Bridge Blog 1146: MIA

 

Feb. 17, 2023

I can’t believe it. I just looked into the master point races on the ACBL website and nothing at all for me in January. Not that I arranged for all that many chances to collect them. I skipped the Buffalo Winter Sectional and didn’t look for other opportunities beyond my usual dates with Canadian partner Selina Volpatti. We’re playing online on Tuesdays and Fridays and we haven’t had a particularly rewarding year.

         (Hey, wait a minute! We actually did come away with something in January, but it was in those OKBridge games, which don’t count in the ACBL races.)

         At any rate, we finally managed to shine in the eyes of the ACBL last weekend in the St. Catharines Sectional, making the most of my lone opportunity to play on Friday. Since the games were at 1 and 7:30 p.m., I could only do the afternoon session with Selina. Not our finest hour, but our 48% finish was good enough to get us a fraction of a silver point – 0.84 of one. Thank you, miracle of stratification!

         O, Canada, how I’ve missed you. This was the first time I rolled across the Peace Bridge since March 13, 2020, after which the pandemic shut everything down, including the border. Seeing all the St. Catharines folks again after such a long hiatus was a great pleasure, even though we've had virtual contact in the online games. Unlike here in Buffalo, I wasn’t alone in masking up. Although the check-in table was making sure everyone had their Covid-19 shots, I still felt better taking the precaution.

Bridge Blog 1145: A dangerous game

Email to John Bava, president of Western New York Unit 116 ACBL, after I got a text from partner Selina Volpatti telling me that she had come down with what apparently is a mild case of Covid-19 Sunday night: 

Hi, John!

My partner in the Regional just texted me this morning to say that she's come down with Covid. Bill Finkelstein suggests that I let somebody know who's more or less in charge of things. Gay Simpson thought that would be Davis Heussler, but I don't have his email address. I have yours, though, so here are the particulars. 

My partner was Selina Volpatti and we only played on Friday in the big pairs game, which means we saw pretty much the same people as North-South in the morning and East-West in the afternoon. She didn't wear a mask -- aside from me, very few players did. And she wasn't symptomatic at the time. She started noticing it Sunday. 

Not sure of the protocol on this -- do people routinely check themselves for symptoms during and after tournaments these days? -- but it seems to me that folks should be alerted to the possibility of exposure. 

Thanks,

Dale

John noted that he contacted Davis and that Bill Finkelstein also had called him. As for me, results were negative on a home test earlier today and I feel fine, but I was unmasked with Selina during lunch on Friday at a pizza and salad restaurant (Pie O' Mine and Greens on Transit Road) and in the car. Since it was such a beautiful late October day, I'm pretty sure I had the sunroof and/or the windows open.

Bridge Blog 1144: A return to the tables (Buffalo Fall Sectional Tournament)

Nine reflections on the Buffalo Fall Sectional Tournament Sept. 16 to 18 in the Main-Transit Fire Hall social hall:

1.   What do you do with real cards? After playing online bridge for 2½ years, I’m a little surprised to re-encounter the mechanics of the game – dealing, sorting the hand, giving the cards that little shuffle before they’re put back into the slots in the board and passed along to the next table. That all used to be automatic. 

2.   Am I still capable of playing with someone else? This must be what it’s like to start dating again after a long marriage. I’ve been monogamous with my Canadian partner Selina Volpatti since March 2020. The most unsettling thing about playing with Mike Silverman is that he doesn’t do Cappelletti against an opponent’s 1 No Trump opener. The second most unsettling thing is that after holding back on bidding a couple times and falling short of our best contract, I get impatient, bid more aggressively and wind up giving opponent John Ziemer the top score of 1,100 he always loves to get from me. With Selina, who’s a pushy competitor, that’s never an issue.

3.   What about Covid? Everybody has to be vaxxed. Director Brian Meyer wears face protection. So does Mike Silverman. So do I. In fact, I pull out those weird duck billed N95 models for the occasion to be extra safe. But not many other players do. When our opponents are uncovered, sometimes they ask if we prefer that they be masked. No problem, I say at first. But after the third inquiry, I change my tune. They mask up.  

4.   Can I win against real people? Mike Silverman and I can’t. Our 48.08% in the Friday morning session fell just short of getting us some fraction of a master point. Disappointing, but respectable. The afternoon feels better as we play it, but it isn’t. 43.35%. Not quite dead last.

5.   Can we hold our own against those sharks in the Swiss team game on Sunday? We have high hopes – Mike is paired with Larry Abate and Selina has crossed the border to play with me – but we’re crushed in the first two rounds. A comeback seems out of the question – instead of seven rounds of seven boards, we ‘re playing five rounds of 10 boards. Our next opponents are some other bottom dwellers and I feel guilty about how badly we trounce them. I don’t think I’ve ever won a game by 68 International Match Points before. Our final rounds are a wash – we lose to the Unit 116 whiz kids Tiger Li and Darwin Skalski by a single IMP and have the same squeak-by margin when we win the day-ending match.

6.   So was it a lost weekend? Thought so, but miracles still happen. We scratch after all. Our Swiss team effort is just good enough to come in second in the B stratification. 2.21 silver points.

7.   Was it just like it was before Covid? In a word, no. Fifteen tables in the big game Friday, half a dozen more in the novice game at the far end of the big room. Saturday had fewer, but I wasn’t there to see it. Sunday Swiss, which used to attract 20 or more teams, had only 12.

8.   Super spreader?  Airport Bridge Club manager Bill Finkelstein thought so before it happened and now, 10 days later, he’s confirming it. He tells me that two players were sent home in the middle of the day Friday with Covid symptoms. Another player who was there Friday had to bow out Saturday for the same reason. No mention of this at all by the folks running the tournament. Is this not a major breach of basic public health precautions? We should have been told.

9. Will I do another tournament? Two regionals are coming up – Buffalo in October, St. Catharines in November. Not every day – I don’t have enough vacation time left. Maybe not at all. But Canada has dropped its border restrictions and I’ll have my next booster shot by then. We’ll see. 

Bridge Blog 1143: A chill in July (Parts I & II & all of III)

 

Those lazy, hazy days of summer turned out to be pretty lazy and hazy for us bridge players as well. Not a big month for winning points, apparently. And I thought it was just me.

          Well, it was me. I managed only 4.96, hampered by a total shutout during Silver Linings Week at the end of the month. My total is now an unremarkable 41.47. However, it didn’t affect my standings vis a vis the others in Unit 116. I’m still sixth among the Gold Life Masters and still #31 among all players in Buffalo. Here’s the breakdown:

Ace of Clubs (club play only). Unit 116 (Just Buffalo). Gold Life Masters (2,500 to 3,500 points). 

