Spingold Top 18 - Review

1. Nickell
Expectation: Win if H-M get in sync quickly
Result: Loss to Meltzer in the quarters

Team seemed not to gain as much IMPs as expected. This will not hurt them in Boston's Board-A-Match (BAM) scoring. Hamman-Compton stil listed for Beijing Open, thus Hamman-Mahmood teething pains not relevant

2. Weed-Cayne
Expectation: Will win if Nickell exits and don't hit a bad patch
Result: Hit a bad patch in the semis, losing to Welland

Cayne-Seamon were fine. Italians seemed out of kilter (watch out for Scotish teams out of kilter) - suggest Italians take some time off bridge for R&R.Will not win in B & B (Beijing or Boston) playing as they are.

3 O'Rourke
Expectation: Can beat anybody, can win with a bit of luck
Result: lost to Welland in the sweet 16

Duboin-Sementa might be the best Italian pair in the Beijing Open

4 Strul
Expectation: will win if other teams self-destruct
Result: Lost in the round of 64

Early exit when didn't generate a lot of IMPs - style will be fine for Bostom BAM BAM

5 Gromov
Expectation: Will chew up lesser teams, touch-n-go matches against the top
Result: won

With Poles exported to Russia, country will be a strong contender in world championships

6 Schwartz
Expectation: Will lose to one of the super talented teams
Result: Lost to Lusky in the sweet 16

Gawrys-Lesniewski will be fine in Beijing

7 Sadek
Expectation: Will win until they get behind too much at the half
Result: lost to Weed-Cayne in the quarters

Sadek-Elahmady will anchor the Egypt team, Sadek Team will be strong in Boston

8 Meltzer
Expectation: Competitive, but will exit to a top team
Result: lost to Gromov in the semis

Helgemo-Helness will be strong and steady in Beijing

9 Ekeblad
Expectation: Unpredictable, might exit early, might win
Result: lost to Meltzer in the sweet 16

10 Narasimhan
Expectation: Will battle every match, will need a bit of luck
Result: Lost to Sadek in sweet 16

11 Milner
Expectation: Competitive, but will exit to a top team
Result: Lost to Lusky in round of 32

12 Lynch
Expectation: Competitive, but will exit to a top team
Result: Lost to Gromov in sweet 16

13 Robinson
Expectation: Will exit round of 16 or 8
Result: Lost in the round of 64

14 Onstott
Expectation: None - not sure of the partnerships
Result: Lost in the round of 64

15 von Arnim
Expectation: Unpredictable
Result: Lost in the round of 64

16 Mahaffey
Expectation: Competitive, but will exit to a top team
Result: Lost to Brogeland in the round of 32

17 Brogeland
Expectation: Competitive, but will exit to a top team
Result: Lost to Nickell in the sweet 16

18 Welland
Expectation: A lot of talent here, will be in semis
Result: Lost in final

Will be strong in Boston - Welland must not have liked sitting out half the matches