Looking forward looking back – N.A. Teams Daily Forecast

October 5th, 2008  ~  linda  ~  No Comments 

In the interests of honest blogging I thought I would go back and compare my predictions as I forecast today’s results.

Open

USA got 50 not 55 mainly because I expected them to kill Reunion instead of losing to them.  Picking themselves up after the loss to Reunion I expect a big day today.  They have to play Greece, Switzerland and Venezuela.   Greece made be the toughest of the lot but it shouldn’t matter.  The US will get at least 65 VP.  They will lead their group after tonight

I was pretty spot on with the Canadian Open team.  They did have a tough day and Brazil was their toughest opponent.  I thought that 50VP would be good.  Well they actually managed 45.  Canada is playing Estonia, Kenya and South Africa tonight/tomorrow.  Estonia has been playing tough.  Still I am going to go with and above average performance.  It’s hard to qualify in the Open and they have to play tough – 52 VP.  They will hand in at or near the top 4 in their group.

Ladies

USA

The US ladies did improve on their first day 48 VP score as predicted 61 big ones.  Well done.  Today they have to play two relatively tough matches against Lithuania, Norway and Reunion.  I am expecting a bit over 50 victory points which should be just fine.  They should end the day near the top in the group.

Canada

I said that they would do better than the 37 VP they earned on the first day and they did manage 39.  They have a bit of ground to make up but today is a good day to day it.  They should play with no mercy against tail enders Jordan and Bermuda and defeat Indonesia.  I see 52 VP today which should move that into contention for a playoff spot.  Go girls.  Canada will move up to near a qualifying position.

USA versus Turkey in a Round 4 match

October 5th, 2008  ~  linda  ~  No Comments 

I was to say the least exhausted after staying up most of the night on Friday watching all the matches on BBO.  Can you spell “masochist”?

So I knew that I was only going to be able to watch one round on Saturday night.  I just am not very good at sleeping during the day.  I was pleased that BBO was going to be showing an American match.

In the Open room Meckwell are facing Ismail Kandemir and Suleyman Kolata.  There convention card is posted at http://www.ecatsbridge.com/documents/files/2008MindSportGamesBeijing/Systems/Open/Turkey/Kolata-Kandemir.pdf

They are playing 2/1 with strong notrump and five card majors. They lead third and fifth against suits and second and fourth against notrump.  2◊ shows 5-5 in the majors, weak.

In the closed room we have Hakan Goksu and  Eymen Bedir playing Hamman and Compton.  They are playing a forcing club based system with an 11-15 notrump opening.

http://www.ecatsbridge.com/documents/files/2008MindSportGamesBeijing/Systems/Open/Turkey/goksu-bedir.pdf

If you are interested there is quite a nice Turkish bridge site at http://www.bricbank.com/bricbank/english/anasayfa.asp

Unfortunately there were a lot of flattish boards but somehow something always happens.  The first action board was Board 20.

2001 Turkey Open Pairs Kandemir – Aslan

With everyone vulnerable and West dealer, Rodwell opened a gambling 3NT.  Apparently Meckwell can have an outside card to go along with their solid suit.  Kandemir doubled to show a good balanced hand. With all those nice soft cards in the side suits Meckstroth was content to play there and the doubled ended the auction.  After starting a spade Kandemir switched to a heart at trick 2 setting up the fifth trick for the defence and that was that. 

In the open room where Goksu could not open gambling 3NT with an outside ace he started with 1◊.  Hamman and Compton pushed them to 3◊  which has the same winners (and losers) as 3NT but this was not doubled so Turkey picked up 3 imps. 

In some matches though much stranger things happened.  Would you believe 20 imps?  Here was the auction in the Argentina – China Hong Kong match.  (I leave the names out to provide some privacy for the perpetrators).

