UNIT 487
OUR BRIDGE TO YOU
VOL. 8 NO. 4 AUGUST-SEPTEMBER 2008
________________________________
SPINGOLD HEROICS
Our John Lusky squad (Troy Horton, Roger McNay,
Randy Pickett, Eric Stoltz and Mark Tolliver) had a Summer Nationals for the
record books.
First they finished 5th-8th in the
Unlimited Grand National Teams. They qualified 3rd in the
preliminary round robin, won their second round match in the round of 16, and
then lost a heart-breaker 128-120 to the superstar Bob Hamman Texas team, after
leading 90-84 at the three-quarter pole.
For the uninitiated, by the time you get to the round of
32 in the major national team
events, the only soft team in
the field, if any, is you.
This 5-8 finish equals the second best finish ever by a
District 20 Team.
The same squad then entered North America’s premier team
event, the Spingold, starting on Monday. Originally seeded 64th, the
conditions of contest smiled on them the first day.
The first day was a preliminary round, with many of the
top teams getting byes, and the rest in multi-way matches to reduce the 106
team field to 64.
Lusky was in a 4-way
mini-bracket with the number 42, 43 and 65 teams. They lost a 32 board
match to #43 (Billy Eisenberg); but 65 beat 42 in the other match. So the two
winners (43 and 65) got byes in the evening, and Lusky played and beat #42 (the Mark Dahl Virginia team) in an
elimination match.
This is where the conditions of contest smiled. While a
team ordinarily takes over the seed of the team it beats, the conditions
provide that in multi-way matches you can only move up one step in the bracket.
So even though the #65 team had beaten #42, they only moved up to #64. The #43
seed became #42, and Lusky moved up from #64 to #43.
Why is this important? Because as #64, Lusky would have
drawn one of the top 4 seeds in round two. As #43 they drew #22 (Mark Gordon’s
New York team).
However, while tournament conditions were favorable, the
real world was not. Randy Pickett was forced to withdraw on Monday and return
to Portland after news that his mother was seriously ill.
So the team lost one of its most practiced partnerships
almost from the get-go.
From then on Troy Horton-Eric
Stoltz anchored the team and Lusky, McNay and Tolliver alternated sitting out.
Undaunted, Lusky beat the #22 Gordon team and then had a
comparatively easy win in the round of 32 against the #11 Millner team (which
included Grant Baze). They led throughout and eventually prevailed 139-92.
The gauntlet continued against the #6 Richard Schwartz
team, including pairs of Swedish and Polish internationalists.Again here Lusky
led throughout, but the margin at the three-quarter pole was only 101-73.
Schwartz came out blasting in the fourth quarter and had
one sizeable pick-up on a low percentage game that came home on a favorable lie
of the cards. John Lusky was sitting out this set and watching Eric-Stoltz-Roger
McNay on view graph. He noted that Eric and Roger had stayed out of another
very low percentage game that might well come home on a lucky lie, and
(turn to page 3)
PUBLISHING SCHEDULE
OBTY is published bi-monthly
on August 1, October 1, December 1, February 1, April 1 and June 1. Submissions
should be in by the 20th of the previous month. Please keep me
apprised of family events, humorous anecdotes, bridge triumphs (or humorous
disasters)
CONTACT INFORMATION
OBTY Editor
Bob Johnstone
5738 SE 82nd
Portland, OR 97266
503-206-5242
OTHER UNIT 487 KEYCONTACTS
Ace of Clubs
Staci Christian
503-646-8252
Aceofclubs1@verizon.net
Eastside Bridge Club
Paul
O’Brien/ Ouida McCullough
503-252-1318
paul@trumpuonline.com
Vancouver Bridge Club
Rich Carle
360-737-3772
Unit President
Doug Jansen
503-659-5486
Unit Tournament Director
Alan Johnson
503-771-3316
District 20 Website
JERRY’S CORNER
By Jerry
Wershba
_______________________________
Last issue I discussed proper etiquette at the Bridge
table. This time I would like to explore a more sensitive topic.
There are many members at our clubs, where bridge has
made a major difference in their lives. Yet for all the years of enjoyment and
cameraderie it has provided them, it is rare to hear of a bequest to bridge
from that person's estate. I feel that sometimes we need to give back to bridge
what it has given us.
