A Finnish-Israeli led all qualifiers into the Knockout Round of 16 in the Open Teams, one of the featured events at the 49th annual Israel Bridge Festival currently under way (February 20-26) at the Tel Aviv Fairgrounds.
After two Swiss qualifying sessions, the Kauko squad, captained by Finland’s Koistinen Kauko (with locals Uri Gilboa, Nir Grinberg and Reshef Ophir), led by slightly over one Victory Point. In second place was Vitas (Vitas Vainikonis- Wojtek Olanski, plus Israelis Lotan Fisher-Ron Schwartz and Inon Liran-Udi Friedlander). The team had just arrived from Moscow, where Viankonis-Olanski and Fisher-Schwartz were on the Vitas squad that finished second in the Slava Cup over the weeked, and Liran-Fridlander won the Slava Pairs. Third were the young Poles who, together and separately, have so far one three of the four major events at the festival (Justyna Zmuda-Katarzyna Dufrat, Michal Klukowski-Michal Nowosadzki).
The Teams title will be determined on Wednesday in knockout competition running parallel to Qualifying Sessions for the Open Pairs.
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Hanan Sher