Lebovitz leads Jacoby Swiss
The squad captained by Laurence Lebovitz of Boston scored 123.01 victory points in the qualifying round of the Jacoby Open Swiss Teams to lead the qualifiers in the four-session contest.
Second through fifth places were separated by a fraction of a victory point, and includes teams captained by (in order) Robert Hollman, Mike Levine, Chen Zhao and Jeff Wolfson.
Forty-four teams advanced to today’s final round.
Sheng–Liu set pace in Fast Pairs
Californians Ming Sheng and Ethan Liu topped the qualifying round in the NABC+ Fast Pairs. Sheng and Liu scored 64.63% in the first session and 61.00% in the second. Their carryover in today’s two-session final is 91.78 matchpoints (25 = top).
In second with a carryover of 63.89 is Zachary Wasserman of Farmington Hills MI and Irina Kislitsyna of Bradenton FL, while third place belongs to Valentin Kovachev of Las Vegas and Douglas Fjare of Estes Park CO with 63.30.
District 22 pair lead NAP B
Marc Franklin of Newport Beach CA and Harvey Jaffe of Huntington Beach CA lead the qualifiers in the Golder North American Pairs Flight B. The pair scored 69.15% and 60.43% in Saturday’s qualifying sessions for a carryover of 71.62 – about three and three-quarter boards (top=19). That’s about one and one-quarter boards ahead of District 12’s Henry Zhang and Yanping Zhang, both Ann Arbor MI, who have a carryover of 47.92.
In third place from District 21 are Bo Xiao and Rory Xiao of Fremont CA with a carryover of 43.13.
Forty pairs qualified for today’s final.
District 12 duo leads NAP C
James Yi of West Bloomfield MI and Tengyun Tony Cao of Troy MI, representing District 12, lead the President’s Cup North American Pairs Flight C after Saturday’s qualifying sessions. Yi and Cao scored 66.31% in the first session and 61.38% in the second to earn a carryover of 47.92 – about three and two-thirds boards.
That’s about half a board ahead of second-place qualifiers and D22 representatives Danning Lu of Goleta CA and Andrew Rowberg of Livermore CA, whose carryover is 40.89.
In third from District 21 are Milind Girkar of Sunnyvale CA and Shailesh Sampat of San Jose CA with 32.95.
Twenty-eight pairs qualified for today’s final where a 13 is top.
Vanderbilt final:
Rosenthal vs. Gupta
The squads captained by Andrew Rosenthal and Vinita Gupta will face each other in today’s final of the Vanderbilt Knockout Teams.
In ths semifinal round, Rosenthal (Aaron Silverstein, Chris Willenken, Jan Jansma, Boye Brogeland and Christian Bakke) defeated Warrens Spector’s team, 125–93, in a contest where Rosenthal led throughout the match.
In the other bracket, Gupta (Morten Bilde, Simon Cope, Emil Jepsen and Andreas Meister) eliminated Sylvia Moss and company, 138–102, Gupta led the match at the end of each quarter of play.
Moss smacks Nickell in Vandy QF
In yesterday’s quarterfinal action in the Vanderbilt KO, Sylvia Moss and company showed Nick Nickell’s team the door, winning the match 144–58 in three quarters of play. Nickell, the original No. 2 seed, threw in the towel before the last set.
Moss’s opponent in the semifinal round will be Vinita Gupta’s team. Gupta survived a volatile match against Laurence Lebowitz’s squad to advance 138–135.
In the other semifinal bracket, Andrew Rosenthal will face Warren Spector. In the quarterfinal, Rosenthal’s squad put an end to the run by Team Hill, the four-handed crew led by Kevin Dwyer, 137–118, while Spector handled Pierre Zimmermann and company, 144–95.
Hendelman–Amer are Silodor leaders
Erez Hendelman and Samuel Amer of the New York City area topped the qualifying round in the Silodor Open Pairs. Posting a 62.37% game in the afternoon session, the duo upped the ante with a 64.84% game in the evening set. Their carryover is 224.45 matchpoints (top = 64).
In second with 200.69 are David Caprera and Anne Brenner of Denver, and third place belongs to Bart Bramley and Kit Woolsey.
One hundred thirty pairs qualified for today’s two-session final.
Migry and Cole crush Women’s qualifying
Migry Zur Campanile and Margie Cole, both of New York NY, had two monster qualifying sessions – 70.05% and 67.24% – dominating the Smith Life Master Women’s Pairs by five and a half boards (154.4 on a 28 top). Their combined score is 1000.20. They will start tomorrow with a carryover of 51.01 (13 top).
