ACES, PlacES, and faces

WINTER SECTIONAL
February 17 – 20
     It’s almost time for our winter sectional. We’re starting on Friday this time so we can include the President’s Day Holiday on Monday, February 20.  The schedule is similar to previous tournaments, with 499er and open games at 9:30 a.m. and 1:30 p.m. on Friday and Monday. The weekend games start at 10 am, with open and 199er games on Saturday and two session open and 499er team games on Sunday. Members with less than 10 points play free on Saturday morning. Saturday also has 2:30 p.m. open and 499er games. Friday at 6 p.m. is our traditional fast pairs game.  See if you can be the fastest and best player.
     Mary Lou Pease is our partnership chairman.  Please call her at 288-2340 if you need a partner or e-mail marylou121@comcast.net.
     Jackie Finn is in charge of Hospitality. We have sign-up sheets at the Fresno Bridge Center so that you can make yourself part of the Hospitality Committee. We encourage our members to bring a favorite snack to one of the sessions, and sign up for the time that you will bring it. We appreciate those members who help with the tournament.

UNIT NEWS
We elected officers and committee chairmen at the January Unit Board meeting:
President                                Richard Meffley
Vice President                       Laura Da Costa
Secretary                               Kay Chrisman
Treasurer                               Don Austin
         Membership                         Sally Stern
          Sunshine                                Gay Berry
          Business Manager           Kay Chrisman
          NAP/GNT                              Richard Meffley
          Computer Graphics        Deb Petersen
          Publicity                                Laura Da Costa
          Clubhouse Supplies        Kay Chrisman
          Recorder                                Mark Stern
          Judiciary                                Don Austin
          Newsletter                           Richard Meffley
          Newsletter Backup          Anthony Toto
          Mentoring                             Laura Da Costa
          Facebook Page                   Anthony Toto
          Hospitality                            Jackie Finn
          Parliamentarian                Gay Berry
          Charities                                Mary Lou Pease
          Electronic Comm.             Kay Chrisman
          Marketing & Recruitment ML Pease
         Bookkeeper                         Marion Austin                     
         Novice & Education         Laura DaCosta

CLUB NEWS
Barbara Diebert and Carol Kaufman were the top master point winners in Madera for January, followed closely by Gary Nelson and Richard Meffley. Mark Stern was the top player for December at the Fresno Bridge Center, followed by Maggie Mahaffey and Victor Greener. Debbie Kemp was the top 99er for December, followed by Beverly Little and Julia Luo. Ray April was tops for 2016 with 155.30 master points, followed by Mark Stern at 138.61, Victor Greener at 130.48, and Maggie Mahaffey at 129.60. Debbie Kemp led the 99ers at 24.66, followed by Beverly Little at 19.87, Kathryn Miller at 18.39, and Marge Field at 17.39.
                Please remember that the Zero Tolerance policy applies to our club games. If there is unacceptable behavior, call the director.
 
GIFT CERTIFICATES
Did you know that you can purchase bridge gift certificates to give to a favorite bridge player?  They cost $9 and are good for one regular bridge session at the Fresno Bridge Center. They’re perfect for Valentine’s Day, birthdays, and even Quinceaneras. They don’t take up space at home, they don’t need dusting, and they come in the right size and color, and can be used immediately at any game at the Bridge Center. Just ask any director.

WINNERS
 
UNIT CHAMPIONSHIP  
1              Skip Miller - Cynthia Tingey
2A1B     Delia Green - Laura Neville
3A2B     Judy Zimmerer - Irene Whelchel
 
1AB        Lowell Gist - Avis Morse
2/3A       Jay Roll - David Haberstich
2/3A       Naguib Abdallah - Victor Greener
2B1C     Judy Nibler - Rhonda Hampton
3B2C     Mary Lou Pease - Angelina Heisdorf
 
CLUB CHAMPIONSHIP
1A           Richard Meffley - Debbie Kemp
2A1B     Howard Arquette - Ray April
3A           Steve Sharp - Margaret Mahaffey
2B           Alan Nevins - Jeff Nevins
 
1AB        Victor Greener - David Haberstich
2/3A       Dana Brown - Joseph Fox
2/3A2B  Lowell Gist - William Glass
3B           Mary Lou Pease - Avis Morse
 
1AB        Skip Miller - Ray April
2A           Jay Roll - Jay Shapiro
3A           Barbara Thacker - Steve Sharp
2B           Patricia Creede - Ruth Christensen
 
1A           Jay Roll - William Glass
2A           Margaret Mahaffey - Monique Irion
3A1B     Steve Sharp - Ray April
2B1C     Laura Da Costa - Carol Rodder
3B2C     Barbara Thacker - Jim Mckoane

MEMBERSHIP CHAMPIONSHIP
1A           Jay Roll - Jay Shapiro
2A           Skip Miller - Barbara Thacker
3A           Jim Mckoane - Margaret Mahaffey
1B           Stephen Blumberg - Steve Sharp
2B           Laura Neville - Bettylee Wapner
 
750 CHAMPIONSHIP
1ABC     Denny Tweed - Cathleen Burden
2ABC     Marge Field - Debbie Kemp
3A           Rhonda Hampton - Renee Laquerriere
3B           Don Austin - Marion Austin
 

 

nPRO-AM TEAMS
February 26, 2017
We haven’t had a pro-team game since last summer. It’s time for another one. The potluck lunch is at noon; the game starts at 1 pm. You don’t need to bring a partner or a team, but do bring something for the lunch. We’ll divide everyone into four groups according to master points, and pick one from each group to make up a team. Everyone seems to enjoy their team each time we play.

