[Codo]

hotShot, on May 14 2008, 09:03 PM, said:

On the other hand in an united Europe nationality should be completely irrelevant (for competition in sports).

You are not from Europe, are you?

Great Britain exists since a million years, but they still play as England, Scotland, Wales and NI.

And there is not much sense in an European Championship with the starters: EU, Switzerland, Russia and two others.

We all prefer to cheer for our home crowd. In my opinion we should be more stringent about who starts for which country not less.

I have really no idea why B_Z should be able to start for Russia.

[helene_t]

Codo, on May 14 2008, 01:50 PM, said:

I have really no idea why B_Z should be able to start for Russia.

It's a win-win. Russia's team would improve, B-Z would play on a team they like to play for, and the Polish team (disclaimer: my unqualified guess) would not care since B-Z would neither want to nor be allowed to play for the Polish team.

[hotShot]

Codo, on May 14 2008, 02:50 PM, said:

Great Britain exists since a million years, but they still play as England, Scotland, Wales and NI.

So why should the Basque's, Bavarians or [place your favorite local group here] not be allowed to compete?

Codo, on May 14 2008, 02:50 PM, said:

And there is not much sense in an European Championship with the starters: EU, Switzerland, Russia and two others.

I think the winner of the Super Bowl is called World Champion ...

Codo, on May 14 2008, 02:50 PM, said:

We all prefer to cheer for our home crowd. In my opinion we should be more stringent about who starts for which country not less.

I have really no idea why B_Z should be able to start for Russia.

Competing in a championship for "people living an specified region" makes much more sense to me than a championship for "people you are spread all over the world, but inherited a nationality".

[TimG]

hotShot, on May 14 2008, 07:03 AM, said:

In other sports, you are required to have the nationality of he country that you compete for. So in a way this regulation is relaxed.

In some events, yes. In some events, no. There are some Brazilians that play in the English premiere league, no?

Are there prestigious European events that are open, sort of the equivalent of the ACBL's Spingold and Vanderbilt?

[Gerben42]

Quote

Are there prestigious European events that are open, sort of the equivalent of the ACBL's Spingold and Vanderbilt?

Yes, the Open European Championships. But they were then held in Menton under horrid conditions, and the "rest of the world" has not been hot to participate ever since.

[Walddk]

TimG, on May 14 2008, 03:18 PM, said:

Are there prestigious European events that are open, sort of the equivalent of the ACBL's Spingold and Vanderbilt?

Tim, I don't think you have been following European bridge closely over the past five years. The 1st European Open Championships took place in Menton, France, in 2003, to be followed by the 2nd in Tenerife, Spain, in 2005. And to be followed by the 3rd in Antalya, Turkey, in 2007.

Note Open. It's open to everyone (just like the French Open in tennis for example), regardless of nationality. Many North Americans participated in all three events.

Roland

[Fluffy]

Nobody supports Spain? .

Oh well, the players don't think they have a chance themselves so its ok

I will support Netherlands, Norway and specially Sweden, go Per-Ola!

[Codo]

helene_t, on May 14 2008, 09:57 PM, said:

Codo, on May 14 2008, 01:50 PM, said:

I have really no idea why B_Z should be able to start for Russia.

It's a win-win. Russia's team would improve, B-Z would play on a team they like to play for, and the Polish team (disclaimer: my unqualified guess) would not care since B-Z would neither want to nor be allowed to play for the Polish team.

I don't share your view.

The opponents lose, because Russia should be stronger then without them.
The Poles lose, because they will "never" be able to line up this strong pair again.

So the win win situation is just for the pair and Russia. Anybody else looses.

[TimG]

Walddk, on May 14 2008, 08:36 AM, said:

Tim, I don't think you have been following European bridge closely over the past five years.

No, I have not been following European bridge closely.

[Codo]

hotShot, on May 14 2008, 10:13 PM, said:

Codo, on May 14 2008, 02:50 PM, said:

Great Britain exists since a million years, but they still play as England, Scotland, Wales and NI.

So why should the Basque's, Bavarians or [place your favorite local group here] not be allowed to compete?

Codo, on May 14 2008, 02:50 PM, said:

And there is not much sense in an European Championship with the starters: EU, Switzerland, Russia and two others.

I think the winner of the Super Bowl is called World Champion ...

Codo, on May 14 2008, 02:50 PM, said:

We all prefer to cheer for our home crowd. In my opinion we should be more stringent about who starts for which country not less.

I have really no idea why B_Z should be able to start for Russia.

Competing in a championship for "people living an specified region" makes much more sense to me than a championship for "people you are spread all over the world, but inherited a nationality".

1. As far as I know, just countries are allowed to participate. There is just one exception: The members of the common wealth are all able to play under their own flag. Their surely is an historical reason for this, but I don't know it.

2. Yanks call the winners of the super bowl world champion (?), they call the finals of the baseball season as world series. But who cares, these are quite regional events. To call soemthing world series where the world did not participate is good merchandising, nothing else.