It shows that you need to have your defences ready for bids such as gambling 3NT.  Obviously North-South were not on the same wavelength here.   Was the redouble for rescue?  Even if it was there really wasn’t anywhere to go although anything would be better than this fiasco.  At the other table they had the more or less normal result of 3NT doubled down 1.

The next board, 21 has some points of interest.

North South Vulnerable Dealer North

In the open room with the Meckwell style of bidding Meckstroth opened a hand which in my circles would be called a piece of dodo (while maybe not phrased that way).

Do you like Kolata’s taleout double?  Not me.  I checked just to make sure but a 1NT overcall would show 15-18.  Okay maybe a double diamond stopper would be better but in my books this hand could be a textbook example of a 1NT hand.  Once long ago people had shape to make a takeout double.  Rodwell’s 1♥ overcall wasn’t alerted but I assume it showed spades. 

Kandemir’s 3♥ was alerted.  I don’t know what it showed but let’s assume it was preemptive.  Look at Kolata’s hand now and decide if you want to bid on.  I love the aces but I only have three hearts, no ruffing values and the  ♠Q is looking weak.   I don’t think this hand has anything extra.  I would not bid on, especially after looking at all the hands.  4♥ had essentially no play and worse then that that Kandemir went three down. 

Meckstroth lead the ♠3 and Kandmir put in the ♠Q.  It seems to me that this is not the right play. The trick doesn’t really help you and you don’t really want West on lead at trick 2.  The rest was over quickly. Two clubs and a club ruff and two diamonds in the endgame.

At the other table East opened an 11-15 notrump and ended up in 2♠ making which seems like a normal result. 5 imps to the USA.

The next board was all about defence. 

East-West Vulnerable.

Rodwell opened 1NT and Kandemir overcalled 2◊ which showed a majo when Meckstroth competed with 2♥ he passed it out.   2♠ would probably make on the lie of the cards.  That being said Turkey faltered could beat 2♥.

The opening lead was the ♠ 9.  Looking at this dummy. Kandemir must expect that 2♥ will make unless there are spade ruffs.  There are unlikely to be any heart losers, one spade loser, two diamonds and no more than one club.  The switch to the ◊K is a matchpoint play as far as I am concerned.  This hand should be one down not making. 

What happened at the other table?  Here too there was a partscore battle and here too the defence let some tricks get away.  At this table Hamman ended up playing 3◊ after Goksu opened a strong club.  He lead the ♣K and rose when Hamman led a heart towards dummy.  Now he has to play a trump.  He can cash clubs first but that’s all.  Hamman has to make a heart ruff in dummy.  If the defence leads trump he has no play. 

Can Goksu figure this out?   I think so. Clearly from the auction Hamman doesn’t have two spades.  Why would he lead a heart at trick two?  I leave the rest as an exercise to the reader.  So there was 6 imps to the USA for the double partscore swing.  The USA now lead 12imps-3.

Board 24 was an example of an aggressive style which doesn’t always work.  When you are great defenders sometimes like Meckwell, sometimes you should just defend.  They don’t do much wrong but I do think Meckstroth got a bit carried away on this deal.  By the way, lest anyone think I anyone think that I don’t think that Jeff is the greatest here is a link to his entry on Wikipedia where you can get a list of some of his accomplishments

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jeff_Meckstroth

and of course his book Win the Bermuda Bowl With Me http://www.masterpointpress.com/general/bermuda.html

Noone Vulnerable Dealer West

After Meckstroth’s strong club opening and Rodwell’s negative 1◊ response Meckwell were prepared to play 2♥.  I kind of like Koalata’s gutsy double.  At least this time he had the right shape for it.  Mekstroth doesn’t really have a whole bunch extra but his cards are very prime and he has no spade cards so he competed with 3♥.  But when Kandmir plowed on with 3♠, what’s up with 4♥?  I think Meckstroth had told his whole story.  3♠ is not going to make.  The final result was a loss of 6 imps.

