Aces places and faces

WELL ATTENDED CHRISTMAS PARTY
JACKIE FINN
OUR DISTINGUISHED SERVICE MEMBER
This year’s Christmas party had 19 tables, more than any Christmas party in the last six years. Thanks to hospitality chairman Jackie Finn and the board members; we just had enough dinner to satisfy everyone.

Jackie has been in charge of hospitality for our sectionals and special events for several years. This includes our Christmas parties, anniversary parties, lunch and learns at the NonLM sectional, and a few other special events. She has helped keep the Bridge Center clean, and helped restore life to the unit’s Tuesday morning game. For these reasons, we congratulate Jackie as our Distinguished Service Award winner for 2015.

Congratulations to John and Della Schnell, the winners in the open section, and Lois High and Ann Sadler, winners in the 499er section.

We re-elected Don Austin, Kay Chrisman, Jackie Finn, Richard Meffley, and Anthony Toto to the Unit board of directors for 2016 and 2017. Bob Durbrow, previously a board member, was also elected. The first meeting of the board will be Sunday, January 31, 2016, at 11 a.m.

Our thanks to Rhonda Hampton, who retired as a board member.

CLUB NEWS
We had lots of overall winners in the December STAC games. All section top and overall winners are listed in the winners’ circle, with their overall finishes in brackets. The auxiliary awards are for games with fewer than five tables. Our top winners were Belva Quattrin and Bob Durbrow who finished second overall and won 18.35 master points, plus Bill Glass and Jim Sweet, who finished third overall and got 9.65 master points.

The December leaders in Oakhurst are Ken Doig, Joe Fox, Burke Zane, Paul Mertens, Corey Cole.Leaders for December in Madera are Gary Nelson, followed by Nick and Mary Gullo. Gary Nelson was the 2015 leader, followed by Richard Meffley, Carol Kaufman, and Larry and Gay Slates.
            Ray April again was the top point leader of the month. He led November, followed by Irene Whelchel, Steve Sharp, Mark Stern, and Victor Greener. Ray leads for 2015, followed by Steve, Mark, Skip Miller, Maggie Mahaffey, and Victor Greener. Nancy Jones was the top 99er for November, followed by Marge Field and Doris and Don Myers. Don Myers and Marge Field lead for 2015, followed by Doris Myers, Don Austin, Nancy Jones, and Barbara Brock.


NEW DIRECTORY
The new unit directory is available for members for $1, more for non-members. Already there are a few additions and corrections:
Kathryn Miller H 439-7794 M 905-7580
Carol Rodder phone number 438-1455
Judy Dodd phone number 433-9268
 PDF files are available on request; send request to
fresnobridge522@gmail.com.

PARTY BRIDGE

Invite all your friends and neighbors who play bridge to our Saturday afternoon party bridge game at noon on January 23. For more information, and to RSVP, call Mary Lou Pease at 433-6740 or call her cell at 288-2340. The cost is only $2.








WINNERS
 UNIT CHAMPIONSHIP
1A           Della Schnell - John Schnell
2A1B      Ray April - Gerry Jones
2B           Mary Lou Pease - Jane Bragg
 
1A           Victor Greener - J. Jay Roll
2A1B      John Barrere - Laura Neville
3A2B      Laura Da Costa - Ray April
3B1C       Mun Takeda - Cynthia Tingey
2C           Anthony Toto - Jackie Finn
 
1              George Dalition - Jay Shapiro
2              Judy Nicholson - Gay Berry
3              John Barrere - Lynn Green
 
1A           Naguib Abdallah - Victor Greener
2A1BC    Don Austin - Marion Austin
3A           Robert Durbrow - William Glass
2B           Mary Lou Pease - Judy Nibler
3B           Sally Anne Eatherly - Andrea Wheeless
2C           Jane Willson - Sue Comporato
 
