Aces, Places,and Faces

PRO-AM TEAMS
July 16, 2017
               One of our popular events is the Pro-Am team game, to be held July16 at 1pm, following a pot luck lunch at noon. Each team is picked randomly according to master point holdings, with one or two Life Masters on each team, and players with not so many points on each team. Players are divided by master points into four groups, and each team has a member drawn from each group.  This makes each team about equal to each other team. You may get to try out a partnership with each member of your team.  
               Don’t forget the potluck lunch at noon. Bring something you like to share with the other players.
 THE LONGEST DAY
Thank you to all who contributed to the Alzheimer’s Association on the Longest Day. Our unit has raised $2051.00 so far. More donations are being accepted at the website www.longestday.org. (Click Search, then enter Unit 522 in the space for Donate to a Team) .
Besides donations going to research, this group provides support for the families dealing with this horrific affliction. The local Alzheimer’s Association left brochures on the table by the door should you know someone who needs their services.  
Our biggest contributors were Karen and Gregory Simpson. You have two t-shirts to pick up at the Bridge Center.
Thanks again to everyone for your generosity. I hope you had fun on the longest day of the year trying to end the long goodbye. This sets a new target for next year. -Don Austin, Longest Day Chairman

LESSONS
               We’re starting a new lesson series on Saturday, September 16, at 9 am. EasyBridge 1 is for new players; EasyBridge 2 is a continuation for those who took EasyBridge 1.  If you have barely played or never played bridge, Easybridge 1 is for you. Please tell your relatives, friends, and neighbors who you think might enjoy playing our exciting game. Mary Lou Pease and Laura Da Costa will be the teachers.

PLACES and FACES
We had a lot of winners at the recent Sacramento regional. Avis Morse was fifth in the side game and third in the second flight of the Midflight pairs. Richard Meffley was second in the open pairs. Jonel Mueller and Barbara Wiedel were third in the 299er pairs. Judy Jessick and Mary Lou Pease won flight C of the open pairs. Naguib Abdallah, Victor Greener, Mark Stern, and David Haberstich were fifth in flight X of the Swiss teams. Jay Roll won the side game. Bill Glass was third in flight B of the side game.
            At the Las Vegas regional, Bill Glass and Jim Sweet won the side game, and finished second and sixth in two other side games. Rick Whitworth and Jim Tritt won the knockout teams and were second in the afternoon Swiss teams. Congratulations to all our winners!     Jackie Finn is now a NABC master; William Wilson is a sectional master; and June Oeser is a Junior master. Welcome to the new rank.

     Our condolences go to Mun Takeda, whose husband recently passed away.

     Our sympathy goes to Renee Laquerriere, whose mother recently passed away.

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WINNERS
UNIT CHAMPIONSHIP
1AB     Jay Shapiro - Irene Whelchel
2AB1C            Judy Zimmerer - Rhonda Hampton
3A       Laura Neville - Jim Mckoane
3B        Peter Weber - Susan Vildosola
2C        George Dalition - Judy Dodd
 
1          Laura Da Costa - Ray April
2          Belva Quattrin - Robert Durbrow
 
NORTH AMERICAN PAIRS
1          Laura Neville - Patricia Creede
2          Mark Stern - Sally Anne Stern
 
CLUB CHAMPIONSHIP
1A       Skip Miller - Byron Steinert
2A       Margaret Mahaffey - Carol Miller
3A1BC Al Crane - Ruth Christensen
22BC   Sheila Smith - Cynthia Tingey
3B        Judy Jessick - George Efthemon
 
1          Anthony Toto - Byron Steinert
2          Mark Stern - Victor Greener
 
1AB     Mark Stern - Sally Anne Stern
2AB1C            Laura Da Costa - Ray April
3AB     Al Crane - Laura Neville
2C        Kay Chrisman - Mary Lou Pease
750 CLUB CHAMPIONSHIP
1ABC  Jonel Mueller - Rita Gladding
2ABC  Marilyn J. Kendall - Fran Beazley
3A       Karin Blanchard - Paul Boyd
3BC     Ann Sadler - Lois High
 
99ER CHAMPIONSHIP
1AB     Steve Johnson - Eleanor Alpha
2AB     Pamela Pigg - Elaine Henshel
3A1C   Alvin Fred Schellack - Susan Snyder
2/4C     Edward Hampton - Suzanne Sobenes
2/4C     Juan Sobenes - Scarlett Richman
2/4C     Julia Kendall - Barbara Gaudin

CLUB NEWS
Last Tuesday Morning
Game July 4
                Jay Shapiro has run the morning games for quite a while, but now he has a new job in Las Vegas and he’ll be leaving us. Several players were pleased that he kept the game open when the Unit decided to close the game.
               Jay will hold a member ship game at 9 am on July fourth for his last game. Everyone is welcome.
 Tuesday morning has a long tradition in Fresno - over the last fifty years it has been directed by Evelyn Maddox, Mary Lou Da Costa, Jean Kesler, Keiko Collins, and others including Jay. If anyone wants to continue the tradition, we would welcome a new club owner.
               The top players in Oakhurst for June are Paul Mertens, Al Ellis, Jim Luther, Karen McCartin, and Diane McDonough. The top player in Madera for June was Gary Nelson, followed by Carol Kaufman and Barbara Diebert. Gary still leads for 2017.  The top player in Fresno for May is Maggie Mahaffey, followed by Ray April and Mark Stern. Ray leads for 2017, followed by Mark Stern, Maggie Mahaffey, and Victor Greener. The top 99er for May was Jonel Mueller, followed by Marilyn Kendall and Beverly Little. Beverly leads for 2017, followed by Jonel and Debbie Kemp.

