Bridge Blog 418: The long view

            It’s the 6th and, right on time, last month’s tabulations are posted on the American Contract Bridge League’s website. In 2009 and 2010, I would be eager to see where I stood in the national standings, especially the Ace of Clubs, where I was among the Top 10. This year, competing primarily as a B player in the tough 1000-2500 point division, I’m nowhere nationally. The hopes instead center on the Unit 116 (Buffalo) and District 5 (Buffalo, Cleveland, Pittsburgh) lists. Let’s take a look and see who’s where.

          My Ace of Clubs total (masterpoints earned in club play only) now stands at 52.39 for the year, which puts me fifth in Unit 116, after Mike Kisiel (79.09), John Ziemer (62.96), Liz Clark (58.58) and Carlton Stone (58.42). Behind me are Vince Pesce (42.83), Judy Padgug (38 even), Jim Gullo (36.48), Bill Finkelstein (!) (32.62) and Janet Frisch (31.98).

          Over in the Unit list for the Mini-McKenney (club play plus tournaments), I’m seventh with 56.33. Tops is Dian Petrov, director of Bridge Club Meridian, with 134.81, best of anyone at any level. He just picked up 30 points as part of the winning B team in the North American Pairs preliminary last weekend. Wonder if that’s included. Kisiel is second with 79.78. He doesn’t go to the tournaments these days. Next are Judy Padgug (79.04), John Ziemer (65.30), Liz Clark (61.27) and Carlton Stone (58.42). Behind me are Jim Gullo (50.94), Kathy Pollock (50.39) and Mike Ryan (45.01).

Take that to the District 5 level and I’m eighth in Ace of Clubs, behind four Unit 116 people, two from Pittsburgh and one from Cleveland. Kisiel is second, trailing Francine Feldman of Pittsburgh (81.46). In the Mini-McKenney, I’m not even on the list.  The woman from Cleveland in 25th place has 63.43 points. Tops is Hao Ge of Bay Village, Ohio, with 190.59, followed by Fred Schenker of Pittsburgh with 153.85. Dian Petrov is third.

Needless to say, I’m on neither list nationally. To make the bottom rung of the top 100 in Ace of Clubs, you need 60.62 points. Top player nationally is Ronald Andrews of Vero Beach, Fla., with 116.56, followed by Zita Lechter of Sunny Isles, Fla., with 108.32. Mike Kisiel is 14th.

In the Mini-McKenney, the number needed to land on the list is 121.39. Tops again is Geeske Joel of Palo Alto, Calif., with 384.21, followed by Louise Clark of Glencoe, Ill., with 353.01. District 5’s Hao Ge is 14th. Unit 116’s Dian Petrov is 73rd.