On Board 25 Turks got to a good. aggressive and making 3NT against Meckwell which was not reached by Compton and Hamman. The 6 imp win put the Turks into the lead for the first time in the match.  15-12

On Board 27 the US struck back. 

Kolata passed and Rodwell opened 1♠ and Kandemir doubled.  Mekstroth bid 2♠ a weak raise.  I like that bid. When Kolata doubled to show interest in competeing Rodwell who had six spades bit 3♠ and bought it there.  AT the other table where Meckstroth’s hand passed in a similar auction North-South were allowed to play 2♣.  As it turns out 2♣ can be defeated but it is a tricky defence and it was not found by Turkey well 3♠ is cold on the lie of the cards. 6 imps to the USA.  The USA had regained the lead 18-15.

Board 28 was one that will not be in Compton’s memoirs. 

Continued in part 2

Senior and junior results from the World Sports Mind Games

October 5th, 2008  ~  linda  ~  1 Comment 

In Group K, it is no surprise that the USA is leading the field with a good score of 132 VP.  The suprise at this point is second place Japan.

The USA walked all over their three opponents yesterday China Hong King, Pakistan and South Africa picking up almost every VP possible.  England got blitzed by Hungary in the sixth round to drop to third place in a tight bunch  with New Zealand and France.

1 USA 132

2 JAPAN 125

3 ENGLAND 99

4 NEW ZEALAND 98

5 FRANCE  97

In Group L the leadership changed hands when Australia blitzed Canada in the sixth round to take over the leadership from the Canadians who dropped to fourth.

1 AUSTRALIA  122

2 INDONESIA 120

3 POLAND 114

4 CANADA 110

5 EGYPT 104

For full results http://www.worldbridge.org/tourn/Beijing.08/Results/Senior/RoundRobin.htm

In the Under 28 Swiss the North American team lie in the middle.  The USA is tied 18th while Canada is 40th out of 74.  Canada started out the day well with a big win against Singapore but could not keep up the momentum.  The USA had a some poor results early but ended the day with a big win.The leaders are:

1. POLAND 130

2 CHINA 121

3 ENGLAND 118

4 BELGIUM 117

5 INDIA 116

5. SERBIA 116

In the under 26 Poland leads the field.  Poland is clearly one of the world’s leading bridge countries right now.  The USA is in the middle with Canada a bit further down the pack.

1 POLAND 124

2 NETHERLANDS 117

3 AUSTRALIA 115

4 NORWAY 114

5 DENMARK 107

In the under 21 division the French lead the way with both Canada and the USA towards the bottom.

1 FRANCE  130

2 CHINESE TAIPEI 115.5

3 ENGLAND 113

4 POLAND 112

5 BULGARIA 111

For full results use this link

http://www.worldbridge1.org/tourn/Beijing.08/ResultsYouth.htm

World Mind Sports Games Open Division After 6 Rounds

October 5th, 2008  ~  linda  ~  2 Comments 

In Group D the USA slipped to second place in Round 6.  First they lost to Turkey in a tight match 39-31 in round 4.  They returned to form smacking England 46-17 into the next round.  But then they tied Reunion, a team at the bottom of the pack.  It just goes to show that any team can win these relatively short matches on a given day.  Germany efficiently whipped Serbid 45 -6 to move into the top spot

This division has a lot of teams bunched together in the fight for the fourth qualifying spot.  The USA remains in first place.

1.  GERMANY 128

2 USA 121

3 TURKEY 119

4 INDONESIA  111

5 ENGLAND 99

Group A could not be closer as three teams are tied for 3rd, 4th,5th.

Most of the boards were fairly flat in Round 4 but Canada was still able to thrash China McCau 43imps to 6imps to wint 24 victory points. 

Perhaps the biggest surprise this round in Group A was Albania defeated the mighty Italians 33imps-26imps to take 16 VP-14VP.   Albania is the last place team in this division and had only managed 6 VP to this point. 

