Next excitement was David Berkowitz were on the winning the induction of Russ NABC Roth Open Swiss team. Arnold into the ACBL Hall Jenny Wolpert of of Fame (see Zeke Jabbour's Jupiter was on the words about Russ on p. 18), with past winning Wagar District 9 member Bobby Levin doing Women's Knockout the introduction. Russ did not attend the Team. ceremony due to poor health. Some of us ATTENTION Jenny Wolpert Second place Irina Ladyzhensky's Although the District 9 GNT Finals got to play against him at the Deerfield in NABC events three children had all kinds Beach Regional. of fun in Toronto (Nikita got are scheduled for April 27-29, 2012, was achieved by to be a Vugraph operator!) the Championship Flight only may be At the Board of Governors meeting, Richard Margolis and they had an honorary rescheduled. Watch for the change to be it was announced that the Ace of of Melbourne in the brother, Evan Berman of announced in the next issue of the Sunshine Sarasota. The Ladyzhenskys Clubs award is now renamed the Helen Wernher Open Pairs, are from Ellenton. Left to right, Bridge News and on the district website at Shanbrom Ace of Clubs Award. by Jeff Meckstroth and Alexandra, mom Irina, Evan www.District9ACBL.org. Eric Rodwell in the Berman (in his lucky hat), John Diamond Next it was time for bridge success. Lisa Berkowitz (Fast Pairs) Spingold, and by Lisa Nikita and Asya. Asya (along OUR CAVENDISH WINNER Congratulations to our Championship with junior teammates Josh In case you're curious and David Berkowitz in the Mixed Sablan and Drew Cavalier and Flight Grand National Team winners, what a Cavendish winner BAM. Capping off the week of bridge non-junior teammate Sangit looks like, here is our Michael Becker and David Berkowitz success was David Berkowitz's win Chatterjee) also represented of Boca Raton, Gary Cohler of Miami, District 9 in the Grand National own Fred Stewart. We of the Fishbein Trophy for the player Teams Flight C event. She and congratulated him on page Jeff Meckstroth and Eric Rodwell of who wins the most masterpoints at her teammates very successfully 5 of our previous issue, but at Clearwater Beach and Warren Spector the Summer NABC. His total?…a won enough to survive the Swiss that time, we didn't have his of Palm Beach. John Diamond of Boca nice round 332.50 points for the qualifying to make it into the Richard Margolis, KO Round of 16. Second in Wernher photo. ACBL congratulated him in the July Raton won the NABC Fast Pairs. Susan tournament. Bulletin, and the editors of the ACBL Bulletin Fuller, Saul Gross, John Lewis and Those are just the "big" event st1 and and the NABC Daily Bulletins are always Maris Zilant, all from the Miami-Fort 2nd placers. Ask your own friends and able and willing to send us their great photos. Lauderdale area, were on the winning We thank them for this! Congratulations partners how THEY did, as plenty of Mini-Spingold I (0-5000) squad. again, Fred. District 9 members were in the overalls Pratap Rajadhyaksha of Venice and of all kinds of ALL KINDS OF KUDOS TO OUR NABC as well as MEMBERS IN TORONTO regionally-rated District 9 players events. experienced all kinds of Mini-Spingold 0-5000 Team (Lewis) success at the Toronto And Our Back row, left is Saul Gross, middle is John Lewis, NABC in July. At the Youth! front row, left is Susan Fuller, right is Maris Zilant. ABTA (American Bridge Congratulations Teachers' Association) to Evan Berman of Sarasota and Conference, Asya and Nikita Ladyzhensky Marion Ellingsen and (sister and brother) who were Mary Ann Dufresne received the Bridge on the second place team of Book of the Year award honoring their the Youth NABC Swiss Team. popular bridge book, Bridge with Bells and Special congratulations to Whistles. GNT Champ Flight Team: L to R, Cohler, Becker, Spector, Meckstroth, Rodwell, Berkowitz Ryan Miller of Tampa Rajadhyaksha/Berkowitz Roth Open Swiss Photos compliments of the ACBL Bulletin, except the Jenny Wolpert photo is Above photos compliments of the ACBL Bulletin 16 ACBL District 9 compliments of Jonathan Steinberg www.District9ACBL.org 17 Mercifully, a heart was led— …District 9 News, continued from page17 into the mashed potatoes. BIG RUSS by Zeke Jabbour who was voted by his peers, all the attendees at There were now eleven tricks the Youth NABC, to receive the Sportsmanship friendly opponents, alike. That earned if the diamonds behave—but Trophy. Along with this award comes a $1000 Ίt took a while, but they finally did it; him a duplicate board across his head from if they don’t!...The opponents