BER

By the Beer Dude

The local bridge world lost a great lady late August; Barbara Harmon! Nearly 91, she still had her bridge wits about her when she & Susie Wiebe won the 24-table game that U502 held in her honor earlier this year & I had the privilege to direct! She was the epitome of class, as player, teacher, director, & East Bay board member. May she find a great table in the great beyond!

Our “last chance” NAP club-level qualifier drew 8 ½ tables, which “invaders” pretty much owned. Top pair was Helen Studabaker & Susie Wiebe; the rest: 2A/1B, Dennis Dunn & Kim Yatim; 3A/2B, John Eidinger & Dennis Pratt; 4A/3B, Eric & Sandi; 5A/4B, Jennifer Gu & Adam Portley; 5B, Veda & Ben.

Good luck to all in the later rounds should you opt to continue!

Welcome Barbara Gilbert to the fold, as well as “re-joiners” Michael Mueller, John Wilson (who moved in from Diablo Valley), & Mihai Toheanu. Adieu to Cathy Adams, who moved east to Danville. Pay those dues when you get the bill, or save yourself the trouble of writing a check & Do It Online via the ACBL web site!

Rank advancers are Janice Kosel to Sectional (>50) & Jonathan Ohliger (whom I’ve never seen at any club games I direct) to Silver LM (>1K). Jonathan; show up sometime at a club/unit game!

At the clubs, “H-C” (the “C” is Carol Scott) regained their MP champ status on Monday, & had the best August game, 66.15%. At Live Oak, “H was the MP champ w/a paltry 3.85. Best % games were Tom Shimizu & Shahla Verall’s 66.96% on Wed, Doug Heying & Larry Zeni’s 66.67 on Friday. Doug is one of those who has rediscovered bridge, & is a damned good player; he’s always looking for a partner, so call Vi & ask for him!

Club games now are at Castro Clubhouse, 1420 Norvell St, El Cerrito. Call me/see our web site for direxions.

I close with a sad tale from Carl Lomelino, whom I’ve ragged often for not playing up from the “comfort zone.” At the recent San Mateo Sectional, his team played in the Compact KO on a day when the pair games were more popular; his team ended up in the top of the two brackets (he said they had the lowest MP total). They got bounced early, but I hope that doesn’t discourage them; you learn nothing playing down/even. As I’ve said before, top players are far nicer overall; you won’t get lectures (but maybe suggestions as to how you could have played/defended the hand better), & they’ll gladly explain their “system,” provided you’re ethical about it and ask only when it’s your turn to make the next call or the opening lead (your partner has the same rights at his turn to call/play to trick 1).

As I write (9/1), I’m betting in my head that MD covers the current 21 ½ point spread; by the time you see this, you’ll know if I was right.

Fall Sectional coming Nov. 14-15; ad’s somewhere in this issue & on www.berunit497.org

Carson/Tahoe

By Rich Tirissini

The Celebration of Life for Roberta Anderson, was held at the Carson Plaza Convention Center, was attended by numerous members of Roberta's family and friends. Many thanks to those who assisted at the gathering and to those who contributed to the outstanding welcoming table.

Best wishes for a speedy recovery and an early return to the bridge table for Imogene Meyer and Geoffrey Stokes.

The Carson-Tahoe Fall Sectional tournament will be held at the Carson Plaza Convention Center from Thursday, October 8 through Sunday, October 11.

Game Results: The Sid and Lillian Davidson Reno Memorial Sectional, held at the Ramada in Reno from August 19-23 was attended by many members from the Carson-Tahoe Unit. Bob & Konrad Garret were second at the Wed. 750-2000 plus pairs competition. Jim & Margaret Breeden tied for second at the 300/500/1000 Pairs held on Wed. Julie Cardinalli & Ron Haines of Reno came in second in the 150-250 NLM Pairs on Thurs., and Fri. morn., Roxanne Hart & Mary Sandhagen placed 3rd at the 100/200 NLM group. Leona Pchelkin & Gladys Turissini placed second in the Fri. 200/500/1000 Pairs competition. Julie Cardinalli teamed with Donna Deroos for 1st in 100-300/NLM Pairs on Sat. morn, and on that afternoon, Nancy Palmer and Marlene Engel, were second in the 200/500/1000 Pairs. Unit 465 did very well indeed at the KO Teams competition held on Sunday, with a 2nd for Brenda & Paul Pugsley along with Donna McLeod & Virginia Kellermeyer in Bracket 1, while John & Diane McCall combined with Gary Nitzberg & Paul Jorgensen for 1st in Bracket 2.

Carson City Bridge Club: Unit game, Aug. 9: N/S 1A, Thelma Nelson & John Ide; 2A, Donna McLeod & Virginia Kellermeyer; 3A/1B, Cheryl & Wayne Kinder; 4A/2B, Diane & John McCall; E/W 1A, Paul Ringer & Ben McLeod; 2A/1B, Brenda & Paul Pugsley; 3A/2B, Gary Nitzberg & Shelly Zimbler; 4A/3B, Doug & Janet Braman & Janet Braman. Aug. 26 (Special game): N/S 1A/1C, Marlene Warver & David Gasper; 2A, Martin Sklar & Bob Anderson; 3A/1B, Gary Nitzberg & Shelly Zimbler; 4A/2C, Phil & Ellen Collins; E/W 1A/1C, Joyce Barrett & Betty Clamp; 2A/2C, Carol & John Sill; 3A/3C, Charlotte Hennessey & Rae Logan. August 28 (special game): N/S 1A, Kathleen St Germain & Ruth Rouse; 2A, Benjamin McLeod & Paul Ringer; 3A, Gary Nitzberg & Martin Sklar; 4A/1B, Richard & Vivian Betcher; E/W 1A, Donna McLeod & Kenneth Grafton; 2A/1B, Roxanne Hart & Mary Sandhagen; 3A/2B, Paul Jorgensen & Eileen Angelucci; 4A/3B, Dick Halliday & Lois Halliday

Carson Valley Bridge Club: Aug. 3: 1A, Bob Anderson & Kenneth Grafton; 2A, Nancy Palmer & Rich Turissini; 3A, Beverly Meyer & Aleeta Jones; 4A, Beverly & Sam Batdorf. Aug. 10: N/S 1A, Beverly Meyer & Imogene Meyer; 2A, Gladys Turissini & Konrad Garret; 3A/1B, Leona Pchelkin & Nick Pchelkin; E/W 1A, Dick & Lois Halliday; 2A/2B, Theresa Pinney & Roxanne Hart; 3A, Beverly & Sam Batdorf; 4A/3B, Mary Phillips & Paul Lockwood. Aug. 17: N/S 1A, Kenneth Grafton & Bruce Belshaw; 2A/1B, Theresa Pinney & Geoff Stokes; 3A, Donna McLeod & Nancy Palmer; 4A/2B, Marie Coffey & Joyce Barrett; E/W 1A, Frances Coursey & Bob Allgeier; 2A/2B, Paul Lockwood & Mary Phillips; 3A/3B, Aleeta Jones & Jony Sellers. Aug. 24: N/S 1A, Thelma Nelson & Gary Nitzberg; 2A/1B, Lola Messiah & Doris Thompson; 3A/2B, Marie Coffey & Ried Bridges; E/W 1A, Nancy Palmer & Charlotte Hennessy; 2A/1B, Roxanne Hart & Theresa Pinney; 3A/2B, Dave & Marlene Gasper. Aug. 31: 1A, Beverly Meyer & Roxanne Hart; 2A, Donna McLeod & Kenneth Grafton; 3A, Beverly & Sam Batdorf; 4A/1B, Dick & Lois Halliday; 5A/2B, Dorothy Stewart & Pat Newman.

