aces, places, and faces

ANNIVERSARY PARTY
April  8, 2018
This Sunday we celebrate our ninth year at our Shaw Avenue address.  It seems like just a short while ago we packed up and moved from our clubhouse on Clinton Avenue where we’d played bridge for over forty years. We plan an open section and a 299er section. Come enjoy lunch at noon and bridge at 1 pm. An extra dollar in card fees goes to the March for Babies.

PLACES and FACES
Congratulations to new sectional master Madeline Lynes and Pam Pigg, new club master Margo Cegielski, and new club masters Robert Heisdorf, Vera Bryan, and Cheryl Ryder.
Our condolences are extended to the family of MaxShe and her husband Jack were regular partners until he passed away two years ago.
Our sympathy is extended to the family of Betty Coates. She was a regular player in the Reedley game, which used to meet on Tuesday nights. She later moved to Sacramento.

LEARN 2 over 1
Mun Takeda will teach the 2/1 bidding system for four weeks on Tuesday evenings, starting in May. If you go to any tournaments, you’ll find that most tournament players are using 2/1, except for a few playing Precision or Polish Club, or Bob Hamman, who still likes four-card major openers. It’s not a big mysterious system. When you open a major, your partner needs a
forcing-to-game hand to bid at the two level. After that, all bids are forcing until you reach game. Mun will show you all the fine points that make the system work. The cost is $60, which includes a book by Larry Cohen on 2/1. If you already have this book, the cost is $45. Please sign up at the bridge center soon so we’ll be sure to have enough books for everyone. Soon you can play 2/1 like the pros.
Mun is donating her time to the unit. Thanks!

LESSONS
EasyBridge 1 and 2 continue on Saturday mornings through April 21. If you finished Easybridge 1, you can start Easybridge 2 on the first Saturday morning in June. For those who need to start at the beginning, or those who haven’t played in many years, EasyBridge 1 also starts the first Saturday in June, at 9 am. Invite your friends and neighbors to come and learn bridge.
Laura Da Costa is now teaching a series on Play of the Hand on Tuesday mornings at 10 am. It will go through May 8.

THE LONGEST DAY
The Longest Day is held every year on the first day of summer, the longest day of the year. Clubs hold games all day long to support the Alzheimer’s Association. This year, clubs can pick one day during the week for their “Longest Day.” We’ve chosen to observe the Longest Day on Friday, June 22, 2018. Please try to play as much bridge as you can that day. We’ll have more information in the next newsletters. 

WINNERS
UNIT CHAMPIONSHIP
1A           Debbie Kemp - Margaret Mahaffey
2A1B     Mary Lou Pease - Anthony Toto
3A2B     Deb Petersen - Cynthia Tingey

1          Laura Da Costa - Ray April
2          Mun Takeda - Avis Morse
3          Laura Neville - Jim Mckoane
 
1/2A       Margaret Mahaffey - Mark Stern
1/2A       Belva Quattrin - J. Jay Roll
3A1B     Ray April - Laura Da Costa
2B1C     Mary Lou Pease - Sally Anne Stern
2C           Anthony Toto - Avis Morse
 
 
CLUB CHAMPIONSHIP
1             Mary Gullo - Nick Gullo
2             Gay Slates - Larry Slates
 
 
 750 CHAMPIONSHIP
1          Robert Cherry - Tay Cherry
2          Judy Geary - Marsha Infausto
3          Jerry F. Noga - John Hempel
 
 
 
99ER CHAMPIONSHIP
1          Carol Fiorentino - John Cadwalader
2          Alvin Fred Schellack - Walt Kelso

PEGGY OCHS MEMORIAL GAME
Sunday, May 6, 2018
On the first Sunday in May we remember all the bridge players who have passed away in the last year. Some may have moved away; some may have stopped playing the last few years, but we remember them all. The game honors Peggy Ochs, who at one time or another ran every afternoon game and the Sunday Unit games as well. Please come for the pot luck luncheon at noon and stay for bridge at 1 pm.

