Time to Meet Team Saguenay

by Marc Fiset

The players from Team Saguenay - there is a certain Team Canada, now this is team Saguenay - all come from this region of 300 000 located 200 km north of Quebec city.

Solange Bouchard is one of the best player in Canada (She is number 69 in Top 100 Canadian Masterpoint list). She started bridge in her 20's. The Larousse du Bridge has written that she has taught bridge to all the active players in our region. It is not true anymore, but one might argue that without her, bridge in our region would not enjoy the popularity it has now. Solange is a fierce competitor who never had the chance to shine at the highest level, after all she raised 7 children. Solange has had most of her teammates as students when they started. †Partnering Solange is Lise Lapointe. They have been playing together for about 6 years. Lise is the mother of 2 a young daughter and a husband who has finally agreed to let her play outside the Saguenay! Their bidding style is weak notrump and 2/1.

Marcelle Tremblay and Patricia Gagnon have been a pair for a long while. Marcelle is always ready to play tough bridge, whoever the opponentsshe is not going to back down : "Bring me Baran!" she used to say. Just as fearless as her partner, Patricia likes to toy around with the system and try out new conventions. They are currently playing Major suits single raise as forcing, 12-14 NT and a 2D bid from the Romex system. These girls mean business and nobody is going to step on their toes!

Martine, when she heard that the "usual team" (Cimon, Gordon, Reus, Demme and Thorpe) was not going to play in the CWTC, put up the team and asked Solange to captain for obvious reason. She is playing with Pascale Gaudreault a very promising 25 year old who has already a regional and a few sectionals to her credit. Pascale and Martine are playing for the first time together in competition and have not had much time to devote to their system prior to the CWTC so have vowed to play KISS which translates into 2/1, 15-17 NT with two-way stayman.

All Saguenay is behind them and whishes them good luck !