Ocbl Open League: Ready, Steady
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OCBL JOURNAL Issue N. 84. Monday, 10 May, 2021 OCBL OPEN LEAGUE: READY, STEADY... CANCELLATION OF THE 2021 WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS The World Bridge Federation (WBF) has released the following statement: With great regret the WBF, taking account of the persistence of the Covid19 outbreak, announces that the Management Committee in its meeting of Friday 7th May unanimously decided to cancel the 2021 World Youth Teams ...Go! Championship and World Teams The OCBL Open League is starting today. 26 teams are registered to the event. Championship, both planned to be held in Salsomaggiore Terme, Italy. They will be playing on every Monday, Wednesday, Thursday and Sunday for four weeks. The qualification stage will include a total of 10 rounds (divided into two phases). Work is being undertaken with the aim of Then, the knockout stage will begin, starting from the Quarterfinals. holding the World Teams Championship (Bermuda Bowl, Venice Cup, d’Orsi Check all details on pages 6-7! Senior Trophy and Wuhan Trophy) in 2022 between the end of February and beginning of March. SCHEDULE TODAY However, the World Youth Teams LINE-UPs Championship will be re-scheduled to OCBL OPEN LEAGUE GENERAL RULE 2023 ROUND 1. 21.30 CEST / 3.30 p.m. EDT The teams are expected to submit their line-up as In addition the Management Committee Donner VS Bourricot soon as practical but, in unanimously approved the following VUGRAPH Parker New Amateurs VS any case, not later than future dates: Black VS Turkish Delight 30 minutes before the Wilson VS Bucharest Seniors start of the round. 2022 Fredin VS Slovakia the World Bridge Series Teams who infringe this Ireland Internazionale the World Open Youth Championship VS regulation will be subject De Michelis VS Harris to VP penalties according 2023 Denmark VS ECF Holding to this scale: the World Bridge Teams Championship Skeidar VS Macavity the World Youth Teams Championship 1st occasion: warning. Alexander VS Scorway 2024 Muppets VS Bridge42 2nd and any subsequent the World Bridge Games Swedese VS Austromany occasion: 0.5 VP penalty. the World Open Youth Championship Koda VS Avixa OCBL Journal OCBL UPCOMING EVENTS MAY CUP 17 - 21 May, 2021 CEST EDT Qualification: Monday 17 May 16.30 - 19.00 10.30 - 13.00 Tuesday 18 May 16.30 - 19.00 - 21.30 10.30 - 13.00 - 15.30 Wednesday 19 May 16.30 - 19.00 10.30 - 13.00 OCBL CUP Thursday 20 May 16.30 - 19.00 10.30 - 13.00 KO: Friday 21 May 16.30 - 19.00 - 21.30 10.30 - 13.00 - 15.30 JUNE CUP 31 May - 4 June, 2021 CEST EDT Qualification: Monday 31 May 16.30 - 19.00 10.30 - 13.00 Tuesday 1 June 16.30 - 19.00 - 21.30 10.30 - 13.00 - 15.30 Wednesday 2 June 16.30 - 19.00 10.30 - 13.00 Thursday 3 June 16.30 - 19.00 10.30 - 13.00 OCBL CUP KO: Friday 4 June 16.30 - 19.00 - 21.30 10.30 - 13.00 - 15.30 SUPER CUP 28 June - 3 July, 2021 CEST EDT Qualification: Monday 28 June 16.30 - 19.00 - 21.30 10.30 - 13.00 - 15.30 Tuesday 29 June 16.30 - 19.00 - 21.30 10.30 - 13.00 - 15.30 Wednesday 30 June 16.30 - 19.00 - 21.30 10.30 - 13.00 - 15.30 Thursday 1 July 16.30 - 19.00 - 21.30 10.30 - 13.00 - 15.30 KO: Friday 2 July 16.30 - 19.00 - 21.30 10.30 - 13.00 - 15.30 Saturday 3 July 16.30 - 19.00 - 21.30 10.30 - 13.00 - 15.30 JULY CUP 12 - 16 July, 2021 CEST EDT Qualification: Monday 12 July 16.30 - 19.00 10.30 - 13.00 Tuesday 13 July 16.30 - 19.00 - 21.30 10.30 - 13.00 - 15.30 Wednesday 14 July 16.30 - 19.00 10.30 - 13.00 Thursday 15 July 16.30 - 19.00 10.30 - 13.00 OCBL CUP KO: Friday 16 July 16.30 - 19.00 - 21.30 10.30 - 13.00 - 15.30 SUPER CUP 2 - 7 August, 2021 CEST EDT Qualification: Monday 2 August 16.30 - 19.00 - 21.30 10.30 - 13.00 - 15.30 Tuesday 3 August 16.30 - 19.00 - 21.30 10.30 - 13.00 - 15.30 Wednesday 4 August 16.30 - 19.00 - 21.30 10.30 - 13.00 - 15.30 Thursday 5 August 16.30 - 19.00 - 21.30 10.30 - 13.00 - 15.30 KO: Friday 6 August 16.30 - 