Geir Helgemo
Encyclopedia
Geir Helgemo is a Norwegian
professional bridge
player. As of April 2011 he ranks number 11 among Open World Grand Masters.
Helgemo was born in Vinstra
, Norway
. As a member of the Norwegian Open Team, he won the 2007 Bermuda Bowl
, along with silver medals in 1993 and 2001 and bronze medal in 1997. Helgemo was also a member of the bronze medal winning team at the first World Mind Sports Games
, and led Norway to a European Championship victory in 2008, after being second in 2001 and third in 1993, 1997, 2002, and 2006.
"real estate tycoon" Pierre Zimmermann, under contract expiring 2016. The team finished third in the 2010 world championship, not yet full-time, and it will compete in the European open championship this spring. From 2012 all six members will be citizens of Monaco
and the team will be a prohibitive favorite to represent Monaco internationally.
Norway
Norway , officially the Kingdom of Norway, is a Nordic unitary constitutional monarchy whose territory comprises the western portion of the Scandinavian Peninsula, Jan Mayen, and the Arctic archipelago of Svalbard and Bouvet Island. Norway has a total area of and a population of about 4.9 million...
professional bridge
Contract bridge
Contract bridge, usually known simply as bridge, is a trick-taking card game using a standard deck of 52 playing cards played by four players in two competing partnerships with partners sitting opposite each other around a small table...
player. As of April 2011 he ranks number 11 among Open World Grand Masters.
Helgemo was born in Vinstra
Vinstra
Vinstra is the name of both a village and a river in Gudbrandsdalen. The village lies in Nord-Fron municipality in Oppland County, Norway. The administrative centre of Nord-Fron, the population is 2449. The village has rail connections via the Dovre railroad and has a high school. Highway E6...
, Norway
Norway
Norway , officially the Kingdom of Norway, is a Nordic unitary constitutional monarchy whose territory comprises the western portion of the Scandinavian Peninsula, Jan Mayen, and the Arctic archipelago of Svalbard and Bouvet Island. Norway has a total area of and a population of about 4.9 million...
. As a member of the Norwegian Open Team, he won the 2007 Bermuda Bowl
Bermuda Bowl
The Bermuda Bowl is a trophy awarded to the winners of the Open series in the World Team Championship in contract bridge and is named for the site of the inaugural tournament held in 1950...
, along with silver medals in 1993 and 2001 and bronze medal in 1997. Helgemo was also a member of the bronze medal winning team at the first World Mind Sports Games
World Mind Sports Games
The first World Mind Sports Games were held in Beijing, China from October 3 to 18, 2008, about two months after the Olympic Games. They were sponsored and organised by the International Mind Sports Association with the General Administration of Sport of China and the Beijing Municipal Bureau of...
, and led Norway to a European Championship victory in 2008, after being second in 2001 and third in 1993, 1997, 2002, and 2006.
Emigration to Monaco
From 2011 Helgemo and his regular Norwegian partner Tor Helness are full-time members of a team led and paid by the SwissSwitzerland
Switzerland name of one of the Swiss cantons. ; ; ; or ), in its full name the Swiss Confederation , is a federal republic consisting of 26 cantons, with Bern as the seat of the federal authorities. The country is situated in Western Europe,Or Central Europe depending on the definition....
"real estate tycoon" Pierre Zimmermann, under contract expiring 2016. The team finished third in the 2010 world championship, not yet full-time, and it will compete in the European open championship this spring. From 2012 all six members will be citizens of Monaco
Monaco
Monaco , officially the Principality of Monaco , is a sovereign city state on the French Riviera. It is bordered on three sides by its neighbour, France, and its centre is about from Italy. Its area is with a population of 35,986 as of 2011 and is the most densely populated country in the...
and the team will be a prohibitive favorite to represent Monaco internationally.
Awards
- Herman Trophy 1999
- IBPA Award (Personality of the Year) 1996
- Le Bridgeur Award (Best Played Hand of the Year) 1997
- Digital Fountain Award (Best Played Hand of the Year) 2003
- Romex Award (Best Bid Hand of the Year) 1999
- Precision Award (Best Defended Hand of the Year) 1991
- Sender Award (Best Defended Hand of the Year) 1998
Major wins
- Bermuda BowlBermuda BowlThe Bermuda Bowl is a trophy awarded to the winners of the Open series in the World Team Championship in contract bridge and is named for the site of the inaugural tournament held in 1950...
(1) 2007 - Rosenblum CupRosenblum CupRosenblum Cup is Open Teams event held every four years as part of the World Bridge Championships. The event was added to the world championships in New Orleans in 1978 to commemorate Julius Rosenblum, who served as president of the World Bridge Federation until 1976...
(1) 2006 - World Junior PairsWorld Junior Pairs ChampionshipThe World Junior Pairs Championship is a bridge competition organized by the World Bridge Federation. It was inaugurated 1995 in Ghent, Belgium, when it incorporated the European Junior Pairs Championship inaugurated 1991...
(1) 1995 - World Transnational Open Teams Championship (1) 2009
- North American Bridge ChampionshipsNorth American Bridge ChampionshipsNorth American Bridge Championships are three annual bridge conventions sponsored by the American Contract Bridge League . The "Spring", "Summer", and "Fall" NABCs are usually scheduled in March, July, and November for about eleven days. They comprise both championship and side contests of...
