[Walddk]

And two more links, the first an interview with Lord Wolfson ...

http://www.managementtoday.co.uk/search/ar...head-good-hand/

Then read about his granddaughter, Janet de Botton, a very wealthy bridge player at top level in England ...

http://www.fmwf.com/...p?cat=23&id=105 (scroll down to the bottom)

Fifteen years ago David Bird wrote a book with Terence Reese about one of the previous editions of this encounter. Marchessini was also involved then - with Forrester/Robson and Chagas/Branco on the Naturals side.

In the book "Around the World in 80 Hands" by Zia and David Burn, they discuss the 1990 match in which Dimitri Marchessini put up (and retained) the £20,000 stake.

By the way, on Thursday and Friday there will be no bidding boxes in use. The players must express themselves in the old-fashioned way: verbally. Just like it has been for decades and still is the case in the Portland Club in London.

So our operators will be even busier than usual because they have to take notes.

Roland

[ulven]

As a very good friend and long-time teammate of Gunnar Hallberg, I must say that finding him posing as a bidding scientist made me laugh hysterically!!!!

[Walddk]

We are now allowed to let you know the total official stake which is £100 ($206) per IMP. However, there are likely to be some private side stakes, varying throughout the match as the personnel change. We imagine that the Goulash is the same per 100.

The Portland have added Richard (Tony) Priday to their team. Priday is a former England internationalist with a European Team Championship to his name. He has also several nice results in World Championships and Olympiads, as a player as well as an NPC.

Roland

[skjaeran]

ulven, on Oct 30 2007, 06:59 PM, said:

As a very good friend and long-time teammate of Gunnar Hallberg, I must say that finding him posing as a bidding scientist made me laugh hysterically!!!!

Posing is indeed the word.

[the hog]

Agree totally with Richard. If this is for promoting Bridge, then well and good. However to call this a "traditionalists vs scientists" match is a gross misnomer. Where are the relay systems; where are the big C systems etc etc?

[pclayton]

Really great fun. Good bridge? I dont know enough about the resume of the Naturalists but it seems 1 Imp/ board isnt nearly enough of a handicap against the likes of Team Zia.

Goulash will only increase the variance on the boards too.

I'm curious if Justin is getting action at 3:1.

I hope that this match gets some great coverage too.

[cherdano]

Revolutionary match! The bidding methods of 1930 vs the bidding methods of 1980! Live on BBO!

(I don't mind the idea at all, I am sure it will be great fun, but it seems not quite adequate to put it in the tradition of the other matches.)

[helene_t]

cherdano, on Oct 31 2007, 06:07 AM, said:

Revolutionary match! The bidding methods of 1930 vs the bidding methods of 1980! Live on BBO!

(I don't mind the idea at all, I am sure it will be great fun, but it seems not quite adequate to put it in the tradition of the other matches.)

Well, for the posters here, I'm sure that 1980-traditionalists versus 2007-scientists would be more interesting. But BBO-vugraph is aiming at a diverse audience. There are a lot of people at my local club who struggle forming an opinion about the merrits of weak twos and negative doubles, and who find a Meckwell vs Jansma-Verhees auction just as interesting as a press conference in Japanese. Too few of them are BBO users. Events like this one might help.

[Walddk]

Steve Eginton (eggy) from England approached us about 2 weeks ago and told us about the match. "Zia would like to have it on BBO; any thoughts?"

We were obviously delighted and had a set game a few hours later. Steve is instrumental in organising this broadcast and I think we should all be grateful. Lots of spectators will flock to the vugraph rooms, not least to the room where Zia is.

It's a fact that Zia himself will be playing all 104 boards. How often do our members get the opportunity to watch him for so long? Natural, scientific or not, I don't think it matters much for our thousands of Zia fans.

And I do think that the large amount at stake adds to the flavour and excitement. As an example, it would be great if the commentators are able to say: "If Zia plays the Jack of hearts he will make 3NT and win $6,000 – if not he is down 2 doubled and will lose $5,000!"

Roland

[whereagles]

Sambolino, on Oct 30 2007, 12:00 PM, said:

Marchessini didn't play but in fact did organise previous ('92) event

You sure? I think I've read in the match book that he played the last 16 boards. Pretty boring pushovers, those boards though.

[Walddk]

ulven, on Oct 30 2007, 07:59 PM, said:

As a very good friend and long-time teammate of Gunnar Hallberg, I must say that finding him posing as a bidding scientist made me laugh hysterically!!!!

Well, it depends on how you define "scientific". If it's scientific to play Stayman, negative doubles, splinters and cue bids (and the Portland players think it is), then Hallberg belongs to the scientists.

Roland

[pzpp]

With 56 IMPs to start with, it seems that the organizer already made up their decision that naturalists are losers. The problem is, what does it mean if they win?

[jtfanclub]

cherdano, on Oct 30 2007, 11:07 PM, said:

Revolutionary match! The bidding methods of 1930 vs the bidding methods of 1980! Live on BBO!

Blah. Send Vanderbilt Club against SAYC, and tell me which one is the 'natural' one. were some really neat systems in the early 30s. Stupid Official System ruined everything.

