The EBU Spring Overseas Congress, sponsored by First for Bridge, started yesterday (4th March) in Cala Ratjada, Majorca. Tournament Director Chris Benneworth talks through the first day:
Most players arrived on a beautifully sunny day in the very comfortable Hotel Bella Playa in Cala Ratjada, a small resort on the north-east coast of the island. A few had come early to enjoy a couple of days relaxing and sightseeing.
After an excellent dinner, 56 players sat down to the pre-Congress pairs – the others, presumably, too tired to contemplate an evening of bridge after a long day’s travelling.
Playing conditions are excellent in a well-lit, spacious room.
Here’s an interesting hand from the evening.
Only two pairs managed to bid and make 6S. One had the following auction
Opening lead was the HJ. Declarer won the AH and crossed to the KD to take the spade finesse, which lost. West then led the D10, covered by the J, Q and K. Declarer was able to ruff one club loser and discard the other on the HK, and that was worth 25 match points out of 26.
Joan Murphy and David Killick won the pre-congress pairs (pictured above) with an impressive 69%.