(8)- ReisingerReisingerThe Reisinger national bridge championship is held at the fall American Contract Bridge League North American Bridge Championship .The Reisinger is a board-a-match event.-History:...
(2) 1998, 1999 - VanderbiltVanderbilt TrophyThe trophy is awarded for the Vanderbilt Knockout Teams national bridge championship held at the spring American Contract Bridge League North American Bridge Championship ....
(1) 2010 - Open Board-a-Match TeamsMitchell Board-a-Match TeamsThe Mitchell Board-a-Match Teams national bridge championship is held at the fall American Contract Bridge League North American Bridge Championship ....
(1) 1999 - Jacoby Open Swiss TeamsJacoby Open Swiss TeamsThe Jacoby Open Swiss Teams national bridge championship is held at the spring American Contract Bridge League North American Bridge Championship ....
(2) 1997, 2005 - Blue Ribbon PairsBlue Ribbon PairsThe Edgar Kaplan Blue Ribbon Pairs national bridge championship is held at the fall American Contract Bridge League North American Bridge Championship ....
(1) 2003 - Open Pairs ISilodor Open PairsThe Silodor Open Pairs national bridge championship is held at the spring American Contract Bridge League North American Bridge Championship ....
(1) 1998
- Reisinger
- European Championships (2)
- Open Teams (1) 2008
- Junior Teams (1) 1990
- Nordic Championships (3)
- Open Teams (1) 2003
- Junior Teams (1) 1989
- School Teams (1) 1987
- Norwegian Championships (26)
- Open Pairs (7) 1993, 1995, 1996, 1999, 2000, 2006, 2007
- Club Teams (6) 1997, 2000, 2002, 2004, 2006, 2008
- Premier League (9) 1990, 1991, 1992, 1998, 2000, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005
- Mixed Pairs (2) 1995, 2001
- Mixed Teams (1) 2006
- Junior Pairs (1) 1993
Other notable wins
- Cap Volmac World Top Invitational Pairs (2) 1994, 1996
- Cap Gemini Ernst & Young World Top Invitational Pairs (1) 2002
- Macallan Invitational Pairs (2) 1998, 1999
- Politiken World Pairs (1) 1997
- Hecht Cup (1) 2006
- Generali World Masters Individual (1) 1996
- Cavendish Invitational TeamsCavendish InvitationalThe Cavendish Invitational is the largest money bridge tournament in the world. The , which concludes the tournament.-History and format:The Cavendish Club, whose name is associated with the event, was founded in 1925 in New York City...
(1) 2010
Major runner-ups
- Bermuda BowlBermuda BowlThe Bermuda Bowl is a trophy awarded to the winners of the Open series in the World Team Championship in contract bridge and is named for the site of the inaugural tournament held in 1950...
(2) 1993, 2001 - World Junior TeamsWorld Junior Teams ChampionshipThe World Junior Teams Championship is a bridge competition for zonal teams of players up to about 25 years old.Now "under-26" means that players must be under 26 at the end of the calendar year. So they may celebrate their 25th birthdays during the year; Junior competition during calendar 2011 is...
(1) 1993 - North American Bridge ChampionshipsNorth American Bridge ChampionshipsNorth American Bridge Championships are three annual bridge conventions sponsored by the American Contract Bridge League . The "Spring", "Summer", and "Fall" NABCs are usually scheduled in March, July, and November for about eleven days. They comprise both championship and side contests of...
(5)- Master Mixed TeamsChicago Mixed Board-a-MatchThe Chicago Mixed Board-a-Match teams national bridge championship is held at the summer American Contract Bridge League North American Bridge Championship .The event is a board-a-match team event....
(1) 1998 - Blue Ribbon PairsBlue Ribbon PairsThe Edgar Kaplan Blue Ribbon Pairs national bridge championship is held at the fall American Contract Bridge League North American Bridge Championship ....
(1) 1997 - Life Master PairsVon Zedtwitz Life Master PairsThe Von Zedtwitz Life Master Pairs national bridge championship is held at the summer American Contract Bridge League North American Bridge Championship ....
(2) 1996, 1997 - Open Pairs ISilodor Open PairsThe Silodor Open Pairs national bridge championship is held at the spring American Contract Bridge League North American Bridge Championship ....
(1) 1997
- Master Mixed Teams
- European Championships (1)
- Open Teams (1) 2001
Other notable 2nd places
- Buffett CupBuffett CupThe Buffett Cup is a bridge trophy which is awarded biennially in an event between teams from Europe and the United States.The tournament is modeled on the Ryder Cup golf competition and is held in the week preceding the golf event at a nearby location. The competition was first held in 2006 and is...
(1) 2006 - World Mind Sports Games IndividualBridge at the 1st World Mind Sports GamesThe first World Mind Sports Games convened in Beijing, China, 3–18 October 2008. They were sponsored by the International Mind Sports Association and organised by the General Administration of Sport of China and the Beijing Municipal Bureau of Sport....
(1) 2008 - Cavendish Invitational PairsCavendish InvitationalThe Cavendish Invitational is the largest money bridge tournament in the world. The , which concludes the tournament.-History and format:The Cavendish Club, whose name is associated with the event, was founded in 1925 in New York City...
(1) 2010