REPORT ON FIRST DAY AT SCHAUMBURG (RUSH, RUSH, RUSH)
There seems to be radically wrong timing at these trials (SENIORS and WOMEN’S). A lovely complimentary breakfast was served in the hospitality suite from 8:30 – 10:00 followed by a captain’s meeting and play at 11:00. It doesn’t take an hour and a half to eat an impromptu breakfast but it appears the men wanted to start at 10 and the women at 11, so they compromised at 10:30. There is about 15 minutes between sessions which doesn’t give you much time to unwind, decide upon your lineup and go back into battle. The directors were very accommodating but that didn’t help the players. The second session team didn’t get out until 3:30 so if you played two in a row you didn’t have much time to run up to the first floor for a relaxing complimentary mid-afternoon buffet unless you were off the next session. And so on. It seemed we were on a constant merry go round and didn’t have dinner before nine – graciously shuttled by the hotel bus to a nearby restaurant upon request (because the hotel had a very sparse menu). You must bear in mind, you are (in one case) dealing with seniors. Give ‘em a break. And, as far as the Women, they didn’t want to begin until 11:00, but it was amazing how many of them arrived to stuff their faces at 8:30.
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Your blog is very practical and makes a lot of sense to me. The playing and in-between-time-off should be sensible in the best interests of both the players and the game.
You sure tell it like it is, but perhaps that is why your blogs are so popular.
Chuck:
Bobby and I were at the hospitality suite this morning when it opened (remembering we are two hours ahead of Las Vegas time). We were there for half a hour and the numbers from yesterday sure dwindled. The spread was appealing and those who attended seemed to enjoy it — but like us, grabbed a bagel or fruit and coffee and returned to our respective haunts to await the 10:30 starting time (with an hour and a half to kill). Bah, humbug.
Bobby’s team has an 87 imp lead so it looks very good with thirty boards to go.
After that — three more matches to the finish line.
Good to hear about the lead. Good luck to Bobby and team today and keep it going.
15 minutes between sessions hardly seems long enough to get a glass of water, let alone rest a bit. Guess that is why the high level games are so intense.
HI Jane:
I’ll pass on your message, With 15 boards to go, his team is up 109 in the last match, but the other team is in no way interested in conceding. Oh, well. I guess one never knows.
However, I excused myself to come up to the room to watch my soap opera (forgot it was Saturday) and I see the women’s tennis is on NBC. I thought I was being so clever, making use of my free time till the 2:45 buffet lunch. Sometimes, you just can’t win. Guess I’ll do some laundry instead.
Say hello to everyone at LVBC for us.
Cheers,
Judy