
West North East South the }6 at trick two. Looking at all four hands, you
Aa Hanlon Livgard Boland can see that the favourable layout of the heart suit
— 1NT 2}* 2{ allows declarer to make the contract: win with the }K
2[ Pass Pass 4} (retaining the late club entry to hand), play a diamond
All Pass to the ace and the {Q. The appearance of East’s jack
allows declarer to overtake and draw the last trump
Tom Hanlon opened 1NT and Conor Boland bid (although he could also ruff a spade to dummy to draw
a non-forcing 2{ after East had shown both majors. trumps if West had started with {Jxx). When declarer
When Terje Aa competed to 2[ on the West cards, then leads the heart from dummy, the defenders
Boland showed some signs of life with a jump to 4}. cannot stop him establishing enough heart winners to
However, Hanlon decided that he had no reason to take care of dummy’s losing clubs.
bid again, so there matters rested, and jolly reasonable Bakke accurately won with the }K, but he then led
that all looks to this bear of little imagination. the heart from dummy at trick three. Terje Aa rose
Aa kicked off with the ]A and switched to a spade with the ]A and continued with the }Q, allowing
at trick two. Allan Livgard won and reverted back to East to ruff away declarer’s }A. That was two down:
hearts. Declarer won and played a trump to the king N/S -100 and 6 IMPs to Ireland when it could have
and a second trump. Decision time! If he rose with the been 7 in the other direction.
}A and East showed out, he would have two trump By the midway point of the contest, the score had
losers and he’d be one down. However, if he played advanced all the way to 8-7 in favour of the Irish. I
the }10 and East won with a doubleton honour, a fully understand that advancing years mean that the
third round of hearts would promote West’s remaining Great Dealer may need an afternoon nap. Still, there
trump into the setting trick. Boland eventually called will be plenty of excitement in the second half, won’t
for the }10 from dummy. East discarded, so declarer there. It began with what could have been our first
was able to cash the }A and claim ten tricks. N/S double-digit swing…

7
56th European Team Championships — 12th National Women’s Pairs Championships — 10th National Seniors’ Pairs Championships
14TH EUROPEAN
SMALL FEDERATION GAMES
Larnaca, Cyprus • 1 - 3 November 2022

DAILY BULLETIN

Board 25. Dealer North. E/W Vul. opponents having climbed all the way to 1], Livgard
Editor: Brian Senior [ Lay-out Editor: Francesca Canali [ Photographer: Arianna Testa

Issue No 1. Wednesday 2 November, 2022

UNDERWAY!
The 14th European Small Federations Games is underway in Larnaca, Cyprus. Fifteen national teams will play a complete round robin
over three days, each day comprising 5 x 10-board rounds, including one bye round per team. And that will be that; no qualification, no

[ 653 was faced with the second of today’s problems.


knock-outs, just a pure round robin with the top teams at the end of three days taking home the medals, the glory, and the satisfaction
of a job well done.
Serbia leads the way at the end of day one, closely followed by Croatia and the Faroe Islands, but no team is tailed off at the bottom
of the rankings, and any that have a good run over the next two days can still contend at the top.

CYPRUS CROATIA


CZECH REPUBLIC

] 632 ESTONIA

Can partner really have enough to think you can


FAROE ISLANDS HUNGARY


LATVIA

{ AQ75 LITHUANIA

compete successfully in this auction? Yes, you may


MALTA ROMANIA


SAN MARINO

} 654 SERBIA

be able to push the opponents up so that they make


SLOVAKIA SLOVENIA

[ K
UKRAINE

[ 10 8 7 4 3 2]+1 rather than 1]+2? Maybe partner can raise


] 9 7 5 ] K J 10 spades and you can push them to the three-level?
{ K 8 7 6 4 3 2 { J Indeed, that is exactly what happened – the bidding
} 9 2 } Q J 10 3 tray quickly came back with South installed in 3NT.
[ AQJ9 What’s even worse is that partner’s opening lead was
] AQ84 the [K.
{ 10 I would imagine that East was feeling a little
} AK87 sick at this point. Declarer won with the [A and
immediately played three rounds of clubs. With
Closed Room both red-suit finesses working, there is no winning
West North East South defence from here, but I suspect declarer felt a little
Fitzgibbon Bakke Mesbur Brogeland better when East won with the }J and played a
— Pass Pass 1}* second spade, enabling him to score the [9. Now
Pass 1[* Pass 2NT all Connor Boland needed was to find one of the red
Pass 3NT All Pass kings onside. He cashed his remaining high spades
and exited with a fourth round of clubs. Livgard won
Playing transfer responses, Christian Bakke’s 1[ and could cash the [10, but he then had to lead
denied a four-card major (unless game-forcing with a red suit, allowing declarer to try the heart finesse
longer diamonds). As usually happens when you are before falling back on the diamond hook if West
dealt a combined 26-count with no fit, the Norwegians showed up with the ]K. N/S +400 and a flat board,
quickly sailed into 3NT, and West tabled the {6. but another chance for a Norwegian gain missed.
3NT is hardly a thing of beauty, but the Norwegian And there was more of the same on the very next
star made short work of it. He won with the {A deal…
and took a winning heart finesse. Next came the
[A, dropping West’s singleton king. Just like that, Board 26. Dealer East. All Vul.
Brogeland was up to eight tricks, and we all know that [ 7
where there’s eight… ] K Q 10 9 6 3
Brogeland cashed the [J and then continued with { 643
a low club. Fitzgibbon won with the }9 and cashed } J82
the {K, East releasing a spade and declarer throwing [ K 10 9 5 2 [ J864
a heart. Brogeland won West’s club exit and cashed ] A 4 ] 852
his winners in the rounded suits. He then exited { A K J { Q97
with a heart. Mesbur won with the ]K and he could } A 6 4 } Q 10 3
cash the }Q. However, he then had to lead away [ AQ3
from the [10 into declarer’s [Q9 at trick twelve. A ] J7
spectacular N/S +400. { 10 8 5 2
The Irish auction began more slowly… Much more } K975
slowly!
Closed Room
Open Room West North East South
West North East South Fitzgibbon Bakke Mesbur Brogeland
Aa Hanlon Livgard Boland — — Pass Pass
— Pass Pass 1} 1}* 2] Pass Pass
Pass 1{ Pass 1] 2[ Pass 3[ All Pass
Pass Pass 1[ Dble
Pass 2} Pass 3NT Nick Fitzgibbon opened a Strong Club in third seat.
All Pass He then introduced his spades when North’s jump to
2] came back to him. Adam Mesbur judged that his
On the third round of the auction, with the meagre collection was worth a raise to 3[. When

8
56th European Team Championships — 12th National Women’s Pairs Championships — 10th National Seniors’ Pairs Championships
14TH EUROPEAN
SMALL FEDERATION GAMES
Larnaca, Cyprus • 1 - 3 November 2022

DAILY BULLETIN

Fitzgibbon then decided that he didn’t like his hand Board 27. Dealer South. None Vul.
Editor: Brian Senior [ Lay-out Editor: Francesca Canali [ Photographer: Arianna Testa

Issue No 1. Wednesday 2 November, 2022

UNDERWAY!
The 14th European Small Federations Games is underway in Larnaca, Cyprus. Fifteen national teams will play a complete round robin
over three days, each day comprising 5 x 10-board rounds, including one bye round per team. And that will be that; no qualification, no

enough to bid again, the fair game had been missed. [ Q64
knock-outs, just a pure round robin with the top teams at the end of three days taking home the medals, the glory, and the satisfaction
of a job well done.
Serbia leads the way at the end of day one, closely followed by Croatia and the Faroe Islands, but no team is tailed off at the bottom
of the rankings, and any that have a good run over the next two days can still contend at the top.

CYPRUS CROATIA

Bakke led the ]K, declarer winning and exiting


CZECH REPUBLIC ESTONIA

] Q7
FAROE ISLANDS HUNGARY

with a second heart. South won with the ]J and


LATVIA LITHUANIA

{ A96432
MALTA ROMANIA

switched to diamonds, so declarer won in dummy


SAN MARINO SERBIA

} AJ
SLOVAKIA SLOVENIA

and advanced the [J. Brogeland rose with the


UKRAINE

[ K 10 2 [ 753
[A and exited with a diamond, but declarer was ] A J 10 9 8 4 2 ] K
in control now. He won, cashed the [K, took his { K 7 { Q J 10 8 5
remaining diamond winner, and exited with a spade. } 10 } 8654
Winning with the [Q, Brogeland was endplayed to [ AJ98
either open the clubs or concede a ruff-and-discard. ] 653
E/W +170. { —
Could the Norwegians at the other table get to } KQ9732
4[? No but, as the cards lie, they did the next best
thing… Closed Room
West North East South
Open Room Fitzgibbon Bakke Mesbur Brogeland
West North East South — — — 1}
Aa Hanlon Livgard Boland 1] 2}* Pass 3}
— — Pass Pass 3] Dble Pass 3[
2NT Pass 3NT All Pass Pass 4} Pass 5}
All Pass
Tom Hanlon led the ]K and, when that held, he
switched to a diamond at trick two. Did North’s failure North’s 2} bid was a transfer to diamonds. It looks
the continue hearts perhaps offer a clue to the club like all potential N/S games are destined to fail, but
position? Hold that thought. Declarer won in dummy the auction seemed to have a momentum that would
with the {Q and advanced the [J. Boland rose with not permit stopping in a partial.
the [A and exited with the ]J to declarer’s ace. Now Fitzgibbon opened the ]A, dropping his partner’s
came the [K, a spade to South’s queen, and a second bare king. Mesbur ruffed the heart continuation and
round of diamonds. exited with a trump. Brogeland won in dummy and
Declarer has eight tricks (three spades, three chose to advance the [Q. When East did not cover,
diamonds, and two aces). It would seem that the only declarer re-considered, rising with the [A so that he
chance of a ninth trick lies in clubs. You know that could ruff his remaining heart loser with dummy’s last
North has winning hearts to cash, so you cannot trump. The problem with this is that having wasted
make the contract if he holds the }K. (You are also the [Q, declarer was eventually left with two spade
fairly sure that North does not hold the }K from his losers rather than one at the end. That meant two
play at trick two.) Looking at the full deal, does it not down: N/S -100.
seem that declarer is virtually forced into the winning Game in clubs never had any real chance. The Irish
line of a club to the ten (either now or after cashing auction is hardly to be recommended, but it had the
his spade winners)? effect of landing them in a game contract that they
When declarer instead cashed the {A, setting were given a chance to make.
up the long card in that suit for South, he could no
longer make the contract. He crossed to dummy with Open Room
a fourth round of spades and tried to endplay North West North East South
with a heart, but Hanlon had kept enough winners in Aa Hanlon Livgard Boland
that suit to put declarer one down. E/W -100 and 6 — — — 1}
IMPs to Ireland when it had looked certain to be 10 in 1] 2{ Pass 3}
the other column. It seems that they had remembered Pass 3] Dble Rdbl
to pack the famed ‘Luck of the Irish’ in their suitcases. Pass 3NT All Pass
On the next deal, a combination of defensive
missteps seemed to pave the way for a big Irish gain. Terje Aa did not take a second bid on the West hand
However, it was now their turn to inspect the dentures so, at this table, it was Hanlon who essayed 3]. I
of a voluntarily-given equine. cannot explain what Boland’s redouble showed and, it
would seem, neither could Hanlon.

9
56th European Team Championships — 12th National Women’s Pairs Championships — 10th National Seniors’ Pairs Championships
14TH EUROPEAN
SMALL FEDERATION GAMES
Larnaca, Cyprus • 1 - 3 November 2022

DAILY BULLETIN

Livgard led the ]K and Aa followed with the Slam is about a 50-50 proposition. It is a little better
Editor: Brian Senior [ Lay-out Editor: Francesca Canali [ Photographer: Arianna Testa

Issue No 1. Wednesday 2 November, 2022

UNDERWAY!
The 14th European Small Federations Games is underway in Larnaca, Cyprus. Fifteen national teams will play a complete round robin
over three days, each day comprising 5 x 10-board rounds, including one bye round per team. And that will be that; no qualification, no

]J after some thought. Had Livgard followed his than playing trumps for no loser (so a 2-2 break or
knock-outs, just a pure round robin with the top teams at the end of three days taking home the medals, the glory, and the satisfaction
of a job well done.
Serbia leads the way at the end of day one, closely followed by Croatia and the Faroe Islands, but no team is tailed off at the bottom
of the rankings, and any that have a good run over the next two days can still contend at the top.