It is no secret that as our present membership continues
to age, future generations of bridge players will be needed to keep the clubs
and tournaments viable.
Only by introducing bridge to the schools, advertising to
the public and many other ways, can we keep this wonderful game going.
In order to do this, we will need to rely on the time,
effort, and generosity of our members. If
bridge has enriched your life as it has mine, then return the favor. The
next generation is counting on us.
Your fellow bridge player,
Jerry Wershba
.
Page
2
Spingold (continued from page
1)
he guessed, correctly, that
the Schwartz squad, playing catch-up, would be in it in the closed room. So the
following hand (#10 of the final 16 boards) loomed pivotal.
North (Eric)
AK42
8
AJT952
A6
West East
JT86 Q53
KT742
J9653
Q84 3
3
QJT8
South (Roger)
97
AQ
K76
K97542
Auction:
E S W N
P 1NT* P 2C
P 2D P 3D
P 3H P 3S
P 3NT P 4C
Double 4H
P 4NT
P 5H P 6D
All pass
1NT was
12-14 HCP, 2C was Stayman,
and 3D showed slam interest in Diamonds.
Roger cooperated with a 3H cue bid, but then
showed his minimum by signing off at 3NT.
Eric persisted with a 4C cue bid, so Roger
showed a 2nd round Heart control (from his
side). 4NT was RKC Blackwood, 5H showed 2
without the Queen, and the slam was reached.
Roger
won the Club lead, played AK of
Spades and ruffed a Spade low. He then played
AQ of Hearts
(ruffing in Dummy) ruffed the
last Spade with
the Diamond K, and played AJ
of Diamonds (obviating any possible Club ruff),
and claimed.
As it turned out, this was a push board.
Despite having gotten to and made 6D on only
28 combined HCP, such was the level of
competition. Well bid and played at both tables.
As it
turned out, the opponents had gone
down on a mis-guess in the close game not
bid by Stoltz/McNay. But if that game had
made, and if Eric and Roger had not bid and
made the slam,
Schwartz would have won.
As it was, the final margin was 127-106.
Sadly,
the Cinderella tale ends here. The
team took
another body blow from Mother
Nature on Thursday, as Eric Stoltz also had to
withdraw to
speed home for a family
emergency.
So
the Friday line-up, against the
Roy Welland
team, was Troy Horton/ Mark
Tolliver at one
table and John Lusky/ Roger
McNay (a
first-time partnership) at the other.
Even so, the
team led at the half, was down 1
IMP at the three-quarter pole, and finally lost
169-141 on some fourth quarter cards that were
unlucky for aggressive bidders.
All
in all, an historic showing!
Congratulations from us all.
_______________________________________
MORE LAS VEGAS KUDOS
Congratulations
as well to:
(1) Chris Gibson, who was 2nd
overall (with
Paul Craviotto
of Eugene) in the 3-day 0-1,500
MP pairs.
(2) Ed Freeman, who finished 24th
(with
Howard Epley of Seattle) in the two-day
Wernher Open Pairs.
(3) Isolde Knapp, Connie Coquillette and
Sherwin Moscow (with
Ellis Feigenbaum of
Israel) who finished 16th in the National
M ixedTeams.
(Actually this team was
originally to include John Lusky, but he was
busy elsewhere, as noted above.)
