Thursday, August 8, 2013 Volume 85, Number 7 Daily Bulletin 85th North American Bridge Championships Editors: Brent Manley and Paul Linxwiler Moss, Fireman in Kovachev–Rosenbaum Wagar KO final Teams captained by Sylvia Moss and Phyllis win Wernher Fireman are in the final of the Wagar Women’s The Chicago-based duo of Valentin Kovachev by more than a board. This is the first NABC title for Knockout Teams. and Lynne Rosenbaum put together four solid both players. Moss, the No. 1 seed, made it to the sessions in the Wernher Open Pairs to win the contest In second were Larry Sealy of Huntsville AL and championship round with a 116-115 defeat of the Jim Foster of Birmingham AL. Stasha Cohen squad. Moss is playing with Joann Kovachev and Rosenbaum won Tuesday’s Glasson, Lynn Deas, Beth Palmer, Catherine qualifying round, and in Wednesday’s final, they D’Ovidio and Janice Seamon-Molson. Cohen’s posted scores of 56.37% and 60.55% in the morning teammates were Pam Wittes, Cheri Bjerkan and and afternoon sessions to clinch the win. Rozanne Pollack. “It’s not easy to play with me,” said Kovachev, Fireman, the No. 2 seed, ousted the Lynn Baker praising his partner. “I took all the risky actions that team 121-81. Fireman’s teammates are Shannon didn’t work out. She was terrific.” Cappelletti, Meike Wortel, Marion Michielsen, Rosenbaum is a retired businesswoman. Benedicte Cronier and Sylvie Willard. Baker played Kovachev, who has represented his native Bulgaria with Karen McCallum, Kerri Sanborn, Irina Levitina, in international contests, immigrated to the U.S. in Jet Passman and Anneke Simons. 2004. He is not technically a Life Master — he has Moss won the first quarter 62-16, but Cohen won not met the black-point requirement. the second set 42-6. Trailing by just 7 IMPs with In third were Nashville-area players Terry a quarter to go, Cohen rallied with a 23-17 fourth Spector and Bryan Howard. quarter, falling just short. Wernher Open Pairs champions Valentin Fireman lost the first set but Fireman roared back Kovachev and Lynne Rosenbaum to lead at the half and was never threatened from that point. Oregon charms Dutch couple When Jeanne van den Meiracker gets out of bed playing bridge for pay. Top Spingold seed at home these days, she can go outside and see the Before they left for America, Meiracker and snow-capped Cascade Mountains. It’s like nothing Bertens lived in Tilburg, about 50 miles from goes down she ever saw when she lived in the Netherlands – and Rotterdam. She worked for many years as a medical Powerful Team Monaco, the defending Spingold she loves it. analyst – commuting three hours a day to and from Knockout Teams champions, are on the sidelines Since November of last year, Meiracker and her Rotterdam – before joining the staff of the Dutch today, defeated 125-120 by the Mitch Dunitz squad. husband, Huub Bertens, have lived in Bend OR, in Bridge Federation about three years ago. No. 7 Daniel Zagorin suffered the same fate, falling high desert part of the state. She is working part-time Because Bertens was traveling to the U.S. to Bridge24, a Polish squad, 123-119. as a tournament director for the ACBL. He is busy frequently to play, they decided it made sense to Monaco is led by Pierre Zimmermann, playing consider moving across the Atlantic. with Franck Multon, Geir Helgemo, Tor Helness, A friend offered the use of her house in Bend, Fulvio Fantoni and Claudio Nunes. Dunitz’s and they quickly accepted. teammates are Ed Davis, Jill Levin, Jenny Wolpert, Meiracker says she liked America from the first Howard Weinstein and Ross Grabel. time she visited. That was in 2006, when Bertens Most of the other tops seeds made it to the round and his regular partner, Ton Bakkeren, won the of 16 with relative ease, the exception being No. 4 prestigious Cavendish Invitational Pairs in Las Vegas. Martin Fleisher, who won by just 3 IMPs over the Bend, she says, is perfect for a person with Ernesto d’Orsi team. athsma, which she has. Bend is about one-third the size of Tilburg and the dry desert air has helped immensely with her breathing problems. Mini-Spingolds Meiracker says she and Bertens live in a home out in the country on 20 acres of land. The quiet life enter semifinal when they are in Oregon suits her. “I don’t like big cities,” she says, “and I do like a nice environment.” round The job with the ACBL started in January, about Four squads remain the both flights of the Mini- 10 years after TD Bill “Kojak” Schoder suggested Spingold KO Teams. that she would