B-E-R
By the Beer Dude
BBQ Swiss is nigh! Fun starts at noon on the 12th, so load up your wagons & appetites; El Cerrito Community Center is the site. I hope nothing will be going on at the nearby theater & school. If it’s warm, the lot will be full of pool users early, & we don’t need other stuff happening to eat up parking - carpool if you can!
Our 7/26 unit game drew seven tables (that’s more like it!); 1st 70.24%, Keith Gunn & Dan Rubinfeld; 2A, Eric & Sandi; 3/4A, Ben & Veda and Nancy Davis & Lois Strahm; 3B, the Brunns. Eric regained the POY lead in the LM group; Eugene Sor leads those who started the year as a non-LM. Regular pairs game is the 27th; come on out!
Not much on the in/out/rank advance scene, except mysterious names popping up out of cyberspace on the reports I get, as in transfers out who never got reported as new members/transfers-in. Two rank advancers to report: Martin Laplaca (another mystery name, tho he does have a Berkeley address) to Regional Master (100+) & Ken Berniker to Bronze LM.
At the clubs, some new faces topped the masterpoint lists: Maureen Gravett @ ECBC, & Bill Jolly @ Live Oak. Nice jobs dethroning the “H-C/J” machines! Best % games were Maureen’s 64 on Mon. (paired w/Neal Mazaroff), H-J’s 67.86 on Wed., and Eric & Jack Shiffer’s 69.59 on Friday.
Club championship games this month are Wed. 16th @ Live Oak, & Mon. 21st @ ECBC. No game Monday 9/7 (Labor Day).
Ye who participate in the Santa Clara Regional, may you do well! Help your game by playing up! Numerous other outside interests always have kept me away from the tables, but I’d much rather play against the best; their bids & card play are more logical, not to mention more instructive if you pay attention. I got hooked in high school, & was part of a student-organized & RUN HS bridge league 1966-67 that cooperative teachers aided & abetted, as in letting us ride in/drive their cars to other host schools (litigious USA can’t handle that now). Pete Boyd (HS class of 1968; I was 1967) was one of that group; belated Kudos to him for getting the ACBL sportsmanship award this year; he’s the consummate Mr. Mellow.
Go to my blog on our website for a story about a June 1968 Atlantic City Regional at which Pete & I & some of our D.C.-area bridge-geek friends had a helluva lot of fun for four days on $50 apiece.
Sorry, Bear backers; Go Terps 9/5! I’m U of MD Class of 1972 & will be at the game to see better pulchritude than that about which Chris Pisarra sometimes writes. May Cal go undefeated afterward & get into the Rose Bowl! Keep up with B-E-R @:
Carson/Tahoe
By Rich Tirissini
A Celebration of Life will be held for Roberta Anderson at the Plaza Hotel Convention Center in Carson City on August 8. Bob Anderson requests a donation to the American Heart Association in preference to flowers. In the weekly games at the Carson Valley Bridge Club, Bob Allgier and Fran Coursey had the highest masterpoint total for the month of July with 1.83. Marie Coffey was second with 1.76 MPs, while Beverly Batdorf's 1.65 was good for third.
Game results:
Carson Valley Bridge Club July 27: N/S 1A, Beverly Meyer & Nancy Palmer; 2A, Ken Grafton & Geoffrey Stokes; 3A, Anita & Gerald Hoffer; E/W 1A, Roxanne Hart & Bruce Mitchener; 2A, Joyce Barrett & Aleeta Jones; 3A/2B, Rich Turissini & Ruth Rouse.
July 20 N/S: 1A, Ben McLeod & Donna McLeod; 2A, Gary Nitzberg & Nancy Palmer; 3A, Konrad Garret & Gladys Turissini; E/W 1A, Beverly Meyer & Roxanne Hart; 2A, Beverly Batdorf & Sam Batdorf; 3A, Mary Phillips & Paul Lockwood. July 13: N/S, Gary Nitzberg & Benjamin McLeod; 2A, Leona Pchelkin & Nick Pchelkin; 3A/1B, Theresa Pinney & Roxanne Hart; E/W, Beverly & Sam Batdorf; 2A, Nancy Palmer & Donna McLeod; 3A/1B, Mary Sandhagen & Susan Carnegie. July 6: N/S 1A, Aleeta Jones & Beverly Meyer; 2A, Ken Grafton & Nick Pchelkin; 3A, Bob Anderson & Ursula Epstein; E/W 1A, Carole Voge & Jony Sellers; 2A/B, Bruce Mitchener & Roxanne Hart; 3A/B, Bob Allgeier & Frances Coursey.
Incline Bridge Club July 28: N/S 1A, Edwin Straver & Bob Sendal; 2A, Michael & Pam Moreland; 3A/1B, Carol Lefcourt & Henry Harris; E/W 1A, Herb & Bobbi Wiltsek; 2A, Audrey Chard & Amanda Bevier; 3A/B, Ron & Susan Antinori.
July 14: N/S 1A, Georgia Jacka & Barbara Briggs; 2A, Elaine& BJ Jordan; 3A, Carla Hudner & Dee Cumberlan; E/W 1A, Bob Sendall & Edwin Straver; 2A, Collene & Leo Maktenieks; 3A, Barbara Kelley & Richard Vent.
July 7: 1A, Carol Lefcourt & Hank Harris; 2A, Leo Maktenieks & Barbara Briggs; 3A, Edwin Straver & Regina Straver.
Diablo Valley
By Chris Pisarra
I guess there is an easy way to tell the winners in life; they win. In June, Nancy Blaustein went to Las Vegas to play in the regional, but also to get in a little poker. She entered one of the events in the World Series of Poker, and came in 11th, and first among the women. Then she played a little bridge and won the first Compact KO she ever entered.
That winning gets to be a habit.
Not that she was the only winner. The sterling team of Iris Libby, Carol Cottam, Frank Concepcion and Elizabeth Golamco were 3rd in their KO, then Iris, Carol, Patricia Perry and Chris Stack won a Compact KO and placed 3rd in the evening Swiss. Iris & Carol were 2nd in their strat in the Sunday Fast Pairs.
