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Back to six matches per round Wednesday. Our fixtures are: Round 10 Netherlands v Croatia Belarus v France Italy v Greece Germany v Belgium Monaco v Turkey Czech Republic v Denmark Round 11: Russia v Germany France v Norway Lithuania v Italy Portugal v Poland Spain v Finland Croatia v Czech Republic Round 12: Iceland v Croatia Sweden v France Italy v Turkey Germany v Wales Poland v Belarus Netherlands v Monaco

From tomorrow (Tuesday), for a number of reasons, we have cut it down to five matches per session. I think it's a good decision. Our matches are as follows: Round 7: Ireland v Sweden France v Russia Finland v Italy Germany v Poland Iceland v Netherlands Round 8: Czech Republic v Iceland Wales v France Italy v Spain Monaco v Greece Croatia v Turkey Round 9: Russia v Poland France v Portugal Serbia v Italy Finland v Israel Ireland v Bulgaria

4♥. If partner has a very strong hand with spades, he will bid 4♠ now. I am in a much better position than I would have been if I had 5 spades instead of 5 hearts. Then a jump to 4♠ may create problems. Roland

From day one we are in a position to offer commentary in English, French, Polish, Italian, Turkish and German (Austria v Germany). We may add Greek, Spanish, Dutch and 'Scandinavian' at some point. Roland

I would like to see your face when when you read that the women don't start until Thursday :D You do have our vugraph schedule web page bookmarked, right Gerben? Roland

I now have our matches for Rounds 1-6 (Sunday and Monday, Open series). Six sessions, 14 tables for each. Lovely/gruelling, take your pick :) Round 1: Italy v Switzerland Hungary v Germany Norway v Belarus Austria v Poland Bulgaria v Russia Greece v Netherlands Spain v Iceland Round 2: Russia v Ireland Slovakia v France Monaco v Italy Germany v Estonia Wales v Bulgaria Iceland v Serbia Luxembourg v Turkey Round 3: France v Poland Italy v England Austria v Germany Turkey v Netherlands Hungary v Russia Greece v Iceland Spain v Denmark Round 4: Belgium v Austria Romania v France Germany v San Marino England v Latvia Portugal v Ireland Luxembourg v Netherlands Czech Republic v Turkey Round 5: Bulgaria v Norway France v Germany Italy v Latvia Israel v England Serbia v Croatia Turkey v Iceland Austria v Russia Round 6: Italy v Israel France v Belgium Slovakia v Germany Norway v Ireland England v Finland Netherlands v Czech Republic Poland v Romania ... http://online.bridgebase.com/vugraph/sched...?order_by=event ... With some luck I will get the following day's fixtures early in the evening the day before. Then I will post them right here as soon as possible. Roland

Paul is right; a carryover makes no sense when you have to play against the same 8 teams again. 40 boards against 8 teams, only 20 against the other 9. Where do you find the logic? Much better to let them start from scratch. Roland

More news. According to Xavier Schurer, head of information in the FFB, we will be broadcasting from 7 matches (14 tables) in every round. Whether that includes the two tables from Italy's matches is unclear. No matter what, plenty to choose from. Some like that concept, some don't. Personally I would have preferred fewer matches, first of all because we have access to running scores in all other matches. Roland

Just in. The Poles have given up on broadcasting Poland's matches. The conditions offered by the FFB were too expensive for the Polish federation. Roland

10.30, 14.15 and 17.35 Paris (CET) time. Subtract 9 hours for Los Angeles, 6 hours for New York, 1 hour for London, and add 8 hours for Sydney. Roland

We have very little info regarding which and how many matches we are getting in each round, but one thing I do know (confirmed a few minutes ago): All of Italy's matches (two tables) will be shown with English commentary in the closed room, Italian in the open. Almost always from the Open series, but we will also get the occasional match from the Women's and Seniors'. Most likely we will also be broadcasting from France's and Poland's matches, but that needs to be confirmed. I am in touch with sources in the FFB and PZBS and will let you know as I get more information. Additionally (with a small question mark), we will be showing at least one other match, so my estimate at this point is 8 tables per session, perhaps even more for some. There must be a reason why the FFB requested 20 vugraph accounts. Roland

