Day 6 - Olympiad Championship Qualifying IV
Thursday 24 August 2000
Today's been the hardest of them all, just a handful of players all trying to better their Bronze and Silver Categories. I've done so much fiddling around matching players together I've been offered a job as Nigel Kennedy's understudy; and if that fails I'm taking to the circus with a juggling act.
These last few days have been much like the curate's egg, good and bad in parts. Good inasmuch as there has been at least one day when the action has been stretching my abilities and bad that on another I've been stretching to remain awake. I need to rethink the Olympiad Championship and am open to suggestions.
Today saw four more going from Silver to Gold, they are:
- Jeff Barber
- Enrico Colanqioulo
- Brian Lever
- Lev Penhasov
This takes the Gold entry to twenty-one. We have 9 players on Silver and just four on Bronze (just what I'm going to do with the Bronze is unclear at the moment. Hopefully inspiration will arrive overnight). To avoid giving 1/2 point byes in the Gold and Silver I will (subject to approval) elevate a Silver player to the Gold on a random draw.
During the match between Simon Gasquoine and Andrew Havery the following position arose:
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5-Point Match
Havery (white) 2 Gasquoine (black) 2
Black on roll - Cube Action? |
So, is it a double, is it a drop? According to JellyFish it's a No-double/Take. Simon's equity is a meagre 0.295 with a massive 0.404 volatility. He's giving the cube away and Andrew, rather than snatching his hand off at the wrist, drops! But, I think at this match score; 3-away, 3-away this was the correct play by Andrew despite the fact it wasn't really a double in the first place. I'd like to hear from anyone that agrees...or disagrees with me.
Francine Brandler (see picture below) already has a Gold medal from the Poker Tournament but unfortunately for her she was unable to reach the Gold Category in the backgammon. However, she is highly tipped for a medal in the Silver Category.
Lev Penhasov and Francine Brandler
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This is a strange photo, it makes Francine look about 12 years old. Lev is perched above her like a Mr. Bumble the Beadle to Francine's Oliver Twist. This stunning effect was achieved by Lev sitting upon two backgammon boards and me standing at just the right angle! David Bailey I am not.
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Tomorrow (Friday) sees two highlights of the week for me; One, Sharen (my wife) arrives in the evening, and two, my friend and Web Journalist, Jasna Maric arrives from Belgrade... Sorry, tomorrow sees three highlights of the week for me; One, Sharen (my wife) arrives in the evening, two, my friend and Web Journalist, Jasna Maric arrives from Belgrade and three it is the Final of the Olympiad Championship...