Page 3
2008 Unit Masterpoint
Leaders[1]
Rookies- (0-5 MP)
(1) Joan Borberg 23.16
(2) Noreen Charon 20.94
(4) Bonita Garfield 12.00
(3) Larry Llewer 14.08
(5) Judy Davis
6.73
Junior Masters (5-20 MPs)
(1) JoAnn Marks 23.52
(2) Wanda Burness 19.27
(3) Ceca Knowles 10.30
(4) Margaret Evenson 9.29
(5) Sandra Coronel 8.46
Club Masters (20-50 MPs)
(1) Staci Christian 18.07
(2) Inez Weiss 19.21
(3) Sandra Wilson 13.94
(4) Cloyd Sweigert
13.82
(5) Peggy Boerger 13.65
Sectional Masters (50-100 MP)
(1) Bruce Peterson 32.79
(2) Guy Woods 20.39
(3) Myron Fleck 20.04
(4) John Wood 19.71
(5) Andrew Zibart 16.63
Regional Masters (100-200 MP)
(1) Kathleen Holahan 68.26
(2) Marie Pinch 62.92
(3) Mike Mills 61.30
(4) Tricia Zigrang 57.32
(5) Dave Pinch 56.52
NABC Masters (200-300 MP)
(1) Jerold Wershba 77.03
(2) Brian Thomas 72.38
(3)Felicia Wershba 65.30
(4) James Smith
64.30
(5) Tina Isaacson 45.40
Life Masters (300-500 MP)
(1) Chris Gibson 121.36
(2)
Mary Ruth Di Carlo 76.82
(3)
Jim Milne 73.47
(4) Charles Patterson
57.11
(5) William Rylander 50.32
Bronze Life Masters
(500-1,000 MP)
(1) Fred Dorr 68.26
(2) Douglas Jansen 62.28
(3) Robert Law 58.51
(4) Joe Habeich 56.95
(5) Darlene Thompson 54.56
Silver Life Masters
(1,000-2,500 MP)
(1) Ed Freeman 135.57
(2) Larry Sullivan 127.20
(3) David Brower
106.59
(4) Molly Harris 100.82
(5) Joel Datloff 89.76
Gold Life Masters (2,500-5,000
MP)
(1) Judy Kay 171.94
(2) Jack Marsh 125.89
(3) Merlin Vilhauer
124.39
(4) Ann Stark 122.06
(5) Jim Elliott 107.30
Diamond Life Masters
(5,000-7,500 MP)
(1) Ed Ulman
261.19
(2) Craig Huston
208.17
(3) Bob Johnstone
149.11
(4) John Lusky 98.52
(5) Roger McNay 96.08
Emerald Life Masters
(7,500-10,000 MP)
(1) Hadi Allahverdian
181.67
(2) Raymond Ward
173.18
(3) Ethel Birnbach 160.15
(4) Stu Swan
146.42
(5)
Betty Rossmann 124.99
Page 4
.BO’S MUSINGS
By Bo Brant
__________________________________
The stagnant population of bridge players in the US has
been addressed in numerous recent publications. No reliable solutions have been
identified so far.
When Jack Marsh approached me about serving on the Board
I was quite reluctant at first. I have only played bridge for 3 years and my
knowledge of organized bridge and associated procedural and administrative
matters is woefully deficient.
For these and other reasons I
asked him to give me some time to think about it. Jack kept talking to me and
finally convinced me that I may be able to contribute.
The two areas of interest to me (and hopefully to some of
you) are:
1. Increasing the number of
new players- adults and youngsters alike, and
2. Influencing in a
constructive way some of the “negative” aspects of our current “bridge culture”.
I’ll tackle the second area first.
When I was a teenager in
Poland I was involved in multiple competitive sports and other typical teenage
activities. My father who was a surgeon tried to get me interested in bridge. He needed a
partner. Once I learned some basics he took me to some party bridge games. I
found bridge difficult and I had too many other interests. I well remember that
fateful day when my attention waned and he quipped: “Son. You play worse every
day. But today you’re playing like it is next month”. I didn’t play bridge
again until I retired 3 years ago!
All humor aside, how we treat new bridge players has, in
my experience, a huge influence on whether they will come back to play
duplicate bridge and continue to develop or play only socially, or quit
altogether.
I took 3 sets of
bridge classes taught by Judy Karush when I retired. Out of perhaps 50 students
in attendance in those classes I believe I’m the only one playing duplicate
bridge on a club level. I tried bringing some of the other novices to bridge
clubs with me but they got discouraged by aggressive and sometimes boorish
behavior of some seasoned competitive players.
None of the new players came back. This should have never
happened! I was ready to quit too. Had it not been for the encouragements and
kind mentoring by Jeff Jacob, Ivan Bendl, Flo Savage and several other savvy
players I might have quit. Enough said.
I’ll try to address some
constructive concepts in the future issues of OBTY. As a new Board member I
encourage you to share with me and, for that matter, with any Board member any
comments, thoughts or directives you may want to address.
____________________________________
Gentlemen, start your
crotch-rockets!
This year’s Ruth Gordon award (for
refusing to act your age) goes to Bill Naylor, 75, who won the
70-80 year old division in the recent
Old-Timers Nationals Motocross in Washougal, Washington on July 12.