The sectional in Santa Clara was perhaps the largest in the nation this year. We spoiled West Coasters don’t realize that there are many regionals smaller than the 1000 tables we had over July 4. I’m sure I won’t succeed at finding all the winners; here’s a decent selection. If I miss your victory, ask yourself, “Did I send an e-mail to that cool guy who writes the column?” Trish O’Connor & Bill Barron were 2nd in the Wed. evening 199ers. Trisha, Bill, Ally Whiteneck and Lynn Humphrey were 2nd in a KO. Patricia Perry, Frank Concepcion, Elizabeth Golamco and Chris Stack won a Compact KO while Marj Russel, Carroll Brooks, Pat Korck and Randy Corr were 2nd in another bracket. Andy Fine, Beth Eggers, Hedy Wee and Elizabeth Golamco won their strat in the Sat. aft. Swiss.
I’m sure there are more winners, but I need to get on to something more important; the future of the game.
Unit 499 has begun an innovative mentoring program. LMs are paired with newer players, to play twice a month for three months. The LM not only gets the joy of knowing that s/he is doing something good for the game, but plays free. The newer player gets to learn not just the techniques of bidding and play, but the mindset and mental approach that comes with experience. New friends are made. Social circles are expanded. Virtue is rewarded.
Grant Robinson is in charge of all of this. He wanted me to just have people ring his doorbell every Saturday morning at 6:00 a.m., but I suggested that it might be better if they dropped an email to acbl499mentor@gmail.com or call this trick answering service he set up at 201 983-6383.
Yes, that’s a weird area code in New Jersey, but he says it works for him.
And now I’m running out the door to go play more. Remember, winners make sure to tell me so I can put them in the paper.
Fresno
By Laura Da Costa
Hello Everyone! At the time I write this article the Non-Life Master Sectional has not yet taken place. I will save comments on that tournament until the October issue of the Forum. In the meantime, it is time to start focusing on our next sectional. Our Fall Sectional will once again be during Halloween (October 29 to November 1). I hope all of our friends who live outside of Fresno will make a point of coming this year to see our new clubhouse.
On July 12, the unit had the popular Am-Pro Teams event. Our winning team this time was Dave Shuster, Larry Miller, Mary Jo Davila, and Bud Thompson. They won 3 ½ of their 4 matches.
If you missed this game (as Mom and I did because we were cruising in Alaska), we will be having a second am-pro team this month. This Swiss Teams event will be on Sunday, September 20. As always with these special games, there will be potluck lunch before the game.
Also, on Wednesday evening, September 9, both the Fresno and Madera clubhouses will be participating in the ACBL-wide Instant Match Point Game. If you have not played in this game before, you really do receive your match point score upon completing each hand. The scores given are based on the results of play in a tournament several years ago. Section top winners in each club receive one gold point, with remaining points being red and black. There will also be a booklet with complete analyses of the hands by national champion Larry Cohen. It should be a fun evening.
Congratulations go out to the following pairs that cracked 70% in July; there were not many this month. Andrew & Kathleen Graves made up two thirds of the pairs marking this achievement as they had a 75% game on 7/21, then just four days later (7/25) they had a 72.22% game. The only other pair to achieve this level was Michael Molinari & Sandra Zovod, who had an astounding 78.25% game on 7/22.
Congratulations to new life Master, Juanita Mason. It didn’t take going off to a conference to finish off Nita’s points. She received the last bit of red points she needed at the clubhouse when she & John Simpson placed in the North American Pairs qualifying game on July 19.
Great job!
As I mentioned a couple of months ago, the requirements for life master will become more stringent for anyone who joins after this December. I don’t know if this upcoming rule change was the motivation, but we did acquire four new members in the past couple of months. Welcome to new members Betty Marousek, John Jonassen, Deb Peterson, and Bonnie Reed!
Gilroy/Hollister/Morgan Hill
By Dian Wood Picone
Along with bridge, summer sends many of our members off in pursuit of distant climes. Ron & Diana Dragt are on their annual pilgrimage to Minnesota visiting relatives. Patty & Win Stone will be missed at the table while on their three-week road trip. The question is whether these two intrepid bridge players will find two more hands at their destinations, Mt. Rushmore and Yellowstone National Park. Smoky the Bear and a friend, maybe? Pat Kraut is off on a cruise and Katie & Gale Dimmick will journey to the Sectional in Portland, Oregon. Good to hear that Jonna Robertson is well and visiting Denmark this summer. Bill Smith is back from a trip to the “Land Down Under.” Mitsi Tani, Carol Yamane and some girl friends went wine tasting with a little gambling thrown in in Calistoga. I hear they had a good time and won some quarters, too. Here at home, Rosemary Erwin had the best kind of visitors from Alaska, her son and grandson. Everyone has enjoyed the company of Marlene Bogard. Marlene has been visiting from Palm Beach Florida and taking her chances at the bridge tables in Morgan Hill. I was interested to hear that Gary “Cooper” Jones is a dog lover. His four standard poodles are so well trained that the rumour is he’s teaching them to play bridge. Fair warning, Gary. The day a poodle gets better boards than I, I’m giving up the game and you will have to take up writing! Correction! Last month, I said that Rosemary Erwin and Mike Slattery substituted for Linda King while she was on vacation. It was our newest Director, Patty Stone who took over from Linda with a little help from Rosemary.
Morgan Hill/Gilroy unit game 7/19: Burt Malech & Rosemary Erwin. Open Pairs Monday, 7/6: 1st, Dan Brown & William Smith; 2nd, Dick Tani & Mitsi Tani. 7/13: Mike & Margot Kakalec. 7/20: Rosemary Erwin & Rashmi Beman. 7/27: Don Nemiro & Betty De Paola. Open Pairs Thursday, 7/2: Liega Arnett & Lucy Grisetti. 7/9: N/S 1st, Ron Dragt & Win Stone; 2nd, Mike Slattery & Bob Frohman; E/W 1st, Rosemary Erwin & Diana Dragt. 7/16: Marilyn Ribardo & Gloriana Garma. 7/23: Win Stone & Jonna Robinson. 7/30: 1st, Patrick Arnett & Bob Williams; 2nd, Rosemary Erwin & Mitsi Tani.