CYPRUS CROATIA

partner’s suggestion and played a spade a trick two,


CZECH REPUBLIC ESTONIA

singleton queen). If there is a trump loser, you will


FAROE ISLANDS HUNGARY

declarer would have been left with a choice of taking


LATVIA LITHUANIA

need both pointed-suit finesses to work, and then a


MALTA ROMANIA

his eight tricks or playing for nine and ending up with


SAN MARINO SERBIA

3-3 spade break or a spade-diamond squeeze at the


SLOVAKIA SLOVENIA

just five. end. (I did say it was only a little better than bringing
UKRAINE

However, Livgard tabled the {Q at trick two. Now in the trumps.) Bidding it, though, was much more
the spotlight turned on Aa, and he contributed to difficult than making 12 tricks. (Slam was bid only
the Irish cause by not playing his {K on this trick. eight times at the 30 tables, although one of those
It seems that declarer has all the clues that he needs declarers managed to go down in it).
to capitalize: win with the {A and rumble six rounds Livgard won the opening club lead and cashed the
of clubs. West will be forced to keep [Kx and thus top hearts, brining down the queen. He then played
declarer can exit with a heart. West will be able to the {A and the {J, conceding a trick to the {K, but
cash three red-suit winners, but he will then have to setting up discards for his spade losers. E/W +680.
concede the final two tricks in spades. (Note that if That seemed like a flat board or a potential slam swing
West plays the {K at trick two, he can simply keep to the Irish, but something funny happened on the
[Kx, ]A and a low diamond in the end position and way to the forum.
no endplay would be possible.) In the replay, East had to deal with the last of the
Perhaps Hanlon was still in shock at the sight of problems from the top of this article:
dummy’s heart holding. He took the {A at trick two
and led the [Q. When East did not cover, he at least Closed Room
rose with the [A and cashed his clubs to get out for West North East South
one down. N/S -50 and 2 IMPs to Ireland. Fitzgibbon Bakke Mesbur Brogeland
Still with no swing in excess of 6 IMPs, we came Pass 3} Dble 3]
to the final deal of the match. At last – a spectacular All Pass
firework, and a potential slam hand too. Whilst the
first 15 boards of this match could hardly be deemed I remember from my early bridge days, reading in
sublime, events at one table on this final deal certainly Bridge Magazine about the shenanigans of the top
qualify as ridiculous. Irish pair. Well known for his imaginative bidding back
in the day, this time it was Adam Mesbur who fell
Board 32. Dealer West. E/W Vul. victim to an excellent effort by Boye Brogeland. A
[ Q63 quarter of a century ago, Boye featured as a ‘Rising
] Q4 Star’ in World Class. He has certainly lived up to that
{ 76 billing, and hands like these confirm that he is not yet
} K Q 10 7 6 3 close to being pensioned off to the Seniors event.
[ A J 8 [ K742 If the East hand was given to the RealBridge expert
] 7 6 2 ] A K J 10 9 2 bidding panel, I would guess the majority, suspecting
{ Q 10 9 8 2 { AJ what was going on, would try their luck with a 4]
} 8 5 } A bid. Are we all convinced that partner will be able to
[ 10 9 5 fathom out what is going on and simply pass?
] 83 Quite how you are supposed to get to the slam after
{ K543 this start to the auction is beyond me so, if nothing
} J942 else, Brogeland’s baby psyche had surely guaranteed
the Norwegians at worst a flat board. Declarer made
Open Room the obvious one trick in his 3] contract: E/W +400
West North East South and 7 IMPs to Norway.
Aa Hanlon Livgard Boland The match finished as a 27-19 win for Ireland. The
Pass Pass 1] Pass Norwegians will surely be in the mix when the fat lady
2] 3} 4] All Pass begins to warm up next week. Can the Irish use this
win as a springboard to join the party too? Time, as
they say, will tell.

10
56th European Team Championships — 12th National Women’s Pairs Championships — 10th National Seniors’ Pairs Championships
14TH EUROPEAN
SMALL FEDERATION GAMES
Larnaca, Cyprus • 1 - 3 November 2022

DAILY BULLETIN
Editor: Brian Senior [ Lay-out Editor: Francesca Canali [ Photographer: Arianna Testa

Issue No 1. Wednesday 2 November, 2022

UNDERWAY!
The 14th European Small Federations Games is underway in Larnaca, Cyprus. Fifteen national teams will play a complete round robin

Seniors’ Pairs, 5th Qualifying Round


over three days, each day comprising 5 x 10-board rounds, including one bye round per team. And that will be that; no qualification, no
knock-outs, just a pure round robin with the top teams at the end of three days taking home the medals, the glory, and the satisfaction
of a job well done.
Serbia leads the way at the end of day one, closely followed by Croatia and the Faroe Islands, but no team is tailed off at the bottom
of the rankings, and any that have a good run over the next two days can still contend at the top.

CYPRUS CROATIA CZECH REPUBLIC ESTONIA

FAROE ISLANDS HUNGARY LATVIA LITHUANIA

MALTA ROMANIA SAN MARINO SERBIA

SLOVAKIA SLOVENIA
Jos Jacobs UKRAINE

The penultimate round of the qualifications did not five legitimate tricks? Five Spades doubled went down
bring the two leading pairs together, for a change. So, one only at one table and down two at another. Four
this time, the round report will be a bit shorter, also Spades doubled went down one at the only table
caused by the nature of the boards, I will graciously where it became the final contract. If you managed
admit. Yes, there was a quite playable slam on #21, to restrict your losses to just -200 as N/S, you would
not bid anywhere, that looked like this: thus collect 18 MP (top =20).
Near the end of the session, the boards livened up
Board 21. Dealer North. N/S Vul. a little, I thought. Take e.g., this one:
[ Q 10 8 7 4
] J Board 26. Dealer East. All Vul.
{ KJ86 [ 10 6
} Q52 ] AQ8642
[ 5 [ A { J2
] A 10 9 8 7 4 3 2 ] KQ } K76
{ 9 { 10 7 5 4 3 2 [ K J 9 5 2 [ AQ874
} K 8 6 } AJ43 ] 10 ] K
[ KJ9632 { A 4 { K Q 10 9 5 3
] 65 } A 10 5 4 2 } 3
{ AQ [ 3
} 10 9 7 ] J9753
{ 876
The frequency sheet immediately drew my } QJ98
attention. No North player led a diamond against
West’s heart contract , so why wouldn’t you make West North East South
all 13 tricks in a matchpoint event? I spotted a few K. Kjeldsen Kalish J. Kjeldsen Grinberg
+480’s in E/W. — — 1{ Pass
If N/S take the sacrifice in spades, vulnerable 1[ 2] 4[ 5]
against not, why does the defence not come to their 6[ Pass Pass 7]
Dble All Pass

This very much looks like the par auction for


this board. The slam is making and the sacrifice is
profitable, even in teams (an IMP is an IMP). So, the
Israeli N/S pair gained a fully deserved top score for
their efforts: down just six for -1400.
You might think that all other pairs would end up
in 6[, scoring +1430 or +1460 depending on the
lead. This was not quite true, however…look at what
they did at this table:

West North East South


J. Verhees Ingason Kolen Jonsson
— — 1[ Pass
2NT Pass 3{ Pass
4} Pass 4NT Pass
5{ Pass 6[ Pass
Jens KJELDSEN, Denmark 7[ All Pass

11
56th European Team Championships — 12th National Women’s Pairs Championships — 10th National Seniors’ Pairs Championships
14TH EUROPEAN
SMALL FEDERATION GAMES
Larnaca, Cyprus • 1 - 3 November 2022

DAILY BULLETIN

Can we blame South for not leading a heart? For


Editor: Brian Senior [ Lay-out Editor: Francesca Canali [ Photographer: Arianna Testa

Issue No 1. Wednesday 2 November, 2022

UNDERWAY!
The 14th European Small Federations Games is underway in Larnaca, Cyprus. Fifteen national teams will play a complete round robin
over three days, each day comprising 5 x 10-board rounds, including one bye round per team. And that will be that; no qualification, no

the Bulletin, it does not really matter, because the


knock-outs, just a pure round robin with the top teams at the end of three days taking home the medals, the glory, and the satisfaction
of a job well done.
Serbia leads the way at the end of day one, closely followed by Croatia and the Faroe Islands, but no team is tailed off at the bottom
of the rankings, and any that have a good run over the next two days can still contend at the top.

CYPRUS CROATIA

hand should go in irrespective of the result…


CZECH REPUBLIC ESTONIA

FAROE ISLANDS HUNGARY

Anyway, when South led a perfectly safe }Q, the


LATVIA LITHUANIA

MALTA ROMANIA

Dutch had scored another clean top.


SAN MARINO SERBIA

SLOVAKIA SLOVENIA

On the very next deal, we once again saw a variety


UKRAINE

of remarkable results.

Board 27. Dealer South. None Vul.


[ K 10 9 5 2
] J
{ A J 10 5 4
} 54
[ A 7 4 [ Q Kjeld KJELDSEN, Denmark
] A K Q 8 5 4 ] 10 7 3 2
{ 6 { K9873 it became the final contract at only three of them.
} Q 8 6 } J 10 3 One declarer managed to guess the trump suit and
[ J863 thus chalk up +420 on a heart lead for a top score.
] 96 Two other declarers went one off. The lucky declarer
{ Q2 who was allowed to play 3[ easily made his contract
} AK972 for 18 out of a possible 20 MP. At one table, N/S
went on to 5[ over 5] for one down only but just
Four Hearts should go down on an unlikely club 2 MP. At half the tables, 5] undoubled (twice) or
ruff but at no table did it become the final contract. doubled (four times) was the final contract. As I
Spades are the higher-ranking suit, you know! already suggested above, this went down only one,
Four Spades was bid at all bar one of the tables but the club ruff being a bridge too far.

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12
DETAILS: WWW.WORLDBRIDGE.ORG (click on the World Bridge Games banner)
56th European Team Championships — 12th National Women’s Pairs Championships — 10th National Seniors’ Pairs Championships
14TH EUROPEAN
SMALL FEDERATION GAMES
Larnaca, Cyprus • 1 - 3 November 2022

DAILY BULLETIN
Editor: Brian Senior [ Lay-out Editor: Francesca Canali [ Photographer: Arianna Testa

Issue No 1. Wednesday 2 November, 2022

UNDERWAY!
The 14th European Small Federations Games is underway in Larnaca, Cyprus. Fifteen national teams will play a complete round robin

Seniors’ Pairs, 6th Qualifying Round


over three days, each day comprising 5 x 10-board rounds, including one bye round per team. And that will be that; no qualification, no
knock-outs, just a pure round robin with the top teams at the end of three days taking home the medals, the glory, and the satisfaction
of a job well done.
Serbia leads the way at the end of day one, closely followed by Croatia and the Faroe Islands, but no team is tailed off at the bottom
of the rankings, and any that have a good run over the next two days can still contend at the top.

CYPRUS CROATIA CZECH REPUBLIC ESTONIA

FAROE ISLANDS HUNGARY LATVIA LITHUANIA

MALTA ROMANIA SAN MARINO SERBIA

SLOVAKIA SLOVENIA
Jos Jacobs UKRAINE

Tuesday’s last round of the Seniors’ qualifications


consisted of only 12 boards, but I still found some
interesting things in both bidding and play. Take for
instance the deal below:

Board 4. Dealer West. All Vul.


[ AK9852
] J832
{ 32
} J
[ J 10 [ —
] A K Q 9 5 ] 10 6 4
{ K J 6 { A Q 10 5 4
} K Q 2 } A8643
[ Q7643 Michal KWIECIEN, Poland
] 7
{ 987 to make 4[ doubled in N/S. We do not know how the
} 10 9 7 5 misplay went but +790 was worth all 20 MP. to N/S.
Not that it mattered very much because one down,
For the more ambitious among us, bidding and -200 would still have been worth all the matchpoints.
making a grand would often be the ultimate satisfaction. On the next deal, we had another slam. It was bid
If both rounded suits behave, there are 13 tricks in only three times, one of the successful pairs being the
three denominations. The diamond grand would even aforementioned Erik Brok and Otto Dahl. Another
survive two bad breaks because the doubleton trump pair to get to the slam was Petersen and Teisen, also
is with the singleton club. from Denmark. The only foreign pair to bid the slam
The small slam was a popular contract, as was a were the leaders, Kwiecien and Starkowski. Here is
sacrifice at the six- or even seven-level. Grands were their for once not very scientific auction:
not attempted by anyone, but the two Dutch pairs
managed to end up in a heart game. The most curious Board 5. Dealer North. N/S Vul.
result was a local pair, Brok and Dahl, that was allowed [ KQ7
] A63
{ KQ72
} Q 10 6
[ 4 [ J 10 8 3 2
] Q 9 8 5 ] J 10 7 4
{ A J 3 { —
} K 9 7 4 3 } J852
[ A965
] K2
{ 10 9 8 6 5 4
} A

West North East South


Carbonnier Starkowski Tjarnemo Kwiecien
— 1NT Pass 2}*
Pass 2{* Pass 2[
Pass 3NT Pass 6{
Pierre CARBONNIER and Hakan TJARNEMO, Sweden All Pass
13
56th European Team Championships — 12th National Women’s Pairs Championships — 10th National Seniors’ Pairs Championships
14TH EUROPEAN
SMALL FEDERATION GAMES
Larnaca, Cyprus • 1 - 3 November 2022

DAILY BULLETIN

2} was Stayman, 2{ denied majors and 2] was


Editor: Brian Senior [ Lay-out Editor: Francesca Canali [ Photographer: Arianna Testa

Issue No 1. Wednesday 2 November, 2022

UNDERWAY!
The 14th European Small Federations Games is underway in Larnaca, Cyprus. Fifteen national teams will play a complete round robin
over three days, each day comprising 5 x 10-board rounds, including one bye round per team. And that will be that; no qualification, no

a general GF relay. A maximum 4-3-3-3 should do


knock-outs, just a pure round robin with the top teams at the end of three days taking home the medals, the glory, and the satisfaction
of a job well done.
Serbia leads the way at the end of day one, closely followed by Croatia and the Faroe Islands, but no team is tailed off at the bottom
of the rankings, and any that have a good run over the next two days can still contend at the top.

