Aces, Places, and Faces

PEGGY OCHS MEMORIAL CHAMPIONSHIP
May 6, 2018
On this day, we remember Peggy Ochs and our players who have passed away since our memorial game last May. Peggy devoted a lifetime to our bridge club, hosting and directing games every afternoon and twice a month on Sunday. Bring something nice for the pot luck at noon and a nice partner for the game at 1 pm.
 
LONGEST DAY
June 22, 2018
The Longest Day is a fund raiser for the Alzheimer’s Foundation. We’ll have games all day Friday June 22.You can play as many as you wish. There is an individual game about dawn, and pair games at 9:00, 12:30, 4:30, and 6:45. The 4:30 game will be Fast Pairs. A 299er game and an open game are scheduled for 12:30. You can donate for the Fresno Unit by looking up Alzheimer’s Longest Day on line, clicking on FIND, and typing 522.
 
THE FORUM
Perhaps you’ve noticed that the Contract Bridge Forum is no longer mailed to us. It’s a sad day that the newspaper which has been mailed to western bridge players since before most of us were born is no longer printed. District 21 newsletter is now the Diamond in the Ruff. You can find it at http://www.contractbridgeforum.com/ and click on District 21. You should get an e-mail whenever it is published.
 PLACE and FACES
We had many winners at the recent Modesto regional. Wally Wallace and Jim Luther were fourth in flight C of the Choice pairs, second in one side game, and first in flight C of another side game. Pete Weber and Avis Morse were fifth in fight B of the side game. Gerard Laquerriere and Richard Meffley were tenth in the Choice pairs and second in the Swiss teams. Kim Morris won flight B of the evening Swiss teams and took second in the side game. Rhonda Hampton and Renee Laquerriere took a first and a third in flight C of the side game. Farid Assemi and Richard Meffley were second in the KO teams and first in the bracketed Swiss teams Farid was also second in another KO teams.  
 
At the Bakersfield sectional, Jacqui McGreal and
Gerard Laquerriere were fifth and seventh in two open pairs. Richard Meffley was second in the Swiss teams.
Congratulation to new Silver Life Master Laura Da Costa, new Bronze LM John Oakshott, and new junior master John Cadwalader.
 
We’re glad to see Mary Lou Pease back after successful surgery. Here’s a note from Mary Lou:

A big thank you to all my bridge friends for your support, prayers, and rides.
Your Bridge Friend,
Mary Lou
 
We are very late in sending our condolences to the family of Ruth Reynolds, and to her partner John Donaldson. Ruth passed away last December.
 
 
 

WINNERS
UNIT CHARITY CHAMPIONSHIP
1A           Richard Meffley - Margaret Mahaffey
2A1B     Belva Quattrin - Robert Durbrow
3A           Mun Takeda - Gerard Laquerriere
2B1C     Laura Da Costa - Ray April
3B           Laura Neville - Jim Mckoane
2C           Marion Austin - Don Austin
 
UNIT CHARITY PAIRS
1AB        Al Crane - Laura Neville
2A           Robert Durbrow - Belva Quattrin
3A2B     Mark Stern - Sally Anne Stern
3B1C     Marion Austin - Don Austin
2C           John McGregor - Patrick Carroll
3C           Mary Claire Ewing - Sandy OwYoung-Chu
 
UNIT 299ER CHARITY PAIRS
1              Cheryl Johnson - Karen Matthews
2              Joan De Yager - Marsha Infausto
 
 CHAMPIONSHIP
1A           Anthony Toto - Byron Steinert
2A1B     Mary Lou Pease - Jane Bragg
3A           Laura Da Costa - Margaret Mahaffey
2B1C     Jason Mcalexander - Andrew Graves
3B           John Oakshott - Peggy Oakshott
2C           Don Austin - Marion Austin
 
 CHAMPIONSHIP
1A           William Wood - Barbara Moore
2A1BC  Laura Da Costa - Gwen Davey
3A2BC  Mary Lou Pease - Sheila Smith
3/4BC    Carol Miller - Judy Shuster
3/4BC    Robert Cherry - Stephen Blumberg
 
 
99ER CHAMPIONSHIP
1              Walt Kelso - Brenda Ward
2              Julia Kendall - Tom Callahan
 
INDIVIDUAL
1              Gary Nelson
2              Bob Cross
3              Joycelyn Kauder
4              Robert Durbrow
5              M. Steve Johnson

OAKHURST WINNERS
Paul Mertens - Wally Wallace (3)
Annette Calhoun - Martha Robrahn
Wally Wallace - Dana Brown
Grant Sturm - Tom Upton (2)
Burke Zane - Bill Carroll
Paul Mertens - Karen McCartin
Jimmy Moore - Bill Carroll (2)
Burke Zane - Ira Estin
Nancy Hays - Ruth Ann Fruehauf
Kirk Moulin - James Cosby
Nancy Hays - Judy Bingham
 

