[Fluffy]

On the first 7 rounds (2 days, because our group has to play 4 matches on first day due to having more teams) we face arguably 5 of the 6 strongest teams on the group plus another one with serious aspirations. (Sweden, Denmark, San Marino, Canada, Hungary, China, Netherlands)

I think this the worse that might happen, we will have to fight back the last days trailing from behind which damages morale, and there is also more to gain from facing weak teams with non regular partnerships early before they have clear agreements. But some people on my team are optimistic and say it is good to play weak teams when they don't have a chance anymore and are just relaxed.

We all agree finishing with Bye is really bad.

What do you guys think?

[shyams]

It's like a 3000 metre race; there are no medals awarded for top 3 positions after two laps.

IMO, you have a great opportunity to score MAX VPs on every match starting round 9 thru 18. Without causing offence to other teams involved, the only opponents who should take some VPs off you starting round 9 are Egypt, Indonesia, and Bye!
Also, the weaker teams are more likely to tire easily and play worse on days 4-6 compared to days 1-3. Hope some of them can deliver shocks to their early opponents.
Finally, although Bye in round 19 is bad, it allows you to sit back and your "psychic energy" to degrate the relevant teams' performance (joking )

In summary, it's how the Spanish team sets up psychologically for the challenge. If your goals are re-drawn for matches 9 onwards, perhaps you will expend less efforts on days 1 & 2 and crush every opponent day 3 evening onwards.

[paulg]

In the recent Europeans, the Scotland Open team really struggled when they had to face many of the top teams first and failed to take advantage of the weakest teams when they had the opportunity. #somepeoplesay that they would have really struggled whatever the order of teams faced, but this worked poorly for them.

At the same time, the Scotland Senior team, which did have aspirations for a good finish, played the weaker teams first. They did not take advantage and then struggled to get big wins then needed against the stronger teams.

In summary, play well and it will not matter: play badly and you will not care.

And be nice to Scotland as they have two new partnerships.

Good luck!

Paul

[The_Badger]

hi Fluffy,

I'd wonder what a eminent psychiatrist would make of your train of thought, and I ask that matter-of-factly not in a derogatory way? Surely, the sensible way to look at this is a match at a time, not as a conglomeration of matches.

How many times have you played team matches without knowing the next team that you were going to play? Yes, I agree, planning ahead is good, and as these are the World Championships I can understand that, but predicting the future or how things turn out is something you just cannot do.

Take one day at a time and enjoy. Putting pressure on before the start will make things worse, I feel.

[MrAce]

Gonzalo, look at the bright side. Among the 6 strong teams you listed, there is only one team that has a good chance to win this event. You are playing in a group that is not so bad at all.

Had you been in group B, the teams you listed above to play against would be replaced by Monaco-USA-England-Norway-Poland-Iceland. Cheer up and do the best you can. I have a feeling you will make it to first 5. Good luck!

[Zelandakh]

I think it is generally good to play inexperienced teams towards the end when the are running out of endurance. As has already been pointed out, I do not think the teams listed are so strong that you should be in a mindset of coming from behind. Look at it a different way - if you are close to 50% for these 6 games you have every reason to look forward to the rest of the competition very favourably and that is surely not out of your reach. Of course it is nicer to have the strongest teams slightly more spaced out to allow you to juggle your line-up and rest the strongest pair in the preceding match but I think facing these teams all together at any other time in the competition would actually be worse.

[Phil]

I'd be licking my chops if I were in C.

The conspiracy theorist in me thinks Rona and Co wanted to give China the easiest path to the bracketed rounds and a soft 1st round draw.

But Gonzo this is all a matter of perspective. You could just as easily have said omg look at all the great teams we are playing at the end of the RR. We better be sitting in the top 3 to have any kind of chance. Don't mind -fuc€ yourself before you get to Poland.

It's a long event. My experience is that when a top team plays you they would like nothing more than to save their energy and have a nice, quick, relaxing 15 boards with lots of joking and a drink afterward. Of course they are expecting to win by at least 20.

It's your choice if you want to play this way. If you want to look at this as an 'experience' then, sure, go and enjoy yourselves and try to do well in the secondary event if there's such a thing.

In the early boards of the match grind like it's BAM. Don't even give up overtricks and use the time.

Give them LOTS of problems in the bidding. Study their methods and look for flaws and try to exploit them.

If you mess up on a hand or your partner does, keep your mouth shut.

In other words, be the team that's going to be the tough draw.

You guys should do well, but don't beat yourselves.

[Fluffy]

Indonesia resigned, now we have no bye, no 4 matches in a day, but they rescheduled and we have Ireland on the group. Seems bridgewhinners got what they wanted

[MrAce]

Fluffy, on 2016-August-24, 14:41, said:

Indonesia resigned, now we have no bye, no 4 matches in a day, but they rescheduled and we have Ireland on the group. Seems bridgewhinners got what they wanted

Stop whining! Just make sure to take Irish team and drop them next to a bar every night and you will be fine.

Go kick @$$, we all will be watching and cheering for you!

[manudude03]

As an Irishman, keep them sober until after you have played . Good luck.

[PhantomSac]

Fluffy, on 2016-August-24, 14:41, said:

Indonesia resigned, now we have no bye, no 4 matches in a day, but they rescheduled and we have Ireland on the group. Seems bridgewhinners got what they wanted

It is expensive to go to these things, frequently in the olmypiad (and juniors) teams are trying to raise money hoping to go but if they can't raise it they have to drop out. Don't think the bridgewinners thread had anything to do with this.