UNIT CHAMPIONSHIP
1A           John Schnell - Della Schnell
2A           Victor Greener - J. Jay Roll
3A1B      Mun Takeda - Lorna Cheng
2B           Jason Mcalexander - Steve Sharp
3B           Avis Morse - Dick Powell
1C           James Sweet - John Barrere
2C           Pat Huston - Gerry Jones
3c            Kay Chrisman - Gay Berry
 
UNIT 499 CHAMPIONSHIP
1A           Lois High - Ann Sadler
2AB1C    Marge Field - Nancy Jones
3AB        Deb Petersen - Barbara Wiedel
2C           Joan Deyager - Marsha Infausto
  STAC
John Simpson - Pat Simpson[14A6B]
Julie Wilson - Gerry Jones [19A9B3C]
Jay Roll - William Glass [26]
Mark Stern - Sally Anne Eatherly [26]
Jay Shapiro - George Dalition
Jay Roll - Mark Stern [92]
William Glass - James Sweet [3A2B]
David Haberstich - Mark Stern [7A5B]
Mark Stern - Belva Quattrin [15]
Belva Quattrin - Robert Durbrow [2]
Mark Stern - Victor Greener[6AUX]
Skip Miller - Barbara Thacker
Victor Greener - Skip Miller [14]
Victor Greener - Jay Roll[2AUX]
Della Schnell - John Schnell [78]
Irene Whelchel - Monique Irion [92]
Mary Lou Pease - James Sweet[B][5AUX]
Jason Mcalexander - James Sweet[B][6A2B]
Belva Quattrin - Anthony Toto[B]
Jackie Finn - George Efthemon[B]
Judy Zimmerer - Rhonda Hampton[B]
Judy Jessick - Virginia Johnson[B]
John Simpson - Pat Simpson[B]
Delia Green - Jay Shapiro[C]
Olivia Stockton - Annie Chiljian[C]
Marilyn J. Kendall - Joyce Aiken[C]

750 STAC
Karin Blanchard - Lois High
Sue Comporato - Marilyn J. Kendall[C]
Jerry F. Noga - John Hempel [1]
Don Myers - Doris Myers[C][4C]
Pearl McGinnis - Barbara Brock [7]
Marsha Infausto - Kathryn Miller[C]
Linda Town - Barbara Wiedel [6]
Renee Laquerriere -  Rhonda Hampton [2 and 4]
 Suzanne Graham -  Paul Boyd [7]
Mary Ann Clark - Beverly Little [8]
Andrew Graves - Larry Miller [9B]
 
MAGGIE'S 750 CHRISTMAS PARTY
Marge Field - Nancy Jones
Bill Rogers - Chris Rogers

MARY LOU PEASE
JUDY NIBLER
New Life Masters
Congratulations to Mary Lou Pease and Judy Nibler, who got their final points playing in the recent Palm Springs regional. They finished fourth in Bracket V of the compact knockout teams with Judy Zimmerer and Cindy Tingey. Well done!

BRIDGE LESSONS
            The nine week series on Play of the Hand starts on Saturday January 9, 2016 at 9 am. This is a good follow-up to the bidding series. There is plenty of review so that a player with bridge experience from long ago can relearn the game. Let your friends who want to get back into bridge know.

PLACES AND FACES
At the Palm Springs regional, Mary Lou Pease, Cynthia Tingey, Judy Nibler, and Judy Zimmerer were fourth in Bracket V of the compact knockout teams.
Jay Roll and Bill Glass were fourth and sixth in side games.  Jay Roll also took a second and a third in side games, and eleventh in the IMP pairs. Bill Glass took a third, fourth, and ninth in other side games, plus eleventh in Flight B of the open pairs. Norman Woo was second in Bracket 3 of the KO teams, and 14th in Flight B of the IMP pairs.
            Our sympathy is extended to the family of Mary Lloyd, who recently passed away. Services will be Saturday, January 16 at 9:30 am. Please contact Carol Miller if you wish to go to the luncheon afterwards at Pardini’s at 11 am.
            Condolences go to Pearl McGinnis, whose husband recently passed away.
            Congratulations to Marge Samuelson Kahle on her recent marriage, Congratulations also to Fran Beazley who became a US citizen.
.We’re glad to hear that John Oakshott is at home recovering after a visit to the hospital. Get well wishes go to John. Get well wishes also go to Margaret Siebert.