Bill rides a 450 Honda dirt bike and
admits that he can no longer keep up with the young pups. “Heck, I competed against the fathers and
grandfathers of a lot of the kids on the circuit today” Bill says.
But just like bridge, Motocross for
Bill is a family, a place where everybody knows his name. “Besides, riding
motocross I don’t have to pay for tatoos. They just come with the territory.”
_______________________________________
Page 5
Eastside Bridge Club
8383 NE Sandy, Suite 300.
503-252-1318
e-mail: paul@trumpuonline.com
club results: trumpuonline.com
“A friendly atmosphere in which to play bridge”
WEEKLY SCHEDULE*
Mon. 11:00 a.m. Open Paul/Ouida
7:00 p.m. Open Paul/Ouida
Tues. 11:00 a.m. 499er Paul Ouida
Wed. 11:00 a.m. Open Paul/Ouida
7:00 p.m. Open Paul/Ouida
Thur. 11:00 a.m. Open Mary Hovda
7:00 p.m. 499er Paul/Ouida
Fri. 11:00 a.m. Open Paul/Ouida
7:00 p.m. Open Paul/Ouida
Sat. 1:00 p.m. 749er Paul/Ouida
CLUB SPECIALS
Fri, 8/1- Uncle John‘s Memorial Pairs) 11:00AM
Sat. 8/2 - Mary Jane Pairs (limited) 1:00PM
Mon.8/4- Dom Perignon Pairs 6:30PM
Wed.8/20- Grand Slam Pairs 11:00AM
__________________________________________
MONTHLY SUNDAY SWISS TEAMS
Sunday August 24 1:00 P.M.
__________________________________________
NORTH AMERICAN PAIRS QUALIFIERS
Fri. 8/1- 7:00PM
__________________________________________
WESTERN CONFERENCE STAC GAMES (Sectionally rated, extra
points for overalls)
Wed. 8/6 11:00 A.M.
Wed 8/6 7:00 P.M.
Thur. 8/7 11:00 A.M.
Sat. 8/9 1:00 P.M. (750 MP limit)
PLAYERS OF THE MONTH (JUNE)
Flight A- Mary Ruth DiCarlo
Non LM- Kathleen Holahan
Note the time change on Monday August 4. We have heard that it's too difficult
for players to get across town in traffic in time for the 6:30 start time; so
beginning August 4 the Monday evening game will commence at 7 PM.
The Swiss Pair game slated for August 17 has been postponed due to the
Vancouver Sectional. We will hold it instead in October, the exact date TBA.
Keep an eye on the website for details.
September special events will include a Labor Day Extravaganza, an owner's
birthday party, and several club championships. Details will be announced on
the website.
Ouida's beginner lessons are again very popular -- she has about 25 students
for part one of the series. Part two , which covers common treatments and
conventions, begins Wednesday, August 20, and will run for eight lessons.
Paul's Saturday morning intermediate lessons on defense ends in mid-August; we
will begin a new series after Labor Day -- watch the website for topics and
other details.
We want to recognize and congratulate Eastside regular Joe Habeich, who returned from the Summer
Nationals with two first-place trophies -- one for a KO win and one for an open
pairs win. Way to go Joe!
Finally, we extend a special salute to Gaylord Vermaas, who celebrated
his 80th birthday on July 3rd. 15 tables attended his
gala birthday bash at the Club, and partner Sheila Spear gets a “golden
wheelbarrow” award for hauling Gaylord in first overall.
Page
6
Vancouver Bridge Club
6503 E. Mill Plain Blvd.
Phone (360) 737-3772
Email: VBC-USA@earthlink.net
Western Conference STAC pairs, all games, all week, Aug.
4th - 9th (Silver Points!)
Eight is Enough STAC Teams on Sun., Aug. 10th
Instant Matchpoint Game, Sept. 11, 7:00 at
Longview. Win a gold point!
ICC Games: InterClub Championship, ACBL-Wide,
overall awards
Tuesday 8/12
10:30 ICC
Thursday 8/21 7:00
ICC (Longview)
Monday 9/8
10:30 ICC
Club Championships and Unit Games:
Saturday 8/2 Noon, Unit Game, Imp Scoring
Tuesday 8/12
7:30 Club Championship
Tuesday 8/19 10:30
Club Championship
Friday 8/22
10:30 Club Championship
Monday 9/1 10:30
Memorial Day Upgraded C.C.
with club-sponsored P O T L U C K !
