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Open USBC Byes

After completion of the 2017 Vanderbilt, we know that for the 2017 USBC:

Diamond & Nickell will have a bye to the Round of 8; Nickell will be the 1 seed as a result of the Positioning Points earned by winning the Vanderbilt; Diamond will be the 2 seed.

Fleisher & Fireman will have byes to the Round of 16 and will be the 3 & 4 seeds in the 2017 USBC (3 & 4 will be randomly assigned).

ten Round Robin teams will qualify for the USA1 Round of 16, joining Fleisher & Fireman. The next 4 Round Robin teams will qualify for the USA2 Round of 64 and will play head to head matches to qualify 2 of them to join the 6 USA1 Round of 16 losers in the USA2 Round of 32.

All of this assumes that 15-20 teams (including the 4 teams with byes) will enter the 2017 Open USBC. A larger or smaller entry size would change the format.

2017 Michael Seamon Junior USBC

The United States Bridge Federation (USBF) is pleased to announce that the 2017 Michael Seamon Junior United States Bridge Championships (JUSBC) will be held December 27-30/31, 2017, at the Hyatt Regency in Atlanta. Players will compete in four categories:

1) open U16 (born in 2003 or later);

2) open U21 (born 1998 or later);

3) open U26 (born 1993 or later); and

4) women U26 (Rona Cup; born 1993 or later).

At least one team in each category will qualify to represent the USA at the World Youth Teams Bridge Championships in China in the summer of 2018 (sending an U16 team will require our having enough chaperones going at their own expense).

Teams may enter with 4, 5, or 6 players; winning teams with fewer than 6 players will augment so that 6-person teams represent the USA in China. Depending on the number of teams entered in each category, an online (BBO) qualifying may be required on one or two weekends in September. Further details and entry forms will be available this summer.

Although the USBF has no designated funds for the Michael Seamon JUSBC, we hope to raise enough money privately to cover most of the expenses (airfare, lodging) for those who play in Atlanta. Click here to make a donation to support the Michael Seamon JUSBC; for Paypal or credit card donations, click on "Make a gift for the USBF Junior Program."

The schedule of play in Atlanta will depend on the number of teams competing and will likely be different for the four categories. In all cases we plan for participants to play at least two days before anyone is eliminated. All matches at the JUSBC will be played with screens.

The USBF Junior Program is grateful to the donors whose generosity funds the 2017 Michael Seamon Junior USBC. Many thanks to:
Jimmy & Pat Cayne	Mike Levine	Lynn Baker	John Diamond
Connie Goldberg	Vinita Gupta	John McAllister	Sylvia Moss
Lou Ann O'Rourke	Alex Perlin	Max Schireson	Jeff Wolfson
Dan Zagorin

Bob Hamman will Play with USBF Juniors Monday, March 6th

The United States Bridge Federation junior program, directed by Michael Rosenberg, provides players under the age of 26 with USBF mentors to improve the quality of our junior teams in international competition. As part of the program, practice sessions are held on Bridge Base Online (BBO), where the juniors play team matches and the mentors analyze and comment on their play. The matches are 15 boards, IMP scored, and take about 90 minutes.

The program has recently instituted “Monday Celebrity Guest Night”, where, on the first Monday of each month, a world-class player sits in, partners a junior, and plays in a team match.

On Monday, March 6th, beginning at 7pm Eastern, the celebrity guest will be Bob Hamman.

Hamman