In second place with a combined score of 845.80 are Phyllis Fireman of Chestnut Hill MA and Jenny Wolpert of Palm Beach Gardens FL with a carryover of 19.56. In third are Donna Givner of Golden CO and Cheryl Gorman of Omaha NE with a carryover of 17.87.
Fifty-nine pairs entered the event, 28 pairs qualified for tomorrow’s two-session final.
Titones top 0–2500 Pairs
Leading the qualifiers in the 0–2500 Pairs with a combined score of 462.55 are Joe Titone and Shirley Titone of Vancouver WA. The Titones scored 55.86% in the first qualifying session and followed that up with 62.74% in the second qualifying session. They will have a carryover of 26.19 for tomorrow (9 top). In second are Jay Silberberg of Denver CO and Michael Shedd of Brighton CO with a score of 450.46, just barely ahead of third place Ping Hu and Henry Shi who scored 449.06. Their carryovers will be 22.09 and 21.62, respectively.
Thursday’s inaugural event was limited to players with fewer than 2500 masterpoints and drew 33 entries, 20 qualified for today’s two-session final.
Team ‘Hill’ sends No. 1 seed to sidelines in Vandy
The team sponsored by Joyce Hill – the original No. 17 seed featuring Kevin Dwyer, Shan Huang, Mikael Rimstedt and Ola Rimstedt – deposed the top-seeded squad led by Jeff Wolfson 136–79 in yesterday’s Vanderbilt action. Wolfson was playing with Steve Garner, Michael Becker, Michael Kamil, Louk Verhees and Cornelis Van Prooijen. This is the second “upset” by the lower-ranked Hill team: In the round of 32, they sent home the No. 16 seed led by Bob Hamman.
Most of the other results in the Round of 16 were extremely close.
The No. 2 seed led by Nick Nickell survived a scare from Paul Street and company (No. 15). Nickell rallied from a a 22-IMP deficit in the third quarter to advance 129–118.
No. 3 Gupta held on to win against No. 14 Adam Wildavsky, 90–87. Similarly, Pierre Zimmermann’s squad (No. 4) outlasted Phyllis Fireman’s team, 122–119.
No. 5 Warren Spector beat No. 12 Ron Smith, 131–121. No. 7 Sylvia Moss defeated No. 10 Gary Donner 107–100. And No. 8 Andrew Rosenthal won against No. 9 Leslie Amoils 101–98.
Ranis meets Rockoff in 10K KO
The teams captained by Ranis and Rockoff will meet in the final of today’s 0–10,000 Knockout Teams. Ranis, of Aventura FL, is playing with Carlos Hoyos of Bogota Colombia; Michael Wolf of Fort Lauderdale FL, and Lee Bukstel of Boca Raton FL.
Rockoff, of Gilbert AZ, is playing with Sarik Goyal of Worcester MA and Eric Xiao, Guanghao Xiao and Jeff Xiao, all from Shrewsbury MA.
Both squads had easy routes to today’s final when their opponents withdrew after three rounds in the semifinal.
Molesworth–Gerard lead Mixed quals
The top score in the opening round of the Rockwell Mixed Pairs was posted by Nancy Moleswoth and Ron Gerard of White Plains NY. The duo scored 63% and 64% respectively in the qualifying round. Their carryover is 197.28 matchpoints.
In second with 176.68 are David Marker of Chicago and Giorgia Botta of Brooklyn NY.
Third place belongs to Anam Tebha of Charlotte NC and Steve Zolotow of Las Vegas with 173.47.
One hundred twenty pairs qualified for today’s two-session final.
Levine exits Vanderbilt
In yesterday’s Round of 32 in the Vanderbilt KO Teams, the No. 3 seed captained by Mike Levine was defeated by Vinita Gupta’s squad – the No. 30 seed – by a score of 92–79. Gupta is playing with Morten Bilde, Simon Cope, Emil Jepsen and Andreas Meister. Levine’s lineup was Eddie Wold, Geir Helgemo, Tor Helness, Jeff Meckstroth and David Berkowitz.
The No. 12 seed led by Hemant Lall was upset by the No. 21 seed captained by Ron Smith, 134–90. Lall’s roster was Reese Milner, Roy Welland, Sabine Auken, Wojciech Gawel and Rafal Jagniewski. Smith’s teammates are Venkatrao Koneru, John Schermer and Asaf Yekutieli.
