Championship Day in Las Vegas Grand National Teams National Pairs
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Monday, July 21, 2014 Volume 86, Number 4 Daily Bulletin 86th North American Bridge Championships [email protected] Editors: Brent Manley, Paul Linxwiler and Rob Clark Championship Day in Las Vegas Grand National Teams National pairs Grand National Teams Championship Flight winners from District 9: Jeff Meckstroth, Eric Rodwell, Michael Seamon, non-playing captain Jodi Coren, Richard Coren, Kevin Bathurst and Kevin Dwyer. Doug Doub and Frank Merblum: winners of the von Zedtwitz Life Master Pairs This D21 squad won the Goldman Flight A of the GNT: Sathya Bettadapura, Robert Thomson, Crispin Barrere and Mark Moss. Winners of the GNT Flight B from District 16: Daniel Jackson, Jennifer Breihan, Joe Houde and Ronald Kay: winners of the Mike Doyle, James Breihan Bruce 0-5000 LM Pairs and Bill McCarty. GNT Flight C champs from D21: Kendrick Chow, Samuel Kuang, Tsao-Tung Tsai and Luen-Jyh Luo. Charles Riffle and Douglas Grant: winners of the Young 0-1500 LM Pairs Collegiate Teams They won the Collegiate Team Championship representing the University of California at Berkeley: Armin Askari, Rebecca Wernis, Isha Thapa and Raymond Van Mizener. John Jones and Mark Bartusek won the NABC 0-10,000 Pairs Page 2 Monday, July 21, 2014 Daily Bulletin SPECIAL EVENTS MEETINGS / SEMINARS / RECEPTIONS All events are located at the Westgate Las Vegas Resort & Casino (formerly the LVH). Tuesday, July 22 Monday, July 21 9 am-Noon Club Director Refresher Course. Continuing education 10 am-Noon Competition & Conventions Committee. Second floor, for bridge directors to increase their skills, including Conference Room 7. updates to chapters four and five of the ACBL handbook. 10 am-Noon Zero Tolerance workshop. TD Dan Plato’s lively Continues on Wednesday, July 23. Must attend both workshop goes well beyond the Laws to address how to sessions. Sign up at the door. Fee: $15 covers both sessions. communicate with problem players. The goal is to make the Second floor, Conference Room 9. club experience more inviting for new members and more 10 am-Noon GNT/NAP Coordinators. Second floor, Conference pleasurable for everyone by encouraging and empowering Room 14. directors and managers to deal with unacceptable behavior. 10:30 am-Noon Foundation for the Preservation and Advancement of Free. Second floor, Conference Room 9 Bridge. Second floor, Conference Room 13. 10 am-Noon Free Bridge Lesson with Barbara Seagram. First floor, Pavillions 9-10. Wednesday, July 23 10:30 am-Noon USBF Board meeting. Second floor, Conference Room 8 9 am-noon Club Director Refresher Course. Second day of the 12:30-2 pm Bridge-Plus+. Free game for new players. First floor, continuing education seminar. Must attend both sessions. Ballrooms E-G. Second floor, Conference Room 9. 5-7pm Goodwill Reception. First floor, Pavillions 10-11. Goodwill members only. CELEBRITY SPEAKER PROGRAM Be sure to hear these free expert lecturers by some of the best-known players Tuesday, July 22 and teachers in Ballrooms E-G on the first floor.* 12:15 p.m. Lisa Berkowitz Playing to Trick One 6:45 p.m. Kevin Wilson Fitting Honors Monday, July 21 10 a.m.–noon Barbara Seagram Free two-hour lesson Wednesday, July 23 12:15 p.m. Jeff Roman The Difference Between 12:15 p.m. Emily Harrell How to Talk to Yourself to Win 6:45 p.m. Robert Todd Preempts 6:45 p.m. Kitty Cooper Opening Leads * Speaker schedule subject to change. ENTERTAINMENT and HOSPITALITY Don’t miss the great entertainment and treats offered every night after the evening session. Wednesday, July 23 Monday, July 21 10:45-11:45 p.m. Ice cream bars 10:45-11:45 p.m. Quesadillas olé! Classic country night Dixieland jazz night Say ‘cheese’ please! Check cashing ACBL has retained a professional photographer and Bridge Bucks to update images for our publications and website. The check-cashing and Bridge Bucks desk is We are looking for you – Hall of Famers, NABC located in the Board Room on the first floor of the winners, tournament staff, Grand Life Masters, Convention Center. Hours of operation: soon-to-be Grand Life Masters, Platinum Life Monday, July 21 9:30 to 10 a.m and Masters and anyone looking at a 10,000 MP Noon to 1 p.m. milestone and up. Also Bulletin contributors – it’s Tuesday, July 22- Noon to 1 p.m. time to freshen up those mugshots in the magazine! Saturday, July 26 On Monday, July 21, from 5-9 p.m., the There is a limit of $500 per day for check photographer will be in Conference Room 8 cashing. (located on the second floor above Conference