Bridge Blog 1070: That Was The Year That Was

My goal is 15 points a month, minimum. Had I hit that target in 2018, I would have been a Gold Life Master by Christmas. Instead, I finished the year with 175.96, club points accounting for 142.79 of them.

Well, let’s see how that measures up against the rest of the world, unit-wise, district-wise and all across the land:

Unit 116 (Buffalo only), Ace of Clubs (club play only), Ruby Life Masters (players with 1,500 to 2,500 points). 

I add 13.29 club points to my total in December to get that final 142.79. That allows me to sneak past Martin Pieterse to snatch third place among the Unit 116 Rubies. I also move up from 13th to 12th among all players in the unit. I’ll take it.

Here's the top 10:

Mike Silverman breezes along in first with 190.24, fifth among all Unit 116 players. Missing from second place is former leader David Millward, who’s gone to Florida for the winter. His absence allows Allen Beroza to reach second place with 172.12, eighth in the unit.

So I didn’t surpass Martin Pieterese. I did that a month ago. He earned 14.08 in December and almost caught me with his total of 142.65. He’s 13 th in the unit.

Then it’s Fred Yellen, up from sixth to fifth with 114.38 (20 th in the unit), and Dorothy May making a strong finish at 113/02 (21 st). Ken continues his year-end sit-out and stands pat with 107.89, which allows Davis Huessler to pass him with 110.69 (22 nd). Rounding out the Top 10 are Gene Finton with 82.02 and Elaine Kurasiewicz with 60.48.        

Unit 116, Ace of Clubs overall. 

Never any doubt that it would be Alan Greer. He finishes with 438.69, having added 30.40 in December. His sometime partner Nancy Wolstoncroft maintains second with 272.23.  

Then it’s John Ziemer, with 237.13, Barbara Libby moving up to fourth with 191.58 and Mike Silverman with 190.24. John Welte, playing without wife Martha several times in December, rises to sixth place with 174.27, edging Liz Clark (who died unexpectedly Jan. 9 while recovering from a respiratory illness) with 173.72. Allen Beroza has 172.12, Martha Welte has 165.93, Bob Linn has 164.49 and in eleventh place is Mike Ryan with 162.61. It’s a big 20-point step down to me and Martin Pieterse after that.  (169.86) from fifth to seventh place.

Then it’s Allen Beroza, eighth with 161.49, followed by the Weltes, Martha and John, tied for ninth with 158.17.

        Rounding out the Top 20 are Gay Simpson, 140.09; Denise Slattery, 137.92; Bud Seidenberg, 130.97; Judi Marshall, 126.67; ailing Ron Henrikson, standing pat at 116.41; Sandi England, 115.39; and Fred Yellen, 114.38.

 Moving on to the Mini-McKenney races, which count all points earned everywhere, the disappearance of David Millward allows me to move up to fifth Rubies.

Winning by an infinite number of lengths is Davis Heussler, who had a 27-point month to reach 417.29 and climb to second among all Unit 116 players. Holding onto second place, and 14th overall, is Allen Beroza with 243.68. Mike Silverman takes third with 220.41, 15th overall, passing the inactive Ken Meier with that 215.43. He also falls back two more places to 17th in the entire unit.  

I’m a distant sixth with my 175.96, still 27th overall, followed by Martin Pieterse, up from eighth to sixth with 170.62 (30th overall) and passing Fred Yellen, who has 165.38 (31st).

Then it’s Dorothy May, up from tenth to eighth with 120.84 (47th overall), followed by Gene Finton, 118.75 (still 48th); and Elaine Kurasiewicz, 103.06 (53rd overall). Also passing the century mark is Art Morth with 102.56 (54th).

     Among all players in Unit 116, it’s Alan Greer, topping the half millennial mark with a 51-point month to reach 504.28. Ruby leader Davis Heussler nudges Saleh Fetouh out of second place, 417.29 to 410.50.

Jay Levy maintains position in fourth with 354.83, followed by John Ziemer with 353.82 and Linda Burroughsford, riding a 43-point month to 352.33.

Then it’s the Weltes, John with 343.09, Martha with 334.75. Rounding out the Top 10 are Nancy Wolstoncroft with 330.75 and Dian Petrov with 314.12. Eleventh is Chris Urbanek with 307.02.

Now let’s widen our horizons.

       District 5 (Buffalo, Cleveland, Pittsburgh) Ace of Clubs, Ruby Life Masters. 

