BBO Discussion Forums: Bermuda Bowl chit chat - BBO Discussion Forums

Bulgaria really shocked me, I thought for sure they would at least make the semis (I had them knocking off Italy and finishing 2nd to USA 1). I also thought Brazil might sneak into the 8th spot, but they didn't. Somehow I nailed Poland having no chance to make it. I knew nothing about the quality of the Israeli team.

I haven't watched enough in my opinion to make a comparison to the 2009 BB, but from what I have watched and the results up to this point I say it's right up there. While I think it would be slightly better to have the chance for the 3 best teams from North America to play, it's nice to give the underdog a chance. It also allows a comparison between the best players in Canada (this year anyway) and some of the other countries that qualify. It might also help bring in more money to the ACBL having a team from a country outside America.

What bothers me more than anything is the fact that the US hasn't hosted a Bermuda Bowl since 1981, while Brazil, China, and Monaco have hosted multiple times in that same time span. I don't count Bermuda, since they should be allowed to host every 25 years on the anniversary. The Bermuda Bowl should move around more as well.

I wonder if the Butler is better than using Cross-IMPs (Trinidad explained the Butler to me). I also wonder if there's any way to modify the Butler to make it more accurate.

Where the Bermuda Bowl is played has a lot to do with money/sponsorship. I know that the WBF puts up a lot of money, but I'm pretty sure the host country has to also.

I hate to say it but this will undoubtedly be one of the easiest years to win a bermuda bowl in a long time and for a long time. No Helgemo/Helness, no Balicki/Zmud, no Fantoni/Nunes, No Meckwell/nickell, no diamond, etc.

I mean imagine how this event will be in 2 years when the nickell team is meckwell and levin/weinstein, monaco is h/h f/n, and italy is the same team as here, and the other USA team is quite possibly a team like diamond. On top of that the young dutch team will only get better. It should be pretty epic actually.

MrAce, on 2011-October-23, 07:54, said:

Well - my sister and few close friends live in Canada, they see Canada as a very different country from USA

JLOGIC, on 2011-October-24, 00:23, said:

At this point it is unlikely that the Monaco team will make it as H/H, F/N are not eligible to compete in the European championships next year, which is the qualifier for the BB 2013. Most believe that they will not have met the two-year residency qualification by June 2012 as they only moved to Monaco in December 2010.

Yu18772, on 2011-October-24, 01:00, said:

And i am sure you think Germans and British see each other as same country, or Greeks and Turks, Netherlands and Spain or Italians etc etc. I am also sure Mexico and USA see each other as same country since one of the 3 members of ACBL (Mexico) does not have the privilidge Canada has for BB.

If you think the numbers of players matters, France alone has 105,000 registered members while Canada has 17,000 registered members. And France has to battle his way to BB each time among 49 countries. They do not do this because someone's sister or friend feels like they are same country with Israel or Bulgarians believe me.

JLOGIC, on 2011-October-24, 00:23, said:

This is partially true. But among all 8 qualified teams in BB, Justin, you should be the last one to care about this. Since you played and beat both Nickell team and Diamond team in 128 boards match. And none of them were close matches, you won by huge gap. All players you listed except the ones from Monaco played. If you win BB, which i think you will, these teams not being there can not be used as an excuse against your team (except maybe Monaco, but dont forget this Italian team beat Monaco team in Italian league )

No Balicki-Zmudzinski either, which may partly explain the polish performance.

MrAce, on 2011-October-24, 02:37, said:

Not at all - I am very certain that EVERY country has a national pride, just like Canadians. As I said - they dont see themselves as part of USA......In every sport a country is very proud of its own team, and this is one of the reasons I think its important to have national teams, rather than just the best at BB. Successes of that team is something that draws people to that sport. There are other major events in which bridge players are free to compete regardless of nationality, which are played by the best of the best for large monetary prizes, but this is world championship - so they should represent the world, and their actual countries, not the number of players in these countries.

