Saturday, March 23, 2013 Volume 56, Number 9 Daily Bulletin 56th Spring North American Bridge Championships Editors: Brent Manley and Sue Munday Nickell, Amoils out as Vanderbilt enters semis Team Monaco. It was the second dramatic turn in the The top-seeded Nick Nickell team, winner of match, which saw Auken (Roy Welland and Danish numerous matches in come-from-behind fashion, players Dennis and Morten Bilde) stage a huge could not find the dramatic rally against the No. 9 fourth-quarter rally to make the match close enough seed, Andrew Rosenthal, and will be watching the for the appeal to matter. Auken, originally seeded 45, Vanderbilt Knockout Teams from the sidelines today won the final set 71-10, falling short by 6 IMPs. as the event enters the semifinal round. The write-up of the appeal can be found on page Matchups, by captain, are Rosenthal versus 14. Sabine Auken, and Martin Fleisher versus Ricco van In Friday’s play, Auken took on No. 5 Les Silodor Open Pairs winners: David Bakhshi and Prooijen. Amoils, captain of the winning Vanderbilt team last Billy Cohen. Rosenthal (Aaron Silverstein, Bjorn Fallenius, year in Memphis. Auken jumped out to a 25-17 lead Peter Fredin, Fredrik Nystrom and Johan Upmark) in the first quarter and was never headed on the way Bakhshi, Cohen win held a 6-IMP lead halfway through the match against to a 139-124 victory, a fourth-quarter rally by Amoils Nickell (Ralph Katz, Jeff Meckstroth, Eric Rodwell, falling short. Bobby Levin and Steve Weinstein). Rosenthal won The other two quarterfinal matches were routs. Silodor Open Pairs About 12:30 p.m. on Thursday morning, Billy the third quarter 43-12 and played about even in the No. 7 Fleisher ousted the David Grainger squad Cohen was sitting in his hotel room in pajamas, final set to win 124-91. 150-94, thanks mostly to a 65-2 second quarter for getting ready to watch basketball all day. Little did Rosenthal will play the team captained by Auken, Fleisher (Mike Kamil, Zia Mahmood, Chip Martel, he know that a different kind of March Madness was whose successful appeal of a director’s ruling during Chris Willenken and Michael Rosenberg). coming his way. Thursday’s play changed the result against No. 4 continued on page 16 Cohen’s girlfriend, Bronia Jenkins, rousted him from bed, told him to clean up and get ready to Southern gentlemen claim Red Ribbon play with David Bakhshi in the Silodor Open Pairs. continued on page 15 Brian Cummins of Cordova TN and Blake to win the Bean Red Ribbon Pairs in a walk. Sanders from Jonesboro AR outdistanced the the field Sanders attributed the success to “sound partnership understanding,” while Cummins offered, “We play better when we sit East–West.” The pair was 39th entering play today. Their 57.44% afternoon followed by a 65.74% sitting North– South in the second final session took them to the top and a total of 1244.04 points. Top was 38. Sanders was ACBL’s 2011 King of Bridge. Jeff Dater, Dallas TX and Rich Brandenburg, Coppell TX finished Whitehead Women’s Pairs winners Joanne second with 1206.87 points. Less than Weingold and Jan Assini one point separated second, third, Jan and Joanne joyous First place in the Red Ribbon Pairs goes to Brian Cummins and fourth and fifth place. Blake Sanders with win in women’s pairs Going into the last round, fewer than 5 matchpoints separated the top three spots in the Veteran TD headed for retirement Whitehead Women’s Pairs. An excited exclamation It’s not easy to do 57 straight of anything, went up from Jan Assini and Joanne Weingold when so imagine what it’s been like for Martin Ware, the final listing was posted and they saw their names completing his 57th and last North American Bridge at the top. They finished with 800.11 (on a 25 top) Championship in St. Louis as part of the hard- “I just came up yesterday to play for the day with working Tournament Services team. Jan,” said Weingold, who is from Boca Raton FL. “I Members of the services crew are responsible had to cancel my ticket home to stay for today.” Her for a wide variety of behind-the-scenes activities partner, Assini, hails from Aurora OH. at the NABC, including many of a logistical The win is Weingold’s first NABC title; Assini nature. The crew unloads the big trucks that arrive had a second-place finish in the Wagar Women’s with equipment before the tournament starts, and continued on page 15 they reload it when the NABC ends. With two exceptions – Wendy Sullivan and Murry Hayes – the Tournament Services staff is made up of tournament Goodwill Message directors. As Ware describes his job, it’s “working like a Always be courteous toward your partner and dog for 15 straight days – and I love it.” opponent. On Friday, Ware’s friends and colleagues Sandy DeMartino, Goodwill Chair organized a party to recognize him for long and expert service, presenting him with a jersey with a ATTENDANCE big number 57 and toasting him with champagne. The jersey will be framed later. through Friday TD Martin Ware with the jersey signed by “It has been a pleasure,” said Ware, who colleagues and friends to commemorate his 57 continued on page 5 NABCs as part of the Tournament Services staff. 