          An off month for John and Martha Welte, the couple on top of the heap in Unit 116. John improved by just 27.34 points to reach 407.65 and must have had a game without his partner because she only accumulated 27.06 points to stand at 407.37.

          Third-place Ken Meier had a better month than they did – 28.85 – but that only brings his total to 144.09. He continues in fourth place among all Unit 116 players.

          Allen Beroza keeps his grip on fourth place, but just barely after a 2.79 point month, bringing him to 92.95. He’s #11 overall, down from eighth. Nipping at his heels is David Millward with 91.19 after a 9.11 month. He’s #13 in the unit, down from #12.

          It’s a big step down to sixth place, where I’m dwelling with 41.47. And a smaller but still significant step to seventh, where Bill Rushmore resides unchanged with 27.24. He’s #50 among all Buffalo players, down from #46, but still in no danger from eighth place Davis Heussler, who improved by only 0.42 of a point to reach 20.93. He’s #62, down from #59 overall.

          Pat Rasmus snatched ninth place from Fred Yellen, picking up 2.60 points to reach 10.77, passing Fred, who stayed still with 10.48. She’s #110 overall, up from #118. He’s #113, down from #105. Completing the list is Art Morth, also without new points at 5.96. He’s #139 overall, down from #132. 

Ace of Clubs. Unit 116. All players. 

          John and Martha Welte may not be tied for the top any more among all Buffalo players, but they’re a very tight 1-2 – John with 407.64, Martha with 407.37.

          Third again is Jim Lanzo with 146.42 after a 27.40 month.  Gaining on him ever so slightly is Ken Meier with 144.09 and a 28.85 month.

          Martha Townson solidifies her seat in fifth place, thanks to a 26.49 month. She now has 136.61. Amita Amora, tenth a month ago, turns in a 33.20 point effort and jumps up to take sixth place from Barbara Libby. She has 118.56, while Barbara has 114.77, having improved by only 8.37.

          Rounding out the Top 10 are Vic Bergsten with 113.81 after a 12.78 month; Larry Himelein with 99.43 (a 10.09 month); and Sandi England with 93.97 (up 8.72).

          Then come Allen Beroza, 92.95; Gay Simpson, 92.86; David Millward, 91.19; Bram and Terry Hamovitch, 82.59; Violet Makhija, 77.51; Judi Marshall, 74.69; Sharon Benz, 74.17; Jim Easton, 72.53; and Marilyn Wortzman, 70.28. Violet’s husband, Jasbeer, is #21 with 67.24 and the lovely Bonnie Clement is #22 with 65.80. 

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

           Only three players affected by addition of tournament points here – the Weltes and Davis Heussler. Otherwise the list is a mirror of the Ace of Clubs race.

          John Welte, 454.27, improved by those same 27.34 points he showed in the Ace of Clubs competition. Martha Welte, 453.99. They’re 1-2 in the Unit.

          Ken Meier’s 144.09 is third here also, but sixth overall in the unit, down from fifth. Allen Beroza has the same 92.95 and is #11 overall, down from ninth. David Millward with 91.19 holds steady at #13 overall.

          Davis Heussler checks in with 72.98 points, an improvement of 14.62, nearly all of them tournament points. He’s #21 overall, up from #22. My 41.47 keeps me in seventh place, but I drop back to #35 overall from #34.

          Bill Rushmore has 27.24 and is #53, down from #49. Pat Rasmus is ninth here, too, with 11.77. She’s #112 overall, up from #119. Fred Yellen, standing pat with 10.48, is #115, down from #107. And Art Morth stays with his previous 5.96, making him #141 overall, down from #133.

Mini-McKenney. Unit 116. All players.

           John and Martha Welte are 1-2, with 454.27 and 453.99, respectively. Then it’s Jim Lanzo, 174.77; Martha Townson, 154.48; the ever-advancing Amita Arora, claiming fifth from Ken Meier (she has 147.14, he has 144.09); Vic Bergsten, 114.79; Barbara Libby, 114.77; Larry Himelein, 99.43; and Sandi England, 93.97.

          The teens – Allen Beroza demoted from the Top 10 with 92.95, then it’s Gay Simpson, 92.86; David Millward, 91.19; Bram and Terry Hamovitch, 83.12; Jim Easton, 77.88; Violet Makhija, 77.51; Marilyn Wortzman, 75.63; Judi Marshall, 74.69; and Sharon Benz, 74.17. Near misses are Davis Heussler, 72.98; and Bonnie Clement, 70.82.

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

          Same as June, pretty much. Here’s the charmed circle. John Welte, 407.65 (first of all players in the district, too). Martha Welte, 407.37 (second overall). Monica Early of Cuyahoga Falls, Ohio, 153.69 after a 14.65 point month (sixth overall, up from seventh). Buffalo’s Ken Meier, 144.09 (tenth overall, up from #14). Doug Snyder, Shaker Heights, Ohio, 122.09 with a 10.72 point month (#18 in the district, down from #16). Peter Merker, Menter, Ohio., 99.73, just 5.98 better (#35, down from #32). Allen Beroza, 92.95 (#43, down from #35). David Millward, 91.19 (#46, down from #45). David Norris of Rocky River, Ohio, 90.92 and an 11.58 month (#47, up from #50). Jack Hawthorne, 85.05 after a 12.70 month (#52, up from #59).

          My 41.47 sticks me at #20, down from #18, and #197 overall, which is where I was at the end of June. 

Ace of Clubs. District 5. All players.

          Yep, John Welte with 407.65 and wife Martha with 407.37, then four Ohioans. Gary Cole of Norwalk takes third with 175.36 after 22.98 month. He displaces Davis Bonner of Mentor, who has 172.14, having accumulated 16.10. Then come the Earlys from Cuyahoga Falls – Richard with 164.19 (15.77 month) and Monica with 153.69 (14.65 month).

          July lifted both Earlys to the north side of the only Pennsylvanian in the Top 10 – Reanette Frobouck from Pittsburgh, who has 152.63 after an 8.74 month, which dropped her down a rung to seventh place. Next is Barbara Kotton of Beachwood, Ohio, with 147.75 (15.59 month), followed by a pair of Buffalonians, Jim Lanzo with 146.52 and Ken Meier with 144.09. Jim Lanzo, who was #13 a month ago, had a 27.40 month.

          Next Unit 116 representatives are Martha Townson at #16 with 136.61, the amazing Amita Arora at #21 with 118.56, Barbara Libby at #25 with 114.47, Vic Bergsten at #28 with 113.81, Larry Himelein at #38 with 99.43, and then a Buffa-cluster – Sandi England at #42 with 93.97, Allen Beroza at #43 with 92.95, Gay Simpson at #44 with 92.86 and David Millward at #46 with 91.19. 

