Saturday night and everybody plays well including yours truly. We qualify in 13th position for the final 36. Yet another late night 01:00 with play starting at 11:00 on the final day.
Up and about, down for game time. We play reasonably well all day and with one match to go we were running about 8th. The best we could hope for was 2nd as the leaders had a very hand lead over the team. We play the Poles again whom we had beaten last time but who gave us a bridge lesson this time. We lose 0-20 to finish 14th of the total 158 teams entered which, although a little disappointing was very satisfying.
All this has done is to confirm my dislike for pairs and love of teams. If I were to consider playing in the US Nationals again the Fall Nationals may not be my first choice. Reflecting on US Nationals:
Pros
The best imaginable standard with almost EVERY top players making the journey, mainly as a result of the lucrative sponsorship deals available.
Continual events. If you fail to qualify for the next day in your current event there are any number of side games including multi session games to play in.
Run in a great city, good hotel with excellent playing conditions
Table fees are much more reasonable than in Europe at around $A0.60-$A0.80 a board depending on the quality of the event - comparable with Australia.
Well planned food and beverage options outside the playing areas during game time
Cons
Absurd game times 13:00 and 19:30 every night - prevents meaningful socialising with friends
Games rarely start on time as a result of accepting entries right until game time
Poor web presence - no results until the following day and even then difficult to work out what is happening
No control of noise in the playing areas at any time
Little effort made to let newcomers know what the event types are or entry requirements and little allowance made for overseas players
Absurd system restrictions - not allowed to play 2D=weak two in a major - as I said absurd
Results are posted on stands in the middle of each section - no centralised place for scores or ability to see overall or event scores
Draws are done on the fly i.e. when two teams are on the same score they are drawn to play each other.
Teams expected to change tables each and every round - i.e. no home table.
The event is so large that there were friends I knew were at the tournament whom I never caught up with (Danielle regards from Thomas B)
All in all they could learn an awful lot from the way Australian Tournaments are run - as could most overseas organisers.
Next morning we leave at 09:30 for Anaheim. I drop Ally, Auryn and Nye at Disneyland after we check into the Menage Hotel - what a name for a hotel. Anyway the hotel was very odd. It was a stucco five storey building with external walkways looking like it was built 40 years ago. But when one entered the rooms they were fitted out five stars - exceptional fittings, bedding, artwork, large plasma screens etc. With the Disney Hotel at $US625 and this one $A86 it seems we did well.
I spent the afternoon shopping and mooching and dealing with emails and some business stuff after which we went out for a seafood dinner. Ally, Auryn and Nye loved Disneyland despite the torrential rain which fell while they were there. I get the impression Ally is a theme park junkie.
Next morning we head for Los Angeles and the last leg of our trip. I drop the others at Universal Studios and head to the Sofitel to check in. I mooch at the 'exclusive' Beverley Centre and nearby Outlet Shops like Nordstrom Rack and Loehman's made famous in the Nanny. I buy nada - nothing which is strange for me but there are still two more days.
That night we go to a lovely but noisy restaurant called JAR. It is a 10 minute walk down the street which would not normally be a problem but it is farking freezing so the walk was we shall say exhilarating - nice meal though.
Anyway back home in 48 hours so I shall make this my last blog for this trip.
Love to all and be well
XD
Tuesday, December 8, 2009
Thursday, December 3, 2009
Blue Ribbon Black Performance and Swiss Teams
OK so this is one of the premier matchpoints events in the US. All of the events played so far have proved to be very tough and this was no different. Robert Krochmalik has a theory that there are a lot more players so if you are 500th in Australia you are 10,000th in America but I need to think more about this because surely the average is the same.
Anyway the first session was tough - no gifts and every decision proved wrong - even when it was right. 43%. In the evening session however we played well, had some gifts and I thought we had scored 55% minimum and maybe as high as 60% - HMMM 52%. Just so hard.
Robert Krochmalik wins - no more pairs and we will now play in the North American Swiss Teams starting on Friday rather than the Reisinger Board a Match Teams.
With Wednesday off, Nye, Tonje and the two kids and I head for Legoland with a stop at an adjacent outlet centre on the way - where, yes folks, I bought nothing, nada. Note to self check when Legoland and other theme parks are closed - Tuesdays and Wednesdays it turns out. Back to San Diego and we do a tour of the Aircraft Midway which is berthed as a museum just down from our hotel.
