Bridge Blog 1076: A St. Catharines Sectional to Not Quite Remember

My 2019 tournament curse, which began when I was knocked out by illness at the Buffalo Winter Sectional last month, continues in St. Catharines two weeks ago.

The bad news begins when partner Selena Volpatti texts in sick Friday morning. No problem. There’s time to hightail it to the game at the Airport Bridge Club, where I acquire a last-minute partner, Ted May. Problem. Ted and I pull off a dead last 31.25% game. No problem. Got that bad bridge out of my system.

Selena’s still out of the picture for Swiss teams on Sunday. I’ve taken a vacation day to play. No problem. Regular Saturday partner Denise Slattery agrees to come along. No team? Still no problem. The partnership desk fixes us up with a couple from Welland – Steve and Cathy Williams – whose teammates unexpectedly bowed out.

They’re newbies, though, and rules say that if any player has more than 2,500 points, the team has to play against the experts in the A/X division. No problem, I tell the team. A/X wins are worth 0.31 point per round. B/C/D are just 0.18. We’ll win a couple rounds, maybe even three, and earn a silver point.

Four rounds later, at the lunch break, we’re winless, so low on the A/X totem pole that we’re consigned to the round-robin three-way match at the bottom. No problem. It increases our chances of winning something. And nobody plays the round-robin more than once.

But no, no and more no. We lose to the other robins. And then we wind up back at the same tables to face another bunch of birds as unfortunate as us. They prove to be more fortunate. Once again, we win nothing.

No points. No consolation.  Well, maybe one. Just before our second flight with the round-robin, director Martin Hunter comes to our table and apologizes for putting us in the A/X pool just because I recently slipped past the 2,500-point mark. Had I requested a step-down to the B/C/D game, the directors would have considered it. No guarantee that will happen next time, he says, but you can ask.

Now that I look back at the results, there’s a second consolation – even though we lost every round, even though we accumulated only 32 victory points, more than 50 fewer than the next team in front of us, we’re not last.

Holding the bottom rung is a St. Catharines team that’s far more experienced than we are – longtime partners John Marskell and Joan Soifert, with the astute Amir Farsoud and his partner, one Susanne Kosky. They, too, are winless. And they have just 23 victory points.

Bridge Blog 1075: January's Fresh Start

A review of the ACBL master point races after just one month is like looking at the baseball standings after the first few weeks of the season. Things haven’t settled in yet. Surprises abound.

First of all, I’m still with the Ruby Life Masters (1,500 to 2,500 points), since I didn't hit Gold Life Master until after the month began. Second, I had a crummy January, made worse by missing four days with a nasty upper respiratory bug. Even among the Rubies, I’m a laggard. Anyway, let’s see what surprises are out there:

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

I’m fifth with 9.81 points, 18th among all players in the Unit. (If I was among the Gold Life Masters, I'd be in first place.) Here’s the leaderboard:

With last year’s leader Mike Silverman having graduated to Gold status, Martin Pieterse takes the early lead with 17.63. He’s fifth overall in the Unit. Then it’s Gene Finton, who’s accumulated his 15.82 points from Delray Beach, Fla.; my sometime partner Dorothy May with 12.81 (12th overall) and Fred Yellen with 10.64 (15th).

In sixth place, it’s another snowbird, Pinky Regan, who’s gotten 8.71 points from Vero Beach, Fla. (26th overall); then Linda Burroughsford, 7.38 (32nd overall); Art Matthies, 6.78 (42nd); Elaine Kurasiewicz, 6.30 (51st); John Sinclair, 5.36 (61st); and Sue Bergman, 5.21 (65th).

Ace of Clubs. Unit 116. All players.

No surprise to find Alan Greer on top with 35 points even, but the rest of the dozen leaders includes a few names we’re not used to seeing there.

Second is Gay Simpson with 21.79, followed by Sharon Benz, 20.75; Nancy Wolstoncroft, 19.98; Martin Pieterse, 17.63; Bud Seidenberg, 17.58; Gene Finton, 15.82; Barbara Libby, 14.29; Joe Rooney, 13.84; John Ziemer, 13.42; Bill Boardman, 13.31; and Dorothy May, 12.81.

Mini-McKenney (all points earned everywhere). Unit 116. Ruby Life Masters.

Davis Heussler continues in the top spot with 36.21 points. He’s fifth overall among all Buffalo players. His frequent partner Linda Burroughsford is next with 34.35, eighth overall.

