Issue No 6

Vincent Labbé, Coordinator, EditorPhilippe Cronier, Editor Francesca Canali, Layout & Social Media Editor, Photographer

THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 8th 2019

CONTENTSCLICKABLE ON WEB

www.cavendish.bridgemonaco.comwww.facebook.com/cavendishmonaco/@CavendishMonaco

MONACO WELCOMES THECAVENDISH VI

CAV E N D I S H VI

Daily BulletinDaily Bulletin

3 - 8 FEBRUARY 2019

FLYING DUTCHMEN

Sous le Haut Patronage de SAS le Prince Albert II de Monaco

Second and last half of the qualifications.In the session 6, Dutchmen increased their lead and Multon-Zimmermann

took the second place thanks to a huge performance, more than a thousand points harvested in ten boards (not the record, however). May Sakr massacred most of her opponents, with the help of a man who knows the music well, Eidi Michel, to reach an impressive 5th place.

Session 7 saw Verhees-van Prooijen continue their triumphal march, with the two Karim (Nabil & Salama) back to the second place. And session 8 didn’t move the lines. But on the penultimate one, the leaders began to get out of steam and finished only 72 points ahead Multon-Zimmermann.

Final stretch. Multon-Zimmermann managed to overtake the Dutchmen at board 94, but Verhees-van Prooijen soon regained the lead, to never let it go again. Thomas Bessis and Jeff Meckstroth completed the podium. Also from the Netherlands, Wortel-Hop, finally the best mixed pair (7th), performed an absolutely remarkable prestation. The titleholders, the Bulgarians Stamatov and Danailov, missed the cut.

This morning, the scores are reset to zero. 22 pairs are ready to take up the challenge. That will be another day… of intense fight.

Results p. 2

Vytas & Erikas Vainikonis p. 3

Multiple chances p. 5

Why they lead the field p. 7

Twilight zone p. 8

Open Pairs Prize Pool p. 9

SCHEDULEFINAL A

09.30 - 11.00 10 boards11.15 - 13.00 12 boards

BREAK13.45 - 15.15 10 boards15.30 - 17.00 10 boards

FINAL B09.30 - 11.00 10 boards11.15 - 12.45 10 boards

BREAK13.45 - 15.15 10 boards15.30 - 17.00 10 boards

1515 3.300 1717 0.000 1010 bboaoardrdss

FINAL B

Cavendish VI

2

Monaco, 3rd-8th February 2019

CAVENDISH PAIRS - RESULTS

Imps1 3702 VAN PROOIJEN Ricco VERHEES Louk 2 3014 MULTON Franck ZIMMERMANN Pierre 3 2815 BESSIS Thomas MECKSTROTH Jeff 4 2801 GOLD David MAHMOOD Zia 5 2385 DRIJVER Bob NAB Bart 6 2335 NABIL Karim SALAMA Karim 7 2270 HOP Jacco WORTEL Meike M8 2076 DELLE CAVE Giuseppe GOLFARELLI Vittorio 9 1948 LEVIN Amir ROLL Josef 10 1912 KHOKHLOV Jouri MATUSHKO Georgy 11 1844 BILDE Dennis MADALA Agustin 12 1768 FILIPOWICZ Dominic MARTENS Krzysztof 13 1653 D’AVOSSA Mario DI BELLO Stelio 14 1498 PALMA Antonio WRANG Frederic 15 1401 BRUUN Mathias SCHAFFER Lauge 16 1371 RIMSTEDT Mikael RIMSTEDT Ola 17 1335 MORARU Dan TEODORESCU Cornel 18 1329 GAWRYS Piotr KLUKOWSKI Michal 19 1159 GROETHEIM Glenn TONDEL Petter 20 1133 CARROLL John HANLON Tom 21 1127 LAURIA Lorenzo VERSACE Alfredo 22 1059 DE WIJS Simon MULLER Bauke 23 1000 HOFTANISKA Thor MALINOWSKI Artur 24 916 SOULET Philippe VINCIGUERRA Herve 25 858 DEMUY Vincent HURD John 26 833 HALLBERG Gunnar PATTERSON Derek 27 785 EIDI Michel SAKR May M28 724 LORENZINI Cedric VENTIN Juan-carlos 29 706 KING Phil MCINTOSH Andrew 30 426 PSZCZOLA Jacek WIGODER Charles 31 386 NARKIEWICZ Gregorz TUCZYNSKI Piotr 32 263 ZATORSKI Piotr ZMUDA Justyna M33 121 ABECASSIS Michel CRONIER Philippe 34 68 BOMPIS Marc D’OVIDIO Catherine M35 17 ORLOV Sergey RUDAKOV Evgeni 36 14 BERTHEAU Peter BLACK Andrew 37 -26 BELLICAUD Luc LE LEZ Victor 38 -123 DANAILOV Diyan STAMATOV Jerry 39 -160 BIRMAN Alon WINKLER Gabor 40 -228 KILJAN Veri TIJSSEN Luc 41 -314 MAUBERQUEZ Erik OURSEL Christophe 42 -333 KHIUPPENEN Yury KHOLOMEEV Vadim 43 -358 BRENNER Diego VILLAS-BOAS Miguel 44 -459 OLANSKI Woycech VAINIKONIS Vytautas 45 -731 GROMOV Andrey GULEVICH Anna M46 -830 LANTARON Luis PIEDRA Fernando 47 -883 DIKHNOVA Tatiana KRASNOSELSKIY Mikhail M48 -1025 APTEKER Alon GOWER Craig 49 -1039 SAPORTA Pierre SAPORTA Renata M50 -1099 GROSSACK Adam GROSSACK Zachary 51 -1246 EKENBERG Simon HULT Simon 52 -1326 MENDES De SPRINKHUIZEN Thibo 53 -1381 ARLOVICH Andrey VAINIKONIS Erikas 54 -1393 BENOIT Alain GAVIARD Daniele M55 -1647 LAUSS Wolfgang WERNLE Sascha 56 -1942 LUPU Smaranda LUPU M M57 -2008 ANDRESEN Martin HELNESS Fredrik 58 -2129 BARONI Irene DELIMPALTADAKIS Nikos M59 -2568 CAPUCHO Manuel LARA Joao M60 -2678 ANDERSSON Gunnar HEBERT Noomi M61 -2697 FRONTAURA Frankie MADALA Adolfo 62 -3389 MAAMARBACHI Clement VROUSTIS Vassilis 63 -3923 BAKHSHI David SELIGMAN Martin 64 -3985 EDGTTON Nabil LUND Madsen M65 -4140 BROGELAND Boye GILLIS Simon

