Bridge Blog 613: Penultimate totals

OK, the ACBL has posted the November tallies for the master point races, right on time, and here’s how things look with one month to go in 2012.

Unit 116 (Buffalo). In the Ace of Clubs race, I’m not first. I didn’t overtake Carlton Stone, after all. And I’m not second. John Ziemer has slipped past me. Here’s the list: Carlton Stone, 185.27; John Ziemer, 182.34; me, 181.45; Mike Silverman, 171.58; Liz Clark, 153.65; Vince Pesce, 141.97; Jim Gullo, 131.54; Barbara Libby, 131.24; Michael Ryan, 119.52; and Carolyn Siracuse, 114.53.

In the Mini-McKenney race, I’m fifth, right where I expected to be, but on by a hair. Here’s the lineup: John Ziemer, 319.05; Judy Padgug, 282.40; Dian Petrov, 276.67; Michael Ryan, 250.46; me, 218.95; Jim Gullo, 216.86; Carlton Stone, 203.45; Mike Silverman, 189.37; Liz Clark, 185.66; and Barbara Libby, 148.16.

District 5 (Buffalo, Cleveland, Pittsburgh). In Ace of Clubs, Unit 116 has the top five positions in the 1,000-2,500 point division and eight of the top 10 (Robert Maier of Morgantown, W.Va., is sixth with 144.79 and Francine Feldman, a Pittsburgher whose home is listed as Boca Raton, Fla., is eighth with 140.97). We have 12 of the 25 spots. Paul Libby is 17th with 109.84 and Judy Padgug is 18th with 105.48.

In the Mini-McKenney, Unit 116 has eight players of the list of 25. John Ziemer is second, behind Michael Craeger of Brecksville, Ohio, who has a towering 661.81. Judy Padgug is fourth, behind the aforementioned Robert Maier, with 290.61. Dian Petrov is fifth, barely ahead of a frequent player in local tournaments, Marc Sylvester of Edinboro, Pa., who has 275.60. Michael Ryan is eighth. I’m 16th, having been surpassed by Jack and Vicki Goodykoontz of Morgantown, W.Va., who each have 220.81. You need at least 185 to catch 25th place, which is where Liz Clark is sitting.

Nationwide Ace of Clubs leader once again is good old Charlie Christmas from Tallahassee, Fla., with 312.44, followed by J. R. Melis of Seal Beach, Calif., with 301.54 and John Petri of Long Beach, Calif., with 291.67. You start finding us Unit 116 folks in the middle of the list. Carlton Stone is 44th. John Ziemer is 50th. I’m 53rd. Mike Silverman is 70th. And that’s it. Cutoff at 100 th place is at 163.28.

Nationwide Mini-McKenney is headed by a District 5 guy – Michael Craeger. He’s 13 points ahead of Stephen Apodaca of Santa Fe, N.M. (648.11). John Ziemer is 97 th. He’s the only Unit 116 player on that list, which cuts off at 318.59.