Bridge Blog 833: April fade

April wasn’t much of a month for me. Too many bad games. Too many interruptions for medical appointments. I added only 8.03 points to my Ace of Clubs total, for club play only, bringing it to 26.04 for the year through April 30. As for Mini-McKenney, which counts all points earned everywhere, the total is 29.28, up 9.90 from a month ago.

As a result, I’ve fallen off the Top 10 Ace of Clubs list in my division (1,000 to 2,500 points) for the first time in Unit 116 (Buffalo only) since I arrived there in 2011. I’m in 12th position. Top is Fred Yellen with 56.14, followed by John Ziemer, 53.25; David Millward (who’s been in Florida), 51.17; Martin Pieterse, 50.48; Ken Meier, 45.79; Mike Silverman, 40.81; Walt Olszewski, 40.66; Barbara Pieterse, 32.79; Bill Finkelstein, 29.34; Gene Finton, 26.55; and Elaine Kurasiewicz, 26.36. Nipping at my heels is Allen Beroza with 25.96.

I’m even further down on the Unit 116 Mini-McKenney list – 13th. Top dog here is David Hemmer with 99.47, followed by Martin Pieterse, 76.44; Fred Yellen, 76.06; David Millward, 69.76; John Ziemer, 63.67; Barbara Pieterse, 58.75; Ken Meier, 54.58; Walt Olszewski, 48.38; Mike Silverman, 42.79; Elaine Kurasiewicz, 33.54; Allen Beroza, 31.98; and Bill Finkelstein, 29.34.

In the District 5 (Buffalo, Cleveland, Pittsburgh) Ace of Clubs race, Buffalo players hold the top five positions in the 1,000 to 2,500 point division and seven of the first eight. I’m 39 th.

District 5 Mini-McKenney, as usual, is led by Ohio players in the 1,000 to 2,500 precinct. Top is Sue Lan Ma of Kirtland Hills with 215.37, followed by Fleur Howard of Gates Mills with 196.74 and Peter Merker of Mentor with 136.67. David Hemmer is fifth. Martin Pieterse is eighth. Fred Yellen is ninth. I’m 83rd.

In the top 500 Mini-McKenney nationwide, David Hemmer is 328th. Top is Aaron Jones of Orange, Calif., with 469.35, way ahead of second-place Edmund Wu of San Francisco, with 345.95. The list stops at 86.55. As for the national Ace of Clubs, Fred Yellen is tied for 233rd. Tops are two Florida players – Sanford Robbins of Miami Lakes with 139.01 and Edward Rauch of Fort Lauderdale with 128.79. The list cuts off at 47.37.