What de What

About six months ago my good friend Peter Gill phoned me to say that there were six teams going to compete in the bridge section of the World Mind Sports Games in Beijing. With so many teams would the ABF consider sending a Chef de Mission and would I be interested in taking on the role.


HMMM sounds interesting. I normally try and captain teams so a change of role had some real appeal. "OK I am up for it" I told Peter.


Next I get a letter from the Australian Bridge Federation asking me to take on the position and (surprisingly) could I write a job specification of what I would be doing and what my role would be. What? I had to tell them what I would be doing not the other way around.


I jump on to the net and look up the role and find a whole lot of things and boil it down to:

• Work with the Team Captains in developing any practice and other strategic plans


• Work with the Team Captains in reviewing, revising and developing any team issues etc.


• Ensuring all teams are booked and housed (not as in actually making the bookings but ensuring that they are done)


• Ensuring proper uniforming as it is likely with 6 teams that they would want a consistent uniform this year


• Ensure all systems are properly completed and lodged


• Ensure that the organisers are aware of arrival times for airport matters


• Ensure all teams attend the proper functions etc.


• Ensure all teams have recorders etc


• Act as the interface between the ABF and the teams


• Act as the interface between the WBF and the teams


• Ensure that Youth teams are properly cared for


• Represent the teams in any capacity that they wish including appeals if that was wanted or needed.


• Deal with any disciplinary matters etc to the extent sought by any captains.


• Attend any pre-event meetings which may be required


• Establish contact between WBF and team managers


• Represent Australian teams delegation at official functions and meetings


• Ensures all captains and members of the team carry out their duties


• Oversee the behaviour of the teams but not to the exclusion of the team captains of course


• Maintain ongoing contact with players and team captains during the event


• Available to the team at all times


• When necessary, has the authority to act in matters of an extraordinary nature or any matter not covered in the above.


• Performs other duties as required.

So all agreed and off we go.


It is now a week or so before the event begins and I can say that herding cats would be easier than being a Chef de Mission. Arranging 40+ uniforms, a practice weekend and fulfilling the WBF photo and ID obligations has been infinitely more work than captaining a team. But that said it has been interesting to see how the teams have developed, gained espirit de corp and are revving up to compete in Beijing.


This event will be quite different from any previous Bridge Championships. It is part of World Mind Sports which includes draughts, go, chess and Chinese chess.

More soon
David