8383 tables Page 2 Saturday, March 23, 2013 Daily Bulletin SPECIAL EVENTS CELEBRITY SPEAKER PROGRAM ENTERTAINMENT and HOSPITALITY — Don’t miss these free lectures in St. Louis from expert players. These talks will Landmark Ballrooms 1-4 be held in Room 230 at the America’s Center. Saturday, March 23 Saturday, March 23 Chili cookoff: Vegetarian chili, turkey chili 9:15 a.m. Mark Ehret How to Execute a Simple Squeeze Friendly Henry’s will keep your toes tapping with bluegrass, folk and a little 6:45 p.m. Michael Huston Convention Choices country. Be considerate Grand Bar hours changing The Insider This will be the final St. Louis Insider column. Players, please be considerate of others in The Grand Bar at the Renaissance Grand Hotel Things get hectic as the Services guys try to close up wearing perfume, cologne or other fragrance at the will close at 1:30 a.m. Saturday and Sunday. table. Many people have extreme sensitivity to such bidding boxes, re-box leftover pencils, fold up tables scents. and get three semi trailers loaded before the next Smoking rules groups move into the hotel and center. (It is always Missing jacket Tournament directors have receive complaints appreciated if you help by closing your bidding about players smoking in the stairwells at the box at the end of play on Sunday. It is even more Steve Sturm reports that someone apparently Renaissance Hotel. Smoking is not permitted appreciated if you make sure the bottom clicks in took his black leather jacket by mistake, leaving anywhere on the hotel property and is a violation of place so that the cards don’t end up all over the floor.) him with a jacket that doesn’t fit. It was taken at the the law in St. Louis. Players found to be smoking Even with the cold wind, it has been a great America’s Center in the area where the Open Pairs in the hotel will be subject to a full board penalty in tournament. The playing conditions were nearly was played on Tuesday. If the person who took the pairs games and a comparable penalty in team games. perfect. The hotel and the center workers were jacket realizes the mistake, the person can drop it genuinely happy we were here and made us feel off at the Daily Bulletin office or contact Marjorie welcome. The directing staff, the employees from Michelin (310-422-9330). The smaller jacket is in the Masterpoint disclaimer ACBL Headquarters in the greater Horn Lake Daily Bulletin office. Scores as reported in the Daily Bulletin are Metroplex and the local St. Louis volunteers all subject to change because of score changes or did a wonderful job. The players did their jobs, corrections. Registration too, by playing good bridge and running down the The masterpoint awards as shown are, therefore, The registration desk is located at the America’s masterpoint inventory. also subject to change. Center through the end of the tournament. The Atlanta NABC—August 1–11—is going to be yet another super tournament. The Daily Bulletin has had several articles about the youth bridge events scheduled there, and we’ll also have the full slate of other events including the Spingold and its two younger brothers, Mini I and Mini II. Make your reservations now to join the greatest bridge event of the summer. Thanks for coming to St Louis. We’ll see you in Atlanta! Monitoring At this and future North American Championships, ACBL will be monitoring NABC+ events with visible, real-time cameras. The images will be recorded and will be available for later official inspection and review. By general monitoring of the session and participants’ behavior, ACBL has another source of information that may be useful in determining facts and settling issues arising from some types of ethical and behavioral complaints or actions. Please summon a director if a problem occurs at the table. This procedure is intended to assure everyone that the playing field is level and that misbehavior will not be tolerated. Free Parking NABC guests enjoy free parking at the Renaissance. The garages are located at 9th and St.