be an asset to the ACBL. She still In Mini-Spingold I (0-5000), Deborah Murphy’s Huub Bertens and Jeanne van de Meiracker continued on page 13 squad will face Marc Sylvester and company, and in the other bracket, Doug Millsap’s team will meet Mixed Board-a-Match Arjun Dhir’s squad for a slot in the final. In the “Micro” Spingold (0-1500), the Tennessee team captained by Barbara Newman will face the honors a favorite son New Yoork foursome led by Jess Jurkovic. In the The four-session Chicago. He earned a liberal arts degree at 15 and other semifinal bracket, another Tennessee squad, this Mixed Board-a-Teams went on to earn an MBA and law degree from George one captained by John Felker, will battle a Florida- that starts today is Washington University by age 21. Ontario team led by Bill Granger. named in honor of In the mid-Fifties, Freeman became a tournament Grand Life Master director and was legendary for his speed with a Richard Freeman, pencil in the days when games were scored by hand. three-time world He won his first North American Championship in champion with 22 1955. In 1961, he and his future wife, Louise, won Goodwill Message North American titles, the Mixed Board-a-Match Teams, the event now including eight in the named for him. Always say, “Director, please.” Spingold. The Atlanta At the time of his passing, Freeman served as Sandy DeMartino, Goodwill Chair resident died in 2009. senior vice president of Oppenheimer and Company Known to friends Inc. in Atlanta. He had many diverse interests, ATTENDANCE in Atlanta as Dickie, including poker and growing roses. He was a devoted he was ACBL’s youngest Life Master at age 18 and Chicago Cubs fan his entire life and he loved old 8912.5 tables a Quiz Kid on NBC Radio. At age 13, he was the movies – his favorite being The Treasure of the Sierra youngest student ever enrolled at the University of Madre. Mixed BAM history on page 14. Page 2 Thursday, August 8, 2013 Daily Bulletin SPECIAL EVENTS MEETINGS / SEMINARS / RECEPTIONS Friday, August 9 Sunday, August 11 8:30–9:30 a.m. TourneyTRAX Q&A. Meet with members of the ACBL TBA Peter Pender Memorial Vugraph Theater. Location TBD. staff for an interactive session about TourneyTRAX, the new tournament information system. Free. Atrium Tower, level 2, Conference Suite 222. CELEBRITY SPEAKER PROGRAM Be sure to hear these expert lecturers at the Atlanta NABC by some of the best- Friday, August 9 known players and teachers at 9:15 a.m. and 6:45 p.m. Hanover Hall, LL2. 9:15 am Mike Flader Ruling the Game Thursday, August 8 6:45 pm Sam Marks The Use and Abuse of Blackwood 9:15 am Kevin Wilson Fitting Honors Saturday, August 10 6:45 pm Billy Miller Dear Billy Live 9:15 am GS Jade Barrett Losing and Winning Trick Count 6:45 pm Marty Nathan Introduction to Signals ENTERTAINMENT and HOSPITALITY Location: Peach Pit on LL2, unless otherwise noted 6:30-10:30 p.m. Stephen Lee Band will perform songs from the Beatles, Elton Thursday, August 8 John, Stevie Wonder and more. 8:15-9:15 a.m. Zumba 10:45 p.m.- Ice cream 2-2:45 p.m. Pianist 12:30 a.m. 6:30-8:30 p.m. Robert Meadows will sing country and contemporary songs. 11 p.m.-12:30 a.m. Music and games Robert recently released his debut album, Let’s Try That Saturday, August 10 Again. 8:45-9:30 a.m. Dr. Shervin Oskouei is the Assistant Professor of Orthopaedic 9-10 p.m. Global Dance will be a classic performance inspired by Surgery and Director of Orthopaedic Surgery Residency dances from Egypt, Morocco, Turkey, Lebanon, Spain and Program at Emory University. He is an expert in the India. treatment of musculoskeletal tumors, total hip and total knee 10:30 p.m.- Small, pulled pork barbecue sandwiches and chips replacements and revisions. Dr. Oskouei will speak on arthritis 12:30 a.m. and treatment options, including stem cell implants. Room 10:30 p.m.- Robert Meadows, country and contemporary 222, Atrium Level 12:30 a.m. 2-2:45 p.m. Pianist Friday, August 9 2:15-2:45 p.m. Ice cream 8:15-9:15 a.m. Zumba 6:30-8:30 p.m. Craig Gleason, Guitar and Vocals 2-2:45 p.m. Pianist 8:30-till Texas Hold’em 6:30–7:30 p.m. Hot Dogs 10:30 p.m.- Craig Gleason, Guitar and Vocals 6:30–9:30 p.m. Cash bar 12:30 a.m. NABC Slideshow Ask the Expert New Life Masters The Atlanta planning committee is putting Would you like to get an expert opinion on how Joanne Kunz of Daytona Beach FL became together a slideshow of the overall winners of you should have bid a hand, or how you should have a Life Master playing in the three-session KO tournament events.