7767 Tables Tds from Texas Today Is Dallas Aces
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Volume 49, Number 8 49th Spring North American Bridge Championships Daily Bulletin Friday, April 7, 2006 Editors: Paul Linxwiler and Dave Smith TDs from Texas Top-seeded Landen, Pratap R. (Editor’s note: John Smalley was scheduled to be here in Dallas, but is under the weather and Nickell exits top IMP qualifiers unable to attend.) Steve Landen, of Ellicott City MD, and Pratap Vanderbilt Rajadhyaksha, of Powell OH, posted the highest IMP total in yesterday’s qualifying round of the People begin tournament directing In yesterday’s quarterfinal round of the Lebhar IMP Pairs. The leaders were plus 131.54. for many different reasons. For Vanderbilt Knockouts, the squad captained by Bob In second with plus 115.19 were Dan Jacob, Beaumont resident John Smalley, Hollman — the original #24 seed — defeated the of Vancouver BC, and Robert Lebi, of Toronto that reason was economy. #1 seed led by Nick Nickell. Hollman (Bruce ON, with plus 115.19. During the mid-Eighties Smalley Ferguson, Ron Smith, Billy Cohen, Joe Grue and There were 238 pairs that entered the contest, was president of Unit 201, located in the southeast Curtis Cheek) trailed by 13 IMPs at the end of the but only 130 pairs — the top 65 in each direction corner of the state along the Louisiana border and first quarter, but had a great second set to lead 72- — will play in today’s two-session final. the Gulf of Mexico. As any good unit officer 53 at the half. They increased their lead to 110-72 would do, he was at the end of the third quarter, and held on against trying to save his a furious Nickell rally in the last set to win 118- local organization 113. Weinstein, Bjerkan some money. Hollman will face Fred Chang’s squad (the “Our sectional original #44 seed) in the semifinal round. set pace in tournaments were Chang (Gunnar Hallberg, Fu Zhong, Zhao Zie getting more and Seymon Deutsch) defeated Grant Baze’s Women’s Pairs expensive, and part squad135-124. Chang jumped out to a 40-IMP Sue Weinstein of Las Vega NV and Cheri of that expense was lead in the first quarter and maintained it through the tournament Bjerkan Elmhurst IL led yesterday’s qualifiers in three sets. Baze rallied in the last set, but it was the Whitehead Women’s Pairs. With a 56.53% in director we had to not enough. pay to run our the afternoon and a 66.70% in the evening, tournaments,” he Continued on page 4 Weinstein and Bjerkan lead the next closest pair said. — Sylvia Moss and Judi Radin of New York City So Smalley — by one board. asked the great John “Spider” Harris (now Lurie, Feinswog lead Of the 90 pairs that entered the event, 52 deceased), a national TD who lived in Houston, made the cut to today’s two-session final. how they could trim costs. Harris suggested that in Red Ribbon Pairs they persuade a local person to become a Robert Lurie, Wayland MA, and Ben Goodwill message tournament director, and soon thereafter, Smalley Feinswog, Coconut Grove FL, took the lead yesterday in the Bean Red Ribbon Pairs. They volunteered himself and began training. Today I might meet a scored a huge 67.9% game in the afternoon and Smalley, a retired chemical engineer, has been new friend. I might learn a followed up with nearly 59% at night. committed to tournament bridge for decades. He is new play. I might have a few Sherryl Buchler and Ned Kohler, both of a longtime unit officer and is currently the laughs. I should have a good Scottsdale AZ are the second-place qualifiers, executive secretary for Unit 201, keeping the day! books and helping the organization with his time followed by Stephen Johnson and Ruth Clements, both from Wichita Falls KS. and talents. Starting in 1988, however, Smalley Aileen Osofsky, Chairman A total of 104 pairs qualified from a starting National Goodwill Committee Continued on page 4 field of 202 pairs. The event concludes today. Today is Dallas Aces Day Thirty-eight years ago, two Texan bridge Italians. A couple of years enthusiasts, one a businessman and the other a later, he began work on the bridge expert, came up with an idea that was to project. change the face of bridge. They decided to create Together, Corn and the world’s first professional team, with the express Wolff invited other young purpose of bringing the world title back