college scholarship! Ryan told the Daily they inducted Big Russ Arnold into the one of his more sensitive partners. He still can count too. When RHO Bulletin that his local club has signs about bridge Hall of Fame. It was long overdue. mischievously chides the Little Despot, produced the ♥J, Big Russ Zero Tolerance, and that his grandmother, His partners and the game’s aficionados Sharon, for a mistake she made against peered at dummy, then won Sandra Rosenblum, taught him everything have known this all along. Now the world him 15 years ago—a testament more to his it—with the ace! He motored about bridge, including proper behavior. Ryan concurs: Russ Arnold belongs in the Hall of memory than to his good judgment. He still over to a club in dummy and will be a senior in high school this year and Fame. has the memory of the proverbial took the diamond finesse, has been playing bridge for seven years. Russ was born in Canada, elephant. which lost; he waited to see if See page 22 for more news about our Youth. raised and educated in Playing with Russ gives one he was going to go down many Minnesota, where he hung out such confidence that you fear tricks with a spade switch, or A "first" occurred in the Vugraph presentation with the likes of Eddie Kantar no opponent. He is not only make if his swindle is a success. of the Spingold finals on July 31 and our own and other fugitives from the a tough competitor, he is an The defender took a moment Larry Cohen was one of the two commentators. classroom. A tournament he accomplished thief at the table, pondering Russ’s failure to Rather than having to read their comments, attended in Miami convinced and has an active sense of humor hold off on the first trick and kibitzers at the table could listen to Larry and him to stay and add still another delivered with a Bogart twang. decided there were a couple of the BBO vugraph officianado,Roland Wald, star to the already star-infested who was in Denmark at the time. Larry, who Big Russ Arnold (Russ resembles and sounds possible explanations. None Florida constellation. For years, like a tall Humphrey Bogart.) of them mattered because doesn't attend tournaments any more (except Russ has been a bridge icon. He has won Big Russ, the thief, stole many a trick over he knew his partner held the perhaps once a year), was broadcasting from the every major ACBL team game for which he the years. I don’t remember the whole hand, queen of hearts. So, reasonably, comfort of his own home. was eligible and he is a two-time Bermuda but against a top professional he made a he again led a small heart; only And while you're thinking about all the fun Bowl winner. He is an ACBL Grand Life dramatic discard of a queen instructing me this time Russ won the queen some of our members had in Toronto, be sure Master and a World Bridge Federation to abandon the suit we were attacking. The and pandemonium ensued, you are planning to play in the North American Life Master. Remarkably, he compiled this switch set declarer two tricks! with Russ giggling while his Pairs District Finals October 29 and 30. As long record virtually without flying. He doesn’t Which reminds me of that rascal’s thievery friend—his former friend— as you qualified in a club game, you can play at like to fly -- so he doesn’t. against another renowned pair. We have all was beating on his arms. It was either site with any other qualified partner. Play I am privileged to have been the big guy's read of this maneuver, perhaps you’ve even a fun moment. in St. Petersburg or in Lake Park -- your choice. partner, teammate and friend. I first played performed it, but it’s a lot sweeter when the So, I’m glad that the Hall Play in A, B or C -- depending on your level and as Russ's partner in a national championship victim is a friend and long-time rival. Russ of Fame committee chose qualification. You could be having NABC fun in event on the Dick Hunt team during Hunt’s held ♠Qx ♥AQx ♦A109x ♣KQxx and opened to honor Russ while both he Memphis in March, representing District 9 in successful campaign to win the Barry the bidding 1NT; his LHO passed, and I held and his many friends are able the finals of the North American Pairs!!! Crane Trophy (1994). At that time, Bobby ♠Jx ♥xx ♦Q Jxxx ♣AJ10x, and raised to 3NT. to savor the moment. It is Editor's Note: If you receive this SBN before the end Levin, Russ’s famous protégé and long time still another testimony to the of August, you might still be able to find an NAP partner, assured me that I was playing with quality of Florida Bridge.