Mini-McKenney. District 5. Gold Life Masters. 

          Once again, almost a carbon copy of Ace of Clubs. Weltes on top with 454.27 (John) and 453.99 (Martha). Then Ohioan Monica Early with 153.69 (continuing #11 overall), followed by Unit 116’s Ken Meier with 144.09 (#17 in the district, up from #21).

          Still fifth is Doug Snyder of Shaker Heights, Ohio, with 124.14 (#26 down from #24). David Norris of Rocky River, Ohio, moves up a notch with 107.84 (still #39), displacing Peter Merker of Mentor, Ohio, with 99.73 (#45, down from #39).

          Craig Biddle of Pittsburgh stays eighth with 96.69 (#50 overall, down from #42). Allen Beroza remains ninth with 92.95 (#56, down from #45). And David Millward keeps his tenth-place seat with 91.19 (#59, down from #57).

          Other Buffaloons – Davis Heussler with 92.98, steady at #15 (#94 overall, up from #94); me at #23, down from #21, with 41.47 (#224 overall, down from #222). 

Mini-McKenney. District 5. All players. 

          John Welte, 454.27. Martha Welte, 453.99. Gary Cole of Norwalk, Ohio, is still third with 183.37, after a 15.98 month. Fourth, however, now belongs to Unit 116’s Jim Lanzo with 174.77, moving up from eighth with a 27.50 month.

          New to the Top 10 is Davis Bonner of Mentor, Ohio, sitting fifth with 172.14. Then it’s Amy Goddard of Hartville, Ohio, with 167.44, slipped from fifth a month ago after a 16.14 month.

          Still seventh is Richard Early of Cuyahoga Falls, Ohio, with 164.19 (15.61 point month), followed by Barbara Kotton of Beachwood, Ohio, up from tenth place with 158.86 (15.59 point month). Bruce Cahoon of Silver Lake, Ohio, is ninth with 156.72, demoted from sixth place after a 6.29 effort. Unit 116’s Martha Townson claims tenth with 154.48, up from #15 after a 26.49 bonanza.

          Threatening to break through shortly is #13 Amita Arora with 147.14, up from #23 after a 33.28 romp. She may just zip past #11 Monica Early from Cuyahoga Falls (153.69) and Reanette Frobouck of Pittsburgh (152.63).

          Next Buffalo players are Ken Meier at #17 with 144.09, Vic Bergsten at #33 with 114.79, Barbara Libby at #34 with 114.77,  Larry Himelein at #46 with 99.43 and then another cluster – Sandi England at #54 with 93.97, Allen Beroza at #56 with 92.95, Gay Simpson at #57 at 92.86 and David Millward at #59 with 91.19.

Ace of Clubs. Nationwide. Gold Life Masters. 

          The decoupled Weltes slip down another notch coast to coast. Tied for sixth a month ago among all Gold Life Masters in the country, John and Martha are now seventh and eighth respectively, John with 407.65, Martha with 407.37. Nationwide among all players, they’re #59 and #60, down from a tie for #44.

          Now for the rest of the Top 10. Zipping way ahead is last two month’s leader, Hal Jones Jr. of Lorton, Va., with 659 points even after a 105.99 point month. He’s seventh in all the country, up from ninth a month ago.

          Still second is Stephen Donohue of Riverwoods, Ill., with 592.43 after a 49.94 point month. He’s #16 overall, down from #12. Continuing third is May’s leader, Piotr Olszewski of Hackettstown, N.J., with 548.13 after a 42.58 point month. He’s #23 overall, down from #19.

          Making tracks in fourth is Yacob (Jacob) Rubinstien of Holland, Pa., with 528.94, having logged a 108.61 month. He’s #25 overall, up from #33. He opened up a lot of daylight between him and the person he passed a month ago, June Patton of Brevard, N.C. She’s still fifth with 480.69 following a 64.92 month. Overall, she’s #32, up from #34.

          Before we get to the Weltes, there’s the guy who passed them, Mark Crumrine of Ocala, Fla., with 414.68, thanks to a 73.08 month. He’s #56 overall, up from #70.

Swapping places are the last two guys on the list – Paul Burleson of Cross River, N.Y., who now has 350.92 (42.13 month) and Krzysztof Jarosz of Grantham, N.H., who registers 335.63 (18.53 month). Burleson is #100 nationwide, up from #102. Jarosz is #111, down from #91. Still #11 is the lady Burleson bumped a month ago, Judy Hanson of Eagan, Minn., with 316.74, having brought in only 21.25 points in July. She’s #124 overall, down from #114.

Scanning the list of 500, we find Buffalo’s Ken Meier at #130 with 144.09. He was #170 a month ago. Down in a tie at #364 is Allen Beroza with 92.95. He’s dropped from #303. At #375 is David Millward with 91.19. He was #366 a month ago. Last person on the list has 77.17. 

Ace of Clubs. Nationwide. All Players. 

          OMG, look at Vera Carpenter, the lady from York, Ont., we often saw at the tables at the Airport Bridge Club. She’s ascended to second place, outpacing perennial runner-up Irva Neyhart of Portland, Ore. Here’s the list:

          Mark Itabashi of Murrieta, Calif., still on top with 968.02 after a 220.03 month. Vera now holds 736.65, having increased her haul by 122.11. Irva’s 720.81 is 82.90 better than a month ago.

          Still fourth is Mel Norton of Burlington, Ont., with 699.99 after an 87.55 month. John Brady of Jacksonville, Fla., enters the Top 10 in fifth place with 698.31. Demoted to sixth, despite having a respectable 86.84 month, is Milton Neher of Richardson, Texas, with 689.92.

          Seventh belongs to Gold Life Master leader Hal Jones Jr. of Lorton, Va., with 659 even. He passed Stephen Gladyszak of Chelsea, Mass., with 653.07 (91.00 better). Moving up a notch to ninth is Lawrence Sherman of San Diego with 651.24 (98.46 improved). Joining the list in tenth position is Stephen Cooper of Belle Mead, N.J., with 644.25.

          Another familiar name, Dolores Aquino of Houston, sits at #11 with 643.89. Judy Rothstein of Livingston, N.J., who was No. 1 back in April, now is #13 with 616.68 after a 67.25 month. As mentioned above, our Unit 116 reps, John and Martha Welte, are #59 and #60. The list stops at 197.94.         

Mini-McKenney. Nationwide. Gold Life Masters. 