19.00 - 21.30 10.30 - 13.00 - 15.30 Saturday 7 August 16.30 - 19.00 - 21.30 10.30 - 13.00 - 15.30 SEPTEMBER CUP 30 August - 3 September, 2021 CEST EDT Qualification: Monday 30 August 16.30 - 19.00 10.30 - 13.00 Tuesday 31 August 16.30 - 19.00 - 21.30 10.30 - 13.00 - 15.30 Wednesday 1 September 16.30 - 19.00 10.30 - 13.00 Thursday 2 September 16.30 - 19.00 10.30 - 13.00 OCBL CUP KO: Friday 3 September 16.30 - 19.00 - 21.30 10.30 - 13.00 - 15.30 2 OCBL Journal I've got the Power by Mark Horton Legendary darts player Phil 'the power' Taylor Round 3 Round 6 always walked on to the stage to Snap's I've Murphy v Ireland Robinson v Candles and Kerosene got the Power (which makes me wonder what tunes bridge players might select as their walk on Board 5. Dealer North. NS Vul. Board 11. Dealer South. None Vul. music! - feel free to send us your suggestions at [ K Q 10 7 6 4 3 2 [ 10 8 6 5 3 2 [email protected], both serious and humorous!). ] 6 ] J 9 7 I spent part of the Easter holidays watching the { 8 4 3 { 2 Schapiro Spring Fours, which attracted a terrific } 9 } 9 4 2 field. I was mainly on the look-out for deals where [ — [ A [ A K Q J [ 9 one of the players was dealt a big balanced hand ] J 10 9 5 2 ] A K 8 7 4 ] K 10 8 2 ] 6 5 as these powerhouses can be notoriously difficult { 5 2 { A 10 9 { A 4 { K 10 9 8 7 6 3 to handle. } K Q J 8 4 3 } A 7 6 5 } A K J } Q 10 5 [ J 9 8 5 [ 7 4 Preliminary Round Robin ] Q 3 ] A Q 4 3 Gupta v Dixon { K Q J 7 6 { Q J 5 } 10 2 } 8 7 6 3 Board 8. Dealer West. None Vul. [ J 8 EW have grand slams available, but there is A balanced 25 count. I wondered if any of the ] K Q 8 7 4 2 bound to be some heavy preemption from NS (It pairs would be using some of the more recent { K Q 4 is a rare example of a vulnerable sacrifice at the ideas of how best to respond to an opening bid } K 10 7 level being potentially good.). 52 pairs held the of 2} (for example one can use 2{ to show [ K 9 7 6 4 3 [ Q 10 EW cards - how many do you think found a route any positive, with 2] promising 0-3 points). A ] 3 ] A 10 9 6 5 to one of the three possible grand slams? check revealed that 2{ was the almost universal { 9 6 { J 10 5 3 2 response. } 9 8 7 5 } 2 Open Room [ A 5 2 West North East South Open Room ] J Moran Murphy Carroll Roderick West North East South { A 8 7 — 4[ Dble Pass Manno Sowter Di Franco Robinson } A Q J 6 4 3 4NT* Pass 5NT* Pass — — — Pass 7} All Pass 2}* Pass 3}* Pass One of the considerations when contemplating 3{* Pass 3]* Pass bidding a slam is that the requisite number of 4NT 2 places to play 4{ Pass 4[* Pass tricks must be available. Then, if there is a killing 5NT 'Pick a slam (7s)' 6{ All Pass lead but the opponent's don't find it you will make your contract. On this deal NS can score Closed Room 2} Game forcing or 22+ balanced 12 tricks, but a spade lead appears to be a killer. West North East South 3} 6+{ D Lindon FitzGibbon P Lindon Mesbur 3{ Ask Open Room — 4[ Dble Pass 3] A or K seventh West North East South 4NT* Pass 6} All Pass 4[ 1 key card, not minimum Sundelin Bilde Dahlberg Zia Pass 1] Pass 2} 4NT 2 places to play. Perhaps we can infer that 4{ was optional Pass 2] Pass 3} RKCB. The 3} response had put North on lead Pass 3{ Pass 3] That represented a loss of 11 IMPs. and Tony Sowter, who was a dominant force in Pass 4} Pass 4{ I wondered if any of the South players had British bridge in the eighties and nineties, forming Pass 4] Pass 6} considered bidding - 5{ over East's double - outstanding partnerships with Joe Amsbury and All Pass would that pave the way for a sacrifice? Looking Steve Lodge, led the [5 and declarer won with through the records, no-one bid 5{, but when the ace, cashed the top diamonds, came back to Swedish legend P.O. Sundelin led the [7 for North opened 3[ both Filippos Kritsalis and hand with a club and played spades, disposing of the jack, queen and ace. That appeared to be a Duncan Happer bid 4{, the former getting a dummy's hearts for +920.