|
The MSO WorldWide Bridge Gossip
Column
By Mark
Horton
Andrew Robson, who has just
won the Cap Gemini Invitation tournament partnering Zia, has been
appointed Bridge Correspondent of The Times, reputed
to be the best paid job on bridge, at over £30,000 per annum.
He takes over in the middle of June, round about the time his wife
is expecting their first child, so the money will come in handy!
Following
on from the Welsh bridge Scandal, a similar incident is reported
to have taken place in Belgium. The affected player promptly sued
his Federation, and when the judge decided the evidence was not
convincing, he awarded the plaintiff £1,000.
Selectors are still in the news.
The English have just chosen a Senior team to compete in
Maastricht (to join Glyn Liggins,Joe Fawcett,David Burn &
Brian Callaghan) They would have a hard time explaining why they
rejected a team containing John Collings and Paul Hackett, both
easily still good enough to play in the Open team.
It is rumoured that the English Bridge Union are planning to cut
back on International expenditure. Does that mean their teams
in Maastricht will also have to contribute some of their own money?
Wales have chosen their team
for Maastricht, but their is no place for their most capped
player, Patrick Jourdain. He has to be content with
the role of Non-Playing Captain. The team are getting help with
their expenses, but will still have to find a considerable sum from
their own resources.
News comes from Scotland that
their Selectors are under fire. The words being bandied around include
such old selectorial favourites as 'biased' and 'clique'.
Some people will bet on the outcome
of any type of sporting contest, and bridge is no exception. One well
known odds layer, a former Times Correspondent, is rumoured
to have lost £1500 on the recent play-off that determined the
English team for Maastricht. We can hardly wait for spread betting
on the number of IMPs a team will win or lose by to start!
Competitors in the European Mixed
Championships being played in Bellaria, Italy, faced severe penalties
for being caught smoking, drinking, using a mobile phone or leaving
the table before the end of each round. Was there, I wondered, any
penalty for being caught in flagrante at the table? I asked one
of the directors, and after a momentary pause he ventured an opinion.
'None at all, unless you smoke afterwards!'
The Canadian company Master Point
Press have established themselves as one of the leading publishers
of bridge books. One of their forthcoming books was provisionally
entitled The Professionals, written by Brian Senior and Mark
Horton. However, since everyone thinks it refers to Meckstroth &
Rodwell, a new title is being sought. Any suggestions?
The Netherlands stage some of the
best events in the world, so why not book you place at Forbo 2001
next February? This years closing ceremony featured a brilliant
magic act - and not a playing card in sight!
|
