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
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