CYPRUS CROATIA

the slam job for N/S, was the logical conclusion.


CZECH REPUBLIC ESTONIA

FAROE ISLANDS HUNGARY

On the next deal, the leaders were just slightly too


LATVIA LITHUANIA

MALTA ROMANIA

eager, maybe. SAN MARINO SERBIA

SLOVAKIA SLOVENIA UKRAINE

Board 6. Dealer East. E/W Vul.


[ QJ
] 6542
{ AJ96
} Q75
[ 9 7 3 [ K652
] K Q J 10 ] 87
{ Q 8 2 { 10 7 4 3
} J 3 2 } K64
[ A 10 8 4
] A93
{ K5
} A 10 9 8

A simple auction to 3NT and an obvious ]K lead


from West. You duck this and West continues with
the ]10. Does his choice of the ]10 have any
specific significance? When I asked the Poles about
this, the reply was that West’s ]10 might indeed
suggest the possession of the }K. Declarer therefore
played accordingly: he won the trick and led a club An intriguing deal occurred near the end of the day:
up to dummy’s queen. When East took the king,
declarer thus fell one trick short, and this immediately Board 11. Dealer South. None Vul.
handed back the MP gained on the previous deal. The [ 754
indication about the }K proved to an illusion. ] J4
{ Q 10 8 3 2
} KQ2
[ A K J 8 3 [ 10 6 2
] K Q 9 2 ] 865
{ 6 { AK954
} 7 4 3 } 95
[ Q9
] A 10 7 3
{ J7
} A J 10 8 6

At many tables, the final contract was 3[ by N/S.


Most declarers made exactly nine tricks. The GIB
score is also mentioned on the hand records, so this
outcome looked entirely OK. However, I noticed that
at three tables they reached game and all declarers
involved made the required ten tricks. Apparently
North shifted to a trump after the opening lead of the
}K held the trick. Still, I would think that the shift to
the ]J, ducked to declarer’s king, or even better, the
lead of the ]J, would set the game. Declarer cannot
both ruff his last club and prevent the heart ruff.
Wlodzimierz STARKOWSKI, Poland

14
56th European Team Championships — 12th National Women’s Pairs Championships — 10th National Seniors’ Pairs Championships
14TH EUROPEAN
SMALL FEDERATION GAMES
Larnaca, Cyprus • 1 - 3 November 2022

DAILY BULLETIN
Editor: Brian Senior [ Lay-out Editor: Francesca Canali [ Photographer: Arianna Testa

Issue No 1. Wednesday 2 November, 2022

UNDERWAY!
The 14th European Small Federations Games is underway in Larnaca, Cyprus. Fifteen national teams will play a complete round robin

Seniors’ Pairs, 7th Qualifying Round


over three days, each day comprising 5 x 10-board rounds, including one bye round per team. And that will be that; no qualification, no
knock-outs, just a pure round robin with the top teams at the end of three days taking home the medals, the glory, and the satisfaction
of a job well done.
Serbia leads the way at the end of day one, closely followed by Croatia and the Faroe Islands, but no team is tailed off at the bottom
of the rankings, and any that have a good run over the next two days can still contend at the top.

CYPRUS CROATIA CZECH REPUBLIC ESTONIA

FAROE ISLANDS HUNGARY LATVIA LITHUANIA

MALTA ROMANIA SAN MARINO SERBIA

SLOVAKIA SLOVENIA
Jos Jacobs UKRAINE

On Wednesday morning, all was set for the last day West North East South
of the qualifications. The same schedule would be in J. Verhees Brok Kolen O. Dahl
operation as on the previous days: 15-15-12 boards — Pass Pass Pass
in the three sessions. 2}* Pass 2{* Pass
On the second board of the session, declarer’s problem 2[ Pass 3[ Pass
was to deal with the restricted choice in diamonds: 4}* Pass 4]* Pass
4NT* Pass 5{* Pass
Board 2. Dealer East. All Vul. 6[ All Pass
[ K95
] K You lead the obvious {K. Declarer wins the ace and
{ A 10 6 5 4 immediately returns the suit. You take the queen and
} A K 10 8 what now? Partner contributed the two and the ten in
[ A J 7 4 2 [ Q 10 8 6 any order but what would this mean? Two defenders
] A J 3 ] Q 10 9 6 5 4 continued a club but against the Dutch, North tried the
{ 9 7 { QJ effect of a heart. This resulted in a quick +980 to E/W
} 7 5 4 } J and, of course, all the matchpoints.
[ 3 A typical pairs problem occurred two boards later:
] 872
{ K832 Board 7. Dealer South. All Vul.
} Q9632 [ K Q 10 9 2
] Q9
Against three of our N/S pairs, the E/W heart { Q 10 4
intervention was so fierce that these N/S pairs ended } J74
up in game. One pair reached 5{ which went down [ A J [ 8754
due to the normal restricted choice decision. However, ] A J 6 4 3 2 ] K7
the other two pairs reached 5}. They could postpone { A 9 { KJ7652
the diamond decision because this was not their } Q 10 9 } 5
trump suit. When they saw East’s singleton club, both [ 63
declarers decided to play for the drop, thus bringing ] 10 8 5
home their game contracts for a shared top (19 MP). { 83
A few deals later, we were close to having a slam: } AK8632

Board 5. Dealer North. N/S Vul. At some tables, game was even missed, E/W
[ — languishing in a heart partscore. Some other pairs
] QJ764 reached 4] in which the outcome was exactly the
{ KQ95 required ten tricks. The interesting contract was of
} 8432 course 3NT. How should you play when North leads
[ A K J 10 9 7 2 [ Q83 the [K? Did South show his clubs at any time? On a
] A 10 ] K52 club lead, declarer will run for home as soon as he gets
{ A 6 { J8743 the lead, probably at trick 3. Scoring +660 would be
} K Q } 10 6 worth 85% (17 MP). On a spade lead, made at a table
[ 654 where South did in fact show his clubs, declarer had
] 983 little option but to take the diamond finesse and play
{ 10 2 the hearts from the top. That is what will happen if you
} AJ975 don’t lead partner’s suit…Olanski was the fortunate
declarer to run home with all the matchpoints.
At one other table, the [K was led but here, declarer
made only 11 tricks. We would like to know why…

15
56th European Team Championships — 12th National Women’s Pairs Championships — 10th National Seniors’ Pairs Championships
14TH EUROPEAN
SMALL FEDERATION GAMES
Larnaca, Cyprus • 1 - 3 November 2022

DAILY BULLETIN

Top Table
Editor: Brian Senior [ Lay-out Editor: Francesca Canali [ Photographer: Arianna Testa

Issue No 1. Wednesday 2 November, 2022

UNDERWAY!
The 14th European Small Federations Games is underway in Larnaca, Cyprus. Fifteen national teams will play a complete round robin
over three days, each day comprising 5 x 10-board rounds, including one bye round per team. And that will be that; no qualification, no
knock-outs, just a pure round robin with the top teams at the end of three days taking home the medals, the glory, and the satisfaction
of a job well done.
Serbia leads the way at the end of day one, closely followed by Croatia and the Faroe Islands, but no team is tailed off at the bottom
of the rankings, and any that have a good run over the next two days can still contend at the top.

CYPRUS CROATIA CZECH REPUBLIC ESTONIA

FAROE ISLANDS HUNGARY LATVIA LITHUANIA

MALTA ROMANIA SAN MARINO SERBIA

SLOVAKIA SLOVENIA
Mark Horton UKRAINE

I had planned to catch the opening deal of the sixth Board 14. Dealer East. None Vul.
session of the Women’s Pairs, but affairs of state [ K2
meant that my arrival was delayed. However, that ] K Q 10 2
happened to coincide with a clash between the pairs { Q73
occupying the first two places. } AQ64
[ 10 7 5 3 [ AQ6
Board 13. Dealer North. All Vul. ] A J ] 863
[ AJ96 { K J 6 4 { 10 8 5 2
] 6 } J 10 8 } K72
{ 10 6 3 2 [ J984
} Q J 10 9 ] 9754
[ Q 7 3 [ K54 { A9
] J 10 7 5 ] KQ98 } 953
{ 7 4 { AKJ8
} 7 6 5 4 } 83 Open Room
[ 10 8 2 West North East South
] A432 Binderkrantz S Baldysz Bekkouche C Baldysz
{ Q95 — — Pass Pass
} AK2 Pass 1NT All Pass

Open Room East led the ]3 and when West took the ]A
West North East South declarer did not avail herself of the opportunity to
Binderkrantz S Baldysz Bekkouche C Baldysz secure an extra entry to dummy by unblocking the
— Pass 1NT All Pass ]10. If West had switched to a spade (or even a
diamond) that would have been exploited, provided
North had some useful clubs in her bag at the point East, having won a spade, immediately switches to a
where the opening bid reached her – a double would diamond.
have shown } or two suits excluding clubs, while Whatever, West returned the ]J and declarer won
overcalling 2} would have promised at least 4/4 and cashed two more hearts, West parting with the
in clubs and another suit. However, the unattractive {46 and East the [6. Declarer ducked a club, West
4441 was an important consideration and she was winning with the }8 and switching to the [7. East
content to let matters rest. won with the [Q and returned the {5, West winning
South led the [8 and when North put in the [J with the {K and going back to spades. East took the
declarer won with the [K and played the ]KQ, [A and fell into the trap of exiting with a club, handing
North discarding the {10. Declarer tried cashing declarer a vital overtrick along with 28.47/3.53.
the {AK and then played a third heart, but South Holding declarer to seven tricks would have been
won and played the [10, and the defenders had no worth 13.73 while defeating 1NT collected 26.20.
trouble collecting the remaining tricks for the ‘magic That happened four times, East always leading a
200’ and 25.07/6.93. diamond. There is a winning line for declarer, but as it
One North did double 1NT and South was more requires not only an unblock in the hearts suit, but also
than happy to pass, the resulting -500 delivering starting spades by leading either the king or two from
31.87/0.13. hand it is hardly surprising that the contract failed.

16
56th European Team Championships — 12th National Women’s Pairs Championships — 10th National Seniors’ Pairs Championships
14TH EUROPEAN
SMALL FEDERATION GAMES
Larnaca, Cyprus • 1 - 3 November 2022

DAILY BULLETIN

Spain v France RR5


Editor: Brian Senior [ Lay-out Editor: Francesca Canali [ Photographer: Arianna Testa

Issue No 1. Wednesday 2 November, 2022

UNDERWAY!
The 14th European Small Federations Games is underway in Larnaca, Cyprus. Fifteen national teams will play a complete round robin
over three days, each day comprising 5 x 10-board rounds, including one bye round per team. And that will be that; no qualification, no
knock-outs, just a pure round robin with the top teams at the end of three days taking home the medals, the glory, and the satisfaction
of a job well done.
Serbia leads the way at the end of day one, closely followed by Croatia and the Faroe Islands, but no team is tailed off at the bottom
of the rankings, and any that have a good run over the next two days can still contend at the top.

CYPRUS CROATIA CZECH REPUBLIC ESTONIA

FAROE ISLANDS HUNGARY LATVIA LITHUANIA

MALTA ROMANIA SAN MARINO SERBIA

SLOVAKIA SLOVENIA
Ron Tacchi UKRAINE

As I sit in my office in the French countryside I Open Room


settle down to watch my adopted country take on West North East South
Spain in the fifth round of the championship. France L Rombaut F Goded J Rombaut G Goded
is currently lying in second place with Spain in 16th — — — 1{
position, some 23 points behind. After the match Pass 1] 2[ Pass
concludes the other European event which is taking Pass 3{ All Pass
place concurrently both France and England have
important matches, let’s hope all three contests are A perfectly reasonable auction to a perfectly
exhilarating. reasonable contract and on the opening lead of the
In the Open Room the Rombaut family is pitted ace of spades it made an overtrick.
against the Goded family, this is obviously not a
frequent occurrence to have only two families seated Closed Room
at one table. Both pairs play five-card majors but the West North East South
Godeds employ transfers over an opening One Club Gomez Franceschetti Goncalves Combescure
bid. In the Closed Room again both pairs play five- — — — 1{
card majors with the Spanish pair using two over one 1] 1[ 2[ Pass
game forcing. 3] 4{ 4] Pass
Pass Dble All Pass
Board 3. Dealer South. E/W Vul.
[ 3 West’s original vulnerable intervention may not be
] Q653 the choice of all, especially for those old fogies like
{ A Q J 10 7 myself but today’s bridge is a bidding war. I saw no
} J54 alert of North’s bid and the convention card does not
[ A 9 [ Q J 10 8 7 6 point to anything other than a natural call. If West
] K J 10 8 2 ] 74 was of the opinion that North had made a genuine
{ 6 5 3 { 8 bid then he had little choice but to repeat his hearts
} 10 8 3 } AQ97 in response to his partner’s cuebid. East was definitely
[ K542 on the optimistic side when raising to game and now
] A9 North, knowing his side had the balance of power and
{ K942 the trumps not lying well for declarer, expressed an
} K62 opinion with a red card.