Hollister: Linda’s Tuesday afternoon pairs, 7/7: N/S 1st, Linda King & Luisa Velasco; E/W 1st, Bob George & Win Stone. 7/14: Patricia Stone & Connie Coyne. 7/21: N/S 1st, Chiong Yuan Han & Doug Stauffer; E/W 1st, Bob George & Bill Millar. Mike’s Wednesday Bridge Club: 7/1: Bill Millar & Bob Williams; 2nd, Dee Bugge & Mary Calderone; 3rd, Patty Stone & Betty McKenzie. 7/8: Bob Frohman & Don Bugge. 7/15: Dee & Don Bugge. 7/22: 1st, Betty McKenzie & Bob Williams; 2nd, Mike Slattery & Robert Frohman. 7/29: Bob Frohman & Don Nemiro.
We were sorry to hear of the death of Ardyce Miller’s husband. Our condolences to Ardyce and her family.
Livermore Valley
By Paul Dubois
The Great Western STAC games are the last week of August so be sure to correct your partner's faults before then. Inexpensive tasers are available for training purposes. Pepper spray works too. Either that or you'll have to learn that prayer that goes something like, “God grant me the serenity to accept the partner I cannot change.”
The annual barbeque will be held at the Pleasanton Club on September 11 before the game, starting at 5:30. Please sign up before September 8 at any unit game or by letting Carmen know. September 18 will be an International Fund Game and on September 25 we will have a unit level qualifying game for this area.
The big event for July is always the Santa Clara Firecracker Sectional, and many members from Unit 501 participated again this year. While Jean Barry racked up the most points, almost 15, the LLNL team of Rick Wilson, Dan Bergmann, Art Mirin, and John Engstrom also stood out with two victories in 299'er Swiss tournaments. Rick has done a great job with the LLNL club and has given a successful class to convert Labbie lunchtime bridge players to duplicate sharks.
Harvey Rosenberg & D. Lynn Schaeffer won in a 199er. Kathi Nelson & Jim Ostrowski got a second in a Compact Knockout. Also scoring some silver were Nancy & Gary Oehrle, Katherine Love, Donald Smith, Wayne Vondera, Sharon Wulferdingen, Darlene Mayhew, Janice Batchellor, Teresa Duewer, Gilbert Reeser, Gary Minig, Edward So, Paul Dubois, and David Silberman.
This is the month I got to be average, or to be median, to be more precise. About half the ACBL membership has more points than I do, and half less. Curiously, this happens at the relatively low level of about 175 points. I think this means that in the Pleasanton club, like Lake Woebegone, all the children are now above average.
Marin
By Bob Sampson
July had two local sectionals. In Palo Alto, Alice & Thomas Wright took first in Compact KO 4; Fred Stout was second in Open Pairs as was Linda Danzig in the Compact KO 2; also second were Molly Anderson in 199er Pairs and Spencer Sun in C Swiss Teams. Gene Simpson was 4th in Open Pairs and Irene Lam was 6th in B 199er Pairs. In Sonoma: Loretta Bromberg got a first in A/X Swiss Teams; Michael Hartnett was second in BCD Swiss with Susan Bowser fourth in B Open Pairs. Susan also got a 5th in 0-300 Pairs. Jaclin Hughes was third in B Open Pairs. Lynn Blankfort & Stephen Pardys were third in 0-300 Pairs and tied for third in 299er Swiss Teams. Irene Lam & Lynn Redding were third in 0-300 Pairs.
In July club games there were many games over 70 percent led by Jerry Meislin & Ken Tishgart who had 75.93%. Two had 74% games: Gene Pudberry & Tom Orr and Martie Gilweit & Rose Nieda. Next were Loretta Stan Chow 73%, Bob Liss & Ellen Schiller 72%, Barbara & Clark Smith 71%, Deborah & Gerald Levine 71% and four at 70%: Don & Phyllis Kreider, Bobbie Crossley & Joanne Green, Gary Kirk & Jim Washburn and Hilde Meislin & Lucian Wernick.
A rare event occurred July 30 at Terra Linda. In a 14 table game four pairs tied for second E/W with a score of 172.00 (55.12%). Steve Stein, who was in that game, marveled at this coincidence and estimated the probability at one in 15,000. That would be about once every 41 years for a daily game. There were 28 boards in play but the four pairs played only 20 hands in common and had identical scores on only one. On five hands, three of the four had identical scores. So a “gazillion” bidding and play decisions made by eight players and their competitors and opponents led to many different contracts and results; yet ended in a 4-way tie.
Don’t you love this game? Send e-mail to mbsampson247@comcast.net
Modesto
By Lee Striplin
Last month's unit game brought out thirteen tables for lunch and bridge. Overall A winners were Faye Salmon & Dick Uhrhammer, followed by Elena Franzia & Pat Martin and Doris Ashcroft & Roy Carnahan. N/S A winners were Leigh Tibbetts & Glenn Van Denburg, who were also first in B. Second in A/B were Frank Frohman & Joan Miller, followed by Mike Gutowski & Mary Zak, who were also third in B and first in C. In E/W, Franzia & Martin led B, second were Jeanne Russo & Gail Vick, and third were Gary Capwell & Charlotte Martin.
Alan Strauss led the July masterpoint race in A, followed by Pieter Mastenbroek. First in B was Gary Capwell, and Doris Ashcroft was second, and Sharon Cole led C, followed by Lloyd Rotherham. Elena Franzia was delighted to win in A/B & C with partner Glenn Van Denburg in a recent game. Kathy Bulgheroni & Joyce Rudesill had a 70% result in a 299er game.
Jeanne Russo is on a three-week trip to the Scandinavian countries and a Baltic Sea cruise. Pat Gallo is recuperating after a nasty fall outside the bridge studio. She suffered a broken wrist, and she said that the worst part is that she can't write or drive. We wish her well and hope to see her back to bridge soon.
Charlotte would like to remind you of the Sunday 299er games. Lunch is served at 12:30 p.m. and the game starts at 1:00 p.m.
The next unit event is a two-session Tri Unit North American Pairs Finals. It will take place on Sunday, September 13, and the first session will begin at 11:00 a.m.