to the stars to join them in Dallas United States. They chose the name Dallas Aces, to train as a team. Corn which was later shortened to The Aces. selected five players from The businessman was Ira Corn Jr., chief among America’s leading executive of Michigan General Corporation and a young experts, agreeing to former assistant professor at Southern Methodist pay each a salary, plus University. The player was Bobby Wolff, a bridge tournament expenses, to club owner and teacher from San Antonio. undertake a fulltime career It all started with Corn who was inspired by of studying and playing what he saw in the 1964 World Team Olympiad in bridge. New York. Corn had become interested in bridge He invited: Bobby The Dallas Aces in 1969: (front) Billy Eisenberg, Bobby Goldman and Goldman from and he traveled to the world championship to have coach Joe Musumeci; (back) Bobby Wolff, Jim Jacoby, team captain a closer look at the top players in the game. What Philadelphia; Mike and sponsor Ira Corn, Bob Hamman and Mike Lawrence. he saw was the Italian Blue Team, a finely tuned Lawrence, Eddie Kantar bridge machine which dominated the field and and Bob Hamman from California; Billy Eisenberg Attendance through Thursday evening: defeated a strong American team in the final. from New York and Jim Jacoby, who was already Corn left New York with dreams of creating an in Dallas. Two of the initial invitees, Hamman and American squad that could wrest the world 7767 Tables championship from the seemingly invincible Continued on page 6 Page 2 Daily Bulletin SPECIAL EVENTS MEETINGS / SEMINARS / RECEPTIONS Friday, April 7 11: 30 p.m. – 2 a.m. Women’s Team Trials meeting. Room: Cumberland D. CELEBRITY SPEAKER PROGRAM Daily at 12:15 p.m. and 6:45 p.m. in Landmark Ballroom D. Saturday, April 8 Friday, April 7 12:15 p.m. Lowell Andrews, Are You Preempting Enough? 12:15 p.m. Karen Walker, Opening Leads 6:45 p.m. Jeff Roman, Game Tries 6:45 p.m. Zeke Jabbour, Winsome & Loathsome LATE NIGHT / ENTERTAINMENT Check out the following attractions after the evening session: April 7, Friday Poker: No Limit Texas Hold’ em Tournament $10 buy-in, cash prizes. Be sure to sign up early Friday evening to get an entry. Magic show with Norman Beck Unbelievable purely for business. Hungry for entries Heller was unfazed, however. When West led Barbara Heller, of Atlanta GA, is one tough Rod Beery earned his team 12 IMPs on this a low club, she won in hand with the ♣8, noting declarer. If you want proof, check out this deal deal from their semifinal match in the Tuesday- from a knockout match where she brought home a the foul split. She played a heart to the ace, Wednesday Knockouts, a critical result since their 5♣ contract on a 4-3 trump fit with the opposing crossed back to her hand with a high spade, margin of victory was only 4 IMPs. Beery was trumps 6-0. And it wasn’t just six low trumps played another high spade and ruffed a spade in playing with partner Jim Murphy. either, it was K-10-x-x-x-x! dummy. After a successful diamond finesse, she ♠ K Q 10 9 7 Heller, South, was declarer. cashed the ♦A (in preparation for the ending), ♥ 7 5 2 Dlr: South ♠ 6 and when that lived, she ruffed another spade. ♦ A9 8 Vul: N-S ♥ A K 9 8 5 The entire deal was now counted. Heller ♣ A9 ♦ 10 8 6 5 knew that West was down to five trumps in this ♠ A4 2 ♠ J 8 6 ♣ Q 7 6 ending with the lead in dummy: ♥ K J 6 4 ♥ 10 9 ♠ Q 10 7 3 ♠ 9 5 4 ♠ — ♦ Q J 5 2 ♦ K 10 7 6 4 3 ♥ J ♥ Q 10 6 4 3 ♥ K 9 8 5 ♣ Q 4 ♣ 6 3 ♦ 9 4 ♦ K J 7 3 2 ♦ 10 ♠ 5 3 ♣ K 10 5 4 3 2 ♣ — ♣ — ♥ A Q 8 3 ♠ A K J 8 2 ♠ — ♠ — ♦ — ♥ 7 2 ♥ — ♥ Q 10 6 ♣ K J 10 8 7 5 2 ♦ AQ ♦ — ♦ K J West North East South ♣ A J 9 8 ♣ K 10 5 4 3 ♣ —- Murphy Beery West North East South ♠ J 1♣ 1♠ ♥ 7 1♦ 1♠ 4♦ 5♣ Pass 1NT Pass 3♣ ♦ — Pass 5♦ Pass 5♥ Pass 3NT Pass Pass ♣ AJ 9 Pass 5NT Pass 6♣ Dbl 4♣ Pass 5♣ Heller called for the ♥K, ruffed by West (the All Pass Dbl All Pass first trick for the defense) who perforce exited Beery received the lead of the ♦Q. He played West had ventured a speculative double of with a trump. Declarer won the 9 and played the low from dummy and ruffed in the closed hand 3NT, and probably thought he had hit the jackpot last spade. West again had to ruff and play a club before firing a low spade back. when the opponents not only ran from 3NT, but from the K-10 into declarer’s A-J.