September 9th, 2013 ~ Mike Yuen ~
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Robert Lebi of Toronto ON, Robbie to his friends, born in Paris France, graduated McGill University, retired from a career in IT in the financial industry.
Happily married to Judith Arbus for the last 6 years.
Robert Lebi
Won the 1971 Canadian Intercollegiate Open Pairs and Open Teams for McGill, Blue Ribbon Pairs 1989, Fast Pairs 2006, Silodor Open Pairs 2008 and Wernher Open Pairs 2012.3 Canadian National Teams Championships and the Canada Senior Teams this year. Represented Canada in numerous World Championships.
Proudest Bridge achievement was 2nd place in 1982 Reisinger.
Of notoriety was winning the 1978 Toronto Summer National Regional Swiss Teams – 603 teams, the largest entry in the history of bridge until then with a score of 8-0.
September 8th, 2013 ~ Mike Yuen ~
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Dan Jacob lives in Vancouver BC. Was born in Bucharest, Romania. He left Romania shortly after graduating with an engineering degree from the Polytechnic University of Bucharest and moved to Canada after spending 7 months in Paris, France.
Dan Jacob
Dan is married to Cristina, bridge player, also an engineer (different specialty). They have two children (Carol and Julien) both born in Vancouver, BC. Darling of the family grandson Holden (5y old).
They love the great outdoors, selected Vancouver even before they immigrated to British Columbia. Enjoys skiing, hiking, fishing, etc.
Dan likes sports, both to play (racquet sports, skiing, cycling, over for soccer) and some to watch (tennis, hockey, soccer). Having been to the Australian Open, the French Open and the US Open, Dan dreams of the Grand Slam (tennis), looking forward to experience Wimbledon one day soon.
Used to managed an engineering program for the federal government but retired recently.
Dan started playing bridge in the first year of university and never stopped.
Many time winner in both the Canadian National Teams Championships and North American Bridge Championships. Represented Canada at international competitions numerous times.
September 7th, 2013 ~ Mike Yuen ~
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Jurek Czyzowicz originally from Poland, now lives in Gatineau, Quebec. Married with 5 kids ranging from 22 to 40. Jurek enjoys time with family on the weekend when he is not traveling.
Still doing his part to keep the Canadian economy going, professor at University of Quebec in math and computer science. Doing research in the domain of algorithms.
Jurek Czyzowicz
Since the year 2000, when he started playing more often, Jurek won 7 times Canadian Championships, 3 times in the Open, 3 times in the Senior and once in the Pairs competition.
Often plays in European Bridge Championships and North American Bridge Championships.
In Bali he will partner with Dan Jacob.
September 7th, 2013 ~ Mike Yuen ~
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As we ready for the 41st World Bridge Teams Championships in Bali, Indonesia. 16-29 September 2013. I thought it be interesting to post tit-bits of our Canadian Senior Team.
Boris Baran
Boris Baran, Bo to his friends, now retired, taught computer information systems at Concordia University’s John Molson School of Business in Montreal, Canada.
Still a hulk, in his younger years he would have given Mr. Universe a run for his money. He was a nationally rated swimmer and he also played organized softball.
A member of the Canadian Bridge Federation Hall of Fame, he is also a WBF World International Master, a WBF Senior Life Master, and an ACBL Grand Life Master.
Baran won the World Senior Teams in 2002, was a silver medalist in the 1995 Bermuda Bowl, a bronze medalist in the 1990 Rosenblum Cup World K/O Teams, and a silver medalist in the 1992 Pan American Open Teams. Baran has represented Canada in the World Team Olympiad in 1984, 1988, 1992, 1996, the Bermuda Bowl 1995, 2005, the Bermuda Senior Bowl 2007, 2009, 2011, the Rosenblum Cup World K/O Teams 1978, 1986, 1990, 1994, and the World Open Pairs 1986, 1990.
Baran has also won twelve Canadian national championships, five North American championships, the 1997 Marlboro China Cup, the 1991 Icelandair Invitational Pairs, and the 1990 Epson World Towers competition.
In Bali, Bo will renew his partnership with George Mittelman.
August 12th, 2013 ~ Mike Yuen ~
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In Atlanta GA USA. The Spingold final Team Bridge24 (Jacek Kalita, Michal Nowosadzki, Rafal Jagniewski, Wojciech Gawel) tied Team Grue (Joe, Leslie Amoils, Brad Moss, Thomas Bessis, Peter Bertheau and Jacob Morgan) 112 IMPs at the end of regulation (64 Boards) .
The 8 board playoff decided the event in favor of Bridge24. 134 to 113 IMPs.
This deal declared by Kalita contributed to his teams’ victory.
Jacek Kalita
Segment 1 of 4.
Board 15. Dealer South. North-South vulnerable.
The lead was the nine of clubs, queen, two, three. First he looked for tricks from the heart suit with the ten of hearts from dummy, covered by the king, ace and two. Belived that the king was a true card. He next went after the spade suit with the four of spades, nine, jack and three.
He gave the nine of spades a look. Backing his judgement of the singleton nine, took the spades finesse to the eight when Grue followed with the five. Next he run three spades winners, Moss discarded all low diamonds.
At trick 8, cashed the ace of clubs, Moss discarded another diamond.
This was the five card ending.