Diablo Valley

By Chris Pisarra

You don’t think of a brown UPS truck as a mournful thing, but there it was: the biggest, brightest, shiniest, newest UPS truck you ever did see, parked in front of a funeral home in Danville, honoring Mike Katz. After a five year fight, Mike at last succumbed to pancreatic cancer. There will be no more items about The Two Mikes.

Mike was my partner, my bookie, my roommate, my friend. Irascible, volatile and difficult at the card table, he was the best of traveling companions. He never once got the hand right the first time he told the story, and could get lost in a brown paper bag. He was really bad at driving on the left in England. He traveled with a salon’s worth of hair brushes and his own bath towel. And he always “forgot” about the cash I owed him.

There must have been 200 people at the memorial. Billy Miller flew in from Las Vegas, and ACBL Board Member Don Mamula came down from Seattle. Other, non-bridge friends from New York, Connecticut and Arizona were there, too. Friends from Lowell High School and SF State showed up; people who knew Mike never forgot him.

So I guess we’ll go on, because there isn’t anything else to do. Next year, some of us will go to Gatlinburg and raise a glass to Mike’s memory. We’ll try to remember to call Pam, his wife. We’ll go to his son’s wedding. But none of it will be as much fun as just sitting across the table from him at a sectional just a few weeks ago.

Yes, there was a regional in Santa Clara. But I’m past deadline already, and the results aren’t up on the ACBL web page yet and all I really know is that Danny & Linda Friedman were 7th overall in the four-session Open Pairs event, while I didn’t qualify for the second day. I’ll have all the good stuff next month.

So this month, I thought I’d add a few words about mentoring. Specifically, how to play with a newer player.

First off, play the newer player’s card. He’s nervous enough without you throwing 17 new conventions at him. Your job is to instill confidence, make your protege comfortable, and just try to get all the basics right. Minorwood won’t be coming up anyway.

Second, remember that there is not a lesson on every hand. No one can absorb 26 lessons in an evening; 2, maybe 3, is the most you should strive for. If you can actually teach one thing in a session you have been a success.

Third, teach by example. You are there to show how an experienced player behaves, not just the necessary point count for a 2NT rebid. Count your cards. Be polite to partner and opponents. If you claim, give a complete explanation of you line of play. Think about what you are doing, but play in tempo. Under no circumstances give lessons that embarrass your partner or opponents.

And that’s the end of my wisdom for this month. Get all your winning results in the paper and you can be rich and famous. Famous, at least.

Tell me all Chris@Pisarra.com

East Bay

By Sandi Davis

There are people we meet in our journey that touch our lives and make us better people simply for their presence in our lives. Barbara Harmon was such a person. As a teacher, a mentor, a partner and a friend, she set a standard of commitment that will be hard to replicate and impossible to replace. She was one of a kind. So many people I have conversed with over the years mention her as the one who got them started playing bridge or encouraged them to keep playing when they were frustrated or discouraged or even just listened to them vent about a perceived injustice at the table. That was Barbara; always willing to listen, always with an encouraging word, always ready to step in to help wherever she could. She would remember your name even if you had not played in a local game in years. She would notice if you had not been at the tables for a while and remind you that you were missed. She had a gift of making every player she met feel that he or she was the most important person in the room.

Her love for people and passion for the game of bridge were an inspiration. Nowhere was this more evident than at the party in March honoring her constant influence on bridge through the years in our community. The outpouring of admiration and deep affection was palpable. And she was amazed that anyone would want to come to a party in her honor. Barbara's contributions to all of us in the bridge community will be remembered. Her gracious presence at the table will be sorely missed.

For some reason, last month's column did not make it into the Forum so there will be a bit of repetition here. Welcome to our new 502 members Karen Cabrera, Toni King, Laura Courtney, Stuart Graham, Jill Reese and Ed Yunck. In addition, we want to recognize members advancing in rank – Marilyn Bowles, Barbara Chin and Matthew Kreeger have achieved Junior Master, Ralph Briskin and Laura McCrea are now Club Masters, and Rosemary Hagman, Lawrence Bowerman, Shelley Cooper, Doris Weiner Gluckman, Susan Kovacevic and Barbara McNeal are now Sectional Masters. Joel Teller and Norm Marks II have achieved Life Master while Jack Beers has struck silver as in Silver Life Master. Congrats one and all.

At the unit games: In the August 2 game, E/W Tarlochan Bhatia & Will Landis won 1st overall edging out N/S Crispin Barrere & Sarita Mathiasen. At the August 16 NAP qualifier, Paul Rasmussen & Frank Rooney edged out Tom McKelvey & John Santibanes to win 1st E/W and take the overall win. Coming in 2nd and 3rd OA were N/S pairs Linda & Daniel Friedman and Andrea & Michel Schneider.

Going For Gold: October is the month to earn it at the clubs! October 4 there will be a Swiss team game in place of the usual pairs game so organize your favorite foursome and come play at Mosswood. There will be delicious pizza and stuff. Space is limited so reservations are required. Check out the web site for details.

The 18th will return to regular pairs but both of these games will be awarding gold points for a good finish.

If you’ve got any news and you’d like to see your name in print, inform me at sandstress@mail2sandra.com and let me know what’s on your mind.

Fresno

By Laura Da Costa

Hello Everyone! We have only been hearing rave reviews from those that attended our Non-Life Master Sectional in August. John Simpson and Don Winton were the big winners, but 58 people in all managed to gain some silver points. We want to thank all of those people who attended as well as those who worked so hard: Richard Meffley (director); Dora Gostanian & Mary Jo Davila (refreshments); Byron Steinert (lessons); John Simpson (tournament chair); and Mike Molinari (partnership chair and overall assistant to everyone).

Remember that the end of October will mark another sectional for the clubhouse.

