Bridge Blog 917: October uberview

Am I on track for 180 points this year? October’s 25.44 total (9.78 in club play) outstripped the 15-point-per-month average, but let’s see what the ACBL’s monthly master point race standings will say.

Ace of Clubs points, earned only in club play, total 123.57. Mini McKenney points, which include all points earned everywhere, have reached 158.27. Need 11 points per month in November and December to make my goal and I’ve got half of November’s quota already.

Among the Unit 116 (Buffalo) Ruby Life Masters (1,500 to 2,500 points), my 123.57 keeps me in third place and ninth overall among all Buffalo players, same as last month. Still missing is David Millward, who would be ahead of me but has mysteriously disappeared.

Holding firm on top is Mike Silverman with 150.48. He’s fourth overall in the unit. Then it’s Ken Meier, 136.26 (seventh overall), me with 123.57, Fred Yellen, 90.02 (19th), Gene Finton, 87.69 (21st), Vince Pesce, 79.91 (27th), Allen Beroza, 79 even (28th), Bill Finkelstein, 54.26 (46th), Anne Watkins, 45.81 (66th) and Chuck Schorr, 43.62 (71st).

Ace of Clubs leader among all Unit 116 players continues to be Jerry Geiger with 216.69. Then come Judi Marshall, 158.88; Ron Henrikson, 153.84; Mike Silverman, 150.48; Tom Koralewski, 142.45; Liz Clark, 141.92; Ken Meier, 136.26; John Ziemer, 133.19; me, 123.57; Martin Pieterse, 119.64; Mike Ryan, 116.37; and Barbara Libby, 111.45.

Meanwhile, over on the Mini McKenney list for Unit 116 Ruby Life Masters, I maintain my hold on fifth with that 158.27. Ken Meier is first here with 242.32, but that’s only tenth best overall in the unit. David Hemmer follows with 186.43 (16th overall), then it’s Fred Yellen, 166.89 (21st), Mike Silverman, 161.51 (22nd); and my 158.27 (23rd).

From there, it’s a big step down to Gene Finton, whose 106.66 makes him 38th overall, and Allen Beroza, 102.17 (41st), the last Unit 116 Ruby Life Master with more than 100 points so far this year.

Still in the lead among all Unit 116 players is Saleh Fetouh with 431.22, followed by Jerry Geiger, 324.92; John Welte, 319.50; Martha Welte, 310.59; Tom Koralewski, 288.75; Mike Ryan, 278.81; John Ziemer, 262.72; Chris Urbanek, 250.19 (thanks to those 71 points at the Buffalo Regional); Ken Meier, 242.32; Jay Levy, 242.23; Bud Seidenberg, 236.07; Davis Heussler, 220.47, and Ron Henrikson, 212.54. That’s everybody with more than 200 points.

Looking at the District 5 (Buffalo, Cleveland, Pittsburgh) races, we Buffaloons hold the top three spots in the Ace of Clubs derby. Only other player with more than 100 club points is Doris Kirsch of East Springfield, Pa., with 103.17. Mike Silverman is ninth overall among District 5 players. Ken Meier is 16th. I’m 22nd.

Jerry Geiger’s 216.69 makes him Ace of Clubs leader for all District 5 players, followed by Arlene Port from Pittsburgh with 190.64 and Charles Smith from Erie, Pa., with 178.12.

District 5 Mini McKenney Ruby Life Master leader is Sue Lan Ma of Kirtland Hills, Ohio, with 415.94, which makes her eighth overall in the district. I met her at the Buffalo Regional and she’s charmingly modest.

Ken Meier is second, 39th overall, with 242.32, breaking the Ohio stranglehold on the top spots. He’s followed by Charles Ladiha of Vermillion, Ohio, with 224.47; Peter Merker of Mentor, Ohio, with 205.26 and Craig Biddle of Pittsburgh with 202.94. Buffalo’s David Hemmer is next with 186.43. I’m 15th with 158.27 and 102nd overall, one place behind Doris Kirsch (159.38) each way.

Player with the most points of all so far this year in District 5 continues to be Reanette Frobouck of Pittsburgh, with 779.82. She’s far ahead of Phillip Becker of Beachwood, Ohio, with 582.85, and Robert and Stephanie Alexander of Mentor, Ohio, with 538.78 and 511.88, respectively. Saleh Fetouh’s 431.22 is good for seventh place.