3552 Tables a Kinder, Gentler Game
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Monday, December 2, 2013 Volume 86, Number 4 Daily Bulletin 86th Fall North American Bridge Championships [email protected] Editors: Brent Manley and Sue Munday Baze Senior KO A kinder, gentler game down to four teams Dan Plato is a bit of a Zero Tolerance zealot and or the background Four teams will do battle for the final two spots for good reason. As he explains, “The health of our of a particularly in the Baze Senior Knockout Teams today. Matchups, game depends on people being nice.” belligerent player, by team captain, are Rose Meltzer versus Carolyn Plato is presenting a free workshop on Zero a club director does Lynch and Vinita Gupta versus Fred King. Tolerance Monday morning from 10 to noon. The and has to deal with Most of the matches in the quarterfinal round presentation will be held at the Sheraton on the third it on a daily basis. were close. All but the Lynch-Hemant Lall contest floor in the Desert Sky room. Frequently, too, could have gone either way. His talk is aimed at helping club managers and the worst offenders In the match between Gupta and Stan Tulin, the directors understand and implement Zero Tolerance are the regulars latter had rallied from 39 down to take a 17-IMP lead and strategies for developing a proactive program who seemingly midway through the match, but Gupta tied it with that rewards appropriate behavior and minimizes represent the club a 17-IMP swing (6♣ plus 1370 at one table and 7♣ unacceptable behavior before it occurs. owner’s livelihood. minus 200 at the other) and put it away with an 11- Zero Tolerance is nothing more than an A tournament IMP slam swing a couple of boards later. expansion of Law 74A, Plato says. Annoying director has no such behavior, embarrassing remarks or any other conduct investment. Gromov squad leading that might interfere with the enjoyment of the game Plato ticks off two more critical reasons for Zero is specifically prohibited under the Laws of Duplicate Tolerance: “So club directors don’t feel a skip in the Mitchell Open BAM Bridge. heart when so-and-so walks through the door. So club The team captained by Andrew Gromov takes a While the Laws govern club play, the ACBL’s directors don’t quit.” narrow lead into today’s final two sessions of play in Zero Tolerance Policy applies only to NABCs. Clubs, In his seven years as a club owner, Plato says the Mitchell Open Board-a-Match Teams. Gromov is sectionals and regionals can adopt the Zero Tolerance he handed down ZT penalties when warranted and playing with Aleksander Dubinin, Krzysztof Buras, Policy for their own use. ended up even having to ask three players to take a Grzegorz Narkiewicz, Norberto Bocchi and Agustin “We recognize that clubs have a very different hiatus until they could learn how to behave. But he Madala. set of problems than we face at NABCs,” Plato says. says his club was healthier as a result. “One guy who, Gromov starts the day with a carryover of 4.60, While an unbiased tournament director may not when I barred him in the middle of a game, threw his just ahead of two teams with carryover of 3.58 – know the history of two players’ rocky relationship, continued on page 5 squads captained by Paul Fireman and Bob Drake. Intuitive Meyers scales the heights Lazarus and Laken Lead Super Seniors In June 1971, Jill Meyers was in Philadelphia The Blue Ribbon After the first two qualifying sessions, Ed looking for an apartment. She had enrolled at the win is right at the top of Lazarus of Baltimore MD looks poised for a four- University of Pennsylvania to study linguistics and her list of achievements peat in the Super Senior Pairs. He and partner Mark was looking for a place to stay. in bridge. She won her Laken of Glyndon MD, with whom he won this event As she made her way around the city, it came first North American last year, lead the field with 54.18 carryover. to Meyers that something wasn’t right. Following title in 1987 – the Smith Richard Catero of Mesa AZ and Eddie Rose of her instinct, she immediately dropped the plans for Life Master Women’s Laguna Niguel CA sit second with 43.68. school, went to New York City and worked for five Pairs – and tacked on Lazarus has won the Super Senior Pairs every months to save money – all of $800 – and then headed six more women’s year since it was added to the NABC calendar in for Europe. She was not afraid to follow her intuition, championships before 2010. The event concludes today. then or now. the victory with Mohan. Meyers’ faith in her inner self, a bit of luck and a “I was determined lot