DailyDailyAugust 10-August 20, 2000 72ndBulletinBulletin Summer North American Bridge Championships Friday, Aaugust 11, 2000 Anaheim, California Vol. 72, No. 9Saturday, August 19, 2000 Editors: Henry Francis and Paul Linxwiler Wei-Sender dominant in Wagar KO final Kathie Wei-Sender’s team put on a convincing show in the final of the Wagar Women’s Knockout Teams, defeating the (npc) Bob Hamman squad, 169– 125. Wei-Sender, playing with teammates Juanita Chambers, Jill Levin, Betty Ann Kennedy, Janice Seamon-Molson and Tobi Sokolow, led throughout the 64-board match. The Hamman team, which will rep- resent the U.S. in Maastricht at the world champion- ships by virtue of winning the U.S. women’s team trial earlier this year, included Petra Hamman, Joan Jack- Continued on page 7 Welland, Meltzer, Jacobs, Robinson going strong Two American teams will face two multi-national teams in today’s Spingold Knockout Teams semifinals. The team captained by Roy Welland, which features two Swedes and a Canadian, will oppose the only remaining team captained by a woman – the Rose Meltzer sextet. In the other match, the George Jacobs squad, with four Ital- ians on board, will take on the all-American Steve Robinson team. Winners of the Wagar Women's Knockouts: (l to r) Jill Levin, Juanita Chambers, Kathie Wei-Sender, Tobi Meltzer (Peter Weichsel, Alan Sontag, Chip Martel, Sokolow, Betty Ann Kennedy and Janice Seamon-Molson (kneeling, holding her daughter). Lew Stansby, Kyle Larsen) made a fantastic comeback to fight their way into the semifinal. They trailed the team captained by Rita Shugart (Andrew Robson, Tony Forrester, Geir Helgemo), 119-104, with two boards to Fifth graders take go. On the next-to-last deal, Meltzer got to five clubs, on I/N field Continued on page 6 If you take a look around the Intermedi- ate/Newcomer game here in Anaheim, you can’t help but notice a certain pair that’s ....well, a bit different. Jeremy Koegel and Evan Willenson of Los Angeles are a pair of 10-year-olds who are taking on their older op- ponents and having a good time in the pro- cess. Koegel, who was taught the game by his uncle Bob Bell of Washington D.C., and Willenson, who picked up the game from his grandmother, Jenella McCance of Whittier They won the NABC Fast Open Pairs: CA, will be fifth graders this year at Wonder- Chris Willenken and Aaron Silverstein. land Avenue Elementary School. Koegel has formed a club at their school where he and Willenken, Silverstein several friends play. “I’ve played in several other games be- IMP Pair winners: Aschley Bach and Stephen Burgess win NABC Fast Open fore the Nationals,” said Koegel, the “veteran” member of the pair. Down Under duo Chris Willenken and Aaron Silverstein topped “This is my first tournament,” said the field in the inaugural NABC Fast Open Pairs. wins IMP Pairs The duo had a huge game in the first final session Continued on page 7 (67.5%) to carry them to the win. They scored 972.59 Stephen Burgess and Aschley Bach won the NABC matchpoints (including carryover, 650 average). IMP Pairs by the narrow margin of 1.92 IMPs. Bur- Willenken, 24, is an options trader, while gess, of Australia, and Bach, of New Zealand, finished Silverstein, 33, is a full-time player. Both live in New the contest with a score of plus 118.94 IMPs, to nar- York City. They have been playing together seriously rowly edge out the runner-up pair of Steve Beatty, of for more than a year. Destrehan LA, and George Steiner, of Seattle WA. This is the first NABC win for both Willenken Burgess has represented both New Zealand and and Silverstein. The NABC Fast Open Pairs is a four- Australia in international play. He has lived in Austra- session contest, with a two-session qualifier and a lia for the past 20 years, and will represent “Oz” at the two-session final. The contest required that the par- Olympiad in Maastricht playing with fellow Austra- ticipants play two-board rounds in 11 minutes. If a lian international Paul Marston. table exceeded its allotted time, penalties were as- Bach, of Auckland, New Zealand, is breaking into sessed. The director would inquire whether one or the international scene, having recently won the But- both pairs were responsible for the delay and assign ler Pair Trials in Australia. slow-play penalties accordingly. Sixty-four pairs The IMP Pairs was the first NABC victory for both played in the final. players. In second was the Las Vegas-based pair of Paul The contest is a four-session event (two qualify- and Linda Lewis, who scored 963.00 matchpoints. Future stars: Jeremy Koegel and Evan Willenson ing and two final sessions). 