The World Masters Individual Championships are two contract bridge tournaments for individuals (singles), one for men and one for women. They were played biennially from 1992 to 2000 and every four years since then, most recently as two events in the first World Mind Sports Games (2008), where there was also a youth flight.
In seven cycles no one has won either event twice.[1] Evidently they are invitational rather than open or representative (national).(note or)[citation needed]
There has been no repeat winner in seven renditions (most or all explicitly in Men and Women flights). Four of the fourteen gold medalists have won at least one other medal: Bénédicte Cronier two second and one third; Nicola Smith two third; Piotr Gawryś one second; Geir Helgemo one second.
The next competition may be expected as part of the 2012 World Mind Sports Games (August?).
Latest rendition
editThe first six renditions were played in consecutive sessions over two or three days. The seventh, at the 2008 World Mind Sports Games, were played on two widely separated days, Friday and Thursday: one session to open the Games and a full day in the middle of the meet.
Men (36) Helness 58.66%, a big margin ahead of his regular partner Helgemo, a previous winner of the event (1996). Helness led well from the first session (62%)[2]
Women (24) Midskog 57.51%, very close. Lévy enjoyed a big lead after a huge first session (69%) with Midskog and Yan distant third and fourth.[3]
The Youth Individual was open rather than invitational, under-28 rather than the usual under-26 ("juniors"), with four fields of size 52, 52, 64, and 52 (220 in all). They played on consecutive two days at the end of the Games and the first tier, which alone competed for medals, comprised only high-ranking players from earlier events (teams and pairs).[4]
[explanatory citation needed]
Anter 58.22%, a huge margin ahead of Nistor, greater than his margin ahead of 12th place.
Results
edit| Year, Site, Entries | Men | Women | Youth | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2008[5]
Beijing, China
|
 Tor Helness
|
1. |  Catarina Midskog |
 Salih Murat Anter
|
| Geir Helgemo
|
2. |  Anne-Fréderique Lévy |
 Radu Nistor
| |
 Andrey Gromov
|
3. |  LU Yan
|
Lars Arthur Johansen
| |
| 2004[6] Sep 8–10
Verona, Italy
|
 Norberto Bocchi
|
1. |  Tobi Sokolow
| |
 Andrew Robson
|
2. | Bénédicte Cronier
| ||
 Jens Auken
|
3. | Nicola Smith
| ||
| 2000[7] Apr 13–15
Athens, Greece
|
Antonio Sementa
|
1. | Bénédicte Cronier |
 Miltos Karamanlis
|
 Piotr Gawryś
|
2. | Jill Meyers |
 Andreas Gloyer
| |
| Andrey Gromov
|
3. |  Martine Verbeek |
 Wai Kit LAI Kylie Robb
| |
| 1998[8] Apr 17–19
Ajaccio, France
|
Paul Chemla
|
1. |  Migry Zur-Albu
| |
| Apolinary Kowalski
|
2. | Véronique Bessis
| ||
 Andrew Robson
|
3. | Sandra Landy
| ||
| 1996[9] May 1–3
Paris, France
|
Geir Helgemo
|
1. | Élisabeth Delor
| |
| Franck Multon
|
2. | Bénédicte Cronier
| ||
| Bobby Wolff
|
3. | Marijke van der Pas
| ||
| 1994[10] Apr 27–29
Paris, France
|
 Jón Baldursson
|
1. | Nicola Smith
| |
| Christian Mari
|
2. | Pyttsi Borgesson
| ||
| Jean-Marc Roudinesco Jan B. Westerhof
|
3. | Bénédicte Cronier
| ||
| 1992[11] May 13–15
Paris, France
|
Piotr Gawryś
|
1. | Maria Kirner
| |
| Jan Fucik
|
2. | Colette Lise
| ||
| Alain Lévy
|
3. | Nicola Smith
| ||
Other Individual championships
editThe Cavendish Invitational, founded 1975 as a pairs tournament, added a singles event to determine the "world individual champion" from 1978 to 1981 (succeeded by a side event for teams beginning 1983).
The American Contract Bridge League (ACBL) North American Bridge Championships have included some individual tournaments. At the "national championship" level, the Master Individual was contested from 1931 to 1960, at the "Winter" or "Fall" fall NABCs, but it predates the ACBL.
See also
editReferences
edit- ^ World Masters Individual. World Bridge Federation (WBF). Confirmed 2011-09-21.
- ^ 1st WMSG: Cumulative after Session 1, Men Individual Final. 2008. WBF.
- ^ 1st WMSG: Cumulative after Session 1, Women Individual Final. 2008. WBF.
- ^ 1st World Mind Sports Games: Results (linked schedule of five Youth bridge events). 2008. WBF.
Group A is the medalist tier. - ^ 1st World Mind Sports Games [Masters Individual]: Results & Participants, 2008. WBF.
- ^ 6th Generali World Masters Individual: Results & Participants, 2004. WBF.
- ^ 5th Generali World Masters Individual: Results & Participants, 2000. WBF.
- ^ 4th Generali World Masters Individual: Results & Participants, 1998. WBF.
- ^ 3rd Generali World Masters Individual: Results & Participants, 1996. WBF.
- ^ 2nd Generali World Masters Individual: Results & Participants, 1994. WBF.
- ^ 1st Generali World Masters Individual: Results & Participants, 1992. WBF.