Jerome ROMBAUT Gonzalo GODED

Federico GODED
17 Leo ROMBAUT
56th European Team Championships — 12th National Women’s Pairs Championships — 10th National Seniors’ Pairs Championships
14TH EUROPEAN
SMALL FEDERATION GAMES
Larnaca, Cyprus • 1 - 3 November 2022

DAILY BULLETIN

North led his singleton spade and dummy’s queen held There was no swing on this board, but it is always
Editor: Brian Senior [ Lay-out Editor: Francesca Canali [ Photographer: Arianna Testa

Issue No 1. Wednesday 2 November, 2022

UNDERWAY!
The 14th European Small Federations Games is underway in Larnaca, Cyprus. Fifteen national teams will play a complete round robin
over three days, each day comprising 5 x 10-board rounds, including one bye round per team. And that will be that; no qualification, no

the trick. A diamond from dummy saw North take the nice to show that both rooms managed to reach the
knock-outs, just a pure round robin with the top teams at the end of three days taking home the medals, the glory, and the satisfaction
of a job well done.
Serbia leads the way at the end of day one, closely followed by Croatia and the Faroe Islands, but no team is tailed off at the bottom
of the rankings, and any that have a good run over the next two days can still contend at the top.

CYPRUS CROATIA

trick and switch to a club (he could have played a small


CZECH REPUBLIC ESTONIA

good slam. Slightly different techniques but sound


FAROE ISLANDS HUNGARY

heart) which was taken with dummy’s ace. A spade to


LATVIA LITHUANIA

bidding.
MALTA ROMANIA

the ace was ruffed by North who still refused to play


SAN MARINO SERBIA

SLOVAKIA SLOVENIA

a trump, trying another club and South won with his


UKRAINE

Board 6. Dealer East. E/W Vul.


king and continued the suit. In dummy with the queen [ K
of clubs, declarer tried the jack of spades covered ] Q985
by the king and ruffed with the jack of hearts. North { K 10 7 5
continued his aversion to playing trumps and rather } AQ87
than overruffing and taking the contract four down he [ A J 8 6 [ Q7532
discarded a diamond allowing declarer to ruff a diamond ] 6 2 ] KJ3
in dummy. A master spade from dummy saw declarer { A Q 6 { J3
discard his losing diamond (he needed to ruff with the } J 9 5 2 } 10 4 3
king to escape for two off) while North ruffed. I now fully [ 10 9 4
expected North to now abandon his reluctance to play ] A 10 7 4
trumps and concede a trick to declarer, but his persistence { 9842
eventually paid a small dividend when he exited with a } K6
diamond. Now declarer had to lose two trump tricks and
was three off vulnerable. 12 IMPs to France. Open Room
West North East South
Board 4. Dealer West. All Vul. L Rombaut F Goded J Rombaut G Goded
[ K Q 10 6 — — Pass Pass
] 87 1} Pass 1[ Pass
{ AQ42 2[ Dble 3[ All Pass
} QJ4
[ 9 8 7 4 [ A On a good day East’s preemptive Three Spades
] A J 10 6 5 4 ] KQ32 might have escaped for one off or even just coming
{ 5 { KJ963 home. This was not a good day. The defence started
} A K } 873 with four rounds of clubs, allowing South to ruff the
[ J532 fourth round and then declarer misguessed the hearts
] 9 and without rabbinical aid lost to the singleton trump
{ 10 8 7 king for three off.
} 10 9 6 5 2
Closed Room
Open Room West North East South
West North East South Gomez Franceschetti Goncalves Combescure
L Rombaut F Goded J Rombaut G Goded — — Pass Pass
1] Dble 2NT* Pass 1{ Pass 1[ Pass
4{* Pass 4[ Pass 2[ Dble 3[ 4]
5} Pass 5{ Pass All Pass
6] All Pass
Dear reader I leave you to decide on the wisdom of
2NT GF Raise South’s defeat snatching bid of Four Hearts. What did
4{ Splinter he believe his partner’s hand to be. He is obviously
short in spades, he probably has an opening bid, he
Closed Room was unable to bid over One Diamond so probably
West North East South (almost certainly in these days) does not have a five-
Gomez Franceschetti Goncalves Combescure card heart suit. It would seem likely he has values in
1] Dble 3[* Pass clubs but was unable to interject with 1NT and has
4NT Pass 5[ Pass less than a fifteen count, so South is trying to make
6] All Pass a game on a four-four fit with not much combined
high-card strength. With the cards sitting very well for
3{ Splinter him, he escaped a red card and went one off. 8 IMPs

18
56th European Team Championships — 12th National Women’s Pairs Championships — 10th National Seniors’ Pairs Championships
14TH EUROPEAN
SMALL FEDERATION GAMES
Larnaca, Cyprus • 1 - 3 November 2022

DAILY BULLETIN

generously given back to Spain. my mother’s knee was very sound. Yes, things are
Editor: Brian Senior [ Lay-out Editor: Francesca Canali [ Photographer: Arianna Testa

Issue No 1. Wednesday 2 November, 2022

UNDERWAY!
The 14th European Small Federations Games is underway in Larnaca, Cyprus. Fifteen national teams will play a complete round robin
over three days, each day comprising 5 x 10-board rounds, including one bye round per team. And that will be that; no qualification, no

Board 7 had some interesting features but as the different now, but I would never pre-empt with a six-
knock-outs, just a pure round robin with the top teams at the end of three days taking home the medals, the glory, and the satisfaction
of a job well done.
Serbia leads the way at the end of day one, closely followed by Croatia and the Faroe Islands, but no team is tailed off at the bottom
of the rankings, and any that have a good run over the next two days can still contend at the top.

CYPRUS CROATIA

contract was 1NT in both rooms in deference to Mr


CZECH REPUBLIC ESTONIA

loser hand.
FAROE ISLANDS HUNGARY

Bird I shall pass on by. LATVIA LITHUANIA

MALTA ROMANIA SAN MARINO SERBIA

Board 11. Dealer South. None Vul.


SLOVAKIA SLOVENIA

Board 9. Dealer North. E/W Vul.


UKRAINE

[ A9873
[ — ] 765
] Q95 { J9
{ A 10 9 } 10 9 4
} Q J 10 6 4 3 2 [ J 6 5 [ Q42
[ K 10 8 2 [ AQJ3 ] 10 8 2 ] KQ3
] J 8 3 2 ] 10 7 4 { A 10 7 6 { 532
{ K 7 6 2 { 854 } Q 7 3 } K862
} 8 } A95 [ K 10
[ 97654 ] AJ94
] AK6 { KQ84
{ QJ3 } AJ5
} K7
Open Room
Open Room West North East South
West North East South L Rombaut F Goded J Rombaut G Goded
L Rombaut F Goded J Rombaut G Goded — — — 1{
— 3} All Pass Pass 1[ Pass 2NT
Pass 3}* Pass 3]
Closed Room Pass 3NT All Pass
West North East South
Gomez Franceschetti Goncalves Combescure Three Clubs was a form of checkback and North
— 4} All Pass optimistically settled for the no-trump game. My
finessing friend tells me that the contract is possible,
Another flat board but surely something is wrong but he cheats and looks at all four hands. West got
when you play in a part-score when slam is a 50-50 off to a reasonable start with a small club to the king
contract. I was taught at my mother’s knee, nearly and ace. Declarer now attacked the spades playing
sixty years ago, never to pre-empt with a void and three rounds, discarding a small heart. This gives the
defence a chance; to guarantee success he needed to
part with the jack of clubs. In with the queen of spades
East returned a club to West’s queen now you can see
the reason as to why a club discard was necessary
as West could exit with a club perforce taken in the
South hand. Declarer now crossed his fingers and
produced a small diamond and West fell from grace
when he played low. Declarer played the jack, cashed
two spades discarding hearts and played another
diamond from dummy to set up his ninth trick. West
needs to rise with the {A and switch to a heart so
now the diamonds are blocked and if he uses the {J
as an entry to dummy for the established spades he
cannot enjoy the diamond winners in his hand. I think
careful analysis should bring you to this conclusion.
You know that declarer started with 4-4 in the red
suits with ten or eleven points therein of which five
are in diamonds, so the only hope is that partner has
the ace of hearts or the king and queen. If partner’s
holding was king and jack then there is no defence.
Ramon GOMEZ, Spain

19
56th European Team Championships — 12th National Women’s Pairs Championships — 10th National Seniors’ Pairs Championships
14TH EUROPEAN
SMALL FEDERATION GAMES
Larnaca, Cyprus • 1 - 3 November 2022

DAILY BULLETIN

Closed Room Open Room


Editor: Brian Senior [ Lay-out Editor: Francesca Canali [ Photographer: Arianna Testa

Issue No 1. Wednesday 2 November, 2022

UNDERWAY!
The 14th European Small Federations Games is underway in Larnaca, Cyprus. Fifteen national teams will play a complete round robin

West North East South West North East South


over three days, each day comprising 5 x 10-board rounds, including one bye round per team. And that will be that; no qualification, no
knock-outs, just a pure round robin with the top teams at the end of three days taking home the medals, the glory, and the satisfaction
of a job well done.
Serbia leads the way at the end of day one, closely followed by Croatia and the Faroe Islands, but no team is tailed off at the bottom
of the rankings, and any that have a good run over the next two days can still contend at the top.

Gomez Franceschetti Goncalves Combescure L Rombaut F Goded J Rombaut G Goded


CYPRUS CROATIA CZECH REPUBLIC ESTONIA

FAROE ISLANDS HUNGARY

— LATVIA LITHUANIA

— — 1{ — Pass 1} 3NT
MALTA ROMANIA

Pass SAN MARINO SERBIA

1[ Pass 2NT Dble All Pass


SLOVAKIA SLOVENIA

All Pass UKRAINE

As North would you sit for the Double. Do you


North was not interested in going further knowing have an agreement with your partner as to what a
his side had at most 24 points between them. South Redouble or a bid or Four Clubs would mean in this
brought home his contract and so 7 more IMPs to situation. Also as South does partner’s Pass indicate
Spain. anything? The defence took their seven tricks in the
Board 12 was another 1NT contract played by majors leaving West on lead. South had discarded
East/West in both rooms The Spanish pair making the{7, {9 and {10. West thought for a moment
eight tricks and the French five thus 6 IMPs to Spain. and exited with a small diamond, obviously hoping to
Even more deference to Mr Bird. force declarer to play clubs from hand, unfortunately
for the defence declarer rose the {6 and calmly
Board 13. Dealer North. All Vul. played the {5 underneath it. The defender had not
[ 10 8 4 paid sufficient attention to declarer’s discards. Now
] 10 9 6 4 3 the two good hearts saw the losing clubs disappear
{ 864 and so declarer was only three light.
} 54
[ A 6 5 2 [ KQ93 Closed Room
] A 8 5 ] KQJ West North East South
{ J 3 2 { — Gomez Franceschetti Goncalves Combescure
} 9 7 3 } A Q J 10 8 2 — Pass 1} 3NT
[ J7 Dble All Pass
] 72
{ A K Q 10 9 7 5 At this table again the defence took their seven major
} K6 winners and declarer discarded his three smallest
diamonds, unfortunately for the defence it was East
who won the seventh trick and so the contract failed
by four tricks. Another 7 IMPs to Spain.

Pedro GONCALVES

Baptiste COMBESCURE

Pierre FRANCESCHETTI

Ramon GOMEZ
20
56th European Team Championships — 12th National Women’s Pairs Championships — 10th National Seniors’ Pairs Championships
14TH EUROPEAN
SMALL FEDERATION GAMES
Larnaca, Cyprus • 1 - 3 November 2022

DAILY BULLETIN

Board 14. Dealer East. None Vul.


Editor: Brian Senior [ Lay-out Editor: Francesca Canali [ Photographer: Arianna Testa

Issue No 1. Wednesday 2 November, 2022

UNDERWAY!
The 14th European Small Federations Games is underway in Larnaca, Cyprus. Fifteen national teams will play a complete round robin
over three days, each day comprising 5 x 10-board rounds, including one bye round per team. And that will be that; no qualification, no

[ K6
knock-outs, just a pure round robin with the top teams at the end of three days taking home the medals, the glory, and the satisfaction
of a job well done.
Serbia leads the way at the end of day one, closely followed by Croatia and the Faroe Islands, but no team is tailed off at the bottom
of the rankings, and any that have a good run over the next two days can still contend at the top.

CYPRUS CROATIA


CZECH REPUBLIC

] 82 ESTONIA

FAROE ISLANDS HUNGARY


LATVIA

{ A K 10 5 3 2LITHUANIA

MALTA ROMANIA


SAN MARINO

} AQ8 SERBIA

SLOVAKIA SLOVENIA

[ 10 8 2
UKRAINE

[ J974
] J 9 6 4 3 ] A5
{ — { QJ9874
} K J 6 5 3 } 4
[ AQ53
] K Q 10 7
{ 6
} 10 9 7 2

Open Room
West North East South
L Rombaut F Goded J Rombaut G Goded
— — Pass 1}
Pass 1[* 2{ Pass
Pass Dble Pass Pass
2] Pass Pass Dble
All Pass

1[ Balanced or diamonds Pedro GONCALVES, Spain

East took the mistaken view that North’s One Spade finale of the debacle he was held to three tricks and
bid was of the balanced variety rather than showing had to write -1100 in the out column, the second time
diamonds. He was soon disabused and West ‘rescued’ Spain had received such a gift.
into Two Hearts which also attracted a red card. The
defence started with four rounds of spades and when Closed Room
declarer discarded a club rather than ruffing with the West North East South
]9 he was booked for at least four off, and in the Gomez Franceschetti Goncalves Combescure
— — Pass 1}
Pass 1{ Pass 1]
Pass 1[ Pass 2[
Pass 3NT All Pass

With North’s natural response of One Diamond


East was inhibited from entering the auction and so
the auction proceeded calmly to the no-trump game.
After the lead of the queen of diamonds declarer was
not pushed to bring home his contract with a couple
of overtricks. 12 IMPs to Spain.
At the end of the match Spain had beaten France by
44-22 IMPs or 15.38-4.62 VPs. France moved down
the table to fifth place whilst Spain gained four places
to twelfth. After this unedifying display by the French
team, I then had to endure the ‘so-called’ spectacle of
both the French and English football matches. Surely
things must get better for all three teams over the
coming days.

