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The Kibitzer April 2021

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The Kibitzer April 2021 Editors: Judith and Nicholas Gartaganis President's Message Here's wishing all the best to our Unit 390 members in these In this issue of the Kibitzer, we have included the difficult times. Audited Financial statements for the fiscal year ending March 31, 2020. In accordance with the regulations for non- Thanks again to our club owners and managers for making it profits, the statements were filed with the government last possible to play in Virtual Games. A total of 25 sessions run summer. Preparation of the statements for the year April 1 - every week, including eight limited-masterpoint games, 14 March 31, 2021 is underway. stratified pairs games and three team games. Finally, thank you to departing Board members The final results of the 2020 masterpoint races were Caroleigh Houghton and Marvis Olson. Their service and announced in March and can be found on page 16. contributions have been very much appreciated. Medallions for the Mini-McKenney races and certificates for the Ace of Clubs races will be presented to the winners as Please stay tuned to the Unit 390 website for ACBL and Unit soon as we are able to gather face-to-face. notices. We are optimistic that our traditional New Year's Sectional Lyman Warner tournament will take place in January 2022. Wouldn't it be a Calgary ACBL Unit 390 wonderful way to welcome the new year? April 2021 In anticipation of the return to face-to-face play, the old "Cell Inside This Issue… Phone Policy" has been updated. It now pertains not only to cell phones, but to all electronic devices capable of ACBL Timeline for Bridge in 2021...................................... 2 communicating in any manner. Any such equipment must not The Unlucky Expert ........................................................... 3 be visible while a Unit 390 bridge event is in session and must Member Milestones...................................................... 4-5 remain off at all times. This includes, but is not limited to, Masterpoints, COVID and You .......................................... 5 cell phones, smartphones and smartwatches. You can read More Effective Slam Bidding ............................................. 6 the full Electronic Device Policy HERE. The Serious 3NT Convention ......................................... 7-8 A Calgary Bridge Centre Coming? ..................................... 9 The 2021 Grand National Team Championship is a go! The Trumps Suit Intuition ...................................................... 10 registration period for the District 18 Final has begun. This My Kingdom For A Nine .................................................. 11 year, the competition has been split over two weekends: 2020 Zone V Mini-Richmond - Final Standings ............... 12 Flights A and C will play on May 15-16, 2021 and the How Can I Make This Hand? ..................................... 13-14 Championship Flight along with Flight B will play on Robot Individuals: Fall 2020 and Spring 2021 ................. 14 May 22-23, 2021. Players may choose to play both weekends A Peek into the Realm of Online Bridge Lessons ............ 15 if they are eligible for multiple flights. In an effort to 2020 Ace of Clubs Unit 390 Race Final Standings ........... 16 maximize security, the District has stipulated that all players 2020 Mini-McKenney Unit 390 Race Final Standings ..... 16 must have an ongoing video or audio chat session with their Unit 390 Membership Report for 2020 .......................... 17 screenmate while a match is played. You will find more District 18 GNT ................................................................ 17 information on page 17. Ely Culbertson-The P.T. Barnum of Contract Bridge . 18-19 The Only Chance ............................................................. 20 With the ban on public gatherings still in place, Unit 390 is in 2021 Ace of Clubs Unit 390 Race Year-to-Date ............... 21 limbo as far as scheduling its next Annual General Meeting. 2021 Mini-McKenney Unit 390 Race Year-to-Date ......... 21 There have been only a handful of matters requiring the Logic Trumps the Odds ............................................. 22-23 attention of the Unit Board, and luckily, many of our Unit 390 Financial Statements .................................. 