From the account of the Neapolitan Club magazine:
The Italian Club Teams Championship 2015 have just started and the Lavazza Team is not signed up in the Open category. This news has left many supporters puzzled and curious, so we asked Giorgio Duboin for an explanation.
Laura Camponeschi: Why are you not taking part in the Club Teams Tornament this year?
Giorgio Duboin: The main reason is the availability of our team members: Alejandro Bianchedi and Agustin Madala live in Argentina and it is not easy to arrange their travels for each round. Even Norberto Bocchi, who as you know is living in Spain, does not find it easy to travel frequently on Saturdays. Moreover, our sponsor Maria Teresa Lavazza is not madly in love with this event. But mostly, some rounds of this competition overlap with other internationals events we want to play in.
Furthermore, the appeal of the Club Teams Championships is that the winner will play in the European Champions’ Cup. But this opportunity is open only to the first 10 ranked teams in the latest European Championships, so Italy cannot take part. We will play there anyway because we are the holders.
LC: So only organizational reasons, rather than disaffection for Italy?
GD: Absolutely, we will play as usual in the Italian Spring Championships. This tournament is played over five rounds so it is easier to arrange.
LC: Is there any truth to the idea of playing for another NBO?
GD: We are currently not interested in representing another country.
LC: Last October Madala, Bocchi and you have said that you are not available to represent Italy: any second thoughts on this?
GD: No, our decision has not changed.
-oOo-
AN EXCELLENT BID AND PLAY BY MY PARTNER ANGELINA COCKRELL
Angelina Cockrells’ visit to Manila for the holidays this year heralded bridge games galore with me.
One board of interest which played at my Alejandro Bridge game.
Board 22 North
♠K62
♥53
♦J1073
♣K873
West East
♠10754 ♠AQJ93
♥9 ♥AQ72
♦Q63 ♦K54
♣Q63 ♣2
South
♠
♥KJ10864
♦A8
♣AJ1094
West North East South
Alejandro Cockrell
♠1 ♠2
Pass 2NT ♠3 4clubs
Pass ♥4 Pass Pass
Two spades bid by Cockrell was the Michaels’ bid showing the hearts and other minor. My bid of 2NT was a query which minor she held. The three spades rebid forced Cockrell to show the club suit at the fourth level. I was a quandary when it was my turn to bid. I had only two hearts-itty bitty ones. While my club support was four carder headed by the king. Recalling an expert advice its much better at duplicate match to play in the majors than five in the minors I bid four hearts.
After Cockrell cleared the heart suit she was faced with the decision how to play the club suit. She went into the tank. She made the winning line of play and she decided to finesse. Contract made.
On the play she reasoned that the distribution was bad and decided to finesse for the queen guessing that West three clubs to the queen
-oOo-
Results of Alejandro Duplicate Game on January 13, 2015
Joli Kansil-Margaret Kwok
Fusako Breckner-Harriet Velayo
Winston Arpon-Justo Manlongat Manila Pen on January 14, 2015
North-South
Jopet Maliwat-Ko Eun Jin
Sylvia Alejandro-Angelina Cockrell East-West
Lars Manneteg-Laguardia Chuchay
Justo Manlongat-Susan Kwee
The Cambridge Club on January 15, 2015
Carmen Laguardia-Lars Manneteg
Sylvia Alejandro-Angelina Cockrell
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