[Aberlour10]

According to the ACBL Daily Bulletin #9 a new top event of the world bridge
will take place on Sept 17-20 2006 in Dublin...North America meets Europe
for a challenge match with 12 players on each side.

http://web2.acbl.org...005fall/db9.pdf [page 1]

If "you" would be a non playing captain of both teams which pairs
would you nominate for this event?


Robert

[paulg]

Europe
Versace - Lauria
Nunes - Fantoni
Bocchi - Duboin
Balicki - Zmudzinski
Bertheau - Nystrom
Fredin - Lindkvist

Reserves
Gromov - Petrunin
Hanlon - McGann (Ireland, home spot)

The first four in the team are simple and then it gets more subjective. However the Swedes have played very well in Bermuda Bowl and last European Championships, so get my vote.

If a "home" pair is needed then Hanlon-McGann are the obvious choice.

The best player excluded is Geir Helgemo, but he has not done much on the international scene recently. The best English pairs have done well against the poorer European teams but have not established themselves at the highest levels, so no spot for them unfortunately.

p

[pclayton]

1. Meckwell
2. Hamway
3. Greco - Hampson
4. Gitelman - Moss
5. Berkowitz - Cohen
6. Rosenberg - Zia

[Aberlour10]

pclayton, on Nov 27 2005, 11:41 AM, said:

1. Meckwell
2. Hamway
3. Greco - Hampson
4. Gitelman - Moss
5. Berkowitz - Cohen
6. Rosenberg - Zia

No doubt, an ultimate American Dream Team

It's interesting ....which "format" will be used for this event,
maybe combinated like a Ryder Cup (started at the same
weekend near Dublin) IMPs & BAMs?

Robert

[hrothgar]

pclayton, on Nov 27 2005, 07:41 PM, said:

1. Meckwell
2. Hamway
3. Greco - Hampson
4. Gitelman - Moss
5. Berkowitz - Cohen
6. Rosenberg - Zia

You've certainly listed a number of fine pairs. With this said and done, you don't include Martel - Stansby who would definitely be on my short list.

I could easily be convinced to swap M-S for Cohen-Berkowitz in a team's event.

[mike777]

Ya, got to have my hometown Chipper on the team.

[hrothgar]

cardsharp, on Nov 27 2005, 12:09 PM, said:

Europe
Versace - Lauria
Nunes - Fantoni
Bocchi - Duboin
Balicki - Zmudzinski
Bertheau - Nystrom
Fredin - Lindkvist

Reserves
Gromov - Petrunin
Hanlon - McGann (Ireland, home spot)

The first four in the team are simple and then it gets more subjective. However the Swedes have played very well in Bermuda Bowl and last European Championships, so get my vote.

If a "home" pair is needed then Hanlon-McGann are the obvious choice.

The best player excluded is Geir Helgemo, but he has not done much on the international scene recently. The best English pairs have done well against the poorer European teams but have not established themselves at the highest levels, so no spot for them unfortunately.

p

Personally, I'd like to be able to add Helgemo - Helness and (maybe) Groetheim - Aa.

Does Egypt still count as part of Euope?

[mike777]

Btw where has Helgemo been? Have not seen him in my European bridge magazines lately.

[paulg]

hrothgar, on Nov 30 2005, 04:52 PM, said:

Personally, I'd like to be able to add Helgemo - Helness and (maybe) Groetheim - Aa.

Does Egypt still count as part of Euope?

I assumed it was in Africa at the moment, otherwise El Ahmady-Sadek would have been in my team.

p

[pclayton]

mike777, on Nov 30 2005, 09:13 AM, said:

Btw where has Helgemo been? Have not seen him in my European bridge magazines lately.

He played in Denver with Tor.

[Walddk]

mike777, on Nov 30 2005, 06:13 PM, said:

Btw where has Helgemo been? Have not seen him in my European bridge magazines lately.

As so many others, Geir Helgemo has been dedicated to poker of late; combined with the fact that a girlfriend takes a lot of this time (nothing new there ). That explains why you don't see him at the bridge table as much as before.

By the way, I would like to add a pair to the European line-up:

Jan Jansma - Louk Verhees, Netherlands

Roland

[cherdano]

No matter who is chosen, this will be a great match. Let's just hope they will select a venue with a good and stable internet connection...

Arend

[Walddk]

cherdano, on Nov 30 2005, 08:33 PM, said:

No matter who is chosen, this will be a great match. Let's just hope they will select a venue with a good and stable internet connection...

Arend

Agreed, but don't be too hopeful. It is rarely a concern the organisers have until it's too late! Some of them tend to forget that we live in 2005 (2006 soon) and that the internet is there to stay.