The tournament has taken its toll on an old man and I flop on the bed at 17:30 toss and turn most of the night and wake up the next morning. Breakfast with the 'gang' and we decide to play in the two session Compact Bracketed Teams - OK so if you know what this means you are better than me. It seems compact means teams of four only - learned that from past experience and bracketed is apparently bracketed by team strength.
I relax in the room for a few hours before game time answering emails, doing some business matters etc..
OK so new tournament a new me. We start playing in the North American Swiss Teams (normal IMP teams) which runs parallel with the Reisinger which is Board a Match. Another $40 entry fee - I haven't counted what I have paid in entry fees but I am guessing I could buy a small island in Fiji.
I was surprised by the quality of the field in the 158 teams event. With names like Zmudzinski, Balicki, Gromov, Dubinin, Passell, Miller, Larsen, The Lalls, Duboin, Sementa, Kalita, Kotorowicz, D'Ovidio, Gaviard, The Granovetters, Willard, Cronier, Auken the event is a reasonable quality.
The field is cut from 158 to 72 after day one and we qualify in 34th position. I have played reasonably well which makes me feel better and confirms the fact that I should never play pairs. The good thing is that Tonje and Ally are leaving the kids in creche and playing together in various side games so everybody is getting some so to speak.
That night in between sessions we go back to Sally's for another Senior Citizen's 5:30pm fine dinner before the evening session.
Next morning I go for a walk around various nearby galleries. I see a beautiful glass piece which I wanted to buy until I could not mentally find anywhere in the house I could put it. We start play with a poor first match 6-14 but gain momentum during the day and qualify 13th in the final cut of 36. Everybody has played well and despite one or two questionable board I am very happy with the way Nye and I have played. Sorry I should say questionable actions by ME. I must say that Nye and I have been reasonably good on declarer play and defence and that much of the problem where there is one is lack of partnership experience and some minor system disruption in areas we had not discussed.
The downside to qualifying is that I will not miss a trip to Legoland - Oh well something to save for the grandchildren.
There are 10 tables left in the Resisinger. Ishmael's team is running second and Boye's team third. While the leaders are the favourites both of them have chances to win this exceptionally tough event.
In between sessions we went to one of my favourite restaurants, Nobu. The meal was great but interestingly the menu quite different to the one in Melbourne or Las Vegas. Even the non seafood lovers thought it was great. The black cod mis is simply sensational. The meals are however spolied to some extent by the need to rush back for 19:30 bridge. As I mentioned 72% of players voted for no evening play but seemingly they need 100%.
Again bed arrives around 1:00am but today being the last day which sees bridge start at 11:00. We extend our stay by another night. Not sure if I mentioned it but the bridge rate is $145 a night and a few days ago I checked on the online rate which was $99 so I checked out and back in to save $138 for myself, Nye and the Krochmaliks. I know I know - it's not the money it's the game.
Anyway nothing more for now - better get ready for game time.
Be well and see you all soon
XD
Anyway the first session was tough - no gifts and every decision proved wrong - even when it was right. 43%. In the evening session however we played well, had some gifts and I thought we had scored 55% minimum and maybe as high as 60% - HMMM 52%. Just so hard.
Robert Krochmalik wins - no more pairs and we will now play in the North American Swiss Teams starting on Friday rather than the Reisinger Board a Match Teams.
With Wednesday off, Nye, Tonje and the two kids and I head for Legoland with a stop at an adjacent outlet centre on the way - where, yes folks, I bought nothing, nada. Note to self check when Legoland and other theme parks are closed - Tuesdays and Wednesdays it turns out. Back to San Diego and we do a tour of the Aircraft Midway which is berthed as a museum just down from our hotel.
The tournament has taken its toll on an old man and I flop on the bed at 17:30 toss and turn most of the night and wake up the next morning. Breakfast with the 'gang' and we decide to play in the two session Compact Bracketed Teams - OK so if you know what this means you are better than me. It seems compact means teams of four only - learned that from past experience and bracketed is apparently bracketed by team strength.
I relax in the room for a few hours before game time answering emails, doing some business matters etc..
