FALL 2019 ‘Halloween Regional’ Is Nothing to Be Scared About by Marty Hirschman Concerned About Missing Table Talk Editor Halloween in the “Real” World? No Worries

Home , Cheating in bridge, Nicolas Hammond, Wernher Open Pairs

VOL. 60 No. 2 FALL 2019 ‘Halloween Regional’ is nothing to be scared about By Marty Hirschman Concerned about missing Table Talk Editor Halloween in the “real” world? No worries. The afternoon Our Motor City Regional has session should end about been held in the second week 5:45 p.m., so you will have of October for many years, time to run home and give out but a scheduling glitch at the candy or see that cute grand- site has pushed our dates daughter of yours in her Little back this year to Oct. 28 to Mermaid getup. Nov. 3. Another great thing about That means Halloween falls the new dates: You know how smack in the middle of the you get a little tired after play- tournament. So I’m encourag- ing two sessions all week, and ing everyone to get dressed just don’t want to get up on up for the occasion on Thurs- Sunday early enough to make day, Oct. 31. I may come as a the 10 a.m. starting time? ghost. Or maybe a lawyer. Well, this year, the change Booooooooooooo! (Continued on page 23)

DON’T FORGET TO VOTE

The annual election for MBA Board of Directors will be held at the Motor City Regional on the last four days of the tournament, Oct. 31-Nov. 3. Voting will end at the start of the Sun- day game. If you cannot be there on one of those days, you can still vote by completing and sending in an absentee ballot. See page 5. Candidates’ pictures and statements appear on pages 6-7. Michigan Bridge Association’s VINCE AND JOAN REMEY MOTOR CITY REGIONAL October 28-November 3, 2019 SITE: William Costick Center, 28600 Eleven Mile Road, Farmington Hills 48366

MONDAY, OCTOBER 28 Stratified Grass Roots Fund Open Pairs...... 1 & 7 p.m.* Gold Rush Pairs ...... 1 & 7 p.m.* *You may play one session by request TUESDAY, OCTOBER 29 Bracketed Swiss Teams ...... 10 a.m. & 2:30 p.m. WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 30 Soloway-style KO Teams-Qualifying Rounds ...... 10 a.m. & 2:30 p.m. Sylvia Stein Stratified Open Pairs ...... 10 a.m. & 2:30 p.m. Gold Rush Pairs ...... 10 a.m. & 2:30 p.m. THURSDAY, OCTOBER 31 Soloway-style KO Teams-Semifinals & Finals ...... 10 a.m. & 2:30 p.m. Bracketed Swiss Teams ...... 10 a.m. & 2:30 p.m. FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 1 Stratified Open Pairs ...... 10 a.m. & 2:30 p.m. Gold Rush Pairs ...... 10 a.m. & 2:30 p.m. Stratified Open Swiss Teams ...... 2:30 p.m. SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 2 Stratified Open Swiss Teams ...... 10 a.m. & 2:30 p.m. Stratified Open Pairs ...... 10 a.m. & 2:30 p.m. Gold Rush Pairs ...... 10 a.m. & 2:30 p.m. SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 3 Marilyn & Myles Maddox Bracketed Swiss Teams ...... 10 a.m. playthru (Includes Intermediate/Newcomer Teams)

Light lunch served Saturday & Sunday

Expert lectures Tuesday thru Saturday at 9:15 a.m.

PAGE 2 TABLE TALK INTERMEDIATE/NEWCOMER PAIRS: Tuesday thru Saturday...... 10 a.m. & 2:30 p.m. (I/N events are limited to players with fewer than 300 masterpoints)

SIDE PAIR SERIES: Daytime Series #1 ...... Tuesday thru Thursday ...... 10 a.m. & 2:30 p.m. Evening Series ...... Tuesday thru Friday 7 p.m. Daytime Series #2 ...... Friday & Saturday 10 a.m. & 2:30 p.m. To win gold points, you must play at least two sessions of the same event

STRATS: Two-session Open events: A=unlimited, B=0-3000, C-0-1500 Side Series games & single-session Swiss Teams: A=unlimited, B=0-3000, C=0-750 I/N Pairs: 0-50, 50-100 and 100-300

SOLOWAY-STYLE KO TEAMS is a bracketed two-day event with a two-session round-robin qualifier on the first day. The sur- viving four teams play two matches on the second day, with all four receiving overall awards.

BRACKETED SWISS TEAMS: Teams are divided by average masterpoints into separate events with 7, 8 or 9 teams in the top brackets.

TOURNAMENT HOTEL: Comfort Inn, 30715 West 12 Mile Road, Farmington Hills, 248-471-9220, 855-539-0036

TOURNAMENT CHAIR: Bob Ondo, 313-320-5173, [email protected]

PARTNERSHIPS: Marilyn Crane, 734-591-3431, cell: 734-536-1731; [email protected] Jane Gardner, 248-719-2941; [email protected]

District website: www.district12bridge.org

TABLE TALK PAGE 3 TABLE TALK MBA Officers Official publication Owen Lien ...... president of the Michigan Bridge Association Richard Temkin ..... ….president-elect 4504 Knollcrest Road Bob Ondo ...... chairman Ann Arbor MI 48108 Stacey Tessler .... recording secretary 734-585-5759 Bob Webber ...... treasurer e-mail: [email protected] Board of Directors MARTIN HIRSCHMAN, Editor Julie Arbit, Shelley Boschan, Brenda Associate editor: Marcia Abramson Bryant, MBA Corresponding & Mem- bership Secretary: Paul Pomeroy, Owen Lien, 34069 Hathaway St., Livonia MI Marilyn Nathanson, Bob Ondo, Grant 48150, [email protected], 734- Petersen, Richard Temkin, Stacey 421-0193 Tessler, Allan Tushman

MBA CLUB DIRECTORY Evangelical Lutheran Church, 375 Lothrop, Grosse Pointe Farms. Tony Faint, 586-649- 3575. Friday 12 p.m. Ann Arbor Genesis, 2309 ■Neighborhood Club, St. Paul Packard, Ann Arbor. Stuart Col- Evangelical Lutheran Church, lis, 734-678-5549. Tuesday 7 p.m. Tony Faint, 586-649-3575. Thursday 12 p.m. ■Plymouth Community DBC, Cultural Center, 525 Farmer, Plymouth. Jim & Cheryl Perna, 248-887-9283. Tuesday 11:30 a.m., Wednesday 11:30 a.m. ■Trenton DBC, 2700 Westfield, Trenton. Bob Ondo, 313-320- 5173. Thursday 7 p.m. ■War Memorial, 32 Lakeshore, Grosse Pointe. Judith Thomas, 313-372-4218. Monday 12 p.m. ■Young Center BC, R.A. Young Recreation Center, 5400 McKin- ley, Dearborn Heights. Joyce Koz- ma, 313-274-5587. Wednesday ■Friendly Friday BC, St. Paul 11 a.m.

