I’d love to be a fly on the wall when the Rimstedts and their children get together over supper. One thing’s for sure: when the discussion turns to bridge, no other family in the world could match them.
The parents, Magnus and Ann Rimstedt, are well-known Swedish players; they imparted their love of the game to their eldest two children, Cecilia and Sandra, when the girls were growing up in the small village of Halmstad. Both women are now celebrated internationals, in particular Cecilia, 31, who last year won the European women’s championship. The sisters, in turn, taught their younger twin brothers when they were just five. You may have heard of them: Ola and Mikael Rimstedt are the reigning world pairs champions.
The Rimstedts love their lives as professional players. As Ola puts it: ‘Travelling all around the world and competing at the highest level is one thing; but to be able to do it with your family is beyond amazing.’ At the recent Swedish Cup Championship, the twins found a simple yet beautifully imaginative defence against Gunnar Hallberg.
Ola (North) led the ◆7. There are only two losers, since the ♠Q is onside. Not against the twins! Gunnar won with the ◆J and played the ♣Q. Ola grabbed the trick with the ♣K and continued with the ◆5 like a man wanting a ruff. Gunnar won and played the ♣J. Mikael won with the ace and, in perfect tempo, played another a diamond — potentially dangerous, as it was into dummy’s tenace. Suddenly Gunnar had a problem: if he ruffed low, North might overruff. After much thought, Gunnar ruffed with the ♣10; Mikael had created a trump trick for himself out of thin air.
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