2020 USBCs CANCELLED
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Although the WBF hasn't scheduled the 2021 World Championship, they have announced that there will be only one World Championship in 2021. It will be held in the late summer in Salsomaggiore, Italy. The USBF Board has therefore cancelled the scheduled 2020 USBCs. We expect to hold 2021 USBCs in May of 2021 to select the teams for whatever World Championship the WBF schedules.
Captains of teams that were entered in the 2020 USBCs should have received an email telling them of the cancellation and that they can either move their entry to 2021 or receive a full refund of their entry fee. If you are a team captain and did not receive the email (maybe we have the wrong email address for you), you can This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. for more information.
Byes to the 2021 Open USBC will almost certainly be based on team performance in the 2019 USBC, Spingold, Soloway, and Reisinger, and the 2020 Soloway,and Reisinger and 2021 Vanderbilt, if those events are held.
For new teams, the entry pages for the 2021 USBCs will be up soon. Closing date for guaranteed entries is currently March 31, 2021. By then we should have firm dates for the events and will adjust those dates appropriately.
No 2020 USBCs in May
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Due to current events, it is not possible to hold the USBCs in Schaumburg in May. Based in large part on USBC player survey responses, we will not hold the USBCs as entirely online qualifying events.
The USBF Board is carefully considering our options, including but not limited to holding the USBCs later this summer. The WBF has announced that the World Bridge Games will be rescheduled, probably early in 2021. The USBF will therefore hold qualifying events this year. We are working with the Schaumburg Hyatt to find dates that will work for us and for them.
The USBF has extended the guaranteed entry deadline for all of the USBCs to June 1, and will consider extending it to a later date depending on the dates on which we are holding the USBCs. Additional entries will be accepted after the quaranteed entry date only if they don’t change the length of the event. It is necessary for USBF planning, including with the hotel, to know the length of the events.
The Board will meet again as soon as we have heard back from the hotel.
2020 U31 USBC CANCELLED
- Details
The USBF has cancelled the Under-31 Selection Trials. The event was to have been held online during April, with a requirement that players not play from their homes, preferably play at a bridge club or similar location, and have an approved monitor watch them. That plan became impossible because of restrictions on public gatherings and closing of most bridge clubs, as well as very serious "stay at home" regulations in several states.
After considering alternatives that would provide adequate security without forcing players to interact with others in this difficult time, and given the uncertainty that the World Youth Bridge Team Championships, at which the U31 event was to be played, and which is scheduled for July 31-August 9 in Italy, will be held, the Board reluctantly decided to cancel the event and not send a team to the U31 event if it is held.
The USBF Board has not yet decided what to do about the Open, Mixed, Senior & Women's Trials, which are scheduled for May in Schaumburg, IL. As soon as a decision is made, we'll let you know.