The bridge world in 2020 The Netherlands, Belgium and Germany want to host the FIFA Women’s World Cup in 2027

The bridge world in 2020

In 2020 a lot of things are different. One of these things is the card game named bridge. Almost all bridge competitions, from top-level championships to club games, have been cancelled because of the worldwide corona measures.

But that does not mean there is no more bridge in the world. On the world wide web there are several websites where you can play the card game online. In the Netherlands, the Dutch Bridge Association (NBB) supports the online platform Stepbridge. Normally you pay a yearly fee to play here, but during the corona crisis all the bridge clubs in the Netherlands have the possibility to organise their club game for free.

Another site often used by Dutch players (and players from all over the world) is Bridge Base Online (BBO). Here you can play bridge for free, day and night. BBO also organises tournaments, for free or with a small entry fee.

Professional bridge players are going through difficult times. Normally, the best players in the world are hired to play at big live tournaments, and are paid by the

the author of this article (kebosporto) and his partner Jan de Winter (winjan) playing online against two of the world’s best players, Simon de Wijs (sm1) and Bauke Muller (beukertje), on BBO. event sponsor. The sponsor also makes sure professional players get a good partner and good teammates. All live tournaments have been cancelled because of the worldwide corona outbreak. But even these tournaments are now taking place online.

The first online tournament available for top players was the so-called ALT tournament (ALT from ‘alternative’). This tournament was organised by, amongst others, Jan van den Hoek, the founder of bridge website Netbridge. Netbridge started organising online tournaments in 2019, even before the corona outbreak. The main reason for this was to give top- and sub-top level players the opportunity to practice online against each other in serious matches. Because of this experience with organising online tournaments, for Netbridge it was an unforeseen but logical next step to organise online tournaments for top professional players.

Using BBO as the online platform, Netbridge organised an invitational tournament for top players. The first event was played between eight teams, but soon there was interest from all over the world to play in the tournament. Furthermore, many spectators enjoyed watching the matches. They could follow every match, card by card. In the past several months, various kinds of ALT tournaments have taken place. In the meantime, more online tournaments are being set up for top players, for instance the OCBL (Online Contract Bridge League) tournament, the E-Open tournament and the Bridgehouse tournament.

One of the difficulties for the organisers of online tournaments is to guarantee the game is played in a fair way. In face-to-face games, played live, such as the European and World Championships, the bridge partners are separated by a screen, placed diagonally across the table. In that way they have eye contact with one opponent, but not with their partner. This prevents the players from receiving so-called unauthorised information.

Online there are other challenges. Every player plays from his or her own home via the internet. If spectators are allowed to watch live, there is a possibility that information on the hand in play reaches the player. Two top players (Michal Nowosadski of Poland and Cédric Lorenzini from France) have admitted to have used a second account to watch their own game under a different name. In that way, it’s simple to make difficult decisions easy.

Some organisers therefore don’t allow spectators at all tables. To ensure the public can follow the tournaments, one match is available to watch, but with a delay of about half an hour. Another weapon to be used against cheating is analysing the hand records afterwards. Currently the Italian top player Giorgio Duboin is “under investigation”. A report on this player’s performance was published on 6 November on the popular bridge website bridgewinners.com. The organisation of the ALT tournaments sticks to its policy that all matches are open for the public. They offer players who have cheated online the opportunity to admit their mistake, say sorry, and have a second chance.

Hopefully, in 2021, online tournaments will be played in a fair way. And above all, hopefully bridge can once again be played face-to-face.

Written by Kees Bouwen

The Netherlands, Belgium and Germany want to host the FIFA Women’s World Cup in 2027

The three neighbouring nations are joining on to win. “We have experience in that Women’s football in all three countries is Wiegman continues. “And they will also forces to make a bid to host the football respect. The European Championship indeed in different phases of development, visit Belgium and Germany. That will World Cup for women in 2027. The countries was unforgettable, although the results but we share the aspiration to give the give a boost to all three countries. Many have already expressed their interest to the also helped. That does a lot for football in sport a boost nationally and globally by companies are still not aware of what World Football Association, FIFA, and the this country, but the World Cup in France organizing this World Cup. We believe exactly is going on in women’s football. European football organization, UEFA. last year was even bigger. The attention, that with teamwork, we can really make It will be an attractive product and it will The final arrangements between the spectators, organization, media attention; a difference and increase the chance to only grow. In turn, this helps us to get the three nations still need to be decided, for it’s crazy,” says the current head coach of organize this tournament,” according to resources and facilities to put together an example potential locations for the games the Dutch women’s team, Sarina Wiegman. the KNVB. even better tournament. Then you keep and training facilities. The idea is to make The “Orange” team ended up as runners- having that upward development.” further agreements about the final touches up in the 2019 World Cup. Legends before the end of this year. The Dutch, German and Belgian football The Belgians have called 84-time Germany women’s football has been federations have all designated a “legend” international Femke Maes forward as The Scandinavian region is also interested among the best in the world for decades. to head the kick-off of the bid. For the KNVB representative, while in Germany Silvia in organizing the event, but the KNVB, the The national women’s team became this is Wiegman, as the recent achievements Neid has been chosen. Neid played 111 football governing body in the Netherlands, world champion twice and it has won the of the Dutch were spearheaded by her. The international matches and was the national wants to be the first to bid to outperform the European title no less than eight times. Dutch team is currently one of the best in coach of the German women for no less competition. So far, no official candidacy The country also has experience hosting the world and has surpassed Germany on than eleven years. The three legends has been submitted by other countries. events like this: the Germans received the the FIFA ranking. “Germany has always appear in a video to promote the World The Dutch Parliament supports the idea. European Championship in 1989 and 2001 been great, with good competition and Cup bid. It’s not yet known when FIFA will and hosted the World Cup in 2011. a presence at tournaments,” Wiegman announce the host(s) for the 2027 World First time hosting a women’s World told AD newspaper. “They now see other Cup. The upcoming 2023 World Cup will Cup in the Netherlands Belgium has no experience yet with the countries developing, going faster. There be held in Australia and New Zealand. Although the Netherlands has never organization of women’s tournaments and is still enormous potential. And Belgium is hosted the global tournament, it has some it only participated in a tournament once. In a little behind and wants to get a boost with experience with international events. The 2017, during the European Championship this World Cup, like we did in 2017.” Dutch organized an international women’s in the Netherlands, the ‘Red Flames’ did tournament for the first time in 2017, not reach past the group stage, despite a “In the Netherlands, even more people will the European Championship, and went surprising victory over Norway. come to the stadium than at the moment,” Written by Raphael Perachi Vieira