In Round 5 Canada tied Romania while Italy showed some spirit coming back to defeat thrash Demark 52-5 and get all the voctory points. 

In round 6 Canada had their first disappointing resut getting blitzed by Portugal while Italy had a near blitz against Ireladn to take the top spot in the division.  Estonia blitzed Finland to take over second place. 

The standings after round 6 were:

1 ITALY 122

2 ESTONIA 112

3 CANADA  107

3 DENMARK 107

3 ROMANIA 107

In Group B the surprising leader is Israel.   You can see from the high scores at the top of the standings that this division has more than its share of weak teams.  in the third round China lost to French Polynesia another tail ender which must have been a big disappointment to the home crowd.  In round 5 China got back some momentum blitzing San Marino.  In round 6 all the leaders had convincing win with Israel getting another blitz against China Hong Kong.  But the Russians expected to be a strong contender are not far behind tied with Portugal for 6/7.

1 ISRAEL 126

2 NETHERLANDS 121

3 INDIA 120

4 CHINA  113

5 HUNGARY  107

In Group C there are some surprises near the top of the leaderboard.  

The top two teams in group C are no surprise with Norway and Poland leading the way.  Guadeloupe is probably the biggest surprise just below a qualifying sport at 5/6.

1 NORWAY 128

2 POLAND 124

3 SPAIN 119

4 BULGARIA  105

5 CHINESE TAIPEI 102

5.GUADELOUPE 102

For all they results go to the World Bridge Federation website.

http://www.worldbridge.org/tourn/Beijing.08/ResultsWMSG.htm

Part 3 of the great Canada-Italy match in the World Sport Mind Games

October 4th, 2008  ~  linda  ~  No Comments 

At the end of the last post Canada and Italy were about to play boards 30-32.  George Mittleman had on his rally hat.

Coming into board 30 Canada was down by 12 imps.  Fantoni holds

Without opposition bidding Fantoni opens 1♣ and arrives in 4♥.  This is his hand and dummy.

Even not vulnerable you are pretty happy to be in this game which was missed in the closed room.  But now you need to make it.

The opening lead is the ♣4.  They play third and fifth if that helps you.  North, Dan Jacobs, wins the ♣A and returns the ♠Q.  What is your plan?

I think there are a number of ways to go about this hand.  You have a spade loser, a club loser for sure.  You may have a heart loser and a diamond loser too.

One way might be to ruff a club and take the diamond finesse.  If that wins than cash the ♥Am ruff the last club and take the heart finesse.  Even if it loses you are in good shape.  If the hearts are 4-1 onside then then you still make it.  There are probably better lines than this but this one isn’t too bad.  (Of course I am half asleep so I may be missing something in my analysis).

Fantoni however strayed a bit and went down.  Here is the whole hand (rotated)

Even looking at the hand now it seems hard to see exactly how Fantoni went down.  After winning the ♠K Fantoni ruffed a club, played a heart to ace and ruffed another club with the ♥J.  Fantoni then decided to take the diamond finesse and Jacob (learning perhaps from Eddie Kantar who famously played the jack with this holding) falsecarded with the king.  Here is the position at after trick six.

Now Nunes was worried about taking the heart finesse losing to the doubleton queen offside and getting a diamond ruffed on the way back.  So he played three rounds of spades to set up his spade winner.  I suppose hoping that if there was a ruff now he would have no trump loser.  Jacob won the ♠ J and returned a diamond.

This is now a critical moment, the last chance to make the hand.  Fantoni has to guess the ending.  If he works it out he can still make it by playing a spade.  If Jacob ruffs then he is endplayed and if he doesn’t Fantoni can lead a heart from dummy and finesse the ♥10 to make the contract. 

He has a few clues.  He knows that Lebi started with five clubs so Jacob has one.  It does look suspiciously like Jacob started with the doubleton ◊KJ.  But Fantoni erred and went down.

