By: Pietro Campanile

Pietro Campanile — Tue, 13 Jan 2009 15:26:13 +0000

I think that besides the thrill to compete with the best, one of the components that motivates a lot of sponsors fielding teams which do not include players from the Gotha of bridge, is surely the belief that one day, with the sun shining from the right angle and all the right finesses working, they might also claim a spot on the stage of fame by edging out Meckwell by one imp. Looking in depth at those “surprise” results, we almost always find that they are achieved by teams which are made of players who go out of their way to be supportive and to make everyone play at their best, since that is essentially their only chance of success against a stronger team. This is one huge difference in the make up of our game: talent is not a guarantee of success but only an insurance on its frequency. Meckwell & Co playing at 60% can be beaten in a long match by a good solid team playing at their best. This brings up another crucial component which is sometimes underrated especially when selecting the right pro player to match with the sponsor: not just how good they are but more importantly how much better does the sponsor play when he/she is paired with him/her? I know of many great players, gifted with enormous talent, who under-performed when placed in a partnership with the sponsor and, what is worse, their table antics made the sponsor play at 1/10 of his/her skill level. Similarly with pairs: quite a few pairs are disruptive and cause the team to play at below their average potential. A sponsor with a minimum of savvy would do well in my view to get informal references on a pro player’s behavioral style from earlier clients/partners, before seriously considering moving on to the hiring phase.

By: Jody

Jody — Fri, 09 Jan 2009 23:37:59 +0000

Lady, you read my mind..as I am coming to
the end of your post, “so why do we bother?” My thot was “what is the purpose of this tremendous amount of work?” I know of course, we (all players) are simply addicted to this fantastic game and want to do the very best we can, winning is secondary with most, probably. In the highest levels winning is maybe a lot like the lowest level, a lot of luck. It is so great tho that players can make a good living doing what they love. Pros are like salespeople I suppose. High self esteem and outstanding people skills. Still, it can’t be easy, always having to win. Now I have confused myself, lol

Comments on: how to spot a bridge pro, part two

By: Pietro Campanile

By: Jody