PAGE 4 TABLE TALK MBA BOARD OF DIRECTORS ELECTION FALL 2019 The annual election for the MBA Board of Directors will take place on the last four days of the Remey Motor City Regional, Oct. 28-Nov. 3, 2019, in Farmington Hills. Voting ends at the start of the Sunday event. If you cannot attend the tournament, please fill out and mail an absentee ballot according to the di- rections below. One ballot per MBA member, please. A second ballot is provided for use by households with two MBA members. For additional ballots, contact Jane Gardner, 248-719-2941, or Shelley Boschan, 248-225-1700. Statements of candidates appear on the following two pages.

MBA ABSENTEE BALLOT Please vote for NOT MORE THAN SIX (6) nominees for the MBA Board of Directors. For your absentee ballot to be valid, it must be MAILED, with the name of the voter on the outer envelope. There must be no more than two ballots per envelope. If two ballots are sent in one envelope, the names of both voters must be written on the outer envelope.

Please vote for NOT MORE THAN SIX (6) candidates. An asterisk(*) indi- cates incumbent. Please put an X after your choices. VOID 1. Stacey Tessler* _____ 5. Julie Arbit* _____ 2. Jonathan Fleischmann* _____ 6. Marilyn Crane* _____ 3. Steven Jacob _____ 7. Brenda Bryant* _____ 4. Paul Chirgwin _____

TABLE TALK PAGE 5 STACEY TESSLER As an MBA board member for many years, I enjoy promot- ing novice games and learning opportunities for inexperi- enced players. As a director at several games in Ann Ar- bor, I am able to encourage players new to the game. At the Burns Park Senior Center, I direct a monthly game for players with less than 200 masterpoints. This includes in- struction, masterpoints at a sanctioned game and opportunities to make new acquaintances in a less stressful envi- ronment. I am also co-chair with Julie Arbit for the Mike Graham Ann Arbor Sectional at the end of January. I would appreciate your vote.

JONATHAN FLEISCHMANN Over my previous eight years serving MBA on its board, I have been involved in running its Sectional and Regional tournaments, working on MBA-SOMBA negotiations, and a variety of other activities to benefit the unit. I want to see bridge thrive in southeast Michigan, as I have loved playing the game here for twenty years now and hope to continue for twenty more. I look forward to the opportunity to further contribute over the next two years and hope you will trust me to do so.

STEVEN JACOB I have been an active duplicate player for over 35 years. I would like to “give back” to MBA since our bridge community has given so much to me. I have a Master of Business Administration from U of M and been in business since 1980. I believe that my many years of playing bridge and my business experience will benefit the MBA Board. Devel- oping programs and ideas to grow our membership is an area that interests me.

PAUL CHIRGWIN Bridge has become a growing part of my life since I retired 3 years ago and then again when my wife died last year. I now play four times per week. One goal will be to revisit the joining of MBA with SOMBA. Keeping two groups in the same area, given the less than laudable reason why two groups were formed years ago, is overdue for change. If it takes a longer term plan to level budgets, then the effort needs to get started.

PAGE 6 TABLE TALK JULIE ARBIT Julie learned to play bridge in 2011 as an undergraduate student at the University of Michigan. She won District 12 NAP C in 2013 and qualified on teams to represent the US in World Junior championships in 2014 and 2016. Julie recently moved back to Michigan, where she splits her time working at a research lab in Ann Arbor and teaching bridge. She will begin a two-year master's program in Environmen- tal Policy in the Fall. Aside from work, school, and bridge, Julie finds time for rock climbing, martial arts, vegan cook- ing/baking, and slowly building a 2-acre homestead.

MARILYN CRANE Many of you know me from working at the partnership desk at our local Sectionals and Regionals. It gives me the opportunity to meet new players and many times match up winners! I would appreciate your vote and look forward to serving on the board for another term.

BRENDA BRYANT I am running for the MBA board again this year. Like you I love the game of bridge! In fact, I will be traveling to Wuhan, China to compete in the Venice Cup this year. As a bridge player, I am concerned about its ethics, making the game fun (yet competitive) and developing ways like our summer youth camp, to entice young people to learn and play. Bridge is a wonderful way to keep our minds sharp, make friends, and to have fun. I have gained so much from the game, and I am eager to give back to it.

WELCOME, WELCOME, NEW MEMBERS TRANSFERS James Adams Marsha Auslander Alfred Fisher David Boley Jonathan Gorman Marilyn Clark Kirk Meier John Kraus Roy Nesler Carol Nederlander Renee Siegan Terry Selman Marie Tront Shelagh Vanderveen

TABLE TALK PAGE 7 Bendure and Bitterman score big at Vegas NABC MBA member Mark Ben- dure of Grosse Pointe and former member Bob Bitterman, now of Harbor Springs MI, won the two-day NABC+ Wernher Open Pairs this summer at the North American Bridge Championships in Las Mark Bendure, left, and part- Vegas. ner Bob Bitterman Bendure and Bitterman were regular partners until Bit- and still put in my share of 7- terman moved away about 30 day weeks, primarily handling years ago. Recently they state and federal appeals. Be- started playing together again. sides the recent bridge victo- Bendure, who is my attorney ry, the high point in my life is if I ever need one again, arguing, and winning, in the agreed to participate in this U.S. Supreme Court. interview, by email. TT: How and when did you TABLE TALK: Congratula- get involved in playing bridge, tions on your big win in the particularly duplicate bridge? Wernher. Please tell us a little about your personal life and BENDURE: I learned to play career. bridge in the dorm at the Uni- versity of Michigan and quick- MARK BENDURE: Thanks, ly became captivated. Before Marty. I still maintain a long I was playing at the stu- very active lifestyle that keeps dent union and then the local me from spending too much club game and nearby sec- time at the bridge table. My tional tournaments. I was tak- wife, Carol, and I are celebrat- en under his wing by Art ing our 50th anniversary this Price, a classic gentleman month. Our four grandchil- and WBF master who ran the dren, ages 4-9, live within two student union game, and en- miles and are a constant couraged young players. source of education and Then I developed a good part- amusement. I began my law nership with Ross Grabel who practice about 45 years ago went on to become a force at