It turned out that this hand was challenging after all and +140 in the other room for making 3♥ was a decent score.  That was 5 imps to Canada who were now behind by 7 imps.

Board 31 was to be the last swing board.  One East-West pair got to a good 6◊ and one didn’t.  Care to guess who got to the slam and won the match?

North-South vulnerable

It all starts with the opening bid.  South the dealer passed and it is up the Fantoni/Fergani.  Both are within their notrump ranges.  Bit I think this hand should be opened 1♥ and so did Fergani.

Here was the Fergani auction playing 2/1

Once L’Ecuyer bid 2◊ the Canadians were headed to 6◊.  Fergani raised diamonds, L’Ecuyer cue bid and Fergani was eventually able to bid the slam.

However if you open 1NT things are a bit tougher.

I don’t know all the intricacies of their notrump system but it appears that Nunes showed five hearts and no spades fit nad Fantoni was concerned that he had too much wasted in hearts.

All I know is that opening 1NT makes the auction more difficult and that this day the Italians did not get to the excellent slam and that cost them 10 imps and the match.

The Canadians were now up 3 imps 25-22.  Maybe it was just a winning tie but it was a great confidence builder.

World Sports Mind Games Day 2

October 4th, 2008  ~  linda  ~  No Comments 

The bridge bulletin is online now with all the results and some match writeups.

http://www.worldbridge.org/bulletin/08_2%20Beijing/pdf/WMSG/bul_02.pdf

I can’t help but notice that I have written at least as much as they have!  Well that shows you that a determined staff of one can be better than whatever.  Of course they do have a second bulletin for the junior events but they have an extra three people for that.

I don’t know why the Bulletin staff always chortle about the fact that there are so many European teams in the top of the open field.  Yes, the USA is number one so far but so what … Well hello, there are only two North American teams and they are both doing very well thank you very much.  The only way that we can get more teams in the top 8 is if Quebec secedes from Canada or maybe Texas will form a country. Brent Manley, you are the chief editor stand up for our continent.  In fact I am going to email Mark Horton right now.  Done.  Now I feel better.

Anyway I couldn’t help but look and see what Phillip Alder had written about Match I Egypt versus Norway which I blogged in real time.

After looking at the start of the article I wondered if he read my blog.  He asked the very same questions I did.  As it turns out we have a slightly different slant on a few things.  You will enjoy his article and also Mark Horton’s writeup on the England-Australia first round open match.  So have a gander.

If you want to see what is doing with the rest of the games (non-bridge) you can see all the results at

http://www.worldbridge.org/bulletin/08_2%20Beijing/pdf/IMSA/bul_01.pdf

and if I were you I would definitely check out the youth bulletin.  I think it is a lot of fun.

http://www.worldbridge.org/bulletin/08_2%20Beijing/pdf/Youth/bul_02.pdf

  I really want to see an American Open game.  The US is playing Turkey on Vugraph in the first match.  I hope that it is up today.  That is my only opportunity.  Is there some reason why they aren’t showing the USA on BBO?!  In fact the only other match featuring a North American team is the Canadian ladies in the third round playng Russia.  That’s for you Ray.

Okay now I am going to handicap Day 2

Open

The USA open team has one easy match against Reunion but two tougher ones against England and Turkey.  So they are probably not going to get an unbelievable score of 71 like yesterday.  Still I think they will get a good score, say 55.

Can the Canadian open team keep this up?  I told everyone in previous blogs that this was a team with potential.

Team Canada’s Robert Lebi and Dan Jacobs fresh from their win in Detroit of the Silidor Open Pairs.

They have a fairly tough day but they should be high after that win against Italy last night.  Brazil will be the toughest opponent I think but they also have to face Romania.  Chinese Macau might be a bit easier.  They have 62 VP right now.  I would be very happy with aabout 50 VP today.  Go guys!

