Versace was outstanding

[Walddk]

Didn't anyone have the impression that if Nickell-Freeman had played a couple of rounds more to substitute and give a break to rest to Hamman-Soloway, the match would have been closer ?

I don't think so. Here is the Butler ranking (final only):

 

1. 0.22 Fulvio FANTONI - Claudio NUNES

2. 0.16 Norberto BOCCHI - Giorgio DUBOIN

3. 0.06 Lorenzo LAURIA - Alfredo VERSACE

4. -0.09 Paul SOLOWAY - Bob HAMMAN

5. -0.14 Jeff MECKSTROTH - Eric RODWELL

6. -0.23 Nick NICKELL - Dick FREEMAN

 

Roland

[Chamaco]

Didn't anyone have the impression that if Nickell-Freeman had played a couple of rounds more to substitute and give a break to rest to Hamman-Soloway, the match would have been closer ?

I don't think so. Here is the Butler ranking (final only):

 

1. 0.22 Fulvio FANTONI - Claudio NUNES

2. 0.16 Norberto BOCCHI - Giorgio DUBOIN

3. 0.06 Lorenzo LAURIA - Alfredo VERSACE

4. -0.09 Paul SOLOWAY - Bob HAMMAN

5. -0.14 Jeff MECKSTROTH - Eric RODWELL

6. -0.23 Nick NICKELL - Dick FREEMAN

 

Roland

Oh, I did not watch the ente tourney.

 

Would the ranking be different if considering only the final ?

[Walddk]

Oh, I did not atch the ente tourney.

 

Would the ramking be different if considering only the final ?

This is from the final only.

 

Roland

[MickyB]

A Butler from a two table event is fairly meaningless IMO.

[keylime]

Not many know this but Nickell-Freeman have been successful outside of USA 1.

 

They won the Life Master Pairs a couple of years ago. Not too shabby for a "sponsored" pair.

 

I can only imagine the tired minds trying to finish the event up.

[the hog]

Fantoni and Nunes were by far the best pair in the event. Don't look at the datums which are misleading, look at the bids and results made at the table.

[pclayton]

Not many know this but Nickell-Freeman have been successful outside of USA 1.

 

They won the Life Master Pairs a couple of years ago. Not too shabby for a "sponsored" pair.

 

I can only imagine the tired minds trying to finish the event up.

Dwayne, thats a nice sentiment, but all it means is N/F are capable, and not necessarily qualified.

 

When an altruistic sponsor enters American bridge and doesn't feel the need to play, then we will see what can happen.

 

There were sponsored teams all over the Transnational.

 

With the exception of Ekeblad and Nickell, was there another team in the BB that had a playing sponsor? None come to mind - hmmmmm.

[Guest Jlall]

With the exception of Ekeblad and Nickell, was there another team in the BB that had a playing sponsor? None come to mind - hmmmmm.

The indian team had a playing sponsor.

[mike777]

Nickell and Freeman are more than qualified, in fact they earned their spot and place in history. To suggest anything else is in very poor taste.

 

 

Freeman youngest Life Master 1952 and member of Hall of Fame. Edited Roth Stone system and Bridge is a Partnership Game back in the 1950's and 60's.

Both have won Blue Ribbon Pairs.

Numerous Spingolds, Vanderbilts, Reisingers, Team Trials, Cavendish, BAM, Master Mixed Teams, and GNOT.

 

Oh ya and a bunch of World Championships if those count at all?

 

I guess when 2 guys close to 70 lose the World Championships in the last few boards people think they deserve disrespect.

 

Italy deserved and earned their great win, N/F deserve and earned respect.

[han]

OK, before I give my opinion on this subject, let me say a few nice and honest words:

 

Nickell and Freeman are great bridge players and played an amazing tournament.

 

Now that I'm done with the obligatory politenesses:

 

I think that it would be great if the USA manages to send a BB team featuring the three strongest US pairs. I imagine that Greco-Hampson and Meckwell would be on this team (but I can think of several other pairs that might qualify for the 3rd spot). Unfortunately this would almost guarantee a USA-Italy final, but what a great final it would be!

[Walddk]

Unfortunately this would almost guarantee a USA-Italy final, but what a great final it would be!

Not sure I know what you mean. Why "unfortunately", and besides, isn't that exactly how it is now anyway?

 

Roland

[mike777]

Please note Australia has received an anonymous gift of 1 Million$ per year for several years to develop a team of players and win at the world level. Kokish has been hired as coach. Will be interesting to see what system the players choose to learn and win with.