The Great Western Summer Fun STAC II games will be happening August 24-30.
The All-Western Regional in Santa Clara is coming up September 1-7. Please let me know if you win any events.
.
Monterey
By Maja
ACBL allows local directors to run 299er sectional tournaments. Jill Leach, Lyde McReynolds and Larry Slayton have been the directors of this 2-day event for the last six years. July 25 & 26 saw 101 tables over the 2-day period. Local players contributed so much to this successful tournament. In addition to their sparkling personalities which are bridge-world famous, they contributed great food, another draw for the out-of-towners. We thank you! The top 10 local point winners were Hella Lacroix, Terry Hurtubise, Gerry Oehler, Tim Gillott, Barbara Babcock, Konny Murray, Bob Champion, Lois Genovese, Bee Melendez and Carole LeBrun. Congratulations all.
If you are interested in Lyde's San Francisco bus trips for a Best of Broadway performance, there is another coming up for October 24 for South Pacific at the Golden Gate Theatre. You’ll be dropped off for lunch in Union Square, sit in orchestra seats for the matinee, and enjoy "happy hour" on the way home.
Call Lyde to reserve 626-4796.
The unit level game on Saturday, September 12 will be held for those who qualified in the club level NAP games this summer. See the list of qualifiers on the unit bulletin board. There will be two sections, 299ers & Open. The most recent Saturday morning club champions were Bill Shreve & Don Graham with a 65% game.
Jill and Lyde are enjoying a new group of Easybridge! on Thursday afternoons with an average of six tables participating. We plan to hold workshops in October in lieu of welcoming some nice new bridge players to the different club games.
Napa/Solano/Sonoma
By Keith Vincent
We held our only unit game of the month on July 19 with 10 ½ tables in play. In A, N/S winners were Ann & Duane Smith; B leaders were George Kieffer & Dale Oleson. A/B/C leaders E/W and 2nd overall were Marsha Horowitz & Tom Sheann.
We held our local sectional on July 11 & 12 at the Vintage House Senior Center in Sonoma. It was smoothly run and well coordinated by Joe Freeman, Wayne Gordon, and Eileen Holsten along with director Nancy Boyd. Eileen and her enthusiastic volunteer staff produced a great buffet on Saturday. We added a $4 surcharge on Sunday to have a catered luncheon, and loads of homemade cookies. They were able to feed all at a reasonable price, and keep things moving; Great idea. The Sat. morning 299 leaders in D were John & Judy Sherwood; E-F leaders were Lois Dickerson & Charlene Stone. Winners in the afternoon: D, Trisha O'Connor & William Barron; E, Richard Levy & Sonia Conklin; F, Charlene Stone & Lois Dickerson. In the two session Open Pairs the leaders in A were Nick Wiebe & Stephen Kanzee; B/C, Dawne Dickenson & Britt-Marie Eldred. Sunday we had Strati-Flighted Swiss Teams. In A the winners were Erwin Linzner, Lynn Blumenthal, Laurence Hanson, and Loretta Bromberg; X, Mark Hersko, Lee Grams, Larry Spanier, and Joanne Pransky. In B/C/D Swiss the leaders in B were Barry Samuel, Meryl Fischer, Larry Wyner, and Mary Omodt; C, Richard Levy, Sonia Conklin, George Kieffer, and David Gendreau; D, Thelia Smith, John Rothschild, Adrienne Varin and Lilyan Frank. 299 Swiss leaders in E were Robert Locke, Wayne Miller, Joyce and Herald Mirwald; F, Carol Kemper, Eileen Zefting, Rick and Lynn Giusti; G, Patricia Hertz, Cynthia Ketelsen, Wendy Menget, and Holly Gustafson.
Reno
By Bud Brewer
Gary Pomerantz, a resident of San Francisco and visiting lecturer of communications at Stanford University has authored a new best selling book entitled The Devil’s Tickets. It is a story about the growth and popularity of contract bridge in the years before, during and following the Depression of the 1930s. The principal characters are two married couples, Myrtle and Jack Bennett and Ely and Jo Culbertson. The stories of these two couples in the book are reflective of how the intensity of married bridge partnerships can lead to such emotional stress as to cause the death of one by the other, the Bennetts, or simply the disintegration of a long term marriage, Ely and Jo Culbertson. Neither result would capture the attention of the duplicate bridge world today except that most of us began playing this game during the time when contract bridge was the activity of choice by more than 30 million people, or 20% of the population of the country. The name Culbertson was an icon for the most popular bidding system of the day based on “honor count” and was as familiar to all then as the point count system is today. But behind the name, Ely and Jo Culbertson, was an imploding marriage within a bridge partnership that worked as smooth as glass overwhelming all opposition with precise bidding and extraordinary play of the cards. Ely wrote some of the first popular books on bidding and playing bridge and Jo, some say probably accurately, was his “better half.”
As I look across the playing rooms of the Reno Bridge Center, our sectional tournaments (by the way our next is scheduled for August 19-23), our regional and nationals, I see mostly people with grey hair who first learned this game during the Culbertson period. In the 1930s,1940s and early 1950s we played Culbertson with or against name players like Waldemar von Zedtwitz, Oswald Jacoby, Ted Lightner, Alfred Sheinwold, Edward Kaplan, Charles Goren, Helen Sobel, Howard Schenken, Dorothy Hayden, Lou Mathe, Barry Crane, Eddie Kantar, etc. But when Charles Goren developed and wrote the book Point Count Bidding in Contract Bridge in 1949, the Culbertson system died. For that matter, bridge bidding became a little easier too.
Going into the final three boards of the Sunday, July 25 two section Reno unit championship, Lorita Spalding and Regina Houston (E/W) had an overall lead of three match points over their nearest competitor, Lin Goldstein & Sheila Wimer (N/S). On their first board of the final three, Lorita & Regina had a chance to make a low percentage slam in either spades or diamonds but Virginia Jensen & Forrest Lorz, bidding aggressively got to 3♥ vulnerable which Regina doubled. Lorita holding a void in hearts elected to pass for penalty and Jensen & Lorz scored a top board with 8 MP.
