Bridge Blog 1135: Gobbling up November

 

        Am I thankful that partner Selina Volpatti and I seem to be improving? Indeed I am. We were able to accumulate 10.93 points on Bridge Base Online in November, which is about as wonderful as we can get.

Meanwhile, in the master point races, places are pretty well settled for 2020 with one month to go. Let’s check them out:

 Ace of Clubs (Club Play Only). Unit 116 (Just Buffalo). Gold Life Masters (Players like me with 2,500 to 3,500 points).

Still first among Goldies, still third among all Unit 116 players – Allen Beroza. He had a 19.62 point month, for a total of 148.87.

Still second is Ken Meier. A 21.87 point month brought him to 134.14 points and elevated him to fifth in the unit, up from seventh a month ago.

Still third is … me! I now have 70.61 points for the year and sit at #27 overall in the unit, up from #28.

Fourth place Mike Silverman and fifth place Fred Yellen brought home no points at all in November. They still have 50.61 and 44.58, respectively. Among all unit players, however, they’ve plummeted. Mike is #38, down from #32. Fred is #45 overall and not down at all. He was #45 last month.

 Art Morth still is standing pat with 28.48 in sixth place, now #71 overall, down from #66. Bill Rushmore has 19.88 points, still seventh and now #90 overall, down from #88. John Sinclair at 18.62 is eighth, slipping to #95 overall from #94 a month ago. Rounding out the list is Pat Rasmus with 6.38, having added 2.14 in live face-to-face play at the East Aurora club. She’s #217 overall, on the march from #241 a month ago.

 Ace of Clubs. Unit 116. All players.

John and Martha Welte could have stopped six months ago and still have won this one. But they haven’t stopped. November brought them another 75.23 points and they’re tied for first overall with 491.30.

Far, far behind in third place is Gold leader Allen Beroza with 148.87. NABC Master Jim Lanzo still holds fourth place with 140.13 after a 17.65 point month. Ken Meier takes fifth with 134.14.

Then it’s Vic Bergsten, 126.54; Bud Seidenberg, 121.54; Barbara Libby, 116.92; Saleh Fetouh, 115.81; and Sandi England, 109.52. Also surpassing the century mark in club points are Gay Simpson, 107.49; Larry Himelein, 105.05; Martha Townson, 102.80; and Alan Greer, with the same 100.85 he had back in March.

 Mini-McKenney (Club points plus tournament points). Unit 116. Gold Life Masters.

 Allen Beroza continues his reign. 160.90 points, 19.62 better than a month ago. Back to fifth overall, up from sixth.

Ken Meier keeps closing in. 141.02, up 29.93. Seventh overall, up from eighth.

Big step down to me in third with 75.16, up 10.93. #30 overall, up from #31.

Fred Yellen stirred enough to take fourth away from John Sinclair, who’s now fifth. Fred has 59.98, a 4.37 increase. He’s #37 overall, up from #41. John stands at 58.89, a 0.62 increase, #38 overall, down from #32.

Mike Silverman, motionless with 55.77, is sixth among Goldies and #43 overall, down from #40.

Way down in seventh, it’s still Art Morth with the same 35.55 he had a month ago. He’s #66 overall, down from #62. Bill Rushmore has 25.72, #87 overall, down from #82. And Pat Rasmus rounds out the list with her 6.38, which sits her at #223, up from #247.

        Mini-McKenney. Unit 116. All players.

        No surprise. It’s the Weltes. With 561.46, which is 75.23 better than October, almost as good as their previous month’s haul of 86.26.

        Saleh Fetouh is next with 205.92, an 11.55 point improvement. Jim Lanzo climbs into fourth with 162.01, an 18.76 point effort. Allen Beroza follows with his 160.90. Davis Heussler is close behind in sixth with 157.23.

        Then it’s Ken Meier, 151.02; Vic Bergsten, 144.09; Bud Seidenberg, 143.68; and Linda Burroughsford, 127.65.

        Lurking next in the teens are Sandi England, 119.31; Gay Simpson, 118.51; Barbara Libby, 118.08; and Bob Sommerstein, 114.68. Clustered in the mid teens are Martha Townson with 110.94 and the team of Marilyn Wortzman and Jim Easton, both with 110.50.

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

        Only three centarians here: two Buffalonians – Allen Beroza, 148.87 (#20 in the whole district); and Ken Meier, 134.14 (#25 district-wide); and Barry Boyd of Wheeling, W.Va., with 116.42 (#38 overall).

        The rest of the Top 10 are divided between Ohio and Pennsylvania – Kenneth Eichler of Murrysville, Pa., 99.76 (#52); Peter Merker of Mentor, Ohio, 87.58 (#72); Carolyn Sullivan of Richfield, Ohio, 87.05 (#76); Philip Goulding of Wexford, Pa., 85.87 (#77); Gary Sikon of Cleveland, 81.76 (#86); Jayne Stahr of Stow, Ohio, 79.51; and Ronald Sain of Indiana, Pa., 75.90 (#103). And look who’s #11 – moi – 70.61 (#114).

        Ace of Clubs. District 5. All Players.

        Martha and John Welte, 491.30. Then it’s all Ohio and Pa. – Paul Holmes of Wadsworth, Ohio, 456.96; Erin Gonzalez of Mars, Pa., 303.20; Reanette Frobouck of Pittsburgh, 247.18; Richard and Monica Early of Cuyahoga Falls, Ohio, 238.93 and 221.61, respectively; Richard Katz of North Versailles, Pa., 203.14; Bruce Cahoon of Akron, Ohio, 200.52; and Stewart and Sandra Metosky of Pittsburgh, 197.84 and 192.18.

        Mini-McKenney. District 5. Gold Life Masters.

        Here Philip Goulding of Wexford, Pa., has the lead with 242.42. He’s ninth among all District 5 players. Allen Beroza comes next with 160.90. He’s #30 overall. Right behind him is Barry Boyd of Wheeling with 160.57 (#31 overall). And not far away is Ken Meier with his 151.02 (#36).

        After that, it’s Gary Sikon of Cleveland, 129.69 (#47); Peter Merker of Mentor, Ohio, 119.23 (#52); Kenneth Eichler of Murrysville, Pa., 111.66 (#64); Carolyn Sullivan of Richfield, Ohio, 93.86 (#98); Jayne Stahr of Stow, Ohio, 86.87 (#113); and Leroy Hackenberg of Pittsburgh, 82.24 (#125).

        And guess who’s #12, after Ronald Sain of Indiana, Pa. (75.90 and #144). This Dale Anderson guy. His 75.16 puts him at #147 among all District 5 players.

        It felt so good skipping the national guys last month, I think I’ll do it again. Year-end, we’ll catch up with them.