Ladies

USA

The USA ladies have a tough day today playing two teams who had a good day yesterday Poland and Brazil and then Portugal.  I think they will start getting their form.  I am thinking that they will improve at least a little on the 48 VP from yesterday.

Canada

Well I knew the Canadian ladies had a hard schedule yesterday so it is no surprise that they are below average.  37 VP isn’t so bad.  Today will definitely be better.  They do have to play Russia which will be tough but they should do very well against Scotland and I expect they will do fine against Finland.  If they can get near average today they will be in a reasonable spot for the rest of the event as they start to play some of the easier teams in their division.

The Canada-Italy Round 2 Open match at the World Sports Mind Games – Part 2

October 4th, 2008  ~  linda  ~  No Comments 

I have to say that I am very tired this morning.  I think I had only a couple of hours sleep.  There is no way I can do that again tonight.  (well maybe …)

When we left the match Canada was trailing Italy by 16 imps to 1 in a tight and well played match.   We are at Board 26 (of 32) and the Canadians were about to mount a comeback.

L’Ecuyer and Fergami play a 5 card majors and 2/1 with variable notrump 11-14 non-vulnerable in first or second and 14-16 otherwise.

Board 26 Both Vulnerable Dealer East

The key decision in this auction is what to bid over the semi-forcing notrump.  It is interesting that Fergami chose to rebid his three card club suit rather than his six card heart suit.   Checking their card I see nothing special about this auction so this is a decision that he made.

Nick L’Ecuyer

5♣ has good chances here but at least the partnership didn’t play hearts.  And  L’Ecuyer might have raised clubs but he doesn’t have many high card points and the hearts void is not appealing.  This contract was straightforward and Nick ended up making four for +130.

Let’s see what happened in the open room.  Here Fantoni play a more complex system with two-way bids but in this auction.  1NT shows 0-9 with no four card major.  He really had much the same information as L’Ecuyer.

Nunes made the reasonable decision to bid 2♥ and that is where they played.  No club game for them.

Claudio Nunes

It seems to me that it isn’t that hard to make 2♥ on the lie of the cards.  Declarer has two spade tricks, two club tricks and a diamond trick off the top and needs on three trump ticks.  It seems like he should manage that.

Let’s follow the play. Dan Jacoby found a good lead with the ♠Q.  Nunes won the ace and started off well by leading the ♥10 South winning the ♥J as North plays the critical ♥8.  Now Robert Lebi returned a diamond and Jacobs playing the ◊Q while Nunes won the ◊A.  Now Nunes played a club to the  ♣Q.  This was not best on the lie of the cards.  Was he hoping that Dan would take the ♣Q giving him the club suit?

Had he played the ♣J he almost certainly would have made the hand but now he must play hearts correctly.  He now played the ♥6 playing for the stiff ♥A.  But does that help him?  If South started  with ♥KJ732 I don’t think he can make the hand.  So down he went.  I am sure that he would like to take this one back.  This gave Canada 6 imps and Italy now lead by 9 16-7 as we head into Board 27.

There were a 3 more imps on Board 28 when both pairs ended in a rather inelegant 3♠ contract on a poor 4-3 fit which did not break and Italy went 5 down while Canada “only” went down 3.  Canada had closed the gap to 6.  Italy won an imp back on the next board when Canada played in the game which made fewer tricks.

We have arrived at Board 29 with four boards remaining.  Here the notrump ranges of each pair are going to come into play.  At the open table East had opened an 11-14 notrump and played it there.  We will return to this table in a moment.

In the closed room L’Ecuyer opened a 14-16 1NT.  Let’s look at the auction from the Fergani’s (Wes)t hand.