of skill at bridge – plus help from a collection of to win an open event,” Fireman out in front in fine partners and teammates – have taken her to the she says, “and I always felt I could.” Women’s BAM top of women’s bridge. “She is a fighter,” says Ed Davis, one of Meyers’ The Phyllis Fireman team starts the second and Her team’s win in the Venice Cup in Bali, mentors at the start of her duplicate career in Southern final day of the Marsha May Sternberg Women’s Indonesia, two months ago made her the “most titled” California. “She is a winner.” Board-a-Match Teams with a three-board lead. Tied woman in World Bridge Federation history. She Meyers has come a long way from her early days for second with 31.50 are the teams captained by has seven gold medals – four in the Venice Cup, the in New York, where she was born, and various other Migry Zur Campanile and Mildred Breed. premier women’s team event – to go with three silver places where the family landed after her father, a Fireman is playing with Shannon Cappelletti, and two bronze. The seven world titles have come gambler, felt it necessary to relocate. Sylvie Willard, Benedicte Cronier, Meike Wortel and with six different partners. Were it not for a slow-play When it came time for higher education, Meyers Marion Michielsen. penalty and a mis-scored board from the Venice Cup chose Newcomb College (Tulane University) because Playing with Zur Campanile are Christal Henner, in 2000, Meyers would have eight world titles. The it was in the South. She had lived in the North and the Dana Berkowitz and Lisa Berkowitz. Breed’s team is penalty and scoring error left her team in second by .4 West and in Florida and wanted to try the South. “I Pam Wittes, Shawn Quinn and Stash Cohen. victory points. was looking for a new experience,” she recalls. In major ACBLevents, Meyers has 18 wins, On full scholarship at Tulane, she graduated with NABC+ entry including four in open events, notably the 1999 a degree in political science, achieved between anti- Playing in an NABC+ pairs game? Buy your entry Kaplan Blue Ribbon Pairs with John Mohan. continued on page 5 early! In an effort to speed up the start of all NABC+ pairs events – which requires time to allow for proper TODAY IS GOODWILL DAY seeding – the ACBL asks participants to please buy their entries at least 15 minutes before game time. Notice to Players Who Live Previously granted waivers will not be honored for the Blue Ribbon and the Mini-Blue Ribbon Pairs. Outside North America For waiver information, please arrive early and Participation in the Kaplan Blue Ribbon Pairs see the Director in Charge at the selling site. Goodwill Message and the 0-5000 Mini-Blue Ribbon Pairs is limited to those ACBL members who have earned a Blue Today is Goodwill Day. Remember: you can be Ribbon qualification (or for those members on the ATTENDANCE competitive and still be friendly, caring and ethical. Lifetime Top 100 masterpoint list). Foreign players through Sunday Sandy DeMartino, Goodwill Chair who have not earned a Blue Ribbon qualification but feel they are otherwise qualified must receive a 3552 tables waiver prior to the commencement of these contests. Chief Corporate Sponsor Fall NABC Page 2 Monday, December 2, 2013 Daily Bulletin SPECIAL EVENTS MEETINGS / SEMINARS / RECEPTIONS Monday, Dec. 2 10 a.m.–Noon Free Bridge Lesson with Audrey Grant. Room: Hyatt, 2nd Tuesday, Dec. 3 floor — Cowboy Artist. 9 a.m.–Noon Club Director Refresher Course. Continuing education 10 a.m.–Noon Competition and Conventions Committee meeting. Room: for bridge directors to increase their skills. Continues on Sheraton, 3rd floor – Coronado. Wednesday, must attend both sessions. Fee: $15 covers both 10 a.m.–Noon Zero Tolerance Workshop. The lively two–hour workshop, sessions. Sign up at the door. Room: Sheraton, 3rd floor – developed for club managers and directors, goes well beyond Coronado. the Laws to address how to communicate with problem 10 a.m.–Noon ACBLScore+ Demonstration and Q&A. Room: Sheraton, players. TD Dan Plato’s presentation incorporates real–life 3rd floor — Desert Sky. experience dealing with club players, the differences between club and tournament situations and suggestions for how to Wednesday, Dec. 4 be proactive. The goal is to make the club experience more 9 a.m.–Noon Club Director Refresher Course. Part 2. Continued from inviting for new members and more pleasurable for everyone Tuesday. Must attend both sessions. Room: Sheraton, 3rd floor by encouraging and empowering directors and managers to – Coronado. deal with unacceptable behavior. Room: Sheraton, 3rd floor – Desert Sky.