Open Group C – the place to be
The teams in Group C of the Open in alphabetical order are
Bangladesh
Belgium
Bermuda
Bosnia
Bulgaria
Chile
Chinese Taipei
Egypt
Georgia
Iceland
Monaco
New Zealand
Norway
Poland
Spain
Ukraine
If you are not a top team and you want to make it to the round of 16 Open Group C is for you. There just aren’t that many standouts in this group. The top teams are all European. Norway won the European championships and they figure to win this group too. Bulgaria should place second. Third is probably Belgium and now we are really in a dogfight for the fourth qualifying spot.
Here are some teams that won’t make it: Spain, Bangladesh, Bermuda, Bosnia, Chile, Egypt, New Zealand, Chinese Tapei. Can there really be that many weak teams in one group or did I miss something here?
I don’t know much about the Ukraine but I don’t think it is going to survive the cut. That leaves Monaco, (yes Monaco), Poland (which is not the team it was), Iceland and Georgia to see who can beat up on the bad teams the most. I am going to pick Iceland but it really is a tossup.
This is so tough that I need to check with the tarot cards since the fortune cookies were not that helpful yesterday.
The first card, judgment reversed is indecision. Hmmm.
The second card the Emperor reversed: A deceiver
The third cards represents my motivation. Temperance Self control, patience in handling situations … I can see how that fits in
The fourth card is the chariot: Change through force. Advancement through bold action.
The fifth card is Death: a new beginning
The sixth card: The high priest reveresed, inability to hear an inner voice
I can see it now. Something surprising is going to happen in this group. An unexpected team is going to advance. Can it be Egupt? The chariot fits anyhow.
Subscribe to our feed
Bridge-related
I expect Norway and Bulgaria to qualify easily, Poland third with Iceland and Egypt fighting out the last qualifying place.
I’m surprised that you rate Belgium, who did poorly at the Europeans, and Monaco (aka Italy II) but dismiss Egypt who have two world-class pairs.
Also this is the Poland team that won the Vanderbilt this year. Balicki-Zmud may not wish to play for Poland any longer but this team is a tough outfit.
We agree about Norway and Bulgaria and we are not so off. I agree with you about Egypt (after the tarot card reading anyhow) they do have at least one very good pair and I believe you that there is another.
I was worried about Poland but the Poles seem to win eveyrthing wherever they go so that country is clearly deep in good players so you could be right. Still I think that the third and fourth spot are still a tossup, not as solid as in some groups.
The strongest team in the group is Norway. The second strongest (close second) is Poland. I would not be too surprised if Poland qualify #1 and Norway #2. Bulgaria is clearly strong enough and Egypt is very good too.
The New Zealand team (at least two pairs) play an aggressive or “action-oriented” bidding system. Every match with them should result in lots of IMPs being won/lost, making this opponent a bit of a gamble.
Finally, I think the Chinese Taipei team is decent enough to have a slight chance. And how good is Iceland? I have no idea, but I think they are not bad.
If I were to choose, I would go with Poland, Norway, Bulgaria and Egypt. But a surprise could be either Chinese Taipei or Iceland.