Roland

[Aberlour10]

According to the official daily bulletin #5 of The Yeh Cup
following players will play in the "Ryder Cup of Bridge" in Dublin:

Team Europe:

Paul Hackett NPC

N. Bocchi
G. Duboin
G. Helgemo
T. Helness
J. Hackett
J. Hackett
S. Auken
D. von Arnim
C. Balicki
A. Zmudzinski
T. Hanlon
H. MacGann


Team America:

(The captain is yet to be advised)

B. Hamman
P. Soloway
R. Levin
S. Weinstein
F. Gitelman
G. Hampson
J. Levin
J. Myers
Zia Mahmood
R. Welland
L. Cohen
D. Berkowitz

http://www.ywt.com.t.../2006yeh/b5.pdf


Robert

[pclayton]

Aberlour10, on Mar 23 2006, 09:25 AM, said:

According to the official daily bulletin #5 of The Yeh Cup
following players will play in the "Ryder Cup of Bridge" in Dublin:

Team Europe:

Paul Hackett NPC

N. Bocchi
G. Duboin
G. Helgemo
T. Helness
J. Hackett
J. Hackett
S. Auken
D. von Arnim
C. Balicki
A. Zmudzinski
T. Hanlon
H. MacGann


Team America:

(The captain is yet to be advised)

B. Hamman
P. Soloway
R. Levin
S. Weinstein
F. Gitelman
G. Hampson
J. Levin
J. Myers
Zia Mahmood
R. Welland
L. Cohen
D. Berkowitz

http://www.ywt.com.t.../2006yeh/b5.pdf


Robert

Seems to me that Team Europe is bending over backwards to have representation from as many countries as possible, not neccessarily field the best team (perhaps a worthwhile goal).

Team Jill on Team USA? A SPONSOR on Team USA?

[Walddk]

pclayton, on Mar 23 2006, 06:34 PM, said:

Seems to me that Team Europe is bending over backwards to have representation from as many countries as possible, not neccessarily field the best team (perhaps a worthwhile goal).

I agree. This is really United Europe against United States. Just as a couple of examples: a team without Lauria-Versace and Fantoni-Nunes can't possibly be Europe's strongest line-up.

Isn't the same the case regarding USA? A team without Meckwell!? Anyway, what do we know; maybe it's a question of availability.

Roland

[hrothgar]

I was wondering about Meckwell's absence...

A scheduling conflict is certainly possible

Alternatively, it might be a systems issue... As I understand matters, they don't normally enter events together unless their able to play their usual methods. (Given the level of detail of their agreements, they might find it annoying guessing when speciality treatments are on/off working off a different system base)

[Gerben42]

And they wanted a "home pair", probably also not a good idea when looking for the strongest lineup. Not that Ireland is bad but some other countries that I would rate stronger are not included.

Perhaps a pair from Netherlands or Sweden...

Otherwise: a very interesting idea!

[Aberlour10]

There is no prize money for this event, world top professionals will play
for an idea & prestige. Who knows, this tournament may take a same
rank in bridge as Ryder Cup in golf after few years..
I am looking forward to watch this amazing field in a strong competition.

Robert

[Walddk]

I now have the time schedule for this match (will be listed on our vugraph web page within too long). Here is the formula and scoring for what is now known as

The Warren Buffett Cup

The draw:
On Sunday evening (September 17) the two captains will give their line-up (blind) to the TD (Fearghal O’Boyle) by numbering their pairs 1-6, their teams 1-3 and their individuals 1-12.

Pairs:
Each pair will sit in the same direction as their opposite number and will only be comparing their score with their opposite number, i.e. Europe 1 will compare against USA 1.

Each pair will play an 11-board match against each of the 5 remaining pairs from the opposite side. They will not meet their opposite number. Point-a-Board scoring will be used. At the end of each 11-board match the winning pairs will earn 2 Championship Points and the losing pairs will lose 2 Championship Points, (0 Championship Points for a draw).

Thus, at the end of the 5 matches, the maximum any pair can win is 10 Championship Points and the maximum each Continent can win is 60 Championship Points.

Teams:
Each team will play 2 x 14-board matches against each of the 3 opposing teams with an automatic change of opponent after each 14-board match. Point-a-Board scoring will be used. At the end of each 14-board match, the winning teams will earn 3 Championship Points and the losing teams will lose 3 Championship Points, (0 Championship Points for a draw).

Thus, at the end of the 6 matches, the maximum each team can win is 18 Championship Points and the maximum each Continent can win is 54 Championship Points.

Individual:
Each player will sit in the same direction as their opposite number and will only be comparing scores with their opposite number, i.e. Europe 1 will compare with USA 1.

Each player will play 6 boards with each of their 11 team-mates in turn, and against all of their opponents except their opposite number. Point-a-Board scoring will be used. At the end of each 6-board match, the winning players will earn 1 Championship Point and the losing players will lose 1 Championship Point, (0 Championship Point for a draw).

Thus, at the end of the 11 matches, the maximum each Individual can win is 11 Championship Points and the maximum each Continent can win is 132 Championship Points.

Overall scoring:
As there are 246 Championship Points at stake, the first Continent to reach 124 Championship Points will be declared the winner.

Roland