PAGE 8 TABLE TALK the national level. It was ships with players with a na- an extraordinarily strong field tional reputation and doing in the club game so one either very well at the highest level learned fast or gave up. By of the game. About five years the time I graduated from law ago I had a little more time to school, partners moved away devote to the game and shake and my plate was full with some of the rust off. I tried to starting a career and a toddler play two or three regionals (and other diversions) so I and one or two nationals a didn't play a lot of bridge but year, in part because I quali- stayed interested. fied for the national NAPs three straight years. For about TT: Tell us about your part- three years he and I have nership with Bob Bitterman. played about one national BENDURE: At about that event a year. In the mean- time, Bob Bitterman was be- time, BBO has been great for ginning to play in the Detroit playing together when we get area while attending med a chance. Also, he took the school. It was clear that he initiative of upgrading our sys- had a competitive spirit to tem from vintage 1980's match my own and had a lot to vintage 2005, although I of potential. We struck up a can't recall any "system" partnership that has lasted to hands from the Open Pairs. this day. If I had to play a TT: Do you have any good game of bridge with my life on hands or stories from the the line, he is the one I would Wernher? want sitting across the table, and we have developed a BENDURE: Bob told the Bul- close lifelong friendship. We letin about a hand where I had a fair amount of success (pretty recklessly) bid a suit at local sectionals and region- holding AQ doubleton after he als and aspired to play com- had doubled a transfer bid in petitively at high levels, but that suit, so he led that suit other commitments in our instead of the obvious lead lives left little time for that, so without the bid, and we were our play for 20-30 years was able to take an extra trick on pretty sporadic. Bob moved defense. There was a hand from the Detroit area and where I made an unusual play gradually got back into the from dummy and false-carded game, developing partner- from my hand to deter the op-

TABLE TALK PAGE 9 ponents from taking a ruff. On down 1 with more inspired another deal Bob stripped the play, but they would likely hand and executed a nice have made 4♥, so again I endplay to secure the con- knew it wasn't a good result tract. Mainly, though, we had but wasn't horrible ei- more than our share of good ther. Shortly afterward the fi- fortune and were solid in our nal results were announced. declarer play and defense. TT: Anything else you would TT: I heard that you had a like to tell our readers? bad board on the last round, BENDURE: Winning a nation- which at the time seemed like al open pairs was a real buck- it might cost you the event. et list item. I didn't think it like- What was the story there? ly just because I don't play BENDURE: We went into the that often, but I did not doubt final session in about 13th that if the stars aligned and place and the session went we played well Bob and I very smoothly so I knew we could pull it off. That is the had done well, and were likely great thing about the game, in the top 5, but I couldn't tell there are always accomplish- much more than that. In the ments to reach for that are last round our first board was attainable with good luck and below average — not a disas- by minimizing mistakes. ter but not what you wanted at MBA-SOMBA need that stage. On the last hand I assistant techie was playing 4♠ doubled, which would make with a fa- Bill Landrum, who maintains vorable lie, but there was a 4- the website for the MBA- 0 trump split. SOMBA directory, is hoping to While I was pondering how train someone so that he isn’t to play the hand 3 or 4 people the only one who knows how came up to congratulate us the software works. If you based on the final-round post- have technical ability with ing that had just been put websites and programming up. Bob asked them to be qui- and are interested, contact: et so I could concentrate, and Shelley Boschan, 248-225- someone said we were far 1700, [email protected] or enough ahead that it wouldn't Satish Shah, 586-932-1817 or matter. Anyhow, I went down 586-944-6708, satishshah280 2 when I could have held it to @gmail.com

PAGE 10 TABLE TALK Detecting Cheating in Bridge by Nicolas Hammond Review by Marty Hirschman proach is different. Basically,

When we last met Nicolas he compares how well players Hammond a few years ago, and particularly pairs of top he was embroiled in a dispute players perform compared to with ACBL over whether his software company had per- results, the formed properly under a con- theory goes, a pair can only tract with the league to update do so well without cheating. the ACBLScore program used Particularly on defense. to keep score at our club The last paragraph is a big games and tournaments. oversimplification, but it cap- ACBL was a little vague tures the basic idea. Ham- about what the problem was. mond’s approach does not Hammond says his new pro- require knowing how the gram, ACBLScore+, worked cheating is done. That may or just fine, but the league was may not be determined later worried that it would not own by viewing videos of hands the copyright on the source played by suspect pairs in code for the program and de- major tournaments, particular- cided not to use it. Eventually ly international tournaments, ACBL paid Hammond’s com- over the past five years. pany $1.5 million for the work I cannot begin to assess it did, Hammond reports. the validity of Hammond’s ap- Now he has taken his soft- proach, partly because I don’t ware, renamed BridgeScore+, have the technical back- and enhanced it in an effort to ground and partly because he use statistical methods to de- has withheld details of some termine how much cheating is of his methods. I can, howev- going on at bridge tourna- er, report some of his more ments and, to a limited extent, startling findings and state- who the cheating pairs are. ments: It is all explained in his fas- ■His software would have cinating new book, Detecting flagged all four of the major Cheating at Bridge. international pairs that were Until now, cheaters general- caught cheating in 2015, plus ly could be caught only when two pairs that were caught in their cheating methods were 2005 and 2013. uncovered. Hammond’s ap- ■There were at least four oth-

TABLE TALK PAGE 11 er pairs, perhaps as many as access to hand records in ad- eight, who were cheating in vance of playing. the 2014 European Bridge ■Code-cracking experts work- Team Championships. They ing with Hammond easily de- have not been caught. veloped software that could ■There was probably a signifi- take the 52-card layout on the cant amount of cheating at the first three deals of a set of Bermuda Bowl in 2009, 2011 hands and generate the rest and 2013, even excluding the of the hand records. (ACBL pairs that have since been changed its hand-generation caught. Also at the Bermuda program after this was report- Bowl in 1955 to 1983. ed.) ■Cheating in top-level bridge The book is on sale for declined after 2015, probably www.detecting because pairs were afraid of cheatinginbridge.com being caught, and some sus- Postscript pect pairs have stopped play- Shortly after the Summer ing together. NABC in Las Vegas, Ham- ■At least 30 pairs among the mond posted the following 300 pairs who play the most provocative remarks on Face- in ACBL tournaments are book: much better on defense than “Back in Atlanta from Las Ve- declarer play, an indication of gas. I hope everyone took lots unethical behavior if not out- of pictures of their favorite and-out collusive cheating. players. Some of these play- ■There are over 130 active ers will not be there at the pairs in ACBL who are acting next NABC… unethically by playing undis- closed partnership agree- “A bold statement.... some top ments designed to allow the pair(s) will not be there at next better player to declare more NABC or major event... but of the hands. you read it here first. Give me ■There is no evidence that 1-12 weeks… there is cheating in computer “Just a question of which pair bridge. I decide to work on first. The ■There is a 90 percent book shows there are several. chance that as of 2016 some I'll probably start with the ones pair or pairs “cracked” the that avoided eye contact with hand-generation program of me all last week... doesn't the ACBL and thereby had narrow it down much …”

PAGE 12 TABLE TALK IT’S YOUR BID By Marty Hirschman

Space is at a premium this issue, so I don’t have room to print as many panelist comments as usual. I will try my best to sum them up. Congratulations to Gene Benedict, Bob Brent and Suzy Burg- er for their perfect 500s and to Val Enache for high score among readers. You, too, can aim for perfection by sending in your answers to next issue’s hands, found at the end of this article.

