Relay-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site utzoo.UUCP Posting-Version: version B 2.10.2 9/18/84; site sdcrdcf.UUCP Path: utzoo!watmath!clyde!cbosgd!ihnp4!qantel!hplabs!sdcrdcf!shaprkg From: shaprkg@sdcrdcf.UUCP (Bob Shapiro) Newsgroups: net.rec.bridge Subject: Re: U.S. Wins Bermuda Bowl; Great Britain Wins Venice Cup Message-ID: <2447@sdcrdcf.UUCP> Date: Thu, 7-Nov-85 13:06:20 EST Article-I.D.: sdcrdcf.2447 Posted: Thu Nov 7 13:06:20 1985 Date-Received: Mon, 11-Nov-85 05:26:55 EST References: <10894@ucbvax.BERKELEY.EDU> <605@bonnie.UUCP> Reply-To: shaprkg@sdcrdcf.UUCP (Bob Shapiro) Organization: System Development Corp. R+D, Santa Monica Lines: 30 In article <605@bonnie.UUCP> wjh@bonnie.UUCP (Bill Hery) writes: >I don't follow tounament bridge, so excuse my ignorance about >this question. > >From reading the names of the team members in the Bermuda Bowl and >Venice cup matches, it seems that the Bermuda Bowl is for men and the >Venice cup is for women. Is that true? If so, why? I thought some >of the best bridge players in the world were women, and see no reason >why there should be separate tournaments for men and women. My understanding is that the Bermuda Bowl is an open tournament. It is available to both men and women (and I believe some women have played in it in past years) but the Venice Cup is only open to women. Thus, while the concept is sexist, it is biased towards women. The reason this probably came about is that most (but not all) of the better players in the world are men. (For reasons that can be discussed at a later time) Therefore, most players representing their country in a tournament like the Bermuda Bowl are also male. The same concept which applies to the Bermuda Bowl and Venice Cup also applies in US championships. e.g. The Vanderbilt and Spingold championships are open and opposite them are run women's championships. Each woman must decide for herself whether she wishes to play in the open or women's championship. Most pick the women's championship. Helen Sobel played many times on the US team and I believe that Dorothy Truscutt also did. Sobel played with Charles Goren and Truscutt with B. J. Becker. Australia has a pair who are marrried (I think their name is Bolin) who have represented their country many times. Their have been others but I can't remember.