Norberto Bocchi Asks: Ilaria Saccavini

0
228

IV OPEN INTERNACIONAL DE BRIDGE DE BARCELONA: Barcelona, February 1, 2 & 3 2013
Hotel Catalonia Barcelona Plaza.

    Leggi in Italiano

Ilaria Sccavini
Ilaria Saccavini

 Just completed the fourth edition of this international event today we are publishing the last of the series of interviews that the Grand Master Norberto Bocchi World performed at some of the world’s most famous participants of this IV Barcelona Open. Today Norberto chose Ilaria Saccavini: professional bridge player and one of the great woman bridge players of Italy and the world. Born in Rome in 1968, mother of three children, is a former employee of the Italian banking system and now runs a service business. She plays bridge since 1990, was formed in the school of Petroncini but owes its growth largely to her life partner: the unforgettable Fabio Rosati, who died prematurely and was former teammate of Lorenzo Lauria. He made his debut in the Italian national in the European Championships in Malmo in 2004 and has several prestigious titles among which we can mention the gold in mixed teams in 2000 and 2003, the Canada Cup in 2003, 2005 and 2012, a silver medal and a gold medal in the Ladies Team Championship in 1998 and 2012. In 2008, she got her first big break when she won the silver medal at the European Championships in Pau followed a year later, by the bronze medal in the transnational European teams.

These are one of her best WBF Teams results:

Year
Event
Rank
Team
2004
9
2007
5
2008
2
2009
3
2009
5

Meet Ilaria:

A) How have you been captured by bridge?

I have been playing bridge since I was 22 yers old. When I started playing I thought it was a good game for my old age!

Benito Garozzo
Benito Garozzo

B) Which system do you play with your partner?

V major with many gadgets I learned from Lauria, Versace, Garozzo and you Norberto.

C) How would you describe your bridge style?

I play  a very regular style but my bridge is not submissve at all

D) Which is the first bridge book you read?

Tickets to the Devil (1968) by Richard P. Powell

E) Is there a player who influenced your game?

Fabio Rosati: He is my ex-husband now deceased and mourned by all bridge players Italians

 

F) Which is the best quality a partner can have?

The best partner is the one with whom you have a certain complicity and that is a solid  one

Pau 2008, Plata para las Damas Italianas: Gianna Arrigoni–Gabriella Olivieri, Caterina Ferlazzo–Gabriella Manara, Simonetta Paoluzi-Ilaria Saccavini (C.T. Guido Resta – Coach Dano De Falco).

G) Which is your favourite tournament?

European Team Championships

H) What is your most memorable happy moment at the bridge table?

Of course the silver at European Championships in Pau with the Italian Women Team

Catherine Dovidio
Catherine Dovidio

I) Apart from your regular partner, who would you like to play with in an  important tournament?

Alfredo Versace (mixed pairs) and Catherine D’Ovidio (Women) 

 

Dana y Noga Tal
Dana y Noga Tal

J) Which teammates would you like to have?

Bocchi – Madala and Noga and Dana Tal (from Israel)

K) Is there anything you do to avoid bad luck at the bridge table?

Anything!

 L) Some authors outside the bridge?

I read many detective stories

2) Are you a sports fan, e.g. football?

I like skiing and I’m an A.S. Roma supporter (football)

3) Which is your favourite actor/actress?

Daniel Day Lewis

M) What do you do in your spare time when you are not playing bridge?

I’have three children: I’m a Mom!

Abrazos!