Bridge Blog 1122: Macerated Month of March

Like everything else in New York State, my bridge world ground to a halt in the middle of March, just as I was hoping to make up for a dismal couple of early weeks. Then again, I imagine everyone’s game was stymied unless they tucked themselves right away into the online games. (More on that to come in Blog 1123)

So my total haul in club play was a mere 3.52 points and club points were all I got. Overall for the first quarter of the year, it’s 39.54. Now let’s look at the world outside (from a safe distance, of course):

Ace of Clubs (Club Play only). Unit 116 (Buffalo only). Gold Life Masters (2,500 to 3,500 master points).

Fred Yellen somehow picked up 11.58 points and zipped past me. Now I’m third. Only 10 players on this list. Here they all are:

Allen Beroza, 10.05 points for the month for a total of 43.63. He remains at sixth overall in the Unit. Then Fred Yellen, 37.67, tenth overall, up from #18. Me, 34.99 (#14 overall, down from eighth), barely staying ahead of Mike Silverman, who added 5.25 points to reach 34.67 (#15 overall, down from #12).

Then it’s Ken Meier, 27.68 (#24, up from #28); Art Morth, 16.06 (#49, up from #52); John Sinclair, 15.88, down from sixth to seventh (#50, down from #43); Bill Rushmore, still with 6.85 (#109, down from #92); Pat Rasmus, still with 2.79 (#185, down from #164); and finally joining us on the list, Chongmin Zhang, 2.74 (#187).

If I were still a Ruby Life Master, I’d be fifth, behind Nancy Wolstoncroft, John and Martha Welte, and Linda Burroughsford.

Ace of Clubs. Unit 116. All players.

Don’t even need to look to know who the leaders are.

Alan Greer got 20.15 points before things shut down and he’s reached the century mark – 100.85. Nancy Wolstoncroft added 14.71 to reach 72.31. Mike Ryan managed 10.65 for 50.35. The Weltes picked up 11.61 and are tied for fourth at 44.59.

Then it’s Allen Beroza, 43.63; John Ziemer, 43.41; Sharon Benz, 41.49; Barbara Libby, 39.97; and Fred Yellen, 37.67.

Bubbling under from 11 to 25 are Linda Burroughsford, 36.65; Ten-Pao Lee, 35.70; Bud Seidenberg. 35.04; moi, 34.99; Mike Silverman, 34.67; Larry Abate, 33.88; Davis Heussler, 32.16; Joyce Greenspan, 31.91; Jay Levy, 30.56; Bert Hargeshimer, 29.27; Saleh Fetouh, 28.76; Ed Morgan, 28.59; Walt Olszewski, 28.08; Ken Meier, 27.68; and Christy Kellogg, 27.38.

Mini-McKenney (All points earned everywhere). Unit 116. Gold Life Masters.

Leader John Sinclair only added 3.42 points in March, but it was enough to keep him ahead of Fred Yellen. In the overall rankings, however, he slipped. Here’s the list:

John Sinclair, 55.32 (#12 overall, down from #9); Fred Yellen, 53.07 (#13, up from #14); Allen Beroza, 49.80 (#15, up from #17); Mike Silverman slipping past me into fourth place, 39.83 (#22, just like last month); moi, 39.54 (#23, down from #20); Ken Meier, 30.33 (#33, up from #38); Art Morth, 21.36 (#47, same as last month); Bill Rushmore, unchanged at 12.68 (#85, down from #66); Chongmin Zhang, up from tenth place, 5.10 (#147, up from #216); and Pat Rasmus, unchanged at 2.79 (#191, down from #172). And there’s just 10 of us.

Mini-McKenney. Unit 116. All players.

Even with a shortened month, three more managed to join Saleh Fetouh beyond the century mark.

Saleh is still on top, though. He accumulated another 7.65 points to reach 118.62. Davis Heussler and Linda Burroughsford had a big tournament week somewhere and vaulted into second and third place, respectively. He gained 47.78 points to reach 104.78. She picked up 48.39 for a total of 104.58.

Then it’s the Ace of Clubs leaders – Alan Greer, 100.85; Nancy Wolstoncroft, 72.95; John and Martha Welte, both with 71.77; Mike Ryan, 61.01; David Colligan, 58.91; John Ziemer, 57.90; and Bud Seidenberg, 57.18, before we reach Gold Life Master leader John Sinclair with his 55.32 at #12 and Fred Yellen with 53.07 at #13. 