1. MTPTs. N-S vul. As acceptable, and doesn’t even SOUTH, you hold: show extra length in dia- ♠52 ♥543 ♦AJ10852 ♣75 monds. WEST NORTH EAST SOUTH I like 3♥, because it leaves 1♥ Dbl Pass 2♦ room for partner to bid 3NT Pass 2♥ Pass ? with heart stopper(s), or maybe 3♠ with a strong 5-card suit Action Score Votes (or longer). 4♦ 100 9 3♥ 80 6 Kurt Dasher (3♥): Will pass 3♦ 60 3 3NT if partner can bid it. Will bid 5♦ if he cannot. All the old textbooks tell us that double followed by a Half the panel chose to cuebid shows about 19 HCPs jump in diamonds. or more, but they are silent on what happens next. Possibly Chuck Burger (4♦): Value the most popular agreement bid. Not 3♥ since partner did is that if responder to the dou- not bid 2 or 3NT. Even in ble returns to the cheapest matchpoints I need to express bid in his first-bid suit that this suit. shows a very bad hand, while other bids are forward-going. At the table, partner held a Here we have 5 HCPs and remarkable hand: ♥AKQJ10 two diamonds more than we ♥A108 ♦K96 ♣A10. Diamonds showed with our first bid, were 4-0 onside, so 7♦ and which had a range of 0 to 8 7NT were making. HCPs. So a 3♦ bid now is un-

TABLE TALK PAGE 13 SCORES EXPERTS: Seymour Mandell ...... 430 Gene Benedict ...... 500 Gerald Wahl ...... 430 Bob Brent ...... 500 Ray Gentz ...... 410 Suzy Burger ...... 500 Irving Hershman ...... 400 Kurt Dasher ...... 480 Doris Jefferies ...... 390 Dennis Kasle ...... 470 J. Morris Swiger ...... 390 Don Rumelhart ...... 470 Margaret Carden ...... 360 Bob Webber ...... 470 Neil Manley ...... 350 Joe Chiesa ...... 450 Patty Becker ...... 340 John Koschik ...... 450 George Pope ...... 330 Myles Maddox ...... 450 Jerry Viedrah ...... 330 Jerry Jefferies ...... 310 READERS: Steven & Martina Garland Val Enache ...... 450 ...... 260 HOW THE PANEL VOTED 1 2 3 4 5 Gene Benedict 4♦ Pass Pass Dbl Dbl Bob Brent 4♦ Pass Pass Dbl Dbl Chuck Burger 4♦ 3♣ Pass 3♠ Dbl Suzy Burger 4♦ Pass Pass Dbl Dbl Joe Chiesa 3♦ Pass Pass Dbl Dbl Kurt Dasher 3♥ Pass Pass Dbl Dbl Jonathan Fleischmann 3♥ Dbl 5♥ Dbl Dbl Dennis Kasle 4♦ Dbl Pass Dbl Dbl Sheldon Kirsch 3♥ Pass Pass Dbl 4♥ Morrie Kleinplatz 3♥ 3♣ Pass 3♠ Dbl John Koschik 3♥ Pass Pass 3♠ Dbl Myles Maddox 3♥ Pass Pass Pass Dbl Linda Perlman 4♦ Pass Pass Pass 4♥ Irv Rosenstein 3♦ 3♣ Pass Dbl Dbl Don Rumelhart 4♦ Dbl Pass Dbl Dbl Richard Temkin 3♦ Dbl Pass 3♠ 4♥ Bob Webber 4♦ Pass Pass Pass Dbl Willie Winokur 4♦ Dbl Pass Pass Dbl

PAGE 14 TABLE TALK 2. MTPTs. N-S vul. As the most flexible. SOUTH, you hold: ♠J43 ♥KJ7 ♦108 ♣K8654 Jonathan Fleischmann (Dbl): WEST NORTH EAST SOUTH This should be takeout, espe- -- -- 1♣ Pass cially since I didn’t redouble Pass 1NT* Dbl Pass initially. I’m happy playing a 2♦ Pass Pass ? Moysian fit in either major, 3♣ *Usually 11-14 if partner bids those or de- fending 2♦x if partner passes. Action Score Votes Pass 100 10 If partner bids 3♣ with four Dbl 70 5 clubs after we double, he de- 3♣ 60 3 serves a medal. 2NT 50 0 Pass, the majority choice, would be the normal action at Partner almost surely has IMPs, and it may work best three clubs, maybe four. It here as well. seems too low to sell out: Even beating 2♦ a trick will Bob Webber (Pass): Partner only get us 50 points at this would need especially well- vulnerability. So I would try fitting honors for us to make 3♣, trusting my superior de- 3♣. Better to play for -90 or +50. clarer play (gag!) and expect- ing my club and heart honors Joe Chiesa (Pass): EW may to be well-placed. well be in a 5-2 fit, and even

Morrie Kleinplatz (3♣): assuming arguendo a 5-3 club Points are fairly evenly divid- fit for us, 3♣ rates to get a 4-1 ed. RHO has a balanced 18- club split. Moreover, at 19. I’m betting they make 2♦. these colors -90 is prefera- Expect to make 3 or go down ble to -100. one. I hope RHO’s clubs Gene Benedict (Pass): Our aren’t strong enough to dou- only possible 8-card fit is in ble. clubs, which are unlikely to

Double, which seems like a break well. If you bid with this wild gamble to me, is put forth hand, partner will be reluctant by its advocates as a takeout to balance in the future. bid. I’m not buying it. At the table, partner held Don Rumelhart (Dbl): I intend ♠AQ5 ♥852 ♦QJ3 ♣AJ93. to compete. Double seems West had stiff 10 of clubs so

TABLE TALK PAGE 15 you could make nine tricks in Jonathan Fleischmann (5♥): clubs or NT, while 2♦ would partner’s double can’t be be down one. Three of our strictly penalty given the auc- readers bid 2NT. tion, so I’m interpreting it as showing extra values and un- 3. MTPTs. None vul. As certainty. My fifth heart augurs SOUTH, you hold: in favor of bidding again. ♠AQJ10 ♥AJ985 ♦10 ♣Q105 WEST NORTH EAST SOUTH Right! This time, anyway. At 3♦ Pass 4♦ Dbl the table, partner held: ♠943 Pass 4♥ Pass Pass ♥KQ74 ♦82 ♣AJ84. With one 5♦ Dbl Pass ? of two black-suit finesses working, hearts made 11 Action Score Votes tricks. Meanwhile, 5♦ was Pass 100 17 down only two, which was a 5♥ 50 1 really bad matchpoint score for us. Five of our readers Everyone would pass at found the winning 5♥ bid. IMPs, and almost everyone did here. 4. MTPTS. None vul. As