A change at the top. A month ago, Hal Jones Jr. of Lorton, Va., was 21 points behind of Stephen Donohue of Riverwoods, Ill. Now he’s 26-plus in front with 660.04 after a 105.99 burst. Donohue has 633.67, having accumulated just 57.82.

          Continuing third is Piotr Olszewski of Hackettstown, N.J., with 563.22 after a 43.96 month. Yacob (Jacob) Rubinstien of Holland, Pa., sits where Buffalonians John and Martha Welte were a month ago – fourth – with 529.93, which is 108.61 better than June.

          Also passing the Weltes are June Patton of Brevard, N.C., with 484.35 (a 66.20 improvement), and Mark Crumrine of Ocala, Fla., with 465.24 (73.04 better). John Welte now occupies seventh place with 454.27 (a 27.34 month), and Martha’s eighth with 453.99 (a 27.06 effort).

          Rounding out the Top 10 are last month’s arrivals in the charmed circle – Ronald Vickery of Oro Valley, Ariz., with 361.82 (54.67 better) and Paul Burleson of Cross River, N.Y., with 350.92 (up 44.13).

          Looking for more Buffalonians, we find the usual suspects. Ken Meier is #151 with 144.09. He’s up from #195. Allen Beroza is #398 with 92.95. He’s down from #331. And there’s David Millward at #411 with 91.19. He’s down from #397. 

Mini-McKenney. Nationwide. All Players. 

          Mark Itabashi of Murrieta, Calif., has become the first and so far the only player to reach four figures this year. He’s got 1,202.57 here after his third straight 200-plus month – 244.06, to be exact.

          That puts him even further ahead of second-place Irva Neyhart of Portland, Ore. She checks in with 830.44, having collected 152.06.

          Meanwhile, Vera Carpenter of York, Ont., takes third place from another Canadian, Mel Norton of Burlington, Ont. She now has 762.02 (123.55 better), while Norton holds 740.41 (an 87.97 improvement).

          Continuing fifth and sixth are Milton Neher of Richardson, Texas, and Stephen Gladyszak of Chelsea, Mass. Neher has 712.94 (up 86.83) and Gladyszak has 711.23 (plus 94.40).

          Breaking onto the list in seventh place is John Brady of Jacksonville, Fla. He has 698.74. He’s accompanied by another newcomer, Stephen Cooper of Belle Mead, N.J., who has 683.97.

          Lynn Leisy of Amelia Island, Fla., who joined the Top 10 a month ago in eighth place, now occupies ninth with 673.14 despite having a more than respectable 107.50 month. Gold Life Master leader Hal Jones Jr. rounds out the list in tenth place with his 660.03.

          The fallen are collecting themselves in the mid-teens. Stephen Donohue of Riverwoods, Ill., who was seventh, is #14 with 633.67 (plus 57.82). David Rosenblatt of Palmetto Bay, Fla., who was ninth, is #15 with 632.17 (up 68.11). And then there’s April’s nationwide leader, Judy Rothstein of Livingston, N.J. Tenth a month ago, she now can be found at #16 with 618.58, having accumulated 57.25.

          Vera Carpenter’s husband, Rashid Khan, holds steady at #20 with 587.83, after a 74.83 month. The Weltes? John is #50 with 454.27. Martha’s #51 with 453.99. A month ago they were tied for #34. No other Buffalonians on this list. It cuts off at 212.96

 

Bridge Blog 1142: Reckoning with June

 

Ah, the happy midpoint, halfway to what the year will finally add up to. In my case, that isn’t much. I’m meandering along at 5 or 6 points per month and it looks like things will stay that way until face-to-face play returns at the bridge clubs. Then we’ll face another dilemma. Given the stubbornness of Covid-19, will it really be safe enough to go back, even for us who have had their shots? For now, though, let’s keep playing on at Bridge Base Online and thumb through the ledger as it stood at the close of 2021’s second quarter.

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

          John and Martha Welte are well-established in the lead here, so there’s no danger of them losing their dominant position with a slow month like the one they had in June. They brought home only 33.88 points, far below their monthly average, to bring their list-topping total to 380.31.

          Ken Meier, a distant third, also lifted his foot off the gas, collecting only 14.49. He now has 115.24. Nevertheless, he’s up a notch among all players in the unit. A month earlier, he was fifth. Now he’s fourth.

          Fourth-place Allen Beroza improved by only 9.93 points, now standing at 90.16. He stays at eighth overall. Staying right behind him is David Millward in fifth place with 82.08, better by 13.21. Overall he’s #12, up from #13.

          It’s a huge step down to the guy in sixth position – me – with 36.51. That’s 5.17 more than a month ago and it’s lifted me to #31 overall, up from #33.

          Still seventh is Bill Rushmore with 27.24, which is 4.70 better. He’s #46 overall, up from #48. Davis Heussler remains in eighth place with 20.51, a mere 0.30 bump. He’s slipped to #59 overall from #54. Fred Yellen once again added no points, staying at 10.48 and dropping to #105 in the unit from #97.

          Rounding out the list are Pat Rasmus with 8.17, moving up to #118 overall from #138, and Art Morth with 5.96, improving to #132 overall from #143.

 Ace of Clubs. Unit 116. All players.

           The Weltes continue their reign with 380.31, far ahead of third-place Jim Lanzo with 119.12. He had a 16.30 month. Then it’s Ken Meier with 115.24 and Martha Townson, moving up a notch to fifth with 110.12, thanks to a 15.28 month.

          Barbara Libby, who collected only 4.73 points in June, has dropped from third to sixth place with 106.41. Also down a rung is Vic Bergsten in seventh place with 101.03, just 4.38 better.

          Allen Beroza is next with 90.16, followed by Larry Himelein, advancing one place to ninth with 89.34, which is an improvement of 11.74. Tenth is Amita Arora, up from #12 with 85.36 points, bettering herself by 15.15.

          As for the teens, it’s Sandi England, ninth a month ago and now elbowed down to #11 with 85.25 after a 6.57 effort. Then come David Millward, 82.08; Gay Simpson, 79.28; Bram and Terry Hamovitch, 72.82; Sharon Benz, 72.31; Judi Marshall, 72.20; Violet Makhija, 70.21; her husband Jasbeer, 59.94; and Jim Easton, 57.61. His partner Marilyn Wortzman is #21 with 55.36, still barely ahead of Linda Henschel with 54.96.

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

          Here the Weltes have 426.93, which is 46.62 better than club play alone. Once again they’re first among the Goldies and first in the unit.

          Not everyone has accumulated tournament points, though. Ken Meier hasn’t. He’s got the same 115.24 he carries in the Ace of Clubs race. He’s fifth overall in the unit, up from sixth. Neither has Allen Beroza with his 90.16. He’s steady at ninth in the unit. Nor does fifth-place David Millward with 82.08. He’s #12 overall, up from #13.

