Well, it was both a huge success and a disappointment at the same time.   We awoke the morning of the first round robin ready to do battle.   We came out firing in the morning and played ourselves into qualifying and up the charts to a middle of the pack position...   This took a lot out of us (I believe) because in the evening we had some tough draws in our matches and our opponents got the better of us.   We dug ourselves another hole to try to play our way out of the next morning.

Sunday morning we were ready to go.   We had 3 matches to play.  2-1 with two good wins would be enough to get us through to the KO phase of the event.   We managed to go 2-1, but our wins were small -- and we didn't quite have enough firepower to pull of the comeback once again.   We played well, but there places for everyone one of us to win it (which is true in every event... )   

We weren't immediately satisfied with our results, but we have received many great compliments about our play and looking back we know that we did well -- better than most people expected.   I'm sure that we will be back to do battle at this event next year and for many years to come... 

The USBF Team Trials started today in Chicago.  The event is filled with teams of quality players from all over the country (and all over the world -- many of the best players having moved to America.)    It is exciting to sit down against the best players in the country and do battle.  

The matches are being played in one of my favorite event venues - private hotel rooms!   Each room has a table with screens and all the boards you will play for that match.  It's a quiet, peaceful, and secure way to play great bridge again tough opponents.  The atmosphere at each table was tense to start the day. Everyone wanted to play their best and each decision was being struggled over by all the players in the room.  

As the day went along players (as well as us) started to get into a rhythm and play better and better bridge.   Then, just as the 4th match was getting underway an unforeseen event -- a wild storm that killed the power all over the hotel.   We finished our first board in the dark (vs. Jacob Morgan and Marty Harris) and then spent the next hour back in our room waiting for the power to return (there wasn't enough light to see anything at the table!)   Everyone seemed a bit disturbed by the power outage -- and it certainly took many of the players out of their rhythm and off schedule for the days play.   

After a solid start we (McKenzie-me and the Bart's) weren't quite at our best in the 4th round and had a disastrous series of event strike at both tables in the 5th round.   The 6th round was our bye and  we finished the day not quite as strongly as we would have liked.   We are currently one place out of qualifying -- we need to win at least 2 of our 3 matches tomorrow to make it to the next round of play!

I'll let you know how it goes tomorrow!

I've had a great week here in Denver - working on developing the Zerth - Zert system projects with Garth.   We are off to a great start and I'm excited about to get this started.   McKenzie and I both enjoy getting to teach our general methods to other players interested in a strong club system and we get to work on further refining what we have developed for our own system.... 

I'm off to Aspen for the weekend and I'm looking forward to getting to spend some time visit with my students and teaching a great group of bridge players.    See you all in Reno!

I've made it back east -- travelling to Sarasota for the regional (Marty, Judy, Mark, Theri, and Raph all did great!)   I was very proud of our team -- and excited about the prospects for the future.

I also enjoyed a few days of great teaching -- in Naples and Tallahassee.    Everyone seems like their bridge is coming along well, and I'm very excited to see it...  I was sorry that Jacksonville didn't work out this week -- but I'm sure we'll be able to get that going again in the not too distant future.  

I'm in Atlanta now doing some training with Mark.  He has very little experience and I'm hitting him with a ton of things to think about all at once.   We have ups and downs, but in general he is progressing incredibly quickly (much more than he recognizes) and I'm sure he'll do great the rest of this year!

See everyone in Colorado or Reno -- if not before!

I'm excited to be on another Colorado trip -- quickly becoming one of my favorite places in the world :)

I'm in Aspen for Monday-Thursday...  My schedule is amazing - skiiing in the mornings, teaching bridge in the afternoon, and having great food and wine at night!   I'm excited about seeing my friends and students here in Aspen!

On Friday I head back to Denver to spend some time with the gang there!   Garth and I will be doing some work with his Spingold Team -- Relay Precision (Z-ert Style) for everyone... :)

See everyone soon...