♠ 7532 ♥ K84 ◊ K963 ♣ K9

Opposite a 14-16 notrump this hand is worth a game try.  Kamel bid 2♣ Stayman and partner bid 2♠.  I know I am vulnerable and all my partner’s know I hate to miss vulnerable games but I just don’t think this hand is worth 4♠.  I woudl invite.  However that is what he bid and that is how the auction ended.  4♠ does have some chances though so maybe he is write after all.  You decide.  Here is the whole hand

Board 29 Both Vulnerable Dealer North

As you can see on the lie of the card you can’t make the hand.  You have a sure heart and club loser and two spade losers.  You need a lot to go right to make 4♠.  Down 1 you go.

Back to the open room.  1NT isn’t trivial either.  On a heart lead declare is going to have to guess spades to make the hand.  Lebi understandably lead a club.  When declarer play a spade Jacob’s played the ♠9 declarer’s ♠J and  Lebi’s queen he can now defeat 1NT with a heart switch.  Can anyone think of a way to find that?  Even going deep into the hand I don’t see how to deduce it.  Maybe the ♠9 had a heart message?

So Lebi did have that tiny chance of saving the board.  5 imps to Italy who now lead by 12, 22-10.

But the Canadians weren’t done yet.  In fact there were swings or potential swings on all three of the remaining boards.

The exciting conclusion later.

North American teams in the Seniors and Juniors

October 4th, 2008  ~  linda  ~  2 Comments 

In the seniors the USA is in 2nd place behind Japan in Group K and Canada leads Group L!

In the Youth Under 28 in the Swiss

With 74 teams competing: Poland is leading.  The USA is 10th and Canada is in 38th

In the under 26 round robin with 18 teams competing the USA is 9th and Canada is 14th, Italy and Poland are tied for the lead.

In the under 21 round robin with 18 teams competing Bulgaria is leading.  Canada is 8th and the USA is 13th.

First Day Scores in the Women’s Matches

October 4th, 2008  ~  linda  ~  No Comments 

The USA ladies are tied 5/6, a bit disappointing in Group E.

Canadian ladies have a slow start tied 14th after 3 tough matches in Group F.

Spain leads Group F by one victory point with the Philippines and Russia tied 2/3 right behind

Germany leads Group G.

Top 5 in each division

Group E

Group F

Group G

While the USA is in fifth position in Group G, no team has a big score.

The USA lost to Italy, had a winning tie against Palestine and a good win against Indonesia.  The result against Palestine who is in bottom place at the moment must have been particularly disappointing.

First Day Results in the Open

October 4th, 2008  ~  linda  ~  No Comments 

The USA leads their Group A with a big score.

Canada in second place in Group A behind Denmark.

Norway leads Group B.

A close race in Group C,

Group A

Canada’s First 3 matches

Round1 vs Albania         25VP

Round 2 vs Italy            16VP

Round 3 vs Ireland        20 VP

The Canadian Open team had an awesome start winning all three of their matches and narrowly defeated the strong Italian team.  See my Blog on the second round match.

The division leader Denmark decisively won all of their matches defeating South Africa Trinidad and Tobago and their strongest opponent of the day South Africa.

The powerful Italian team is in third place after defeating Trinidad and Tobago decisively, blitzing Finland and narrowly losing to Canada.

Estonia is in fourth place after winning their matches against France and Slovakia and receiving 18 for their bye.

Group D

Surprising to no one the powerful USA team rocked on Saturday winning their first 3 matches with 3 near blitzes against Jordan, Botswana and the Philipines.

Second place Germany had strong results against Switzerland, Greece and Venezuela.

Turkey in third place blitzed Lithuania, getting 20 VP from Lebanon but getting only a winning tie against Switzerland.

Tied with England for 4/5 Belarus had a losing tie against Switzerland, defeated Indonesia and blitzed Lithuania

England blitzed Australia had a good win against Lithuania but a narrow lost to Lebanon.

Group B and Group C

The top 5 in Group B after 3 matches are Hungary, Israel, Portugal, India/Netherlands (tied 4/5).  Group B is very tight right now.

The top 5 in Group C are Norway (well ahead), Bulgaria, Poland and Spain (tied 3.4) and New Zealand.