 
KNOW THE RULES
You can generally know what to alert by checking your convention card. If it’s written in red, it should require an alert. If it’s written in blue, it should require an announcement – such as “transfer.” The only things in blue are transfers, no trump ranges, and forcing/semi-forcing 1 NT. If it’s not listed on the convention card, it most likely must be alerted.
            Note: the range for opening 1 NT must be announced. The range for 1NT overcalls should not be announced.
            If your second bid or later bids are higher than 3NT, they do not need to be alerted. However, if they are special agreements, they must be disclosed after the auction is over. If you have some sort of Blackwood sequence, you must state that you had a Blackwood auction, and if necessary, explain the bids.
 
NORTH AMERICAN PAIRS
If you qualified on November 8 for the District 21, North American Pairs, you can play in January or February. Please check the District 21 website for details.  





MEMBERSHIP CHAMPIONSHIP
1A           Irene Whelchel - Ray April
2A1B     Ruth Christensen - Al Crane
3A2B     Pat Simpson - John Barrere
3B           Nancy Jones - Andrew Graves
 
1A           Irene Whelchel - Monique Irion
2A1B     Steve Sharp - Barbara Thacker
3/4A2B  Margaret Mahaffey - Skip Miller
3/4A2B  Byron Steinert - Anthony Toto
 
 
CLUB CHAMPIONSHP
1AB        George Dalition - Steve Sharp
2AB        Irene Whelchel - Laura Neville
3AB1C  Al Crane - June E. Weber
2C           Carol Miller - Laura Da Costa
 
1A                           John Schnell - Skip Miller
 2/3A                      Margaret Mahaffey - Mark Stern
 2/3A1BC              Gerry Jones - Julie Wilson
2/3B1C                  Mary Lou Da Costa - Diana              Papazian
2/3B2C                  Irene Whelchel - Judy Zimmerer
3C                           Barbara Wiedel - Deb Petersen
 
  OAKHURST WINNERS
Burke Zane - T. Srinivasan
Ken Doig - Jim Luther
James Cosby - Diane McDonough
Joe Fox - Corey Cole (2x)
Burke Zane - Bill Carroll
Nancy Kyle - Barbara Peters
Jimmy Moore - Bill Carroll
Burke Zane - Joe Fox
Claire Molnar - Ken Doig (2x)
Terri Anderson - Nancy Hays
 
 
INDIVIDUAL
1              Don Austin
2              Carol Kaufman
3              James Sweet
 4/6         Angelina Heisdorf
 4/6         Mary Lou Pease
 4/6         Paul Messner
 
 
750 CLUB CHAMP
1A           Pearl McGinnis - Barbara Brock
2A1BC  Marge Field - Nancy Jones
3A2B     Mary Gullo - Cheryl Hiney
3B2C     Don Myers - Doris Myers
3C           Jonel Mueller - Rita Gladding
 
SPECIAL
John Barrere - Lynn Green
Sally Anne Eatherly - Mark Stern
David Haberstich - Mark Stern
Ray April - Avis Morse
Carolyn Lofton - Robert Endara
Paul Messner - Patricia Creede
Robert Durbrow - Mun Takeda
John Barrere - James Sweet
Ray April - Robert Durbrow
Della Schnell - John Schnell
Howard Arquette - Ray April[B]
Jason Mcalexander - Gloria Durbrow[B]
Carolyn Lofton - Robert Endara[B]
Susan Vildosola - Peter Weber[C]
Deb Petersen - Cynthia Tingey[C]
Linda Pickett - Jane Willson[C]
 
 
99er
Walt Kelso - Brenda Ward
Ann Keag - Jane A. McCoy[C]