Gerardo, on 2011-October-24, 03:19, said:

The bilance of the polish team open in the last decade is pretty easy to present

2x with B-Z = 2x medal ( Malmö, Ostend )
XX witout B-Z = avarage performances or desasters.
I wish the PBU would be able to send to the WC the same team that played in Ostend ( lost the gold only by few imps )but this will not happen so long the TT exists.

One of the posters commented that one of the USA teams would be knocked out before the finals.

Is it not required that if both USA teams survive to the semifinals that they must play each other? This is to avoid an all-USA final which happened some years back.

ArtK78, on 2011-October-24, 08:35, said:

Yes, it is required. So finally there is a prediction in this thread that will come true.

MrAce, on 2011-October-23, 07:54, said:

You are sooo right, NA Zone should obv. only get 2 spots in the BB.

USA1 -USA2 moment of truth

MrAce, on 2011-October-24, 11:37, said:

After a stuttering performance in the round-robin, USA 1 did not lose a set to an Israeli team that some of us thought would really challenge them. On the other hand, USA 2 beat them in the RR and the online practice match. However I give USA 1 a slight edge especially as Hurd-Wooldridge, Grue-Lall played every board today in a tense match whereas USA 1 had a walkover in the final set.

Can't wait to be proved wrong!

There's more than one moment of truth tomorrow; I hereby revoke the Italians' presumed free pass to the finals and predict a USA2 v. Netherlands final.

I thought China put up an amazing challenge to Italy. I can't really tell if these top teams consciously or unconsciously don't play as hard against an unheralded team, or if China just over-performed. Justin alluded to Nickell not doing great in the RRs in years past - maybe for the same reason?

Whats up with Fredin and that -560? Doubling 1♠ looks like tilt-central to me.

I didn't watch any of USA1 and Israel but that match wasn't as close as I would have expected.

NL is really playing with confidence and they want this thing badly. I wouldn't be surprised if the SF with Italy is very close.

USA1/USA2?? PICKEM!!!!

Alluding to my pick for the winner of the Bermuda Bowl, I am pulling for USA 1 to win it all, the Dutch to take 2nd (they would replace Bulgaria in my original prediction), USA 2 to take 3rd, and Italy to take 4th. IF USA 2 would happen to win, then of course I am happy to be proven wrong and will pull for them to win it all.

There is one thing I disagree with, and that is always having USA 1 and USA 2 play each other in the Semifinal if they both qualify. First (for me), I would love to see an all-USA final. Second, hypothetically let's say in the Round Robin the USA teams qualified 1-2 or even 1-3 and then made the semis. Then we wouldn't have the best two teams in the finals. So, I would like to propose an addendum to the rule that when the two USA teams finish 1-2 or 1-3 in the RR, they are NOT required to play against each other in the semis (provided they both make it).

paulg, on 2011-October-24, 11:44, said:

I mean giving them the edge because you think they're better than us is reasonable, but acting like fatigue will be a factor for johnny and joel or joe and me is weird. We are professional bridge players who are used to playing 72 boards a day for 2 or 3 weeks straight. Playing 48 boards in a day sometimes, and 32 other days, is such a light schedule, I cannot imagine the fact that we played 48 boards in a closer match being a factor.

@chasetb...I'm sure many north americans and americans in general would love an all USA final. That doesn't mean it's good for the game. It would hurt the rooting interest, media coverage, everything. It would be bad business to allow that to happen. I think the rule is fine.

JLOGIC, on 2011-October-24, 13:12, said:

These are the reasons why the rule was instituted.

JLOGIC, on 2011-October-24, 13:12, said:

ArtK78, on 2011-October-24, 13:48, said:

I know why the rule was instituted, but I always want the best 2 teams available (I'm for the Monaco team, but that's just my opinion). If it happens to be USA teams, so be it. That's why I suggested ONLY when USA teams finish 1st and 2nd or 1st and 3rd in the Round Robin should it be allowed. Then it's highly likely they are in fact the two best teams in the BB, so we should allow the game and not politics to determine that. At times it seems that global politics is anti-US; I know for a fact FIFA is against us.

@JLOGIC I had little idea that the home country/city had to put up so much money in order to host the BB, that makes sense then why China has it a lot. D'Orsi might have had some influence in the multiple times in Brazil as well.