Latest news with #EuropeanTransnationalChampionships
Spectator
6 days ago
- Sport
- Spectator
16 August 2025
I often see players at international events, playing with someone other than their usual partner (or a sponsor) and forming a superstar pair – even if it's only for one tournament. One of the most exciting pairs at the recent European Transnational Championships in Poland was Norwegian Geir Helgemo, the player widely regarded as the best in the world, playing with Zachary Grossack, at only 28, the youngest Grand Life Master in the American Contact Bridge League, and already the winner of several world titles. The two could hardly be more different: Geir a quiet introvert and Zach an exuberant extrovert. Together they worked magic. Here's Zach at the helm in their round-of-64 knockout match. When Geir doubled, Zach ignored a possible Heart fit and instead made the value bid of 3 NT, which was a good start as 6♥️ can suffer a direct Spade ruff. How would you plan the play when West leads the ♦️10? Assuming we pick up the Hearts, we have 11 on top. We should be able to do business with West and his six Spades, but his hand has to be moulded into shape first. Declarer won and cashed four Clubs, West throwing a couple of Spades. Next came the top two Hearts in dummy and he ran the ♥️10. West had to make two more discards which were a Spade and a Diamond. The stage is set: when the fourth Heart is cashed, the West hand is squeezed. If he throws yet another Spade, we can just set those up, so he has to throw his penultimate Diamond. Now Zach cashed the remaining top Diamond and played a Spade to his King. West had only Spades left and had to give up. A dynamic duo!
Spectator
06-08-2025
- Entertainment
- Spectator
9 August 2025
After an enjoyable week playing in the European Transnational Championships in Poznan recently (the Mixed Teams), I had time to spare before catching my flight home. The Open Teams had just begun, so I decided to kibitz for a while. I chose to sit behind the iconic Swedish player Peter Fredin, who I've been following keenly ever since he opened a strong No Trump against me with nul points many years ago. My partner and I never guessed we were cold for a grand slam. I soon found out that he was famous for his uncanny ability to read both cards and players. Opponents aren't even safe saying 'Thank you' when dummy goes down: he'll glean some information from the way they say it. He was partnering Artur Malinowski, another player with fantastic imagination and flair. It was a promising combination, and I wasn't disappointed. On this deal, Malinowski was South. Put yourself in his shoes: Being green vs red, you'd like to make a Michaels cue-bid showing both majors – but not at the seven-level. Most other Wests also opened 5♣️, quite a few Easts raised to 6♣️, and in both cases, the majority of Souths passed. Some Souths doubled, but were left regretting it when their partners passed (6♣️ was cold). One South bid a fearless 6♥️. Malinowski's choice? A brilliant 6♦️! He knew he'd be doubled. His plan was to redouble. He was confident that Fredin would be on the same wavelength, and realise it was an SOS, showing the other two suits. He was right: West doubled, Malinowski redoubled, and Fredin pulled to 6♥️, which East doubled. Three down was -500, a great score compared to -1370. Only one other brave South (a top Swedish player) bid 6♦️, but when he then redoubled, his partner passed. Minus 4000 is a score neither will forget in a hurry.
