Ireland's open team had mixed fortunes at the World Bridge Olympiad yesterday. In the first match of the day, Tom Hanlon, Hugh McGann, Gay Keaveney and Rory Timlin beat Pakistan 24-6, thus retaining sixth place.
In the next round Hanlon, McGann, Rory Boland and Niall Toibin went down 9-21 to group leaders Poland. Some of Ireland's main rivals had big wins, so Ireland has dropped to seventh in the group.
Our next two opponents will be Slovenia and Croatia. In-form Irish teams can register big scores against both. We will then play Belgium, one-time leaders, who have slipped over the last two days, in the last round of matches. Neither the Irish women's nor the university teams were able to match their rivals yesterday, the women losing to Japan, Israel and England and the universities team to Czech Republic and Austria.
The Irish seniors team lost 1416 to Belgium, then beat Czech Republic 19-11. Under the Butlers scoring method being applied to the partnerships, the playing strength of each participating pair is being measured. Ireland's Joe MacHale and Alex Montwill are ranked ninth best of the 59 pairs on the 22 teams, a creditable performance.
World Bridge Team Olympiad Open Championship:
Group A: 1, Poland 275; 2, Austria 266; 3, Denmark 263; joint 4/5, Brazil and Belgium 262; 6, Croatia 244; 7, IRELAND 241.
Group B: 1, USA 284; 2, Netherlands 260; joint 3/4, Russia and Australia 255.
Group C: 1, England 289; 2, Indonesia 273; 3, France 271; 4, Sweden 269. Women's championship: Group A: 1, Norway 316; 2, Austria 307; 3, Chinese Taipei 291; 4, England 285; 5, USA 284; 6, Israel 265; 7, Japan 260; 8, Finland 258; 19, IRELAND 180.
Group B: 1, France 317; 2, Germany 311; 3, Canada 300; 4, Netherlands 284; 5, Poland 281; 6, China 265; 7, South Africa 258; 8, Scotland 257. World Seniors Cup: 1, USA 394; 2, France 379; 3, England 375; 4, Sweden 374; 17, IRELAND 295. World Universities Championship: 1, Italy 370; 2, Austria 367; 3, Czech Republic 335; 4, Denmark 333; 20, IRELAND 145.