Friday, December 6, 2013 Volume 86, Number 8 Daily Bulletin 86th Fall North American Bridge Championships [email protected] Editors: Brent Manley and Sue Munday Weinstein, Madala zoom into Blue Ribbon victory Steve Weinstein and Agustin Madala felt they had too many bidding misunderstandings in the third and fourth sessions of the Kaplan Blue Ribbon Pairs, so they knuckled down and talked things over for about half an hour before the two final sessions on Thursday. Whatever they said worked wonders, especially in the second final session, when the two posted a 68.47% game to win the event by more than a board Senior Mixed Pairs winners: Ginny and Jeff and a half on a top of 38. Schuett. Second place went to Bar Tarnovski and Dror Schuetts lose, then win Padon of Israel, with Mike Kamil and Martin Fleisher about 2.5 points behind them. Senior Mixed Pairs It’s been a good second half of the year for When they left the playing area on Thursday continued on page 13 Steve Weinstein and Agustin Madala. night, Jeff and Ginny Schuett were runners-up by the slimmest possible margin – 0.01 matchpoints. A couple of hours later, back in their hotel room, they Consistent play wins Mini-Blues continued on page 19 Busy man has his eye Harjinder Ajmani and Suman Agarwal attribute “good steady play.” their win in the 0-5000 Mini-Blue Ribbon Pairs to “All of our sessions were in the 60% range on Super Seniors V except one,” said Ajmani. “We were trailing every Ed Lazarus day, but we stayed near the top and got enough likes to stay busy. tonight to finish ahead.” How else can he In a field of 290 pairs, the winners were seventh explain the fact after the first day of play, and 10th after the second that in his long day. But when it counted, they were at the top, working career – finishing with 1700.22 (38 was top). he’s still going at Finishing second, half a board back, were Terry age 76 – he has Schleppegrell, Boulder City NV, and Marion Kelly, earned 10 college Anchorage AK. degrees, none of Ajmani, who lives in Kula HI, is a retired them honorary or mechanical engineer. Agarwal, Hilliard OH, is a achieved online. retired nuclear scientist. The men, both Gold Life “I think I have Suman Agarwal and Harjinder Ajmani, winners Masters, play a basic 2/1 system. more matriculated degrees than anyone in the world,” of the Mini-Blue Ribbon Pairs he says. As if that wasn’t enough, he’s currently continued on page 11 His Honor says thanks Weinstein leading in Player of the Year race on Zeke Jabbour Day With his win in the It’s Zeke Jabbour Day at the Fall NABC, and Kaplan Blue Ribbon the man himself is in town to enjoy the love, but Pairs on Thursday, Steve also to promote a special fundraiser for the National Weinstein surged into Parkinson Foundation. the lead in the Player Jabbour, who suffers from Parkinson’s disease, of the Year race. The started the fundraiser six years ago. Last year, Joanne winner is the competitor Weingold and Molly O’Neill took over as co-chairs who earns the most and doubled the participation at the fundraising platinum masterpoints in luncheon and bridge game. It is scheduled for Jan. 26 a calendar year. Platinum at the St. Andrew’s Country Club in Boca Raton FL. continued on page 19 Funds raised at the Boca Raton venue will go to the South Palm Beach County chapter of the NPF, Preregistration required but bridge players in many other venues will help raise money for the national foundation by playing for Reisinger the same deals as those played in Boca Raton. Teams that wish to enter the Reisinger Board- Currently, the list of clubs participating is about 30, a-Match Teams on Friday, Dec. 6, must preregister and it is growing. no later than 11 a.m. today. Go to 3rd floor of the The extended fundraising is thanks to the Sheraton, Phoenix Ballroom A. Common Game, created by Jay Whipple III, newly elected as the District 9 representative to the ACBL Zeke and Sharon Jabbour. Board of Directors. As part of the fundraiser, club participants will Players at participating clubs will play the same be able to select “virtual” teammates playing in Boca Goodwill Message deals, with analysis by Larry Cohen, and get their Raton, with results achieved in board-a-match-style scores – compared across the field with all other comparisons. Greet and welcome opponents. participating clubs – almost immediately after. continued on page 5 Sandy DeMartino, Goodwill Chair ATTENDANCE through Thursday 9670.5 tables Chief Corporate Sponsor Fall NABC Page 2 Friday, December 6, 2013 Daily Bulletin SPECIAL EVENTS MEETINGS / SEMINARS / RECEPTIONS Sunday, Dec. 8 Peter Pender Memorial Vugraph Theater presentation. Room:TBA. CELEBRITY SPEAKER PROGRAM Don’t miss the following free lectures being held at the Hyatt, on the first floor Saturday, Dec. 7 in the Regency Ballroom. 