156 players qualified for the final. Page 2 Daily Bulletin SPECIAL EVENTS High-level Grosvenor You’ve heard of the Grosvenor Coup. It happens Saturday, August 19 when a player takes an action that gives the opposition an extra trick, but with a catch. The play making the 9:00 a.m. - Noon Easybridge! accreditation course A with Easybridge! presenter Priscilla Smith, Avila A, extra trick possible looks so absurd that the player re- Hilton. fuses to take that line. Instead he does what looks sen- 12:15 p.m. Intermediate/Newcomer Speakers Program: Billy Miller, The Art of the Squeeze, sible and ends up with the same tricks he originally 2nd floor, Hilton. Miller, Las Vegas, is a professional bridge player and teacher who writes the popular “Dear Billy” columns in The Bridge Bulletin. had. Usually everyone gets a good laugh because the 1:30 - 4:30 p.m. Easybridge! accreditation course B with Easybridge! presenter Priscilla Smith, Avila B, player was fooled by a Grosvenor. Hilton. There’s no question about it – Dave Treadwell has 6:45 p.m. Intermediate/Newcomer Speakers Program: Alan LeBendig, Responding to Preempts – been around in bridge. But he got caught on this deal How High do You Go?, 2nd floor, Hilton. LeBendig, Los Angeles, represents District 23 during a Spingold match. on the ACBL Board of Directors. He is the co-owner of the Barrington Bridge Club in Dlr: West « K 10 6 Los Angeles and a Grand Life Master who won the North American Swiss Teams in Vul: Both ª A 4 1993. © K J 10 7 11:30 p.m. Food and Entertainment, California Promenade, Hilton ¨ A 10 5 4 « A Q 7 « J 5 3 Sunday, August 20 ª 9 ª 10 8 6 5 © © Noon - 5:00 p.m. Spingold final on vugraph, Marquis Ballroom, Marriott. A 9 4 3 Q 6 2 ¨ ¨ 7:00 p.m. - Midnight Spingold final on vugraph, Marquis Ballroom, Marriott. K J 8 3 2 Q 7 6 « 9 8 4 2 ª K Q J 7 3 2 Guess I should'a Creating a © 8 5 ¨ 9 stayed in bed defensive entry West North East South 1¨ 1NT Pass 3ª (1) By Barry Rigal Pass 4ª All Pass Sometimes it is not worth getting out of bed, as Steve Castellino, of Fremont CA, found a neat play (1) Invitational with six hearts. Carolyn Steiner and Marinesa Letizia discovered. on defense on this deal from the first final session of Treadwell rose with dummy’s ace on the club open- Down 38 IMPs at the half in their Wagar Women’s the Red Ribbon Pairs. Castellino was playing with part- ing lead and pulled four rounds of trumps. When he Knockout match, Steiner picked up: ner Karen Manfield. led a spade, West went up with the ace and led another « 7 5 3 Dlr: North « 8 4 club, ruffed.Treadwell led a spade to the king and gave ª 9 4 Vul: None ª A Q 8 4 up a spade to West’s queen. He ruffed the club return © 8 6 5 2 © K J 3 with his last trump. ¨ K Q 7 3 ¨ K 10 8 3 Treadwell cashed his good spade and West threw She passed in second seat at unfavorable vulner- « A Q 10 « J 9 7 the good ¨J! The ¨J! That clarified the picture – if ability. She heard a Multi 2© on her left, pass from ª 5 ª K J 9 7 3 West had the ©A she would have kept the ¨J and scored partner, 2« (heart fit) on her right, and 2NT on her © Q 10 5 4 2 © 9 6 the last two tricks. So it was clear to Treadwell that left, showing hearts. Partner doubled to show an un- ¨ A J 9 4 ¨ Q 5 2 she did not have the ©A – she was holding onto the balanced good hand, and righty jumped to 4ª, passed « K 6 5 3 2 doubleton ©Q. So Treadwell led a diamond to the jack back to partner. Letizia doubled again to show an even ª 10 6 2 and was astounded when East produced the queen – better hand. This was the auction so far: © A 8 7 down one. West North East South ¨ 7 6 “Is it a violation of Zero Tolerance for your part- Pass Pass 2© Pass West North East South ner to fall off his chair laughing at you?” Dave wants 2« Pass 2NT Dbl Castellino Manfield to know. Michael Huston, his partner, thought it was 4ª Pass Pass Dbl 1¨ Pass 1« the most hilarious incident in his life. Pass ? 2© Pass(1) 2ª Pass Steiner decided to try for a minor suit game with 2NT All Pass 4NT, and Letizia jumped to 6©, which made Steiner (1) Shows fewer than three spades BridgeOn Internet put down her dummy rather apologetically.