Bridge Club Vanquishes 83 Teams in Tourney

The Harvard Bridge Club beat more than 80 other teams in the recent National Bridge Championship, qualifying them to participate in the Collegiate Bridge Championship.

In an unprecedented sweep, the Harvard Bridge Club in November triumphed over 83 other teams to win the National Bridge Championship's qualifying tournament and, along with the five other highest scoring teams, has been invited to participate in the National Championship, with all expenses paid.

In the qualifying tournament, participants worked on predetermined bridge problems at colleges across the country under the supervision of North American Bridge League officials, but in the finals they will play "real face-to-face bridge," said William Cole, a graduate student and a tutor at Kirkland.

"I think we have an excellent chance in the Nationals," said Cole, who will play with his partner Michael D. Mitzenmacher '91. H. Scott Roy '89 and James C. Colen '90 will also represent Harvard at the National Tournament, which will be held in Buffalo March 25-27.

Cole said that the club also recently finished fifth out of 47 teams in a regional tournament open to players of all ages. "The competition should be easier in just college kids' finals," he added.

If Harvard wins the Nationals, the players will earn themseleves an all-expense paid trip to Europe for the under-25 World Championships.

The National Collegiate Tournament was started in the forties, but the prize trips were started just last year, Cole said. He added that the tournament was introduced as an attempt to foster interest in bridge among college students and other young people.

The drive to expand interest was spurred by a recent poll of the American Bridge League's membership which found that a majority of its members are 55 years and older, Cole said.

The club's recent success has also won them a $300 grant from the Undergraduate Council to establish a bridge library, said Cole. However, he said they have been unable to find a location as of yet.

The week of the National Collegiate Championships is also the week of the North American Bridge Championships in Buffalo, and the Harvard players may remain to play in more tournaments.

"Every real good bridge player in the world will be there," said Cole.