Bridge Blog 738: Midwinter scarcities

        The ACBL has posted the first month’s tallies in the 2014 master point races and what’s surprising is how few people hit double digits in club play. A review of the Ace of Clubs standings for Unit 116 (Buffalo) shows only seven of them.

        Heading the pack is Gene Finton with 14.32, followed by Jerry Geiger with 13.84, Jim Mathis with 11.95, Bud Seidenberg with 11.72, Mike Ryan with 10.86, Judy Graf with 10.73 and Finton’s wife Jo with 10.11.

        Well, actually there’s an eighth – Meg Klamp, except she’s been playing in Florida, racking up an enviable 27.08.

        So my single-digit effort for January did not consign me to complete obscurity after all. My 7.42 puts me fifth on the list of players with 1,000 to 2,500 points, a list headed by the aforementioned Mr. Finton.

        Also ahead of me are John Ziemer (9.40), Elaine Kurasiewicz (9.24) and Fred Yellen (7.62). Right behind are Cathy Majewski (6.53), Carolyn Siracuse (5.91), Claire Gareleck (5.28), Jeanne Gladysz (5.26) and Anne Watkins (5 even). Not our usual cast of suspects.

        Over on the Mini-McKenney list, which includes points from tournament play as well as club play, I’m in ninth place with 9.10 points. Leader here is David Hemmer, a big winner at the sectional tournament, with 21.80, followed by Gene Finton (20.53), Gene Harvey (13.37), Fred Yellen (13.21), John Ziemer (12.52), Elaine Kurasiewicz (12.49), Chongmin Zhang (10.30) and Cathy Majewski (9.17). Behind me in tenth place is Anne Watkins with 8.88.

        Topping the overall Unit 116 Mini-McKenney are two of the folks in the 2,500 to 5,000 point category – Brian Meyer with 49.34 and Judy Padgug with 35.61. Then there’s John Toy (7,500 to 10,000) with 34.03 and another 2,500 to 5,000 player, Dian Petrov, with 32.45. Judy Padgug and Dian Petrov presumably were picking up more points when they played in the opening round of the St. Catharines Sectional today.

        How does this all play on the District 5 (Buffalo, Cleveland, Pittsburgh) level? Let’s take a look at the 1,000 to 2,500 point category.

        In Ace of Clubs, the leaders are Joane D’Antonio of Sewickley, Pa., with 18.80, and Mary Lou Naughton of Pittsburgh with 17.15. Gene Finton is third. John Ziemer is fifth. I’m ninth. Only seven of us Unit 116 players are in the Top 25. Ordinarily, there are a dozen or more.

        As for Mini-McKenney, the top dogs are a familiar pair – Michael Creager of Brecksville, Ohio, with 50.64 (36.12 from the Cleveland Rock and Roll Regional) and Fleur Howard of Gates Mills, Ohio, with 40.77 (31.30 from the same regional). David Hemmer is eighth. Gene Finton is tied for tenth. No other Unit 116ers are on the list, which cuts off at 15.63.

        Nationwide, only one District 5 player makes the Top 100 Ace of Clubs list and she’s 90th. Tops is John Petrie of Long Beach, Calif., with 37.72. Over in the Mini-McKenney, the leader is Eric Mayefsky of San Francisco with 91.86. Michael Creager is 41st. Fleur Howard is tied for 97th.