All News
Matt Brown
Bridge Black Bio
Name: Matt Brown
Age: 25
Home club: Akarana
Bridge partners Michael Whibley (left) and Matt Brown (right)
When did you first started playing bridge: 12 years old
What/who got you into playing bridge? My mother got me into bridge - she forced me to come along to lessons and I was hooked immediately after that. None of my other family play - dad learned in the 90s and one of my sisters learned in 2010s but it never stuck.
When did you first represent New Zealand in the Open Team? First represented NZ in Bridge Blacks in 2016 but represented youth in 2014 and 15. I've been playing with Michael Whibley since early 2015
Greatest success/most memorable tournaments? My most memorable tournament would have to be the first time I represented Bridge Blacks in Poland 2016. At the beginning Derek was apprehensive about us because we were the new and young and inexperienced partnership. During our knock-out match with France we played every board which is unusual! Every time France had choice their strongest pair would run away from us, and every time we had choice we would hunt them down :) My greatest success would probably have to be the following year in the Bermuda Bowl 2017 where we came 4th.
Who is your main competition at the Bermuda Bowl and why? Absolutely ourselves - we can beat any team on our day and our biggest opposition is definitely us. I suppose a 'real' answer is something like USA, Italy & the Scandinavian countries
What are your goals/collective goals of the Bridge Blacks in this competition? To win the whole thing! Making the knockouts only to not get a medal, and coming 9th at the last event (first non-qualifier) is too irritating so I have decided we will not do it again :)
What are you looking forward to about the event in Salsomaggiore? How do you think this championship will differ from pre-Covid events? Definitely looking forward to the high-level competition - there's nothing better than playing against the best. I think there are more safety precautions, further distance between tables etc. Hopefully there will not be too many changes and we get to play bridge as normal.
What do you know about Salsomaggiore and the region? Do you have any plans (in addition to playing bridge) whilst in Europe? I know absolutely nothing - no further plans with Covid still around, will be solely there for the Bridge but I do hope to be able to look around Salsomaggiore.
What are your interests outside of bridge? I like computer games and listening to music - bridge takes so much time there isn't much room for anything else. Currently just work in Admin at a transport company (Linfox).
Go Back View All News Items