It’s a big step down, point-wise, to third place, which is held by Martin Pieterse with 19.97 (16th overall). Then it’s Fred Yellen, 18.89 (17th); Gene Finton, 15.82 (24th); John Sinclair, 14.43 (27th); Dorothy May, 12.81 (36th); moi, 10.59 (46th); Elaine Kurasiewicz, 9.91 (50th); Pinky Regan, 9.43 (52nd); Art Matthies, 8.23 (60th); and Ken Meier, 7.65 (67th).

Mini-McKenney. Unit 116. All players.

Tournament hounds abound on this leaderboard. Topping the list is Buffalo Winter Sectional winner Chris Urbanek with 44.26. Then it’s John and Martha Welte, tied for second with 40.28; Sharon Benz, 37.94; Davis Heussler, 36.21; Mike Ryan, 35.10; Alan Greer, 35 even; Linda Burroughsford, 34.35; Dian Petrov, 33.76; and Bud Seidenberg, 30.91.

Ace of Clubs. District 5 (Buffalo, Cleveland, Pittsburgh). Ruby Life Masters. Usually Buffalo dominates here. Indeed, we hold the three runner-up positions. Here they are:

W. Tordella of Bemus Point, 20.89 (sixth among all District 5 players); Martin Pieterse, 17.63 (ninth); Gene Finton, 15.82 (11th); Dorothy May, 12.81 (21st); Judith Shapiro of Akron, Ohio, 11.85 (25th); Pauline Sostarich of Hermitage, Pa., 11.38 (28th); William Feeny of Latrobe, Pa., 11.28 (29th); Annemarie Gordon of Sewickley, Pa., 10.83 (33rd); Fred Yellen, 10.64 (34th); Garnet Depner of Jeannette, Pa., 10.53 (36th); Kenneth Eichler of Murrysville, Pa., 10.22 (40th); and me in 12th place with 9.81, good for 47th overall.

Ace of Clubs. District 5. All players.

Here it’s Alan Greer on top again with his 35 points. Then comes Patricia Katz of Pittsburgh, 22.51; Daniel Putnam of Berkeley Springs, W. Va., 21.98; Gay Simpson, 21.79; Richard Katz of North Versailles, Pa., 21.12; W. Tordella of Bemus Point, 20.89; and a quintet of Buffalonians, Sharon Benz, 20.75; Nancy Wolstoncroft, 19.98; Martin Pieterse, 17.63; Bud Seidenberg, 17.58; and Gene Finton, 15.82. In all, Buffalonians hold 11 spots in the Top 20.

Mini-McKenney. District 5. Ruby Life Masters.

Davis Heussler and Linda Burroughsford lead this list with 36.21 and 34.35 points, making them 21st and 25th among all District 5 players.

The rest of the Top 10, influenced no doubt by the January regional tournament in Cleveland: Philip MacFarlane of Cleveland, 29.33 (35th); Judith and Martin Shapiro of Akron, Ohio, 25.24 and 23.17 (45th and 50th); Elena Steingraf of North Canton, Ohio, 23.08 (51st); that W. Tordella guy from Bemus Point, 21.61 (59th); Tudor Trifan of Hollidaysburg, Pa., 21.12 (63rd); Jill Otte of North Canton, Ohio, 20.54 (67th), and Frank Scali of North Ridgeville, Ohio, 20.09 (70th).

Next Unit 116 player on the list is Martin Pieterse in 11th place with his 19.97 points, which makes him 71st overall. I’m 43rd, 208th overall.

Mini-McKenney. District 5. All players.

Here’s a big surprise. Perennial leader Sue Lan Ma isn’t on top. She’s seventh. Here’s the Top 10, all enhanced by their Cleveland regional tournament winnings.

Kenneth Kranyak of Parma, Ohio, 90.60; Fred Schenker of Pittsburgh, 88.46; Kathleen Sulgrove and Don Sulgrove of Twinsburg, Ohio, 73.85 and 72.30; Phillip Becker of Beachwood, Ohio, 71.58; Fleur Howard of Gates Mills, Ohio, 67.06; Sue Lan Ma of Kirtland Hills, Ohio, 59.77; Michael Creager of Bedford, Ohio, 58.85; and Stephanie and Robert Alexander of Mentor, Ohio, both with 58.14.

First Unit 116 player to appear on this list is Chris Urbanek, who’s 14th with her 44.26. John and Martha Welte are tied for 16th with 40.28. Sharon Benz is 19th with 37.94. All of them went to Cleveland.