The Halloween Sectional (Oct. 29-Nov. 1) will have the usual schedule of games as well as a Compact Knockout Teams game Saturday morning and afternoon. Speaking of Saturday, those visiting that day will notice that our parking lot will be a lot more crowded than usual; Fresno State will be having a football game that afternoon. Because we are so close to the stadium, the local Kiwanis Club raises money by selling parking spaces in our lot. Just tell the people at the entrance that you are there for the “Bridge Tournament” and you will be shown to where our free parking is located. For our visitors from outside of Fresno, we have negotiated a bridge tournament rate at the Piccadilly Inn University just 1 mile from the Fresno Bridge Center.

Contact the clubhouse (559 225-0505 or fresnobridgeclub@sbcglobal.net) for tournament information, driving instructions, or hotel information.

There will be quite a few chances to raise your masterpoint total in October. Besides the sectional, this month each club will be holding the high master point “club appreciation” game. Also, scheduled on October 25 is the unit North American Pairs game. This game is the next level for all of those who qualified in the many NAP games held in our clubs these last couple of months.

Giving bridge lessons was always a big goal for our unit, but that was especially true when we moved into the new facility. We are now doing teaching in big ways. Mike Molinari has started his new beginning bridge lessons, Richard Meffley has moved his Clovis Adult School beginning lessons to the clubhouse, and soon a few short-term small-group private lessons will be offered in the clubhouse.

Thanks to all our instructors.

Congratulations go out to the following pairs that cracked 70% in August. In Oakhurst, Don McCartin & Ray April earned this honor two weeks in a row with a 73.01% on 8/6 and a 72.03% on 8/13. Mike Molinari achieved the milestone with 72.92% in an individual game (8/7). Sheila Smith & Diana Papazian earned a 72.18% in a club championship (8/18). Finally, Steve Sharp & D Zody managed a 72.26% in the STAC game (8/26); their percentage was high enough to achieve second place in the Wednesday evening Western Conference overalls!

A big welcome to new member Marge Sittner of Clovis!

Lastly, with a few days left at the regional in Santa Clara, we have two new Life Masters; Sue Vildosola and Ruth Christensen.

Congratulations ladies!

Gilroy/Hollister/
Morgan Hill

By Dian Wood Picone

End of summer winds blew many of our members back home from vacation. Patty &Win Stone were welcomed back to the tables from their long road trip and told us how amazed they were by the beauty of our Western states. Dixie Herren and her husband are on their way to Alaska for a well-deserved cruise where they will enjoy equally beautiful scenery.

We were so pleased by the recognition our own Lawson Sakai has received for his service in the 442nd Regimental Combat Team during WWII. Lawson and his fellow members of the team fought in the “densely wooded Vosges Mountains to rescue soldiers from the Texas 36th Division, the ‘Lost Battalion.’” In July Lawson made his ninth trip back to France, with other 100/442 veterans, to commemorate the 65th anniversary of the liberation of Bruyeres, Biffontaine. Lawson received the Bronze Star and four Purple Hearts for his service and valor. All that, and he’s a really nice person and a good bridge player!

Congratulations and thank you Lawson.

Linda King is offering a “Partnership Tune-Up” at 11:00 a.m. before her Tuesday game. It will run each Tuesday until we all learn the proper way to fill-out our Convention Cards. Scary thought!

By the way, Linda’s Mexican Riviera Cruise, 10/25 through 11/1, is On Sale! If you want a bargain, you have to book your spot quickly.

Bob Blaine is offering a series of free introductory bridge lessons at the Morgan Hill Public Library, from 6:30-8:30 p.m. The lessons will be held on 9/10,17, 10/1, 8, 22, 29, and 11/5.

We are glad to hear that Lucille Shelby is recovering from pneumonia. Hurry back, Lucille.

Morgan Hill/Gilroy: unit game: 8/17, Bob Williams & Ken Imboden. Open Pairs Mon.: 8/3, 1st, Bob Frohman & Mike Slattery; 8/10, 1st, Jerry Pelletier & Barbara Earley; 8/17, 1st, Mike Slattery & Bob Frohman. STAC Week Game 8/24, N/S 1st, Gloriana Garma & Janis Kiernan; E/W 1st, Mike Slattery & Robert Frohman. Open Pairs Thurs.: 8/6: 1st, Liega Arnett & Lucy Grisetti, and Dick Tani & Alan Coon; 8/13: 1st, Bob Williams & Pat Kraut; 2nd, Rosemary Erwin & Diana Dragt; 3rd, Mike Slattery & Bob Frohman; 8/20: 1st, Ron Dragt & Don Bugge; 8/27: N/S 1st, Mary Ann Ruggles & Burt Malech; 2nd, Jerry Pelletier & Margot Kakalec; E/W 1st, Robert Frohman & Mike Slattery; 2nd, Rosemary Erwin & Diana Dragt.

Hollister: Linda’s Tue. 0-99 game: 1st, Joy & Ray Jean; 2nd, Bill Millar & Skip Pack. Linda’s Tue. pairs: 8/4: N/S 1st, Patty Stone & Connie Coyne; E/W 1st, Lanetta Bishop & Charles Costa; 2nd, Win Stone & Suzanne Gere; 8/11: N/S 1st, Bill Millar & Bob George; 2nd, Glen & Kathy Hirth; E/W 1st, Linda King & Dian Picone; 8/18: 1st, Bill Millar & Linda King.

STAC Week Game, 8/25: 1st, Barbara Earley & Jackie Raymer. Mike’s Wed. Bridge Club: 8/5: 1st, Bob Williams & Bill Millar; 8/12: 1st, Diana & Ron Dragt; 8/19: 1st, Don Nemiro & Bob Frohman; 2nd, Bob Williams & Bill Millar; 8/27: N/S 1st, Liega & Patrick Arnett; E/W 1st, Rosemary Erwin & Sheila Hill.

Congratulations Great Western Summer STAC Week Winners!

Livermore Valley

By Paul Dubois

August's special thing was STAC week. Kudos to Ameen Paul & Gary Minning for a first-in-C on Friday night with their 63.89% game and 109 tables. Everyone else just had a good time at the Livermore and Pleasanton games. Coming up in October each club has both a pairs and a Swiss club appreciation event, and as I write this the regional in Santa Clara is roaring into its last weekend and we'll have some results in next month's report. Let the directors know if you need a partner or team, and try the online-partnership desk.

Apropos of that, this month's report is brought to you by One Imp, maker of fine knockout losses. Tonight is my deadline for this column and if it hadn't been for a late-afternoon, sleep-deprived One Imp playing error, I would still be in Santa Clara with most of the rest of you. I couldn't have gone on anyway. Due to a Knockout with a strange schedule, we had played in a quarter-final in the morning and I am just not yet enough of a zombie bridge player to do three sessions in a day, not to mention having to be back the next morning for our final.

I must say there is some bizarre math going on with these Bracketed Knockout awards. Beat 15 or fewer other teams and we get points that would take me months to get at the limited game in Danville and the better part of a year's worth in our club games. But the Knockout is just a limited game, in effect, due to the bracketing. In fact, it was a team from Danville that knocked us out of the first one we entered.