3

Monaco, 3rd-8th February 2019 Cavendish VI

VYTAS AND ERIKAS VAINIKONISby Philippe Cronier

VYTAS, THE MAN WHO LOVED ALL CARD GAMES...

Lithuania is a small country where live great men live. Vytas Vainikonis is one of them. For a long time, he managed a large company specialized in security printing: identity papers, official documents, etc. In the time of the USSR, he worked in many countries - up to 25!

Vytas, what is the path that has led you from the management of a large state-owned company to the practice of high-dose bridge?

I’ve always loved card games, all card games. As a young man, I played a lot of games whose names we no longer even know. One day, some friends asked me to play bridge. In the 1980s and in the Eastern European countries, it was not so simple: bridge was an “underground” activity! In fact, three “sports” were strongly condemned, if not banned, by the authorities of the time: women’s football, bodybuilding... and bridge. All this because the great chess champion Boris Spassky, hero of the Nation and bearer of the hopes of a whole people, loved bridge and promoted it. One day in 1972, Spassky was beaten in Reykjavik by an American named Bobby Fischer in a World Championship with a high political connotation. From then on, the KGB no longer wanted to hear about Spassky or bridge!

The first time I played, I found it pretty easy, frankly. But believe it or not, after that, I couldn’t reach the average for a year! It aroused my curiosity and I decided that I would learn.

When did the bridge start to be accepted?Lithuania’s independence, in 1991, accelerated things.

It has been possible to develop tournaments, a small federation... Today, the Lithuanian federation has 150 members, mainly divided into three clubs...

Great players have helped us, many of them Polish. We have made progress and I have always been committed to helping develop the game. For the past four years, I have been out of business and decided to spend more time playing bridge. I have to add something important: bridge is a great game, all right, but also, contrary to what we sometimes hear, bridge players are great. It is a very pleasant place to be....

The Vilnius Cup is one of the tools you have put in place to help develop the game in Lithuania...

The city of Vilnius is charming, its historic centre superb. Since 2000, I have decided to actively support the Vilnius Cup. I think we have succeeded in transforming it into a warm and good level tournament. This is one of the only opportunities for Lithuanian players to compete with the best in European bridge. This is the only way to improve the level of our bridge.

For several years, the number of visitors has continued to increase and the quality has also improved. It seems to me that we are on the right track. But come and see us! I invite you!

The next edition will take place from 9 to 13 October this year...

