As I am sure you are all aware there are 4 partnerships competing for 3 places in the team for the junior europeans.
Now here comes the challenge. Try to think of a way in which the team ought to be decided (im ruling out height right now). This ought to be objective but should not just be based upon performance in one or two events. It should also not be base upon say three key events as with exams for all people at different times it may not be reasonable to expect all pairs to turn up.
This may be seen as wanting to have your cake and eat it however if you can find a way im sure Catherine would be very happy of your help.

I think it is a poor state of affairs that none of you have replied to this! Surely you want to have a say in deciding on a fair selection process?

May I suggest that one of you emails everyone in the squad and makes sure they all comment here.

Catherine asked about this over a month ago and for no one to comment rather gives off an impression that no one is that enthusiast about participating.

Yeah thats right Gyles but Im not sure if the way the trials will work has been decided yet. If theyhave can we plaese hear what they are and if not does anyone have any suggestions for that.

But the point still remains how do you do IMPS?

Cross IMPs with 4 paris is just as silly as MPs. So if team matches are in order how exacty are they going to be done?

(Has anyone else seen that book "The Official Rock, Paper, Sissiors handbook"
If you want to become an international class player I advise that you read that )

To be fair I think that the selection has to be brutal and i think that is all that is needed.

Find 4 pairs of same level and same system (preferablly 5cM strng NT,etc) and let them play against us with at least one other person watching each table and play like 40/60 boards in a day. (2days of 40 would be better but i know that even the above is asking alot)

That way stamina can be looked at, lots of boards played to be fairer and to also not just look at the results...eg.
one board from the frischman was 6c-1,6c-1,6c=
is a good slam to bid but only makes on bad defence

I think the 4 pairs need to be watched by good players for over 40 boards so certainly needs 5 good players and it would be ok if the 4pairs they were up against were perhaps not so good but it would mean less boards would be good for realistic evaluation

That or some "fun" quizzess are made to see if we can bid and stay out of slams, pre-empt well enough, etc

My random rantings coutersy of M Ellison esq

I like Myles' first idea, but I'd prefer if the 'equal' pairs were all quite good - having equally poor pairs doesn't work as then you lose the examiners aspect of having a good pair watching you. I prefer this idea of playing at a table to quizzes as it tests aspects such as stamina and perhaps table manner whereas quizzes just test your bridge ability.

I feel that if the desicion is going to be made by people watching we might as well be efficiant about it. I cannot see the point in playing other people. Ifeel it would be better to have junior vs. junior at both tables with 2 people watching that as there would be a greater idea of what was happening at the table as anything someone missed the other watcher might see.

I do agree that scores are not the best way to do it with a groupof this size, i feel a selection pannel of some kind would be far fairer as it would stop, as Myles said, people being rewarded for poor actions.

I did suggest to Catherine about a month ago that we all play in the U25 pairs in London, thus playing against some of the decent English pairs. It is also a 2 session event so it might be long enough. It is on the Easter weekend so most would be available(?) This may be quite biased as it is the only date I am availabe before the end of June.

Pairs, different game and also London is...slightly away from well all of us!

not free until the end of june? that gives 14days until the competiton starts?

any ideas when the actual team names have to be submitted?

I am sooo glad to see you are giving some thought to this very sticky problem we have! As we now know that the event is either 13th-23rd July or 14th-24th July ( EBL have given me 2 different dates) My first thoughts of having the whole of July to have trials is not going to be viable. I still think we will have to go with at least ONE but preferably TWO weekends of you playiong each other but cross imped and I like the idea of at least 2 obsevers at each table. Now we HAVE to find dates! How aboutiith-12th and 18th-19th June OR 18th-19thand 25th 26th???? doesnt leave much time to organise travel but I'm sure we can do it.
I am also concerned about those of you who may have commitments to work experience especially Andrew and Ben, how soon will yoiu guys know what you are doing?
A pity that Andrew and Alex are not able to be at Dumfries will you be at West Dist. Congress in April?
The other alternative is on-line but I would really want to avoid that if at al;l possible

I would like to veto any online selection process i cannot think.

Phil and I are both free from the end of May onwards and will be doing as little as possible so any days after that look great.

Sorry for not replying to this sooner.

I am also ridiculously busy and can not consider trials until after my exams, even if this means that I do not get selected. My exams will finish some time towards the end of May (I think) so any time after that will be fine.

My Standard Life internship starts on June 27th. I hope they'll let me have time off for the Europeans and from what I've heard from other people who have done it, you do get some holiday time. However, the later the tournament the more likely I will be able to play, as we will have training at the beginning and I don't expect they will want me going away too soon into the internship.

I'll let you know as soon as I find out what the situation is.

As for trials, the more the better as long as its after my exams. I am very much against online stuff, I find it impossible to concentrate and it's really a completely different game.

I like the idea of having people watching, sounds good to me. As for playing against non-juniors I really have no opinion, whatever wil be will be.

Um... That's about all I have to say at the moment.

Andy

My last exam is not till the 24th June, so that rules out anything before then for me (My first exam is also in mid-May it is ridiculous). I am free all the time after this. If everyone has finished school/uni by then during the week might be possible? Also I can definitely play in the Hutchie swiss pairs (for Andy, that is the 4th April?) and when is the Western District congress?

Seconded on the Swedish option!!

Any idea the results? Team members?


How do the trials for the adults work ?

Or do they just play bridge and bcoz there are more of them it works?

I have my graduation ceromony on the wed 29June

Yay go Myles. I like G's plan a lot actually.

However school does not finish until the 29th of June so unless Catherine bites their heads off me and frazer have to attend the 'Post Higher Program'. Oh well.

alex how many exams do you have to sit? In a month and a half you could sit tonnes.