I sense a disturbance in the Force. I have to get back to the club to feel like I'm earning my points the old-fashioned way.

Marin

By Bob Sampson

August commemorates the ruler who consolidated the military dictatorship called the Roman Empire that replaced the Roman Republic. In the field of bridge combat, some of our locals had a good Octavius/Augustus month.* Loretta Bromberg swept through Reno’s 5-day sectional like Julius Caesar in Gaul, scoring every day to rack up two firsts, a third, a fourth and a sixth in Pairs plus a third in Swiss Teams. Also in Reno, Mary Tilden & Carla Hudner were 4th in B in the Swiss Teams. In the Castro Valley Sectional, Tracey & Keith Bauer got a 6th in 299er Pairs. At the Eugene, Oregon Regional, Ken Tishgart joined ex-Marinite and Portland resident Marc Franklin to place 3rd in two Knockouts and 8th in a Swiss Teams.

At the Summer Nationals in the capital of our republic, Rob Roman (and regular partner Lenore C. of course) was 2nd in the Education Foundation Pairs, 35th in the prestigious LM-1,500 Pairs and tied for 9th in Mini-Spingold Teams. Gerald Lackner teamed with three players from Austria to place 2nd in KO6, 1st in KO2 and 1st in a Side Game. Nancy Ferguson was 9th in B in Open Pairs. Lillian Trac was 5th in 0-300 Pairs. Frank Aftowicz was 7th in 199er Pairs.

If you’re a Palo Alto college grad or fan, you’ll probably know and be happy to read again that Stanford University won the College Team Championship over Chicago and Harvard Universities. Bruce Noda was 11th in Senior Swiss Teams, 41st in Fast Pairs and 29th in Open Swiss Teams. Gene Simpson was 18th in Senior Swiss, 46th in Board-A-Match Teams, 18th in Mixed B-A-M Teams and 48th in Open Swiss Teams. David Smith was 37th in Open Swiss Teams.

This brings us to the Marin club game 70% winners for Aug. At Crossley Club, Tracey & Keith Bauer had a very nice 74% game. At the Fuldek Club another married couple, Phyllis & Don Kreider did the honors with 70%. Did we accidentally overlook your nice win? Got a good bridge story? Call us at 415 453-8409 or send e-mail to mbsampson247@comcast.net

*This Caesar commonly is called Octavius early and Augustus later in his life. See Wikipedia under “Octavius.”

Modesto

By Lee Striplin

In the August unit game Ralph Jungwirth & Latrelle Uhl were first overall in A; 2nd overall were Hayward Hawke & Mary Sue Moore. For N/S A, 2nd, Leigh Tibbetts & Glenn Van Denburg followed by, Jan & Pieter Mastenbroek, Chris Brown & Barbara Price, and Frank Frohman & Joan Miller. Tibbetts & Van Denburg led B, followed by Frohmaan & Miller, Roger Quillen & Robert Rodenhizer, and William Osborne & Grace Torbohn. Dee Alexander & Kathy High topped C. Hawke & Moore led the E/W A pairs, followed by Gary Capwell & Charlotte Martin, who were also first in B. Third were Roy Carnahan & Fred Herman; Jackie & Roland Wilson were fourth, followed by Linda Kenyon & Frances Redington, who were also second in B. Jinsoon Chan & Terry Nagode were third in B and in C.

In one of last month's Great Western STAC games William Frame & Jan Mastenbroek were first in the district with a 69% game. Dee Alexander & Kathy High, and Lloyd Rotherham & Glenn Van Denburg ranked in the top 25 on another day. The players of the month of August were A, Barbara Price, followed by Roland Wilson. Gary Capwell was first in B, and Joan Miller second. Fred Fellows led C, and Joyce Rudesill was second.

Stewart Tunick enjoyed a river cruise on the Rhine River in Germany and other places in Europe. Jeanne Russo returned from a three-week European trip including a Baltic Sea cruise. Jean Chitwood spent three weeks in Tennessee visiting relatives. Berna Levy has been in the hospital, and we wish her a speedy recovery.

The Sonora Sectional is coming up October 17-18, so line up your partners to head for the gold country and win some silver.

Napa/Solano/Sonoma

By Keith Vincent

We held our first unit game on August 2 with 12 tables in play. The overall winners N/S in A/B/C were Maury Schumacher & Alan Switzer. E/W leaders in A/B were Tim Jeans & Dawne Dickenson. C leaders were Adrienne Varin & Barbara Lemme. 9 tables on August 16 overall leaders N/S in A/B/C were Gay Metz & Gary Henry. Leaders E/W were Dawne Dickenson & Tim Jeans.

How about partnerships, you ask? Rich Luttrell's article last month was about the theoretical aspects of that term. Mine will be concerning historical ones. At the age of 40 with the kids out of diapers, I decided that I needed to do something entertaining for myself. So I took the bridge lessons, played in the novice games, and eventually entered the big nighttime tournaments of real duplicate bridge. I was fortunate to be "adopted" by Milli Murra. Her regular partner had just died and she was "looking." I was inexperienced, but available. She was somewhat estranged from her husband, so we became and item. She was a good teacher, but interested in entertainment, and I just wanted to play cards. Eventually she wandered off to Napa, married a teacher, later died of Alzheimer's disease (throwing the statistics off a bit). Next there was Liz Locke, who refused to play with her husband. She left town after he died. Then Ed Casarino, a good player and director. He passed on. Sometime during this period, Ray Fischer came along. We were golf and bridge buddies, and had a successful relationship for a number of years. But egos got involved (I was known to call him Adolph on occasion), so we parted. By this time I was a LM and played with several budding LMs; Ernie Kassner, Watson Lee and Lida Marks. By 2001 I began another period; this time with Sheila Malinowski and Dave Spharler. She and I just play locally primarily, so in her quest for the elusive LM points she has teamed up with Lilyan Frank. Dave is another story. I don't know if ACBL would approve of this. Aren't you supposed to agonize and suffer getting those last few necessary MPs? But over the years Dave and I were wandering over 4000 miles and feeling no pain. We attended many of the ACBL tournaments in the southwest. We also branched out to Honolulu, Mazatlan and a couple of visits to Bermuda. There was bridge, but also sightseeing and gourmet dining (lobster bisque on the Queen Mary to Yolies-Brazilian style-7 courses of meat withe the entree) Dave made LM and BLM during this time frame, and we always played in flight A so no help from the enemy. Well Dave is back working at AT&T. Because of the home situation, I am limited in my wandering, but enough partnership memories, to fill all of my days.

