August 2006 - 14

Veni, Vidi ... Verona!
Americans left few medals unclaimed at
the World Bridge Championships in Italy.
By Brent Manley

Part 1
At the closing ceremony of one
of the World Bridge Federation's
most successful "open" tourna‑
ments, WBF President Jose Damiani
could not resist a thank you to the
American players, "who graciously
allowed some others to win some
medals."
Indeed, it was an impressive per‑
formance by the ACBL contingent
in picturesque, historic Verona, Italy.
American pairs and American (or
mostly American) teams made the
following medal haul:
* Gold, silver and bronze in the
Mixed Pairs.
* Gold and silver in the Rosen‑
blum Cup (open knockouts).
* Gold and silver in the McCon‑
nell Cup (women's knockouts).
* Gold and silver in the Senior
Teams.
* Gold in the Women's Pairs,
and American Janice Seamon‑
Molson teamed with German
Sabine Auken to capture the
bronze medal.
* Silver in the Open Pairs.
It was an impressive performance
in a well‑attended tournament
- more than 2200 in total - that

attracted the best players from
around the world. All events were
"transnational," meaning pairs and
teams could have a mix of nationali‑
ties if they so desired. Many did.
The tournament was played in a
spacious, modern convention center
with the relatively new Bridgemate
wireless scoring system that pro‑
vided nearly instantaneous results
for competitors and journalists.
The tournament ran smoothly
with one possible exception, which
caused a stir near the end of play
in the Open Pairs. The eventual
winners, Zhong Fu and Jie Zhao
of China, played two other Chinese
pairs in the next‑to‑last and last
rounds of the fourth of five final
sessions (two boards per round).
The two other Chinese pairs, both
out of contention, scored 1%, 4%,
6% and 1% against Fu and Zhao.
The boards (final contract, open‑
ing lead, result) can be reviewed at
http://www.swangames.com/main/
Bridgecast/Rama/Verona_2006/ve‑
rona_2006.html.
The last World Bridge Champion‑
ships took place four years ago in
Montreal, where Microsoft Chair‑
man Bill Gates attracted attention
with an appearance in the Mixed
Pairs, playing with Sharon
Osberg, and the two visited
Verona for another shot at
the Mixed Pairs. They did not
qualify for the final, but Gates
allowed at a press confer‑
ence later that he had a good
time and is still very keen on
bridge.
For American partisans, the
tournament got off to a great
start, as the Yanks took all the
medals in the Mixed Pairs:
Karen McCallum and Matthew
Matthew Granovetter and Karen McCallum
14

Granovetter, gold; Jill and Bobby
Levin, silver, and JoAnna and Lew
Stansby, bronze. The Stansbys had
rallied from 87th place with two
sessions to go.
McCallum had her own difficul‑
ties to overcome, almost bowing
out of the Mixed Pairs date with
Granovetter because of what she
has been through over the past
year with breast cancer and several
surgeries. McCallum was persuaded
by Granovetter, who told her he
believed they were destined to win.
The following deal may be corrobo‑
rating evidence.
The Bridgemate wireless system
allowed for barometer scoring (tour‑
nament directors delivered sheets of
paper to players in later rounds with
the standings), and with a round
to go, McCallum and Granovetter
knew they were in first place. This
was the next‑to‑last deal of the
event:
Dlr: North  7
Vul: N-S  A Q 10 8 5 2
QJ98
Q3
 A J 10 4
Q65
N
KJ74
63
W E
65
742
S
J64
K8752
K9832
9
 A K 10 3
 A 10 9
West
North
East South
G'vetter
McCallum
1
Pass 1
Pass
2
Pass 3NT
All Pass
West led the 4, and McCallum
called for the 3. East erred by
putting up the king, taken by Mc‑
Callum with the ace. She did not
Bridge Bulletin
http://www.swangames.com/main/
Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of August 2006