OK so new tournament a new me. We start playing in the North American Swiss Teams (normal IMP teams) which runs parallel with the Reisinger which is Board a Match. Another $40 entry fee - I haven't counted what I have paid in entry fees but I am guessing I could buy a small island in Fiji.
I was surprised by the quality of the field in the 158 teams event. With names like Zmudzinski, Balicki, Gromov, Dubinin, Passell, Miller, Larsen, The Lalls, Duboin, Sementa, Kalita, Kotorowicz, D'Ovidio, Gaviard, The Granovetters, Willard, Cronier, Auken the event is a reasonable quality.
The field is cut from 158 to 72 after day one and we qualify in 34th position. I have played reasonably well which makes me feel better and confirms the fact that I should never play pairs. The good thing is that Tonje and Ally are leaving the kids in creche and playing together in various side games so everybody is getting some so to speak.
That night in between sessions we go back to Sally's for another Senior Citizen's 5:30pm fine dinner before the evening session.
Next morning I go for a walk around various nearby galleries. I see a beautiful glass piece which I wanted to buy until I could not mentally find anywhere in the house I could put it. We start play with a poor first match 6-14 but gain momentum during the day and qualify 13th in the final cut of 36. Everybody has played well and despite one or two questionable board I am very happy with the way Nye and I have played. Sorry I should say questionable actions by ME. I must say that Nye and I have been reasonably good on declarer play and defence and that much of the problem where there is one is lack of partnership experience and some minor system disruption in areas we had not discussed.
The downside to qualifying is that I will not miss a trip to Legoland - Oh well something to save for the grandchildren.
There are 10 tables left in the Resisinger. Ishmael's team is running second and Boye's team third. While the leaders are the favourites both of them have chances to win this exceptionally tough event.
In between sessions we went to one of my favourite restaurants, Nobu. The meal was great but interestingly the menu quite different to the one in Melbourne or Las Vegas. Even the non seafood lovers thought it was great. The black cod mis is simply sensational. The meals are however spolied to some extent by the need to rush back for 19:30 bridge. As I mentioned 72% of players voted for no evening play but seemingly they need 100%.
Again bed arrives around 1:00am but today being the last day which sees bridge start at 11:00. We extend our stay by another night. Not sure if I mentioned it but the bridge rate is $145 a night and a few days ago I checked on the online rate which was $99 so I checked out and back in to save $138 for myself, Nye and the Krochmaliks. I know I know - it's not the money it's the game.
Anyway nothing more for now - better get ready for game time.
Be well and see you all soon
XD
Tuesday, December 1, 2009
Bridging in San Diego
The team went well scoring 15.5 out of a possible Bridge that evening wasn't 26 which is good at this form of scoring.
Italian was good but there is a new trend in US restaurants - a large screen TV at almost every table in the restaurant. Maybe the art of conversation has been lost. Anyway we sat Nye with his back to the TV as the NFL (American Football) was on. The meal was OK and as nobody will be surprised I sent back the soggy cold french fries to get some beautiful fresh hot ones but as equally nobody will be surprised I did warn our server that this would happen - Voila.
That night I played pretty poorly on top of which every dubious action I took cost. I held
S A K x
H x
D x x
C K Q 10 9 8 x x
I opened 1C it went 1S on my left, negative double by partner and 3S on my right - I bid 4C which seemed normal seeing I knew I would likely be able to ruff one club on the table and had little defence to 3S - down 3 after a heart lead and club through.
S x x
H K Q 9 x x
D K J x x x
C x
What made me feel worse was that we scored 10.0 for a total of 25.5 and 26 or half a board would have qualified us for a very high quality final. I consoled myself that Boye Brogeland missed out not that he did but that I was in good company.
I went to bed at 02:00 feeling shitty with myself thinking about what I could and should have done.
Next day an American diner breakfast and we arrange to play in the compact teams - a two session if you survive teams side game. Our team was to be Nye, me, Ally, Tonje Brogeland, Robert Krochmalik and Paul Lavings. We sit pay the entry fees at game time and it takes them 20 minutes past game time to finish the entire process and get the game underway. After two boards the director comes to me and explains compact means only teams of four. I ask him how a poor soul who has received an entry form with six spaces on it is supposed to work this out - he grins sheepishly and shrugs his shoulders as he explains to me that it is in the regulations. An example of the US not being very welcoming to foreigners IMHO. Anyway Robert and Paul play in the side pairs event that night and are quite happy so no problems there.