Ace of Clubs. Nationwide. Top 500 Ruby Life Masters.

Russ Pearly of the Villages, Fla., is leader again, with 52.13. Then it’s Carole Maeder of Bonita Springs, Fla., 40.36; Jim Loffree of Naples, Fla., 39.87; Justin Coniglio of Tampa, 37.24; Aivars Lapins of Cambria, Calif., 35.55; Louis Vanos of Ocean Springs, Miss., 34.14; Connie Martin and Jo England, both of Dallas, 33.15 and 32.83; Larry Anfinson of Waterloo, Iowa, 32.55; and Richard Seidman of Orlando, Fla., 31.76.

Among Unit 116 players, Martin Pieterse is tied for 178th; Gene Finton is 254th. The list cuts off at 12.87.

Ace of Clubs. Nationwide. Top 500 players.

Wow! Barbara Sartorius of Palm Beach Gardens, Fla., leads the pack with 75.96. Then it’s Robert Epstein of Atlanta, 62.55; Jack Shinehoft of Dundas, Ont., 54.65; Joe Quinn of Sugarland, Texas, 53.53; Barbara Saltsman of Montreal, 52.91; Ruby Life Master leader Russ Pearly of The Villages, Fla., 52.13; Fred Hacker of Fort Myers, Fla., 51.79; Neil Silverman of Fort Lauderdale, Fla., 50.70; Martin Robins of Delray Beach, Fla., 50.59; and Michael Dalton of Palm Coast, Fla., 48.57.

Unit 116 and District 5 leader Alan Greer is 85th and he’s the only Buffalo representative. The list cuts off at 22.18.

Mini-McKenney. Nationwide. Top 500 Ruby Life Masters.

Here we run into our first player in triple digits. He’s Christopher Smith of Vero Beach, Fla., with 119.73. Then it’s Phillip Vest of Nashville, 92.08; Alex Khrakovsky of Columbus, Ohio, 89.11; Russ Pearly of The Villages, Fla., 83.31; Naren (yes, Naren) Gupta of Woodside, Calif., 76.28; Ann Buchholz of Ponte Vedra Beach, Fla., 68.49; Anant Rathi of San Francisco, 67.37; Dolores Aquino of Houston, 65.94; Marilyn Brightwell of Osprey, Fla., 65.70; and Jon Brandon of Denver, 64.75.

Unit 116’s Davis Heussler is 113th with his 36.21. Linda Burroughsford’s 34.35 earned her 131st place. The list stops at 20.43.

Mini-McKenney. Nationwide. Top 500 players.

These guys are really off and running. Lots of new names, as well.

Jacob Morgan of Madison, Wis., 353.93; Ron Smith of Chicago, 343.30; Billy Miller of Las Vegas, 315.79; Oren Kriegel of Chicago, 294.63; Daniel Korbel of Las Vegas, 287.55; David Grainger of Etobicoke, Ont., 228.41; Curtis Cheek of Las Vegas, 225.88; the 2018 overall point leader Joe Grue of New York City, 225.24; Jay Segarra of Ocean Springs, Miss., 223.26; and Valentin Kovachev of Las Vegas, 218.56. In all, 14 players passed the double-century mark in January.

Last year’s No. 2 player, Mark Itabashi of Murrieta, Calif., is 30th with 148.29. The legendary Jeff Meckstroth of Clearwater Beach, Fla., is 63rd with 115.99. Buffalo native Joel Wooldridge, who now plays out of Astoria, Queens, is 107th with 96.29. District 5 leader Kenneth Kranyak is 126th with 90.60. The list stops at 50.13.

Bridge Blog 1074: Welcome to the Club

Dear Dale, 

Congratulations on earning Gold Life Master Status!

New Feature: How close am I to my next ACBL Rank?

As your representative from District 5 on the ACBL National Board, it is my honor to extend my congratulations on reaching this new status. I would love to hear your story on how you achieved this milestone and would like your permission to share your story as a inspiration for others. If you are comfortable, please include/attach a self-portrait that we can include with the story.

Are there things that we could have done in District 5 or in your Unit to improve your bridge experience? What can we do to help you achieve your next bridge goal?

I would also welcome any comments and suggestions on how the ACBL can serve you better.

Sincerely,

Brian Ellis     

Email: District5Director@acbl.org

P.S Don't forget to join us at the upcoming All American Regional (05/21/2019 - 05/27/2019)