Friday, March 22, 2013 Volume 56, Number 8 Daily Bulletin 56th Spring North American Bridge Championships Editors: Brent Manley and Sue Munday Take away bridge . now what Top Vanderbilt seeds have close calls are you going to do? Three of the top four seeds in the Vanderbilt Only a tiny percentage of a tiny percentage Knockout Teams advanced to the quarterfinal round, of little boys grow into the NBA and MLB and but not without some drama for two of them. NFL players they dream of being. Sportswomen, Top seed Nick Nickell was blasted in the first too—only the smallest fraction makes the swing set 56-1 by the Norberto Bocchi team (“Norby” on onto LPGA golf greens and WTA tennis courts. the bracket sheets) and trailed by 33 IMPs at the half Imagine being able to earn your living playing a before rallying in the third quarter to take the lead. game! Bocchi came back midway through the final set to Bridge is no different. Most bridge lead by 10, but four small swings put Nickell back on professionals acknowledge how fortunate they are top. No. 1 held on for a 132-131 victory. to get paid to play and teach and write about the Through three quarters, No. 4 Team Monaco was game they love. But suppose they weren’t able crushing the Sabine Auken squad, but Auken stormed to make a living playing bridge? Suppose they back with a 71-10 final set to just miss a comeback actually had to work for a living! What career Zia Justin Lall win. The final score was 137-131 for Monaco – but path might they have chosen? see note at the bottom of this page. Zia Mahmood gave the question thoughtful continued on page 15 consideration. “I would be a losing poker player,” he proposes. “I would be a businessman who never went to the office. I would be an out-of- Sealy and Foster work actor.” Then his face lights up. “I would be a nursery school teacher because I love children.” lead Silodor field Barnet Shenkin guesses that he might be in Larry Sealy of Huntsville AL and Jim Foster the carpet business. Before he turned to bridge for from Birmingham AL lead the pack of 130 pairs a living, the native of Scotland traveled the world going into the second day of the Silodor Open Pairs. buying rugs and carpets for a family business. They have a 174.87 carryover versus the 156.32 held He now resides in Florida with his wife, Maggie, by John Hurd, New York NY, and Spencer Hurd, continued on page 5 Barnet Shenkin Fulvio Fantoni Meigs GA, who follow in second-place. The event ends today with two final sessions. BBO founder’s call: Starr and Granovetter lead women’s pairs It’s time for time off The Whitehead Women’s Pairs drew 118 pairs, of For more than 20 major team events, he says, has become burdensome. whom 52 qualified to come back and play some more years, Fred Gitelman He allows that it’s fun to compete in big events – today. has been a regular – he won a world championship in 2010 as part of the Yiji Starr, Wayland MA, and Pamela Granovetter, and regular winner John Diamond team – but that, too, is work. Cincinnati OH are out front with a score of – at NABCs. Now, he “When I get home from a tournament,” he says, 1497.00—a healthy 87.50 (top was 45) ahead of their says, it’s time for a “I don’t feel relaxed and refreshed.” closest pursuers. break. Between tournaments, he says, he must find time In second are Texans Nancy Passell and Peggy The eight-time to practice with his partner and work on systems. Sutherlin. Irina Ledyzhensky, Ellenton FL, and North American He and Brad Moss, also playing for Amoils, were a Kamla Chawla, Longmeadow MA, currently sit in champion says he regular partnership for 15 years. third place. plans to sit out main Gitelman, 48, moved to the U.S. from Toronto events such as the about 10 years ago. He and his wife, Sheri Coloradans sit top Vanderbilt, Spingold and team trials for at least a Winestock, now live in Las Vegas. year. He prefers to call his break a sabbatical rather Before he left Canada, he was a star Junior Red Ribbon than retirement. The Grand Life Master is a member player, representing his home country in the 1991 Half the field of 164 teams was eliminated after of the Les Amoils squad in the Vanderbilt at this World Junior Championships with Geoff Hampson as the first day of play in the Bean Red Riboon Pairs. tournament. his partner. Hampson now lives in the U.S. and was Andrea Kutscher and Paul Flanders of Longmont The founder and president of Bridge Base Online one of Gitelman’s teammates on the Diamond team CO are in front with a 76-point carryover. David says his