Cavendish VI

4

Monaco, 3rd-8th February 2019

ERIKAS AND THE BRIDGE OF TOMORROW

Erikas, Vytas’ son, also loves bridge. As a teenager, he started playing, not very seriously, then went to study in the United States. After graduating from Washington University, he returned to Vilnius at the age of 23. He founds an online sports betting company, which he successfully manages for more than ten years. At the same time, he plays more and more bridge. But never with his father! Everyone has their own team, their own partners. If Erikas is involved in the same competition as Vytas, the first objective is to finish ahead of him. Here, the battle rages between the two teams until the last deal

Two years ago, Erikas sold his betting site: “Time has passed,” he says. The regulations are becoming more and more pernickety, the games have come under the strict control of the States, it is no longer very funny and the prospects for development have diminished.

The young man - now 38 years old - can afford to take a few holidays. But soon, he gets bored.” I was sitting at home, doing nothing. I looked for something interesting in relation to my passion for bridge and my willingness to help this game that I love.”

And so, Erikas, you founded Bridgescanner… Tell us a little more about this new concept

Bridgescanner is a bridge site that aims to offer the best bridge to those who want or need it. It is already a site for the presentation of bridge events, championships, festivals, major tournaments. It contains practical information, results, and many more...

The site must connect people, share information, help organizers. Make sure everyone finds what they need,

all the time. An economic model? We can imagine that, but not right now. What is needed for the moment is to seize the potential released by the new technologies of the Net and make bridge and bridge players benefit from them.

For the moment, the site operates in english, polish and lithuanian. The next step, in the coming days, is to offer a version in twelve different languages, including french, german, italian... But the best thing to do is to give it a look. You’ll see, it’s very pretty, very practical. Soon, you won’t be able to do without it!

5

Monaco, 3rd-8th February 2019 Cavendish VI

West North East SouthBrogeland Zimmermann Gillis Multon

— — Pass Pass1] 1[ 2} Pass3NT All pass

Board 10. Dealer East. All Vul.[ A Q J [ 9 3] A K 5 4 2 ] 7 3{ K 10 8 { Q 9 5 2} 9 3 } A K J 8 4

Session 6.How do you play 3 No-Trump on the lead of the 7 of

Spades?Reminder : this is IMPs over the field. A kind of super

multiduplicate. Overtricks are negligible, unlike in a real Pairs.

Make the first trick with the Queen, then play the 8 of diamond to the Queen (North is a heavy favourite to hold the Ace) and the 2 of diamond to the 10 and the Ace. Good news. North duly plays back a club. Put up the Ace and test the diamonds. Bad news. Now you can test the hearts. If they are 3-3, just relax. In the real deal, South as four hearts.

Let’s have a look on the full deal:

[ K 10 8 7 6 4 ] Q 8 { A 4 } Q 7 5[ A Q J [ 9 3] A K 5 4 2 ] 7 3{ K 10 8 { Q 9 5 2} 9 3 } A K J 8 4 [ 5 2 ] J 10 9 6 { J 7 6 3 } 10 6 2

South cashes the Jack of diamonds (you discard a spade) and returns a spade to your Ace. At this stage, if you strongly suspect that spades are 6-2, just exit in hearts. No luck needed in clubs. If you judge that the club finesse is necessary, it will be O.-K…

Two pairs went down, one of them by two tricks, oops, -387, ouch! Three pairs made three overtricks. The Rimstedt twins hit another jackpot, doubling the contract of 2 Spades: four down, +329.

MULTIPLE CHANCESby Vincent Labbé

Franck Multon, the indestructible

Boye Brogeland, a gentleman of bridge

3RD European Transnational Open Teams3RD European Transnational Open TeamsWINTER GAMES 2020

FÉDÉR

ATION BRID GE M

ON

ACO

YOU LOVED THE WINTER GAMES 2018!YOU WILL AD RE THE WINTER GAMES 2020!

EUROPEANTITLES &MEDALS

Special Hotel Ratesat Le Fairmont Starting from 199 € per room per night

Low Cost Housing

PRIZE MONEY150 000 € MINIMUM

9 Days of competition

Find out more: www.wintergames.bridgemonaco.com

FEBRUARY 29 - MARCH 8, 2020 ZIMMERMANN TEAMS CUP FMB BOARD-A-MATCH TROPHY PAIRS EVENT

]

7

Monaco, 3rd-8th February 2019 Cavendish VI

Session 7.The Dutchmen Verhees and van Prooijen race ahead.

