A big deal

Paul Thurston at home in Wellington on the Lake.

Wellington resident to represent Canada at World Bridge Championships in Bali

In mid-September, 22 teams will gather in a conference centre in Balali, Indonesia, from nations around the globe to compete in the 41st world championship of bridge.

Paul Thurston of Wellington on the Lake is one of the six members of the Canadian squad. He is a past Canadian champion, has written several books on the subject and writes a daily column in the National Post about bridge.

He, along with five team mates (three pair), are busy preparing to compete in Bali against the best players in the world. They earned the right to represent the North American zone, not including the United States earlier this year by defeating Mexico in a hard fought, closely contested match.

Too close, said Thurston—given that the Canadian team was clearly stronger.

To understand this better, one needs to know that, unlike any other card game, in duplicate bridge (the competitive version of the game) the element of chance or luck has been mostly eliminated . This is done by dealing each table identical arrangement of cards at each table.

“In this way, you can compare how you perform with the same cards,” explains Thurston. “It is unlike other games where you need good cards to score well. In this case you don’t.”

Not only do competitors have to play well—they need to do so over long matches. When they won in Mexico, the Canadian team played 64 games on Saturday and another 64 on Sunday.

In world tournament play, two nations square off on two tables. One Canadian pair will play north-south on one table. The other pair will play east-west at the other.

“You compare the two tables to determine which team performed better on that deal,” explained Thurston.

The third pair is rotated in the competition and a pair rests. They do this for hours.

“When we won the Canadian championship, it was eight days of about 14 hours per day of competition,” said Thurston. “That much competition weeds out any luck element. The strongest skilled teams survive. There is some element of physicality and endurance to it.

Thurston’s team has a rare combination of youth and experience—three are over 60 and the other three are under 40. Thurston, of the former group is partner with Jeff Smith of the latter age group.

The two had come to know each other at tournaments over the years. So, when Thurston’s former partner, ran into health issues a few years back the partnership with Smith was formed.

“You have to have a mindset to work at your game as a partnership,” said Thurston. “No matter how good you think you are at the game—you have to put your ego in the checkroom for a while—because you really have to function as a pair. It isn’t about me—it’s about us. Every partnership has their own language. And each player must make a commitment to work at the game and preparation.”

SERIOUS CONTENDERS
British bookmakers are already setting odds for the Bali championship—with the Canadian team ranked about eighth. Teams from Italy and the United States are among the favourites as is a team from Monaco—composed of two Italians, two Norweigians and two Frenchmen—each among the best players in the world. The team is the creation of Pierre Zimmerman, a wealthy real estate investor in France and avid bridge player.

Frustrated by his lack of success with the French team Zimmerman began assembling the very best players to his new team and establishing residences for them in the principality of Monaco on the Mediterranean. The Italian pair of Fulvio Fantoni and Claudio Nunes moved to Monaco—as did Norway’s Geir Helgemo and Tor Helness. Zimmerman and his partner Franck Multon are this third pair in this superstar team.

Zimmerman’s team has sent shockwaves through bridge circles and sent officials scurrying to dig through rule books about residency.

“Pierre wants to win,” said the president of the Monaco Bridge Federation Jean-Charles Allavena of the national team’s sponsor.

Thurston and the Canadian team will face off against the Monaco team and 20 other nations in 16-deal matches held over the first seven days of the tournament. Fourteen teams will be eliminated— the remaining eight will be bracketed with the top seeds taking on the lower seeds until the final. The winner will take home gold, the loser of the final game takes home silver and two bronze medals go to the third and fourth placed teams.

Bali is a long way to go to play bridge. Thurston and the Canadian team will get some financial assistance from the Canadian Bridge Federation—but not nearly enough to send the six team members to the south pacific.

There is no federal or provincial funding.

the largest bridge publisher worldwide, is kicking in some sponsorship funds, but Thurston and his teammates will have to pay at least part of the bill to represent their nation.

Duplicate bridge is recognized and governed by the Olympic movement, though not an Olympic event—not yet. As such Thurston and his teammates must under go mandatory drug testing to compete internationally.

Though it seems an extreme measure for bridge player, Thurston allows that it is not that far fetched a precaution.

“Back in the 80s and 90s beta blockers became popular with many players,” Thurston explained. “What happens is that you get very adrenalized during long tournaments so you don’t sleep well. The beta blockers control the flow of adrenaline so you are better equipped to rest and come back to play again.”

He adds that some have touted the use of cannabis as a way to improve bridge play.

“They don’t want to try that in Bali however. Laws are a little stiff there,” said Thurston.

The 41st World Teams Bridge Tournament gets underway in Nusa Dua, Bali on September 16.