Gonzalo GODED, Spain

21
56th European Team Championships — 12th National Women’s Pairs Championships — 10th National Seniors’ Pairs Championships
14TH EUROPEAN
SMALL FEDERATION GAMES
Larnaca, Cyprus • 1 - 3 November 2022

DAILY BULLETIN

Iceland v Poland RR5


Editor: Brian Senior [ Lay-out Editor: Francesca Canali [ Photographer: Arianna Testa

Issue No 1. Wednesday 2 November, 2022

UNDERWAY!
The 14th European Small Federations Games is underway in Larnaca, Cyprus. Fifteen national teams will play a complete round robin
over three days, each day comprising 5 x 10-board rounds, including one bye round per team. And that will be that; no qualification, no
knock-outs, just a pure round robin with the top teams at the end of three days taking home the medals, the glory, and the satisfaction
of a job well done.
Serbia leads the way at the end of day one, closely followed by Croatia and the Faroe Islands, but no team is tailed off at the bottom
of the rankings, and any that have a good run over the next two days can still contend at the top.

CYPRUS CROATIA CZECH REPUBLIC ESTONIA

FAROE ISLANDS HUNGARY LATVIA LITHUANIA

MALTA ROMANIA SAN MARINO SERBIA

SLOVAKIA SLOVENIA
Brian Senior UKRAINE

When Iceland met Poland in Round Five of the the contract and the defence had the rest; down two
Open Teams, the Icemen had made a poor start to for –100.
the competition and lay about half a match below For Poland, Jagniewski’s 1} was also natural or
average, while the Poles were slightly above average. balanced and 1[ again denied a major. Why it was
A lively set of boards offered plenty of scope for one systemically correct for Jagniewski to bid 2NT rather
or other team to get a good win. Who would it be? than 3} at his third turn I don’t know, but it had the
Iceland picked up an overtrick IMP in a cold 4] on effect of putting the right hand on lead from a Polish
Board 1 but we didn’t have to wait long for the first perspective. Johannsson led a spade round to the ten
big swing deal: and jack and Jagniewski crossed to dummy with a
club to lead the jack of hearts. Olgeirsson rose with
Board 2. Dealer East. N/S Vul. the king and returned a spade, and Jagniewski won
[ 10 5 4 2 the ace and played a second heart to the queen and
] K75 ace. When Johannsson continued with a third spade,
{ AJ853 Jagniewski had an overtrick – five clubs, three spades
} 5 and two hearts, for +430 and 11 IMPs to Poland.
[ A 6 [ KJ7
] J 6 4 ] Q 10 8 3 Board 3. Dealer South. E/W Vul.
{ K 10 4 { 7 [ 3
} K Q 10 9 3 } AJ872 ] Q653
[ Q983 { A Q J 10 7
] A92 } J54
{ Q962 [ A 9 [ Q J 10 8 7 6
} 64 ] K J 10 8 2 ] 74
{ 6 5 3 { 8
West North East South } 10 8 3 } AQ97
Gawel Olgeirsson Jagniewski Johannsson [ K542
— — 1}* Pass ] A9
1[* Pass 2} Pass { K942
2] Pass 2NT Pass } K62
3NT All Pass
West North East South
West North East South Gawel Olgeirsson Jagniewski Johannsson
Haraldsson Strzemecki Magnusson Janiszewski — — — 1{
— — 1} Pass 1] 2}* 3[ Pass
1[* Pass 2} Pass 4[ 5{ Dble All Pass
2[ Pass 3} Pass
3NT All Pass West North East South
Haraldsson Strzemecki Magnusson Janiszewski
For Iceland, Magnusson opened 1}, clubs or — — — 1}*
balanced, and the 1[ response said no major. 1] 2{ 2[ 3{
Haraldsson went on with 2[ over the 2} rebid Pass Pass 3[ 4{
and then went on to 3NT over the 3} sign-off. 4[ Pass Pass Dble
Strzemecki led a low diamond to the queen and king, All Pass
and Haraldsson rattled off five club tricks, Strzemecki
baring the king of hearts to keep two spades and all Janiszewski’s 1} was either clubs or balanced and
the diamonds. When declarer next played ace and he followed up by twice supporting Strzemecki’s
another spade, Strzemecki followed both times so diamonds. Facing rebiddable spades, Haraldsson was
Haraldsson took the finesse as his best shot at making willing to take a shot at game, but the partnership

22
56th European Team Championships — 12th National Women’s Pairs Championships — 10th National Seniors’ Pairs Championships
14TH EUROPEAN
SMALL FEDERATION GAMES
Larnaca, Cyprus • 1 - 3 November 2022

DAILY BULLETIN

simply didn’t have the combined values to make 4[ very well. He asked for keycards then bid the small
Editor: Brian Senior [ Lay-out Editor: Francesca Canali [ Photographer: Arianna Testa

Issue No 1. Wednesday 2 November, 2022

UNDERWAY!
The 14th European Small Federations Games is underway in Larnaca, Cyprus. Fifteen national teams will play a complete round robin
over three days, each day comprising 5 x 10-board rounds, including one bye round per team. And that will be that; no qualification, no

a good bet, and Janiszewski doubled the final contract slam. The trump lead did not inconvenience declarer
knock-outs, just a pure round robin with the top teams at the end of three days taking home the medals, the glory, and the satisfaction
of a job well done.
Serbia leads the way at the end of day one, closely followed by Croatia and the Faroe Islands, but no team is tailed off at the bottom
of the rankings, and any that have a good run over the next two days can still contend at the top.

CYPRUS CROATIA

on the strength of his sure trump trick. Janiszewski led


CZECH REPUBLIC ESTONIA

in the slightest as when he led a diamond up, he


FAROE ISLANDS HUNGARY

a low spade, Magnusson playing low from dummy and


LATVIA LITHUANIA

couldn’t go wrong; +1430.


MALTA ROMANIA

overtaking in hand to lead a heart towards dummy.


SAN MARINO SERBIA

Jagniewski transferred to show his heart support


SLOVAKIA

Janiszewski wasn’t about to risk that being a singleton then cuebid and, when Gawel signed off in game,
SLOVENIA UKRAINE

so rose with the ace and cashed the king of diamonds having no spade control, went on with keycard and
then led a second spade to dummy’s ace. Magnusson bid the small slam. Again, the lead was a trump; flat
ran the eight of clubs, losing to the king, and just had at +1430.
the [K to lose for down one and –200. Eleven pairs bid the slam.
Johannsson’s systemic opening was 1{, promising
at least four cards, and Olgeirsson’s 2} response Board 5. Dealer North. N/S Vul.
also showed diamonds. When Jagniewski jumped in [ 10 8 6 3
spades and Gawel raised to game, Olgeirsson saved in ] 653
5{ as he had little defence and excellent diamonds. { A842
Jagniewski doubled and that was that. Gawel cashed } 98
the ace of spades then switched to a trump. Johannsson [ A Q 9 5 [ —
won that with the queen and played ace and another ] J 10 9 7 4 2 ] AQ8
heart, Gawel winning the king and playing a second { 3 { KJ97
trump. With the ace of clubs onside there was just one } K 5 } Q J 10 7 3 2
more loser from here, so Johannsson was down one [ KJ742
for –100 and 7 IMPs to Poland. ] K
{ Q 10 6 5
Board 4. Dealer West. All Vul. } A64
[ K Q 10 6
] 87 West North East South
{ A Q4 2 Gawel Olgeirsson Jagniewski Johannsson
} QJ4 — Pass 1} 1[
[ 9 8 7 4 [ A Dble* 3[ Dble* All Pass
] A J 10 6 5 4 ] KQ32
{ 5 { KJ963 West North East South
} A K } 873 Haraldsson Strzemecki Magnusson Janiszewski
[ J532 — Pass 1} 1[
] 9 2{* 3[ 4] 4[
{ 10 8 7 Dble Pass 5} Pass
} 10 9 6 5 2 5] All Pass

West North East South Not judging his hand to be worth a forcing 2] bid,
Gawel Olgeirsson Jagniewski Johannsson Gawel started the West hand with a negative double.
1] Dble 2{* Pass Then, when Jagniewski made a responsive double of
4} Pass 4{* Pass the pre-emptive spade raise, Gawel took one look at
4] Pass 4NT Pass the vulnerability and left it in. Gawel led his singleton
5] Pass 6] All Pass diamond against 3[ doubled, Johannsson rising
with the ace and leading a spade to the king and ace
West North East South while Jagniewski discarded he queen of clubs. Gawel
Haraldsson Strzemecki Magnusson Janiszewski played the king of clubs, which was ducked, then
1] Dble 2NT* Pass switched to the jack of hearts. Now Jagniewski erred
3} Pass 3[* Pass quite seriously when he overtook with the queen, and
4NT Pass 5[ Pass lost to declarer’s bare king. Johannsson played ace
6] All Pass then ruffed his third club, then led a diamond off the
dummy, Jagniewski winning the king and attempting
Both Wests opened 1] and both Norths doubled. to cash the ace of hearts. Johannsson ruffed that and
Now Magnusson showed a constructive heart raise led a low spade. Gawel won the queen and returned
then a spade shortage, and the latter suited Haraldsson the ten of hearts, which Johannsson ruffed with the

23
56th European Team Championships — 12th National Women’s Pairs Championships — 10th National Seniors’ Pairs Championships
14TH EUROPEAN
SMALL FEDERATION GAMES
Larnaca, Cyprus • 1 - 3 November 2022

DAILY BULLETIN

jack then led his last spade to dummy’s ten to lead heart to the king, then played the fifth spade, which
Editor: Brian Senior [ Lay-out Editor: Francesca Canali [ Photographer: Arianna Testa

Issue No 1. Wednesday 2 November, 2022

UNDERWAY!
The 14th European Small Federations Games is underway in Larnaca, Cyprus. Fifteen national teams will play a complete round robin
over three days, each day comprising 5 x 10-board rounds, including one bye round per team. And that will be that; no qualification, no

a diamond towards his hand. However, Gawel ruffed was ruffed low and over-ruffed. Finally, Janiszewski
knock-outs, just a pure round robin with the top teams at the end of three days taking home the medals, the glory, and the satisfaction
of a job well done.
Serbia leads the way at the end of day one, closely followed by Croatia and the Faroe Islands, but no team is tailed off at the bottom
of the rankings, and any that have a good run over the next two days can still contend at the top.

CYPRUS CROATIA

that and had a heart to cash so the contract was down


CZECH REPUBLIC ESTONIA

played the queen of hearts from hand, losing to the


FAROE ISLANDS HUNGARY

two for –500, but it could have been worse.


LATVIA LITHUANIA

ace, and ruffed the heart return in dummy, just losing


MALTA ROMANIA

Haraldsson could transfer to show hearts over the


SAN MARINO SERBIA

the top clubs, so 10 tricks for +130.


SLOVAKIA SLOVENIA

intervention and now Magnusson could raise to 4] Gawel opened a weak two-suited 2] as dealer
UKRAINE

over the pre-emptive spade raise. When Janiszewski and Olgeirsson overcalled 2[ then bid 3NT over
went on to 4[, Haraldsson doubled for penalty, but Johannsson’s 3}. Jagniewski did well now, liking
Magnusson took it out into 5}. Haraldsson corrected the fact that the defence appeared to have all four
that to 5], but the chance of collecting a sizeable suits covered sufficiently that he doubled. He led the
penalty had gone. Janiszewski led a diamond to his five of diamonds, Gawel being marked with diamonds
partner’s ace, and Strzemecki switched to a heart. as his second suit and Olgeirsson won dummy’s ace,
Rising with the ace would have made the contract, perforce. He tried three rounds of spades, getting
but Haraldsson played with the odds by running the the bad news in that suit, and with nowhere to go
heart so lost to the bare king, and Janiszewski cashed for tricks played a fourth round. Jagniewski won the
the ace of clubs for down one and –50, so 11 IMPs fourth spade and cashed the top clubs then played
to Poland. king and another diamond. Olgeirsson won the {Q
A couple of partscore deals without swings came and cashed the long spade, and Gawel had the last
next but then the action started up again: three tricks – the ace of hearts and two diamonds – for
down three, –500, and 12 IMPs to Poland.
Board 8. Dealer West. None Vul.
[ AKQ87 Board 9. Dealer North. E/W Vul.
] K4 [ –
{ Q864 ] Q95
} 83 { A 10 9
[ 9 3 [ J 10 5 4 } Q J 10 6 4 3 2
] A J 8 7 5 ] 92 [ K 10 8 2 [ AQJ3
{ J 10 7 3 2 { K95 ] J 8 3 2 ] 10 7 4
} 10 } AK64 { K 7 6 2 { 854
[ 62 } 8 } A95
] Q 10 6 3 [ 97654
{ A ] AK6
} QJ9752 { QJ3
} K7
West North East South
Gawel Olgeirsson Jagniewski Johannsson West North East South
2]* 2[ Pass 3} Gawel Olgeirsson Jagniewski Johannsson
Pass 3NT Dble All Pass — 4} Pass 5}
All Pass
West North East South
Haraldsson Strzemecki Magnusson Janiszewski West North East South
Pass 1[ Pass 1NT Haraldsson Strzemecki Magnusson Janiszewski
2] Pass Pass 3} — 3} All Pass
All Pass
What should North open as dealer at favourable
The Polish N/S pair had a well-controlled auction vulnerability?
to 3}. Strzemecki opened the North hand with 1[ Strzemecki opted for a mildly conservative 3{}
and Janiszewski responded 1NT. When Haraldsson and played there, while Olgeirsson preferred 4},
intervened with 2], Strzemecki passed and which Johannsson raised to game.
Janiszewski competed with 3}, where he played. He The two hands fit together perfectly with nothing
won the diamond lead, crossed to a top spade and led wasted facing the spade void, so when the diamond
a club, putting in the queen when Magnusson played finesse wins there are 12 tricks; +170 to Poland but
small. Janiszewski played three more rounds of spades, +420 to Iceland, and 6 Icelandic IMPs.
pitching a heart then ruffing the fourth round, led a Ten N/Ss got to 3NT, all being defeated, while two

