Bridge Blog 1015: January Jam

Who’da thunk it? The first ACBL master point race tabulations for 2018 are out and I’m on top of the Ace of Clubs list for Ruby Life Masters (1,500 to 2,500 points) in Unit 116 (Buffalo only). My glow of satisfaction isn't very brilliant, though. Last year’s champ, Mike Silverman, was on a tropical vacation for half the month. Here’s the Top 10:

Me, 14.29; Allen Beroza, 13.69; Martin Pieterse, 11.10; Ken Meier, 10.04; Mike Silverman, 8.74; Gene Finton (listed in Delray Beach, Fla.), 8.33; Fred Yellen, 7.36; Dorothy May, 5.87; Elaine Kurasiewicz, 5.22; and Davis Heussler, 2.92.

I’m fourth overall among all Unit 116 members in Ace of Clubs play, which counts club games only, not tournaments. Here the leader is John Ziemer with 21.31, followed by Barbara Libby, 16.01; Liz Clark, 14.70; me, 14.29; Gay Simpson, 14.25; Jim Easton, 13.78; Allen Beroza, 13.69; Jay Levy, 12.99; Marilyn Wortzman, 12.90; and Ed Morgan, 12.09.  

In all, 18 players in the unit are in double digits for the month and all but Jay Levy are regulars at the Airport Bridge Club, where extra points were awarded at every game. February is a different story. Folks from the other clubs are going to catch up.

Moving on to the Mini-McKenney races, which count all points earned everywhere, I’m third among Ruby Life Masters with 21.17 points.

Leader is Davis Heussler, with 76.82 points, half of which came from the regional tournament in Cleveland (31.71 points) and the Buffalo Buffalo Winter Sectional (8.47). He’s first among all players in the unit.

Then it’s Ken Meier, 28.02 (13th overall); me, 21.17 (15th); Allen Beroza, 14.58 (29th); Fred Yellen, 13.69 (34th); Chongmin Zhang, 13.41 (36th); Martin Pieterse, 12.47 (39th); Mike Silverman, 8.74 (53rd); Elaine Kurasiewicz, 8.73 (55th); and Gene Finton down in Florida, 8.33 (59th).

Leaders among all players in Unit 116 go like this: Davis Heussler, 76.82; his frequent tournament partner Linda Burroughsford, 75.93; Sandi England, 63.15; Shakeel Ahmad and Manju Ceylony, both at 41.98; Penny and Peter Shui, both at 39.73; David Hemmer, 39.41; John and Martha Welte, 36.49; John Ziemer, 34.20; and Dian Petrov, 28.27.

Now let’s widen our horizons.

District 5 (Buffalo, Cleveland, Pittsburgh) Ace of Clubs, Ruby Life Masters. Here I’m third.

Leader is Philip Goulding of Wexford, Pa., with 19.86. He’s seventh among all players in the district. Then it’s Pauline Sostarich of Hermitage, Pa., 15.56 (13th overall); me, 14.29 (15th); Allen Beroza, 13.69 (20th); John Ferry of North Parkersburg, W. Va., 13.37 (22nd); Joane D’Antonio of Sewickley, Pa., 11.12 (36th); Martin Pieterse, 11.10 (37th); Barbara Shidlowski of Kent, Ohio, 11 even (39th); Ken Meier, 10.04 (52nd) and Jack Hawthorne of Valencia, Pa., 9.90 (55th).

Overall Ace of Clubbers in District 5 look like this: Richard Katz of North Versailles, Pa., 36.30; Patricia Katz of Pittsburgh, 32.72; just S. Ruskin of Pittsburgh, 29.64; John Ziemer, 21.31; Reanette Frobouck of Pittsburgh, 20.44; just D. Pierce of Parkersburg, W. Va., 19.90; Ruby Life Master leader Philip Goulding of Wexford, Pa., 19.86; just W. Tordella of Bemus Point, 19.42; Arlene Port of Pittsburgh, 18.57; and Shirley Irish of Waterford, Pa., 16.20. Buffalo’s Barbara Libby is 11th with 16.01.

Now for the District 5 Mini-McKenney, Ruby Life Masters. Here the leader our own David Heussler by a wide margin. His 76.82 also makes him second among all players in the district.

