Bridge Blog 443: Nowhere man

          August’s statistics have been posted for nearly a week on the ACBL website, but I’m been too busy to give them a glance, thanks to my extended stay on the Buffalo News city desk and the fact that I’m way out of the running on the national standings. But now that I’m leading the more relaxed life of a reporter, I’ve got a little bit of time to go over and see what’s shaking on the unit, district and national levels.

          Ace of Clubs (now designated as Helen Shanbrom Ace of Clubs), which is just for club play, finds me in sixth place in Unit 116 (just Buffalo) with 99.92 points. Top dog is Mike Kisiel with 159.79 – I’ll never catch him – followed by Liz Clark (131.44), John Ziemer (128.55), Vince Pesce (107.89) and Carlton Stone (101.75). After me, there’s Carolyn Siracuse (96.32), Judy Padgug (84.87), Paul Libby (82.72) and Jim Gullo (78.23).

          And now the Mini-McKenney, which is club play and tournament play combined – in other words, everything. My total there is 109.21, which puts me in ninth position on a list of 10. The others: Dian Petrov (237.72), John Ziemer (170.68), Mike Kisiel (169.90), Judy Padgug (167.19), Liz Clark (142.05), Kathy Pollock (117.51), Carlton Stone (116.11), Vince Pesce (111.32) and, in 10th place, Jim Gullo (107.06).

          OK, let’s see if I show up at all on the District 5 (Buffalo, Cleveland, Pittsburgh) level. On the Ace of Clubs I do. Eighth place, behind a couple Pittsburgh players sitting fourth and fifth on the list of 25. No such luck on Mini-McKenney. The list cuts off at 133.69 points. Only five Buffalo players are on it. Leader once again is Hao Ge of Bay Village, Ohio, with 431.53 points, followed by Fred Schenker of Pittsburgh with 278.59. Dian Petrov is third.

          Nationwide, I’m nowhere. You need 120.16 to make the Top 100 in Ace of Clubs. Top player once again is Zita Lechter of Sunny Isles, Fla., with 272.27. She has a 57 point lead over second-place Ronald Andrews of Vero Beach, Fla. Mike Kisiel is 12th. Mini-McKenney, you need 234.61 to make the list. Top is Louise Clark of Glencoe, Ill., with 688.76 (wow!), followed by good old Geeske Joel of Palo Alto, Calif., with 619.32. District 5’s Hao Ge is eighth. Unit 116 leader Dian Petrov is 93rd.