Totally Unauthorized

Q as in qualifying, which is what we try to do on the first day of a national event.  They cut the field by approximately half for the second day–you go on to the finals, or you play a regional event.  I want to play with the big kids in the finals.

Tom Jacobson and I played in the Silver Ribbon pairs today–which is only the second senior event I have played.  The first was the Silver Ribbon pairs last year, also with Tom.  That time we got our Q, didn’t do well the second day.

Today, we had a good first session, 54%.  All we needed to do was be over average for the day; it was looking good.  But things didn’t go too well tonight.  We made some errors, the opponents didn’t make enough errors.  After 11 rounds, we stood at 41%, not good.

The last two rounds picked things up, though, and we squeaked in.  Probably won’t have any carryover, but who cares? I get to play with the big kids tomorrow.

Among those big kids, Mike B and Bob Luebkeman qualified, as did Jack Scott and Manfred Michlmayr.  By the morning they will post the full list of winners and I can see if there is anyone else from our area.

I ran into Marj Russell today in the hallway, and she was bemoaning being in the hotel for a week already–she came up here last Monday to take the directors course.  She aced it, naturally.  If you’re going to be stuck in the creepy old pile of a hotel for a week, you should at least be successful.

Somebody in the grocery store this morning told me that when Grand Sierra took over the hotel, they had huge plans to expand, remodel, refurbish and improve the place.  Indeed, there had been considerably work done, but then there was that little economic crash, the money stopped flowing, and the construction stopped.  When the state of the nation improves, they will be able to finish refitting this place to its former glory.  Remember, when it first opened as the MGM Grand it was one of the premier hotel/casinos in the world.  Not so much anymore.

Dinner tonight was at the Claim Jumper.  There were 8 of us, and sure enough they tried to stuff us into a U-shaped booth like sardines in a can.  I always wonder how many groups would meekly start cramming themselves into that miserable sausage casing, but our little band of outspoken bridge players were having none of it.  There was an enormous refectory table for 10 right next to the little booth–guess where we sat.

We were there mostly because the restaurant guide for this NABC is the worst I have seen in maybe 40 national tournaments.  It looks like someone just opened the phone book and wrote down all the chain restaurants.  There must be a decent place to eat here, but you’d never know it from the guide.  I didn’t have time to do much research, so I just picked this one.  The portions are huge, the food is decent, the prices are fair.  It isn’t bad, it just isn’t great.

This afternoon I peeked into the finals of the Platinum Pairs.  There were 71 tables originally.  That was cut to 39 for the second day, and down to 18 for the finals.  This third day they are playing behind screens, which is just another whole world of bridge.  It seems weird when you look at it, but being all isolated like that improves your concentration incredibly–not that the kind of player who gets to the finals of a 3 day national event needs much help in that department.

Okay, I’ve rambled enough.  Time to hit the sack–I have to play morning KO’s tomorrow, then the Silver Ribbon Finals. Linda Bandler arrives on the 2:00 plane, and Mike is planning a big dinner. I better get some rest.  More tomorrow.