Frenchman Paul Chemla is 57 years old. He graduated summa cum laude
in classical languages and French litterature. He elected to live
single. He is a music lover, especially operas, so much so that
he knows many operas almost entirely by heart. He also loves reading
very much: one might say that he devours books...
His bridge palmares includes three Olympic team titles: 1980, 1992
and 1996, one Bermuda Bowl in 1997, three European Pairs championships:
1976, 1985 and 1999.
His compatriots nickname him L'Enfant Terrible; the Americans just
call him "The Cigar."
Which way and how much has bridge changed your life?
After graduating in classical languages and French litterature
I realised that I was by no means interested to adapt myself
to the so-called normal life, the life, to be exact, built
up of thousands of responsibilities, obligations, jobs and
time tables almost always prescribed by other people. I started
to play bridge a little, and apart from giving me pleasure
it also brought me another good thing: this way, I could escape
becoming a famous professor at a prestigious university and
use the bridge as the instrument to flee away from everything
that, some way or another, might link me with the ordinary
everyday world. For compensation, my relationships are nearly
all outside the world of bridge, with few exceptions (e.g.
Omar Sharif); I am reading quite a lot and I do not give up
many chances to listen to good music, especially operatic.
What do you see in the morning, when you are looking in
the mirror not yet fully awake?
|
|
Paul
Chemla
|
I see a middle-aged man who is neither content nor disappointed
about himself.
Do you have to be an intelligent person to be able to play bridge?
After so many years, and after seeing so many stupid persons, I
am finally convinced that intelligence, in bridge, might even be
sort of a handicap: To become a world class bridge player all you
need most probably is a special gene in your DNA.
What should the characteristics be of your ideal partner?
My career has come to a stage now where I do not have the illusion
any more to be able to find and create that special feeling, special
understanding needed to form a perfect partnership with anyone.
I have had this type of partnership for 15 years with Michel Perron.
Together, we have won very many events, but we also managed to have
a lot of pleasure together. At present, I think that the ideal partner
does not exist, even though I am playing with very good players
all the time.
What did life teach you so far?
To exploit all the pleasant moments life has in store for me, and
to forget the unpleasant ones as quickly as possible. Every day
has something good in it; the only thing is to be able to spot it
and to cherish it. To put it short, I totally adhere to the philosophy
of "Carpe Diem." I am a player who loves taking big risks;
when I am winning a lot of money I am happy, of course, but when
I am losing, I am succeeding to appreciate the positive aspects
of defeat as well, by means of this strange form of masochism common
to all the great players.
It is said that you are a little bit arrogant, but have you
ever been afraid not to fulfill your ambitions?
In fact, I am a person who is much less certain about himself than
many people think. If you only have a minimum of intelligence, you
will know that it is impossible NOT to know fear. Only idiots can
think they are unbeatable, untouchable and superior to everyone
and everything.
To what do you not agree when you are playing?
Bad education. After all these years I have come to a point where
it is much more pleasant to build up good relations with partners
and opponents than to win at all costs by means of absurd contests
and even, as I am beginning to see more and more, by incorrect methods,
to say the least. Today, my target is, especially when I am playing
against weaker players, to give them the impression, once they have
left the table, that they had a pleasant moment being there.
And in real life?
Stupidity and intolerance. These two things are very often tightly
linked to each other and, what is more, in our present world, very
widely spread.
What sort of crazy things have you been doing in your life so
far?
The whole of my life is one big crazy mess, starting when I decided,
many years ago, to leave the normal world and to flee into the slightly
unrealistic and egoistic world of bridge. If I could start all over
again, I would certainly not make the same choice. I would devote
my energy to other people, as most of my good friends do, although
they often confess to me how envious they are of my way of life.
Teaching, law, medicine, politics, all the activities by which you
can make your potential, your abilities useful for human society.
Why did you never marry?
Please keep in mind that I am not in a position to take good care
of myself, not to speak of a family with children. Also, I do not
intend to feel responsible to anyone about what I am doing and I
am far too pleased with my independence to put this at stake.
|