In the meantime at Lin & Sheila's table, the E/W pair of Archambalt & Forster bid 4♠ and won all the tricks after finding the ♦ king on side. Thus the net loss in advantage for Spalding & Houston was only 1.5 MPs. The final two boards were a push so Lorita & Regina prevailed. The Brewers were in 3rd place, almost a full board back followed by Ewick & Mcleod who finished 4th with a walloping 23 match points in the last round. Dan & Pat Green were 5th, and Ed & Regina Straver were 6th. In C, David Weinberg & Richard Michelsen were 1st, Andy & Jill Wallace were 2nd, Kathy Entus & Mike Mendell 3rd, and Carol Barker & Gloria Walker 4th.
Sacramento
By Bob Olsen
The Unit 505 Fall Sectional, September 11,12,13 will be at the Orangevale Community Center. As usual, Friday will include a 199er section in a side room, and a lesson by Al Beckner at 11:00 a.m., followed by a light lunch, then a game at 1:00 p.m. For further details please see the ad in this Forum.
Some club changes: At the Sacramento Bridge Center on Monday evenings at 6:30 a 299ers lesson and a game at 7:00; on Sundays at 1:00 p.m., Open Pairs, no lunch served, but fee reduced to $5.00.
After 20 years of existence the Sierra Bridge Duplicate Bridge Club in Sacramento closed permanently on August 25. Unfortunately, the closure was due to low attendance; players passing away; disabilities; high rent; urban parking problems; demographics; low-fee non-ACBL games at Senior Centers; etc.
San Francisco
By Kim Fanady
Hope everyone enjoyed their summer vacations, packed their kids and grandkids off to school, and are ready to enjoy some bridge (and our real summer in San Francisco, calendar notwithstanding)!
Our juniors did great at the Youth NABC in Washington in July. Kendrick Chow, Samuel Kuang, and Jason Yee of Galileo High and Edmund Wu of UC Berkeley won a knockout and took first in Strat C in a Swiss Teams event. All are graduates of the Center for Bridge Education high school program, and certified bridge nuts.
Way to go, guys!
QuickTricks’ erstwhile chief director, Dianne Barton-Paine, stepped down this month. Her busy schedule and frequent travel as an ACBL tournament director just put too much on her plate. Dianne has directed at the club for as long as anyone can remember; at least 20 years! and helped make the club a special place. Will Watson replaces her as chief director, but Dianne will continue to direct as a substitute when needed. QuickTricks will miss her and is ever thankful for her many years of contributions to the club; and also looks forward to the start of a new era with Will.
Congratulations to this month’s ladder climbers: new Junior Masters Olga Abouab, Barnaby Grist, and Judy Soong; Club Master Edmund Wu; Sectional Master, Judy Salgado, and Bronze Life Master, Doris Grau. Well played, everyone! Welcome to our new members: Marie Coppinger, Kevin Johnson, Christopher LaChance, Vivian Tsai, and Margaret Wu; and transfers Margaret Chiovoloni (Central Carolina), Carole Jones (Marin), David Landy (Central Carolina), Will Steger (San Mateo), and Jean Wildberg (Marin). Say hello to these new players when you meet them at the table.
Our unit game schedule rolls on with a Swiss Teams event on September 26. Next month it’s the Loma Prieta Pairs, on October 17, the 20th anniversary of the last Big One. Do you remember where you were? I was on the 29th floor of a Financial District high rise, and for a few long scary seconds I seriously thought the building was going to collapse. All I could think was that I was going to die, not with my loved ones, but with people from work.
Come share your stories and rock your world at the bridge table! All games are at noon at the Masonic Temple, 850 Brotherhood Way, and all are welcome.
Hope everyone raked in the masterpoints at the Santa Clara Regional over Labor Day. Look for the usual bragging about the exploits of Unit 506ers next month!
See you at the table.
Santa Clara Valley
By Ray Yuenger
At last, Unit 507 is offering a mentor program. If you’re a member of the unit, you can sign up as a mentor and a mentee. The same person can be both, depending on who else signs up. Judy Clark is the coordinator. The program (and her contact information) is explained on our web site, www.sjbridge.org, and on postings on the wall of the San Jose Bridge Center. To make it a success, we need experienced players to volunteer to play just one session a month and share their knowledge. Please take this opportunity to give something back to bridge and sign up today with Judy.
The next unit game, on Monday evening, September 14, will be a pairs game, stratified by partnership average. If the turnout warrants, there will be a separate 0-200 section. If you want a limited section to be a regular feature of our unit games, this is your chance to show us.
There were two unit games in July, one being our annual member appreciation free dinner and game. Around 150 members came out to the Sonoma Chicken Coop for dinner and, with patience, were able to eat their fill. Will Watson did his best to do the work of two directors at the following game. In the 26-table open game, Kit Humphrey & Henri Fahri were first overall, with a 67% game. Not far behind them were Tina Pearson & Carole Dietz, who were first in their section. Other section and stratification tops in the open game were earned by Stu Goodgold & Frank Lowenthal, Lynn Yokel & Gigi Spinazze, Missy & Jack Verson, and Paul Lee & J.T. Wang.
In the 12-table Non-Life Masters game, it was Manju & Raghu Agarwal with a 69% game, Dan Hoffman & Arkady Estrin (who I introduced just before the game), Beverly Nelson & Lucy Burke, and Charles Hung & Richard Chueh.
The following night was our regular Monday unit game, with the strat victors being Lynn & Dianne Shannon, Bruce Scott & Peggy Sprague, and Miwako Wong & Roberta Murai.
At the nationals in Washington, D.C., Rose Meltzer’s Grand National Team won the Open Flight. Her team also placed second in the Spingold Knockouts.
Tied for third-fourth on other GNTeams were Alan Malloy & Michael Bodell in Flight B and Jennifer Gu in Flight C. On winning knockout teams were Surendra Mandava; Nongyu Li; Wendy Fotland & Alan Malloy. Winning in pair events were Dale & Lynn Johannesen and Belinda Gu.
In the Monterey 299er Sectional, Bob & Carole Woldstad earned first with a 70.42% game.