          Next player to enjoy the fruits of tournament competition is Davis Heussler, continuing sixth with 58.36, a 20.47 point improvement. He’s #22 overall, up from #29. I, on the other hand, keep my 36.51, which takes me up to #34 from #35.

          Bill Rushmore is eighth with 27.24 (#49, up from #52). Fred Yellen had 10.48 (#107, down from #98). Then it’s Pat Rasmus with 8.17 (#119, up from #139) and Art Morth with 5.96 (#133, up from #144).

Mini-McKenney. Unit 116. All players.

          After John and Martha Welte, on top with 426.93, it’s Jim Lanzo, 147.37; Martha Townson, 127.99; Ken Meier, 115.24; the amazing Amita Arora, up from eighth to sixth with 113.94; Barbara Libby, 106.41; Vic Bergsten, 102.01; Allen Beroza, 90.16; and Larry Himelein, 89.34.

          The teens – Sandi England, 85.24; David Millward, 82.08; Gay Simpson, 79.28; Bram and Terry Hamovitch, 73.35; Sharon Benz, 72.31; Judi Marshall, 72.20; Violet Makhija, 70.21; Jim Easton, 62.96; and Marilyn Wortzman, 60.71.

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

          No significant changes here. John and Martha Welte still on top with 380.31. They’re also point leaders for the entire district again.

          Monica Early of Cuyahoga Falls, Ohio, continues third with 139.04 after a 17.23 point month. She also keeps seventh place overall. Moving up overall is fourth-place Ken Meier, who has 115.24. He’s #14 now, improved from #16.

          Also advancing overall is Doug Snyder of Shaker Heights, Ohio, who has 111.37 after a 15.33 month. He’s #16 among all District 5 players, up from #22. Sixth is Peter Merker of Mentor, Ohio, with 93.75, just 8.98 better. He’s #32 overall, down from #30.

          Next are a couple Buffalonians – Allen Beroza with 90.16 (#35, down from #33) and David Millward, 82.08 (#45, up from #53). Rounding out the Top 10 are David Norris of Rocky River, Ohio, 79.34 (#50, up from #52); and Jack Hawthorne of Valencia, Pa., 72.35 (#59, up from #63).

          My 36.51 brings me in at #18, down from #16, and #197 overall, up from #198. 

Ace of Clubs. District 5. All players. 

          Once again it’s John and Martha Welte tied on top with 380.31 and a whole bunch of Ohio players. Here’s the rest of the Top 10:

          Davis Bonner of Mentor, 156.04; Gary Cole of Norwalk, 153.38; Richard Early of Cuyahoga Falls, 148.42; the only Pennsylvanian in the pack, Reanette Frobouch of Pittsburgh, 143.89; Monica Early of Cuyahoga Falls, 139.04; Barbara Kotton of Beachwood, 132.16; Bruce Cahoon of Silver Lake, 131.02; and Sue Becker of Canton, 128.42.

          Unit 116 shows up again in the teens with Jim Lanzo at #13 with 119.12, Ken Meier at #14 with 115.24 and Martha Townson, 110.12. Barbara Libby, with 106.41, is #23, and Vic Bergsten, the last player in triple digits on the list, is #28 with 101.03. 

Mini-McKenney. District 5. Gold Life Masters. 

          Looks a lot like the Ace of Clubs, with a couple exceptions. Here John and Martha Welte have an even loftier lead, thanks to their extra tournament points. They now have 426.93. The rest of the leaderboard:

          Monica Early, Cuyahoga Falls, Ohio, 139.04 (#11 among all district players, up from #12). Ken Meier, 115.24 (#21, up from #24). Doug Snyder, Shaker Heights, Ohio, 113.17 (#24, up from #26). Peter Merker, Mentor, Ohio, 93.75 (#39, up from #40). David Norris, Rocky River, Ohio, 93.46 (#40, up from #42). Craig Biddle of Pittsburgh, 92.10 (#42, down from #33). Allen Beroza, 90.16 (#45, up from #47). David Millward, 82.08 (#57, up from #69).

          Other Unit 116 players – Davis Heussler at #15 with 58.36, previously #17 (#109 overall, up from #177). I’m #21 with my 36.51, slipping from #19 (#222 overall, same as a month ago). 

Mini-McKenney. District 5. All players. 

          The Weltes, of course, with 426.93. Third and fourth stay the same, as well. Both Ohioans – Gary Cole of Norwalk, 161.39; Amy Goddard of Hartville, Ohio, sixth last month, grabs fifth with 151.30 after a 21.69 point effort. Bruce Cahoon of Silver Lake, Ohio, is the bumpee. He’s sixth now with 149.43.

          Then it’s Richard Early of Cuyahoga Falls, Ohio, 148.42; Unit 116’s Jim Lanzo continuing in eighth place with 147.27; Reanette Frobouck, Pittsburgh, 143.89; and Barbara Kotton of Beachwood, Ohio, 143.27.

          Next Buffalo player is Martha Townson with 127.99. She’s #15 for the third straight month. Then there’s Ken Meier at #21 with 115.24 and Amita Arora at #23 with 113.94. Barbara Libby is #30 with 106.41 and Vic Bergsten is #34 with 102.01.

Ace of Clubs. Nationwide. Gold Life Masters.

          The second slow month in a row for John and Martha Welte, the Unit 116 and District 5 point leaders, still in a tie for sixth place among all Gold Life Masters in the country. Among all players in the nation, they’re now tied for #44, down from a tie for #36.

          So here’s the Top 10: Increasing his lead by better than half a dozen master points is the king of the heap, Hal Jones Jr. of Lorton, Va. He now has 553.01, up 89.08 for the month, and he’s ninth nationwide, up from #12.

          Still second is Stephen Donohue of Riverwoods, Ill., with 542.49 following an 82.12 month. He’s #12 overall, up from #13. Continuing third is May’s leader, Piotr Olszewski of Hackettstown, N.J., with 505.55 after a 47.26 month. He’s #19 overall, down from #14.

          Moving up to fourth place is Yacob (Jacob) Rubinstien of Holland, Pa., with 420.33, having enjoyed a 75.14 month. He’s #33 overall, up from #34. He’s traded places in more ways than one with June Patton of Brevard, N.C., who has 415.77 after a 59.01 month. In the overall list, they’ve also swapped seats. She’s #34, down from #33.