[han]

helene_t, on Oct 31 2007, 05:05 AM, said:

cherdano, on Oct 31 2007, 06:07 AM, said:

Revolutionary match! The bidding methods of 1930 vs the bidding methods of 1980! Live on BBO!

(I don't mind the idea at all, I am sure it will be great fun, but it seems not quite adequate to put it in the tradition of the other matches.)

Well, for the posters here, I'm sure that 1980-traditionalists versus 2007-scientists would be more interesting. But BBO-vugraph is aiming at a diverse audience. There are a lot of people at my local club who struggle forming an opinion about the merrits of weak twos and negative doubles, and who find a Meckwell vs Jansma-Verhees auction just as interesting as a press conference in Japanese. Too few of them are BBO users. Events like this one might help.

That's a valid point Helene, but in the earlier matches the players on both teams were leading players of the era. Now we have top level players on the scientist team and rich players on the naturalist team.

But you are right, most club players won't care much about this and will likely enjoy the show. If they watch.

[Walddk]

You might find this interesting. The scientists (read Robson) have created a special system for the Goulash part Friday.

A/Z = Robson/Zia
B/G = Brogeland/Hallberg

1L = F1, unlimited
New Suits = good five+ cards
1NT = non FG no good suit
Two-over-One FG
Jump in new suit show two-suiters bid better suit
2NT = FG three-card raise
3L = FG four+ card support

1NT = 11-18 no good five+ card suit
2L = F1
2NT = F1
3L = FG two-suiters bid better suit

2♣ = either a club-major two-suiter, very strong balanced, or a strong one-suiter
2♦ relay
2M = C + M
2NT = strong balanced, say 21+
3L = single-suited in L
4L = asking bids in L
1st step = no second round control
2nd step = Q/xx
3rd step = x/K
4th step = void/A

2L = Two-suited good hand, bid better suit
2NT asks for other suit
Distinguish raises by offense, particularly no. of trumps

3L = Preempt, playing strength above Bridge
Natural, F

3NT = Huge one-suiter specific ace-ask
4♣ = no ace
4♦, ♥, ♠ = bid ace
4NT = ♣A
5L = two aces, bid lowest ace you don’t have
5NT = three aces

4L, 5L = Natural pre-empt with playing strength

Defence to their bids
Over their 1NT opener
Dbl = majors
2L = Nat
3L = Two Suiters (bid better suit)
Our 1NT overcall
A/Z: Comic either 16+ bal or weak single-suited
B/G: Wide-ranging 10-19 bal(ish)
Our jump cue-bid shows big one-suiter
1m – 3m = hearts
1m – 4m = spades
1M – 3M = oM
Our jump to 3NT is ace-ask, as 3NT opener

General Agreements
Default = Bridge
All Single Jumps = Two Suiters (bid better suit)
4NT in Comp. = Good hand/raise
All Splinters show void, except after opening 1NT

[Walddk]

I have been asked to explain what Goulash bridge is. Let me give you a short version:

Goulash is a style of playing bridge, normally in friendly play such as rubber bridge, in which the cards are not thoroughly shuffled between consecutive deals. The aim is to create deals where the suits are more unevenly distributed between the players, thus creating "wild" deals in order to make the game more vivid.

For the match Friday, a duplimate machine (too scientific for the Naturalists? ) has been programmed to deliver those wild deals. When goulash dealing is in effect, many players adjust their bidding principles.

Goulash is very entertaining, and interesting results are being produced. This is not only a skill thing; luck and guesses are important parts of the game.

Roland

[mycroft]

Heh - I expect to see several 3NT-(6H) or equivalent auctions - I hope they're prepared!

Similarly 2H-() - partner is almost never going to get to bid 2NT to ask. I wonder what 2H-(3S)-3NT is? or is 4S the "bid your other suit?" What if the naturalists psych a preeemptive overcall?

Should be fun. The good news about Goulash bridge with these players is that the Portland, TGR's, etc. players - even the rich players who support the club and the pros for the privilege - are probably the masters at the format, given that they play more of it than anyone except possibly silly juniors - and they play it for regular table stakes (up to $2.50 a point) as part of their regular games.

Michael.

[FrancesHinden]

Walddk, on Oct 30 2007, 04:20 PM, said:

And two more links, the first an interview with Lord Wolfson ...

http://www.managementtoday.co.uk/search/ar...head-good-hand/

Then read about his granddaughter, Janet de Botton, a very wealthy bridge player at top level in England ...

http://www.fmwf.com/...p?cat=23&id=105 (scroll down to the bottom)

I think you are mixing up your Lord Wolfsons. The Lord Wolfson playing in this match is the son of the 1st Lord Wolfson. Janet de Botton is his daughter.

see e.g. http://en.wikipedia....,_Baron_Wolfson

[mgoetze]

This just in...

Andrew 1♣, Pass on his left, Zia responds 1♠, doubled by Dmitri, whereupon Andrew jumps to 6♠, down one.

Where's the science?!?

[jdonn]

Sorry to be a party pooper but this is not the least bit exciting to me. I haven't heard of the players on the naturals, the scientists don't have any sort of reputation as scientists at all, and if not for this thread I wouldn't even know the match was happening. It's a real shame because an event like this would be really cool if it was done right, the one going on now just seems meaningless.