Treasurer’s report for April 2018
As expected, February showed a positive cash flow, thanks to our Sectional tournament which was the result of the hard work of those who made it happen; The Tournament Chair (Laura de Costa), Partnership Chair (Mary Lou Pease) and Hospitality Chair (Jackie Finn) stand out. Others who helped and those who gave up private games to make way for the tournament deserve our thanks. You will see it on the financial reports. And kudos to those who participated in the Bid-a-Pro fund raiser, as noted below.
The not as good news is that the expenses for the tournament are not yet recognized. That is, some expenses, such as for the food, were put on the club’s credit card and have not yet shown up on the books. So, with a gross income of $4,244.00 minus the ACBL fees of 2005.14, we cleared $2,238.86 but less the food and other expenses, which we don’t know yet.  It is still positive, which is good.
The Bid-a-Pro fund raiser brought in $1265 by the end of February which was great. More should be recognized in March. Thanks to Sally and Mary Lou and to the Pros and those who paid to improve their game. Let’s hope we keep doing this; advanced players helping advancing players. This is how we build a good unit.
Looking to March, it may not be one of our best months. A few games were canceled, due to low attendance. Let’s hope these are just anomalies.
Keep playing. Keep having fun. And call the director if needed.

CLUB NEWS
The top players in Madera for March were Larry and Gay Slates, followed by Carol Kaufman and Barbara Diebert. They are also the top master point winners for the year. The top player at the Fresno Bridge Center for February was Mark Stern, only .01 ahead of Maggie Mahaffey. Mark is the top player for 2018, followed by Bob Cross, Maggie Mahaffey, Lowell Gist, and Ray April. Pamela Pigg leads the 99ers for February, followed by Madeline Lynes and Sandy OwYoung-Chu. Pam leads for 2018, followed by Ann Keag and Fred Schellack.

PRO-AM TEAMS
April 29, 2018
Once again we have a team game where we pick teammates for you. Come early for the pot luck lunch at noon, so you’ll be sure to get picked for a team when we draw for teams about ten to one o’clock.

INDIVIDUAL
1          Joycelyn Kauder
2          James Sweet
3          Richard Meffley
 
OAKHURST WINNERS
Michelle Oliver - Bill Carroll
Wally Wallace - Ira Estin
Paul Mertens - Wally Wallace (2)
Ken Doig - Claire Molnar (2)
Wally Wallace - Dana Brown (2)
Ken Doig - T Srinivasan (2)
Clem Bingham - Jim Luther
Bill Wood - Barbara Moore
 
SPECIAL
Jason Mcalexander - James Sweet
Lowell Gist - Avis Morse
Robert Durbrow - Judy Nicholson
Laura Neville - Dick Powell
Larry & Gay Slates
Gary Nelson – June Oeser
Monique Irion - Irene Whelchel
Cynthia Tingey - Skip Miller
Laura Neville - Ruth Christensen
Mary Ann Florio - Mike Florio
Laura Neville - Irene Whelchel
Barbara Thacker - Jim Mckoane
Avis Morse - Dick Powell[B]
Andrew Graves - Larry Miller[C]
Mary Lou Pease - Carol Rodder[C]
James Sweet - Andrew Graves[C]
 
 
750 SPECIAL
Marlene Frazier - Diana Papazian
Denny Tweed - Cathleen Burden
Pearl McGinnis - Barbara Brock
Jerry F. Noga - John Hempel
Helen Smades - Anna Harguindeguy [B]
Marge Field - Estee Strombotne [B]
Jonel Mueller - Kathryn Miller [C]
Mary Claire Ewing - Kathryn Miller [C]
 
99er
Margot Cegielski - M. Steve Johnson (2)
Margot Cegielski - M. Steve Johnson
Rita Patirka - Betty Wilson
Robert Heisdorf - Julia Kendall [B]
Walt Kelso - Alvin Fred Schellack [B]
Robert Heisdorf - Barbara Gaudin [C]