          Next are the Weltes with 380.31, followed by Mark Crumrine of Ocala, Fla., with 341.64 after a 56.77 month. He’s #70 overall, up from #78. Still ninth is Krzysztof Jarosz of Grantham, N.H., with 317.10 following a 33.79 month. He’s #91 in the nation, down from #82. Entering the magic circle in tenth place is Paul Burleson of Cross River, N.Y., with 306.79. He’s #102. He bumps Judy Hansen of Eagen, Minn., who has 295.48, having accumulated only 17.99 points in June. She also dropped to #114 overall from #90.

          Further down the list we find Ken Meier at #170 with 115.24. A month ago he was #165. Allen Beroza’s 90.16 puts him at #303, down from #287. The other Unit 116 representative – David Millward – sits at #366 with his 82.08. He was #393 at the end of May. The list ends at 67.51.

Ace of Clubs. Nationwide. All Players.

          The surprise here isn’t the presence of Mark Itabashi of Murrieta, Calif., at the top of the heap with 747.99 (a 171.31 point improvement) or the name of Irva Neyhart of Portland, Ore., in second place with 643.91 (a 92.84 month). The big eyebrow-raiser is who’s on third.

          That would be someone we’ve seen often – Vera Carpenter of York, Ont. (i.e., Toronto), a frequent presence at the Airport Bridge Club until club manager Bill Finkelstein took exception to the advanced bidding methods she and her husband, Rashid Khan, employed. They must still be working their magic. She has 614.54 points after a 110.10 month. At the end of May, she was in fifth place. Rashid, by the way, is #21 with 485.77 points.

          Vera’s edged past another Canadian, Mel Norton of Burlington, Ont., who has 612.44 after a 99.32 month. Fifth place now belongs to Milton Neher of Richardson, Texas, with 603.09, up from eighth, thanks to a 109.22 month.

          Sitting sixth is David Rosenblatt of Palmetto Bay, Fla., with 564.06, up from ninth after a 79.44 month. Stephen Gladyszak of Chelsea, Mass., fourth two months ago and sixth last month, now is seventh with 562.07, having added just 59.97. Last month’s third place holder, Judy Rothstein of Livingston, N.J., now is eighth with 559.43, after a 45.01 effort. She was No. 1 back in April.

          As mentioned above, Gold Life Master leader Hal Jones Jr. of Lorton, Va., is ninth with 553.01, sneaking past last month’s tenth place player, Lawrence Sherman of San Diego, who has 552.78 after a 70.53 month. Our Unit 116 representatives, John and Martha Welte, are tied for #44.

Mini-McKenney. Nationwide. Gold Life Masters.

          Just like last month, the runner-up in the Ace of Clubs race is the top dog here. Stephen Donahue of Riverwoods, Ill., has 575.85, maintaining a healthy lead over Hal Jones Jr. of Lorton, Va., the Ace of Clubs leader, who holds 554.04.

          Third is Piotr Olszewski of Hackettstown. N.J., with 519.26. Then come John and Martha Welte. The Unit 116 leaders have the benefit of tournament play to boost their overall totals to 426.93, good for a tie for fourth.

          Now sitting sixth is Yacob (Jacob) Rubinstien of Holland, Pa., with 421.32. He’s squeezed ahead of June Patton of Brevard, N.C., who has 418.15. Next are Mark Cumrine of Ocala, Fla., 392.20; Krzysztof Jarosz of Grantham, N.H., 317.10; and a couple new entries to the list – Ronald Vickery of Oro Valley, Ariz., 307.15 and Paul Burleson of Cross River, N.Y., 306.79. And where is Cross River, you ask? I asked that, too. Turns out it’s down near that notch that Westchester County cuts into Connecticut, not too far from Bedford Hills and Mount Kisco and Katonah. The town gets its name from a little river that runs into the Cross River Reservoir, which supplies water to New York City.

          OK, back to bridge. On this nationwide list, we find Unit 116’s Ken Meier at #195 with 115.24 points. He was #184 a month earlier. Allen Beroza holds #331 with 90.16. At end of May, he was #310. And then there’s David Millward at #397 with 82.08. He’s up from #420.

Mini-McKenney. Nationwide. All Players.

          Mark Itabashi of Murrieta, Calif., continues his upward trajectory. He has 958.51 points, an improvement of 230.82 from the end of May, his second straight 200-plus month. Needless to say, he’s pulling away from second-place Irva Neyhart of Portland, Ore. She has 678.38, a mere 106.76 better.

Third is held by Mel Norton of Burlington, Ont., with 652.44, fueled up from eighth place by a 158.71 month. That puts him ahead of Vera Carpenter from York, Ont., on this list. She’s got 638.47, holding steady in fourth place here after a 119.11 performance.

Continuing in fifth is Milton Neher of Richardson, Texas, with 626.11 (109.38 better). Then there’s the fallen Stephen Gladyszak of Chelsea, Mass., down to sixth from third with 616.83 (plus 68.79).

Another Stephen, Stephen Donahue of Riverwoods, Ill., is seventh, up from ninth, with 575.85 (plus 82.12). Eighth belongs to Lynn Leisy of Amelia Island, Fla., new to the Top 10 with 565.54. Ninth is another Floridian, David Rosenblatt of Palmetto Bay, with 564.06, lifted up from #12 a month ago with a 78.55 performance. Continuing her plunge from the national lead in April is tenth-place Judy Rothstein of Livingston, N.J. She has 561.33, a mere 45.01 better.

A quintet of contenders lurks at the top of the teens – Hal Jones Jr. of Lorton, Va., 554.04; Lawrence Sherman of San Diego, 553.69; John Brady of Jacksonville, Fla., 544.97; still another Stephen, Stephen Cooper of Belle Mead, N.J., 543.68; and Craig Allen of Glen Ellyn, Ill, 540.70.

Vera Carpenter’s husband, Rashid Khan, is #20, down from #19, with 513 even, which is 80.25 better than a month ago. And then there are those Weltes, tied at #34, down from #32, with their 426.93. No other Buffalonians to be found on this list. It cuts off at 185.93.

Bridge Blog 1141: The marginally merry month of May

 

Outside obligations got in the way of my bridge game all month. There were medical appointments. There was that Memorial Day holiday during Silver Linings Week. There was that trip to bring my mother-in-law from the nursing home on Long Island that was kicking her out to one up here in Buffalo that hopefully would do better. The upshot: A 5.54 point month, bringing me to a total of 31.34 as of May 31. At any rate, the ACBL’s master point race standings are up. Let’s check them out.

Ace of Clubs (club play only). Unit 116 (just Buffalo). Gold Life Masters (2,500 to 3,500 points).

Not a stellar month for those first-place Weltes, John and Martha. They took in 50.48 points to reach 346.43. In April, they won 56.16. They’re also tied for first among all players in Unit 116.

