Back from Phoenix

[Bob78164]

Got off to a poor start, but the tournament improved for me as the weekend progressed. On Thursday I arrived at the playing site about a minute before game time, so I had to take whoever was left over at the Partnership Desk. Let's just say there was a reason he was left over. Thursday evening my regular partner arrived, but we didn't have much of a game in the evening session.

On Friday we had a low section "scratch" (i.e., we earned master points) in the Nail Life Master Pairs, but our evening session was a bit below average and the total left us short of qualifying by about 8 match points (on a top that was factored up from 51). In other words, we fell just short of qualifying for the second day.

On Saturday, still hoping for the last 1.11 points I needed to hit 400 for the year, my partner and I teamed with a local Platinum Life Master and a young gun he's recently been partnering with to play the Compact Knockouts. Our combined 21,000 master points weren't enough to get us into the top bracket, so I've still never played the top bracket of a regional event. We ended up getting to the finals, but lost to a team that played quite well. We had chances, but couldn't cash them in.

On Sunday my regular partner was away doing family stuff, so I played with an occasional partner. He's already got 3 national titles (1 GNT Flight A, and a pair of mini-Spingolds), so he can play. Our teammates in the A/X Swiss were a fairly young Israeli woman who's been around our area for a few years and a partner she's been developing. We started with a bang and kept things going up to the lunch break, leading the event (or tied for the lead) after every round except the second. After lunch, the matches became tougher but we still were leading the event by 10 VPs (on a 20-point scale) going into the last round, having just tied the team in second place. Thus, all we had to do was win to assure ourselves of victory in the event. We couldn't pull it off, though, losing by 6 IMPs as the team behind us blitzed their way to victory. The frustrating part is that apparently we lost 11 IMPs (in other words, more than enough to win the event) when the Israeli woman's partner misstated a claim, going down in a game contract she was about to make. (*sigh*)

Now that I've accepted a job offer, I think I'll have more ability to travel to tournaments, so I hope to have some more of these reports. --Bob

[macrae1234]

Sorry I missed you Mrs and I went down Fri it was a zoo. Played yesterday, walked down from work at lunch and saw a few friends playing in BR and mini BR. I am also playing Fri morning. It will be my 4th tournament event this year and first games in almost 30 years. Easing in slowly and getting practice online. There really aren't any evening club games here and since I am still working afternoons are tough
Congrats on the job and hope to see you at a tournament soon,

[kusch]

I am having very little success. Keep losing the first or second match in the KO's and partner and I did not get through the first two qualifying sessions of the Mini Blue Ribbon pairs. Mac, I see you started the Mini BR, I assume if you move on we will not play on Thursday? I will try to call or text you today.

[macrae1234]

No I am not in mini BR

[kusch]

Wow!! Partner had told me we did not qualify in the Mini BR, but we did. Hope we have better game today, not sure where the confusion came from, but oh well.

And better yet we won the semi final match this morning in the Bracket 2 KO.

[Bob Juch]

Curtis Cheek and Ishmael Del'Monte won the Life Masters Pairs on Dec. 1 according to Phyllis Harris Cheek.

[macrae1234]

Wow!! Partner had told me we did not qualify in the Mini BR, but we did. Hope we have better game today, not sure where the confusion came from, but oh well.
And better yet we won the semi final match this morning in the Bracket 2 KO.

I noticed that this AM

[macrae1234]

Curtis Cheek and Ishmael Del'Monte won the Life Masters Pairs on Dec. 1 according to Phyllis Harris Cheek.

They both played with clients in the Blue Ribbon yesterday and failed to qualify, they are in a team game this afternoon evening. I was talking to Phyllis, Curtis and Ish about an hour ago. Their clients did some strange things. Both said they spoiled each other for anyone else by playing in the LM pairs. It was their first pairs as partners.
It was not a good day for the family as Phee's step father's team lost in the finals of the Senior Knock Out

[Bob78164]

My partner from Thursday through Saturday qualified for the third day of the mini-Blues, playing with one of his regular partners. --Bob

[macrae1234]

Played this AM my partner was 7th in mini BR played a round against Kusch