CLUB NEWS
            Most clubs will be holding Sectional Tournament at Club (STAC) games the week of May 7 – 12. They pay silver points. If you get a high percentage game, you could win lots of silver points, since the games are held throughout all western states.
            Barbara Diebert and Virginia Hailey were the top master point winners in Madera for April, followed by Jackie Reichard and Jan Armbruster. Larry and Gay Slates lead for 2018, followed by Barbara Diebert and Nick and Mary Gullo. At the Fresno Bridge Center, Maggie Mahaffey was tops in March, followed by Laura Da Costa, Ray April, and Byron Steinert. You can now check April winners. Mark Stern leads for 2018, followed by Maggie Mahaffey, Bob Cross, and Ray April. In the 99ers,   Jonel Mueller was tops in March, followed by Barbara Brock and Walt Kelso. Pamela Pigg leads the 99ers for 2018, followed by Jonel Mueller and Ann Keag.
            The Fresno Bridge Center has improved security with added lighting and a camera at the front door, plus the ability to remotely lock and unlock the front entrance.
            The bidding ends after everyone has had a chance to bid, and three players in a row pass. The bidding is NOT over when someone bids three no trump or four spades. It’s still correct to use the pass card after someone bids 3NT. We recommend that players not thump the table or withdraw their bid cards until the third pass has ended the auction. We don’t strenuously object if that third person ends the auction with a thump.

Treasurer’s report for May 2018  
As expected, March was not a great month for the Bridge Center. Flu season hit, so games were not well attended. The official financial reports for March were tabled (put on hold) by the board because of a quirk with the budget system we are establishing. So the March financial reports won’t show with the board minutes. But not to worry. The income and outgo are accounted for. When they are officially reported, you will see that on a quarterly basis, we didn’t do so badly, thanks to the February sectional and the Bid-a-Pro fund raiser.
Looking forward on the income side, Mun’s 2 over 1 lessons looks to be a good fund raiser as well as a great way for the beginning and intermediate players to improve. There is still time to sign up.
As far as expenses go, you might have noticed we improved security at the Center. Lights, cameras and new locks. Not only should this make day time players feel safer, we won’t be relying just on the Starpoint security guard for security at the night games. The guard will be around to walk you to your car, but we now have our own way of making those bathroom trips safer, not that it was really a problem. (Spoken as one who plays in night games.)
How did we pay for the new locks? We have a memorial fund. This is money collected from special donations made in honor of our players who are now challenging the likes of Charles Goren and Omar Sheriff in heaven. The board decided that improved security was a good use for money in that fund. So feel safe and come play more.
ACBL expects clubs such as ours pay back to the community by supporting a charity of our choosing and the charity chosen by our regional district. We held two events for this in April, one in conjunction with our anniversary celebration. In June, we will be participating in the nationwide ACBL charity effort: the Longest Day for Alzheimer’s Association on Friday, June 22. This is a special effort for me, as my mother fell to the long goodbye of this disease. I will do my best to play bridge all five games from sun up to sun down that day. I challenge everyone to play as many games as they can that day. 
 
We have some fun summer activities to look forward to. Try a new game or two. You won’t be disappointed. 
 

MORE WINNERS
 
 
SPECIAL
Mark Stern - Jason Mcalexander
Mark Stern - Belva Quattrin
Laura Neville - Robert Durbrow
Rose Boot - William Glass
Gerard Laquerriere - Lowell Gist
Skip Miller - Byron Steinert
Barbara Thacker - Jim Mckoane [B]
Debbie Kemp - James Bushman [B]
Judy Zimmerer - Irene Whelchel[B](2)
Carol Miller - Larry Miller [C]
 
 
 
750 SPECIAL
Pearl McGinnis - Barbara Brock
Jerry F. Noga - John Hempel
Patricia Creede - Angelina Heisdorf
Larry Miller - Andrew Graves
Patricia Creede - Mary Claire Ewing
Judy Nibler - Angelina Heisdorf
George Efthemon - Jackie Finn [B]
Helen Smades - Anna Harguindeguy [B]
Jeremy Newel - Lois High [B]
Nadine Nemechek - Donna Berman [B]
Mary Claire Ewing - Kathryn Miller [C]
Jonel Mueller - Rita Gladding [C]
Robert Cherry - Tay Cherry [C]
Don Myers - Doris Myers [C]
 
 
99 SPECIAL
Barbara Gaudin - Fred Schellack
Madeline Lynes - Pamela Pigg
Brenda Ward - Walt Kelso
Fred Schellack – Walt Kelso
Barbara Gaudin - Clint Hudson
Clint Hudson - Robert Heisdorf [C]
 
 
99
Walt Kelso - Fred Schellack
Margot Cegielski - M. Steve Johnson
Clint Hudson - Robert Heisdorf [B]
Tom Callahan - Julia Kendall [C]