[twcho]

seems that Italy is everyone's choice for Bermuda Champion. Are they really unbeatable?

[paulg]

twcho, on Aug 16 2007, 03:51 AM, said:

seems that Italy is everyone's choice for Bermuda Champion. Are they really unbeatable?

Certainly beatable but:

• they have three of the top pairs in the world and put the opposition under constant pressure on every board, so they tend to do well in the round robin against the weaker teams.
  
• this gives them choice of opposition in the KO stages
  
• although there are three or four teams who could beat them, the most likely is USA2 (Nickell). But there will be doubts about Freeman's fitness, and it is a long tournament, so the odds favour the Italians.

OTOH, Bocchi-Duboin have not been in the best of form this year and none of them shone in the Spingold (won by Nickell), so I expect it to be close again.

[Gerben42]

Quote

VC Win: USA 1
VC Win: Netherlands
VC Win: China
VC Win: Germany
VC Win: France
VC Win: England

That's clear then.

[jdonn]

twcho, on Aug 15 2007, 09:51 PM, said:

seems that Italy is everyone's choice for Bermuda Champion. Are they really unbeatable?

No, every single time the most common prediction is Italy then US, nothing ever seems to change.

[Walddk]

I am surprised to see that most of you seem to fancy USA1 over USA2. Maybe there is something magical about *1*. It's a fact that USA1 qualified first, and USA2 had to go through a "repechage", but I rate USA2 a little higher.

Don't get me wrong; I have a lot of respect for Jacobs, Katz, Rosenberg, Zia, Garner and H. Weinstein (USA1), but I also think that Nickell, Freeman, Hamman, Soloway, Meckstroth and Rodwell have the edge.

Roland

[Edmunte1]

Here is my predictions:

BERMUDA BOWL.

• Winners: Italy
  
• Runners up: China
  
• Losing semifinalists: USA2, Sweden
  
• Losing quarter-finalists: USA1, Norway, Poland, Netherlands

VENICE CUP.

• Winners: USA1.
  
• Runners up: Netherlands.
  
• Losing semifinalists: China, France
  
• Losing quarter-finalists: England, Germany, USA2, Egypt

SENIORS BOWL.

• Winners: USA2.
  
• Runners up: Poland
  
• Losing semifinalists: Australia, Brasil
  
• Losing quarter-finalists: Canada, USA1, Germany, France

[lowerline]

Bermuda Bowl
QF: Ireland, Norway, Sweden, USA1
SF: China, Netherlands
RU: USA2
WIN: Italy

Steven

[HeavyDluxe]

Putting my picks up here is a bit like having my 5 year-old handicap the Kentucky Derby... But, it'll give me something to cheer for in September - so why the heck not.

Bermuda Bowl
============
QF: Sweden, USA1, China, Egypt
SF: Norway, Poland
RU: Italy
Win: USA2*


Venice Cup
============
QF: USA2, Canada, France, England
SF: USA1, Netherlands
RU: China
Win: Germany

Senior Bowl
============
QF: USA1, Sweden, Poland, Italy
SF: Canada, Brazil
RU: Australia
Win: USA2

- Dluxe
*Everyone else picked Italy, therefore this isn't a total "Homer call"

[skjaeran]

Bermuda Bowl
Quarterfinal: USA1, Ireland, China, Egypt
Semifinal: USA2, Italy
Runner-up: Netherlands
Winners: Norway

Venice Cup
Quarterfinal: Denmark, Canada, England, USA2
Semifinal: Netherlands, USA1
Runner-up: Germany
Winners: France

Seniors Bowl
Quarterfinal: Canada, Denmark, France, Sweden
Semifinal: USA2, Italy
Runner-up: Brazil
Winners: USA1

[bid_em_up]

Walddk, on Aug 16 2007, 03:37 AM, said:

I am surprised to see that most of you seem to fancy USA1 over USA2. Maybe there is something magical about *1*. It's a fact that USA1 qualified first, and USA2 had to go through a "repechage", but I rate USA2 a little higher.

