Aces, Places, and Faces

ume LXVII No. 12
 UNIT CHRISTMAS PARTY
December 13, 2015
Once again the Fresno Unit invites all players to a Christmas dinner and bridge, at noon on Sunday, December 13. Hospitality chairman Jackie Finn has everything under control and promises a fine meal.
After the meal, the ballots for the Unit Board of Directors are counted, and we have our annual membership meeting. At the annual meeting, we have a few reports and awards, and answer questions from the membership.
Finally, we have a Unit Championship bridge game. If attendance warrants, we may have a separate Flight B section. The Unit Board set the price of the game and meal at $5.00, as a holiday present for our members. Please help us enjoy the holidays!
 
PLACES and FACES
At the Oakland sectional, Richard Meffley was seventh in the open pairs.
            Welcome to new member Vera Bryan.
            Congratulations to new regional masters, Don and Marion Austin and new junior master Susan Shaver.
            Our condolences go to Joyce Kauder, whose former mother-in-law, Mary Jane Farell, recently passed away. Mary Jane was a member of the ACBL’s Bridge Hall of fame, winner of many national and world  championships, and one of the nicest bridge professionals ever.
Our condolences go to Monique Irion, whose husband Clyde recently passed away.

BRIDGE LESSONS
            The first series on bidding is completed. Laura will continue with special topics at 9 a.m. on the first two Saturdays in December. After a Christmas break, the nine week series on Play of the Hand will start on January 9, 2016. 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.

DON'T PLAY WITH YOUR CARDS 
Bobby Wolff’s bridge column in Sunday’s newspaper answered a question about touching the bid cards in the bidding box. You should not touch the bid cards until you have decided which one to use. Do not finger them; do not pull one out and put it back. Wait until you’ve decided which one to place on the table. You may be giving unauthorized information to your partner or give clues to your opponents.
      Similarly, the same problem can occur when playing a card to a trick. Do not detach a card from your hand until you are sure which one to play. If you are not sure, you don’t need to try out one or another until you find the right one. Wait until you’ve decided before you pull out a card.
      When you finally decide on a card or bid card, pull it out, look at it to make sure it’s the card you reached for, and place it on the table. Don’t hold it to decide whether to change your final decision.
      You have permission to slap the fingers of anyone who fingers more than one card or bid card before playing one.

MEMBRSHIP DIRECTORY
    Long ago we published a membership directory every year. Then every other year. It has now been three years, and we expect to have it available sometime in December for our members. It will cost $1 for members. If you ask, will send a pdf file free.
 
 

 WINNERS
UNIT NAP CHAMPIONSHIP
1A    Steve Sharp - Barbara Thacker
2A1B  Laura Da Costa - Ray April
3A2B  Irene Whelchel - Laura Neville
3B    Naguib Abdallah - Victor Greener
1C    Renee Laquerriere - Mary Lou Pease
2C    Stephen Blumberg - Robert Cherry
 
UNIT CHAMPIONSHIP
1A    Lowell Gist - Victor Greener
2A    Mark Stern - Robert Durbrow
3A1BC John McGregor - Patrick Carroll
2BC   Rhonda Hampton - Judy Nibler
3BC   Joyce Aiken - Marilyn J. Kendall
 
CLUB APPRECIATION
1ABC  Carol Carr - Pat Huston
2A    Robert Durbrow - Belva Quattrin
3A    Skip Miller - John Schnell
2BC   Olivia Stockton - Annie Chiljian
3BC   Carol Miller - Judy Shuster
 
1A    Margaret Mahaffey - George Dalition
2A1BC Irene Whelchel - Judy Dodd
3A2B  Byron Steinert - Skip Miller
3B2C  Laura Da Costa - Carol Miller
 
1AB   Steve Sharp - Barbara Thacker
2A    Irene Whelchel - Monique Irion
3/4A2/3B1C  Ray April - Sheila Smith
3/4A2/3B    Naguib Abdallah - Victor Greener
2C    John Oakshott - Peggy Oakshott
 
1     Margaret Mahaffey - Steve Sharp
2/3   Mary Lou Pease - Kay Chrisman
2/3   Laura Da Costa - Ray April
 
1ABC  Don Austin - Marion Austin
2A    Lowell Gist - William Glass
3A2B  Angelina Heisdorf - Avis Morse
3B2C  Jane Willson - Linda Pickett
 
 
1A    Barbara Thacker - Skip Miller
2A    Jim McKoane - Margaret Mahaffey
3/4A1/2B    Susan Vildosola - Peter Weber
3/4A1/2B    Kent Billeter - Sydney Bluestone
3B    George Efthemon - Jackie Finn
 
 
750 CLUB APPRECIATION
1AB   Jerry F. Noga - John Hempel
2ARon Vieira - Barry Druffel
3AJanet Blumberg - Stephen Blumberg
2B    Kathleen Coit - William Coit
3B    Deb Petersen - Barbara Wiedel
1C    Sandra Beebe - Judy Pardun
2C    Marge Samuelson - Fran Beazley
3C    Sue Comporato - Marilyn J. Kendall

CLUB APPRECIATION TEAMS
1A    Margaret Mahaffey - Laura Da Costa - Irene Whelchel - Ray April
2A    Della Schnell - John Schnell - William Glass - Mun Takeda
3A1BC Barbara Wiedel - Deb Petersen - JoAnn Huebner - Cynthia Tingey
2BC   Gloria Durbrow - Jason Mcalexander - Don Austin - Marion Austin
3/4B  John Oakshott - Peggy Oakshott - Ruth Christensen - Laura Neville
3/4B  Mary Lou Pease - Rhonda Hampton - Judy Nibler - Jane Bragg

UNIT NEWS
BOARD of DIRECTORS ELECTION
 
A ballot for Fresno Unit Board is included with this month’s AP&F. The term of office is two years, 2016 and 2017. We have six vacancies. Nominees are:
Don Austin, current unit treasurer.
Bob Durbrow, former board member and former board member of District 22.
Kay Chrisman, current unit secretary and club manager.
Jackie Finn, current hospitality chairman.
Richard Meffley, current unit president and AP&F editor.
Anthony Toto, Facebook page editor and representative to District 21.
 