24-27 volunteer board members and associates are able to continue performing their duties until elections can be held. Calgary Duplicate Bridge Association ~ Page 1 The Kibitzer - April 2021 ACBL Announces Timeline for Return of Live Play February 25, 20211 The road back to face-to-face bridge has been a long one, but The next phase of "reopening" face-to-face play will be we do see a light at the end of the tunnel. With that in mind, the return of Sectionals. We estimate these we want to give you an update on what the rest of 2021 tournaments to begin in August 2021 depending on local might look like. conditions. First, there will be no Summer 2021 North American Bridge The following phase will be the return of Regionals. We Championships (NABC). The Providence NABC, originally set estimate this period to begin in early October. for Summer 2021, has been moved to Summer 2022, replacing the previously scheduled Washington DC venue. Finally, we plan to resume the NABC schedule in Fall 2021 with the Austin NABC in November. The dates for Second, we have developed a phased plan for the safe the 2021 Fall NABC are set as November 25-December 5. return to face-to-face play. In the meantime, there are daily opportunities to play online, Return to playing in person will begin at the local club along with many special events. We are especially excited to level. All tournament sanctions have been canceled announce improvements to the Summer North American through the end of July. Some clubs are already playing Online Bridge Championships (NAOBC). face-to-face with safety protocols in place. This kind of Please note that all these target dates are subject to change play at the club level is up to each individual club; as the year progresses. however, we urge you to act with caution and in accordance with your local safety requirements. 1 Condensed from a post by ACBL Official on Bridge Winners Calgary Duplicate Bridge Association ~ Page 2 The Kibitzer - April 2021 The Unlucky Expert By Gordon Campbell Playing matchpoints I opened 1 with: If you reasonably assume that West also holds the .Q, can KJ43 AK1053 2 .AJ9 you find a way to guarantee your contract? Please take a moment to solve the puzzle before reading on. Partner and I had the following auction: The solution is to win with the .A, draw trumps, cash the A South West North East and K (pitching the .9), and ruff the 9. Now exit the ♣J. Pass 2NT1 Pass 1 West will be endplayed into giving a ruff-sluff or leading a 32 Pass 33 Pass 3 3 spade into your ♠KJ. 4. Pass 4 Pass 43 Pass 53 Pass Excellent – or so I thought until I looked at the traveller. Most 6 All Pass people made 13 tricks. Kathleen Dinneen was one of the few who shared my unfortunate matchpoint result. You can 1 game-forcing raise in hearts congratulate yourself if you played the hand correctly by 2 singleton diamond endplaying West. You make 12 tricks 100% of the time. 3 cue bids What are the odds if you decide to play spades yourself? Your Once partner bid 5 rather than 5. I knew he lacked a plan is to cash ♠A and then finesse the ♠J. second round control in clubs so I settled for 6. LHO led the 13 Tricks: 18% .K and this is the dummy I saw. - Q third onside Contract: 6 12 Tricks: 33% Lead: .K - Q singleton, doubleton, fourth, fifth or sixth with East - Q singleton with West ♠ A65 - Q sixth with West (East is revealed as having no spades so ♥ QJ872 ♦ you revert to the endplay) AK9 ♣ 83 Declarers who didn't opt for the endplay gambled their N contract for an 18% chance to make an extra trick versus a 49% chance of taking fewer than 12 tricks. Does this sound W E like sour grapes? Yes, it is. But next time Kathleen and I will S prevail … we'll happily take our 100% chance for 12 tricks. ♠ KJ43 ♥ AK1053 ♦ 2 ♠ ♥ ♣ ♦ ♠ ♥ ♣ ♦ ♣ AJ9 Joe Martin Mr. Boffo - Unclear On the Concept Calgary Duplicate Bridge Association ~ Page 3 The Kibitzer - April 2021 Member Milestones The following members have reached New Regional Masters (100+ MPs with at least 15 black, new masterpoint milestones from the 15 silver and 5 red, gold or platinum) beginning of October 2020 to the end Mickey Abougoush Carmel Robbins of March 2021. Congratulations to all Craig Bowyer Julie Short on their achievements. Barry Crozier Allan Tough Mark Kryzan Peter Weir Ken Miller Olga Williams New Junior Masters (5+ MPs): Pauline Ackermans Joyce Gibson New NABC Masters (200+ MPs with at least 20 black, Boyd Anderson Gregory Hollingsworth 25 silver, 5 gold or platinum and 15 additional red, gold or Louise Berlin Stephanie Howard platinum) Gwenn Boryski Lana Lien Howard Coren Terry Kaufman Richard Buckland Anna Maier Richard Cripps Susan Korba Susan Ellis Michael Mannas Meredith Degroat Sandra Stewart Renee Fogel Rick Palmer Gail Gorman Betty Teare JoAnn Hanson Lynn Gall Diane Poole Celia Gaudet Ida Switzer New Advanced NABC Masters (300+ MPs with at least New Club Masters (20+ MPs with at least 5 black) 50 black, 50 silver, 25 gold or platinum and 25 additional John Abra Trish Peebles red, gold or platinum) Pankaj Acharya Adiel Rautenbach Martine Parent Hailong Yu Richard Wolfe Julie Bain Shelagh Ricketts John Bargman Donna Romanchuk New Life Masters (500+ MPs with at least 75 black, 75 silver, Lyle Brown Eric Rosenstein 50 gold or platinum and 50 additional red, gold or platinum) Audrey Chastko Charles Stedman Deborah Ambrose Lois Matton Carole Conrad Christine Stedman Ken Anderson Paul Forestell Christine Stephure Janice Hay David Stephure New Bronze Life Masters (a Life Master with 750+ MPs; Bill Hyndman Babett Valachi 500+ for members prior to Jan.
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