Reno

By Bud Brewer

A nuerogenisis study by William G. Callahan Ph.D. Emeritus Professor, Dept. of Special Education and Communication Disorders, Univ. of Nebraska-Omaha, states that “while nuerogenisis, the process by which new nerve cells are generated, is considered a rather inactive process in the brain, recent research has demonstrated that nuerogenisis does continue into and through adult life. New neurons are constantly being born, particularly in the learning and memory centers of the brain.” Dr Callahan suggests “using more of the brain may allow seniors to compensate for some of the mental declines that come with age. This must mean that by identifying activities involving memory and problem solving, like duplicate bridge, seniors may maintain and improve brain function well into old age.”

Last month, in an attempt to exercise their brain and win a few masterpoints too, about 400 bridge players, mostly seniors, but no small number of younger players too, participated in the Reno Unit's summer sectional duplicate bridge tournament at the Ramada Inn. Playing bridge in its most competitive form, that of duplicate bridge, demands memory and effective cognitive problem solving. Such brain exercise is being recognized as a critical pillar of brain health, together with nutrition, physical exercise and stress management. Seniors who are actively competing at bridge are rarely victims of Alzheimer’s disease, although this editor’s partners may challenge that statement after viewing one of my less than stellar efforts as declarer.

Lin Goldstein continued his advance toward the ranking of Gold Master as he and his partner, Loretta Bromberg of Tiburon won the Wednesday afternoon Open Pairs and then repeated in the same event that evening. Jack Barney, Incline Village and Linda Turner, Reno, won Wednesday’s NLM Pairs and Tomas Howell & Evelyn Almeleh won the evening Stratified Pairs event. Charlotte Falk & Carlos D’assumcao won the Thursday morning Open Pairs while Dan Green & Jude Pede won the afternoon Open Pairs. Thursday NLM pairs were won by Donald Rentzel & Cathy Davenport of Discovery Bay, CA. Roni & Leo Maktenieks of Reno won the Thursday Stratified Pairs. Richard Scoggin & Dan Green won the Friday Open Pairs while Neal Moore & Dianne Barton of SF won the afternoon Open Pairs. Friday NLM pairs were won by Susan & Ron Antinori and Helen Spinner & Arlene Hansen won the afternoon Stratified Pairs. Saturday saw Reno’s own Cora Robey & Luke Wooden win the Morning Open Pairs with David Vidaver & John Blubaugh, Sacramento, winning the morning Open Pairs event. Donna Deroos & Julie Cardinelli won the Saturday NLM event, as Grace Martin & Mark Lundblad won the afternoon Stratified Pairs event. The sectional’s Bracket I Knockout game was won by the team of Charlotte Falk, Lin Goldstein, both from Reno and Bob Luebkeman & Steve Print from Walnut Creek. Bracket II was won by John and Diane McCall, Zepher Cove, Nev. and Gary Nitzberg & Paul Jorgenson, Carson City. Gil Ramirez, Reno unit president reported that attendance at the sectional was 10% over last year.

Sacramento

By Bob Olsen

Our second annual educational seminar is scheduled for Sunday, 10/18. Last year's seminar was a great success, with 80 attendees. Again, this is a chance to get your rubber bridge friends exposed to duplicate bridge. The workshop is designed to introduce the social bridge player and the beginning duplicate bridge player to some of the intricacies, challenges and excitement of the world of duplicate. The registration fee ($25) includes morning coffee, The Dante Club's special lunch buffet, four lessons with handouts, plus a duplicate bridge game, with prizes and masterpoints for the winners. Note that the Dante Club is located in front of the Sacramento Bridge Center, 2330 Fair Oaks, Sacramento.

Only ACBL accredited instructors will be teaching the sessions and experienced players will be mentoring each table during the game. Our great teachers are Al Beckner, Teri Smoot, Barry Wold and John McMurdie. The event is limited, first-come-first-served basis. The check for $25 and registration form must be received by 10/5. Contact persons are Katherine Ewing 916 395-1987; Arlen Schectman 916 771-9202; and Marie Macaulay 916 921-1050, Mail registration to Katherine Ewing, 376 Little River Way, Sacramento 95831-3749.

On the seminar event day: registration 8:45, classes start at 9:00 a.m., game at 1:00 p.m., finishing at 4:00 p.m.

Due to the efforts of John Galt the Unit 505 web site is now running (http://acblunit 505.org). We are expecting to post results of the unit games and welcome any other information you, or Bridge Club owners/directors, would like to post on the site. Submit your data to John Galt webmaster@acblunit505.org.

Also, the unit has started an on-line newsletter Kibbitzer, beginning in September, and delivered to your e-mail. If you need to update your e-mail address, contact Marie Macaulay at mariemacaulay@ sbcglobal.net. Submissions to the newsletter go to Beth Mora emorab@comcast.net

The new Roster will be available starting the first week of December. Ads are still being accepted: business card size $10, a quarter page size $25,all must be camera ready. Deadline is 10/15. Contact Marie Macaulay at 916 921-1050. Make check payable to Unit 505, 2001 Waterford Road, Sacramento 95815.

Good scores: Monrad Monsen & Marie Macaulay,71.88% at the Sierra Bridge Club on 8/25.

San Francisco

By Kim Fanady

Happy Halloween, all you goblins, ghosts, gargoyles and ghouls! Hope you take lots of tricks and get lots of treats at the bridge table!

QuickTricks’ big celebration for longtime director Dianne Barton-Paine was a great success! 30 tables came to honor Dianne's long and devoted service to the club, kick off the exciting new Will Watson era, eat cake and treats, and play cards! Fifteen pairs won a free play in the “Beat the Director” game by besting Dianne and world champion Ron Smith’s score of 55.92%, and everyone had lots of fun. We’ll miss Dianne but we’ll see her at the tournaments and hopefully back at the club as guest director every so often.

Congratulations to the 21! players advancing in rank this month: new Junior Masters Thomas Blean, Edward Easley, Susan Euphrat, Mark Forester, Judith McRae, Patricia Oswald, Lee Pollak, Wesley Sebren; Club Masters David Achterkirchen, Roger Bohl, Kendrick Chow, Monica Guo, Samuel Kuang, Albert Polonsky, Julian Standen, Jason Yee; Sectional Masters Jack Waters, Edmund Wu; Regional Masters Joseph Kushner, Jane McLaughlin; Bronze Life Master David Strauss; Gold Life Master Gary Brown Well played, everyone! Welcome to our new members Jamie Bowles and Nina Srejovic, and transfers William Gimbel (New Jersey) and Ann Phelan (Palm Springs).

Say hello to these new players when you meet them at the table.

Late reports on some past successes: Stan Chow & Cathy Hildebrand posted a 65% game in the Worldwide Bridge Contest in June, good enough for 75th on the planet! Nice going, Cathy & Stan! Doug Keller played in the Out Games in Copenhagen, Denmark in July, with a pickup partner from Dublin, Ireland. Doug won a silver and a gold medal plus 17 Danish masterpoints. Unfortunately the ACBL will not recognize the points, but oh well, it’s all for glory anyway. Congrats Doug!