9:15 a.m. Jeff Roman Look Beyond High–Card Points Friday, Dec. 6 6:45 p.m. Lowell Andrews Are You Preempting Enough 9:15 a.m. Dick Yarington Trump Promotions, Uppercuts 6:45 p.m. Kevin Wilson Fitting Honors ENTERTAINMENT and HOSPITALITY Friday, Dec. 6 Saturday, Dec. 7 1:30–3 p.m. Tony Duncan, Native American flute. Hyatt, atrium lobby. 10:30 p.m. Spinach artichoke dip with pita chips. Sheraton, 2nd floor. 5:30–7:30 p.m. Rhythm Chasers, steel drums. Sheraton, 2nd floor. 10:30 p.m. Ice cream bars. Sheraton, 2nd floor. Dining and drinking Life Master news Associate editor opening at the Hyatt Eric Genheimer of Mustang OK started the The ACBL is seeking candidates for the position year with 22 masterpoints to his credit and a long of associate editor of the Bridge Bulletin. It is not Networks way to go to achieve Life Master status considering possible to apply for the job at this tournament, but Be sure to come to Networks, the Hyatt Regency that he was operating under the new requirements you can get general information by contacting Brent Phoenix’s headquarters for top-of-the- line cocktails, for 500 masterpoints. Playing with Kyle Olsen, also Manley, editor, in the Daily Bulletin office at the burgers and salads. We open each day at 11 a.m. and of Mustang, and Janet and Donald Davis of Norman Sheraton between the afternoon and evening sessions our kitchen is open nightly until midnight. OK, Genheimer earned his gold card at the Phoenix of bridge play. We’ll be featuring special drinks throughout the NABC when the foursome earned second place in The main responsibility of the associate editor is NABC. Mention the secret password “DUMMY” and the Wednesday-Thursday Morning Compact KO, to work on the monthly publication, generating story receive a 10% discount on all food items! Bracket 2. ideas and editing contributors, plus other writing. Our featured drink of the day will be: Donald Berry of Victoria BC was a member of Bridge Bulletin editors are also responsible for the 12-6 General Approach (vodka tonic) the winning team in the Tuesday-Thursday Morning Daily Bulletin staff at NABCs. 12-7 Major Opening (Bloody Mary) KO, winning enough gold points to make him a Life Send formal inquiries to [email protected]. The ACBL 12-8 Overall (Margarita on the rocks) Master. He was playing with Jill Stainforth, also of is an equal opportunity employer. Networks Bar and Grill is located on the first Victoria. Their teammates were Linda Hermanson floor of the Hyatt Regency Phoenix. and Lynn Sawyer of Green Valley AZ. Terrace Café: Electronic Device Policy Elsie and Wally Marsh are now Life Masters, Open daily at 6 a.m., the Terrace Café features a The electronic device policy at NABCs has been making it in the Morning Compact KO playing with full breakfast buffet. The Terrace Café is located on revised to allow players to bring electronic devices Terry Strand, who earned her gold card earlier in the the second floor of the Hyatt Regency Phoenix. such as cell phones into the playing area provided tournament, and her partner, Cindy Selberg. All are Cash food sales: that such devices are turned off. from Palm Desert CA. Cash food sales are open daily, 9 a.m.–6 p.m. Further, any such equipment must not be visible Susan Marcley of San Clemente CA became a on the second floor of the Hyatt Regency Phoenix. during the session Life Master in the morning KO with the help of two We’ll be featuring grab-and-go items all day such The policy applies to all pairs, team members, friends from her home town, Mary Gene Courtney as beverages and snack items. From noon to 3 p.m., captains, coaches, kibitzers and play recorders, and Randee Yoder, and Cathryn DeYoung, of Dana the menu will be expanded to include lunch items except those designated by the ACBL and are in force Point CA. including burgers, salads, sandwiches and a host of throughout any actual playing session or segment of other items all very reasonable priced! play. For coffee service after 6 p.m., Networks Bar and Convention card reminder A violation of the policy will result in an automatic disciplinary penalty of one full board (or Grill sells $2 cups of coffee to go. Each player is required to have a convention 12 IMPs at that form of scoring) for the first offense. Price includes state sales tax and is on a cash card filled out legibly and on the table throughout a A second offense will result in disqualification from only basis (no ACBL vouchers).