Ogopogo-Ogle Issue 6

Issue 6 Sunday, June 8, 2003 Gordon Starts Slow but Outmuscles Ge wreaks Revenge after 2002 Loss Foster over the Long Haul The Ge team were intense and committed The Foster foursome playing in the gold after their semifinal loss in 2002. They medal game in the CWTC started like a topped the Round Robin and they won their house afire leading after 18 boards by 62-28 semifinal handily. IMPs. At the half, it looked like they had the stuff to lay a licking on the quality, They started the final with a 6 IMP deficit experienced, 6 woman team from Ontario, which ballooned to 35 IMPs at the half. maintaining a 91-53 IMPs over Gordon. After supper, the Ge team found their Clearly the Gordon team took their Wheaties winning ways and despite the fact that this at the supper break and came back with a was the only quarter that they won, their 70- vengeance in the third quarter and closed the 9 IMP margin on those 18 boards were the gap to 4 IMPs (100-96). The Foster team, difference. Custead came back to close the facing a strong opponent and imminent margin (26 IMPs at the ¾ pole) to 9 IMPs at exhaustion, fell to pieces in the final stanza - the end. resulting in a score of 168-115 Gordon at the end. There was some initial confusion about an appeal for a first half infraction. The issue The Foster team took their silvers with class was one of correction of a call from dummy and no excuses, reminiscent of the class without pause or hesitation for thought. The shown by the Kathy Adachi team last year. appealing team was playing in 3NT and, It must be particularly galling on Marcia holding Qxx of spades and finding Ajx in Christie who was with Adachi last year and dummy, a player saw the king of spades led. Foster this year and was so close only to After due consideration and planning his have victory withheld one more time. play for the next several tricks, he called low Wonderful game, ladies, and congratulations spade and then, almost immediately, to both teams. attempted to correct the call. To some this possible ruling rests on the difference between careless or inferior play and illogical play. Clearly, if declarer takes the king with his ace, he has three spade tricks and if he ducks he only has two and, in fact, a wide open diamond suit. The Director ruled that the trick stayed as played and then the team captain indicated a desire to lodge an appeal. The Director thought he had The Foster Team (see Page 10 for the Gordon Team) directed them to the Director-in-Charge and 1 the team thought he had agreed to take the Favorites Win their Quarter issue to the Director-in-Charge. In fact, nothing happened. After the award of the Final Matches in Flight A gold to the Ge team and the silver to the Custead team, a decision was made to hold Fergani, MacIntyre, Nagy, and Maksymetz an appeal hearing. finished the Round Robin 1, 2, 3, and 4 and all of them came through the quarter final to The appeal was heard and while a literal the semifinals which go later today. reading of Law 45C would appear to go in favour of the appellant, it appears that the Sinno gave Fergani a momentary scare in Laws Commission of the ACBL has the first quarter, but soon took charg,e changed the way Law 45C should be leading by 32 at the half, 52 after 48 boards interpreted as a direct result of the ‘Oh Shit’ and a finishing score of 196-100 for a decision from the Vancouver NABC. As a convincing 96 IMP win. They have selected result, the appeal was not upheld – the Ge MacIntyre for their opposition later today. team keeps the gold and the Custead team gets the silver. MacIntyre started with a slight 4 IMP margin, stretched it to 48 at the half and then Custead must go back to Saskatchewan with coasted to a final score of 131-111 and a 20 the consolation prize after a week of IMP victory. wonderfully played bridge. Once again, I harp on an old theme: there are no losers in Nagy led by 5 after 16 boards, 23 at the half this event and settling for the second best B and then put on quite a show - winning the team in Canada is no shame. third stanza by a 58-2 margin. Trailing by 79 IMP s (120-41), the offer of a beer by the Nagy team was enough enticement to cause the Herold team to withdraw with some of their self respect intact. In the last match, it looked early on like there was a battle royal pending with a 30- 30 draw at the quarter. Maksymetz seemingly came awake after the draw and pulled steadily away with a lead of 87-60 at the half, 129-94 after 48 boards, and a final The Ge Team tally of 156-114. So, later today, it will be Fergani vs. MacIntyre and Nagy vs. Maksymetz. None of these teams seemingly like each other much although there was some gentle joking between one of the Fergani team and one of the MacIntyre team as the Fergani team member denied that the choice had been to his liking. By early Monday morning we will know the 2 finalists. The Custead Team 2 Move to the Trade and Software Review… Convention Centre Planned Cavendish 2000 Invitational Pairs While we have had a fantastic week and By Kit Woolsey been so well cared for by the folks here at It is May 10th, 2000. We are at the Desert the Executive Inn and Convention Centre, Inn Hotel in Las Vegas, Nevada. Yesterday today is our last day at this fine facility. there were a bunch of non-playing events Tomorrow morning, the CNTC-A Finals and designed to make us relax. They just made the second day of the CWTC playoff will most of us even more nervous. The move to the Penticton Trade and Convention welcoming brunch is over. You and your Centre about 7 blocks west of here. partners in the team have gone on the With preparations beginning for the Calcutta Auction Block and you dutifully Penticton Regional, the organizers and the arrange to buy half of yourselves back from perennial chair of the Regional have had the the successful bidder…and proceed without Trade and Convention Centre space booked delay to the playing site for three sessions of for many years. It seemed too good an teams. opportunity to miss to use space which is You and your team play… not badly, but essentially free. We have located these you end up just out of the money after the critical matches in rooms away from the third session ends on Thursday afternoon. madding crowd and we trust that the venue You attend the cocktail party, fortify will meet with the approval of the players. yourself with a couple of stiff ones and get And, of course, starting at 8:00 pm ready for the Invitational Pairs Auction. tomorrow evening, the fun starts at the Regional. As you and your partner go on the block for the pairs event you are really attentive since A few volunteers with pickups would be the prices have been high. As the hammer appreciated to help move some of the ‘stuff’ comes down you realize what it will cost to we have collected over the week. Thanks to buy half of yourself back (teams went for all who can lend a hand. between $10,000 and $55,000). But, what the hey… it’s only money and you ARE in the big time. You put the coin on the table and you try to get a good night’s sleep. You are restive as visions of ruffed aces run through your head. Finally morning comes and you go and swim a few laps and work out for a few minutes. No heavy-drinking, nicotine- addicted, out-of-shape bridge player you. You know that to survive the next 3 days you are going to have to be in shape. About 9:00 you meet your partner for breakfast and between bites you try to work out those last minute potentials for error (as if you can see 3 the problems that are going to come out of This is clearly a recommended program. the boards). You get to play every deal in the Cavendish 2000 with a mentor standing behind you Finally, about 10:30 you go up to the correcting your every play and telling you playing site. There sit 25 tables, the why. It is something you should use in progenitor of bloody wars. The information isolation or else turn the sound off since on the wall suggests that the total prize others around you will begin to think you money will be something OVER a million know nothing of the game with the number dollars. Wow, this is starting to look like of cat calls and breaking glass you create. professional tennis or golf. There is a sheen of perspiration on your palms. You are For $30.00 US, you will get several days of afraid that your partner might not be up to intensive lessons from a world class player. the stress. You are even more afraid that And, as with most of these offerings, it is you might not.

Load more