The creator of Argine wins the title
This first month of 2026 fully lived up to Funbridge’s competitive spirit: the Bridge Points Circuit brought together 18,098 players, while the January Bridge Cup attracted 2,975 participants in its ever-intense knockout format.
Bridge Points Circuit: FatOrange back on top 🍊
No introduction needed: FatOrange continues to assert his consistency at the highest level. Already a familiar face in the rankings over the last few months, the Taiwanese player finishes No. 1 in the January monthly rankings, confirming his status on the BP Circuit.
January Bridge Cup: Alexis Maugat crowned champion 🏆
As for the Bridge Cup, January delivered a scenario that was both symbolic… and spectacular. The winner of the edition is _Alexis, aka Alexis Maugat.
This name rings a bell: Alexis Maugat is no less than the creator of Argine, the artificial intelligence that has been accompanying Funbridge players for over ten years.
🌍 Participants from all around the world
Unsurprisingly, France dominated this month by a wide margin with 951 participants, well ahead of Poland (155) and the United States (144), and followed by a very evenly matched group made up of Belgium (116), Norway (116), the Netherlands (106), Sweden (104) and the United Kingdom (103) — clear evidence that the Bridge Points Circuit continues to attract competitive players across Europe… and beyond.
And among these thousands of participants, several familiar faces on the circuit did very well once again. Dominique Fonteneau stood out with an impressive journey to the 8th round, while Paweł Wittenbeck and Pikarek reached the 7th round. Among our ambassadors, Milan Macura advanced up to the 6th round, with Nikolas Bausback and Vanessa Reess pushing through to the 5th round, as did Timour. Finally, other regulars at the highest level such as Benicio, Jérôme Rombaut, Luc Bellicaud and Bloedi also performed very well, reaching the 3rd round, once again highlighting the remarkable level of play on Funbridge. 🔥
🎙️ Exclusive interview with Alexis Maugat, winner of the January Bridge Cup
Alexis Maugat is not a winner like any other: he is the creator of Argine, Funbridge’s artificial intelligence.
An AI engineer with a passion for bridge… who has just won one of the platform’s most demanding tournaments.
“Winning this BP500 was, of course, a great pleasure for me. I had to stay focused through 11 consecutive matches, sometimes suffering unlucky play I was not really responsible for, but also benefiting from a few welcome ‘boosts‘!”
This KO format is precisely what Alexis particularly enjoys on Funbridge:
“What I really like about Funbridge is the great flexibility it gives you to manage your playing time. There’s no need to block four hours to play a tournament or a match.”
“Occasionally facing very strong players in KO matches, who play systems different from the French standard, is also very instructive.”
Alexis started playing bridge forty years ago, while studying at engineering school in the late 1980s. He mainly played in the Hurepoix and later in the Adour regions, reaching the “1ère Série Pique“ (Note: Spade First Series) rankings.
“I’ve taken things a bit easier in federal competitions over the past three years, but I now play more online — on Funbridge, of course!”
Your turn to play!
Alexis has chosen to share the very last deal of the tournament.
At this point, he is trailing by 6 points, so he needs at least +7 to win the match.
His plan: create a gap during the bidding and try a heart slam after a fourth-suit forcing.
You will be able to see Alexis’s score at the end of the deal.
February is approaching: tournaments not to be missed 📅
Free themed tournament
14 February: Valentine’s Day BP100 (free). A themed tournament where all deals are played with hearts as trumps. 💘
Upcoming Beat the Star challenges (every weekend): European Champions only!
- 8 February: Frédéric Volcker, French European Champion
- 15 February: Ronald Goor, Junior European Champion
- 22 February: Thomas Bessis, multiple-time French European Champion
- 1 March: Sophia Baldysz, Women’s European Champion and Venice Cup medallist
February Bridge Cup
16 February: BP500 (KO). Pit your skills against the platform’s top players on 16 deals! You can already register here.
And you, what was your highlight of January? 💬
An improbable deal? A match won on the clock?
Share your thoughts in the comments… and see you in February for a new edition we’re already all looking forward to!