Congratulations to our newest Masters: Joel Kenny (Junior); Karen Hopkins (Sectional); Anne Chen, Barbara Gibson (Regional); Richard Markell (NABC); Ivan Jen (Life).
The San Jose Bridge Center has now had the dealing machine for a year. Thanks again to the members who donated time and property to raise the money.
Continuing in our unit board offices are Ray Yuenger (president), Mich Ravera (vice-president), and Erin Gove (secretary). Lynn Bartz, a new board member, is our new treasurer.
And I continue as your columnist at:
San Mateo/Redwood City
By M.C. Hevener
Mea culpa! Last month this reporter inaccurately listed the age of Dr. Gordon Binder as a mere 80! Yesterday he corrected me with a big laugh; he is actually 90 years young! Unit 498 is blessed with two other such over-achievers: Mildred and Sal, and believe me, they don’t spend their afternoons napping at home. They’re busy at the tables earning more masterpoints. Come join them.
We had a wildly successful unit game in July honoring Gordon with ever so many Kodak moments! You knew, of course, that he was honored by the French Government on Bastille Day, so he wore his medal of honor and proceeded to hold court for the day. Hopefully, by the time you read this article, you can go to our web site (Unit 498) for a link to u-tube with a musical slide show of the unit game.
Our Pro-Am event, with 21 ½ tables, was won by the team of Glenna Cook & Ted Richmond, at 60.86%. Glenna took home the trophy and will keep it for a year or until our next Pro-Am contest. In second, Ed Hornung & Donald Rogers, and third, Mary Jane Armacost & Ann Javer.
We received many glowing e-mails from amateurs who thoroughly enjoyed the day and the buzz goes on.
Gourmet hamburgers were on the BBQ just outside the door, and who was that guy wearing the apron, “Kiss the cook?” Over a celebratory slice of cake, Gordon (aka “Chevy”) proclaimed, “this is so much fun, can’t we do it again next weekend?” Many thanks to Raad Bunni and Sandra Tilch for organizing and orchestrating our Pro-Am game in July.
Winner’s Circle from the Firecracker Sectional: Saturday Compact KO: 1st, Ted Rickmond & Greg House; 2nd, William Riester, Jr., & Sarita Mathiasen; Bracket 3 1st, Dan Stowell & Don Doolittle & the Portola Valley Piagets. Saturday’s Open Pairs winners included Rajeev Gupta, Pat Galligan and Janice Nakao. James & Arline Van Ness were in the money along with Elise & Donald Stone. Sunday Open Pairs, 2B, David Hoffman. The Sunday 199er event was won by Doriane Heyman & Daniel Banks. Sunday Compact KO: 1st, Janice Nakao’s team; 2nd, Dan Raider’s team in Bracket. Another Bracket was won by the team of James & Arline Van Ness and Jay & Mary Bates; 2nd, Kathleen Martin, Jan Grove, Nancy Chapman and Helene Ettelson. Sunday Swiss: 2nd, Kate, Zak and Dariush who evidently played and won with Frank Jackson of Pacifica. What a miracle! Mon./Tue. KO, 1st in Bracket, Paul Levine’s team; 1st in Bracket, Linda Schwarz & Jan Grove’s team. Monday Pairs included winners Ted Richmond & William Riester, Jr., and in the Tuesday Pairs, a 1st place was won by Gayle Hester & Phil Scatena, closely followed in 2nd by Nancy Finney with Sue Hagerty.
Jan Grove scored a whopping 13.58 masterpoints for the event. What a haul and way to go!
At the time of this writing, we are all gearing up for the San Mateo Sectional in August. Results in our next issue.
On the front burner for September is a new series of lessons for beginners. We kick off with a free introductory session on Wednesday night, Sept. 9 and lessons continue for the next eight weeks. Certified instructors Mary Bates and Al Malouf have promised to get you headed toward the proper goal post. For details, check out our web site at Unit 498, or contact Mary directly at 650 863-7575.
This is a fabulous opportunity. Do you know someone in high school or college who might want to learn bridge? You probably have a friend who learned years ago and needs an update. Call them and tell them about the series. Come alone or bring a partner. We’ll do the rest.
We welcome new unit members Maryanne Carboni, Ralph and Susan Griffin, and Woody Mansergh. Transfers into our unit include Katherine Ackert, Renate & Walter Hoeger, Mildred Kempton and Ramaratnam Soundarajan. New Junior Master Mrs. Dt Levy has joined the ranks, along with new Sectional Master Nancy Lee and new Regional Master, Paul Clermont.
Our next unit game comes up on Saturday, September 19 at 1:00 p.m. It will be a Swiss Teams event and you can see our flyer with details at our web site, Unit 498.
Duplicate games are held Monday-Friday at the Bayshore Bridge Club beginning at 12:15 p.m. We have evening sessions on Monday and Thursday nights. For those with 0-100 masterpoints, check out our Thursday morning game at 9:00 a.m. which concludes with a brief lesson.
And remember: Gordon is really only 18 years old, but he has 72 years of experience. See you at the tables.
Santa Cruz
By Susan Benich
Results for the Santa Clara Sectional have been posted and our club can boast that the following all earned those coveted silver points: Wayne Stuart (12.77), Bill McIntosh, Pam Benz, Phyllis Cramblet, Annemarie Happee-Moller, Carol & Mark Maggipinto, Phyllis & Dick Wasserstrom, Linda (BJ) & Phil Johnson, Mary Pulliam, Ruth Grant, Marilyn Nadler, Mardell Carman, Jeanne & Wayne Boss, and Mary Simoni.
The July Junior Fund game was won by Debby & Jerry Goodell who outscored all of their competitors. This was an exciting win for them, but not nearly as exciting as Debby climbing Half Dome! Jerry is so proud of her. When Debby isn’t busy playing bridge she volunteers at the Monterey Bay Aquarium once a week and she supports her grandson’s interest in bird watching. I bet Wally Goldfrank has more time for his hobby of bird watching now that he is retired! It’s been good to find him spending more time at the bridge club, too.
Elena LaBorde-Bishop travels world wide to indulge her bird watching avocation. She also visits foreign countries as she and her husband (the pilot) volunteer with the Flying Doctors. Elena is a translator and dental assistant.