responsibilities as BBO’s main programmer that won the Rosenblum Cup (world open teams) in Loeb and Maureen Loeb from Heathrow FL, with require a lot of time and hard work. Making BBO 2010. Gitelman has a silver medal in the Bermuda 69.26 points, trail by less than a point. In third are better and trying to keep up with commitments to Bowl playing for Canada. continued on page 9 Californians Joanne Merry and John Jefferson, who have 63.27 points. Walter Johnson 1953–2013 Walter Johnson of Columbus OH died Notice Goodwill Message this week. He was 59 As this issue went to press, a committee years old. was deliberating on an appeal that could have Greet and welcome your opponents. Johnson learned changed the outcome of the Monaco-Auken Sandy DeMartino, Goodwill Chair about bridge by match in the Vanderbilt Knockout Teams. playing a box game The report on the Vanderbilt and the pairings called “Bridge for for today’s matches are based on the most ATTENDANCE Juniors” with his current information available at the time of the father, Ernest. In deadline for submitting files to the printer. through Monday college, he became continued on page 5 7420 tables Page 2 Friday, March 22, 2013 Daily Bulletin SPECIAL EVENTS MEETINGS / SEMINARS / RECEPTIONS Friday, March 22 11 pm-2 am Women’s Team Trials meeting. (Renaissance, Benton Room) CELEBRITY SPEAKER PROGRAM Don’t miss these free lectures in St. Louis from expert players. These talks will be held in Room 230 at the America’s Center. Saturday, March 23 Friday, March 22 9:15 a.m. Mark Ehret How to Execute a Simple 9:15 a.m. Mike Flader Ruling the Game Squeeze 6:45 p.m. GS Jade Barrett Losing and Winning Trick Count 6:45 p.m. Michael Huston Convention Choices ENTERTAINMENT and HOSPITALITY — Landmark Ballrooms 1-4 Friday, March 22 Saturday, March 23 Chinese night: Cajun fried rice and spring roll Chili cookoff: Vegetarian chili, turkey chili The Pennsylvania Slim Blues Band has been performing blues, R&B, soul, Friendly Henry’s will keep your toes tapping with bluegrass, folk and a little jump swing and rock‘n’ roll from the Forties, Fifties and Sixties for over 15 country. years. Going gold! Masterpoint disclaimer Breaking LM news Mark Brightfield of St. Louis MO scored big Scores as reported in the Daily Bulletin are Jan Tucker stopped by the Daily Bulletin office on his home turf. He made Life Master and Bronze subject to change because of score changes or yesterday to share the good tidings—she made the Life Master, winning B in Thursday’s two-session, corrections. leap to Life Master when her team finished second in stratified Swiss. He needed 9.2 gold points and he The masterpoint awards as shown are, therefore, a compact KO event. Tucker is from Newburgh IN. earned 11.51. He was playing with Janet Vontz from also subject to change. Her partner was Kay Fuchs, also from Newburgh and St. Louis. Barbara MacPeek and Veena Uberoi round they played with teammates Patti Lodato and Phyllis out the all-local squad. Kincaid from Evansville IN. Congratulations Jan! Registration Patsy Baker of Prospect KY collected her gold The registration desk is located at the America’s card, too, won her teams won its bracket in a three- Center through the end of the tournament. day morning knockout event.. She played with Jean Donoho from Louisville KY. Their teammates were Marilyn Lewis, Glen Ellyn IL and Mary Berg, River Forest IL. Be considerate Players, please be considerate of others in wearing perfume, cologne or other fragrance at the table. Many people have extreme sensitivity to such scents. Missing jacket Steve Sturm reports that someone apparently took his black leather jacket by mistake, leaving him with a jacket that doesn’t fit. It was taken at the America’s Center in the area where the Open Pairs was played on Tuesday. If the person who took the jacket realizes the mistake, the person can drop it off at the Daily Bulletin office or contact Marjorie Michelin (310-422-9330). The smaller jacket is in the Daily Bulletin office. Smoking rules Tournament directors have receive complaints about players smoking in the stairwells at the Renaissance Hotel. Smoking is not permitted anywhere on the hotel property and is a violation of the law in St. Louis. Players found to be smoking in the hotel will be subject to a full board penalty in pairs games and a comparable penalty in team games. Daily Bulletin Friday, March 22, 2013 Page 3 JUST FOR NEW PLAYERS in dummy and K J 4 in your hand, Common errors – and how all you have to do is cash dummy’s to avoid them ace.