Bob Brent (Pass): Respect SOUTH, you hold: your partner. You have plenty ♠AKQ972 ♥Q85 ♦1053 ♣J of defense. WEST NORTH EAST SOUTH ------1♠ John Koschick (Pass): Ex- 3♣ Pass Pass ? cept for the fifth heart, I have a pretty ordinary takeout dou- Action Score Votes ble. Dbl 100 10 Pass 70 4 Dennis Kasle (Pass): Partner 3♠ 70 4 said she wants to defend. I have nothing more to say. When we all decided to play negative doubles (way back in Sheldon Kirsch (Pass): the 1970s) we swore we Sounds like we have wasted would reopen with shortness values in diamonds. in case partner has the trap

Gene Benedict (Pass): I think pass hand. I would double to the opponents have screwed cover that possibility. Other- up. wise I’m heading for 3♠ as a make or save. Passing is just But, too conservative, particularly

PAGE 16 TABLE TALK at matchpoints. monds.

Irv Rosenstein (Dbl): Partner 5. MTPTS. Both vul. As may have a penalty pass. Will SOUTH, you hold: bid 3♠ over 3♦ or 3♥. ♠Q104 ♥KQ42 ♦K6 ♣10643 Bob Brent (Dbl): Your partner WEST NORTH EAST SOUTH is ready to beat 3♣. Meckwell -- -- 1♦ Pass had this exact hand against 3♦* Dbl 3NT ? me in Fort Wayne and reo- *Weak pened and won many IMPs. If Action Score Votes it is good enough for them it Dbl 100 15 should be good enough for 4♥ 60 3 me. Pass 30 0 Other ideas: Double seemed obvious at Bob Webber (Pass): Partner the table… doesn’t have spades, and I Irv Rosenstein (Dbl): I will don’t have anything else. The lead a heart if they sit, else club honor lessens the possi- will bid 4♥ over 4♦. bility of partner wanting a re- opening double. Don Rumelhart (Dbl): Shows values, asks partner to do Chuck Burger (3♠): Pass something intelligent. could be right, but I don’t think partner has a penalty since I Chuck Burger (Dbl): With di- have the jack of clubs. I’m amond card and opening playing partner to be 2-3-5-3 lead. I will also double 4♦ if or better and 8 to 10 working they run. values. …but 3NTx turned out to be I’m not buying this theory cold. LHO held ♠6 ♥83 about the jack of clubs. ♦AJ109754 ♣J75, while RHO Seems to me that card will had ♠A985 ♥A1065 ♦Q32 just help us beat 3♣x even ♣Q2. Go figure! more. At the table, partner held: Linda Perlman (4♥): We have ♠J5 ♥K107632 ♦2 ♣Q1064. enough points for game, but With both majors breaking, who knows. Double could be you could make either 4♥ or right, too. Partner asked me to 4♠. Opponents could make 8 bid at the 3-level, and I have a pretty good hand. tricks in clubs or 9 in dia-

TABLE TALK PAGE 17 NEXT ISSUE’S HANDS 1. MTPTs. E-W vul. As 4. MTPTs. None vul. As SOUTH, you hold: SOUTH, you hold: ♠10 ♥972 ♦AJ1075 ♣AK42 ♠74 ♥A94 ♦KJ93 ♣A842 WEST NORTH EAST SOUTH WEST NORTH EAST SOUTH 1♠ Pass 1NT* ? Pass 1♦ 3♠ ? *Semi-forcing (5-11 HCPs) 5. MTPTs. None vul. As 2. MTPTs. None vul. As SOUTH, you hold: SOUTH, you hold: ♠KJ92 ♥AKQ832 ♦10 ♣104 ♠Q4 ♥987 ♦1052 ♣AKQ72 WEST NORTH EAST SOUTH WEST NORTH EAST SOUTH Pass 1♦ Pass 1♥ Pass 1♠ Pass 1NT* Pass 2♣ Pass 2♠* Pass 2♦ Pass ? Pass 3NT** Pass ? *Semi-forcing (5-11 HCPs) *Artificial game force (2♣ initially would have been **15-17, natural game forcing) Mail your answers to: 3. MTPTs. None vul. As Table Talk Magazine SOUTH, you hold: 4504 Knollcrest Road ♠7 ♥J87643 ♦AJ985 ♣A Ann Arbor MI 48108 WEST NORTH EAST SOUTH Or email to: Pass Pass Pass ? [email protected]

Sectionals to stay at Bridge Connection

MBA and SOMBA have signed new agreements with the Bridge Connection to hold their sectionals at the Southfield club for the next five years. Rental of the facility will be charged at $850 per day, up from $800 a day under the previous five-year agreements. The MBA board approved the deal at its September meet- ing. The term of the agreements is in tandem with the five-year lease renewal that the Bridge Connection signed recently with the building’s owner, according to Connection proprietor and MBA board member Grant Petersen. The club is in an office building on 12 Mile Road, west of Northwestern Highway.

PAGE 18 TABLE TALK Winokur and son Crane, Richard Temkin. 2/3, tops at Joint sectional Debra Eaves, Henry Shevitz, Sheldon Kirsch, Mary Smith. Willie Winokur chalked up 2/3, Martin Hirschman, Linda over 32 masterpoints at the Perlman, Willie Winokur, Joint MBA-SOMBA sectional Samir Zeine. FLIGHT B: 1, in June. Second, with 30 Thomas Bonfils, Joyce Bell, points, was his son Steven. James Hill, Song Lin. 2, Here are the results the Deepak Dighe, Larry Cohen, tournament, held June 20-23 Tai Chan, Satish Shah. 3, at the Bridge Connection in Duaine Benard, Gary Luoma, Southfield. Rosemary Bailey, Louise Less. FLIGHT C: 1, Bonfils MASTERPOINT LEADERS: team. 2, Lun Kuen Wong, D. 1, Willie Winokur, 32.83 Abraham, Naresh Kapila, Lak- 2, Steven Winokur, 30.12 shmi Vora. 3, Robert Mendelson, 29.01 4, Michael Crane, 27.86 THURSDAY PM FAST OPEN 5/6, Morrie Kleinplatz, 24.07 PAIRS FLIGHT A & B: 1, 5/6, Brenda Bryant, 24.07 Jonathan Fleischmann, Brad 7, Frank Treiber III, 22.73 Dracka. 2, Susan Woodrow, 8, John Koschik, 21.60 Peter Bolgar. 9, Michael Alioto, 18.41 FRIDAY AM STRATIFIED 10, Grant Petersen, 17.29 PAIRS FLIGHT A: 1, Steve THURSDAY AM STRATI- Winokur, Michael McDonald. FIED PAIRS FLIGHT A: 1, 2, Larry Cohen, Steven Samir Zeine, Willie Winokur. Kaplan. 3, Cono Emanuele, 2, Ronald Horwitz, Brenda Michael Alioto. FLIGHT B: 1 Jaffe. 3, Martin Hirschman, & 2, same as A. 3, Helen Linda Perlman. FLIGHT B: 1, Cook, Lois Booth. FLIGHT C: Lynn Root, Judi Amatangelo. 1, David Jasperse, Maria 2, Robert Raf, Steven Shum- Conti. 2, Alan Cohn, Ken er. 3, Dennis Waniolek, Eva Holtzman. 3, Frederic Fayle, Rival. FLIGHT C: 1, James Banaszek.