Our unit game schedule marches forward with the Loma Prieta Pairs, on October 17, the 20th anniversary of the last Big One. Come play and maybe your game will register 8.6 on the Richter scale! In November we will hold a Swiss Teams event, and then December brings the annual holiday party and Marion Robertson Pairs. All games are at noon at the Masonic Temple, 850 Brotherhood Way, and all are welcome.

Last but not least, October is ACBL Club Appreciation month, featuring special games offering extra masterpoints with no extra fees. We all learned to play our favorite game and met our friends at our local clubs, and they deserve our support.

Get out from behind your computer screen and go play with some real live people.  Show your club some love!

San Mateo/Redwood City

By M. C. Hevener

Unit 498 was busy in August hosting our very own sectional at the Muni Services Building in S.S.F. Al Malouf headed up the operation with assistance from Leonor Frankel and a host of other volunteers including Mary & Jay Bates, Gretchen Schmeeckle, Hugh Huff and Patty Frederick, to name a few. Kathleen Martin brought Steve, Nancy Finney brought Jack, and I brought along Bob to help out, and thanks to all who did.

Locals who were big winners included Dan Raider (6.43 points) whose team placed 2nd in the Compact Knockouts. Others on the leader board included Joel Steinberg with 6.15 masterpoints, Kris Tejwani and Hugh Huff with 5.88 each, Janice Nakao who won 4.27, and the trio of Miwako Litwin, Ed Hornung and Arlie Lamb who took home 4.07 points each.

Placers in the Stratiflighted Swiss included the team of Arlie Lamb, Ed Hornung, Miwako Litwin and Joel Steinberg. Winning 1st in their strat was the team of Hugh Huff, Kris Tejwani, June White et moi. I even managed to scratch in the Open Pairs with former unit member Joanne Titow who now lives in France.

Al Malouf & Leonor Frankel also placed in the Open Pairs despite spending hours setting up tables and serving lasagna between sessions. Congratulations!

The annual Art Weinstein Memorial 99er Pairs Championship was contested at our August sectional and the winners were David & Kathy Puryear of Mountain View. Other notables (in 2nd place) for the event were Jim and Barbara Curry of Hillsborough. Past champions David & Margot Cookson were also on hand that Saturday.

Last month I incorrectly listed the date of the September unit game, but as you know, these things sometimes have to change. At this writing, the next unit game is scheduled to be a Mixed Pairs event on Sunday, October 18 at 1:00 down at the bridge parlor. There will be a 99er event and that group is exempt from the “mixed” rule for the day.

Finger foods will be served at noon and you are urged to sign up early, as space is limited. Check out our web site (www.Unit498.com) for the colorful flyer describing the event and plan to join us.

Hugh Huff is hard at work on a directory of Unit 498 members which should be ready in the fall. Meanwhile, Thursday morning’s Fun Bridge has seen a jump in attendance over the summer. This week’s 1st place winners included Ginny Wailes with Humphrey Sun and Karen Key with Linda Duncan. Good to see these new names on our leader board!

No milestones to highlight right now as the ACBL information has not arrived at this date. I’m off on a fact-finding mission and have to prepare this article without all the regular reports. If I missed mentioning you, please let me know.

See you at the tables.

Santa Clara Valley

By Ray Yuenger

If you used to play on Wednesday nights in the San Jose Bridge Center or never have, come down to try out the new version of the game. Will Watson is still directing, with Panette Talia as hostess providing an expanded snack bar and festive ideas. There will be free plays for birthdays, for first place, and maybe for winning a trick with the seven of diamonds. There will be team nights and other bridge adventures to be announced.

The All-Western Regional concluded on Labor Day. If you didn’t attend and read the Daily Bulletins, I’ll summarize the successes of our unit members for you. In the premier two-day Open Pairs event, Ed Barlow & Peter Friedland won, with Cheryl Mandala & Yul Inn in second place, Jason Chiu in third, John Hoffman in seventh, and Eugene Hung in ninth. Putting together four good sessions is quite a feat.

First in their stratifications in two-session pairs games were Murty Ponnapalli & Mark Pensler, Bill Riester, Joel Singer & Scott Benson, Edward Lin, , John Prior & Joseph Chui and Manju & Raghu Agarwal. In the charity pairs it was Pat Hannah & Paul Nelson and Ron Baron & Ken Rosenfeld. In the limited games, it was Murty Ponnapalli, Devesh Goyal, Regina Norberg & Kathleen Weiman, Anna Maria De Acha, Karen Rice, Preston Kauk & David Dewell, Lynn Bartz & Leslie Perkins, Holly True & Rosemary Heath, and Phyllis Reinhardt. On winning Knockout teams were Sherry Waki; Michael Fleisher, Mindy Foos, Derek & Teddi Fiero; Steve Bosma, Ben Bosklopper, Leon Lee and Elenalani Lam; and Mich Ravera. Prevailing in their two-session Swiss stratifications were Jennifer Gu in Flight X, Benjamin & Michael Leitner in Flight D, and in the Senior Swiss, Bill Riester in Flight A and Victor Rivkin, Boris Ginzburg, Steve Bosma and Ben Bosklopper in Flight B.

I’ve heard our unit harvested a new crop of Life Masters at the regional, including Art & Collette Quaife, David Sisson, Shirley Foreman, Jewel Schimke, and Laura Walters. (If I missed someone in this unofficial report, I’ll have the official word later.) Congratulation to you and to our other new Masters: Arki Galicki, Alan Kaatz, Nancy Roey, Kathleen Weiman (Junior); Bridgit Feng, Henri Raymon, Przemslaw Reynser, Chuck Wiesen (Club); Harry Miyakusu, Roberta Murai (Sectional); Leslie Perkins, Rajeeva Sharma (Regional); Mark Pensler (NABC); Ron Baron (Life); Maureen Ellenberg, Belinda Gu (Bronze); Marilyn Campbell (Silver); Faye Parsons (Diamond).

In the South County sectional, earning section and stratification tops in the pairs were Wendy Dewell & Elenalani Lam, David Mack, Lynn Yokel, Frank Lowenthal, Gary Porter, and Lynn Shannon & Ray Yuenger (first overall). At the San Mateo sectional, Ed Barlow & Peter Friedland with 70.16% game, barely edged out Will Watson’s 69.58% game. Bruce Scott & Barbara Mash had an overall first in another pairs game. Devesh Goyal’s team was first in the 199er Swiss.

During Great Western STAC week, the only pair with a game over 65% was Y.E. Chen & Chee Tung. As I’ve mentioned before, maybe the competition in our club is just too tough.

Eight teams contested the unit game in August. First in their respective stratifications were Cheryl Mandala, Yul Inn, Leila Sink & Will Watson; Mischel & John Postas with Lorraine Rodich & Laurie Walters; and Corinne Carter, Rajeeva Sharma, Jewel Schimke & Lawrence Max Frazier.