3. You may belive that a championship of the regions makes more sense then competion of nations, but this is simply not the view of the majority. If we have our soccer games between all 16 states of Germany there are about 5.000 people who enjoy the show. For the WC games there had been millions of interessted people.

[FrancesHinden]

Fluffy, on May 14 2008, 02:57 PM, said:

Nobody supports Spain? .

Oh well, the players don't think they have a chance themselves so its ok

I will support Netherlands, Norway and specially Sweden, go Per-Ola!

England's not on the list either, but then I'm supporting the Netherlands anyway.

(My team played English team two weekends ago, and one English+one Irish pair last weekend over 32 board matches. We won one by 9 and lost one by 4 and I doubt anyone seriously thinks my team could compete successfully in these championships. The amazing thing is that they somehow won the trials.)

[ulven]

Looks like B-Z is onboard:
http://www.ecatsbridge.com/documents/docde...ean%5COpenTeams

The EBL had a lengthy meeting yesterday, I believe, where the question about representation was a major topic. Don't have any details yet.

[Walddk]

ulven, on May 14 2008, 07:42 PM, said:

Looks like B-Z is onboard:
http://www.ecatsbridge.com/documents/docde...ean%5COpenTeams

The EBL had a lengthy meeting yesterday, I believe, where the question about representation was a major topic. Don't have any details yet.

Interesting. So where are Gromov - Dubinin now? They are listed here ...

http://www.eurobridge.org/competitions/08P...amid=Russia@674

But a 3rd pair's (Kholomeev - Khyuppenen) CC is on ecatsbridge.

Roland

[paulg]

I have just published a brief analysis of the systems for the Women Series on my blog.

Paul

[skjaeran]

Gerben42, on May 12 2008, 09:32 PM, said:

This the one?

Jonas Helness: http://pokerdb.thehe...php?a=r&n=50614

Yes

[skjaeran]

Codo, on May 14 2008, 04:13 PM, said:

1. As far as I know, just countries are allowed to participate. There is just one exception: The members of the common wealth are all able to play under their own flag. Their surely is an historical reason for this, but I don't know it.

In bridge this is pretty new. Until recently Great Brittain could send only one team to the European Championships. The first time England, Scotland, Ireland and Wales could enter their own teams was in 2003.

In football (soccer ) it's a different story.

[Walddk]

skaeran, on May 15 2008, 08:24 PM, said:

Codo, on May 14 2008, 04:13 PM, said:

1. As far as I know, just countries are allowed to participate. There is just one exception: The members of the common wealth are all able to play under their own flag. Their surely is an historical reason for this, but I don't know it.

In bridge this is pretty new. Until recently Great Brittain could send only one team to the European Championships. The first time England, Scotland, Ireland and Wales could enter their own teams was in 2003.

In football (soccer ) it's a different story.

Not quite correct, Harald. First time we saw England, Scotland and Wales as separate entities was in year 2000 (Olympiad in Maastricht, Netherlands). Then we had the same three (bridge) nations at the European Team Championships in 2001 (Tenerife, Spain) and 2002 (Salsomaggiore, Italy).

As an aside, Italy Open fielded the exact same team in Salso and won. Team photo here ...

http://www.eurobridge.org/competitions/02S...lsomaggiore.htm

Roland

[Gerben42]

Quote

As an aside, Italy Open fielded the exact same team in Salso and won. Team photo here ...

http://www.eurobridg...lsomaggiore.htm

In the Netherlands we like to think that compared to 2002, we have improved a lot relative to the Italians. Besides looking at this picture, I can also live with the Dutch ladies winning again (about time anyway).

[ansoe]

Walddk, on May 15 2008, 02:59 PM, said:

skaeran, on May 15 2008, 08:24 PM, said:

Codo, on May 14 2008, 04:13 PM, said:

1. As far as I know, just countries are allowed to participate. There is just one exception: The members of the common wealth are all able to play under their own flag. Their surely is an historical reason for this, but I don't know it.

In bridge this is pretty new. Until recently Great Brittain could send only one team to the European Championships. The first time England, Scotland, Ireland and Wales could enter their own teams was in 2003.

In football (soccer ) it's a different story.

Not quite correct, Harald. First time we saw England, Scotland and Wales as separate entities was in year 2000 (Olympiad in Maastricht, Netherlands). Then we had the same three (bridge) nations at the European Team Championships in 2001 (Tenerife, Spain) and 2002 (Salsomaggiore, Italy).

As an aside, Italy Open fielded the exact same team in Salso and won. Team photo here ...

http://www.eurobridge.org/competitions/02S...lsomaggiore.htm

Roland

This is not correct. Irish teams, ( Open and Women's) have played in European Championships for 60 years.

[Gerben42]

AFAIK Ireland hasn't been part of the United Kingdom for a while... What is discussed here is the bridge teams of the parts that make up the U.K, i.e.

* England
* Scotland
* Wales
* Northern Ireland
* Channel Isles?