Twilight Trials: a look back at the competition
The BP1000 Twilight Trials event lived up to all its promises! After several days of fierce competition involving almost 3,000 bridge players from all over the world, the final crowned a great champion: Matilda Poplilov. Here’s a look back at the highlights of the tournament and an exclusive interview with the winner.
Summary
Qualifiers: who has secured their ticket? 💪
The qualifying phase of the Twilight Trials tournament ended on Thursday 25 September after four days of intense competition.
During this first stage, 2,851 bridge players entered the race, each with the ambition of crossing the 60% threshold to get their ticket to the final. The selection process was demanding, and many of the candidates saw their journey come to an end at the gates of the decisive test.
Outstanding performances
At the end of this phase, 714 players validated their ticket to the final, i.e. a quarter of the participants. They proved that you need to be both solid and consistent to shine in this format. 💪 A great performance that opened the doors to the grand final! Some of them stood out with remarkable results:
🥇 Kenneth Wallin (Sweden, 132nd in the Live rankings), who achieved the best performance with an average score of 76.68%.
🥈 Michel Coveney (Canada, 21st in the Live rankings), very solid with 76.52%.
🥉 Timour Khachtchevatsky (Israel, 12th in the Live rankings), who completed the provisional podium with 75.63%.
These results show that success in the Twilight Trials is not just reserved for the best players of the Live rankings: players from a variety of backgrounds can also make it to the top. It remained to be seen whether they would be able to confirm in the grand final…
Regulars are present
No wonder the Twilight Trials attracted so many people: ten times more Bridge Points up for grabs and the promise of a memorable final!
The final brought together some of the best-known names on the Bridge Points Circuit: players regularly on the podium of the Live rankings, recognised stars and even a few staff members. All of them now have a common goal: to win this night-time event and write their name in the history of the circuit. ✨
Here are the top 10 qualifiers:
Final results: key moments ✨
After three days of intense competition, the final of the Twilight Trials tournament came to a close on Sunday 28 September. The 714 qualifiers embarked on this last challenge, determined to confirm their performance and claim one of the most coveted podiums on the Bridge Points Circuit.
Plenty of surprises in the rankings!
In the qualifiers, three players had distinguished themselves by dominating the rankings, which suggested that they would do well in the final, but it gave them a hard time. As you can see, nothing is ever decided in advance in a BP1000 tournament! The podium eluded them, but their presence at the top of the rankings remains noteworthy:
- Kenneth Wallin (Sweden) finished 178th with an average score of 53.41%.
- Michel Coveney (Canada) ranked 357th with 49.86%.
- Timour Khachtchevatsky (Israel) finished 29th with 58.63%.
Great performances among the favourites
Some well-known Funbridge names made their way to the front, coming close to victory but failing to win. Special mention goes to one of our Funbridge stars, Luc Bellicaud (376th in the BP Live rankings), who put in a superb performance and finished 8th with 60.72%.
As for the Funbridge regulars, Dominique Fonteneau (current leader of the Live rankings) took the 35th place with 58.38%. Milan Macura (38th in the Live rankings) finished 105th with 55.33%, while Jérôme Rombaut (18th in the Live rankings) ranked 131st with 54.70%. A trio that we always enjoy to see in this type of event!
A great victory
🥇 Congratulations to Matilda Poplilov, the winner of this edition of the Twilight Trials! She may not yet be a key figure on the Bridge Points Circuit, but she is already well-known in international events.
For fifty years, Matilda has been competing against the best bridge players in the world. Needless to say, she knows pressure! European champion in 1987 and medallist at the World Olympiad, she continues to write her legend. With a solid and precise style of play, she won one of her finest victories on Funbridge, with a superb score of 63.16%! 👏
The rest of the podium welcomes two Poles:
🥈 Tomasz Twaróg with 62.23%
🥉 Paweł Wittenbeck with 61.30%
Congratulations to these three bridge players for their superb performances in this highly competitive final!
Interview with Matilda Poplilov, winner of the Twilight Trials 🎙️
How did it feel to win this BP1000 tournament?
I really enjoyed winning this prestigious tournament, especially as I wasn’t expecting it at all. It wasn’t a goal in itself, but rather a nice surprise.
Can you tell us about your bridge journey?
I’ve been playing bridge for a long time and I’ve been lucky enough to represent both Bulgaria and Israel in major international competitions. I’ve won European titles and even a bronze medal at the World Bridge Olympiad. It’s a game that has shaped my life and I continue to play with passion.
A key deal from the Twilight Trials?
Yes, deal 14 in the final. I was playing in small slam in spades, a lay-down contract. After losing the ace of hearts, I checked that the trumps were 3-2. Then I wanted to play the ace of clubs, but I played… a small club in the dummy! A misclick that earned me a full zero. Fortunately, I did my best on the following deals and was able to end the tournament brilliantly.
How long have you been playing on Funbridge?
I started about a year ago. It is my friend Daniel Renouleau who convinced me to give it a try, and since then I’ve been playing regularly with great pleasure.
Your advice to future BP1000 participants?
Enjoy the tournament, learn from each deal, and above all, never give up! Even if you make a mistake, you have to stay focused and keep fighting.
What are your next goals on Funbridge?
I’m going to continue to play often and enjoy it. Reaching the top of the rankings would be a great reward, but what counts most is the game experience itself.
Thank you to all the participants!
A huge thank you to all the participants!🧡 You have made this BP1000 Twilight Trials a real bridge firework. ✨ We hope that you enjoyed it as much as we did following your exploits.
💬 We would love to get your feedback!
- What did you think of this edition?
- What were the most memorable moments for you?
And of course, we look forward to seeing you soon for new competitions on Funbridge.