24
56th European Team Championships — 12th National Women’s Pairs Championships — 10th National Seniors’ Pairs Championships
14TH EUROPEAN
SMALL FEDERATION GAMES
Larnaca, Cyprus • 1 - 3 November 2022

DAILY BULLETIN

got to slam and two to game. Most of the rest played The ]2 was led, the defenders collecting five tricks.
Editor: Brian Senior [ Lay-out Editor: Francesca Canali [ Photographer: Arianna Testa

Issue No 1. Wednesday 2 November, 2022

UNDERWAY!
The 14th European Small Federations Games is underway in Larnaca, Cyprus. Fifteen national teams will play a complete round robin
over three days, each day comprising 5 x 10-board rounds, including one bye round per team. And that will be that; no qualification, no

a club partscore.
knock-outs, just a pure round robin with the top teams at the end of three days taking home the medals, the glory, and the satisfaction
of a job well done.
Serbia leads the way at the end of day one, closely followed by Croatia and the Faroe Islands, but no team is tailed off at the bottom
of the rankings, and any that have a good run over the next two days can still contend at the top.

CYPRUS CROATIA

Here are the auctions from the matches where 6}


CZECH REPUBLIC ESTONIA

Closed Room
FAROE ISLANDS HUNGARY

was reached: LATVIA LITHUANIA

West North East South


Manno Arlovich Di Franco Vainikonis
MALTA ROMANIA SAN MARINO SERBIA

SLOVAKIA SLOVENIA

Latvia v Switzerland UKRAINE

— Pass Pass 1NT


Open Room Pass 2[ Pass 2NT
West North East South Pass 3[ Dble 4}
Klukowski Bethers Kalita Balasovs Pass 6} All Pass
— Pass 1} 1[
Dble* Pass 1NT All Pass This time the swing was 14 IMPs.
There were eight 1} openings, five 3} openings,
South led the [6 and declarer managed five tricks, seven 4} openings and one 3NT opening (four of an
-200. unspecified minor). The remainder were made up of
five passes and four Precision-style 2} openings
Closed Room
West North East South Board 10. Dealer East. All Vul.
Bendiks Drijver Germanis Brink [ AK85
— 1} 1[ 2] ] A65
3[ 4} Pass 4] { 74
Pass 4[ Pass 6} } AQJ5
All Pass [ Q J 2 [ 73
] 10 9 8 ] J2
That was +920 and 12 IMPs. { A Q J 10 9 8 { K6
} 7 } K 10 9 6 4 3 2
Italy v Lithuania [ 10 9 6 4
Open Room ] KQ743
West North East South { 532
Gierulski Donati Skrzypczak Percario } 8
— 1} Pass 1[
Pass 2} Pass 3NT West North East South
All Pass Gawel Olgeirsson Jagniewski Johannsson
— — 3} Pass
Pass 3NT All Pass

West North East South


Haraldsson Strzemecki Magnusson Janiszewski
— — Pass Pass
3{ Dble Pass 4{*
Pass 4[ All Pass

Which opponent pre-empted decided which game


N/S would get to on this deal.
For Poland, Jagniewski opened 3} as dealer and,
after two passes, what could Olgeirsson do other than
overcall 3NT, where he played? A diamond lead would
have beaten this, of course, but why would Jagniewski
find one of those? He led a club to dummy’s eight and
declarer cashed the hearts. As Gawel did not pitch a
spade, Olgeirsson next cashed the top cards in the
black suits but that was all; nine tricks for +600.
For Iceland, Magnusson did not open the East
hand, but Haraldsson opened 3{ in third seat. Now
Erikas VAINIKONIS, Lithuania it was natural for North, Strzemecki, to make a take-

25
56th European Team Championships — 12th National Women’s Pairs Championships — 10th National Seniors’ Pairs Championships
14TH EUROPEAN
SMALL FEDERATION GAMES
Larnaca, Cyprus • 1 - 3 November 2022

DAILY BULLETIN

out double. Janiszewski made an aggressive cuebid came a second diamond, but Magnusson could ruff,
Editor: Brian Senior [ Lay-out Editor: Francesca Canali [ Photographer: Arianna Testa

Issue No 1. Wednesday 2 November, 2022

UNDERWAY!
The 14th European Small Federations Games is underway in Larnaca, Cyprus. Fifteen national teams will play a complete round robin
over three days, each day comprising 5 x 10-board rounds, including one bye round per team. And that will be that; no qualification, no

response and Strzemecki responded 4[, so they cash the king and queen of spades, then lead a low
knock-outs, just a pure round robin with the top teams at the end of three days taking home the medals, the glory, and the satisfaction
of a job well done.
Serbia leads the way at the end of day one, closely followed by Croatia and the Faroe Islands, but no team is tailed off at the bottom
of the rankings, and any that have a good run over the next two days can still contend at the top.

CYPRUS CROATIA

played the four-four rather than the five-three fit.


CZECH REPUBLIC ESTONIA

club to dummy to draw the last trump; +1430.


FAROE ISLANDS HUNGARY

Magnusson led king and another diamond, Haraldsson


LATVIA LITHUANIA

Johannsson also led a top diamond. Jagniewski


MALTA ROMANIA

winning and continuing with a third round. Strzemecki


SAN MARINO SERBIA

ruffed but he then cashed the king and queen of


SLOVAKIA SLOVENIA

ruffed with the eight and, when that scored, cashed spades before crossing to the ace of hearts and
UKRAINE

the ace and king of spades, just conceding a spade so leading thenine of clubs, playing the eight from hand.
10 tricks for +620and 1 IMP to Poland. Johannsson won the king and played a diamond, but
Had the Poles played the five-three heart fit, three Jagniewski ruffed in hand and led the two of clubs to
rounds of diamonds would have promoted a defensive the seven, drew the missing trump, and he too had 12
trump trick, and now declarer would have had to take tricks for +1430 and a flat board.
the double finesse in spades to bring home his game. Thirteen pairs bid and made 6[, with only one
failing to make 12 tricks. There was one pair in the
Board 13. Dealer North. All Vul. cold 6} and two going down in 7}.
[ 10 8 4 There were several 1NT and 3NT overcalls by South,
] 10 9 6 4 3 with three Souths sticking it out when doubled. One
{ 864 went for –1100 and gained 8 IMPs, while the other
} 54 two were in the same match and one team gained 7
[ A 6 5 2 [ KQ93 IMPs for –800 against –1100.
] A 8 5 ] KQJ
{ J 3 2 { – Board 14. Dealer East. None Vul.
} 9 7 3 } A Q J 10 8 2 [ K6
[ J7 ] 82
] 72 { A K 10 5 3 2
{ A K Q 10 9 7 5 } AQ8
} K6 [ 10 8 2 [ J974
] J 9 6 4 3 ] A5
West North East South { — { QJ9874
Gawel Olgeirsson Jagniewski Johannsson } K J 6 5 3 } 4
— Pass 1} 1{ [ AQ53
1]* Pass 4{* Pass ] K Q 10 7
4] Pass 6[ All Pass { 6
} 10 9 7 2
West North East South
Haraldsson Strzemecki Magnusson Janiszewski West North East South
— Pass 1} 1{ Gawel Olgeirsson Jagniewski Johannsson
1]* Pass 4{* Pass Haraldsson Strzemecki Magnusson Janiszewski
4] Pass 4[ Pass — — 3{ Dble
6[ All Pass All Pass

Both Wests responded with a transfer to spades and Just another dull flat board. Both Easts opened 3{,
both Easts splintered, and the small slam was reached. both Souths had just enough to double, and neither
At one table in a different match, slam was defeated North thought very long before passing.
when declarer received a diamond lead, which he After the lead of the king of hearts, both declarers
ruffed. He then drew trumps in three rounds before managed to make the ace of hearts and three trump
taking the club finesse and, when that lost, had to tricks so it was flat at down five; –1100.
lose two diamond tricks as well for down two. Our There was only one other 3{ opening, and three
declarers showed that a diamond lead need not be weak 2{ openings.
fatal to the slam’s chances. When the smoke had cleared, Poland had run out
Janiszewski led the ace of diamonds, which comfortable winners by 45-9 IMPs, translating to
Magnusson ruffed. He led the jack of hearts to the ace 17.59-2.41 VPs. Poland moved up to tenth, while
then a low club to the queen, losing to the king. Back Iceland slipped to 28th.

26
56th European Team Championships — 12th National Women’s Pairs Championships — 10th National Seniors’ Pairs Championships
14TH EUROPEAN
SMALL FEDERATION GAMES
Larnaca, Cyprus • 1 - 3 November 2022

DAILY BULLETIN

Denmark v France RR6


Editor: Brian Senior [ Lay-out Editor: Francesca Canali [ Photographer: Arianna Testa

Issue No 1. Wednesday 2 November, 2022

UNDERWAY!
The 14th European Small Federations Games is underway in Larnaca, Cyprus. Fifteen national teams will play a complete round robin
over three days, each day comprising 5 x 10-board rounds, including one bye round per team. And that will be that; no qualification, no
knock-outs, just a pure round robin with the top teams at the end of three days taking home the medals, the glory, and the satisfaction
of a job well done.
Serbia leads the way at the end of day one, closely followed by Croatia and the Faroe Islands, but no team is tailed off at the bottom
of the rankings, and any that have a good run over the next two days can still contend at the top.

CYPRUS CROATIA CZECH REPUBLIC ESTONIA

FAROE ISLANDS HUNGARY LATVIA LITHUANIA

MALTA ROMANIA SAN MARINO SERBIA

SLOVAKIA SLOVENIA
David Bird UKRAINE

Two strong teams faced each other in this match, Lars Blakset took a very reasonable flyer into 3NT.
and we were awarded an interesting source of boards. The play took longer than we all expected. He won
(Reader: “I’ll be the judge of that!”) the ]5 lead with dummy’s king and played a spade
With the first three boards brushed deservedly under to the king, allowed to win. Did he now turn to the
the carpet, we will take a look at this one: diamonds? No, he played a club to the jack. After
cashing the ]A, he turned (reluctantly…) to the
Board 20. Dealer West. All Vul. diamonds and soon claimed +690.
[ QJ743
] A K 10 7 Closed Room
{ J West North East South
} J86 Schaltz Franceschetti D Bilde Combescure
[ A 8 5 [ 10 9 6 2 1} 1[ Pass 2{
] J 9 6 5 ] Q832 Pass 2] Pass 3{
{ Q 4 { 63 All Pass
} A K 9 3 } 752
[ K Combescure took a conservative view of his hand,
] 4 which could well have been right. Not today, though,
{ A K 10 9 8 7 5 2 and the resultant +130 meant 11 IMPs to Denmark.
} Q 10 4
Board 21. Dealer North. N/S Vul.
Open Room [ QJ432
West North East South ] AQ
Lorenzini Knut Blakset Bessis Lars Blakset { Q72
1} 1[ Pass 2}* } AJ9
Pass 2] Pass 3NT [ 9 6 5 [ 10 8
All Pass ] J 10 9 6 ] K843
{ 9 6 { AK4
} K 10 7 4 } Q832
[ AK7
] 752
{ J 10 8 5 3
} 65

Open Room
West North East South
Lorenzini Knut Blakset Bessis Lars Blakset
— 1[ Dble 2]*
Pass 2NT Pass 3[
All Pass

Lars Blakset’s 2] showed a better raise than 2[


would have done. With 16 HCP his partner rebid
2NT instead of 2[, but this was not enough to spur
South beyond 3[.
Bessis led the {A, his partner playing the {9. He
now spent some time considering his continuation.
Thomas BESSIS, France
He could give West a diamond ruff, but this would
set up two discards in the dummy. To beat 3[, the
27
56th European Team Championships — 12th National Women’s Pairs Championships — 10th National Seniors’ Pairs Championships
14TH EUROPEAN
SMALL FEDERATION GAMES
Larnaca, Cyprus • 1 - 3 November 2022

DAILY BULLETIN

defenders would probably need a heart trick, so he defence, picking up +400.


