Bridge Blog 890: Flowering and wilting

The month of May started off merrily with a streak – a 59.23% game with Helen Panza, first overall for 2.48 points; a 54.76% with Barbara Sadkin, second overall, first in B for 1.53 points; 55% with Eva Schmidt, third overall, first in B for 1.64 points.

It didn’t stop there. In St. Catharines on Friday the 6th, Selina Volpatti and I were sixth overall with 56.88% and earned 0.47 of a silver point, that being STaC week over there. The next day I played the American Bridge Association tournament Swiss team game at the Airport Bridge Club and our team won four rounds, which may or may not have counted for ACBL points.

My luck extended into the second week – a 53.24% with Nadine Stein, first in B, 1.26 points; a 58.29% with Helen Panza, third overall, 1.56 points; a tie for first with Barb Sadkin in a home-style pairs game, another 0.30 of a point; a 53.57% with Selina in St. Catharines on Friday the 13th, fifth overall, 0.32 of a point; a 50.93% with Ron Henrikson the next day, tied for second in B, 1.21 points.

The third week, however, broke my spell. Three games out of the running (deeply out of the running). The only bright spot was a miracle of stratification on Tuesday with Marilyn Sultz, in which a 50% game made us second in B in our direction and yielded 0.68 of a point. Then I was gone for a week, off to New York City to visit the in-laws. No duplicate bridge for me there, just toll bridges.

Having leaped into prominence among the Unit 116 Ruby Life Masters in last month’s ACBL tally of master point races, I was wondering if I can keep up the pace. Total so far this month is 11.39. So maybe. But maybe not. I haven't played in a week and Memorial Day weekend activities are threatening to continue keeping me away from the tables.