Don't get me wrong; I have a lot of respect for Jacobs, Katz, Rosenberg, Zia, Garner and H. Weinstein (USA1), but I also think that Nickell, Freeman, Hamman, Soloway, Meckstroth and Rodwell have the edge.

Roland

Given that USA2 has won or placed second in the Bermuda Bowl in 1995, 1997, 2000, 2003, and 2005 (and for the most part, the Bermuda Bowl is an every other year event), combined with their Spingold wins in 1998, 1999, 2004, and 2006 and the wins in 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996 with Bobby Wolff on the team instead of Soloway (I think), USA2 is always my favorite until another team proves they can beat them consistently. Right now, I just don't forsee that happening.

Edit: USA2 is the favored US team. I think its a tossup between USA2 and Italy as to the eventual winners.

[han]

Bermuda Bowl:

QF: Ireland, Netherlands, China, Egypt
SF: USA1, Norway
RU: USA2
Winner: Italy


I don't know about the others.

[Tomi2]

BB:
Winner: Italy
2nd: China
Semi: USA2 - Norway
1/4: Poland, USA1, Ireland, Brasil

VC:
Winner: Netherlands
2nd: China
Semi: France, Germany
1/4: USA1, USA2, England, New Zealand


SB:
Winner: USA2
2nd: Canada
Semi: Germany, Denmark
1/4: France, USA1, Poland, Italy

[ulven]

The bookies are doing the Bermuda Bowl.

Check out www.betfair.com for the market odds for final 8 and winner.

[bid_em_up]

ulven, on Sep 10 2007, 01:15 AM, said:

The bookies are doing the Bermuda Bowl.

Check out www.betfair.com for the market odds for final 8 and winner.

Rumor has it they are using this prediction thread to assist in calculating their odds.



(Not really, I just couldn't resist.)

[TimG]

bid_em_up, on Sep 10 2007, 10:17 AM, said:

ulven, on Sep 10 2007, 01:15 AM, said:

The bookies are doing the Bermuda Bowl.

Check out www.betfair.com for the market odds for final 8 and winner.

Rumor has it they are using this prediction thread to assist in calculating their odds.



(Not really, I just couldn't resist.)

It's not so far fetched. The bookie probably doesn't have a regular staff that keeps track of bridge (the way they might with college football or the NFL). The bookie probably consulted some friend of a friend bridge player who referred him to someone else, sort of thing. I doubt there will be significant betting action on the BB. But, it is also probably good for the site to have lines on a wide variety of events to keep the interest of their bettors. If a handful of bettors use this site for their college football betting instead of another just because this site offers a line on a bridge event, they'll likely more than make up any potential losses due to lines not being quite as good as they might have been.

Or, maybe I'm wrong and there is significant betting on the BB?

[KungFuChkn]

Can I play too?

Bermuda Bowl
Losing Quarterfinalists: Ireland, Egypt, China, Canada
Losing Semifinalists: USA1, Norway
Runner-up: USA2
Winner: Italy


Thanks, KungFuChkn

[Rossoneri]

My Try:
Bermuda Bowl
Q-Finalists:
USA1
China
Canada
Ireland

Semi-Finalists:
Poland
Netherlands

Runner-up:
USA2

Winner:
Italy

[easy]

Are all of the predictors aware that usa2 has lost paul soloway who has been replaced by hemant lall?

[skjaeran]

easy, on Sep 29 2007, 02:45 PM, said:

Are all of the predictors aware that usa2 has lost paul soloway who has been replaced by hemant lall?

I'd guess they are.
Surely this weakens the team - no insult to Hemant Lall intended, he's obviously a strong player, but not in the same league as Soloway.

[paulg]

skaeran, on Sep 29 2007, 07:08 PM, said:

easy, on Sep 29 2007, 02:45 PM, said:

Are all of the predictors aware that usa2 has lost paul soloway who has been replaced by hemant lall?

I'd guess they are.
Surely this weakens the team - no insult to Hemant Lall intended, he's obviously a strong player, but not in the same league as Soloway.

As I mentioned in my blog, I think this will encourage USA2 to play Italy as soon as possible in the KO stages, given the opportunity. This would give them the best chance of winning the event, which I'm sure is their only thought.

Paul