Bridge Bucks are available for purchase at the Rooms 1-6). Please try to look nice. If you had check-cashing desk. Visa, Mastercard and Discover your photo taken in Phoenix or Dallas, you don’t can be used to purchase Bridge Bucks. need to come back. Questions? Email the Daily Bulletin folks at [email protected]. Visit the Vendors! Masterpoint disclaimer For a variety of bridge-related products Scores as reported in the Daily Bulletin are and services, players are subject to change because of score changes or encouraged to visit the corrections. The masterpoint awards as shown are, Barbara Vasilvesky is our Volunteer vendors located in the lobby therefore, also subject to change. Coordinator. She has gone above and beyond the call of duty to provide all the volunteers area between the Pavilion necessary so that the players have the best and Paradise Ballrooms. possible NABC experience. FEE: $15 covers both sessions. Sign up at the door. Club DATE: Tuesday and Wednesday, July 22 and 23 TIME: 9:00 am to noon, both days Director LOCATION: See page 2 for room location This is a continuing education course for club directors presented by Dan Plato, Tournament Operations Specialist and former club owner/manager. Refresher Topics include advanced rulings, additional skills in ACBLscore, improved ruling delivery and many other issues faced daily at the club level. Participants Course must attend both sessions (Tuesday and Wednesday). Daily Bulletin Monday, July 21, 2014 Page 3 JUST FOR NEW PLAYERS shows a better hand than Disturb their notrump a direct 2♠. By Brent Manley Many use this system in the direct seat or Jacob Weisberg passout seat (after 1NT – of Laguna Woods CA Pass – Pass). was playing at a club Other considerations in another California include the vulnerability city when the and suit texture (e.g., director interrupted Q-J-10-9-7-5-4 is vastly play to make an superior to Q-J-5-4-3-2), announcement. He and it usually a bad idea said, “I’ve found a to bid with a balanced little round silver hand: e.g. 5-3-3-2 or 4-4- item. It looks like 3-2 pattern. a battery, a hearing-aid battery.” After a short You may be pause, the director continued, “So if you can’t wondering whether there hear this announcement, it’s probably yours.” The are any guidelines to room exploded with laughter, but one player was help you decide whether silent, finally asking, “What did he say?” to get involved after an opponent opens 1NT. Mel When an opponent opens a strong 1NT (15- Colchamiro, an expert 17) his side has a certain advantage in that his player and bridge writer, partner has an excellent idea about how to go in came up with a workable the bidding and in what suit (or notrump). formula. That doesn’t mean you are without resources. After a 1NT opening, If you and your partner have sound agreements take the number of cards about competing and you work to acquire good in your two longest suits judgment, you can offset some of that advantage. and subtract from that To get started, select one of the many sum the number of losers methods for competing against the opponents’ in your hand. Losers are in diamonds for a total of eight. Your sum is zero. strong 1NT (we will deal with the “weak” 1NT missing aces, kings and queens in suits of three Pass. later). One of the most popular methods is known cards or longer. Doubletons count as two losers, When the opponents’ 1NT range is something as DONT, for Disturb Opponents’ NoTrump. singletons as one, voids none. After making the like 10-12 or 12-14, many players use Hamilton, It was created by Marty Bergen and has appeal subtraction, if the number is zero or one, stay out in which double shows a good hand, starting with because of its simplicity. After an opponent opens of the auction. If the sum is two or higher, get in at least 14 high-card points (it can be balanced). 1NT (strong): there. An example: A direct 2♣ shows a one-suiter (partner bids 2♦ to Double shows a one-suited hand (six or more ♠K Q 7 6 ♥A 8 7 6 5 ♦3 ♣J 10 9 find out); 2♦ shows the majors; 2♥ and 2♠ show – do not double with only five). After a 1NT opener, bid 2♥ (majors). You the bid suit and a minor. 2♣ shows a clubs and another suit, usually have nine cards in your two long suits, one loser It is critically important to discuss 5-4 or better. in spades (missing ace), two in hearts (missing agreements, especially if you vary your methods 2♦ shows diamonds and a major, usually 5-4 king and queen), one in diamonds and three in depending on whether the 1NT opener is “weak” or better. clubs. Nine (cards in the majors) minus seven or strong.