Trick 9. Reading the position perfectly, Kalita exited with the four of hearts to end-play Moss into giving up the game going trick with either a diamond or a heart.
Made nine tricks for +400.
At the other table. South opened with one diamond, soon was in three diamonds. Made 9 tricks for +110.
+400 and +110 was worth 11 IMPs to Team Bridge24.
Congratulations to both teams for a well played match.
June 23rd, 2013 ~ Mike Yuen ~
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The Mixed Teams is over. The gold medal winners are Marion Michielsen, Jovi Semederevac, Ricco van Prooijen, Martine Verbeek, Sascha Wernle and Huub Bertens.
Our team Alertplus had a great run on the last day of the Mixed Teams. Came to 5th position at the end of the Swiss but missed the play off for medals by .03 VP. Only the top 4 teams get to play for medals. We played two more meaningless matches to settle into 10th overall.
I like to thank my nice partner Pony and great teammates Anja Alberti, Nikolas Bausback, Berthold Engel and Claudia Vechiatto for a most enjoyable tournament.
Team Dinner
The Open, Ladies, Seniors Teams had started play. You can watch the action on BBO.
I am not playing and soon will head to London, to catch some tennis at the All England Club.
Round 5. Ladies Teams. Board 20. Dealer West. All vul.
Team Valkyries – Pony Nehmert and Cristina Giampietro (Germany) had a nice auction to the Club slam and earned their team 12 IMP.
Their auction :
Once East took the slow route to support clubs,West was bidding the slam.
The deal :
The other team stopped in 3NT.
Cristina Giampietro
Pony
June 21st, 2013 ~ Mike Yuen ~
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Here I was minding my own business sitting with Pony at the bridge table in the Swiss. In came the partnership of Ron Pachtman and Clara Hetz. (Israel)
Board 11. Dealer South. None vulnerable.
They had this auction. Ron was North and Clare South.
2♣ = strong. 2♦ = waiting. 4NT = keycard ask. 5♦ =3/0.
The lead was the ♠ 4.
The North South hands : (rotated to make declarer South.)
Ron won the trump lead in his hand. Tried to sneak the ♥ jack past Pony. Not so fast she said as she won with the ace. She continued the trump attack with the ♠ 9. The ♠ Q won in dummy. Next came ♣ 3, 9, ruff with the ♠ 3, 6.
Trick 4, he played the ♥ 8, 9, ruff it with the ♠ 8, 6. Ruff a club off dummy with his ♠ jack. Drew the last outstanding trump with the ♠ king. Cashed the two high hearts. East discarded the last heart and a diamond.
At trick 11. He advanced the ♠ ace, West was squeezed between Clubs and diamonds. Pony bared the ♦ king. Reading the situation perfectly, Ron cashed the ♦ ace to drop the king. The ♦ queen was the slam going trick.
The three card ending :
The full deal :
Very well played but who invited them to our table anyway?
Clara Hetz – Ron Pachtman (Israel)
June 20th, 2013 ~ Mike Yuen ~
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The Canadian Senior Champions (Robert Lebi, David Lindop, Jurek Czyzowicz and Dan Jacob) that are going to Bali for the World Championships 16-29 September 2013 had drafted me as their NPC. The team added Boris Baran and George Mittelman as the third pair. We are a good team and will be competitive.
Dan Jacob
Jurek Czyzowicz
David Lindop
Robert Lebi
George Mittelman
Boris Baran.
June 19th, 2013 ~ Mike Yuen ~
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The Mixed Teams started to-day with 98 teams. Three days of Swiss, 15 matches in total. Winner of the Swiss takes home the gold.
Am playing on the ALERTPLUS team with Pony, Anja Alberti, Nikolas Bausback, Berthold Engel and Claudia Vechiatto.
The Mixed Pairs final was won by Dessy Popova and Rosen Gunev – Bulgaria. Silver went to Marc Bompis and Sylvie Willard – France. Bronze went to Zahari Zahariev and Netsy Sayer – Bulgaria/Turkey.
Dessy Popova – Bulgaria.
Rosen Gunev – Bulgaria.
Sylvie Willard – Marc Bompis – France.
Netsy Sayer – Zahari Zahariev – Turkey/Bulgaria.
For all results see 6th European Open Bridge Championships.
June 17th, 2013 ~ Mike Yuen ~
2 Comments
Yesterday in the Mixed Pairs I played against Petr Bahnik and Eva Bohnikova from The Czech Republic. He told me he enjoys my blog! How delightful, often times I wonder if anybody even read it. It warms my heart to know it is read in far away places.
They played well and are in the final, I wish them the best of luck.
Petr Bahnik – CZE
Eva Bahnikova -CZE
Round 8 of the Mixed Pairs, Anja Alberti (Germany) and Nikolas Bausback (Luxembourg) conducted a beautiful auction to the top spot.
Board 12. Dealer West. N-S vulnerable.
Nikolas (North) and Anja (South) held these hands.
This was their auction :
4NT = takeout for the minors. 5♦ = far sighted bid. 6♦ = we have arrived.
Anja made the great bid of five diamonds, chosen the 4-4 fit as trumps as she recognized that the longer club suit can be used to park a spade loser.
The full deal :
Made 12 tricks for +1370 and 99.96%. Oh and don’t ask me what happened to the .04%.
Anja Alberti – Nikolas Bausback
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