Third-place Ken Meier cracked the century mark, but it was only a 17.59 point month for him. He now stands at 100.75 and is fifth overall in the unit, up one notch there. Fourth-place Allen Beroza collected 10.39 points, giving him 80.23. He’s eighth overall and is also up a notch.

Returned snowbird David Millward accumulated fewer points still, just 7.76, putting him at 68.87 in fifth place. He’s #13 overall, down from #10. Then there’s a big drop to the have-nots. I’m their leader in sixth place with 31.34, #33 overall, up from #35 a month ago. Guess nobody had a great month.

Still seventh is Bill Rushmore with 22.54, holding steady at #48 overall. Continuing eighth is Davis Heussler with 20.21 and #54 overall. Fred Yellen added no points, staying at 10.48, dropping to #97 in the unit from #83.

Also adding no points was Art Morth, who has 4.26. He fell behind Pat Rasmus, who passed him to take tenth place with a 1.43 point improvement in May. She’s #138 among all unit players. He’s #143.

Ace of Clubs. Unit 116. All players.

It’s not news to see that John and Martha Welte have three times as many points as anyone else in the unit. What’s remarkable, however, is the ascendancy of Jim Lanzo to third place, nipping past Barbara Libby as part of a shakeup in the Top Ten. Here are the leaders:

John and Martha Welte, 346.43; Jim Lanzo, 102,82, up 19 points; Barbara Libby, 101.68, up 14.57; Ken Meier, 100.75; Vic Bergsten, 96.65, dropping two rungs despite a 12.39 point month; Martha Townson, 94.84 with a 15.86 point month; Allen Beroza, 80.23; Sandi England, 78.68; and Larry Himelein, 77.60, nudging Gay Simpson down to #11 with her 77.49.

As for the rest of the teens, it’s Amita Arora, 70.21, up to #12 from #16 with a 21.11 point month; David Millward, 68.87; Sharon Benz, 68.66; Violet Makhija, 62.38; Judi Marshall, 61.80; Bram and Terry Hamovitch, tied for #17 with 59.79; Jasbeer Makhija, 54.65; and Jim Easton, 51.75. Jim got a boost for his venture outside his constant partnership with Marilyn Wortzman. They’re no longer tied. She’s #21 with 49.50, not far ahead of Linda Henschel with 49.36.

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

For many on this list, their totals are the same as the Ace of Clubs totals, but not the Weltes. They’re 28 points better with 374.77, tied for the lead here and still on top of all players in the unit.

The rest of the Top Ten looks like this: Ken Meier, 100.75, sixth overall, up from seventh; Allen Beroza, 80.23, steady at ninth in the unit; David Millward, 68.87 (#13, down from #11); Davis Heussler, 37.83 (#29, down from #27); moi, 31.34 (#35, up from #39); Bill Rushmore, 22.54 (#52, down from #51); Fred Yellon, 10.48 (#98, down from #85); Pat Rasmus, 4.49 (#139, up from #146); and Art Morth, 4.26 (#144, down from #134).

Mini-McKenney. Unit 116. All players.

After John and Martha Welte, leading the list with 374.77 each, it’s the amazing Jim Lanzo, 126.81; and the equally amazing Martha Townson, 111.03. Then comes Barbara Libby, 101.68; Ken Meier, 100.75; Vic Bergsten, 97.63; the up-and-coming Amita Arora, 88.39; Allen Beroza, 80.23; and Sandi England, 78.68; barely staying ahead of Larry Himelein, 77.60; and Gay Simpson, 77.49.

The rest of the teens – David Millward, 68.87; Sharon Benz, 68.66; Violet Makhija, 62.38; Judi Marshall, 61.80; Bram and Terry Hamovitch, 60.32; Jim Easton, 55.06; and Jasbeer Makhija, 54.65. Marilyn Wortzman is #21 with 52.81.

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

Four players in triple digits, three of them from Buffalo’s Unit 116. Tied at the top, of course, are John and Martha Welte with 346.43. They’re also first among all players in the district.

Holding third is Monica Early of Cuyahoga Falls, Ohio, with 121.71. She’s seventh overall in the district. The other centenarian is Buffalo’s Ken Meier with 100.75. He’s #16 overall.

A couple more Ohioans – Doug Snyder of Shaker Heights, 96.04 (#22 overall) and Peter Merker, 84.77 (#30) – and then we encounter Buffalo’s Allen Beroza with 80.23. He’s #33 overall.

Then it’s David Norris of Rocky River, Ohio, with 70.07 (#52) and our snowbird, David Millward, with 68.87. He’s #53 overall. Rounding out the Top 10 is a Pennsylvanian, Jack Hawthorne of Valencia with 62.15. He’s #63 overall.

The next Buffalonian to show up is yours truly, down at #16 with my 31.34. I’m #198 among all players in the district.

Ace of Clubs. District 5. All Players.

John and Martha Welte tied for the lead with 346.43, then it’s all Ohioans, with one exception. The rest of the leaderboard looks like this:

Davis Bonner of Mentor, 140.12; Gary Cole of Norwalk, 137.70; Richard Early of Cuyahoga Falls, 128.85; the only Pennsylvanian, Reanette Frobouck of Pittsburgh, 125.60; Monica Early of Cuyahoga Falls, 121.71; Bruce Cahoon of Silver Lake, 118.71; Barbara Kolton of Beachwood, 113.88; and Sue Becker of Canton, 111.66.

Four Buffalonians reside side-by-side in the teens – Jim Lanzo at #14 with 102.82, Barbara Libby at #15 with 101.68 and Ken Meier at #16 with 100.75. Vic Bergsten sits at #20 with 96.65 and Martha Townson, with 94.84, is #23.

Mini-McKenney. District 5. Gold Life Masters.

A couple of faces from Pittsburgh in this list who weren’t on the Ace of Clubs lineup – Craig Biddle in sixth place and Robert Zimmerman in tenth.

Of course, the Weltes are far, far, far in the lead. 374.77, which is 51.56 more than they had a month ago. Monica Early of Cuyahoga Falls, Ohio, is next with only 121.71 after an 18.74 point month. She’s continuing at #12 among all players in District 5. Then it’s Ken Meier with 100.75. He’s still #24 overall.

After that, Doug Snyder of Shaker Heights, Ohio, 97.84 (#26); Craig Biddle of Pittsburgh, 92.10 (#33); Peter Merker of Mentor, Ohio, 84.77 (#40); David Norris of Rocky River, Ohio (#42); our Allen Beroza, 80.23 (#47) and Robert Zimmerman, 75.81 (#57).

