Ireland will be represented by Thomas Hanlon Rory Boland Mark Moran Hugh McGann Tommy Garvey and John Carroll to the best of my knowledge.
Looks like it starts at 7pm .. Ireland versus Scotland .. thats Thomas Hanlon versus John Matheson.
I tournament directed the Maurice Quinn Trophy last night in Malahide. I saw some interesting results. I saw a lad open a weak 2 in hearts and he returned with one trick.
I also saw several pairs fail to bid a comfortable 6H ... For world class its a comfortable 7H
There was also a pair who apparently used Blackwood and one partner decided that the old diamond void was good for an ACE ...and the other lad decided well 7NT looks good here.
I think he would have made it except the lady holding the Diamond Ace did not believe they had all the aces and doubled and led it and kept leading diamonds for ever.
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Former Bankers Club bridge player the colourful Sean Burgess entered my table conversation last Sunday. Everybody has a Burgess story if they knew him. I have a couple despite not knowing so well. In fact I have several but some are not publishable and don't include me.
A Burgess story normally includes the teller.
Story 1 saw me glowing as I held AKQJ and 4 more clubs while playing against Sean Burgess and Terry Walsh in the short lived Wicket Club. Terry opened 1NT non vul .
I chanced a double and now Burgess offered me 4-1 odds that I would not take the first 7 tricks.
I had little knowledge of gambling at this stage but figured if I took the first 8 tricks I might lose the bet so I quietly backed down. When partner showed up with AK in some side suit we took the first 10 tricks. 1700 in the old scoring .. We won that match.
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My 2nd Burgess story happened the first time he met me or became aware of my existance.
I went down to the bar in the Bankers halfway thru a routine trimming by the Hanlon team in a Roadstone League match ..My team featured the Mulhall brothers Dave and Justin along with Kevin O'Dea. Hanlon fielded Maurice Roche and Terry Walsh along with himself and Burgess.
The first words Sean Burgess ever spoke to me were ....
"Who the EFF are you " ...
"Eamon Galligan" says I
Do you realise you just outbid and outplayed the best bridge player Ireland might ever see.
Blank stare from me who was more interested in approaching former Bankers Barman Alan Malone and sourcing a pint.
........
"Not so quick says Burgess....
You just bid and made 3NT+1 against Terry and Maurice on board 7 ...
My partner who is the best player in Ireland managed to gather in 5 tricks in 1NT..
So that was the day I entered the world of Sean Burgess.
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Sean emigrated to Thailand and passed away about 15 months ago ..
Sean was a stalwart member of the famous LESS intermediate bridge team
Armless Legless Faultless Endless.
O'Lubaigh was faultless and somebody else never shutup.
somebody else drank lots of beer .
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