[Guest Jlall]

1 million? wow...

[inquiry]

Please note Australia has received an anonymous gift of 1 Million$ per year for several years to develop a team of players and win at the world level. Kokish has been hired as coach. Will be interesting to see what system the players choose to learn and win with.

I have always wanted to live in australia... have em give me a call.. :-)

[mike777]

Players of all ages and sex will be added to the initial 6/8 that have been picked. In fact 2 of the players picked are very young, around 14? I add that many Ausie players that play at the top levels were not born in Aust. just as here in the USA.

 

Just a hint but I think if you want them to call first there may be a longer wait. They do want players but they expect a little more initiative.

[han]

Unfortunately this would almost guarantee a USA-Italy final, but what a great final it would be!

Not sure I know what you mean. Why "unfortunately", and besides, isn't that exactly how it is now anyway?

 

Roland

With "unfortunately" I meant not that I wouldn't like to see these two teams in the finals, but that it would be more fun if there were more teams that were close to Italy's level.

 

It is perhaps true that this would not be a great change, but this year the USA1-USA2 semi-final was very close and exciting. That's what I was thinking about.

[nickf]

Please note Australia has received an anonymous gift of 1 Million$ per year for several years to develop a team of players and win at the world level. Kokish has been hired as coach. Will be interesting to see what system the players choose to learn and win with.

If you want the full poop go to The OzOne Project.

 

9 pairs have been selected, including a pair of brothers aged about 13 and 14. As far as I'm aware, all the players are on wage plus bonuses for winning plus expenses to travel to national and some international tourneys. Expect to see some of them at the Hawaii NABC in 2006.

 

All pairs are required to put in 2 full days' training per week. Kokish has been hired as a coach but I think its a virtual coaching arrangement.

 

Note these players still have to play the normal qualifying events successfully to even make the Australian team.

 

Funny story about the million bucks though, it was brought into australia in a brown paper bag from Hong Kong.

 

nickf

sydney

[Guest Jlall]

All pairs are required to put in 2 full days' training per week. Kokish has been hired as a coach but I think its a virtual coaching arrangement.

I will train 7 days a week, sign me up lol. This would be a dream situation for me (well, depending on what the wage was I guess).

[mike777]

All pairs are required to put in 2 full days' training per week. Kokish has been hired as a coach but I think its a virtual coaching arrangement.

I will train 7 days a week, sign me up lol. This would be a dream situation for me (well, depending on what the wage was I guess).

Ya I really laughed when I read these requirements. Seems Hamman, Soloway and all those players played bridge closer to 24 hours a day 7 days a week when they came up. Read how one player slept in the club and cleaned up late at night to earn enough to eat. Now you got to play 8 hours twice a week...tough very tough.

[nickf]

Ya I really laughed when I read these requirements. Seems Hamman, Soloway and all those players played bridge closer to 24 hours a day 7 days a week when they came up.

I suspect you don't have a grasp on the bridge situation in the antipodes. There are very few bridge players who make a living solely from playing, and even then I would hardly call it making a living. The rest who play pro part-time are forced to hold down other full or near-full time jobs. Of the 18 players in the Oz-one squad:

 

- 2 are high school students

- 4 are bridge club owners

- 4 are full time bridge professionals

- 1 is a medical practioner

- 2 are retired from the work force

- 2 work as accountants or similar

- 1 contracts to the government full time

- 1 is a journalist/ author/ teacher

- 1 works part time in a bridge club and I think plays poker

 

Training 7 days a week is not an option unfortunately, well at least not on the wages I've heard Oz-one is paying them.

 

nickf

sydney

[mike777]

Ya I really laughed when I read these requirements. Seems Hamman, Soloway and all those players played bridge closer to 24 hours a day 7 days a week when they came up.

I suspect you don't have a grasp on the bridge situation in the antipodes. There are very few bridge players who make a living solely from playing, and even then I would hardly call it making a living. The rest who play pro part-time are forced to hold down other full or near-full time jobs. Of the 18 players in the Oz-one squad:

 

- 2 are high school students

- 4 are bridge club owners

- 4 are full time bridge professionals

- 1 is a medical practioner

- 2 are retired from the work force

- 2 work as accountants or similar

- 1 contracts to the government full time

- 1 is a journalist/ author/ teacher

- 1 works part time in a bridge club and I think plays poker

 

Training 7 days a week is not an option unfortunately, well at least not on the wages I've heard Oz-one is paying them.

