ACES, PLACES, and FACES

 MENTORING GAME
POT LUCK
September 11, 2016
               For the third time, we’re having a mentoring game. This is an interesting event. Each table has one designated mentor, usually sitting  North. The mentor can give advice about the hands as they are played. After every round, we all stop and talk about the hands we just played. Every hand has something to learn. Hopefully, there will be a useful thing to discuss and learn each round. Please sign up at the bridge club. You can sign up by yourself and we’ll assign a partner, or sign up with your partner.
               Don’t forget we’ll have a pot luck lunch at noon before the game. Bring something you like to eat and share it with your bridge friends.
 
PLACES AND FACES
            At the Boise Regional, Jay Roll was sixth in the charity game, first and fourth in side games, first in the Stratified pairs, eighth in the Open pairs, and fourth in the Swiss teams. Bill and Jill Wood were ninth in the Open pairs (That’s winning Flight B.) and third in Flight B of the Stratified pairs.
            John and Della Schnell were 17th in the Open pairs at the Scottsdale regional. Patrick Carroll and John McGregor were fifth in flight B twice at the Santa Barbara sectional. Congratulations to all the winners!
            We have to say good-bye to Sue Comporato, who is moving to Morgan Hill.
            Welcome to new member Rita Putirka.
Diane A McDonough is now a club master. Karen L Matthews is now a junior master. Congratulations on your new ranks.
            Our condolences to Barbara Diebert, whose nephew recently passed away.

CLUB NEWS
            The top players in Oakhurst for August were Ken Doig, Joe Fox, Claire Molnar, Karen McCartin, and Paul Mertens. Top players in Madera were Gary Nelson, Mary Gullo, and Virginia Hailey. Gary leads for 2016, followed by Mary, Carol Kaufman, and Barbara Diebert.
            Top players in Fresno for July were Victor Greener, Ray April, Lowell Gist, Skip Miller, and Maggie Mahaffey. Ray leads for 2016, followed by Steve Sharp, Mark Stern, Victor Greener, and Maggie Mahaffey.  Top 99ers for July were Doris and Don Myers, followed by Debbie Kemp and Marge Field. The Myers lead for 2016, followed by  Beverly Little, Debbie Kemp, and  Kathryn Miller. Players are all listed on our website.
            Next month is club appreciation month. All the clubs will be having club appreciation championships in October.
           Please be helpful and clear your table of food, plates, glasses, boards, pencils, and bridge pads. The bridge equipment usually goes at the end of the room near the computer.  If you’re extra nice, put plates and glasses in the dishwasher.
     We had some overall winners in the recent STAC games.   Barbara Thacker and Steve Sharp were first in auxiliary pairs, with  Cynthia Tingey and Judy Zimmerer first in Flight B and C. Ray April and Gerry Jones were eighth. In other Auxiliary pairs, Victor Greener and Jay Roll were fourth; Debbie Kemp and Bill Glass were fifth; Maggie Mahaffey and Steve Sharp were sixth, and Jay Roll and Richard Meffley were sixth.

           
WINNERS
NLM Sectional
SATURDAY MORNING NLM SECTIONAL
1A           Deb Petersen - Barbara Wiedel
2A           Jackie Finn - Jason Mcalexander
3A1B      Joel Reimnetz - Charlene Reimnetz
5A2B1C  Joan Fritz - Marge Field
3B2C       James Bushman - Debbie Kemp
6A           Renee Laquerriere - Rhonda Hampton
4B           Don Austin - Marion Austin
5B3C       Cheryl Johnson - Darlene Cunnings
 
 
SATURDAY AFT NML PAIRS
1ABCC   Sally Seago - Monica Deutsch
2/3A        Renee Laquerriere - Rhonda Hampton
2/3A2BC Karin Blanchard - Kathryn Miller
4/5A3/4B                Cynthia Tingey - Jane Bragg
4/5A3/4B  Barbara Kelley - Diane E Simpson
3C           Joel Reimnetz - Charlene Reimnetz
 
 
SUNDAY MORNING
1AB        Joel Reimnetz - Charlene Reimnetz
2A           Cynthia Tingey - Jane Bragg
3A2B      Diane E Simpson - Kathryn Miller
4A3B      Marion Austin - Don Austin
5A1C      Joan Dinwiddie - Levean Widger
2C           Jeff Nevins - Alan Nevins
 
SUNDAY AFTERNOON
1A           Jason Mcalexander - Gloria Fitzgerald
2A           Renee Laquerriere - Rhonda Hampton
3A1B      Joel Reimnetz - Charlene Reimnetz
4A2B1C  Jonel Mueller - Rita Gladding
3B           Don Austin - Marion Austin
2C           Karin Blanchard - Kathryn Miller

NLM SECTIONAL
               Thanks to Jackie Finn, our hospitality chairman, and all the members who brought food for our banquet tables. The top players were Joel and Charlene Reimnetz from Pacific Grove. They and other players from out of town complimented us on the tournament. Jason McAlexander was the top Fresno player at the tournament.

FRESNO FALL SECTIONAL
OCTOBER 6-9, 2016
               It’s not too early to get your partner for our fall sectional. Flyers with the schedule are available at the clubhouse. We’ll have pair games at 10 and 3 on Friday and Saturday, pair games at 9 and 1:30 on Thursday, and Swiss teams on Sunday. Call Jackie Finn (435-0858) if you need a partner.
 
WEAK TWO BIDS
               The classic weak two bid has a good six card suit and about 8 to 10 points. It has two main purposes: to interfere with the opponents’ auction, and to describe your hand so that your partner can determine the best contract for your side. You should try to avoid weak two bids when you hold a side 4 card major, because that could easily be the best trump suit. So that your partner can judge what to do, your suit should be headed by the QJ9 or better, preferable better. Your partner may be disappointed if you open a jack high suit. Many experts choose not to use the classic weak two, but often open a weak two bid with a weak suit. Then they use the Ogust convention to find out how good the suit is. In third seat, it’s a good idea to open a five card suit if it is a good lead director. The general convention chart, which lists conventions that are allowed in all tournaments, does not list the weak two bid. That means that any version of a weak two bid is allowed, including opening on five card suits. The convention card has spaces to describe your version of the weak two. If your partner can expect a bad 5 card suit on occasion, that should be noted on your card. But ACBL allows it. Clubs are free to determine what conventions are allowed. So that our players can play in tournaments without having to play under new rules, our clubs generally allow everything that the general convention chart allows. We generally don’t allow the more complicated conventions on the Mid-chart or Superchart.
               In fourth seat, you have the option of passing out the hand, so don’t open a bad hand. A two bid in fourth seat ought to be an intermediate hand, somewhat better than a minimum opening bid.