Bridge Blog 591: Big questions

        Big Question No. 1: Should I set a goal for the Buffalo Spooktacular Regional Tournament this week at the Grand Island Holiday Inn? Goals seem to work in sectional tournaments this year, but I had far less success in those regionals in Cleveland and Syracuse. Actually, what I want to do is help other people get some gold points.

        So we’ll see what happens when I play pairs with Celine Murray on Tuesday. And we’ll see what kind of team Usha Khurana and I put together on Wednesday and Thursday. (Usha and I had 48% for a three-way tie for third in a tiny six-pair game at the Airport Bridge Club on Monday).

Friday and Saturday could have had the best prospecting, but Selina Volpatti is staying home to attend her sick husband. And my Sunday Swiss teams excursion with Flo Boyd, Pawan Matta and Faith Perry? Sometimes we win. More often we lose. So let’s keep our gratitude ahead of our expectations here and just have a good time.

        Big Question No. 2: Would it be more profitable to forget about the regional, play club games at the Airport Bridge Club and save some bucks? (This week is going to cost me $148 in entry fees vs. $42 for club play.) Probably not, if the past three days are any gauge. Although I have 22.35 points for the month (0.27 gold), I’ve only accumulated minor fractions in Swiss team games since Paula Salamone and I came in second on Friday with 61.54%. So, hello, Grand Island.