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

Unit 116, with the help of an Ohioan, has banished all the Pennsylvanians from the top tier of this division and left them bunched in the lower half of the Top Ten. Here’s what it looks like:

Still on top is Allen Beroza with 43.63. He’s tenth in the entire district, up from #14. Fred Yellen, meanwhile, climbs to second from ninth with his 37.67. He’s #19 overall, up from #44. Third is the Ohioan, Brenda Merkich of Ohio’s Cortland, jumping to third from fifth with 36.11, for which she needed only a 7.59 point month. She’s #21 overall, up from #28.

I’m fourth, down a notch, with 34.99, and #26 overall, down from #17. On my heels here, too, is Mike Silverman with 34.67 (#27, down from #24).

Then it’s PA the rest of the way. Ronald Sain from Indiana moves from seventh to sixth with 33.05 (#31 overall, up from #39). Marcella Retetagos of Pittsburgh, January’s leader and February’s runner-up, plummets to seventh with 32.10, barely gaining a point in March (#34 overall, down from #16).

Kenneth Eichler of Murrysville, second in January and tenth in February, gets a bounce to eighth with 31.31 (#38 overall, up from #45). Philip Goulding of Wexford slides to eighth from sixth with 30.30 (#46 overall, down from #35). Leroy Hackenberg of Pittsburgh has 30.25, down to tenth from eighth (#47 overall, down from #42). Buffalo’s Ken Meier is #11 with 27.68 and is #62 overall.

If I were still a Ruby Life Master, I’d be eighth on that list. Buffalonians hold four of the top five spots there, too.

Ace of Clubs. District 5. All players.

Sure enough, Alan Greer and Nancy Wolstoncroft – 100.85 and 72.31, respectively.

Then Reanette Frobouck moves from fourth to third, displacing W. (William) Tordella of Bemus Point. 69.15 for the lady. 61.46 for the gentleman.

Barbara Belardi stays put in fifth with 52.28 after a 4.96 point month. Mike Ryan retains possession of fifth with 50.35, having a 10.65 point month. Bruce Cahoon of Akron, Ohio, tenth a month ago, is seventh now with 45.35, thanks to a 9.89 point month. The Weltes, tied for #11 a month ago, are tied for eighth with 44.59. Allen Beroza, #14 in February, is now tenth with his 43.63.

Keeping a safe social distance from each other in the second ten are John Ziemer, #11 with 43.41; Sharon Benz, #13 with 41.49; Barbara Libby, #15 with 39.97; Fred Yellen, #19 with 37.67; and Linda Burroughsford, #20 with 36.65, not so distant in the standings, but a world away these days since she lives in Fort Erie, Ont., and can’t cross the border.

Five of us also populate the third ten – Ten-Pao Lee at #23, Bud Seidenberg, me and Mike Silverman, #25, #26 and #27; and Larry Abate #30.

Mini-McKenney. District 5. Gold Life Masters. The top three hold their places for another month – Philip Goulding of Wexford, Pa., 135.86 after a 30.69 point month (third among all players in the district, up from fourth); our John Sinclair, 55.32 (#41 overall,  down from #30); and Barry Boyd of Wheeling, W. Va., 54.24 (#43 overall, down from #31).

Moving up one notch are Buffalonians Fred Yellen with 53.07 (#45, up from #57) and Allen Beroza with 49.80 (#51, up from #63). Gary Sikon of Cleveland, fourth a month ago, is sixth with 49.19 (#54, down from #47).

Then we have Leroy Hackenberg and Robert Zimmerman, both of Pittsburgh, with 44.98 (#65, up from #83) and 42.21 (#73, new to the top ten). Kenneth Eichler of Murrysville, Pa., sits ninth with 40.47 (#80, also new to the list), followed by Mike Silverman, 39.83 (#83, down from #76); and me, 39.54 (#86, down from #69). If I were still a Ruby Life Master, I’d be #15 on that list instead of #11.

Mini-McKenney. District 5. All Players.

Continuing on top are Reanette Frobouck of Pittsburgh with 196.69 after a 20.42 point month and Sue Lan Ma of Kirtland Hills, Ohio, with 178.47 following a 9.60 point month.

Philip Goulding of Wexford, Pa., is third with 135.86, swapping places with Buffalo’s Saleh Fetouh, who has 118.62.

Then it’s Robert Flynn of McDonald, Pa., 109.07; Phillip Becker of Beachwood, Ohio, 107.48; Buffalo’s Davis Heussler and Linda Burroughsford, 104.78 and 104.48, respectively; Fleur Howard of Gates Mills, Ohio, 102.02; and Buffalo’s Alan Greer, 100.85.

Nancy Wolstoncroft is #20. The Weltes are tied at #21. Mike Ryan is #29. David Colligan is #32. John Ziemer is #34. And Bud Seidenberg is #38.