I agree with Harald; Netherlands will be serious contenders for gold. The Dutch have three very strong pairs, Italy has 2½. With all due respect, Angelini is not in the same league as the other five. I have not forgotten that Italy won the championships, comprehensively even, with the same team on home soil in 2002, but things have changed: - 1. The format is different. - 2. The Italians are not as strong as they used to be. - 3. The other teams have improved considerably. I predict that Italy will not risk Sementa-Angelini much when we reach stage two, and that will put a lot of pressure on the other two pairs. 17 matches of 20 boards after they have completed 19 matches (also 20 boards). Not a single day off. That will take its toll even for the 'invincible' Italians. No matter which two pairs Netherlands select for a match, they field their strongest team if you see what I mean. That is not the case with Italy. As for Ireland, I don't think they are in for anything big. I won't go into detail, but you need to have some inside information to make this prediction. Roland

Congrats Netherlands; what a joy to watch! Romania v France was excruciatingly bad, but NL v Italy had all a football fan could hope for. Roland

You took a chance when you doubled, and you lost. Accept the poor result and get on with life. And yes, I am sorry to say that if I had been on a committee, I would have deemed it an appeal without merit. Roland

Last night, as an exception to the rule, Germany actually played attractive football, but somehow they always manage to reach the knockout stages of European and World Championships - often semi-finals and final. However, the win yesterday was Germany's first in European Championships since 1996. Roland

[hv=d=n&v=e&n=saq87hak7dk83ck96&s=skj1052h1094d54ca107]133|200|Scoring: MP S: 4S Lead: H5[/hv] Some conventions are excellent, and one poor result does not prove anything. However, bear in mind that sometimes these conventions may backfire. You don't get anything for nothing. Compare the following two auctions on this deal: A: 1♣ 1♥ 1♠ pass 4♠ - all pass B: 1♣ 2NT* 3♠** pass 4♠ - all pass * The unusual 2NT, hearts and diamonds, at least 5-5. ** non-forcing. The lead is ♥5. - How do you play the hand after auction A? - How do you play the hand after auction B? You may want to start with B, no problem, but please remember which forum we are in and hold back if you are advanced or better. Roland

You got the format wrong. Han. There is no such thing as 'finals'. 2 x 9 teams qualify from RR stage 1, and then the 18 teams play another complete RR for gold, silver and bronze. Roland

Let me stick my neck out and predict that the following teams will come through to the second stage: Group A: Turkey Spain Finland Israel Italy England Denmark Iceland Netherlands Group B: France Hungary Ireland Bulgaria Sweden Norway Russia Germany Poland ... Medalists in the other series: Women: 1. Netherlands 2. Germany 3. France Seniors: 1. Denmark 2. France 3. Poland

Here is the draw for the European Team Championships starting Sunday next week ... http://bridge.ecats.co.uk/Documents/files/.../TeamsDraws.pdf Group B seems a little stronger to me, but not by much. Nine teams from each group will advance to the second stage of the round-robin. And coincidentally, Israel and Lebanon are in different groups. The luck of the draw I bet (not). The new format will save the EBL from the embarrasment of having an adjusted result when the Lebanese don't turn up. Yes indeed, they could meet in RR2, although it's unlikely that Lebanon will advance. Roland

I can verify that. Not once during the 6 years I have been coordinating our vugraph presentations did Fred or Uday interfere with or overrule a decision I made. I had a few delicate calls to make but that is part of the job. On occasions, mainly regarding abusive language by commentators and the consequences, I have conferred with one or both of them before I made a decision, but I did not have to. Fred and Uday are both very supportive of their staff. They have wisely chosen to rely on the staff they hired for a particular job. Just like managers do in real life. Roland

Gavin Wolpert just told me that the contract was ruled back to 6NT and that here was no appeal. Roland

By the way, I am beginning to realise that 5NT is not necessarily a grand slam try and agree with you. I guess Rosenberg would also have bid 3♦ on Axx xx KQ10xxx xx Opposite that hand even 6♦ is no bargain. It's actually pretty poor. Then one can ask the question if Zia's 4NT was too aggressive. If yes, what should he have bid? Double? Roland

[hv=d=n&v=n&n=sqxxhaxdajxcak10xx&s=saxxhkxdkq10xxxcqx]133|200|Scoring: IMP[/hv] Clubs were 2-4, and 7♦ made. Roland

I don't know the ruling, but I know that Rosenberg had the hand that bid 7♦ over 6NT. Was against Spector in the quarter-finals (Wolpert - Spector were EW at this table). Roland

So you pass. Now, what do you when the tray comes back to you with 4♠ pass pass? Do you invite yourself to the party? Roland