Unit 116’s David Millward with 68.87 is #11 among the Goldies and #69 overall. Our Davis Heussler is #17 with 37.83 and #177 overall. I’m #19, down from #17 a month ago, with 31.34. In the district, I’m #222, down from #214.

Mini-McKenney. District 5. All Players.

The Weltes, 374.77. Gary Cole of Norwalk, Ohio, appears out of nowhere to take third place with 145.71. He bumps Davis Bonner of Mentor, Ohio, who has 140.12 after at 27.96 point month. Bruce Cahoon of Silver Lake, Ohio, slips into fifth with 137.12, having added 26.31.

Amy Goddard of Hartville, Ohio, moves up to sixth from ninth a month ago with 129.61, which is 24.14 better. Richard Early from Cuyahoga Falls, Ohio, drops to seventh from fifth with 128.85, just 18.98 more. Unit 116’s Jim Lanzo is eighth, down from seventh, with 126.81, an even 19 points better. Reanette Frobouck of Pittsburgh takes a big plunge, to ninth from fourth, holding 125.59, just 13.45 more than April. Tenth is Philip Goulding of Wexford, Pa. He’s got 124.99.

Next Buffalo player on the list is Martha Townson, holding steady at #15 with 111.03, an improvement of 16.86. Then we find Barbara Libby and Ken Meier side-by-side at #23 and #24 with 101.68 and 100.75, respectively. A month ago they were #18 and #24. Vic Bergsten is #28 with 97.63, down from #23 after a 12.53 point month.

Ace of Clubs. Nationwide. Gold Life Masters.

A slow month for the Unit 116 and District 5 leaders – John and Martha Welte – and it sent them sliding from a tie for fourth place down to a tie for sixth with their 346.43. There’s a good chance that they won’t slide further, though. Next player is 60 points behind them. Overall, among all players in the nation, they’re tied for #36, down from a tie for #30.

At any rate, here’s the Top 10: Hal Jones Jr. of Lorton, Va., moving up from second to first with 463.93 after a 83.89 point month. He’s #12 among all players. Moving up right behind him to second is Stephen Donohue of Riverwoods, Ill., with 460.37 after a 109.36 point month. He’s #13 overall. He edged past last month’s leader – Piotr Olszewski of Hackettstown, N.J., who has 458.29 after a 38.31 point month. He’s #14 overall.

Passing the Weltes are June Patton of Brevard, N.C., with 356.76, which 74.51 points better than April. She’s #33 overall. And there’s also Yacob (Jacob) Rubinstien of Holland, Pa., with 355.19, 75.38 more than April. He’s #34 overall.

Mark Crumrine of Ocala, Fla., returns to the Top 10 with 284.87, earning 52.66 in May. He’s eighth among the Goldies, #78 overall. He squeezes past the guy who knocked him off the leaderboard last month – Krzysztof Jarosz of Grantham, N.H. – who has 283.31, up 48.81 from April. He’s #82 overall. Rounding out the list is last month’s eighth-place player, Judy Hansen of Eagan, Minn., with 278.49. She’s #90 overall.

Further down the list of 500 we find a few other Unit 116 colleagues – Ken Meier is #165 with his 100.75, Allen Beroza is #287 with 80.23 and David Millward is #393 with 68.87. The list ends at 58.89.

Ace of Clubs. Nationwide. All Players.

We didn’t see the incredible Mark Itabashi of Murrieta, Calif., in the Top 10 a month ago, but here he is on top of everything with 576.68 points. Holding steady in second is Irva Neyhart of Portland, Ore., with 551.07, having added 101.09 to her total.

Third is last month’s leader, Judy Rothstein of Livingston, N.J., with 514.42, improved by just 42.39. Right behind her is Mel Norton of Burlington, Ont., who has 513.12, which is 119.26 better. And then in fifth place, up from #11 a month ago, it’s the familiar face of Vera Carpenter of York, Ont., who now has 504.44. She collected 136.92 points.

The advance of the Canadians sent Stephen Gladyszak of Chelsea, Mass., to sixth place from fourth a month ago. He has 502.10, having grabbed 95.47 points in May. Seventh is Sundaresan Ram of Tucson with 494.45. Eighth is Milton Neher of Richardson, Texas, with 493.87. Rounding out the leaderboard are David Rosenblatt of Palmetto Bay, Fla., with 485.51 and Lawrence Sherman of San Diego with 484.84. Nearby in #11 is John Brady of Jacksonville, Fla., with 482.25. As mentioned previously, the Weltes are tied for #36 with 346.43.

Mini-McKenney. Nationwide. Gold Life Masters.

Stephen Donohue of Riverwoods, Ill., is second on the Ace of Clubs list nationwide, but he’s first here with 493.73. He displaces last month’s leader, Piotr Olszewski, who has 463.93. Then we have Hal Jones with 463.93, and the Weltes, tied for fourth with 374.77.

Sixth place belongs to June Patton of Brevard, N.C., with 359.14. Then it’s Yacob (Jacob) Rubinstien of Holland, Pa., 356.18; Mark Crumrine of Ocala, Fla., 326.45; Krysztof Jarosz of Grantham, N.H., 283.31; and Judy Hansen of Eagen, Minn., 278.49.

Unit 116er Ken Meier is #184 with 100.75. Allen Beroza is #310 with 80.23. And there’s David Millward at #420 with 68.87. The list ends at 62.03.

Mini-McKenney. Nationwide. All Players.

Mark Itabashi has a commanding lead here, as well. 727.69. That’s 245.95 better than a month ago. I don’t think I’ve seen anyone with a 200-point month so far this year. I’m astounded.

Irva Neyhart of Portland, Ore., moves up to second from third place with 571.62, adding 101.09. Up to third from fourth is Stephen Gladyszak of Chelsea, Mass., with 552.04. He’s 95.47 better. And then, holy cow, in fourth place it’s Vera Carpenter of York, Ont., with 519.36. A month ago she was #11 with 382.44.

Then we have Milton Neher of Richardson, Texas, 516.89; April leader Judy Rothstein falling to sixth from second with 516.32; Sundaresan Ram of Tucson, 514.50; Mel Norton of Burlington, Ont., 493.73; Stephen Donahue of Riverwoods, Ill., 493.73; and Craig Allen of Glen Ellyn, Ill., 489.92.

Close behind at the top of the teens are Lawrence Sherman of San Diego, 485.75; David Rosenblatt of Palmetto Bay, Fla., 485.51; and John Brady of Jacksonville, Fla., 482.68.

Vera Carpenter’s husband, Rashid Khan, is #19, up from #25, with 432.75, which is 102.97 better than a month ago. I find the Weltes at #32 with their 374.77. Last month they were tied at #28. No other Buffalonians on this list. It ends at 158 even.