I am your exhausted scribe at rayyuenger@comcast.net

Santa Cruz

By Susan Benich

Congratulations to our newlyweds Gail (Porr) & Tom Snouse! Congratulations to Phil Rodriguez! He is only the 7th person from SCBC to achieve the status of Gold Life Master.

Congratulations to our Great Western STAC week winners who placed in the overalls: Susan & Jim Slinger 1.83; Jane Basilico & Jonni Faircrest 1.67; Jim Martin & Bruce Dau 1.63; Phyllis Cramblet & Annemarie Moller 5.39; Shirley Passaro & Marilyn Diola 1.75; Gretchen Bassett & Wayne Lussier 3.01; Dick Wasserstrom & Charlie Pender 9.53; Joyce & Jim Martin 4.57; Marti Jones & Jan Winham 3.43; Phil Rodriguez & Neil Smyth 1.89; Ken Llacera & Mick Friedberg 4.12; Neil Smyth & Don Seldeen 3.09; Marti Jones & Jan Winham 3.18; Carol Maggipinto & Bud Rice 1.20; Susan & John Benich 6.95; Shirley Passaro & Marge Hansen 2.20.

Congratulations to those with a 65% or better game during August: Neil Smyth & Don Seldeen 65.08%; Ken Llacera & Don Seldeen 65.14%; Patti Palmer & Stephanie Kearns 65.42%; Josie Ryan & Mary Prier 65.63%; Stanna Ballasi & Susan Darsey 65.92%; Charlie Pender & Dick Wasserstrom 66.13%; Teri Handzel & Cheryl Martin 66.25%; Meg Harlor & Dick Wasserstrom 66.64%; Malcolm Sprott & Wayne Boss 67.07%; Susan & John Benich 67.08%; Jack Simon & Muriel Prolo 67.18%; Neil & Don 68.86%; Manuela Marani & Malcolm Sprott 69.05%; Robin Evenden & Susan Darsey 70.11%; Dolly Bass & John Peterson 75.73%. Yeah!

Congratulations to the overall winners in the August 8 unit game: Charlie Pender & Robin Evenden 1st A/B; Vee Duvall & Mary Simoni 1st C. Congratulations to the overall winners on August 22nd: Pam Benz & Kent Slinger 1st A/B; Bernie Feldman & Jonni Faircrest 1st C.

When I asked board member Wayne Boss to tell his story I was reminded how fortunate we are to have Wayne as an active bridge player and felt a renewed appreciation for his service to the board. He was our treasurer from 2001-2004 and served as president 2005-2006 during which time the club incorporated as a not-for-profit corporation, received the Abrams bequest, located and remodeled the current bridge center. Wayne graduated from San Diego State College and Stanford University. He served in the U.S. Army during the Viet Nam War. Wayne’s career was in the field of healthcare. He was CFO and Administrator of Dominican Hospital, President/CEO of the Santa Cruz Medical Clinic and Sutter Hospital prior to his retirement. Wayne credits Nancy Wainer for his success in learning to play bridge (he had never played any card games before his lessons) and more importantly, introducing him to his wife Jeanne. Thank you, Wayne for your service to the board, the local healthcare industry, and your country.

Neil Smyth, Susan & Jim Slinger, Mary Peterson, Nancy Driscoll, and Ken Llacera ventured to the Nationals in Washington, D.C. Ask them about their achievements. Shirley Llacera also went to D.C., but she took a break from bridge and played tourist. Do you know that Shirley volunteers as a surgical nurse with Smile International, a group that goes to Tecate, Mexico to perform cleft lip and palate repairs? Ask her about the organization, its work, and her experiences. Thank you, Shirley for helping those less fortunate than all of us.

Thank you, Jim Slinger and Don Nemiro whose mini-lessons prior to Pam’s Monday evening games drew crowds and were very well received by everyone in attendance.

Don’t forget our Surf’s Up Sectional, Oct. 10-11. It won’t be the same without you.

We offer our sincerest condolences to Lois Henry who lost her husband in July.

Santa Rosa

By Randee Dimond

Remember when you were a rookie? Those opening day jitters as you arranged your cards? The “What will I bid” anxiety? Or worse, “If pard bids, what will I say?” Recall that guilty relief when your points added up to four (at least I won’t have to bid). Of course, you know now that’s false; partner may insist. Still you might believe you don’t have to bid voluntarily. Ah, but maybe you should. In third seat you pick up six broken hearts to the jack, six spades to the ten, should you not bid two clubs (Michaels) you’ll never be able to give pard a picture of your freak holding. Sure, pard has long diamonds, but if he has two of either major you’re odds-on for a plus score. If you pass, the opponents will get to (and make) their ill-deserved game/slam. Wildly distributional hands are very powerful offensive/obstructive weapons. If you get into the fray, you’ll be as happy as a clam in a month with an R in it. So bid those freaks!

August was an eventful month: Kate Hill spun straw into gold, attaining Gold LM status, NAP winners Jennifer Jones & Bob Klein were joined by STAC victors Pat Frenaye, Shirley Blum, Gary Robinson, Bob K., Jennifer J., Larry Hansen, Evelyn Holtz, Barbara & Lou Meola (with a big 70% game resulting in a 1st place finish in Monday night’s D21 results), Meryl Fischer, Jane Wahler, Mary Omodt, Rose Marie Johnson (welcome back!), Jackie Ortiz, Helene Gay, Wyatt Bessing, Madaline Bessing, Asher Nathan, Angela & James Coons, Chris & Bob Evans. How the Ams loved playing with the Pros, and the feeling was mutual. Next STAC week is December 7-13 with more Pro-Am games and silver points to be won.

Other big guns of August include Danielle Hejmanowski (our newest Bronze LM), Sonny Grant, Erwin Linzer, Barry Samuel, Andy Holroyd-Sills, Barbara Briggs-Letson, Peggy Leiser, Nina Arrabit, Helene Gay, Pat Scoville, Elise Henderson, Patricia Gittings, Lynn Blumenthal, Larry Borsian, Chris Flindt, Asher Nathan, Mike Livensparger, Eleanor Wales, Susan Campbell, Debbie Tesler, Sara Rothmuller, Leila Sink, Joanne Argyres, Patty Harberson, Carol Zocchi, Kathy Juarez, Mark Hersko, Tom Vecchio, Jon Merry, Geoff Hopcraft (we’ll miss you, Geoff), John Kozero, Kathy Venton, Dave Pankratz, Page Sodergren, Erin Sheffield, Linn Erickson, Bill Stead, Gordon Larsen, Ann Slater, Donna Edwards, Paul Scheinberg, Helen Straessle, and Ann Cress. Good going all!

