[joker_gib]

Quite unusual to see Poland at the last place after 4 rounds !!!

[Gerben42]

Yes

They will have a tough time qualifying after this. But after 3 rounds in the juniors in Riccione Israel was in last place too, and they still qualified. Long way to go!

Whatever comes out, it will be a good learning experience for the two inexperienced pairs (in terms of playing the Bermuda Bowl) who play along with Martens and Jassem.

[Aberlour10]

joker_gib, on Oct 24 2005, 08:44 AM, said:

Quite unusual to see Poland at the last place after 4 rounds !!!

I am not really surprised, something goes wrong in the nominate system
of the Polish Bridge Union, the top pair Balicki-Zmudzinski saw it coming
and cancelled their start early this year for that reason. (they play Transnational Teams)

Robert

[DenisO]

Also strange that Russian Ladies are not in the Venice Cup - yet they won the Olympiad in Istanbul - was that not enough to qualify here?

[helene_t]

Netherlands is quite a disaster, both in Bermuda and Venice. Jack Zhao, and/or our senior team, will have to save our honor.

[DenisO]

Early days Helene - this is a marathon, not a sprint - one good round could see Netherlands shooting up the leaderboard

[Walddk]

DenisO, on Oct 25 2005, 09:04 AM, said:

Also strange that Russian Ladies are not in the Venice Cup - yet they won the Olympiad in Istanbul - was that not enough to qualify here?

It may seem strange, but it's not. Qualification for the BB, VC and SB happened at the European Championships in Malmö, Sweden, in the summer of 2004. The Russian ladies did not qualify. The English women didn't either, but they are in Estoril because Israel withdrew a few months ago.

Roland

[Elianna]

Walddk, on Oct 25 2005, 01:13 AM, said:

The English women didn't either, but they are in Estoril because Israel withdrew a few months ago.

Why did Israel withdraw?

[Flame]

Elianna, on Oct 25 2005, 01:27 PM, said:

Walddk, on Oct 25 2005, 01:13 AM, said:

The English women didn't either, but they are in Estoril because Israel withdrew a few months ago.

Why did Israel withdraw?

Just not enough good players to make a serious team. Bad days in the ladies bridge for israel.

[kfgauss]

Flame, on Oct 25 2005, 06:44 PM, said:

Elianna, on Oct 25 2005, 01:27 PM, said:

Walddk, on Oct 25 2005, 01:13 AM, said:

The English women didn't either, but they are in Estoril because Israel withdrew a few months ago.

Why did Israel withdraw?

Just not enough good players to make a serious team. Bad days in the ladies bridge for israel.

What about the team they qualified with?

[Flame]

kfgauss, on Oct 25 2005, 02:50 PM, said:

Flame, on Oct 25 2005, 06:44 PM, said:

Elianna, on Oct 25 2005, 01:27 PM, said:

Walddk, on Oct 25 2005, 01:13 AM, said:

The English women didn't either, but they are in Estoril because Israel withdrew a few months ago.

Why did Israel withdraw?

Just not enough good players to make a serious team. Bad days in the ladies bridge for israel.

What about the team they qualified with?

First all of they all are still alve. I dont really know the ressons, apart from the general knowlege or feeling that the women bridge here need new blood, it seems like the federation prefer to focus on junious. Beside as far as i know two of the pairs arent playing together anymore. With all the respect i dont think this is a big lost to the competition.

[Walddk]

After the European Championships last summer two of the three Israeli pairs split up for different reasons. Israel have very few top woman players to choose from, so with two partnerships gone with the wind, the federation didn't want to spend the large amount of money it costs to have a team of 6 players, a non-playing captain and a coach in Portugal for 2 weeks.

It's very expensive as you can imagine. So a political decision if you like, but nothing to do with world politics. The federation simply decided to spend the money on other bridge related issues inside Israel.

That decision wasn't popular everywhere in the country, but it was made, and when the WBF learned about it, England, the team that finished just outside the qualifying spots, were invited instead.

Roland

[mike777]

This again just seems to reinforce how rare long term stable partnerships really are at the top levels let alone at the local club.

[Flame]

mike777, on Oct 25 2005, 03:44 PM, said:

This again just seems to reinforce how rare long term stable partnerships really are at the top levels let alone at the local club.

I think woman partnerships are uniqe in this matter because many times these partnerships arent a natural ones but were built especially for a women event, therefoe has less chance to work for a long time.

[Fluffy]

Walddk, on Oct 25 2005, 08:09 PM, said:

After the European Championships last summer two of the three Israeli pairs split up for different reasons. Israel have very few top woman players to choose from, so with two partnerships gone with the wind, the federation didn't want to spend the large amount of money it costs to have a team of 6 players, a non-playing captain and a coach in Portugal for 2 weeks.

Our federation doesn't pay the trips to european championships often, nor junior championships for that matter (normally pay the entry fee and once in a while give some help), but they encourage us to go there paying ourselves . And we do it, probably because we don't even find it unnusual now :/