Anyway we win our first 12 board match by 7 IMPS after I played one of my best hands in a long time squeezing both opponents to make 6S which was cold without the 4-0 spade break.
Now we go into a triangle of three teams playing two six board matches. We lose one by 16 and win the other by 39 against - Alan Watson of all people. Alan and I were at University at the same time and were both active participants in the Friday night 24-36 hour bridge game. He lives in Boston and I see him every 10 years when he comes back to Australia and plays Rubber Bridge - small world!!!
Then apparently we are in a semi-final of four of the original teams in our section. We lose this and then lose the 3rd/4th playoff by just on imp. Everybody is happy and we have drinks before yet another late night - remember that the bridge finishes at 23:15.
Without wanting to sound patriotic, playing in the USA has a lot of deficiencies. In the teams last night it was shuffle and deal so no hand records. In the major events there are hand records but all the duplication is done at the table. There are 10 minute hospitality breaks twice during the session adding to the already late night. Many more but I am fundamentally enjoying the holiday if not the mediocre bridge I have played.
Next morning breakfast as we ready for the Blue Ribbon Pairs - one of the premier events of the tournament.
Enough for now
Best to all and be well
X David
Italian was good but there is a new trend in US restaurants - a large screen TV at almost every table in the restaurant. Maybe the art of conversation has been lost. Anyway we sat Nye with his back to the TV as the NFL (American Football) was on. The meal was OK and as nobody will be surprised I sent back the soggy cold french fries to get some beautiful fresh hot ones but as equally nobody will be surprised I did warn our server that this would happen - Voila.
That night I played pretty poorly on top of which every dubious action I took cost. I held
S A K x
H x
D x x
C K Q 10 9 8 x x
I opened 1C it went 1S on my left, negative double by partner and 3S on my right - I bid 4C which seemed normal seeing I knew I would likely be able to ruff one club on the table and had little defence to 3S - down 3 after a heart lead and club through.
S x x
H K Q 9 x x
D K J x x x
C x
What made me feel worse was that we scored 10.0 for a total of 25.5 and 26 or half a board would have qualified us for a very high quality final. I consoled myself that Boye Brogeland missed out not that he did but that I was in good company.
I went to bed at 02:00 feeling shitty with myself thinking about what I could and should have done.
Next day an American diner breakfast and we arrange to play in the compact teams - a two session if you survive teams side game. Our team was to be Nye, me, Ally, Tonje Brogeland, Robert Krochmalik and Paul Lavings. We sit pay the entry fees at game time and it takes them 20 minutes past game time to finish the entire process and get the game underway. After two boards the director comes to me and explains compact means only teams of four. I ask him how a poor soul who has received an entry form with six spaces on it is supposed to work this out - he grins sheepishly and shrugs his shoulders as he explains to me that it is in the regulations. An example of the US not being very welcoming to foreigners IMHO. Anyway Robert and Paul play in the side pairs event that night and are quite happy so no problems there.
Anyway we win our first 12 board match by 7 IMPS after I played one of my best hands in a long time squeezing both opponents to make 6S which was cold without the 4-0 spade break.
Now we go into a triangle of three teams playing two six board matches. We lose one by 16 and win the other by 39 against - Alan Watson of all people. Alan and I were at University at the same time and were both active participants in the Friday night 24-36 hour bridge game. He lives in Boston and I see him every 10 years when he comes back to Australia and plays Rubber Bridge - small world!!!
Then apparently we are in a semi-final of four of the original teams in our section. We lose this and then lose the 3rd/4th playoff by just on imp. Everybody is happy and we have drinks before yet another late night - remember that the bridge finishes at 23:15.
Without wanting to sound patriotic, playing in the USA has a lot of deficiencies. In the teams last night it was shuffle and deal so no hand records. In the major events there are hand records but all the duplication is done at the table. There are 10 minute hospitality breaks twice during the session adding to the already late night. Many more but I am fundamentally enjoying the holiday if not the mediocre bridge I have played.
Next morning breakfast as we ready for the Blue Ribbon Pairs - one of the premier events of the tournament.
Enough for now
Best to all and be well
X David
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