The World Championships have come and gone for another year.  However, it is the first time that they have come and gone with me as a participant.  While there is a world championship event every year, it is only every four years that an open world championship is held, i.e. he events are open to… Continue reading BRIDGE: World Championship Recap

Going into the last round, the relevant section of the standings in our group looked like this: 3. Siwik BT    129 4. Belgium     128 5. Rumelhart 120 The schedule makers were wise in our group as we got to play Belgium in the last match in what looked like a play-in match.  Chatting with my… Continue reading BRIDGE: World Championships, Day something or other

Welcome to the big leagues.  The “World Bridge Series” in Philadelphia moved to the team championships phase with the Rosenblum Cup (Open Teams) and McConnell Cup (Women’s Teams) events starting today.  The buzz around the tournament is that a substantial number of players have had visas denied (I have heard numbers as high as 130). … Continue reading BRIDGE: World Championships, Day 1

The World Bridge Series started on Saturday in Philadelphia.  Right now, the Mixed Pairs Championships are going on.  I am flying to Philadelphia tomorrow for the Open Teams Championships which start on Tuesday.  As of right now, there are 143 teams entered.  We will be separated into groups and play a round robin over three… Continue reading BRIDGE: World Championships in Philadelphia

I played in the Sunday Swiss at the Lansing Regional today with Kevin (what’s the deal with seven seven-board matches for the final Swiss?).  Things were going swimmingly at 4-0 with 64 VP’s (20 point scale), when… ♠ ♠ KQxx ♥ A9xxx ♥ Q10xxx ♦ Axx ♦ xxx ♣ KQ10xx ♣ J 1♥ 3♣ *… Continue reading BRIDGE: The One Percent Solution

Up early.  Always happens on the day that I am scheduled to leave for a nationals.  I have a flight this afternoon into New Orleans.  It has been a bit nerve-wracking over the past two days to watch the progress of tropical depression, nee tropical storm, Bonnie as it crossed the Atlantic, Florida and the… Continue reading BRIDGE: Do You Know What It Means to Miss New Orleans?

Yesterday marked the completion of the US Bridge Championships (USBC)  quarterfinal round.  The quarterfinals were 120 hands conducted over two days in eight sessions of fifteen boards each.  In two of the matches, the trailing teams conceded before the end.  The other two matches went the distance.  Of the four teams in those two matches,… Continue reading BRIDGE: USBC Quarterfinals – A new sponsor strategy?

A few bidding problems for you all to mull over from the sectional this weekend: 1. MP’s, all white ♠ — ♥ K9652 ♦ Q6 ♣ KJ8654 Opp  Partner Opp You 2♠ 3♥ 4♠ ?   2. MP’s, unfav. ♠ 8 ♥ A6 ♦ AK10965 ♣ AKQ7 Partner  Opp You Opp P P 1♦ 1♠… Continue reading BRIDGE: Detroit District Sectional Bidding Problems