You want to know why?They are part of the eight pairs playing 6 No-Trump

with these two hands:

Board 16. Dealer West. E/W Vul. [ A 8 7 6 ] A Q 10 9 3 { Q 10 } A 5

[ K Q 9 ] K { K J 5 3 } K J 7 6 4

West North East SouthTuczynski van Prooijen Narkiewicz VerheesPass 1} Pass 2}Pass 2{ Pass 2]Pass 2[ Pass 3}Pass 3NT Pass 4}Pass 5NT Pass 6NTAll pass

The contract is played by North. Narkiewickz leads a small diamond (!) and Ricco van Prooijen plays back a diamond. East takes is Ace ans returns a small spade.

The play will then be both rapid and accurate: King of spades, King of hearts, spade to the Ace, Ace-Queen of hearts (discarding two clubs), spade to the Queen and Jack of diamonds.

At this stage, the declarer would have already won with good news in spades or in hearts. But that’s not the case. Time to see the full deal:

[ A 8 7 6 ] A Q 10 9 3 { Q 10 } A 5[ J 10 3 2 [ 5 4] 8 5 4 ] J 7 6 2{ 8 7 2 { A 9 6 4} Q 9 2 } 10 8 3 [ K Q 9 ] K { K J 5 3 } K J 7 6 4

The situation is now:

[ 8 ] 10 { — } A 5[ J [ —] — ] J{ — { —} Q 9 2 } 10 8 3 [ — ] — { K } K J 7

On the King of diamonds, West is forced to discard the Jack of spades, the 8 spades disappears from dummy and East has no other choice than throwing a club. The declarer claims his slam with three club tricks (Jack is superfluous…).

Scientific auction and perfect play mean +278.

WHY THEY LEAD THE FIELDby Vincent Labbé

Ricco van Prooijen

Louk Verhees

Cavendish VI

8

Monaco, 3rd-8th February 2019

Can your partner fit you at the one level? Well… Can your partner fit you at the one level after seven bids? Good Lord, what are you talking about?

Last deal of the session. The players show a little fatigue or impatience or both.

West North East SouthVersace Er. Vainikonis Lauria Arlovich

Pass 1[ 1} 1{Pass 1] Pass 1[Pass 3[ All pass

Lorenzo Lauria opens 1} or at least he thinks so. Problem, Erikas Vainikonis preceded him. The tournament director, Henri Defranchi, is called.

The full deal:

[ K Q J 9 5 3 ] A J 3 2 { A } J 4 [ 10 7 [ A 8 2] 10 9 4 ] K Q 7 6{ Q 8 5 4 { 7 6} Q 7 6 2 } A 10 5 3 [ 6 4 ] 8 5 { K J 10 9 3 2 } Q 9 8

North pushes negligently the tray. So 1} is accepted. The auction goes on from 1}. So 1{ is easy and 1] shows the two-suiter…

“What am I authorized to do, now?” worries North.

“If you could avoid to bid 1}, I would be grateful, because then it could take a very long time…”, ironicizes Henri Defranchi.

“May I bid 1[?”“No objection.”And that’s how the auction could continue as nothing,

or almost nothing, had happened…3 Spades, down one, 6 points lost by North-South. No big deal.

Andrei Arlovich

TWILIGHT ZONEby Vincent Labbé

9

Monaco, 3rd-8th February 2019 Cavendish VI

Championship conducted under the auspices of the European Bridge League (EBL)The Venue:

Overlooking the Marmara Sea and the Princess Islands 540 luxury

rooms Only 9 km to

SAW airport Nearby public

transport

The Venue:

Overlooking the

European Titles in Mixed, Open, Women’s and Seniors categories

Teams and pairs formatsAll events open and

transnationalNon-medal side events

with free participation for teams or pairs eliminated from the medal events

Discounted entry fees for early registrations and for junior participants

Special package deals for participating in both teams and pairs events

Package participants are guaranteed at least 7 days of play

EBL Masterpoint awards

Green Park PendikHotel & Convention CenterIstanbul

Come toIstanbul

For info, registration and booking, please visit:

www.eurobridge.orgwww.eobc2019.com

Zia Mahmood

Green Park Pendik from

65€/night

ChampionshipVenue

Divan Istanbul Asia Distance tovenue: 3 km

Radisson Blu Tuzla Distance tovenue: 3 km

Ibis Istanbul Tuzla Distance tovenue: 6 km

Cevahir Hotel Asia Distance tovenue: 13 km

Accredited Championship Hotels (free cancellation until June 01, 2019)

Istanbul, city of history & culture

Sightseeing

Shopping Turkish Cuisine

Lorem ipsum

Grand Bazaar Outlet Shopping

Hagia Sophia Topkapi PalaceSultanahmet Basilica Cistern

Maiden’s IslandThe Bosphorus Princess Islands

Döner kebap Baklava

Galata Tower

from

65€/night

from

73€/night

from

85€/night

from

48€/night