Our high scoring pairs for July are Don Seldeen & Ken Llacera, 65.28%; Elena LaBorde-Bishop & Jonni Faircrest, 65.42%; Wayne Boss & Malcolm Sprott, 65.75%; Mark Wainer & Ken Llacera, 66%; Robin Evenden & Charlie Pender, 66.02%; Shirley Passaro & Marilyn Diola, 66.15%; Hal Rodgers & Jeff Pruett, 66.38% & 66.67%; Eunice Lee & Jeff Belden, 67%; Bonnie & Jack Simon, 67.05%; Wayne Stuart & Lynn Yokel, 67.54%, 70.24% & 75.32%; Carol Maggipinto & Ken Llacera, 67.66%; Patty & Larry Palmer, 67.86%; Robin Evenden & Phil Rodriguez, 68.18%; Jim Slinger & Ken Llacera, 68.85%; Carol Maggipinto & Ken Llacera, 68.98%; Jim Martin and Bruce Dau, 73.08%; Judy Murdock & Marti Jones, 73.66%. Hurray for all!
Congratulations to Ken Llacera who placed five times in the above countdown.
Unit game winners for July 11 were Carol Maggipinto & Ken Llacera who were 1st overall in A/B, and Henri Raymond & Britt Smith in C. Bonnie & Jack Simon placed 1st in the Barometer game. Wayne Stuart & Lynn Yokel were 1st overall in A in the July 25 unit game, Alice del Core & Bill Messenger in B, and Pam Benz & Kent Slinger in C.
In the Junior Fund game Mary Simoni & Mary Canepa were 1st overall in B/C.
Nancy Wainer invites all to attend her Wednesday, September 9 evening Instant Match Point Game which offers one gold point to the 1st place winners in each direction. Bridge lessons will start up again September 16 with continuing beginner and “Brush Up Your Basic Bridge” classes on Wednesday evenings at 7:00 p.m.
Advanced beginner/intermediate classes will start again Thursday, September 17 at 1:00 p.m. Bridge Camp will be held September 3.
Pam Benz encourages all to take advantage of Don Nemiro’s mini lesson on Monday, September 21 at 6:00 p.m. His topic “What Mother Never Taught Me” is guaranteed to improve your match point and team game results by at least 25%. Pam also reminds everyone that our annual Surf’s Up Sectional is Oct. 10-11. See flyers at the club, the advertisement elsewhere in the Forum, our web site, or contact Pam directly for details. This is a huge event for our club. We look forward to hosting you and your friends.
Nancy Driscoll’s Bridge House celebrated its grand opening on August 22 at its new location at Aptos Station. The Fall session at Nancy’s Bridge House will begin the week of September 14.
Check Nancy’s web site or give her a call for further information.
Santa Rosa
By Randee Dimond
Double, double, toil and trouble; fire burn and cauldron bubble.
MacBeth’s witches knew what happens at the table when you give unsolicited, unwanted lessons. So, be advised: give a lesson after the game only when asked. Resist the siren song of your pontifical moment in the spotlight, telling all within earshot how you woulda, he shoulda, and the rest of the room coulda. If you’re a frustrated instructor, suggest a topic you might teach to the club owner.
Meanwhile, keep your own counsel.
July was notable for some terrific results: Gary Robinson & Dave Pankratz had a 70% game; then Gary & Larry Hansen had a 73% game. Topping them all, Lucille Gasperini & Lynn Blumenthal scored a once-in-a-lifetime 80% game at Oakmont! Congratulations to each of them and to our other top performers: Patricia Gittings, Peggy Leiser, Jackie Ortiz, John McNulty, Barry Samuel, Geoff Hopcraft, Larry Ruff, Hazel Garlick, Jennifer Jones, Bob Klein, Abdul Navid, Denis Racine, Barbara Mcauliffe, Lynn Dondero, Jim Alstad, Jock Rader, Sally Jamison, Jerry Murphy, Michael Livensparger, Lou Bailin, Mary Spellman, Sara Rothmuller, Kate Hill, Erwin Linzer, Nancy Johnson, Shirley Blum, Lynette Erlach, Mary Omodt, Larry Borsian, Pat Frenaye, Chris Flindt, Brian Haley, Don Carman, Gloria Hersch, Abbe Cohen, Barbara Briggs-Letson, Bill Hargreaves, Pat & Jerry Scoville, Meryl Fischer, Mark Hersko, Carol Zocchi, Patty Hertz, Wendy Merget, Kathy Juarez, Jon Merry, Jane Wahler, Helene Gay, Debbie Tesler, Paul Scheinberg, Richard Zalenski, Carl Tillmanns, George Osborne, Barbara & Lou Meola, Judy Sibley, Dorothy & Jim Oswald, and Danielle Hejmanowski. July’s unit game honors went to Gladys Sawyer & Elise Henderson and Larry Hansen & Evelyn Holtz. Good going, each and every one!
The Wine Valley Sectional drew a number of players from U509. In the Swiss, the team of Lynn Blumenthal, Larry Hansen, Erwin Linzer and Loretta Bromberg took top honors in open teams, winning six of seven matches. Lee Grams, Mark Hersko, Larry Spanier & Joanne Pransky took top honors among the Xs. Meryl Fischer, Mary Omodt, Barry Samuel & Larry Wyner won B/C/D teams. Holly Gustafson, Patty Hertz, Cindy Ketelson, & Wendy Merget took the 299er Swiss.
All in all, a lovely Sunday in Sonoma.
Coming soon is Santa Rosa’s famous Fall Sectional October 3-4. Look for the colorful ad in this edition of the Forum and get your plans in place to enjoy a wonderful weekend of wall to wall bridge as well as fine food courtesy of Jackie Ortiz.
If you need partnership assistance or team-building, call Kathy Venton at 707 591-5015.
Coming even sooner is a series of six Thursday evening absolute beginner lessons at the Gallery beginning September 24. Round up all your friends and get them to learn how to play nicely with you.
We send our fondest regards to Ron McEwan whom we miss very much. All of us send condolences to Rose Marie Johnson on the loss of her husband.