Here Unit 116 players hold four of the top vie places, including the No. 1 spot.

Mike Silverman finishes ahead of Philip Goulding of Wexford,Pa., 190.24 to 187.77, ninth and 11th among all District 5 players, respectively. With David Millward missing, Allen Beroza finishes third with 172.12. He’s 17th in the district.

I move up from eighth to fourth place with my 142.79. Martin Pieterse, drafting me, apparently, advances from ninth to fifth with 142.65. Then it’s James Wheeler of Edinburg, Pa., motionless for the month with 137.60; Garnet Depner of Jeannette, Pa., with 135.83; and Marvin Shapiro of Akron, Ohio, with 135.51. Then it’s William Feeny of Latrobe, Pa., with 126.99, and Wayne Heritage of North Olmsted, Ohio, with 116.68. Unit 116’s Fred Yellen and Dorothy May are 11th and 12th.

Mike Silverman is down on place, from eighth to ninth district-wide, while Philip Goulding continues 11th. I’m 28th, up from 36th.

Overall Ace of Clubbers in District 5 look like this:

Buffalonians hold three of the top four spots. It’s Alan Greer with 438.69 and Nancy Wolstoncroft with 272.23, with John Ziemer regaining third with 223.16, one point ahead of Arlene Port of Pittsburgh, with 245.56, regaining third in her seesaw battle with  John Ziemer, with 237.13.  

Then it’s Barbara Belardi of Pittsburgh with 214.78, Reanette Frobouck of Pittsburgh with 208.61; and Richard Katz of North Versailles, Pa., rounding out the double-century winners with 206.92.

       Two more Western New Yorkers slip into the lower reaches of the Top 10 – Barbara Libby, eighth with 191.58, and Mike Silverman, ninth with 190.24. Robert Alexander of Mentor, Ohio, rounds out the Top 10 with 189.63. Next Unit 116 players on the list are John Welte, 14th; the late Liz Clark, 16th; Allen Beroza, 17th, and Martha Welte, 20th. 

    Now for the District 5 Mini-McKenney, Ruby Life Masters. 

    Here Unit 116 players hold four of the top six positions, but Philip Goulding of Wexford, Pa., still outdistances everyone with 503.04. Unit 116’s Davis Heussler is second with 417.29. They’re ninth and 15th overall in the district.

Then it’s Craig Biddle of Pittsburgh, with 357.49 (21st); Allen Beroza, 243.68 (52nd); Mike Silverman, 220.41 (58th); and Ken Meier, unchanged at 215.43 (and down again from 58th from 61st).

Then it’s Leroy Hackenberg of Pittsburgh, 197.61 (78th); Martin Kumer of Monroeville, Pa., 197.57 (79th); Marvin Shapiro of Akron, Ohio, 194.88 (80th); and Russell Sheldon of Pittsburgh, 192.39 (83rd). I move up another notch to 145th from 15th among Rubies with my 175.96, and inch ahead to 106th from 111th overall. 

   Mini-McKenney leader among all District 5 players is, of course, Sue Lan Ma of Kirtland Hills, Ohio, who finishes with 908.85.

Bernie Greenspan of Beachwood, Ohio, is second with 701.86, and Reanette Frobouck of Pittsburgh is third with 659.43.

She’s followed by Kathleen Sulgrove of Twinsburg, Ohio, 595.69; Phillip Becker, moving ahead with a 109-point month to reach 594.54; Robert Alexander of Mentor, Ohio, 592.70; and Stephanie Alexander of Mentor with 573.99.

Unit 116’s Alan Greer moves up from 11th place to eighth with 504.28, passing Ruby Life Master leader Philip Goulding, down from seventh to ninth, despite his 503.04. In tenth place is Richard Katz of North Versailles, Pa., with 485.80.

Slipping to tenth from seventh without gaining a point at all for the third month in a row is Don Sulgrove of Twinsburg, Ohio, still with 469.78.

Next Unit 116 players on the list areDavis Heussler, 15tth with 417.29; and Saleh Fetouh, still 17th with 410.50.

    Ace of Clubs, Ruby Life Masters, nationwide.

    Paul Hassett of The Villages, Fla., sails to victory with 379.43, but he wouldn’t have needed any more points to stay ahead of second-place Joanne Matchette of Vero Beach, Fla., who has 341.19.

