THE USBF SENIOR TRIALS — a delightful setting!

Bobby and I experienced a “first” this week.    I think everyone finds traveling in these unsettling times of terrorism an awful nuisance.   However, Bobby and I arose above it all, when the USBF selected The Marriott Hotel (Palm Gardens) to host the 2009 trials where the winners will be headed for Sao Paulo, Brazil this fall.  However, win or lose, the Wolves are the early winners — living less than five minutes from the hotel.

I am happy to report the site is lovely, 6th floor overlooking Sin City.   The individual bedrooms which serve as secure playing rooms are fairly spacious and comfortable.   Nadine Wood is Hospitality Chairman and the fruits of her months-long planning are deliciously evidenced at the Hospitality Site, a large room with lots of goodies and drinks and comfortable furniture — which also houses a TV where BBO is shown.  Many of the kibitzing wives have graciously helped her keep the site clean and comfortable.

Terry Lavender, popular director is a one woman magic show — holding down the fort single-handed in her usually charming, calm, warm manner.   Although we only have eight tables in play, perhaps another pair of hands would have been appropriate to give her some backup.   She is really a model director and would be the perfect person to be training our future directing staff.  Our playing room became dark and when it was called to her attention —  within a minute — there was Terry, unassisted, dragging a tall metal framed tall torchiere to the room.   Except before the games began, I did not see too much of Jan Martel, COO, as I am sure she must have been working hard coordinating the BBO presentation of the games on your computers and training some of the new vugraph operators..   Suzi Subeck does her usual delightful job as Bulletin Editor.   So far, so good.

As far as the bridge, we have no complaints.    Originally called the Wolff Team, Bobby relinquished the captaincy to Dan as he did so much work putting the team together (M/W PLUS Arnie Fisher, Freddy Hamilton, Johnny Solodar and Paul Swanson).   They won their preliminary match Monday against Wojewoda (including Farid Assemi, Bob Etter, Keith Garber, Jim Looby and James Tritt). Tuesday the Morse team beat the favorites (the Kyle Larsen team — including Roger Bates, Bart Bramley, Rose Meltzer, Alan Sontag and Lew Stansby.)

All the ‘losers’ go into a secondary  bracket, meaning the remaining defeated teams play off for U.S. #2)..    The teams that remain undefeated as of now are the Schwartz Team who we  (Morse/Wolff) are playing now.   They are a four bagger which includes Russ Ekeblad, Matt Granovetter and Bob Jones.    The winner of this match is officially 2009 U. S. # 1 Senior Team and the loser goes into from the losers bracket hoping to be the survivor:  U. S. #2 Senior team.

(We just returned from the second third of the finals.    It is 11:20 p.m. Wednesday night and Bobby and team will be reporting at 10 a.m. tomorrow to play fifteen of the last thirty boards.   We (the Morse Team) are ahead by 72.    We figure to be a favorite by a healthy margin — but anything can happen in thirty boards.  Will keep you posted soon as we have a current update tomorrow).

I’ve never been to South America so I may (?) have to brush up on my samba ay, my rumba, ay, my conga, ay yi yi!  However, as long as there are discount jewelry boutiques in the area, I will be a happy camper!