July 23-August 2, 1998 70th Summer North American Bridge Championships Chicago Vol. 70, No. 10 Sunday, August 2, 1998 Editors: Henry Francis and Paul Linxwiler DAILY WhatBULLETIN a Spingold day! RichardFinal: Schwartz thought Baze his team vs.three boards Nickell later at halftime, had beaten Grant Baze by a single IMP NICKELL was in front by 15. Then the -- BAZE thought they had won by a roof fell in on ONSTOTT. In the third single IMP. One of the Spingold semi- quarter NICKELL scored 82 unan- finalists was wrong. A careful check of swered IMPs before finally giving up all the results uncovered 1-IMP errors seven on the last deal of the set. on boards 33 and 45 from the third quar- NICKELL had no trouble holding on, ter, and both mistakes were against winning easily, 183-73. SCHWARTZ. That meant a final tally NICKELL, winner of four of the of BAZE 141, SCHWARTZ 140. So five past Spingolds, will field a team BAZE will get the chance to defend consisting of Nickell and Dick Free- First-time Junior players from the University of Nebraska Mike McQuistan, Gopi Shah, their 1997 Spingold victory in today’s man, Eric Rodwell and Jeff Meckstroth, Dan Augustyn and Dan Blobaum. final. and Bob Hamman and Paul Soloway. The surprising John Onstott team Back to the SCHWARTZ-BAZE started fast against Nick Nickell. match. It was high drama. SCHWARTZ Four newcomers try ONSTOTT led after 29 boards, but continued on page 7 Four studentsfor from Junior the University TeamThe four berth --- Dan Blobaum, 21, of Nebraska in Lincoln came to the Dan Augustyn, 21, Gopi Shah, 18, and Chicago NABC to play in yesterday’s Mike McQuistan, 20 --- came specifi- U.S. Junior Team Trials. What’s so cally to play in the Junior contest and unusual about this is that none of the joined ACBL yesterday directly be- team members had ever played dupli- fore the event. cate bridge before. “I heard about the tournament from a friend,” said Shah, who is in Chicago for the summer. She con- tacted Blobaum, Augustyn and McQuistan, who were visiting Chi- cago this week to ask them to play in the event. “We don’t play any conventions,” said Augustyn, a math and philoso- phy student. “We are trying to play Blackwood.” The team won three of 13 five- Playing behind screens are Grant Baze, to left of screen, partner Mike Whitman (back board matches, earning their first to camera), and Robert Levin. masterpoints. continued on page 7 Shipley party VugraphToday’s vugraph a dazzler presentation promises to be another dazzling show. a Lastfamily night’s testimonial reunion party to The top two Spingold seeds, defending Barbara Nudelman Bobbie Shipley, national tournament champion BAZE and four-time cham- Junior Trial director, was much more than just a pion NICKELL will go at it for 64 goodbye party -- it was a family re- boards starting at noon and 7 p.m. union. Bobbie already has an- Barry Rigal once again will be the Chairman thanks Fourfinal teams qualifiedtoday from the nounced she will retire at the end of round-robin phase of the Junior Team chief commentator, with assistance this year. from Chip Martel, Kit Woolsey, P.O. Trials to advance to this afternoon’s Twenty-nine members of her Chicagoplayers, NABC Tournament staff chair semifinal contest. Sundelin, Chris Compton and Richard family helped Bobbie celebrate. Colker. Barbara Nudelman expressed her The team of Thomas Carmichael, That includes her husband Dean, six thanks to all of the participants in the David Wiegand, Chris Carmichael and of her seven children and their 1998 Summer NABC. Joel Wooldridge will face the squad of spouses, and 16 of her 21 grandchil- “We hope that everyone had a won- Brandon Carpenter, Steven Shuman, dren. They came in all directions derful time and we’re glad so many Matt Shuman, Todd Wolford and Joe from many states to help Bobbie’s MixedTwo great Team sessions finalgave the came out to play. We think we did a Grue. friends honor their mother. Berkowitzes and the Bjerkans a two- good job and hope everyone who joined In the other match, Samuel Tournament directors turned out board lead on the field as 52 Master us here in Chicago feels the same way.” Erlichman, Chris Lubesnik, Kent en masse to wish their friend and co- Mixed Teams head into today’s two fi- Nudelman, who is a past president Mignocchi, Ari Greenberg, John worker all the best in her retirement. nal