Some people like to get into their groove (play easy teams first). IMO it is better to play the tougher teams first so you know where you stand and what you need vs the weaker teams. Your strategy changes if youve done ok vs the good teams and don't need blitzes, vs if you need to have big wins at the end in order to qualify. Some people become demoralized because they are not at the top of the leader boards early after playing tough teams, some feel enegergized that the worst is behind them and they are about to kick some ass. It is all personal. I agree with just play well and hope it doesnt matter. At the end of the day youre going to have to play the same teams and the order really shouldn't matter that much.

From my perspective I would not want to play 3 top teams in one day because that would mean one of our pairs possibly sitting out an entire day which I think is bad (playing each day seems good). But at the end of the day it's all pretty random and playing good bridge overcomes everything else.

GL dude hope we meet in the finals

[PhantomSac]

Fluffy, on 2016-August-24, 14:41, said:

Indonesia resigned, now we have no bye, no 4 matches in a day, but they rescheduled and we have Ireland on the group. Seems bridgewhinners got what they wanted

It is expensive to go to these things, frequently in the olmypiad (and juniors) teams are trying to raise money hoping to go but if they can't raise it they have to drop out. Don't think the bridgewinners thread had anything to do with this.

Some people like to get into their groove (play easy teams first). IMO it is better to play the tougher teams first so you know where you stand and what you need vs the weaker teams. Your strategy changes if youve done ok vs the good teams and don't need blitzes, vs if you need to have big wins at the end in order to qualify. Some people become demoralized because they are not at the top of the leader boards early after playing tough teams, some feel enegergized that the worst is behind them and they are about to kick some ass. It is all personal. I agree with just play well and hope it doesnt matter. At the end of the day youre going to have to play the same teams and the order really shouldn't matter that much.

From my perspective I would not want to play 3 top teams in one day because that would mean one of our pairs possibly sitting out an entire day which I think is bad (playing each day seems good). But at the end of the day it's all pretty random and playing good bridge overcomes everything else.

GL dude hope we meet in the finals

[PhantomSac]

FWIW our schedule is also front loaded and I'm personllly pumped about that. But like I said its just a personal thing and everyone is different.

[PhantomSac]

Phil, on 2016-August-23, 08:58, said:

I'd be licking my chops if I were in C.

The conspiracy theorist in me thinks Rona and Co wanted to give China the easiest path to the bracketed rounds and a soft 1st round draw.

And why is that? The host country puts up half the money (I think) for the championship. If anyone should get a good draw via conspiracy its poland. Mr zimmerman of monaco also puts tons of money into bridge. China has been doing that as well recently, but I dunno, Europeans putting on a conspiracy for China seems far fetched to me.

More likely the seeding committee was incompetent or the draw was unlucky. I definitely think the format was not transparent and opens the door for these conspiracy theories which is bad. It should be changed in the future, no doubt. However I still think the most logical explanation is that some groups were gonna be harder than the others. Just like I don't think the mafia had JFK killed. I could be wrong, but I believe that human nature is to find patterns (due to evolution) where they don't exist. People still have a hard time understanding randomness and probability because they want to find unfairness and patterns. I totally think the process was BS, but I also think we were equally likely to be placed in a tough group rather than the group of death, so even though there is more variance I don't think we have enough evidence to be suggesting bias or rigging.

To be honest I don't care. I am going to try to focus on playing to half the standard of my partner and teammates in which case I know I'm going to be a world champion, regardless of draw. Playing that well is a tall order though!

[Phil]

Gogogo Gonzo!!!!!!!!!

PhantomSac: The whole thing a few years ago with the WBF granting exclusive rights to the chinese content provider (can't remember the name) still bothers me and smelt badly so yeah if China gets preferential treatment by WBF it's a natural conclusion regardless of the current venue / cost sharing responsibility.

[shyams]

Spain vs USA in the round of 16! Too early in the knockout for two BBFers to face off each other.

Have a great match, both. And may the better team win.

[Phil]

Gonzo wtf...

[Fluffy]

Lol I totally missed this, I though the thread had become dead.

Today's events weren't pleaseant. The captain had warned us that maybe we would retire, and so after 2 bids on first board he told us to stand and leave. We sit in a room with directors asking us to continue play, while the team refused untill there was a ruling, and they were counting the penalty IMPs as time was passing. Dad was trying to convince people to play, I didn't give a ***** as I had assumed we would lose no matter what (typical Atletico's fan self-protection). If I tell you I have a special ability for not forming an opinion when my opinion will be irrelevant you probably won't believe me, but it is true. I simply put my mind blank and walked around for more than half an hour, trusting my team-mates and captain to be doing the best for us, my few concerns were about having to get a flight for tomorrow from any of 4 possible airports and wishing this wouldn't affect Justin's career.

[Fluffy]

About the weak teams, when we played San Marino on first match they kept talking after each board because they barely had played together ever. This is the kind of thing that makes me want to play weak teams first.

[Hanoi5]

I thought this was all a show. How did you guys 'noticed' BL opened anything on third? And more importantly, when? Is the captain to blame?

All I can say is that I now understand why we Latinamericans are so dramatic...


Good luck in the matches ahead, I hope they are many.