Editor: Brian Senior [ Lay-out Editor: Francesca Canali [ Photographer: Arianna Testa

Issue No 1. Wednesday 2 November, 2022

UNDERWAY!
The 14th European Small Federations Games is underway in Larnaca, Cyprus. Fifteen national teams will play a complete round robin
over three days, each day comprising 5 x 10-board rounds, including one bye round per team. And that will be that; no qualification, no

eventually switched to the ]4. Declarer won with


knock-outs, just a pure round robin with the top teams at the end of three days taking home the medals, the glory, and the satisfaction
of a job well done.
Serbia leads the way at the end of day one, closely followed by Croatia and the Faroe Islands, but no team is tailed off at the bottom
of the rankings, and any that have a good run over the next two days can still contend at the top.

CYPRUS CROATIA

the ]Q and played another diamond himself. Bessis


CZECH REPUBLIC ESTONIA

Closed Room
FAROE ISLANDS HUNGARY

won and delivered the diamond ruff, but Blakset was


LATVIA LITHUANIA

West North East South


MALTA ROMANIA

able to draw trumps, ending in the dummy and ditch


SAN MARINO SERBIA

Schaltz Franceschetti D Bilde Combescure


SLOVAKIA SLOVENIA

his two club losers on the diamonds. That was +170.


UKRAINE

— — — 3]
Would the French North/South bid more strongly? Pass Pass 3NT All Pass

Closed Room Combescure also failed to count his top honours


West North East South correctly. This time, though, Bilde bravely ventured
Schaltz Franceschetti D Bilde Combescure 3NT. He won the ]6 lead with the ]8, and led a club
— 1NT Pass 2NT* to the 8 and 9. North returned the }J, to the queen
Pass 3[ Pass 4[ and king, South playing another heart. Declarer then
All Pass claimed +630 for a 7-IMP swing.

1NT was 15-17 and the 2NT response was Puppet Board 25. Dealer North. E/W Vul.
Stayman, seeking a 5-3 major-suit fit. Dennis Bilde [ J92
led the {A and was faced with same problem as his ] QJ862
counterpart. He switched to the }8, drawing the king { Q642
and ace. Franceschetti continued with the ace and } 3
queen of trumps. He needed to continue trumps now, [ A 10 3 [ K754
but chose instead to lead the {Q. East won and gave ] A 7 5 ] K 10 4
partner a diamond ruff. Declarer won the heart switch { J 9 7 { A853
with the ace and conceded one down. It was a lost } K Q 10 4 } 52
opportunity and 7 IMPs away. [ Q86
East had a bidding decision on this deal. What would ] 93
your choice have been? { K 10
} AJ9876
Board 23. Dealer South. All Vul.
[ KJ8652 Open Room
] West North East South
{ 96532 Lorenzini Knut Blakset Bessis Lars Blakset
} J9 — Pass Pass 3}
[ A Q 10 7 3 [ 94 Pass Pass Dble All Pass
] Q 3 ] AK98
{ K 10 7 { QJ Lars Blakset’s 3} opening was perhaps more
} 10 8 3 } AQ742 suited to a match-point game, but you won’t find me
[ — criticising it. All pre-empts are somewhat of a gamble.
] J 10 7 6 5 4 2 He found the worst of situations – East had a protective
{ A84 double on a passed hand, and West had a juicy pass.
} K65 We needn’t dwell on the play. GIB predicted four
down and, again, Lorenzini and Bessis took all their
Open Room tricks to pick up +800.
West North East South “I’m going to switch this BBO thing off now, class.
Lorenzini Knut Blakset Bessis Lars Blakset I was hoping it was going to be instructive for you all,
— — — 3] but the bidding has been quite awful!”
Pass Pass Pass
Closed Room
You can imagine the world’s bridge teachers sucking West North East South
in air through their teeth, then instructing their flocks Schaltz Franceschetti D Bilde Combescure
to look the other way. “How can he open 3] without — Pass Pass 1}
two of the three top honours?” they would cry. “He Dble 1] Dble* 2}
was vulnerable, too.” 2NT Pass 3}* Pass
Lorenzini and Bessis gave nothing away with their 3NT All Pass

28
56th European Team Championships — 12th National Women’s Pairs Championships — 10th National Seniors’ Pairs Championships
14TH EUROPEAN
SMALL FEDERATION GAMES
Larnaca, Cyprus • 1 - 3 November 2022

DAILY BULLETIN

Schaltz and de Bilde did well to cut a huge chunk Board 30. Dealer East. None Vul.
Editor: Brian Senior [ Lay-out Editor: Francesca Canali [ Photographer: Arianna Testa

Issue No 1. Wednesday 2 November, 2022

UNDERWAY!
The 14th European Small Federations Games is underway in Larnaca, Cyprus. Fifteen national teams will play a complete round robin
over three days, each day comprising 5 x 10-board rounds, including one bye round per team. And that will be that; no qualification, no

out of the 800. North led the }3 and they picked up [ 2


knock-outs, just a pure round robin with the top teams at the end of three days taking home the medals, the glory, and the satisfaction
of a job well done.
Serbia leads the way at the end of day one, closely followed by Croatia and the Faroe Islands, but no team is tailed off at the bottom
of the rankings, and any that have a good run over the next two days can still contend at the top.

CYPRUS CROATIA

+600 , losing just 5 IMPs.


CZECH REPUBLIC ESTONIA

] AK83
FAROE ISLANDS HUNGARY LATVIA LITHUANIA

{ Q98
MALTA ROMANIA

Board 29. Dealer North. All Vul.


SAN MARINO SERBIA

} KQ975
SLOVAKIA SLOVENIA


UKRAINE

[ K94 [ J 10 8 6 4 3 [ KQ7
] QJ965 ] 6 ] J 10 7
{ J953 { J 10 2 { AK75
} 2 } J 6 3 } A 10 8
[ Q 10 8 [ AJ753 [ A95
] A 3 ] 10 ] Q9542
{ A Q 6 4 { K2 { 643
} K 10 8 4 } AQJ97 } 42
[ 62
] K8742 Open Room
{ 10 8 7 West North East South
} 653 Lorenzini Knut Blakset Bessis Lars Blakset
— — 1NT Pass
Open Room 2]* Pass 2NT Pass
West North East South 3]* Dble Pass 4]
Lorenzini Knut Blakset Bessis Lars Blakset 4[ All Pass
— Pass 1[ Pass
2} Pass 3{* Pass Knut Blakset doubled the 3] re-transfer bid and
3]* Pass 3NT Pass Lars then went to 4]. Lorenzini had maybe intended
4}* Pass 4{ Pass to stop in 3[, but now the odds tilted towards 4[.
4NT* Pass 5[* Pass A lead of the }K might have resulted in a club
5NT* Pass 6} All Pass ruff for one down. When a normal ]A hit the table,
North’s entry for the ruff was lost. Declarer ruffed the
The French pair would have reached the grand if second heart and played a trump to the king.
East held the [AK. It was a good auction. When the South won the second trump and switch to the
spade finesse won, +1390 was entered in their cards. }2, drawing the queen and ace. After pulling the last
No reason to expect a swing, was there? trump, Lorenzini crossed to the {A and led a club to
the jack and king. A successful diamond finesse then
Closed Room gave France a well-earned +420.
West North East South
Schaltz Franceschetti De Bilde Combescure Closed Room
— Pass 1[ Pass West North East South
2} Pass 3]* Pass Schaltz Franceschetti De Bilde Combescure
4} Pass 4{* Pass — — 1NT Pass
4[* Pass 5]* Pass 2]* Pass 2NT Pass
5[ Pass 5NT Pass 3] Pass 3[ Pass
6} Pass 7} All Pass Pass Dble Pass 4]
All Pass
Yes, we have the convention cards available, but
they are rarely of any use in interpreting the late bids North timed his intervention differently and East/
in a long auction. Whatever the ‘5NT – 6}’ meant, it West allowed 4] to play. A {J lead would have
is puzzling that East could then diagnose a grand slam. given the defenders the first four tricks. After a trump
It was duly made on the spade finesse, with the nett lead, the game was there. Declarer was able to set up
swing of some 26 IMPs determined by the position of dummy’s clubs.
one defensive card. As they say, bridge is an attractive Denmark eventually won by 48-22, moving to 2nd
mixture of skill and luck. in the table, with France slipping back to 10th.

29
56th European Team Championships — 12th National Women’s Pairs Championships — 10th National Seniors’ Pairs Championships
14TH EUROPEAN
SMALL FEDERATION GAMES
Larnaca, Cyprus • 1 - 3 November 2022

DAILY BULLETIN
Editor: Brian Senior [ Lay-out Editor: Francesca Canali [ Photographer: Arianna Testa

Issue No 1. Wednesday 2 November, 2022

UNDERWAY!

Attack can be the best form of Defence


The 14th European Small Federations Games is underway in Larnaca, Cyprus. Fifteen national teams will play a complete round robin
over three days, each day comprising 5 x 10-board rounds, including one bye round per team. And that will be that; no qualification, no
knock-outs, just a pure round robin with the top teams at the end of three days taking home the medals, the glory, and the satisfaction
of a job well done.
Serbia leads the way at the end of day one, closely followed by Croatia and the Faroe Islands, but no team is tailed off at the bottom
of the rankings, and any that have a good run over the next two days can still contend at the top.

CYPRUS CROATIA CZECH REPUBLIC ESTONIA

FAROE ISLANDS HUNGARY LATVIA LITHUANIA

MALTA ROMANIA SAN MARINO SERBIA

SLOVAKIA SLOVENIA
Mark Horton UKRAINE

During the first battle of the Marne in September


1914, the famous French commander Marshal If East leads a spade, declarer will have no difficulty
Ferdinand Foch, sent this message: in arriving at 12 tricks, winning in dummy, cashing
‘My centre is giving way, my right is retreating, two clubs for a discard and then driving out the {A.
situation excellent, I am attacking’. However, East started with the ]6, giving declarer
It is well-known that attacking leads can reap rich pause for thought.
rewards against slam contracts. Look at this deal from Appreciating that an attacking lead was likely,
the match between Greece and Croatia in Round 7 declarer played dummy’s ]Q and was in clover,
of the Open: +920.

Board 1. Dealer North. None Vul. Closed Room


[ 82 West North East South
] 10 9 5 Papakyriak. Borevkovic Filios Brguljan
{ Q 10 8 7 4 3 2 — 3{ Pass 4NT*
} 2 Pass 5}* Pass 6{
[ K Q J 6 5 3 [ 10 7 4 All Pass
] J 3 ] K864
{ 9 5 { A Here East led the ]4 and declarer thought there
} 10 7 4 } 98653 was a way to avoid the risk entailed in taking the
[ A9 heart finesse. He took dummy’s ]A, cashed the
] AQ72 }AKQ discarding two hearts and then played a
{ KJ6 diamond. East won with the ace and revealed the
} AKQJ flaw in declarer’s plan by returning a club. Declarer
could overruff West’s {9, but there was nowhere to
Open Room park the losing spade, -50 giving Greece 14 IMPs.
West North East South
Zoric Banikas Cekol Papagiannis
— 3{ Pass 4NT*
Pass 5{* Pass 6{
All Pass

16TH WORLD BRIDGE GAMES


Buenos Aires, Argentina - 22 October - 3 November, 2024

3 EVENTS
open to all players
Warm up with the
1-day BAM on 28 October
6 guaranteed days of play in either
the National Pairs or the Transnational Teams
from 29 October through November 3

30
56th European Team Championships — 12th National Women’s Pairs Championships — 10th National Seniors’ Pairs Championships
14TH EUROPEAN
SMALL FEDERATION GAMES
Larnaca, Cyprus • 1 - 3 November 2022

The 90th Anniversary


DAILY BULLETIN
Editor: Brian Senior [ Lay-out Editor: Francesca Canali [ Photographer: Arianna Testa

Issue No 1. Wednesday 2 November, 2022

UNDERWAY!
The 14th European Small Federations Games is underway in Larnaca, Cyprus. Fifteen national teams will play a complete round robin
over three days, each day comprising 5 x 10-board rounds, including one bye round per team. And that will be that; no qualification, no
knock-outs, just a pure round robin with the top teams at the end of three days taking home the medals, the glory, and the satisfaction
of a job well done.
Serbia leads the way at the end of day one, closely followed by Croatia and the Faroe Islands, but no team is tailed off at the bottom
of the rankings, and any that have a good run over the next two days can still contend at the top.

Championship der
CYPRUS CROATIA CZECH REPUBLIC ESTONIA

FAROE ISLANDS HUNGARY LATVIA LITHUANIA

International Bridge League


MALTA ROMANIA SAN MARINO SERBIA

SLOVAKIA SLOVENIA UKRAINE

Wien, 7.-12. juni 1934

Shireen Mohandes

Ninety years ago, players from 10 countries in Europe played the equivalent of the European Teams
Championship. At the venue for today’s championship in Herning, there is a display of photos and
information from this event, on the ground floor near the registration desk.

About the Championship Book


Dr. Paul Stern (along with a team of helpers) compiled 1800 hands from the 45 matches. Each of the 45
matches consisted of 40 hands, which are printed in the book on 3 to 6 A4-pages. The second part of the book
contains foldable sheets with results as well as the hands.
Wesll Deckers at THE MUSEUM OF THE CARD GAME & BRIDGE MUSEUM, says: “The Austrian
journalists used quite a chauvinistic approach to calculate the results, with not Hungary winning the tournament
but Austria. The book was published 9 months after the tournament”.
How many copies of the book were printed? We are not sure, we think maybe 300 or so. There are maybe
15 known copies (in libraries, museums and private collections). Do you have one? then please tell us about it.