Waniolek, Rival. 2, Lun Kuen FRIDAY PM STRATIFIED Wong, D. Abraham. 3, Paul PAIRS FLIGHT A: 1, Brenda Chirgwin, Suzanne McIlhiny. Fortunate, Edward White. 2, THURSDAY SWISS TEAMS Cono Emanuele, Michael Ali- FLIGHT A: 1, Suzy Burger, oto. 3, William Winokur, Rob- Robert Mendelson, Michael ert Mendelson. FLIGHT B: 1,

TABLE TALK PAGE 19 Grant Petersen, Sandy Birn- SUNDAY TEAMS BRACKET holtz. 2, Marilyn Crane, Jane A: 1/2, Steven Winokur, Frank Gardner. 3, Peter Bolgar, Treiber III, Brenda Bryant, Cassandra Rodger. Morrie Kleinplatz. 1/2, Michael Crane, Lori Strager, Bob Ras- SATURDAY SWISS TEAMS mussen, John Koschik. 3, FLIGHT A: 1, Robert Mendel- Robert Mendelson, William son, Morrie Kleinplatz, Bert Winokur, Owen Lien, Julie Ar- Newman, Brenda Bryant. 2, bit. BRACKET B: 1, Robert Michael Giordano, Richard Raf, Michael Kaleel, Sandy Becher, Debra Eaves, Walter Birnholtz, Grant Petersen. 2, Goldsmith. 3, Michael Crane, James Walter, Patricia & Allan Bob Webber, Sheldon Kirsch, Becker, Peter Bolgar. 3, Sat- Henry Shevitz. FLIGHT B: 1, ish Shah, Thomas Hunt, Carol Susan & Matthew Evett, Young, Deepak Dighe. James Egan, Graham Put- BRACKET C: 1, Tengyun To- nam. 2, Jerrie Sasson, Judith ny Cao, Xiaoping Wu, Thom- Kamins, Mike Roeder, Gary as Bonfils, Tan Yang. 2, Teri Boyers. 3, Michael Kaleel, Ar- Ford, D. Abraham, John Ab- thur & Linda Golumbia, John bott, Joan Roberts. 3/4, Bar- Dreifus. FLIGHT C: 1 & 2, bara & Laurence Schiff, same as B. Ronald Whitney, Daniel Rose. SATURDAY AM STRATI- 3/4, Graham Putnam, James FIED PAIRS FLIGHT A: 1, McNamara, Lynn Cundy, Mar- Klaus Bronkum, David Arm- tha Toon. strong. 2, Mari Kaftan, Jacob Lutz. 3, Charlotte Miller, Bren- 499er winners da Jaffe. FLIGHT B: 1 & 2, at June sectional same as A. 3, Philip Chen, Jerry Zhang. FLIGHT C: 1, 2 THURSDAY AM PAIRS: & 3, same as B. Pamela Radike, Mary Jo Campbell SATURDAY PM STRATI- THURSDAY PM SWISS FIED PAIRS FLIGHT A & B: TEAMS: Pamela Radike, Bar- 1, James Huston, Grant Pe- bara & Laurence Schiff, Mary tersen. 2, Anita Green, Rita Jo Campbell Levin. 3, Marty Goodman, Bill FRIDAY AM PAIRS: Barbara Goodman. FLIGHT C: 1, & Laurence Schiff Green, Levin. 2, Goodman, FRIDAY PM PAIRS: Michael Goodman. Fant, Paul Tilly

PAGE 20 TABLE TALK SATURDAY AM PAIRS: Mi- chael & Nancy Mullin CONGRATULATIONS SATURDAY PM PAIRS: Joel NEW LIFE MASTERS

Grossman, Xiaoxin Susa Xu Maria Conti Henry Zhang Mendelson scores big Yanping Zhang at August sectional

Robert Mendelson won two THURSDAY SWISS TEAMS events and was second in two FLIGHT A: 1, Morrie Kleinplatz, others, picking up over 43 Julie Arbit, Gordon Parnes, masterpoints, at the Russell Robert Katz. 2, Lynn Root, Roosen sectional. Judi Amatangelo, James Wal- Here are the results of the ter, Clarke Cunningham. 3, tournament, held Aug. 15-18 Samir Zeine, William Winokur, at the Bridge Connection in Suzy Burger, Robert Mendel- Southfield. son. FLIGHT B: 1, Root team. 2, Carolyn Simmer, Ruth MASTER POINT LEADERS Brownstein, Richard Menczer, 1, Robert Mendelson, 43.78 Sharron Kreindler. 3, Lisa 2, Bert Newman, 37.38 Karam, Carrie Osborne, 3, Samir Zeine, 37.05 Daphne Schreiber, Marica 4, Bob Webber, 34.80 Janisse. FLIGHT C: 1, Karam 5, Michael Giordano, 30.90 team. 2, Stephen Leist, 6, Linda Perlman, 29.25 James Peresta, Randy Walk- 7, Debra Eaves, 29.19 er, Richard Voss. 3/4, Shelley 8, Julie Arbit, 27.52 Boschan, Rhoda Raderman, 9, William Winokur, 27.46 Beth Gursky, Dolores Silver- 10, Sheldon Kirsch, 27.22 stein. 3/4, Jerrie Sasson, Lati-

THURSDAY AM PAIRS ka Mangrulkar, Elie Chidiac, Gary Boyers. FLIGHT A: 1, Julie Arbit, Mor- rie Kleinplatz. 2, Richard Tem- kin, Irving Rosenstein. 3, Bob Webber, Sheldon Kirsch. FLIGHT B: 1, Patricia & Allan Becker. 2, Jerome Hasenja- ger, Song Lin. 3, Susan & Charles Smith. FLIGHT C: 1, Hasenjager, Lin. 2, Smiths. 3, Gerald Wahl, Michael Betzold.

