[Aberlour10]

Hi everybody,

The Cavendish Invitational Pairs will start in a few days and
I would like to invite all users to the new edition
of our last year Cavendish contest (the Golden Imp 2005 winner
was DenisO ).

The rules are nearly the same as last year:
We try to guess the final TOP 6 of the event,
for every right guessed pair in Top 6 you become 1 point,
for every exactly right placed pair 1 extra point.

have fun!

Robert

The list of participants:

1. Geoff Hampson – Eric Rodwell
2. Frank Multon – Pierre Zimmermann
3. Fulvio Fantoni – Claudio Nunes
4. Marc Bompis – Jean Christophe Quantin
5. Marty Fleisher – Chip Martel
6. Bob Blanchard – Jeff Meckstroth
7. Neil Chambers – John Schermer
8. Fred Stewart – Kit Woolsey
9. Grant Baze – Gaylor Kasle
10. David Berkowitz – Bill Pollack
11. Bjorn Fallenius – Roy Welland
12. Russ Ekeblad – Ron Rubin
13. Amos Kaminski – Shaya Levit
14. Steve Landen – Pratap Rajadhyaksha
15. Gary Cohler – Howard Weinstein
16. Richie Schwartz – Chris Willenken
17. Sam Lev – Jacek Pszczola
18. Drew Casen – Jim Krekorian
19. Joanne Stansby – Lew Stansby
20. Waleed ElAhmady – Tarek Sadek
21. Bobby Levin – Steve Weinstein
22. Gavin Wolpert – Vincent Demuy
23. Jill Levin – Jill Meyers
24. Zia Mahmood – Andy Robson
25. Bob Hamman – Justin Lall
26. Barry Goren – Ron Smith
27. Seymon Deutsch – Paul Soloway
28. Gilad Altshuler – David Birman
29. Piotr Bizon – Michal Kwiecien
30. George Jacobs – Ralph Katz
31. Alain Levy –Hervé Mouiel
32. Mike Cornell – Michael Rosenberg
33. Cutis Cheek – Joe Grue
34. Peter Lakatos – Gabor Winkler
35. Michael Kamil – Christal Hennar-Welland
36. Aleander Dubinin – Andrei Gromov
37. Mathias Bruun – Peter Fredin
38. Barry Rigal – Bart Bramley
39. Boye Brogeland – Ishmael DelMonte
40. Alfredo Versace – Antonio Sementa
41. Ton Bakkeren – Huub Bertens
42. Michael Elinescu – Entscho Wladow
43. Chris Compton – Mike Passell
44. Zoltan Nagy – Bob Richman
45. Sartaj Hans – Tony Nunn
46. Guido Ferraro – Augustin Medala

(Stand: 9th May)

[Aberlour10]

My TOP 6

1. Fulvio Fantoni – Claudio Nunes
2. Bobby Levin – Steve Weinstein
3. Bjorn Fallenius – Roy Welland
4. Waleed ElAhmady – Tarek Sadek
5. Sam Lev – Jacek Pszczola
6. David Berkowitz – Bill Pollack

[luis]

My list:

Geoff Hampson – Eric Rodwell
Fulvio Fantoni – Claudio Nunes
Fred Stewart – Kit Woolsey
Bjorn Fallenius – Roy Welland
Waleed ElAhmady – Tarek Sadek
Guido Ferraro – Augustin Medala

Luis

[hrothgar]

It would be interesting if we added a bidding element to this game to more closely mirror the actual event. I suspect that a lot of people will chose some of the same teams. However, this doesn't mean that they would be a cost effective investment.

1. Fulvio Fantoni – Claudio Nunes
2. Bobby Levin – Steve Weinstein
3. Waleed ElAhmady – Tarek Sadek
4. Geoff Hampson – Eric Rodwell
5. Boye Brogeland – Ishmael DelMonte
6. Bjorn Fallenius – Roy Welland

[joshs]

Keep in mind that this event has serious system restrictions, so some pairs can't play there normal methods.

[Aberlour10]

hrothgar, on May 9 2006, 02:52 PM, said:

It would be interesting if we added a bidding element to this game to more closely mirror the actual event.

We tried it in 2004...

http://forums.bridge...wtopic=2957&hl=

but it was too hard to handle in my opinion..