Then it’s Brian Breckenridge of Corvallis, Ore., with 328.15, and Mason Barge of Atlanta, fourth with 319.08. October’s second place-holder, Anna Maxcine Thacker of Palm Coast, Fla., remains fifth with a total of 302.78.

Then it’s Russ Pearly of The Villages, Fla., moving up from ninth to sixth, with a nearly 35-point month to reach 301.29. Richard Seidman of Orlando, Fla., rebounds to seventh with 291.65; followed by Bruce Ladin of Harwood Heights, Ill., 288.67; Aivars Lapins of Cambria, Calif., with 288.60; and Barry Nish of Little Neck, N.Y., with 285.34.

Unit 116 leader Mike Silverman slips a little, from 77th to 81st. David Millward is still out there, but he’s in Vero Beach, Fla., now having a good time at the tables. He’s ahead of Mike overall, 61st with 198.77. Allen Beroza slips from 135th from 147th. Other local notables include Martin Pieterse, up from  386th to 328th; and me, at 327th. The list of 500 cuts off at 128.73.

       Ace of Clubs, all players, nationwide. 

Bill Kulbersh of Atlanta cruises to the championship, up 59.28 points in December to reach 839.60. Repeating in second place is Irva Neyhart of Corvallis, Ore., with a 49.60-point month at 610.56.

A 60.50-point month lifts Sheila Gabay of Newton, Mass., from seventh to third place with 532.92. She bumps Harry Kaufmann of North Redington Beach, Fla., into fourth with 524.17; 499.53; followed by En Xie of St. Louis, with 523.92; and Bella Ionis-Sorren of Fort Lauderdale, Fla., with 523.76.

The rest of the Top 10 includes Robert Epstein of Atlanta, 507.49; Kay Schulle of Purchase, N.Y., with 467.43; and Diane Hurt and Edgar Hurt Jr., both of Laguna Woods, Calif., tied for ninth with 463.49.  

Alan Greer keeps his hold on 14th; Nancy Wolstoncroft slips to 204th from 191st and is just one step ahead of George Morrissey from the St. Catharines, Ont., club. John Ziemer slips from 375th to 386th. The list of 500 names stops at 222.04.

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

Robert L. McClendon of Ponte Vedra, Fla., added another 204 points to take the crown with  2,248.71. That’s three times the total of second-place  Sabrina Miles of Mansfield, Mass., who has 743.71.

Next come Alex Krakovsky of Columbus, Ohio, 659.35; Mary Ose of Sacramento, Calif, with 611.13; 599.09, and Mark Fitzmorris of St. Augustine, Fla., up from sixth to fifth, thanks to a 51-point month with 596.75.

He displaces Darryl Legassie of Milton, N.H., now sixth with 569.61. After that it’s Mason Barge of Atlanta, with a nearly 75-point month to reach 566.15. Then comes Anam Tebha of Charlotte, N.C., with 525.44; Mark Henderson of Wilmington, Del., with 509.54; and Ann Buchholz of Ponte Vedra Beach, Fla., with 509.21. District 5’s Philip Goulding of Wexford, Pa., falls from ninth to 11th with his 503.04.

Unit 116’s Davis Heussler is up from 42nd to 38th with his 417.29. Allen Beroza moves up from 365th to 299th. With no new points, Ken Meier is down to 432nd from 367th. The list ends at 206.18. 

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

Joe Grue of New York City, first for the 11th straight month, finishes with 3,636.65 points.  Second-place Mark Itabashi of Murrieta, Calif., has 3,267.52. Kevin Dwyer of Melbourne, Fla., is next with 3,064.15.

Shan Huang, also of Melbourne, Fla., makes a last-minute move into fourth place with 2,723.95, passing Brad Moss of Denver, who has 2,647.04.

January leader Geoff Hampson of Las Vegas moves up to sixth with 2,274.45, passing the legendary Jeff Meckstroth of Clearwater Beach, Fla., who finishes at 2,260.02.

Robert McClendon of Ponte Vedra, Fla., with 2,248.71, and John Hurd of New York City, with 2,236.55, move ahead of Meckstroh’s longtime partner Eric Rodwell, who stands pat with 2,222.64. He’s the last one with more than 2,000 points.

Familiar names: Former Buffalonian Joel Wooldridge finishes 25th with 1,560.81. District 5 leader Sue Lan Ma finishes 106st with her 908.85.

Unit 116’s lone representative on this list, Alan Greer, reappears to finish the year in 470th place. The list cuts off at 492.27.