Elena comes back from behind

An evening with a bit of everything, except contracts kept: 34 slips at the table and scores from 115 down to 66.

Elena won at a stroll, with 115 points and 32 clear of the rest. It didn't start well — only 3rd after the opening eights — but it clearly didn't end there. At one stretch, 12 good hands in a row.

Ana led for 13 hands but finished second, 32 points behind. 2 hands in a row: only Ana slipped, while the rest said it and did it. The cards were kind to everyone but Ana.

Third, on the podium: edge, up there with eyes on the top step. In the third of the middle eights: edge said 2, scooped 5, and Mihai was left counting the pieces. 2 hands in a row: the whole table kept its word, only edge didn't — but insisted, with dignity.

Mihai closed the table from the back, on 66 points — there is always a next game. 3 hands in a row: Mihai broke the contract each time while everyone else made theirs. After the first of the closing eights, Mihai was 3rd and dreaming of the podium — but the last hands had other plans.

Congratulations to all — see you at the next table!