Guessing the Semis

Before I predict/forecast/guess each of the semi-finals, let's take a look at the top ranked Butler pairs:

http://www.brenning.se/results/2005/bermudabowl/butler/bermudabowl-quarter-final.htm

Bermuda Bowl
1 0.85 Giorgio DUBOIN - Norberto BOCCHI Italy
2 0.70 Johan SYLVAN - Per-Olof SUNDELIN Sweden
3 0.70 Claudio NUNES - Fulvio FANTONI Italy
4 0.62 Nick NICKELL - Dick FREEMAN USA 1
5 0.58 Fredrik NYSTROM - Peter BERTHEAU Sweden
6 0.51 Eric RODWELL - Jeff MECKSTROTH USA 1
7 0.35 Eric GRECO - Geoff HAMPSON USA 2
8 0.32 Magnus LINDKVIST - Peter FREDIN Sweden
9 0.30 Brad MOSS - Fred GITELMAN USA 2
10 0.27 Paul SOLOWAY - Bob HAMMAN USA 1

Recognize any names there?

Italy(+3) vs. Sweden - all carry-overs in parenthesis

So Sweden has three of the top eight pairs, while Italy has two of the top three. Who to pick? I don't think that Sweden can fluster Italy, who, as a team, have less problems with opponents unusual methods than most teams. So Italy in a close match.

USA 1(+5) vs. USA 2

UberMeckwell Greco-Hampson cancels out SuperMeckwell
Moss-Gitelman using 2/1 should be able to outplay Nickell/Freeman, but these two are running hot.
Ekeblad-Rubin with strong club/canape will lose the battle against Soloway/Hamman with strong club/some canape.
However the stretch run will mean Moss-Gitelman needing to outbid/outplay Soloway-Hamman. They are good enough to do this, but Soloway and Hamman are good enough to find another gear, and race it home. So USA 1 in another close match.

http://www.brenning.se/results/2005/venicecup/butler/venicecup-quarter-final.htm

Venice Cup
1 1.99 Vanessa REESS - Nathalie FREY France
2 1.07 Sylvie WILLARD - Benedicte CRONIER France
3 0.86 Daniele GAVIARD - Catherine D' OVIDIO France
4 0.85 Joanna STANSBY - Debbie ROSENBERG USA 1
5 0.82 Daniela von ARNIM - Sabine AUKEN Germany
6 0.81 Pony Beate NEHMERT - Barbara STAWOWY - HACKETT Germany
7 0.69 Bep VRIEND - Carla ARNOLDS Netherlands
8 0.68 Irina LEVITINA - Hansa NARASIMHAN USA 1
9 0.38 Jill LEVIN - Sue PICUS USA 1
10 0.35 Ling GU - Yalan ZHANG China

France(+16) vs. USA 1

France has the top three pairs in the Butler, but USA 1 has their three pairs in the top 9. Still, any team that can destroy Canada must be great, so France is the pick.

Germany vs. Netherlands(+16)

This is too close to call, so going with the carry-over I'll pick the Netherlands.


http://www.brenning.se/results/2005/seniorsbowl/butler/seniorsbowl-quarter-final.htm

Senior Bowl
1 0,79 Eddy M F MANOPPO - Henky LASUT Indonesia
2 0,78 Flemming DAHL - Georg NORRIS Denmark
3 0,69 Jens AUKEN - Kirsten Steen MOLLER Denmark
4 0,64 Rose MELTZER - Garey HAYDEN USA 1
5 0,50 Roald RAMER - Nico KLAVER Netherlands
6 0,40 Roger BATES - Lew STANSBY USA 1
7 0,30 Peter LUND - Steen MOLLER Denmark
8 0,27 Munawar SAWIRUDDIN - Denny SACUL Indonesia
9 0,23 Jaap TROUWBORST - Nico DOREMANS Netherlands
10 0,22 Alan SONTAG - Peter WEICHSEL USA 1

Indonesia(10.5) vs. Denmark
This I'll go with the heart and pick Lasut and Manoppo, who I would like to see win this. But the match will be so very close.

USA 1(+11) vs. Netherlands
Yet still another close one, but Sontag-Weichsel can be dominant and can handle the stress, so USA 1 is the pick.