Lobowolf Posted October 7, 2009 Report Share Posted October 7, 2009 The related thread got me wondering. Let me preface by saying that I'm in favor of a team selection process. Having said that, though, the comments about team chemistry and so forth has me curious. I'd like to get some sort of consensus about who the 3 best pairs in the country are, then see how many here would actually take the position a team consisting of 6 other people would be a better team. So...to start the show...who ARE the 3 best pairs in the country (at IMP scoring), anyway? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jdonn Posted October 7, 2009 Report Share Posted October 7, 2009 jdonn/jlallhan/cherdano653321/anyone Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Phil Posted October 7, 2009 Report Share Posted October 7, 2009 jdonn/jlallhan/cherdano653321/anyone No you just got a wire on Cherdano's picks. In the wrong order I might add. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
uday Posted October 7, 2009 Report Share Posted October 7, 2009 What do you mean by "best pair?" Pair with highest IMP expectation per board vs club players?Pair with highest IMP expectation per board vs other US experts?Pair with highest IMP expectation per board vs Italy? Pair with highest IMP expectation per dollar? Pair most likely to win the world championship playing with weak teammates?Pair most likely to win the world championship playing with strong teammates? Pair with most volatility? Pair with least volatility? Pair with largest fan base? U Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
quiddity Posted October 7, 2009 Report Share Posted October 7, 2009 Pair with the most posts on BBO forums. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lobowolf Posted October 7, 2009 Author Report Share Posted October 7, 2009 What do you mean by "best pair?" Pair with highest IMP expectation per board vs club players?Pair with highest IMP expectation per board vs other US experts?Pair with highest IMP expectation per board vs Italy? Pair with highest IMP expectation per dollar? Pair most likely to win the world championship playing with weak teammates?Pair most likely to win the world championship playing with strong teammates? Pair with most volatility? Pair with least volatility? Pair with largest fan base? U Pairs most likely to win a pairs qualification event for a team selection. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
matmat Posted October 7, 2009 Report Share Posted October 7, 2009 jdonn/jlallhan/cherdano653321/anyone han is no longer in the country? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hrothgar Posted October 7, 2009 Report Share Posted October 7, 2009 The related thread got me wondering. Let me preface by saying that I'm in favor of a team selection process. Having said that, though, the comments about team chemistry and so forth has me curious. I'd like to get some sort of consensus about who the 3 best pairs in the country are, then see how many here would actually take the position a team consisting of 6 other people would be a better team. So...to start the show...who ARE the 3 best pairs in the country (at IMP scoring), anyway? Interesting question... Here's my vote: Meckstroth - RodwellLevin - WeinsteinHamman - Zia Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
awm Posted October 7, 2009 Report Share Posted October 7, 2009 It can be hard to tell because a lot of the top players are mostly playing in team events and often with the same set of teammates. Here's a list of US players who have made the top four in the "big three" US team events since 2005 (Spingold, Vanderbilt, Reisinger); they are not in any particular order but people with multiple finishes have numbers by their names. Russ Ekeblad 5Ron Rubin 3Matt GranovetterRose Meltzer 4Kyle Larsen 4Alan Sontag 4David Berkowitz 4Larry Cohen 4Carolyn LynchMike Passell 2John Diamond 2Brian Platnick 2Fred Gitelman 4Brad Moss 4Geoff Hampson 4Eric Greco 4Roy Welland 5Bjorn Fallenius 2Brian Glubok 2Steve Garner 2Howard Weinstein 2Billy Cohen 4Ron Smith 4James Cayne 7Mike Seamon 7Roger Bates 3Nick Nickell 7Bob Hamman 7Hemant Lall 2Jeff Meckstroth 7Eric Rodwell 7Paul Soloway 4Christal Henner-Welland 2Chris WillenkenHailong AoJiang GuDavid ChechelashviliJian-Jian WangRichard Freeman 6George Jacobs 4Ralph Katz 4Zia Mahmood 5Michael Rosenberg 4Debbie RosenbergSteve Weinstein 3Robert Levin 3Robert Hollman 2Curtis Cheek 3Joe Grue 3Bruce Ferguson 2Tom CarmichaelMichael WhiteJoel WooldridgeDan GerstmanJohn HurdJohn Onstott 2Jim Robison 2Drew Casen 2Jim Krekorian 2Peter Weichsel 2Jim MahaffeyLou Ann O'RourkeMarc JacobusFred ChangChip Martel 4Lew Stansby 4Rita Shugart Richard Schwartz 2Mike Becker 4Chris ComptonSamuel CohenPeter SchneiderGrant BazeEddie WoldBilly EisenbergRichard CorenMichael MossAubrey Strul 2Jacek PszczolaGary Cohler Looking at this list, the most successful partnerships over the past five years, counting only those where both players are Americans and both living, would appear to be: Meckstroth-RodwellCayne-SeamonHamman-MahmoodMahmood-M. RosenbergGreco-HampsonGitelman-B. MossSmith-B. CohenMartel-StansbyBerkowitz-L. CohenLarson-SontagJacobs-KatzEkeblad-RubinFallenius-WellandLevin-S. WeinsteinCheek-Grue Nick Nickell has a great record too, and Nickell-Freeman would be high on the list except for Freeman passing away recently. Of course, there is some bias here because of the "teams" nature of competition. In particular I'd say that Cayne-Seamon and Jacobs-Katz are suspect because they play on so many teams with top international players like the Italians, and it's a well-known sponsor situation. Throwing out those two pairings, the rest of this list is probably representative of top American pairs (obviously one can argue for a number of other pairs as well, so it's not clear-cut that no one else belongs). In fact we have often sent teams consisting of two pairs from this list plus a third "sponsor pair." Replacing the sponsor pair with another of these top pairs would probably get us to the "best team" or near enough so. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jdonn Posted October 7, 2009 Report Share Posted October 7, 2009 My serious vote Meckstroth/RodwellLevin/WeinsteinHamman/Zia my next pairs would beFred/BradGreco/HampsonGrue/Cheek but it's hard for me to rate them due to the high variance I'm not nearly as "in the know" on these things as I used to be. Also apologies to Smith/Cohen, Garner/Weinstein, and Katz who I think is the best (at least American) pro at playing with clients but doesn't seem to really have a steady long term pro partnership. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rain Posted October 7, 2009 Report Share Posted October 7, 2009 Fantasy baseball just ended. Someone create fantasy Bridge for 2010? ;) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Phil Posted October 8, 2009 Report Share Posted October 8, 2009 My serious vote Meckstroth/RodwellLevin/WeinsteinHamman/Zia my next pairs would beFred/BradGreco/HampsonGrue/Cheek but it's hard for me to rate them due to the high variance I'm not nearly as "in the know" on these things as I used to be. Also apologies to Smith/Cohen, Garner/Weinstein, and Katz who I think is the best (at least American) pro at playing with clients but doesn't seem to really have a steady long term pro partnership. I wouldn't put H and Z in there, but there's a 4 way tie for #3 IMO. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PeterGill Posted October 8, 2009 Report Share Posted October 8, 2009 My guess: Meckstroth - RodwellLevin - Weinstein 3rd either Gitelman - Moss orMartel - Stansby orCohen (retired) - Berkowitz Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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