South County
By Jim Solomon
It’s September; back-to-school time! In keeping with the season, I’m offering new sets of lessons for newcomers to bridge (and modern bridge) at both of my Easybridge! clubs, the Fremont Easybridge! Club on Tuesday evenings, and the Hayward Weekes Park Easybridge! Club on Thursday afternoons. The Fremont cohort will begin on Sept. 8 at 5:30, and the Hayward group on Sept. 10 at 12:30. The first four lessons at each site will be free! Contact me for details: LSJ63@yahoo.com or 510 538-9889.
Special Club Games in the Next 30 Days: Saturday, Sept. 12: Tri-City BC (TCBC) Unit Championship. Wednesday, Sep. 16: Tutoriale BC Club Championship (C.C.). Saturday, Sept . 19: TCBC Charity Club Championship Pairs. Tuesday, Sept. 22: Fremont Easybridge! Club C.C. Saturday, Sept. 26: TCBC C.C.
Notable Recent Tournament Performances: Wine Valley Sectional, Sonoma: Saturday Open Pairs: 5OA, Chuck Wong; Sunday Stratiflighted Swiss Teams: A/X Flight: 4 OA, Chuck; Summer North American Bridge Championships, Washington, D.C.: Grand National Teams (GNTs): Flight B: 3/4. Bin Liang; Flight C: 3/4, Qing Xia.
Winners at Recent Special Club Games: Marina BC Unit championship, July 7: 1 OA, Bill Rasnick & Meg Andrews; 1 B, Richard Feinberg & Darrell Fung; 1C, Mary Ann Nadler & Lorraine Roh. Redwood BC North American Pairs qualifying game (NAP), July 13: Open: 1 OA/1B, Elaine Sandau & Joyce de Roco; 1A/1B N/S, Bob Hamilton & Charlie Conrad. Tri-City BC (TCBC) NAP, July 18: 1 OA/1B, Bin Liang & Song Wang; 1C, Bob Locke & Wayne Miller. Lakeside BC Club Championship, July 22: 1 OA, Tom Nugent & Allan Harris; 1B, Darrell Fung & Frank Rooney; 1C, Martha Eddleman & Rosemarie Lafrancesca. TCBC Charity Club Championship (C.C.C.), July 25: 1 OA, Virginia Herring & Don Schrump; 1B/1C, Amy Wu & J.T. Wang. Fremont Easybridge! Club C.C.C., July 28: 1 OA, Mickey Row & Jo Callahan; 1B, Nuno Rebelo & Vicky Santos. TCBC Summer Swiss Teams Festival C.C.C., Aug. 1: 1 OA, Marty Holtz, Jim Harper, Bill Cubley, & Prakash Karamchandani; 1B, Sharon Tarpinian, Judy Keilin, Jo An Reid, & Carole Burgess; 1C, Bill Beeson, Charlie Roberts, Nuno Rebelo, & Vicky Santos.
Welcome to Our Fold: Arkadi Goulakov of Fremont, who’s transferred to the South County unit from Sunnyvale (and, before that, Minneapolis).
And fond farewells to Pat Armstrong, who’s moved to Richland, WA, and Bill Maxedon, who’s now living in Tracy.
Moving up the Masterpoint Ladder: Congratulations to Rajan (Jey) Jeyakumar, who’s now officially a Silver Life Master.
Stockton
By Elizabeth Youngman
Happy to report a whopping 75.83% game by N/S winners Estelle Warshauer & Mort Horn at the July unit game; E/W was headed up by Margie Erardi & Elizabeth Youngman.
Club hospitality chair, Norma Peterson, decorated in recognition of Flag Day and as always, Stockton members served up a terrific potluck.
The following foursome was missing-in-action from the Sacramento statistics reported previously in the Forum. The 299er two-session Swiss Teams event held Sunday, May 31 was dominated by the Stockton team headed by N/S Captain Richard Bianchi & Rose Knutson with E/W Margie Erardi & Elizabeth Youngman. The team won all seven rounds of the two session event. Currently, Stockton Unit 510 hosts games on Monday and Friday at 11:30 a.m. Monday’s director, Ricki Elin can be reached at 209 472-7919 and on Friday call Ron Magnin at 209 888-4116. Either will help you to find a partner; or leave a message at the club phone: 209 476-7014.
Unit games are on the third Sunday of each month so grab your partner and enjoy an afternoon in the Delta. Swing by at 4:00 p.m. for a potluck followed by the game at 5:00 p.m. It is well worth the drive to our friendly club located at 6235 Harrisburg Place, Stockton 95207.
Turlock/Merced
By Vickie Sweet
Monday’s Player of the Month was Jim Higgins. Monday game winners: 7/6 N/S, Betty Brown & Larrie Sweet; 7/13, Audrey Mackall & Margaret Quinn; E/W, Jim Higgins & Dennis Northern; 7/20 N/S, Jack & Lenore Ellery; E/W, Toots Wade & Larrie Sweet; 7/27, Audrey Mackall & Pat Kaufman; E/W, Jim Higgins & Dennis Northern. Wednesday Player of the Month was Betty Brown. Wednesday game winners: 7/1, George Loscalzo & Dave Terry; 7/8, Larrie Sweet & Zeb Davis; 7/15, Betty Brown & John Quinn; 7/22, Betty Brown & Anita Cresci; 7/29, Dennis Northern & Mary Penfield. Friday Player of the Month was Margaret Quinn. Friday game winners: 7/10, N/S, Judy Lang & Joyce Coughran; E/W, Margaret Quinn & Kay Weston; 7/17 N/S, Betty Brown & Margaret Quinn; E/W, Ray Adams & Toots Wade; 7/24 N/S, Pat Kaufman & Kay Weston; E/W, Ray Adams & Toots Wade; 7/31 N/S, Betty Brown & Eva Slate; E/W, Ed & Louise Thiner.
The Player of the Month for all games was Betty Brown who earned 7.47 masterpoints this month. The top A player was Betty Brown; the top B player was Jim Higgins & the top C player was Dennis Northern. The high game of the month was a 64% game turned in by Betty Brown & Eva Slate on Friday, July 31.