TABLE TALK PAGE 21 FLIGHT A: 1, Robert Mendel- son, Suzy Burger. 2, Bert &

FRIDAY PM PAIRS FLIGHT Kathy Newman. 3, Robert A: 1, Bert Newman, Edward Raf, Ronna Galin. FLIGHT B: White. 2, Robert Mendelson, 1, Raf, Galin. 2, James Wal- William Winokur. 3, Owen ter, Peter Bolgar. 3, Klaus Lien, Linda Perlman. FLIGHT Brondum, David Armstrong. B: 1/2, Frederic Fayle, James FLIGHT C: 1, Brondum, Arm- Banaszek. 1/2, Larry Cohen, strong. 2, Steven Kaplan, Steven Kaplan. 3, Julie Arbit, Randy Rodnick. 3, Yanping Zhang, Henry Zhang. Sandy Goller. FLIGHT C: 1, 1, Fayle, Banaszek. 2, Lun SATURDAY PM PAIRS Kuen Wong, D. Abraham. 3, FLIGHT A: 1, Robert Mendel- Chun Zhou, Dennis Potocsky. son, Suzy Burger. 2, Grant

FRIDAY NIGHT FAST PAIRS Petersen, James Huston. 3, FLIGHT A & B: 1, Susan Dennis Van Koevering, Sat Woodrow, Peter Bolgar. 2, Narain Mathur. FLIGHT B: 1, Arun Desouza, George Petersen, Huston. 2, Van Serniuk. Koevering, Mathur. 3, Robert Bloom, Gerald Bloom. SATURDAY SWISS TEAMS FLIGHT C: 1, Bloom, Bloom. FLIGHT A: 1, Bob Webber, 2, Steven Kaplan, Randy Jerrold Grossman, Debra Rodnick. 3, Henry Zhang, Eaves, Sheldon Kirsch. 2, Yanping Zhang. Barry Lippitt, Daniel Marcus, SUNDAY TEAMS BRACKET Michael Giordano, Richard 1: 1, Michael Giordano, Bert Becher. 3, Mary Smith, Mi- Newman, Samir Zeine, Walter chael Crane, Richard Temkin, Goldsmith. 2, Linda Perlman, Henry Shevitz. FLIGHT B: 1, Brenda Bryant, William Wino- Depak Dighe, Nathan Banker, kur, Robert Mendelson. 3, Ed- Thomas Hunt, Steven Shum- ward White, Martin Hirsch- er. 2, Duaine Benard, Gary man, Robert Katz, Bob Web- Luoma ber. BRACKET 2: 1, Matthew & Susan Evett, Graham Put- nam, James McNamara. 2, FLIGHT C: 1, Hassoun team. Lisa Karam, James Korte, 2, Jerrie Sasson, Paul Schnei- Beth Kordt, Carrie Osborne. der, Gary Boyers, Norman 3, Corey Powell, Renata Was- Wechsler. serman, Charles Dunn, Lynn SATURDAY AM PAIRS Cundy. PAGE 22 TABLE TALK 499er winners four finalist teams in each at August sectional bracket. The finalists will then play two matches on the sec- THURSDAY AM PAIRS: Mi- ond day to decide who places chael Fant, Paul Tilly first, second, third and fourth THURSDAY PM SWISS overall. TEAMS: Joel Grossman, ■The team events on Tues- Xiaoxin Susa Xu, Douglas day, Thursday and Sunday Sweeder, James McNamara will all be bracketed. In this FRIDAY AM PAIRS: Michael format, the field is divided up, Fant, Paul Tilly based on average master- FRIDAY PM PAIRS: Gary points, usually into groups of Boyers, Elie Chidiac 7, 8 or 9 teams. Each such SATURDAY AM PAIRS: Arvin group or “bracket” is a sepa- Sab, Naveen Sab rate event, so players will SATURDAY PM PAIRS: Wil- generally be playing against liam Ahlstrom, David Mitchell others with comparable skills NOTE: There are no Gold Rush events on these days HALLOWEEN REGIONAL because the players with (from page 1) fewer than 750 master- back to standard time falls on points will be able to play in the Saturday night/Sunday the lower brackets of the morning of the tournament, so Swiss. Based on past attend- you’ll get an extra hour of ance, there will be about five sleep that night. Yes, it’s brackets in each of these one- “Spring forward, fall back.” day team events. Thank goodness the tourna- See you at the end of Octo- ment is not in March. ber. And don’t forget those There also will be a couple costumes! of new things about the actual bridge games: ■The Soloway-style KO on IN MEMORIAM Wednesday and Thursday will solve the problem of players Wilbur Argersinger getting knocked out after play- Gargi French ing just the morning session. Shahan Kavafian In the new format, teams will Gerald Mandell compete in a round-robin the whole first day to determine

TABLE TALK PAGE 23 Greatest Marty replies: West’s immediate raise to To Martin Hirschman, World’s 3♣ was an eccentric choice Greatest Bridge Bidder because West might not have very long clubs and because Sir, the raise denies a 4-card ma- The following hand came up jor. Nonetheless, on this hand recently, board-a-match scor- the raise gave East an easy ing: route to 6♣. One possibility E/W vul. would be to jump to 4♥ as ex- WEST EAST clusion Roman Keycard ♠AJ104 ♠K63 Blackwood:

♥Q6 ♥void 1♦ 2♣ ♦AJ73 ♦K852 3♣ 4♥ ♣962 ♣AKQJ75 5♣* 5♥**

1♦ 2♣ 6♣*** Pass 3♣ 3♦ *2 key cards not counting the 3♠ 4♠ ace of hearts, no queen of All Pass clubs **Asks specific kings, promis- West decided East was es all the key cards and showing his pattern, probably queen of trump 3-1-4-5 shape. For example, ***No specific kings that can couldn’t East have ♠KQ5 ♥4 be shown below 6♣

♦K964 ♣AKJ73? On the actual auction, East said he always intend- West’s 3♠ just showed a con- ed to bid 6♣. He thought it trol or stopper in spades, pos- was too late to play spades, sibly with weakness in hearts. that his bid of 4♠ must be a East’s 4♠ bid was an error. cue-bid. Couldn’t West have: He should cuebid 4♥. His 4♠ ♠AQ95 ♥63 ♦AQJ5 ♠862? bid tended to deny a control in If West would have bid 5♣, hearts. East was intending to cue-bid ------5♥, inviting 7♣. My claim of being the Each partner has a valid World’s Greatest Bridge Bid- point. What is your take on der has yet to be challenged. this? Email your bidding problems - Gene Benedict, Toledo to me at [email protected]. —MH

