Bridge Blog 554: Jarful of July

Right on schedule, the folks at American Contract Bridge League computer central have posted the monthly updates on master points and the master point races. They even included my measly little .84 of a point from the Syracuse Regional, giving me a total of 17.47 for July. For the year, I now have 113.67 total points for Mini-McKenney competition, and 92.07 club points for the Ace of Clubs derby.

So where do I stand? On the Unit 116 (Buffalo) level, in the 1,000 to 2,500 point division, I’m sixth in Ace of Clubs. Carlton Stone is first with 109.84, followed by Mike Silverman (104.74), John Ziemer (98.13), Vince Pesce (96.91) and Jim Gullo (93.02). Behind me are Liz Clark (82.74), Barbara Libby (80.05), Michael Ryan (77.17) and Carolyn Siracuse (73.01).

As for the Mini-McKenney, I’m eighth. Dian Petrov continues to lead this list with 226.09. Right behind him is Judy Padgug with 217.68, thanks no doubt to those 60 gold points she earned at the nationals in Philadelphia. Then come Ziemer (161.30), Gullo (129.61), Ryan (118.06), Silverman (116.29) and Stone (115.70). Rounding out the top 10 after me are Liz Clark (100.90) and Vince Pesce (the same 96.91 he has in Ace of Clubs).

On the District 5 level (Buffalo, Cleveland, Pittsburgh and environs), Buffalo dominates the Ace of Club list for 1,000 to 2,500 point players. Although Robert Maier of Morgantown, W. Va., tops the field with 135.25, only one other non-Buffalo player, Francine Feldman of Pittsburgh with 97 even, landed in the Top 10. I’m eighth. Among the 25 names of the district list, 15 are from Buffalo, including Judy Padgug (66.74), Paul Libby (63.42), Gene Finton (62.40), Chuck Schorr (54.75) and Luke Danielson (51.77).

District 5’s Mini-McKenney list has less of a Buffalo slant. Only eight of us are among the select 25 and I’m the eighth one in 23rd place. Leader once again is Michael Craeger of Brecksville, Ohio, with 352.72. He picked up 60 gold on the team with Judy Padgug in Philly. A distant second is Robert Maier with 235.61, dropping Dian Petrov to third place. Judy Padgug is fourth and Marc Sylvester of Edinboro, Pa., who we see a lot at our sectionals, is fifth with 206.72. Francine Feldman is ninth (169.57) and John Ziemer is 11th.

On the national level, good old Charlie Christmas of Tallahassee, Fla., is on top of Ace of Clubs in my division with 211.66, followed by John Petrie of Long Beach, Calif., with 201.54. Carlton Stone makes the list at 73rd, while Mike Silverman is 93rd. You need at least 103.56 points to make the Top 100.

Over in Mini-McKenney, there are new leaders – Zachary Grossack of Newton, Mass., with 420.52 and Margaret Hart of Baton Rouge, La., with 406.03. District 5 leader Michael Craeger is 11th. Dian Petrov is 80th. Judy Padgug is 89th. You need 213.29 points to land on this list.