by Francesca Canali for BDI OnLine leggi in Italiano
The account of Alfredo Versace’s medals and cups, probably, has long been to three digits. The latest success of the Italian bridge athlete, that won the gold medal at the World Open Teams Championship in Bali, is two days ago, with the team Angelini ( E. Bove cng, F. Angelini, Leonardo Cima, Valerio Giubilo, Lorenzo Lauria, Federico Primavera, Alfredo Versace) just won the 2013 Copa Italia: Italian Cup.
Immediately after the third segment of the match, when the formation was prevailing by a hundred IMPs and it was probable an early withdrawal of the opponents (as in fact happened), Alfredo answered some quick question for Bridge D’Italia Online.
The first question is and please help me. How can I ask how it feels to win two years in a row the Italian Cup, after you’ve just won the World Cup?
(Laughs) Let’s put it this way: we have won many things. But today we are very happy. With the Angelini team we have played the Italian Cup and the Italian Championships. In Europe, we played the Champions’ Cup. So we can see the Italian Cup as one of the three pivotal events of our European program .
Did you like the formula that has been chosen this year for the Italian Cup ?
Yes , I like it a lot. I like the fact that the loser can access the IMP Pairs Championship, I like the repechage. It makes it more dynamic. In the final of the Italian Cup, however, considering the fact that the teams had already encountered in the process of elimination, I would use a minimum of carry over, maybe 1/3, so as not to compromise the final but at the same time not ignore the previous match.
This was a particularly good year for you. Do you consider the victories independent of each other or is there a kind of virtuous circle for bridge?
When you start an event playing well, you gain confidence and you begun to play better and better, because when things are looking positive, when everything goes right, you play better. The bridge is also a game of moments, and you need at least a bit of luck, because a lucky or unlucky event can change the outcome of the tournament. Let me explain . If you end up losing, maybe very close but you lose an encounter that you really should have won, you finish with a tension. And then you arrive with tension to your next matchs. But when all goes well, how it was at the Bermuda Bowl, the bridge becomes very easy.
Are the Italian trials the next event for the Angelini Team?
Yes, of course.
Who are going to be the team players?
We do not know yet . By now it was revealed that Antonio Sementa will return to play for us, and surely he will already be to play the trials with us.
And the other members?
Of course I ‘ll be there and Lorenzo Lauria. Francesco Angelini, Antonio and the rest… I do not know yet.
The news of the week is that the Lavazza team has recruited a new player, Alejandro Bianchedi . What do you think?
Alejandro is a nice guy, our friend, and we often meet in America. He is a good player, a very close friend of Agustin Madala, and I am pleased that he has this opportunity.
Do you know if Bianchedi is going to play with George Duboin or Guido Ferraro ?
I think with George Duboin. I do not know if he will take the Italian nationality. You know something about it ?
They say that he already is an italian citizen.
All right. We add another good player to Italy and this makes me happy.
You have been playing continuously from Bali onwards. Many hands and many trips…do they weigh on the competitive performance ?
Yes, we were talking about it just some hours ago. Playing so much is quite heavy. In fact, Lorenzo said he needs to take very soon a break. Now we’re going to America, then we come back and we will be able to enjoy a little vacation .
What about a prediction for the Phoenix National?
The American tournaments are very difficult, there are at least 10-12 teams that can win and we certainly are not among the favorites. We do not have a team so competitive, at least for now. We won the Reisinger for two years, but it is also a tournament of luck, we have been lucky twice, and I do not think we will be a third .