PAGE 24 TABLE TALK Longest Day The Connection’s efforts were assisted by a player who From Ron Horwitz offered a matching $3,600 For the past several years, challenge grant that was easi- the ACBL has joined with the ly met. Merchants, particularly Alzheimer’s Association in a along Orchard Lake Road, fund-raising drive on the donated nearly 20 door prizes Longest Day of the year. This that were given away in the year, bridge clubs throughout raffle. the country raised well in ex- In addition, players had the cess of $1,000,000 to support opportunity to play in games this worthy cause. at 9 a.m., noon and 7 p.m. The Michigan Bridge Con- with considerably higher mas- nection, through a combina- terpoint awards. tion of direct donations, bid- The ACBL contributes the ding to play with expert play- sanction fees it receives from ers, silent auctions, bridge all Longest Day games to the book sales, and the sale of Alzheimer’s Association. In raffle tickets, raised $18,873. addition, the Connection con- That was the eleventh highest tributed $4/table. A total of among all ACBL clubs in the 58½ tables were in play there nation. vs. 49½ in 2018. MOVING UP… Clara Marks SILVER LIFE Robert Murray MASTERS JUNIOR Paul Temple Anna Renaud MASTERS James Adams SECTIONAL RUBY LIFE Mary Campbell MASTER MASTER Lynda Thal Deborah Defever Jack Hyatt Daniel Hakes SAPPHIRE LIFE Bobbi Polk REGIONAL MASTER Janice Skadsen MASTERS Rose Burke Barbara Snow Gary Boyers Margaret Moore Jason Wang Adel Dissett Mary Robinson DIAMOND LIFE Charlotte Worthen MASTER Paul Tilly CLUB MASTERS Dennis Kasle

Yvonne Abdoo BRONZE LIFE EMERALD LIFE Gillian Andrews MASTER MASTER E. J. Chidiac Philip D’Agostino Sondra Schubiner

TABLE TALK PAGE 25 Richard Fortune murder update Editor’s note: This update on juries around his head and the murder of well-known Ann neck and petechiae in his Arbor bridge player and direc- eyes, indicating he had been tor Dick Fortune originally ap- strangled to death, Wash- peared Aug. 2 on the Michigan tenaw County Deputy Medical Daily website. Examiner Allecia Wilson wrote This article has been updated in the report. with information about Fortune's According to the AAPD, autopsy report. Cheatham was one of several The Ann Arbor Police De- tenants living in Fortune’s partment charged Christopher home at the time of his death. Cheatham, 25, in the murder During his arraignment, assis- of Richard Fortune, 71, after tant prosecuting attorney Ni- five months of investigation. mish Ganatra said Cheatham At his arraignment hearing, was linked to the homicide Cheatham was charged with a through cell phone data and felony count of homicide, biological evidence found in three counts of stealing a fi- Fortune’s bedroom. nancial transaction device and At the time of his arrest, illegal use/sale of a financial Cheatham was found with transaction device. He is also several stolen credit cards, facing two misdemeanor none of which were Fortune’s. counts of receiving and con- According to Ann Arbor Police cealing stolen property worth Lt. Amiee Metzer, these addi- less than $200. tional charges are not associ- Fortune, a retired U.S. post- ated with the homicide. al worker, was found dead in- Other than a minor drug side his home on the 2600 possession charge and a mis- block of Lillian Road during a demeanor malicious destruc- welfare check at 5:15 p.m. on tion of property charge — Feb. 20. An autopsy at the both dismissed by deferred time showed Fortune’s death prosecution — Cheatham has was a homicide. no prior criminal record. According to Fortune’s au- According to MLive, com- topsy report, which was ob- munity members have ex- tained by MLive, Fortune was pressed frustration with the found fully clothed and lack of details police have re- wrapped in a tarp. He had in- vealed about Fortune’s death.

PAGE 26 TABLE TALK Ken Van Cleve tor to me. He taught me a lot, gave me opportunities to do Ken Van Cleve, head direc- new things when we were tor at Michigan tournaments working together.” for much of the past two dec- MBA board member and ades, died in early July after a former president Jonathan six-month battle with an ag- Fleischmann would often play gressive form of prostate can- a club game with Ken on the cer. He was 68. night before our local tourna- A native of Muskegon, Ken ments. “As I got more in- lived and played bridge for volved with local directing, many years in the Grand Rap- Ken became a mentor to me, ids area before moving to and I learned how exceptional Traverse City. he was at his job,” Fleisch- About 25 mann said. “It also gave me a years ago, chance to enjoy his sense of Ken began a humor and wit.” career as a Ken is survived by his wife, director for Sarah, three stepsons and ACBL, where three grandsons. he rose to ------area manag- Over the years I had many er and director in charge of a interactions with Ken, when I large number of tournaments, was involved in a director call, especially in Michigan. when I served on tournament “He was one of the pillars of committees and when I was working at nationals,” said chairing bridge tournaments. Mike Roberts, a tournament He was incredibly conscien- director who worked with Ken tious and knowledgeable in and has taken over some of making bridge rulings, and Ken’s former assignments. managed to keep his cool in “You could always guarantee sometimes trying situations. A whatever event he was run- few years ago, Ken told me ning was running smoothly. he was thinking of retiring. It’s quite a big blow for the di- Knowing he would be impos- recting community.” sible to replace, I told him Another director, Alex “Don’t retire!” Now fate has Bealles, said: “He had a calm- intervened. He will be missed. ing effect on players and di- –M.H. rectors. He was a great men-

TABLE TALK PAGE 27 TOURNAMENT CALENDAR TABLE TALK Official publication of PRESORTED STANDARD Oct. 14-20: District 12 STAC week the Michigan Bridge U.S. POSTAGE PAID Oct. 25-26: Bloomfield Hills I/N sec- Association Southfield, MI tional Martin Hirschman, Editor Permit 242 Oct. 25-27: Toledo sectional 4504 Knollcrest Road Oct. 28-Nov. 3: MOTOR CITY RE- Ann Arbor MI 48018 GIONAL, Farmington Hills (MBA) Nov. 14-17: Southfield sectional 2020 Jan. 18-19: Jackson sectional Jan. 25-26: Ann Arbor sectional Feb. 6-9: Southfield sectional Feb. 28-Mar. 1: Toledo sectional Mar. 14-15: Flint sectional Apr. 2-5: Southfield sectional (MBA) Apr. 17-18: Bloomfield Hills I/N sectional May 11-17: FARMINGTON HILLS REGIONAL June 1-7: TOLEDO REGIONAL June 25-28: MBA/SOMBA joint sectional, Southfield Aug. 27-30: Southfield sectional (MBA)