 

nickf

sydney

I am sure you know more about Ausi bridge than myself but you missed the point of my post. The rest of my post was important. Some of these players sleeped on a cot in the back room and sweeped the floor for food money. That is not making a living playing bridge but total dedication or mania for bridge. These players did not waste time with school, part time jobs or full time jobs or playing Doctor, they played, slept and bleed bridge. This is not to say this is the only way to become multi time champions or to lead a healthy life but will let others tell their way to win.

 

If you have other priorities in life, such as a family, job, community service or career great. If you want bridge to be a hobby or a way to feed your children great. But these are not the same priorities as winning the world championship.

[pclayton]

Nickell and Freeman are more than qualified, in fact they earned their spot and place in history. To suggest anything else is in very poor taste.

 

 

Freeman youngest Life Master 1952 and member of Hall of Fame. Edited Roth Stone system and Bridge is a Partnership Game back in the 1950's and 60's.

Both have won Blue Ribbon Pairs.

Numerous Spingolds, Vanderbilts, Reisingers, Team Trials, Cavendish, BAM, Master Mixed Teams, and GNOT.

 

Oh ya and a bunch of World Championships if those count at all?

 

I guess when 2 guys close to 70 lose the World Championships in the last few boards people think they deserve disrespect.

 

Italy deserved and earned their great win, N/F deserve and earned respect.

Well, with all due respect to N/F....

 

Lets ask ourselves a few questions:

 

1. Who do we want on our national team? Obviously you want 3 of the best pairs, although it probably shouldn't be the three BEST pairs, since you want three compatible pairs.

 

2. If a poll was taken on who the top 5 pairs are in the country, where would N/F fall? Would they even make the top 5? I doubt it. The top 10? OK, probably.

 

3. If a poll was taken to determine the top 100 players in the country, where would R/M, H/S and N/F fall respectively?

 

If Nickell wants to put together the best 5 players around him and earns the right (by qualifying) to represent his country, then thats great. Another team will have to beat these great players to earn the right. My only question is what's best for American bridge. Maybe THIS is the best practical situation, since corporate sponsorship of teams in the US is non-existent.

 

But it certainly isn't ideal.

[mike777]

My only question is what's best for American bridge. Maybe THIS is the best practical situation, since corporate sponsorship of teams in the US is non-existent.

 

But it certainly isn't ideal.

Great question, what is best for American bridge?

 

As is usual with this kind of question perhaps defining and coming to some agreement what the word BEST means will make finding an answer easier.

 

Best does not have to be defined as winning bridge, it does not even have to be defined as good bridge. It might just be defined as allowing the opportunity to compete but in any event good question to try and understand..:).

[fred]

If Nickell wants to put together the best 5 players around him and earns the right (by qualifying) to represent his country, then thats great. Another team will have to beat these great players to earn the right. My only question is what's best for American bridge. Maybe THIS is the best practical situation, since corporate sponsorship of teams in the US is non-existent.

 

But it certainly isn't ideal.

Agree with this.

 

One of the reasons that America can compete at the top levels of international bridge is because our very best players and partnerships are in the same league as those from other leading bridge countries.

 

If it were not for sponsors like Nickell, this would probably not be the case. Sponsorship has made it possible for the most talented American players to make a good living out of bridge. It has also given these players reason to play more, to work harder on their partnerships, to have additional motivation for playing well (and winning), and to conduct themselves "professionally". All of these things are conducive to success.

 

Sure it would be better if the money came from a corporation, but when the playing sponsor has Nickell's skills and character, that is pretty close to ideal situation both for his professional players and for American bridge.

 

Fred Gitelman

Bridge Base Inc.

www.bridgebase.com

[ArcLight]

Just my 2 cents but ...

 

As an American, I want the USA team to win, but I don't really care too much, since bridge at that level is so far above me. It seems a bit "unfair" to have a playing sponsor, but I'd far rather a wealthy (and highly talented) player spend their money on bridge than on something else. It's "unfair" to some of the other strong pairs who don't get to compete because they haven't been hired by the right team. Lets say 10 pairs have missed out of getting a chance. Thats unfortunate for them, but not horrible for bridge in the USA.

 

I don't even see how having the USA win the gold really helps bridge in the USA. Most players below Grand Master level aren't going to use those complex bidding structures.

 

 

I'd rather see some competitions with fairly simple bidding systems that are almost convention free. Simple enough that intermediates and above couldenjoy watching and guess what to bid. (Not that I think this will happen)