The other leaders include: Philip Goulding of Wexford, Pa., 46.81 (13th overall); Leroy Hackenburg II of Pittsburgh, 34.20 (28th); Wayne Heritage of North Olmsted, Ohio, 33.10 (32nd); Unit 116’s Ken Meier, 28.02 (38th); Frank Scali of North Ridgeville, Ohio; 27.75 (39th); Douglas Henderson of Rocky River, Ohio, 24.66 (46th); John Bacon of Shaker Heights, Ohio; 22.28 (52nd); David Norris, also of Rocky River, 22.25 (53rd); and moi! Tenth place with my 21.17 (58th overall).

Mini-McKenney leader among all District 5 players once again is Sue Lan Ma of Kirtland Hills, Ohio, with 84.91. Then it’s Davis Heussler, 76.82; Linda Burroughford, 75.93; Kathleen Sulgrove of Twinsburg, Ohio., 64.85; Stephanie and Robert Alexander, both of Mentor, Ohio, both with 64.19; Sandi England, 63.15, tied with Don Sulgrove of Twinsburg; Kenneth Kranyak of Parma, Ohio, 62.90; and Fleur Howard of Gates Mills, Ohio, and Phillip Becker of Beachwood, Ohio, both at 61.95.

Ace of Clubs, Ruby Life Masters, nationwide.

Paul Hassett of The Villages, Fla., 48.97 (eighth among all players overall); Mason Barge (is this a man or a watercraft?) of Atlanta, 43.87 (19th); Kitty Wong of Pearland, Texas, 43.25 (24th); Anna Maxcine Thacker of Palm Coast, Fla., 40.89 (33rd); David Morse of New Minas, Nova Scotia, 40.81 (34th); M. Gregory Goggin of Naples, Fla., 38.99 (45th); Russ Pearly, also of The Villages, Fla., 35.60 (78th); Michelle Mataillet of Miami, 32.23 (102nd); Dolores Aquino of Houston, 31.59 (112th); and Elizabeth Black of Dunedin, Fla., 31.07 (122nd).

I’m 353rd on this list.

Ace of Clubs, all players, nationwide. One of the usual suspects, Bill Kulbersh of Atlanda, is on top with 72.49; followed by Robert Epstein, also of Atlanta, with 68.56; then it’s Roberta Trayman of Naples, Fla., 64.63; Barbara Sartorius of Palm Beach Gardens, Fla., 54.92; Charles Trayman of Naples, Fla., 54.64; and Sandy McCay and Gail Goggin, both of Naples, Fla., with 49.40 and 49 even, respectively. This list of 500 names cuts off at 22.20.

Onward to Mini-McKenney, Ruby Life Masters, nationwide.

Leader here is Robert L. McClendon of Ponte Vedra, Fla., with 241.30, almost twice as many as second-place Kevin Rosenberg of Cupertino, Calif., with 129.53. Then it’s Mary Ose of Sacramento, Calif, 119.07; Alex Khakovsky of Columbus, Ohio, 96.07; Joann Matchette of Vero Beach, Fla., 84.31; Marianne Claysmith of St. Augustine, Fla., 79.44; Steve Wallis of Wesley Chapel, Fla., 78.58; Karen Hoffner of Galloway, N.J., 77.68; Unit 116’s Davis Heussler in ninth place with his 76.82; and Kitty Wong of Pearland, Texas, 75.85. The list ends at 21.39. My 21.17 falls just short.

And now for the really heavy hitters, the Mini-McKenney leaders overall.

Guy on top is a new face (to me) – Geoff Hampson of Las Vegas, who has 404.04; then it’s Joe Grue of New York City, 383.60; Mark Itabashi of Murrieta, Calif., 364.84; Daniel Korbel of Las Vegas, 297.69; Shan Huang of Melbourne, Fla., 293.24; Kevin Dwyer, also of Melbourne, 291.85; Gillian Minter of New York City, 269.01; Justin Lall of Charlotte, N.C., 265.96; Sylvia Shi of Las Vegas, 265.83; and Bruce Ferguson of Palm Springs, 265.82.

Familiar names: Former Buffalonian Joel Wooldridge is 19th with 216.24. Unit 116 leader Davis Heussler is 216th. Linda Burroughsford in 226th. And Jacqueline Chang, Sharon Chang’s daughter, has 52.10, tied for 486th. This list cuts off at 51.29.