Vote for up to six. Ballots must be turned in to the ballot box at the Fresno Bridge Center before the annual meeting on December 13, 2016, or mailed to Elections/Fresno Bridge Center, 1320 E Shaw Ave Ste 100, Fresno CA 93710.

CLUB NEWS
STAC GAMES
             The week of December 7 to December 12 is the Holiday Sectional Tournament at Clubs (STAC). Nearly all clubs have signed up for these games, which give you a chance to win lots of silver points. The games are held in clubs all over the Western United States. With so many clubs in play, the overall awards can get to 10 or 20 silver points or more.
            Congratulations to the qualifiers from the November 8 Unit North American Pairs game. Flight A qualifiers may play in Mountain View on January 23 and 24. Flight C qualifiers play there on January 24. Flight B qualifiers play there on Saturday February 6. More information is on the District 21 website.
               Oakhurst leaders for November are Claire Molnar, Karen McCartin, Jim Luther, Paul Mertens, and Burke Zane. Top players in Madera for November are Gary Nelson, Carol Kaufman, Richard Meffley, Virginia Hailey, and Paula Baraldi. Gary leads for 2015, followed by Richard Meffley, Carol Kaufman, and Larry and Gay Slates.
     Top Fresno players for October were Steve Sharp, Maggie Mahaffey, Laura Da Costa, Irene Whelchel, and Skip Miller. Ray leads for 2015, followed by Steve Sharp, Mark Stern, Maggie Mahaffey, and Skip Miller.
        Top 99er for October was Marion Austin, followed by Don Austin and Doris and Don Myers. Don Myers leads for 2015, followed by Doris Myers, Marge Field, and Marion and Don Austin.
                Don’t forget the Unit Christmas party on Sunday, December 13. Other Christmas parties on the schedule are:
   12:15 pm Luncheon on Tuesday December 15 before the 750 game
    6:45 pm Dinner on Friday December 11
   12:15 pm New Years Goodies on Wednesday December 30
 
 SOCIAL BRIDGE
    We  plan to invite social bridge players to our bridge center on Saturday afternoon, January 23, 2016. It's a good opportunity to acquaint some to the wonderful world of duplicate bridge There will  be more information in the  next issue. Please invite a few friends who aren't playing duplicate yet.

CLUB CHAMPIONSHIP
1A          Howard Arquette - Ray April
2A1B        John Simpson - Pat Simpson
3A2B1C      Don Austin - Marion Austin
3B          Judy Jessick - Mary Lou Pease
2C          Joan Fritz - Marge Field
 
 
 
BAROMETER CHAMPIONSHIP
1A          Victor Greener - J. Jay Roll
2A1B        Mark Stern - Sally Anne Eatherly
3A2B1C      John Barrere - Linda Hertzberg
2/4C        James Sweet - Anthony Toto
2/4C        Mary Lou Pease - Jason Mcalexander
2/4C        Don Austin - Marion Austin
 
 
 
INDIVIDUAL
1     Carol Kaufman
2     Mary Lou Da Costa
3     James Sweet
 
OAKHURST WINNERS
Ken Doig - Jim Luther
Burke Zane - T. Srinivasan
Jimmy Moore - Bill Carroll
Claire Molnar - Karen McCartin
Al Ellis- Annette Calhoun
Dorothy & Jack Stitt
Claire Molnar -Ken Doig
Karen McCartin - Paul Mertens(2)
Annette Calhoun - Jim Luther
Burke Zane - Joe Fox
 
SPECIAL
Robert Durbrow - William Glass
Victor Greener - Naguib Abdallah
Margaret Mahaffey - Steve Sharp
Howard Arquette - Ray April
Carol Kaufman – Gary Nelson  
Monique Irion - Steve Sharp
Skip Miller - John Schnell
Laura Da Costa - William Glass
Jackie Finn - Charlotte Maschke
Susan Vildosola - Peter Weber
Ray April - Irene Whelchel
Robert Durbrow - Monique Irion
Gerard Laquerriere - Mun Takeda
Howard Arquette - Ray April
Della Schnell - John Schnell
Steve Sharp - Ray April[B]
Irene Whelchel - Judy Zimmerer
Mark Stern - Belva Quattrin
Jim Mckoane - Laura Neville
Lisa D'Arcy - Avis Morse[B]
Nick & Mary Gullo [B]
John Oakshott - Peggy Oakshott[B]
JoAnn Huebner - Joyce Aiken[B]
Virginia Johnson - Gloria Durbrow[C](2)
Jay Shapiro - Delia Green[C]
Judy Zimmerer - Rhonda Hampton[C]
Skip Miller – Joann E. Evans[C]
 
750 SPECIAL
Mary Ann Clark - Gay Berry
Judy Geary - Carol Willoughby
Bill Rogers - Chris Rogers
Don Winton - Dick Powell
Carol Willoughby - Judy Geary[B]
Karin Blanchard - Larry Miller