BIDDING WITH LONG SUITS
We’ve all heard about bidding up the line, but that applies to four card suits, and even there it doesn’t always apply. But what about longer suits?
            When you have two five card suits, always bid the higher ranking suit first, then the lower ranking suit. This preserves bidding space. When you do that, your partner can go to either suit at the same bidding level. Your partner should support your first bid suit if he has equal length in both suits. If you open the lower five card suit, your partner may have to bid at a higher level to go back to your first suit. Your partner should assume that when you bid a lower ranking suit, then a higher ranking suit, that the lower ranking suit is longer because you bid it first.(That doesn’t apply if you are still at the one level). He should also assume that you have a good hand, because you may be forcing him to the three level when he has only six points.
            There may be a very few exceptions – such as when you are overcalling just to suggest a lead.
            If you have 6-5 distribution, open the 6 card suit unless you have a bad hand and the 5 card suit is just above the 6 card suit.

TREASURER’S REPORT
The month of May saw us still losing money with our regular game schedule. Any change from the increase table fees won’t show up until at least next month. The board of directors is still taking what steps we can to stem the losses. If you want to help, recruit friends to play. And play nice, so that they will want to come back. 

FRESNO NONLIFE MASTER SECTIONAL
August 12-13
     If you have under 500 master points, and you haven’t made LM yet, you’ll enjoy our sixteenth annual NonLM sectional. It’s a good chance to pick up silver points and have a good time without those pesky Life Masters who seem to like to take all the tricks. Ask your partner to play right now.

OAKHURST WINNERS
Diane McDonough - Judy Van Winkel
Al Ellis - Ty Moser
Karen McCartin - Paul Mertens
Al Ellis - Jonie Roberts
Pearl McGinnis - Al Ellis
Ira Estin - Hal Mendoza
Betty Gadbois - Paul Mertens
Karen McCartin - Claire Molnar
Al Ellis - Nancy Hays
Jim Luther - Jimmy Moore
SPECIAL
Belva Quattrin - Robert Durbrow
Joseph Fox - Dana Brown
George Dalition - Steve Sharp
Mark Stern - Belva Quattrin
Barbara Thacker - Steve Sharp
Ray April - Bob Cross
Irene Whelchel - Judy Zimmerer
Kent Billeter - Laura Neville
Lowell Gist - Mark Stern
Paul Messner - Jane Bragg
Gary Nelson – Richard Meffley
Belva Quattrin - Robert Durbrow
Margaret Mahaffey - Mark Stern
Steve Sharp - Margaret Mahaffey
Robert Durbrow - Margaret Mahaffey
Dick Powell - Avis Morse [B]
Sheila Smith - Gerry Jones [B]
Carol Kaufman – Barbara Diebert [B]
Joann E. Evans - Skip Miller [B]
Jay Shapiro - Kent Billeter [B]
Virginia Hailey – Paula Baraldi[B}
Judy Dodd - Mary Lou Pease [B]
Patrick Carroll - Alex C. Sherriffs [B]
Don Austin - Marion Austin [B]
Larry Miller - Judy Shuster[B]
George Efthemon - George Dalition [C]
Renee Laquerriere - Howard Arquette [C]
Pepper Kammen - Susan Vildosola [C]
Laura Da Costa - Carol Rodder [C]
 
 
INDIVIDUAL
1          Bob Cross
2          Anthony Toto
3/6       Nancy Jones
3/6       Carol Kaufman
3/6       Joycelyn Kauder
3/6       William Glass
 
 
750 SPECIAL
Marilyn J. Kendall - JoAnn Huebner
Yvonne Jeffrey - Barry Druffel
Pamela Pigg - Ann Keag [C]
Marlene Robinson - Barbara Kelley [C]
 
 
99er SPECIAL
Joyce Aiken - Elaine Henshel
Pamela Pigg - Madeline Lynes
Ann Keag - Cheryl Ryder [B]
 
99er
Fred Schellack - Walt Kelso [2]
Edward Hampton - Robert Heisdorf
Barbara Gaudin - Suzanne Sobenes
Juan Sobenes - Scarlett Richman
John Cadwalader - Barbara Diebert
Juan Sobenes - Scarlett Richman [C]
John Cadwalader - Carol Fiorentino [C]
Barbara Gaudin - Julia Kendall [C]
June Oeser - Alan Sakamoto [C][2]
Walt Kelso - Fred Schellack [C]