Bridge Blog 789: Wrapping up August

Seventh of the month, the ACBL has tallied up the master point races. Bill Finkelstein says he got his figures in on time this month, so let’s see who’s where with what.

First on the Unit 116 level, Buffalo only. The Ace of Clubs race, which counts only points earned in club play. A month ago I was in sixth place with 60.17. This month I’m seventh with 76.28, having been passed by Chuck Schorr. The Top 10:

John Ziemer, 136.38; Ken Meier, 107.13; Fred Yellen, 86.89; Mike Silverman, 84.68; Chuck Schorr, 84.49; David Millward, 80.70; me, 76.28; Vince Pesce, 64.28; Barbara Pieterse, 63.34; and Gene Finton, 63.25.

Only one player in the unit surpasses John Ziemer in club points, his sometimes partner Jerry Geiger, a 5,000 to 7,500 point competitor with 154,45. Only five players in the unit have more than 100 club points.

Oddly, in the Mini-McKenney races, which count all the points earned everywhere, I’m fifth in Unit 116, up one place from July, with 97.86. Oddly, I say, because I’m usually lower in the Mini-McKenney than in the Ace of Clubs race. Here’s that list:

John Ziemer, 194.05; Ken Meier, 118.52; David Hemmer, 115.68; Fred Yellen, 111.98; me, 97.86; Mike Silverman, 92.94; David Millward, 89.18; Chongmin Zhang, 86.76; Chuck Schorr, 86.11; and Barbara Pieterse, 77.39.

So how do we Buffalonians stand in the larger arena of District 5, which includes Cleveland and Pittsburgh and points in between? In the Ace of Clubs race, in the 1,000 to 2,500 point division, we rule. Top six places. Myself, seventh in Buffalo, ninth in the district. I’ve been eclipsed by Peggy Shivetts of Greensburg, Pa., with 77.52 and Gary Montain of Westlake, Ohio, with 76.43. Still, nine of our Buffalo top 10 make the district’s top 25. Vince Pesce is 21st. Barbara Pieterse is 25th.

Mini-McKenney? Here the Ohioans rise to the top. Michael Creager of Brecksville with 324.19, Peter Merker of Mentor with 304.81 and Fleur Howard of Gates Mills with 298.13. From there, it’s a big step down, more than 100 points, to John Ziemer in fourth place. I’m 20th on this list. Ken Meier is tenth. David Hemmer is 12th. Fred Yellen is 13th.

On the national level, top Ace of Clubs player in the 1,000 to 2,500 point division is Sanford Robbins of Miami Lakes, Fla. He has 300.21. Second is another Floridian, Larry Lazarow of Highland Beach with 261.14. John Ziemer is 54th. Ken Meier is 190th. That’s it for us in Unit 116. The list runs to 500 names (502 with ties) and cuts off at 86.91 points.

Leaders in the nationwide Mini-McKenney are Vinita Gupta of Woodside, Calif., with 636.11; Cenk Tunkow of Amesbury, Mass., with 607.71; and Robert Micone of Tustin, Calif., with 543.72. District 5’s Michael Craeger is 39th. John Ziemer is 262nd. He’s the only Unit 116 guy on the list. It cuts off at 159.10 points.