[Walddk]

mr1303, on Jul 3 2006, 02:28 AM, said:

As to the issue regarding vugraph coverage, I must admit that the organisers were highly unhelpful on this regard. I tried speaking to a few officials, and was directed to the president of the WBF. However, I was warned not to speak to him as he was "very busy".

Isn't this sad reading? I can't say that I'm surprised (I've been there, done that), but since BBO will have to work with the WBF in the future, I shall refrain from commenting further.

Roland

[paulg]

mr1303, on Jul 3 2006, 01:28 AM, said:

I had a ruling problem on the last board:

Dealer: South Vul: Both Scoring: MP

♠ xx ♥ AQ ♦ Axx ♣ AQJxxx ♠ Axxxx ♥ KJxx ♦ KJx ♣ K

Bidding went:

1S 3C*
3H 4C
4D 6NT (X)

3C was alerted, and explained as a Bergen mixed raise (6-9, 4 card support). Contract made +1.

Any views as to possible adjustments

If North believes 3♣ was a strong jump shift, then 3NT looks the normal bid over 3♥. I disagree with Richard in the sense that I believe North has already shown a very strong hand by the jump shift and has no reason to move towards slam, especially opposite a junior opening.

South may pass this or convert to 4♠ which will probably end the auction.

Paul

[jdonn]

I'm back from Slovakia for a couple days before I leave for Chicago and Thailand. I'll add a few things.

No screens were used Richard, which I think is right for this event. There are a large number of new and beginner pairs in the field, and the social aspect for an event like this is hugely important. If I remember correctly, the hand that doubled 6NT had KQJx of spades and out, for whatever you think it's worth.
EDIT I checked, he had KQJx of spades and Qxxx of diamonds.

It is indeed a shame nothing was done regarding vugraph. I hope something is done by someone for Thailand!

The way the directors treat slow play is indeed unfair. One round our opponents had an extraordinarilly long tank on the second board, so the pair waiting for them to move called the director. They then made a play and my partner was on lead, and the director came and pretty much insisted my partner play a card simply punishing whoever was on lead when he happened to arrive.

I didn't see it coming, but Slovakia has the best pizza I think I've ever had anywhere (I haven't been to Italy). And a small cheese pizza costs about $2.50 American. To put that in perspective, at JFK airport on the way home one very big piece of cheese pizza would have cost about $6.00. And of course great beer for about a dollar, 10 minute taxi rides for just a few bucks, one scoop of ice cream for virtually free, the list goes on. The only expensive thing in the whole country seemed to be laundry. It cost about half as much to buy a pair of socks as to wash a sock! Overall I enjoyed my time there and would recommend anyone go visit. One note for males, the second (ring) toilet seats don't seem to stay up on their own. Grumble.

For a free lesson on declarer play check this out
http://www.worldbridge.org/bulletin/06_2%2...camp/bul_05.pdf
at the end of page 8. At least Kantar's AKQxx xx wasn't breaking 3-3 when he did it!

I want to congratulate the youth award winners from the camp, Nick Rodwell from Australia, Rosaline Barendregt from Holland, Steve De Roos from Belgium, and Joe Grue from USA, I am good friends with all of them and all were very deserving.

I took plenty of pictures, I'll try to get them up on the internet when I get back from Thailand.

[Tola18]

mr1303, on Jul 1 2006, 11:03 AM, said:

Leading the way are the Swedish female pair Cecila Rimstedt and Sara Siveland. Who, I observed, must be the SLOWEST two bridge players in the universe. Whilst their style is clearly more successful than mine, I hate to take around 10 minutes a board.

I wonder if this is a correct observation!

Sara did wrote about the last round in the Swedish official forum. She wrote she played very slowly there as this was the absolutely last hand and she knew the mastership was riding on it.

I also mailed and asked Carina Westlin, the chaperon of the Swedish juniors. A very competent, helpful and nice person and good bridgeplayer too.

Here my translation of hers answer. " This is absolutely not so, they were not late more than a few times, preciselely as all others. It happened more often they stood and waited to sit down and play next round as that pair they followed was late very often. Yours sincerely, Carina"

[mr1303]

Does anyone else think my comment was out of line? I was only commenting on the two boards that I played against them, and maybe they might have played at light speed the rest of the time?

[Walddk]

mr1303, on Jul 17 2006, 10:16 AM, said:

Does anyone else think my comment was out of line? I was only commenting on the two boards that I played against them, and maybe they might have played at light speed the rest of the time?

No, it wasn't. You can't ask the Swedish, Italian, Dutch, Danish or English federations for permission every time you would like to comment on a pair from one of those countries. You stated that in your view Rimstedt - Sivelind were slow, and you were not rude in any way.

I am sure that Sveriges Bridgeförbund (Swedish Bridge Federation) won't bar you from commentating on Cilla and Sara, or anyone else in the Swedish U25 squad

Roland

[FrancesHinden]

I don't think your comment was particularly out of line, but similarly you shouldn't then be upset or offended if you then get corrected.

You said you thought they were the slowest pair in the universe (fair enough as hyperbole is normal online). It was then suggested (possibly unintentionally) by a couple of other posters that being slow gave them an unfair advantage over other players.

Well, if I'd just won the event and discovered that it was suggested in an online forum that one reason I won was because I took more time than was permitted, and it wasn't true, then I would be upset.

[Tola18]

Well said Frances. Good summary.

Besides. It is big difference between taking your time and using the allowed time well - as contrary to playing extremely slowly much longer than the allowed time.

............................

Edit. I shall give one example.
I did played much foursome in Swedens biggest club St-Erik. In my league for the intermediares+ we had 24 deals in the evening. = The usual for matches in Sweden.
We did usually played almost the whole allowed time, althought I didnt had any feeling of us playing extremely slowly.

The more advanced leagues had to play 28 deals in the same time. Once I was reserve for my team, ie not playing. I sat down and kibitzed a team I knew in the expert-league (next highest). Every player seemed to play slow. Card by card in an even slow tempo. They even took time to chat friendly... But they never get in time trouble! they were finished well in time and we did catch the earlier bus too!
Playing slow in tempo they had seldom the timeconsuming long hoodles...

[mr1303]

By the way, are there any plans for Sara and Cecila to get gold stars? Sara is Sara S on BBO (just played a teams match against her). I don't know about Cecilia's username though, if indeed she has one.

[Gerardo]

She should ask to Fred if she wants one (would be done after he is back in Vegas as soon).

[Tola18]

mr1303, on Jul 19 2006, 07:16 PM, said:

I don't know about Cecilia's username though,.

It is CillaR.

[kgr]

Gerardo, on Jul 20 2006, 05:09 AM, said:

She should ask to Fred if she wants one (would be done after he is back in Vegas as soon).

This makes me wonder...I played against a star recently. His bidding was very strange. I would have expected a star to adapt better to his partner. (e.g opened 2C with around 14 pts and a flat hand, something like 4=2=3=4). Almost all his bidding was strange.
Either he was drunk or it was no real star... when someone asks a star for a certain userid, is his identity verified then?

[ArcLight]

Some play 2♣ as a 2 suited bid, perhaps the 4-4 majors. I think thats used in parts of Europe.

[kgr]

ArcLight, on Jul 20 2006, 07:36 PM, said:

Some play 2♣ as a 2 suited bid, perhaps the 4-4 majors. I think thats used in parts of Europe.

Yes, but not with a pick up partner. Ending in 7NT was not a good score for them.