Monday 9/1 7:00
0-199'er Game Club Champ.
Saturday 9/6 Noon, Unit Game
Tuesday 9/16
10:30 AM Club Championship
Thursday 9/18 7:00 PM Longview
Friday 9/19 7:00 0-1250 Club Championship*
Saturday 9/20 Noon
Membership Game
Wed. 9/24
10:30 Club Championship
Saturday 9/27 Noon Club Championship
*All Games open stratified unless otherwise noted
Charity Game:
Friday 8/22 7:00 0-1250 *
North American Pairs Qualifying
Monday 8/11 10:30
Thursday 8/14 7:00 Longview
Thursday 8/28 10:30 0-1250 *
Thursday 8/28 7:00 Longview
Regular Schedule:
Day Time Game
Type Frequency Director
Monday 10:30
Stratified Weekly Roger
Monday 7:00
0-199 Monthly
(Call 360-699-8888)
Tuesday 10:30
Stratified (free lunch) Weekly
Sam (Jackie cooks)
Tuesday 7:30
Fast Pairs Weekly Ross
Wednesday 10:30
Stratified Weekly Ross
Wednesday
7:00 (Mentors play free
with 0-300) Roger
Thursday
10:30 0-1250 Weekly
Garland
Friday
10:30 Stratified Weekly Jan
Friday
7:00 0-1250 Weekly
Roger
Saturday Noon
Stratified ($1 lunch) Weekly Rich (Jackie cooks)
Vancouver Sectional
Friday Aug. 15 - Sunday
Aug. 17
Hudson's Bay High School
1206 E. Reserve St,
Vancouver, WA
____________________________________
Master Point Leaders- Vancouver Senior Sectional (May 31,
June 1, 2008)
1 12.60 Mike Hansen,
Vancouver WA
2 12.60 Gary Todd, Vancouver
WA
3 6.90 Mary Ruth DiCarlo, Portland OR
4 6.72 Court Smith, Portland OR
5 6.25 Richard Carle, Longview WA
6 6.25 Don Housley, Vancouver WA
7 6.20 Daniel Hoekstra, Portland OR
8 5.74 Renee Senior, Vancouver WA
9 5.74 James Windus, Vancouver WA
10 5.52 Ann Stark, Portland
OR
11 5.35 Ross Rainwater,
Vancouver WA
12 5.35 Jackie Jarigese,
Vancouver WA
13 4.68 Marcia Heitkemper,
Portland OR
14 4.42 Shirley Titone,
Vancouver WA
15 4.32 Ron Frazier,
Clackamas OR
16 4.32 Bob Johnstone,
Portland OR
17 4.13 Gary Johnson,
Beaverton OR
18 4.13 Carol Johnson,
Beaverton OR
19 4.07 Katherine Morris,
Portland OR
20 4.07 Dick Morris, Portland
OR
21 3.70 Joseph Titone, N.
Hollywood CA
22 3.60 Mary Alice Hunt,
Vancouver WA
23 3.60 Duane Meador,
Vancouver WA
24 3.50 Samuel Jones,
Portland OR
25 3.49 Flo Savage, Portland
OR
26 3.49 Diane Cullen,
Beaverton OR
27 3.49 Betty Rossmann,
Portland OR
28 3.26 Kathleen Holahan,
Portland OR
29 3.26 John Mills, Portland
OR
30 3.18 Stu Swan, Portland OR
31 3.18 Larry Schoenborn,
Vancouver WA
32 3.15 Rita Docken,
Vancouver WA
33 3.15 Jim Nolan, Vancouver
WA
34 3.11 Cheri Phillips,
Vancouver WA
35 2.90 Karen Barrett, Elk
Point SD
36 2.90 Ethel Birnbach, Portland
OR
37 2.78 Kae Palm, Vancouver
WA
38 2.65 James Smith, West
Linn OR
39 2.65 Brian Thomas,
Beaverton OR
40 2.62 Janie Pearcy,
Vancouver WA
Page 8