League winners of the Special Swiss Teams Bridge Tournament
The Monday Bridge club combined with players from the Islandsbc online Bridge Club to play a Special Swiss Teams Bridge Tournament at the Korineum Golf Club on Thursday 18 May 2023.
So, what is this activity that supposedly wards off early onset of Alzheimer’s?
Regular bridge players in the TRNC are used to a diet of Duplicate bridge where two members form a pair and over the course of an afternoon play the same hands as their opponents writes Colin Pearson. The results are a % league table for all pairs, and this is the norm for Monday bridge at the Korineum or the Islandsbc bridge that is played online on Friday’s and Saturdays every week. There is another form of Bridge called Chicago where a single player gets to play with most of the other bridge players present and their individual score at the end of the afternoon determines the winner. This is a slightly more relaxed form of bridge and is normally played on Wednesdays during the swallow season.Time to mix things up
By way of a change, it was decided some six months ago that a special Swiss Teams Tournament would take place at the Korineum Golf Club. Bridge players formed Teams of 4 players each and then competed over four rounds of 7 Boards to win the tournament. A total of 32 players (8 Teams) entered for the tournament – such was the interest that both former TRNC residents and new visitors came specially for the tournament. Swiss Teams is a special version of Team Bridge in that the highest-ranked Teams play the next highest and depending on their score after each round move up or down for future rounds. After 2 rounds two leagues were created of the top four and the bottom four teams.
It ain’t what you say it’s the way that you do it
Most bridge players who reside outside the TRNC will sometimes play Team bridge but for those who are based just on the island this was a completely new experience. The organising committee headed by Colin Pearson with support from Janice Harper, Conni Richardson, Phil Conkie and Dick Sanderson went to great lengths to explain what was taking place and how to score the results. Fortunately, the tournament went smoothly and was followed by presentations and then a buffet dinner at the Korineum.
What made it different?
Some bridge players struggle to maintain a duplicate partnership for any length of time (couples who live together may require special therapy sessions after tournaments often known as post-mortems) – the prospect of combining with another (normally rival pair) to form a team raises a series of interesting dynamics and this can be before a single card is played. Because Swiss Teams is generally more unpredictable than duplicate it also may mean that the usual suspects aren’t guaranteed to win and so it proved to be the case.
Results
The League 1 tournament Trophy was won by the Team captained by Sue Starling and included Jenifer Jenkins, George Cwej and Christine Venediger. The League 2 tournament Trophy was won by the team captained by Rupert Harding and included Sharon Harding, John Else and Monica Atkinson.
So, do I stick or twist?
Such was the enthusiasm for this format that it has been decided to run the Tournament on an annual basis with the next one being held on Thursday 16 May 2024. The support and facilities provided by the Korineum Golf Club were of such a high standard that it has also been decided to hold the 2024 Tournament at the same venue.
