How much did I look forward to the return of the
Rochester Regional Tournament, just an hour or so away down the Thruway? Ever
since they announced the dates nearly two years ago.
During the tournament’s
first revival in Rochester in 2015, I was facing cancer surgery in a few weeks
and only managed to make it to the RIT Inn and Conference Center in Henrietta
for two days. Very valuable days as it turned out, since partner Judie Bailey
and I hooked up with a hot pair from Central New York and won our knock-out
game.
This year, family matters
have intervened. A tombstone unveiling on the last day of the tournament
Sunday. A drive to New York City two days before that. A week of work to do in
advance so I can take time off from my newspaper gig. Top that off with that miserable
cold that’s been going around, which twice forced me back to bed in the middle
of the afternoon. Propped up with decongestants all week, I wouldn’t have been
able to keep my head up in Rochester.
It was hard enough here
in Buffalo. I brought my foggy brain and runny nose to the Airport Bridge Club
on Monday and discovered partner Carolyn Siracuse to be among the missing. Didn’t
answer her phone. Didn’t see her all week so don’t know what happened to her.
Club manager Bill
Finkelstein called in a sub – a very good sub, Tom Koralewski, departing next
week for the next stage in his retirement in Indianapolis – and it turned out
to be one of my best games all year. Our 63.89% tied us for second overall and
brought in 1.44 points.
I was still in a fog
Tuesday with Usha Khurana, but we had what felt like one of our better games.
Not spectacular, but 51.85%, third North-South, 0.70 of a point.
Wednesday’s turnout at
the club was so sparse that we would up playing home-style pairs – two tables,
three rounds, 10 boards a round. I have one of my rare games with Chuck Schorr,
who’s a seasoned player. I fully expect that we’ll blow away this diminished
field, but we wind up in a three-way tie for top. Not very rewarding, but any
fraction of a master point, even this 0.30, adds up.
Thursday found me
partnerless once again. Thrown together with the agreeable Burt Freiman, a
newbie who makes his fair share of mistakes, we steered ourselves to 50.30%,
good enough for second in the B strat North-South and 0.86 of a point. How
miserable a week is it if it yields up 3.30 points?
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