Ace of Clubs. Nationwide. Gold Life Masters.

Topping the list again are Russ Pearly of The Villages, Fla., 101.97 (#21 overall in the nation), and David Schapira of Delray Beach, Fla., 90.21 (#31 nationally).

David Woods of Sarnia, Ont., third in January, sixth in February, is third again with 83.04, thanks to a 21.84 point month (#55 nationally). Dolores Aquino stays fourth with 79.60 (#66). Fifth is Judi Besmer of Lake Worth, Fla., new on the list with 79.46 (#67).

Then it’s Mason Barge of Atlanta with 78.21 (#80); Michael Reeslund of Nashville, 71.80 (#110); Jonathan Williams of The Villages, Fla., 70.30 (#119); Misuzu McManus of Ormond Beach, Fla., 69.98 (#123); and Charles Quenneville of Sun Lakes, Ariz., 68.42 (#137).

Of us Buffalonians, Allen Beroza is #93, Fred Yellen is #163, I’m #212, Mike Silverman is #217 and Ken Meier is #465. The list ends at 27 even.

Ace of Clubs. Nationwide. All Players.

Neil Silverman of Fort Lauderdale, Fla., is still king here with 165.02 after a 33.65 point month. Philip Benner of The Villages, Fla., third last month, is second with 127.56, notching 20.35 points in March. He bumped Robert Epstein of Atlanta, who has 125.68.

Then it’s Bill Kulbersh of Atlanta with 122.13, Sanford Robbins of Pompano Beach, Fla., 121.14; Bella Ionis-Sorren of Fort Lauderdale, 120.51; Sheila Gabay of Newton, Mass., 116.55; Bill Osborn of Frisco, Texas, 114.77; Marla Chaikin of Savanna, Ga., 113.67; and Roberta Trayman of Naples, Fla., 109.40.

Unit 116 and District 5 leader Alan Greer is #22 with his 100.85, up from #27. Nancy Wolstoncroft is #105 with her 72.31, up from #127. And Mike Ryan slips onto the list this month, tied at #482 with 50.35. The list ends at 49.62.

Mini-McKenney. Nationwide. Ruby Life Masters.

January leader Ann Buchholz of Ponte Vedra Beach, Fla., second in February, is back on top in March with 186.56 after a 40.45 point month. Second-place Dolores Aquino of Houston, up from eighth, is the list’s big gainer with 183.98 following a 68.51 point month.

Anna LaCour of Georgetown, Texas, had almost as big a month, advancing to third from seventh with 181.25 after a 63.34 point month. Fourth is last month’s second-place guy, Kevin Rosenberg of Sunnyvale, Calif., 160.85, having only a 12.60 point month.

Fifth is Gordon Zind of Ottawa, Ont., 158.03. Sixth is Alex Khrakovsky of Columbus, Ohio, down from fourth with 144.58, picking up only 1.58 points in March.

Rounding out the top ten are David Woods of Sarnia, Ont., 144.19; Mason Barge of Atlanta, 139.29; Mark Henderson of Wilmington, Del., 136.54; and District 5 leader Philip Goulding of Wexford, Pa., 135.86.

Unit 116 leader John Sinclair is #260 with his 55.32. Fred Yellen is #291 with 53.07. Allen Beroza is #349 with 49.80. The list ends at 42.59.

Mini-McKenney. Nationwide. All Players.

Here are the folks who had 100 point months regardless of how much play was shortened.

One-two once again are Jacob Morgan of Madison, Wis., and Robert McClendon of Ponte Vedra, Fla. Morgan had a 116.62 point month to reach 654.02. McClendon won 157.89 points and has 645.50.

Then it’s James Melville of Springfield, Ill., 515.85; Mark Itabashi of Murrieta, Calif., 483.14; Shan Huang of Palm Beach Gardens, Fla., 481.21; Kevin Dwyer of Port Richey, Fla., 452.07; Kevin Bathurst of Palm Beach Gardens, 450.48; Joe Grue of New York City, 449.90; the legendary Jeff Meckstroth of Clearwater Beach, Fla., 445.79; and Alex Hudson of Raleigh, N.C., 437.43.

Former Buffalonian Joel Wooldridge, now operating from Jackson Heights, Queens, advances to #85 from #95 with 222.80.

District 5 leader Reanette Frobouck is #118, down from #106, with 196.69. District 5 runner-up Sue Lan Ma is #149 with 178.47, down from #118. Unit 116’s Saleh Fetouh is #378 with his 118.62, down from #311. Davis Heussler and Linda Burroughsford miss the list by less than a point. It cuts off at 105.41.