IBU Trials Final 2018 first 64 boards and Declan the Donplayer.

Meanwhile over in the Power Suite in the Clayton Hotel in Leopardstown Team Coyne and Team Barton went into battle. Team Coyne after playing Team Barton to a 64-61 match in the recent Camrose Trophy in Belfast felt capable of doing an upset. They had added the formidable partnership of Terry Walsh and Derek O'Gorman and disassembled two other partnerships to make Keaveney Glynn into a working relationship.

Set 1 .. saw Barton take a 7 imp lead. Board 9 had a club slam EW but both North Souths declared in 3S and 4S respectively both doubled and 9 imps to Coyne. Hanlon McGann gained 12 imps for 4DX later on. Otherwise a few small imps in and out.

http://www.fob.ie/wp-content/uploads/2018/01/IBU-Trials-2018-Final-Set-1.pdf

Set 2 saw Coyne win by 8 imps mainly due to a Grand Slam bid by Walsh O'Gorman. Barton team got a couple of 9 imps swings in return.

http://www.fob.ie/wp-content/uploads/2018/01/IBU-Trials-2018-Final-Set-2.pdf



Set 3 was the final 16 boards of Friday evening and lets see

Hanlon McGann got into 1NT light 3 non-vul while team mates rolled home 3NT EW.
Barton also gained 13 on 5D made against 5D down 1

http://www.fob.ie/wp-content/uploads/2018/01/IBU-Trials-2018-Final-Set-3.pdf

So Barton by 23 overnight..

…………….
Top of Set 4 Coyne would blow away that lead with a 36-6 start.
but Barton came back with a slam v game  swing and a game swing.

http://www.fob.ie/wp-content/uploads/2018/01/IBU-Trials-2018-Final-Set-4.pdf

So it was Barton leading by 13 after 64 boards ...Nothing in it.

…………………………………………………………………….
Meanwhile back in Swords … Eamon has mistakenly given Declan the Donplayer a 10% handicap on Bridge-Now. Declan Donplayer beat me in December and I had to buy him a pint.
Now its January and its 2-2 with the final score due on January 31st.
Last night Declan advised me that he has posted 68% after 23 boards so I need an impossible 78% to win. However I don't believe him as he has never broken 60%. 
However he was touting that he would be looking down on BJ O'Brien next week and maybe even beating that Karl Cashin.

IBU Trials Final 2018 COYNE v MORAN

In about 1 hour the Final of the IBU Trials 2018 will be begin.

Venue : Clayton Hotel Leopardstown ... I think

Friday 3 sets of 16 boards starting at 330pm

Saturday 4 sets of 16 boards starting at 10am

Sunday  3 sets of 16 boards starting at 10am

Vugraph on BBO will run throughout along with live running scores on FOB

I presume visitors are welcome but I have not been to the site yet.

Heading off shortly ..

Had to cancel my arranged bridge game with a visibly disappointed Conor O;Hara tonight.

.....................

Last night in Malahide Conor O'Hara rolled back the years and anchored Dave Terry to success in the 2018 renewal of the Maurice Quinn Memorial Stakes. Did not need to use the whip at all,