Also getting the boot was Bob Hamman’s squad (No.16); they fell to Team Hill (No.17) led by Kevin Dwyer, 143–79. Hamman played with Peter Weichsel, Bart Bramley, Kit Woolsey, Nabil Edgtton and Andy Hung. Dwyer is playing with Shan Huang and brothers Mikael Rimstedt and Ola Rimstedt.
Pairings in the 0–10K Knockout
The 0–10,000 Knockout Teams semifinal matches begin today. Thirteen teams entered the event; the first round had two head-to-head matches and three round robins to reduce the field to eight teams for the second round. Here are tomorrow’s matchups:
Michael Ranis, Aventura FL; Carlos Hoyos, Bogota Colombia; Michael Wolf, Fort Lauderdale FL; Lee Bukstel, Boca Raton FL
vs
Barton Buffington, North Kingstown RI; David Binney, Seattle WA; Suzanne Cook, McKinleyville CA; Theo Lichtenstein, Tallahassee FL
Kyle Rockoff, Gilbert AZ; Sarik Goyal, Worcester MA; Eric Xiao – Guanghao Xiao – Jeff Xiao, Shrewsbury MA
vs
Lisa Mita, Berwyn PA; Alison Shoemaker, Wyndmoor PA; Barbara Devaney, Washington DC; Alexander Stille, Bethesda MD
Cappelli–Aquino lead IMP quals
Robert Cappelli of Sanibel FL and Mark Aquino of Jamaica Plain MA posted the top score in the opening round of the Lebhar IMP Pairs. Cappelli and Aquino 72.19 IMPs in the first qualifying session and 56.87 in the second for a total of 129.06 IMPs. They will begin today’s two-session final with a carryover of 25.50 IMPs.
In second with a carryover of 20.77 are William Neumann of Columbia MD and Jeff Hand of New York City. Third place is held by Steven Smolen and Vicki Lerner of San Francisco with 17.80.
Greco–Meckstroth lead Platinum Pairs
Eric Greco and Jeff Meckstroth lead the pack in the Kay Platinum Pairs after yesterday’s semifinal round. Greco and Meckstroth scored 60.38% and 65.98% in the first and second semifinal sessions respectively to lead the field in today’s two-session final. Their carryover is 34.55 matchpoints.
In second with a carryover of 30.82 are Zachary Grossack and Michael Rosenberg.
Third place is occupied by Thomas Bessis and Frederic Volcker with 27.31.
Twenty-eight pairs qualified to play in today’s final.
Wooldridge–Mignocchi set pace in Platinum Pairs
New Yorkers Joel Wooldridge and Kent Mignocchi – fresh off their win in Thursday’s North American Pairs – topped Friday’s qualifying round in the Kay Platinum Pairs. Wooldridge and Mignocchi scored a modest 53.02% in the first session but followed up with a strong 66.58% in the second set to lead the field in today’s semifinal round. Their carryover is 188.54 matchpoints.
In second are Australians Nabil Edggton and Andy Hung with a carryover of 188.20, while third place is occupied by Norwegians Christian Bakke and Boye Brogeland with 185.47.
Brooker–Stack Lead Silver Ribbon Pairs
Donald Brooker of Fairway KS and Don Stack of Kansas City KS are leading the field after Friday’s two qualifying sessions of the Leventritt Silver Ribbon Pairs. The pair scored 65.04% in the first qualifying session and followed that up with 63.24% in the second, earning them nearly the maximum carryover, 149.31, almost four boards (38 top).
In second are Jonathan Green of Melbourne FL and Barry Bragin of North Hutchinson FL who topped the field in the first qualifying session with a 67.89% game. They scored 58.45% in the second session and also have an impressive carryover of 139.39.
In third with a carryover of 116.30 are Markland Jones of Phoenix AZ and Robb Gordon of Prescott AZ.
Seventy-eight pairs qualified for tomorrow’s two-session final.
Donnelly leads 10K Teams
The international quartet captained by Christopher Donnelly of Washington DC posted the best score in the qualifying round of the 0–10,000 Swiss Teams. Donnelly, playing with Juan Felipe Cuervo of Bogota, Colombia, and Norwegians Erik Hansson and Nicolai Heiberg-Evenstad, scored 111.84 victory points in Friday’s round. They have a carryover of 25.46 VPs.
In second with a carryover of 23.34 VP is the South Korean squad led by Kim Daehong.
Third place belongs to the local (District 21) team captained by Qiang Zhang with a carryover of 21.41 VPs.