THE LATEST NEWS AND NOTES FROM THE CACBF

Here is where your views may be heard on what is happening throughout our Zone.

You may write us at <cacbf@geocities.com and get your latest triumphs or defeats published.

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• Well, the venue has been chosen and our team selected, so BEST OF LUCK to our reps in the BERMUDA BOWL - GUADELOUPE (Jeanine Moers, Jean Pierre Bouveresse, Alain Kempczynski, Patrick Leblondet, Jean Claude Pelletier, Daniel Veron with npc Philippe Mathieu) who I hope have all stopped smoking, in the VENICE CUP - VENEZUELA (Morella Pacheco, Padma Daryanani, Tania Mandowsky, Marisa Tagliavia, Fida Hirschhaut, Nina Tache), and in the SENIORS - GUADELOUPE (captain Joseph Boulogne, Jean Louis Derivery, Dominique Gerin, Fred Mondor, Pierre Picard, Risk Rizcallah). Follow their results via the WBF website.
• FRANCE RESPONDS - WBF President Jose Damiani writes: "We are pleased that we have been able to arrange a venue for the Bermuda Bowl, Venice Cup, Senior Bowl and World Transnational Open teams at the French Bridge Federation building in Paris on very nearly the same dates as those originally scheduled. We need to have some flexibility (of at least one day), since the equipment is still at sea and has to be returned to Paris. Teams participating in the Bermuda Bowl, Venice Cup and Seniors Bowl can arrange to arrive in Paris on Saturday 20th October in order to start play either on Sunday 21st or Monday 22nd with the Round Robin ending and the Knock Out phase starting either on Saturday 27th or Sunday 28th October. The Transnational Teams will start on either Sunday 28th or Monday 29th October and the Championships will thus end on Saturday 3rd November instead of Friday 2nd. We have managed to arrange an excellent four star hotel situated about 10 minutes walk from the Arc-de-Triomphe and the Champs-Elysées for all the participants at a very good rate (even less expensive than Bali), but it is important that all the participants stay in this hotel so that we can arrange shuttles between the hotel and the playing area. For information about the room rates etc. please email cfrancin@worldbridgefed.com. Jose Damiani, President, World Bridge Federation, 28 September 2001."
• BALI POSTPONED - WBF President Jose Damiani writes: "Dear Friends, It is with great regret that I have to inform you that, as a result of the terrorist activity in America two weeks ago, five teams from the Bermuda Bowl, six from the Venice Cup and five from the Senior Teams havewithdrawn, and as far as the others are concerned many have clearly indicated that they are willing to come providing nothing changes and unfortunately we know that it will undoubtedly change. We have, therefore, with great reluctance, decided to cancel the 2001 World Championships in Bali and to seek an alternative venue. We are working on a solution to hold the Championships in Lausanne, Switzerland the Olympic Capital, or in France on approximately the same dates or possibly in December, and I ask you to be patient and as soon as we have more information we will ensure that it is sent to you. For the time being, please keep these dates free, and we will let you know the situation as soon as it becomes clear. We have also asked our Indonesian friends whether they would be able to host the event in 2003 and we sincerely hope that we will be able to meet in Bali in two years time. José Damiani, President, World Bridge Federation 25 September 2001".
• Bridge for the Visually Impaired - contact Mau Cohen for more information or visit his website and read all about it at http://home.hetnet.nl/~maco93/English_index.htm .
• The WBF Junior Teams just finished the round robin phase of the championships in Mangarita, Brazil. Keep up to date on results via http://www1.bridge.gr/tourn/Mangaratiba.01. The CAC juniors (Carlos Diaz, Hanoi Rondon, & Jacqueline Quintero from Venezuela along with Thibaut de Tessieres from Martinique and Colin Yhap from Guyana) started well against the hosts, losing 59-55 in the opening round. However, system problems and telephone numbers as well as some bad luck led to eight losses in a row before they met New Zealand to battle for the cellar spot. Our gang came through with an impressive 109-17 victory to relegate the Kiwis to last place. Immediately following that match there was an emotional encounter with the French team as Thibaut's brother, Godefroy, was on the team. Once again, CAC showed their mettle with a decisive 75-42 victory. Although they suffered five more losses to finish the round robin, the matches were all close except for the final round against Australia. We expect to have more news as soon as the players return.
• Olympic Bridge comes closer - Bridge will be an ATTRACTION SPORT in the SALT LAKE CITY 2002 WINTER OLYMPICS. José Damiani, WBF President, gave an interview to e-bridge regarding the progress of bridge being recognized as a full Olympic Sport. Mr Damiani said that, following a meeting held in Switzerland on 14 March with Mark Hodler, he was very happy to hear from Mr Hodler that bridge is to be given the opportunity to demonstrate a competition at the Salt Lake City Olympics. The Grand Americana Hotel in Salt Lake City has been allocated for a bridge attraction to take place about a few days before the official opening of the Winter Olympic Games (scheduled for 08 February 2002). Teams in three categories will be invited - Open, Women and Juniors. Following a successful demonstration in Salt Lake City, work will continue to achieve the aim of having Bridge as an Olympic Discipline at the 2006 Winter Olympic Games in Torino, Italy.
