le grand retour du festival de bridge
Because there was a time when the FIBB, launched at the end of the Second World War under the name of a “tournament” before taking its definitive name in 1976, was an emblematic institution of the Chaban years, provoked by the elite of players , includes, assures Edward Guignard, the actor Omar Sharif, formidable bridge player. Relocated to Bordeaux-Lac in its last years, the event did not keep up with the 2000s.
“Reunite”
“As in all events, there is a certain exhaustion and a breathlessness of the organizers at some point”, notes Edouard Guignard. Licensed to the Bridge Club Esprit des Lois de Bordeaux, came to bridge at the time of retirement, quick to praise a discipline that maintains the intellectual mechanics, “slows down the aging process and strengthens the memory”, this former lawyer put in mind, no later than the beginning of the year, to put on a festival.
Edward Guignard also intended to mark the occasion, after two years of health restrictions: “It is a cultural and social action. This allows the whole middle of the bridge to come together. Everyone has suffered from these periods of confinement. There are people for whom it is their only pleasure. Playing on a computer will never replace contact around a gaming table”. And if the local clubs, Esprit des Lois, Gradignan-Bordeaux and Le Bouscat are celebrating, and the round table of economic partners formed in a few months, remained to convince the town hall to open its salons to the event.
“The Rohan Palace is class! The salons are steeped in history”
” That is the class ! »
“The Rohan Palace is class! The salons are steeped in history”, pleaded Edward Guignard with the cabinet of Pierre Hurmic, incidentally a former colleague from whom he willingly quotes the last editorial of the municipal magazine on culture, “vector of link”. Bank. The entire ground floor will be occupied by 80 tables. With four players per table, more than 300 players, half of them from Guyenne committee clubs, are expected there every day. At the beginning of last week, 83 pairs had already registered.
And Edward Guignard takes the opportunity to debunk this “preconceived idea”: “It’s not just wealthy people who play bridge. The players come from all walks of life”, Connoisseurs will appreciate finding the Dutchman Gert-Jan Paulissen, “six times champion of the Netherlands”, Eric Mauberquez, member of the France team or even David Hariri, ranked 1st national series, as well as Eric Bourgeaux and Thierry Lenglet, “two of the best French referees”.