PLACES and FACES
     We had many winners at the recent Monterey Regional. Denny Tweed and Cathleen Burden took fourth and sixth in the 299er pairs. Howard Arquette and Avis Morse, were fourth in Flight A of the evening side game and fourth in Flight B of the morning side game. Peter Weber, Susan Vildosola, Avis Morse, and Howard Arquette were third in Bracket 3 of the KO teams.  Mary Lou Pease, Judy Jessick, Angie Heisdorf, and Rhonda Hampton were second in Flight C of the evening Swiss teams. Farid Assemi and Richard Meffley won the Fast pairs, were sixth in the Barometer pairs, and third in the Open pairs.  
     Mary Lou Pease and Judy Jessick were fifth in Flight B of the morning Swiss teams and won Flight C of the open pairs. Jay Roll was tenth in the open pairs, 11th in the Daylight pairs, seventh in the evening Swiss teams, and second in the Daylight pairs. Congratulations to all our winners.

   If you are going to a District 21 regional, book your hotel reservation early. If you need to cancel, contact Pam Hughes, jmom380@yahoo.com so that someone else can use the reservation. You can reserve now for the Sacramento regional, which starts on Memorial Day, at 916-929-8855 or 800-222-8733.
Several members have moved up in rank.  Andrea Wheeless is a new Regional master. Sandra Beebe, William Coit, Beverly Little, and Judy Pardun are now Sectional masters, and Sandy Young-Chan is a new Junior master. Congratulations!
     Get well wishes to Mark Stern, still recovering after a trip to the hospital while on vacation in the Caribbean, and to Dick Powell, who is still recovering after surgery. Get well wishes also go to Carol Willoughby.
                Our sympathy goes to Rosalie Jorgensen on the loss of her husband, Al.  Also, get well!

ZERO TOLERANCE
                When ACBL started the zero tolerance policy, all the club owners at the Fresno Bridge Center agreed to enforce it. The zero tolerance policy is simple. If a player behaves in an unacceptable manner, the director should be called immediately. If the director finds that there was unacceptable behavior, a ¼ board penalty is assessed against each offender. (That means, for example, if top is 8, the penalty is 2 points). If the same offender is responsible for a second offense in the same event, the offender is ejected from the event and cannot win any master points in the event. Penalties should be given, not warnings, unless there is no clear violation or the director cannot determine the facts.
                If unacceptable behavior occurs, such as badgering, rudeness, negative comments concerning the bidding or play of opponents or partners, or constant gratuitous lessons at the bridge table, please call the director.

LESSONS
            We’re now almost half way through our series of free beginning lessons on Saturdays at 9 a.m. If you have friends who’ve played bridge before, maybe years ago when they were in college, they can still learn quite a bit from the lessons. Please invite them. It’s not too late.

INDIVIDUAL
½             Laura Da Costa
½             William Glass
¾             Don Austin
¾             Mary Lou Pease
5              James Sweet
 
OAKHURST WINNERS
Annette Calhoun - Sharon McCoy
Bette Gross - Curt Gross
Alfred Ellis - Diane Mcdonough
Burke Zane - T Srinivasan(4)
Jimmy Moore - Bill Carroll
Karen McCartin - Paul Mertens
Karen McCartin - Claire Molnar
Ken Doig - Jim Luther
Ken Doig - Claire Molnar(2)
Gary Smith - Judy Smith
Corey Cole - Dana Brown
Annette Calhoun - Diane Mcdonough
Alfred Ellis - Nancy Kyle
Paul Mertens - Ira Estin
Pearl McGinnis - Alfred Ellis 
 
SPECIAL
Gerard Laquerriere - Joseph Fox (2)
Margaret Mahaffey - Carol Rodder [B](2)
Laura Da Costa - Avis Morse [C]
Patricia Creede - Laura Neville
Judy Nicholson - Bettylee Wapner [C]
Laura Da Costa - Avis Morse [C]
 
750 SPECIAL
Mary Ann Clark - Gay Berry
Mary Jane Nevins - Roger Moon [C]
Rhonda Hampton - Renee Laquerriere
John Hempel - Jerry F. Noga [C]
Pearl McGinnis - Barbara Brock
Mary Ann Clark - Beverly Little [B]
JoAnn Huebner - Marilyn J. Kendall [C]
Lois High - Pat Snyder 
 
99ER
Juli Kendall - Gary Beary
Marilyn Fabian - Steve Fabian
Gary Beary - Juli Kendall
Marilyn Fabian - Steve Fabian
Walt Kelso - Fred Schellack