session of the board-a-match tour- of the ACBL and past District 13 Di- Kranyak and Samuel Hirschman (Brian Many friends and former directors nament. David and Lisa Berkowitz, rector, has been on the staff of five Glubok, npc) will take on the team of who used to work with Bobbie also with teammates James and Cheri NABCs and has chaired three of those. John Hurd, Alan Epley, Lisa Kow, Brian added their congratulations and best Bjerkan, scored 37.5 matches out of a “I want to thank my co-chair Jackie Meyer, Michael Kitces and Kevin wishes. possible 52 -- a fine performance. Addis as well as all of the committee Bathurst. Bobbie has been the assistant Two teams are tied for second with chairs. Thanks also to the very profes- The winners of the semifinal head director at all North American 35.5. On one team is Beverly Bluth, sional ACBL staff, especially meeting matches will face off this evening with Bridge Championships for the past Lynne Schaeffer, Julie Rowe, Abraham planners Nancy Foy and Jeff Johnston. the winner earning the title of U.S.I and eight years. She also was honored Pineles, Marty Hirshman and Ronald “I would also like to congratulate the right to represent the U.S. as part at last Monday’s Goodwill Commit- Kraft. The second team is made up of the staff of the Chicago Hilton on a job of its Junior team in international com- tee meeting. Jeff Miller, Nancy Wittwer, Stanley well done.” petition. Katz and Gloria Kessler. Page 2 Daily Bulletin Howard Weinstein, a member of the Bramley Is this a first? Plus 800 for a 7-IMP loss StillBy havingMarty Hirshman fun team which lost in the quarterfinal of the Spingold to This may be a first. In one of the semifi- Slogging along out of contention through the sec- the Cinderella ONSTOTT squad, shared the follow- nal matches of the Friday-Saturday Knock- ond final session of the IMP Pairs, I had some fun ing story. Any bridge player who’s brought back a outs yesterday, there was not one American with these two hands. good result to his teammates in a team game only to on either team. Board 8 « K 7 5 4 discover that IMPs were actually lost on the board One foursome consisted of four English Dlr: West ª J 10 will sympathize. players -- Andrew Macnair, Tim Rees and Vul: None © K 9 8 7 5 At Weinstein’s table, here’s what happened on Peter and Dee Lindon. The other team was ¨ K 4 Board 42: tri-national: Brigitte Mavromichalis of « A « Q J 8 3 Dlr: East « J 8 6 3 Switzerland, Glenn Grotheim and Terje Aa of ª K Q 9 8 7 ª -- Vul: Both ª Q 8 6 3 Norway, and Paul, Jason and Justin Hackett © Q J © 10 4 3 2 © 8 of England. Among the Hackets, Jason and ¨ Q J 10 8 3 ¨ 9 7 6 5 2 ¨ A K 10 2 Justin are the twin sons of Paul. « 10 9 6 2 « 5 « A K 2 ª A 6 5 4 3 2 ª J 10 9 5 2 ª 7 4 © A 6 © K © A Q J 6 3 2 ¨ A ¨ Q 9 6 5 4 3 ¨ J 8 West North East South « Q 10 9 7 4 1ª Pass Pass Pass A K Hook the Four The opening spade lead went to the ace, and I led ª There has beenBy great Brian depthGlubok in the field here in 10 9 7 5 4 the Q. North covered with the king and was non- © Chicago, indicative of a trend in the North American ¨ 7 plused when he saw his partner win the ace. Another ¨ team games. With so many outstanding European West North East South spade came back and I sluffed a diamond as North pairs competing, the round of 32 matches are no Weinstein Garner won. South ruffed the club return and cashed the A. longer easy, and even the round of 64 can be quite © 1NT 2 (1) A diamond to North’s king followed, and the J went © harrowing. To lose in the round of 128 and go 0-for- ª 2 2 Pass Pass to declarer’s king. Declarer cashed the trump queen, ª « (the tournament) is the most extreme humiliation. Our 3 Dbl 3 Pass dropping North’s 10. ¨ ª group, replete with Bermuda Bowl medalists and na- Pass Dbl All Pass With dummy down to good cards in all the side tional champions, dodged a bullet in the very first (1) Diamonds and a major. suits, South couldn’t score any more of his little round against a team of talented Chinese engineers A quick perusal of this layout is sufficient to see trumps. Making 1 . who hone their partnerships on the Internet with ª that 3 doubled is not exactly going to be a success Board 5 7 6 5 ª OKbridge. « for East-West. Declarer finished down three, so Dlr: North Q 8 6 My partner was Kyle Larsen, and we were joined ª Weinstein and Garner were plus 800.