Championship Der International


Bridge League Printed in German,
in 1935, and written by: Paul Stern;
Egon Watza; Manfred Wlaschütz;
Karl von Blühdorn; et al.

Gerald Hilte, the founder of the


museum, tells us: “This is an incredibly unique book, it is numbered, all the hands
and results are on folded pages with handwritten hands and results. Dr Stern
presented the book in a way that Hungary (who won this championship) was not
the best team, but Austria (actually 2nd) were the best team.”

The exhibition is produced


and sponsored by RealBridge

31
56th European Team Championships — 12th National Women’s Pairs Championships — 10th National Seniors’ Pairs Championships
14TH EUROPEAN
SMALL FEDERATION GAMES

Results - Open Teams


Larnaca, Cyprus • 1 - 3 November 2022

DAILY BULLETIN
Editor: Brian Senior [ Lay-out Editor: Francesca Canali [ Photographer: Arianna Testa

Issue No 1. Wednesday 2 November, 2022

UNDERWAY!
The 14th European Small Federations Games is underway in Larnaca, Cyprus. Fifteen national teams will play a complete round robin
over three days, each day comprising 5 x 10-board rounds, including one bye round per team. And that will be that; no qualification, no
knock-outs, just a pure round robin with the top teams at the end of three days taking home the medals, the glory, and the satisfaction
of a job well done.
Serbia leads the way at the end of day one, closely followed by Croatia and the Faroe Islands, but no team is tailed off at the bottom
of the rankings, and any that have a good run over the next two days can still contend at the top.

CYPRUS CROATIA CZECH REPUBLIC ESTONIA

FAROE ISLANDS HUNGARY LATVIA LITHUANIA

MALTA ROMANIA
ROUND 6 SAN MARINO SERBIA
RANKING AFTER R. 8
SLOVAKIA SLOVENIA
1 UKRAINE
DENMARK FRANCE 35 22 13.52 6.48 1 DENMARK 121.07
2 ISRAEL SCOTLAND 38 12 16.09 3.91 2 SWEDEN 113.92
3 SWEDEN CROATIA 69 3 20.00 0.00 3 SWITZERLAND 110.59
4 ROMANIA ENGLAND 10 28 5.40 14.60 4 ITALY 109.26
5 POLAND HUNGARY 49 13 17.59 2.41 5 NETHERLANDS 104.48
6 WALES TURKIYE 22 30 7.71 12.29 6 BELGIUM 103.65
7 NORWAY BULGARIA 33 22 13.04 6.96 7 NORWAY 103.28
8 FAROE ISLANDS ESTONIA 51 17 17.31 2.69 8 POLAND 102.42
9 LATVIA GERMANY 29 40 6.96 13.04 9 GERMANY 98.32
10 LITHUANIA NETHERLANDS 29 33 8.80 11.20 10 ENGLAND 96.94
11 BELGIUM IRELAND 27 14 13.52 6.48 11 ISRAEL 88.14
12 SWITZERLAND ICELAND 38 24 13.75 6.25 12 FRANCE 84.48
13 SPAIN PORTUGAL 8 52 1.45 18.55 13 TURKIYE 83.82
14 ITALY AUSTRIA 59 10 19.07 0.93 14 PORTUGAL 83.31
15 FINLAND GREECE 10 3 12.03 7.97 15 LITHUANIA 77.94
16 GREECE 74.07
17 BULGARIA 73.40
ROUND 7 18 IRELAND 70.56
1 BELGIUM SPAIN 48 2 18.77 1.23 19 SPAIN 70.52
2 ITALY NETHERLANDS 30 1 16.58 3.42 20 LATVIA 68.99
3 TURKIYE POLAND 38 34 11.20 8.80 21 FINLAND 68.83
4 ENGLAND NORWAY 24 23 10.31 9.69 22 CROATIA 66.19
5 GREECE CROATIA 45 24 15.19 4.81 23 FAROE ISLANDS 62.80
6 HUNGARY LATVIA 39 32 12.03 7.97 24 ICELAND 60.63
7 WALES ISRAEL 17 42 4.08 15.92 25 ROMANIA 57.76
8 SWITZERLAND SCOTLAND 57 20 17.72 2.28 26 ESTONIA 56.36
9 LITHUANIA SWEDEN 22 24 9.39 10.61 27 AUSTRIA 53.86
10 FRANCE PORTUGAL 16 45 3.42 16.58 28 HUNGARY 47.87
11 AUSTRIA FINLAND 30 38 7.71 12.29 29 SCOTLAND 42.97
12 DENMARK GERMANY 31 13 14.60 5.40 29 WALES 42.97
13 FAROE ISLANDS IRELAND 47 16 16.88 3.12
14 BULGARIA ESTONIA 56 41 13.97 6.03
15 ROMANIA ICELAND 37 33 11.20 8.80

ROUND 8
1 TURKIYE GREECE 37 41 8.80 11.20
2 NETHERLANDS FAROE ISLANDS 39 9 16.73 3.27
3 FINLAND LITHUANIA 28 41 6.48 13.52
4 FRANCE ISRAEL 35 50 6.03 13.97
5 SPAIN ROMANIA 31 25 11.76 8.24
6 GERMANY BELGIUM 53 19 17.31 2.69
7 CROATIA ITALY 27 29 9.39 10.61
8 IRELAND SWEDEN 29 24 11.48 8.52
9 POLAND AUSTRIA 41 13 16.42 3.58
10 SCOTLAND DENMARK 24 42 5.40 14.60
11 NORWAY WALES 70 5 20.00 0.00
12 LATVIA PORTUGAL 37 51 6.25 13.75
13 HUNGARY BULGARIA 36 66 3.27 16.73
14 ESTONIA SWITZERLAND 15 52 2.28 17.72
15 ENGLAND ICELAND 12 25 6.48 13.52

Championship specials
The new dealing machines used to duplicate
the boards during these championships are
sold for €2650. The offer is on so long as
supply lasts, but no longer than July 4.
Playing cards (not used) are €0.85/deck in
conjunction with purchase of a machine.
Shipping possible.
Email [email protected] to order

32
56th European Team Championships — 12th National Women’s Pairs Championships — 10th National Seniors’ Pairs Championships
14TH EUROPEAN
SMALL FEDERATION GAMES

Results - Women’s Pairs


Larnaca, Cyprus • 1 - 3 November 2022

DAILY BULLETIN
Editor: Brian Senior [ Lay-out Editor: Francesca Canali [ Photographer: Arianna Testa

Issue No 1. Wednesday 2 November, 2022

UNDERWAY!
The 14th European Small Federations Games is underway in Larnaca, Cyprus. Fifteen national teams will play a complete round robin
over three days, each day comprising 5 x 10-board rounds, including one bye round per team. And that will be that; no qualification, no
knock-outs, just a pure round robin with the top teams at the end of three days taking home the medals, the glory, and the satisfaction
of a job well done.
Serbia leads the way at the end of day one, closely followed by Croatia and the Faroe Islands, but no team is tailed off at the bottom
of the rankings, and any that have a good run over the next two days can still contend at the top.

CYPRUS CROATIA CZECH REPUBLIC ESTONIA

FAROE ISLANDS HUNGARY LATVIA LITHUANIA

MALTA ROMANIA SAN MARINO SERBIA

SLOVAKIA SLOVENIA UKRAINE

SEMIFINAL A
1 ERKKILA Pia TUOMI Raija FIN - FIN 59.16
2 BEKKOUCHE Nadia BINDERKRANTZ Trine DEN - DEN 57.79
3 BALDYSZ Cathy BALDYSZ Sophia POL - POL 57.39
4 ROSSARD Martine TARTARIN Anne-Laure FRA - FRA 55.68
5 BILDE Trine KOCH-PALMUND Charlotte DEN - DEN 55.48
6 PIIBELEHT Ines TAUBE Aire EST - EST 54.65
7 DRINOVEC DRNOVSEK Barbara DRNOVSEK Tina SLO - SLO 53.52
8 BILDE Dorte Cilleborg BUUS THOMSEN Anita DEN - DEN 52.53
9 ORAS Maarja IHER Mirjam EST - EST 51.41
10 BILDE Lone RASMUSSEN Helle DEN - DEN 48.84
11 HESKJE Torild HAUGEN Tove NOR - NOR 48.03
12 DRAPER Catherine GROSS Susanna ENG - ENG 47.90
13 CHEDIAK Virginia SIVERTSVIK Ranja NOR - NOR 47.40
14 BROCK Sally NETTLETON Diana ENG - ENG 46.61
15 ARNOLDS Carla KOLEN Sandra NED - NED 45.40
16 PLAKIDA Iro SALEM Nantia GRE - GRE 41.40
17 FRYDENLUND ROSTHOEJ Annette ROSTHOEJ Susanne DEN - DEN 38.97
18 AGHEMO Monica MARCELLI Cristina ITA - ITA 36.89

SEMIFINAL B
1 ZORANOVIC Jovana PEPIC Selena SER - SER 62.78
2 SJODAL Elisabeth Grasholt SJODAL Sofie Grasholt NOR - NOR 61.40
3 SIGSGAARD Julie Marina ROSTHOEJ Ella DEN - DEN 59.92
4 HEMBERG Leise RINDAHL Nell DEN - DEN 51.52
5 WIECZOREK Ewa ROBINSON Claire ENG - ENG 50.88
6 REITER Kate NIELSEN Ellen DEN - DEN 50.59
7 VINCENT Christine SAESSELI Irene SUI - SUI 50.35
8 MADSEN Christina Lund VAINER Anette DEN - DEN 46.70
9 NORDGREN Maria BAGGE Nina FIN - FIN 45.56
10 CAMPBELL Beryl FORSYTH Joan SCO - SCO 45.23
11 JENSEN Pia Nielsen BUNE Amalie Rosa DEN - DEN 44.88
12 PEDERSEN Clara Brun RASMUSSEN Alma Ertbjerg DEN - DEN 43.87
13 POLITOU Angeliki CHRISTAKI Artemis GRE - GRE 43.55
14 DI BACCO Victoria BAUMGART Charlotte GER - GER 42.42

33
56th European Team Championships — 12th National Women’s Pairs Championships — 10th National Seniors’ Pairs Championships
14TH EUROPEAN
SMALL FEDERATION GAMES

Results - Seniors’ Pairs


Larnaca, Cyprus • 1 - 3 November 2022

DAILY BULLETIN
Editor: Brian Senior [ Lay-out Editor: Francesca Canali [ Photographer: Arianna Testa

Issue No 1. Wednesday 2 November, 2022

UNDERWAY!
The 14th European Small Federations Games is underway in Larnaca, Cyprus. Fifteen national teams will play a complete round robin
over three days, each day comprising 5 x 10-board rounds, including one bye round per team. And that will be that; no qualification, no
knock-outs, just a pure round robin with the top teams at the end of three days taking home the medals, the glory, and the satisfaction
of a job well done.
Serbia leads the way at the end of day one, closely followed by Croatia and the Faroe Islands, but no team is tailed off at the bottom
of the rankings, and any that have a good run over the next two days can still contend at the top.

CYPRUS CROATIA CZECH REPUBLIC ESTONIA

FAROE ISLANDS HUNGARY LATVIA LITHUANIA

MALTA ROMANIA
1 SAN MARINO
KWIECIEN Michal
SERBIA
STARKOWSKI Wlodzimierz POL - POL 57.24
SLOVAKIA SLOVENIA

2 UKRAINE

KALISH Avi GRINBERG Nir ISR - ISR 53.40


3 HELMERTZ Per-Inge JORDESTEDT Arne SWE - SWE 52.65
4 KOLEN Jan VERHEES Jan NED - NED 52.65
5 BIZON Piotr BLAT Marek POL - POL 52.58
6 WITEK Marek LICHAWSKI Kazimierz POL - POL 52.23
7 VIITASALO Pekka ELSINEN Antti FIN - FIN 51.44
8 COLLAROS Pierre CATZEFLIS Christian SUI - SUI 51.25
9 VAN MIDDELEM Guy DE LIEDEKERKE Tanguy BEL - BEL 51.18
10 TJARNEMO Hakan CARBONNIER Pierre SWE - SWE 50.92
11 KOWALSKI Apolinary SIELICKI Tomasz POL - POL 50.61
12 VAN GLABBEEK Hedwig MAAS Willem jan NED - NED 49.40
13 HASHIMOTO George ANDERSSON Thomas SUI - SUI 49.04
14 BROK Erik DAHL Otto DEN - DEN 49.04
15 GOTARD Barbara GOTARD Tomasz GER - GER 48.90
16 MILASZEWSKI Miroslaw FILIPOWICZ Karol POL - POL 48.56
17 VAINIKONIS Vytautas OLANSKI Wojtek LTU - LTU 48.54
18 PETERSEN Henrik Kruse TEISEN Peter DEN - DEN 48.48
19 ZIVKOVIC Gojko DERIVAZ Jean-Pierre SUI - SUI 47.37
20 INGASON Haukur JONSSON Skafti ISL - ISL 46.40
21 KJELDSEN Jens KJELDSEN Kjeld DEN - DEN 44.88
22 FITZPATRICK Anne CURRAN Harold IRL - IRL 42.43

Oldies & goldies

World championship books contain a lot


of good bridge. Previous years are now
sold for only €10 at the Jannersten stall.

34

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