When this paper hits your doorstep, we’ll be closing in on the sectional. No, it is not too late to join the fun October 3-4. Let Kathy Venton (707 591-5015) help you find a partner or a team. Those with fewer than 20 MPs are especially welcome.

The “mellow yellow” (card) individual game is coming October 30; pizza and goodies and yellow card bridge with a variety of partners. Dress for the 60s and sign up soon to partake in the fun. Starting November 5 for three Thursday nights Kathy will teach Jacoby 2NT, splinters, and slam bidding. This is a great opportunity for you to strengthen your game.

Our Holiday Party is December 13. Look for board of director’s ballots and reservation forms at the club soon. Space is limited, the food is great, lighting perfect.

Who could ask for more?

South County

By Jim Solomon

Unit 500 will present a special event within days of your receiving this edition of the Contract Bridge Forum. We’re holding a single-session Swiss Teams game at the Marina Bridge Club in San Leandro on Friday, Oct. 2, starting at 11:30. Both open and Non-Life Master sections will be offered, and both will be stratified (or, with sufficient attendance, bracketed). The unit will provide hearty snacks during the game. Table fees for current (paid-up) South County members will be $5 plus $1 for refreshments; for non-members (it’s not too late to join/transfer to Unit 500!) it’ll be $7 + $1. We request that you register by September 28; contact Jan Hollowell at 510 783-8678 or phil-jan@ comcast.net, or Terry Terzian at 510 581-4424 or terryterz@comcast.net

This month another new ACBL-sanctioned duplicate game is due to open in South County, on Sunday afternoons. Charlie Conrad, the manager/director of the Tutoriale Bridge Club in Castro Valley, opened his club and 299er game in July, and he’s now planning to supplement this with a 599er game, beginning Oct. 11 at Tutoriale. He’ll be offering 1:00 p.m. seminar-type lessons on both basic and intermediate bridge topics, followed by a short game scheduled to end at 4:00 p.m. For more information contact Charlie at 510 329-5916 or cconrad313@aol.com

Special Club Games in the Next 30 Days: Saturday, Oct. 3: Tri-City BC (TCBC) Fall Swiss Teams Festival Charity club championship. Tuesday, Oct. 6: Fremont Easybridge! Club (FEC) club appreciation championship (C.A.C.) Swiss Teams. Thursday, Oct. 8: Hayward Weekes Easybridge! Club (WZB) C.A.C. Pairs. Saturday, Oct. 10: TCBC unit championship. Tuesday, Oct. 13: FEC ACBL Inter-Club Championship Game. Saturday, Oct. 17: TCBC C.A.C. Pairs. Tuesday, Oct. 27: FEC C.A.C. Pairs. Thursday, Oct. 29: WZB C.A.C. Swiss Teams. Saturday, Oct. 31: TCBC C.A.C. Swiss Teams.

Notable Recent Tournament Performances: South County Sectional: Open Pairs: 1 OA: Steve Kanzee & Nick Wiebe; 1B/1C: Bob Hamilton & Charlie Conrad. Open Pairs: 1B: Rich Perry & Jim Solomon; 1C: Sherard Wood & Indira Somayajula. 299er Pairs: : Nuno Rebelo & Vicky Santos. Swiss Teams: 1sts: Bracket 4: Darrell Fung, Frank Rooney, & Gary Minnig, & Terri Duewer; Bracket 5: Stephanie Singer, Nathan Wilmes, Kathy Von Dohre, & Simon Goldsmith; Single Session Swiss: tie: LaVonne & Les Addison, Jo Callahan, & Mickey Row; Celia Bjerkan, Pat Edgar, Ella Wilson, & Gayle Harlow.

San Mateo Sectional: Compact Knockout Teams: 2nd: Jey Jeyakumar & Richard Feinberg. Sunday Swiss Teams: Flight A/X: 2/3 A: Mark Dean; 2X: Jey; Flight B/C/D: 1 OA: Prakash Karamchandani, Dan Wong, & Jim Solomon; 3/5 B/1/2 C: Bob Hamilton & Valerie Byrne, Charlie & Ann Conrad. Art Weinstein Memorial 199er Pairs: 6 OA: Stephanie Singer & Bob; 4F: Robert Bauman. Sunday Open Pairs: 4A/2B/1C: Robert.

Great Western Summer Fun STAC:  (Unit 500 members only; strat firsts only; for more detailed results, see my October Table Talk article): Monday NLM Pairs: 1A: Bill Beeson & Asha Apte. Tuesday NLM Pairs: 1A/1B/1C: Nuno Rebelo & Vicky Santos. Wednesday Open Pairs: 1B: Doug Burke & Kevin Schoenfeld.

Winners at Recent Special Club Games: Fremont Centerville BC club championship (C.C.), Aug. 10: 1 OA/1B: Amy Wu & Steve Brosamer. Ashland BC C.C., Aug. 13: 1 OA: Vince De Pasquale & Allan Harris; 1B: Larry Smith & Honey Saltzman; 1C: Rose Skorup & Dorcas Nelson. Marina BC C.C., Aug. 18: 1 OA: Marty Holtz & Charlie Conrad; 1B: Dennis & Lynne Bromley; 1C: Anne Hermann & Lori English. Tri-City BC North American Pairs qualifier, Aug. 22: 1 OA/1B/1C: Susama & Amar & Susama Chunder; 1 E/W: Michael Bodell & Alan Malloy.

Moving up the Masterpoint Ladder: Congratulations to Norma Bozzini, who’s now a Bronze Life Master; to Sarah Chen, who’s become a Regional Master; and to Vicky Santos, a new Club Master.

Passing On: We’ve received the sad news that Dan McCracken, an ACBL member for some 15 years and a member of our unit for the past two years, succumbed to cancer in early June.

Stockton

By Elizabeth Youngman

August is a busy month in the Delta. Vacations are coming to an end. Kids are going back to school. Grapes are ripening and ready to harvest. And crush will be in full swing by press time. That may explain why our August unit game had a low turnout.

First place winners Lee Pyron and husband partner Ron Magnin led the pack at 60.42; Zulka & Bill Dozier came up second at 57.64; Tanya Alonza & Lee Hanson came in third place with a respectable 54.86. Our decorating hostess for the event was Norma Peterson.

Unit 510 hosted a sanctioned, ACBL Gold Points Game on Wednesday, 9/09/09 at 6:30 p.m. Details in October.

We will be hosting our September unit game on Sunday 20, 2009. Our members invite all interested partnerships to bring a covered dish at 4:00 p.m. for a tasty potluck. The friendly game begins promptly at 5:00 p.m. Unit games are held the third Sunday of each month.

Stockton hosts two games a week; Monday is directed by Ricki Elin 209 472-7919 and Friday by Ron Magnin 209 888-4116; both start at 11:30 a.m. All games are held at the Bridge Center. Google directions to 6235 Harrisburg Place, Stockton CA 95207. Our club phone is only answered on game days: 209 476-7014.