• Wow - are we Bridge players doing the right thing or not - check it out in this article on Alzheimer's and mental activity - Bridge anyone? http://content.health.msn.com/content/article/1728.74005
• Don't delay, contact the WBF to participate in the 2001 World Wide Bridge Contest. This year's dates are June 1st and June 2nd and we will be playing the sessions in Caracas. Information may be found on their site at www.worldbridge.org or register your NBO via e-mail at wbf@ecatsbridge.com.
• Get it on-line, the WBF's World Bridge News. Why wait for snail mail when you can get it electronically? Keep in mind that the WBF now has two sites for information - check out the Links page.
• The CACBF has been invited to send a team to the World Junior Team Championships in Rio de Janeiro from August 6th-20th, 2001. If necessary this may be a transnational team.  In order to ascertain how to proceed with the selection of a team, please could you advise whether your NCBO has any teams, pairs or players that would wish to be considered for selection.  For consideration, players should be born in or after 1975 and individual players should be able to practice on the Internet several times a week. In order select a team as soon as possible, please let me have your player nominations as soon as possible and no later than 31 December 2000.
• The WBF has announced two programs - The WBF TEACHING PROGRAM and The WBF CODE OF PRACTICE FOR APPEALS COMMITTEES . I highly recommend taking a look at the materials in the teaching program as it is a quick and easy way to get a LOT of people playing bridge. The "COP" for Appeals Committees will be ratified by the CACBF in Caracas so NCBOs should implement it as soon as possible. PS some news from the Team Olympiad will be posted shortly.
• Check out the present Olympic Status of Bridge at the WBF site http://www.bridge.gr/IOC/IOC.htm
• The WBF and the Mind Sports Organization join forces to run a World Wide Charity Simultaneous Pairs. Details on how to enter can be obtained from Anna Gudge at anna@msoworld.com or visit the MSO web site at http://www.msoworld.com .
• The Federacion Venezolano de Bridge opens their brand new facilities in Caracas with their 1st International Team Tournament. Brigitte Mavromichalis & the Hacketts walk away with top honours. Check out the Results page and visit Caracas to see their bridge center - amazing what a little teamwork can achieve !!
• The WBF 2000 TEAM OLYMPIAD in the Netherlands has a new site http://www.bridgeolympiad.nl/
• FINAL 1999 DHL RESULTS AVAILABLE - Roger Vieira and Steve Afoon compile a great 69% game to win by more than 1/2 of a board. This is Steve's SECOND win in the DHL !! Congrats to them both. BY THE WAY, MY PARTNER AND I SCORED 60.25% (would have been 15th overall).
• St. Kitts retains team title and Martinique cleans up - check out the results of the 1999 OECS Championships.
• A new online bridge club for our Spanish speakers can be found at www.latinbridge.cl . Check it out !!
• Check out Orbis' site on the 2000 Bermuda Bowl & Venice Cup at www.bermudabowl.com and participate in ZIA MAHMOOD's hand of the week contest where you could win the $50,000 prize donated by Orbis at www.bermudabowl.com/ohow/default.htm . GOOD LUCK !!
• A very respectable showing by our JUNIOR TEAM in Fort Lauderdale at the WORLD JUNIOR TEAM CHAMPIONSHIPS. They finished in 9^th place out of 16 teams. Pretty good considering they came from different NCBOs and never had any chance to practice together. The team consisted of Aymeric, Godefroy, and Thibault de Tessieres from MARTINIQUE and Juantita Ochoa and Juan Carlos Castillo from COLOMBIA. Juanita and Juan Carlos played in the Swiss Pairs and finished 12^th out of 24 pairs. A major part of our success was the welcome presence and support of our CACBF President, Felicity Reid. WELL DONE TO ONE AND ALL !! Full results available at www.bridge.gr .
• Congratulations to our Juniors from Martinique! AYMERIC and GODEFROY DE TESSIERES finished 19th out of 186 pairs in the WORLD JUNIOR PAIRS CHAMPIONSHIPS held just outside of Prague in the Czech Republic from July 9th to 11th. Although they only managed 46% in the 1st session, they came back to end up with a fine score of 55.75% overall. This is great news for the team that will represent the CACBF in the WORLD JUNIOR TEAMS CHAMPIONSHIP at the Radisson Bahia Mar Beach Resort in Fort Lauderdale, Florida from August 9th-18th as they will play there with their brother! The members of the CACBF team are JUANITA OCHOA (captain) and JUAN CARLOS CASTILLO from COLOMBIA; HANOI RONDON from VENEZUELA; and AYMERIC, GODEFROY, and THIBAULT de TESSIERES from MARTINIQUE. GOOD LUCK and GOOD BRIDGE !!
• The ACBL has just announced a FREE computer program called LEARN TO PLAY BRIDGE. Check out the link under EDUCATION.
• The EBU has kindly allowed us to reproduce their MINI-BRIDGE information booklet and lesson plans here on our site. Check it out under EDUCATION !!
• Convention Cards personalized for the CACBF can be found at the following address - www.acbl.org/convcard/edwards.stm
• The WBF has CANCELLED the 1999 WBF SIMULTANEOUS PAIRS !!
• Are there any OK Bridge players out there in the CACBF ? John Maduro is looking for you. Contact him at jmaduro@sinfo.net and get connected to play bridge on-line.
• Did you know that the Board of the CACBF has decided NOT to hold the Zonal Festivals in the years 2000 and 2002 ? What are your views on that decision ?