Robert

[DJNeill]

Hi all,
At least we'll get the fantunes we know and love:

"In general, any convention or treatment that is familiar to the average tournament player, or can be explained
to the average player within 10 seconds, is allowed. Methods of a destructive nature are not authorized, nor are
the following:
a. Forcing or strong pass systems;
b. Multi 2" and similar conventional opening bids;
c. Two-suited weak two/three-bid openings which specify only one (or neither) of the suits
held; anchor suit must contain at least five cards B except that two of a major showing that
suit and a minor is permitted – even if the major is only a four card suit.
d. Preemptive bids that do not specify which suit is held;
e. Artificial bids or sequences that require a lengthy explanations;
f. Canapé style overcalls or opening bids if the first-bid suit may be shorter than four cards;
g. Any system, convention or treatment that would require a pre-alert (in ACBL parlance) and
written suggested defenses.
h. Transfer openings and transfer responses, subject to the following exception:
1. Any transfer response structure to a notrump opening, overcall or rebid is
permitted"

Thanks,
Dan

[DJNeill]

....as are transfer responses showing at least high-card game invitational
values."


But then what will we see from then if not their normal system?

Thanks,
Dan

[han]

1. Hampson - Rodwell
2. Fantoni - Nunes
3. ElAhmadi - Sadek
4. Stewart - Woolsey
5. Fallenius - Welland
6. Hamman - Lall

[nickf]

Goren/ Smith pulled out a few days ago.

nckf
sydney

[joshs]

Well Fantunes play weak x-fer responses to their 1C opening followed by some multi-meaning bids (or are they relays?), I think, since their english is not that good, I had trouble completely understanding their 1C-1D-1H auction when I played them in the Open BAM in denver.

[the saint]

1. Mahmood-Robson
2. Fantoni-Nunes
3. Hampson-Rodwell
4. Levin-Weinstein
5. Versace-Sementa
6. El-Ahmady-Sadek


Zia-Robson have a great record in invitational pairs events.

[jdonn]

Just out of boredom decided to research some pairs.

It seemed like everyone is picking Fantoni and Nunes first or second, so I looked back at their past results.

2005: 34/44, -1246
2004: 2/50, +3424
2003: 4/50, +2057
2002: 54/60, -2030
2001: 28/52, -145
Avg (converted percentile): 21/46, +412

They have certainly shown they can do that well, but also do quite badly. What this means, I have no idea, but the data suggests they are being somewhat overrated by people (in this event anyway.)

For a solid pick, take a pair like Levin and Weinstein over the same time period.

2005: 4/44, +1718
2004: 17/50, +734
2003: 27/50, -193
2002: 1/60, +2982
2001: 13/52, +1228
Avg: 11/46, +1294

That's a pair you can hang your hat on. They also won in 1999 so if I went back farther the average improves even more.

Lastly, of course I'm interested in Justin and Mr. Hamman! These are Hamman's results.

2005: (with Zia): 4/44, +1718
2004: (with Zia): 3/50, +3363
2003: (with Zia): 5/50, +1856
2002: (with Zia): 12/60, +1422
2001: (with Nickell): 21/52, +407
Avg: 7/46, +1753

Of course Zia had a lot to do with it, but nonetheless I will make Hamman and Justin my darkhorse upset pick this year to do very well!

I'll be there too, playing in the WBP pairs. Wish me luck!

"If I had a million dollars, if I had a million dollars, ...I'd be rich"

[hrothgar]

I'm surprised that no one else is expecting Boye Brogeland – Ishmael DelMonte to place. Two very talented players there. My main worry is that they are not a well established partnership. Even so, I'm hoping for big things...

[han]

Perhaps we expect Fantunes to do so well because we were impressed during the last Bermuda Bowl..

[Echognome]

My Picks:

1. Bjorn Fallenius – Roy Welland
2. Bobby Levin – Steve Weinstein
3. Zia Mahmood – Andy Robson
4. Alain Levy –Hervé Mouiel
5. Chris Compton – Mike Passell
6. Guido Ferraro – Augustin Medala

[dogsbreath]

hi

dark horse? Nagy/Richman in the top 3.

Bob wont have to remember a system. If he can remember what contract he's playing they'll get a few tops.

Rgds Dog

[badderzboy]

My picks


1. Fulvio Fantoni – Claudio Nunes
2 Zia Mahmood – Andy Robson
3. Waleed ElAhmady – Tarek Sadek
4. Bobby Levin – Steve Weinstein
5. Gavin Wolpert – Vincent Demuy
6. Bob Hamman – Justin Lall

[DenisO]

My picks this year : play well guys - I want to see that 2nd Golden Imp award on my sideboard

1. Zia Mahmood – Andy Robson
2. Russ Ekeblad – Ron Rubin
3. Geoff Hampson – Eric Rodwell
4. Fulvio Fantoni – Claudio Nunes
5. Bjorn Fallenius – Roy Welland
6. Bobby Levin – Steve Weinstein

[Cascade]

I like these pairs

1 Fulvio Fantoni – Claudio Nunes
2 Waleed ElAhmady – Tarek Sadek
3 Zia Mahmood – Andy Robson
4 Sam Lev – Jacek Pszczola
5 Boye Brogeland – Ishmael DelMonte
6 Bob Hamman – Justin Lall