g the 188 in g counties id r B Vol. XLV No. 3 Published by Westchester Contract Bridge Association September 2003 SEE YOU THERE ! § ¨ © ª § ¨ © ª § ¨ © ª § ¨ § THE 2003 WESTCHESTER ¨ September ¨ FALL SECTIONAL © (North American 49er Pairs) © AT THE COUNTY CENTER ª ª § 10 ACBL Instant § All events are one session, except for Open Swiss and Knockout Teams ¨ Matchpoint Game ¨ © Wed. eve at clubs © Friday, September 19 19-21 WCBA Fall Sectional 1:00 PM Stratified Open Pairs ª County Center ª 1:00 PM Stratified Women’s Pairs § § 1:00 PM Stratified Newplicate Pairs 7:30 PM Stratified Open Pairs ¨ ¨ 7:30 PM Stratified Newplicate Pairs © October © 7:30 PM Knockout Teams - Continued Sat. 1:00 PM and 7:00 PM ª ª (Random Draw, Bracketed if possible) § 12 NAP Unit Finals § Saturday, September 20 ¨ Bridge Deck ¨ 1:00 PM Stratified Open Pairs 1:00 PM Stratified Newplicate Pairs © (1 Session) © 1:00 PM Knockout Teams (continued) ª 19 Charity Swiss Teams ª 7:00 PM Stratified Open Pairs * NEW TIME * Bridge Deck 7:00 PM Stratified Newplicate Pairs * NEW TIME * § 20-26 District 3 Regional § 7:00 PM Knockout Teams (continued) * NEW TIME * ¨ Kerhonkson, NY ¨ 27-31 STAC Week Sunday, November 10 © © 11:30 AM Stratified Open Swiss Teams (2 Sessions) ª Various Clubs ª 11:30 AM Stratified Senior Swiss Teams (1 Session) § § 11:30 AM Stratified Newplicate Swiss Teams (1 Session) 5:30 PM Open Pairs * NEW TIME * ¨ ¨ November 6:00 PM Stratified Open Swiss Teams (continued) © © Chair: Betty Fleischer (914) 941-3841 [email protected] ª ª 1-3 STAC Week Pairing: Dan Silver (914) 472-6866 [email protected] § Various Clubs § Caddies: Ed Zuckerberg (914) 693-6633 ¨ 14-15 Jane Hill Future Masters ¨ Open games stratification: A 0-infinity, B 0-1500, C 0-500 © Sectional © Newplicate stratification: A 0-100, B 0-50, C 0-20 ª Methodist Church ª 20-30 NABC From Tappan Zee Bridge: Thruway to Exit 8, I-287 East to Exit 5. 1/4 mile on left. § New Orleans, LA § From Connecticut: I-287 West to Exit 5. Left turn toward Rte. 119, then left onto ¨ 24 ACBL Charity Game ¨ Rte. 119. 1/2 mile on left. From Central Ave.: North to Rte. 119. On left at intersection. © Mon. eve at clubs © From Long Island: Hutchinson Pkwy. to Cross County Pkwy. to Bronx River Pkwy. ª ª north to Central Ave. exit in White Plains. County Center on left, parking on right. § § From NYC: Major Deegan Expressway to Exit 5 Central Avenue. 10 miles on left. ¨ © ª § ¨ © ª § ¨ © ª § ¨ Metro North White Plains Station is within walking distance. g n PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE i the g We were very sorry to receive two limited in how long they can serve. resignations from board members this past Dick Kraner has been our Unit’s id counties r spring. Ingrid Nargi had been an active Treasurer for the past nine years, and B board member for many, many years. Ingrid Charlotte Brasel has been our Unit’s contributed in countless ways to our unit as Secretary for the past fourteen years. On BRIDGING THE COUNTIES (ISSN 1059-3586) is chairperson of various committees, and was a behalf of the entire Unit, I want to express published (quarterly) four times a year in March, June, representative for our unit members from our appreciation to Dick and Charlotte for September and December by the Westchester Contract Bridge Association, 2 Carriage Way, White farther north in the county. their dedication of their time and energy.. Plains, NY 10605. Periodicals postage is paid at White Marilou Whalen also resigned from the District 3 will give our Unit $500 to Plains, NY. POSTMASTER: Send address changes board.. We will greatly miss her energetic donate to a charity of our choice. The Board to: Bridging the Counties, 2 Carriage Way, White Plains, NY 10605. personality and her cheerful approach at our voted to give the money to Westchester Food board meetings. Thank you both, Ingrid and Patch, an organization that assists the WESTCHESTER CONTRACT Marilou, for all your efforts! homeless. The Unit Special Charity Swiss BRIDGE ASSOCIATION To replace Ingrid and Marilou, the board Team game, on October 19 at the Bridge Janet Lippmann, President unanimously voted Heidi Klein and Alan Deck, will be another source for charity Solomon asPRESI directors. HeidiDENT’S will participate Mdonations.ESSAGE A charity will receive twice the Editor .............................. Jason Fuhrman 49 Gould Avenue, Dobbs Ferry, NY 10522 on the Closed Westchester and Hospitality amount collected from entry fee profits E-Mail: [email protected] committees, and will help Nancy and Steve because the Unit will match those proceeds. STAFF Sahlein with Promotions/Fliers. Alan will There were wonderful results to report Associate Editor ............................................................Bob Goldwater chair the unit level of the North American from the NABC. Our own Unit 188 GNT Proofreading .............................................................Michelle Fuhrman Pairs. Welcome to Heidi and Alan. Flight A team - Eileen Paley, Rich Laufer, Joyce Blumenthal ................................Barbara Metselaar Previously, I explained board members Mimi Bieber and Faye Marino - finished tied Betty Fleischer ...........................................Kassie Munoz Joan Levy Gerard ...........................................Judy Soley are elected for three-year terms. All officers for third. We also want to congratulate Eric are elected for one year terms. The President Mayefsky, who was a member of the team and Vice President can be re-elected once. that won the College Championships. But the Secretary and Treasurer are not Janet Lippmann For those of you who haven’t heard, as of the available, so it shouldn’t be ace asking. And time I am writing this column, I will be there is a general rule against bidding moving to Scarsdale. By the time you read Blackwood without a control in an outside this, I may have already moved. I have not suit. Obviously, partner needs a heart control yet put my new address in the editorial (Rick held xxx). My heart void fit the bill information box just in case the move falls perfectly, and I cue bid 6H to show it. With Editor’s through. My mail will be forwarded, and my one loser in hearts, I would have signed off at e-mail address will be the same, so you can 6ª. The opponents preempts made it easy for Corner still reach me. us to diagnose our fit and reach a grand slam As you all know, grand slams in bridge that might not otherwise have been bid. are pretty rare. In two sessions of bridge The first one was the most interesting over two days at a local club, Rick and I bid from a matchpoints perspective. Rick and I to three grand slams. Since they are so rare, were vulnerable, against non-vulnerable I’m going to discuss those three hands. - in opponents. Here was the auction: the reverse order they occurred. Rick East Me West The third one was relatively 2© 2ª 4© 4ª unremarkable. Any pair playing Roman Key Pass Pass 5© 5ª Card Blackwood should have reached it Pass 6ª 7© Double easily. Surprisingly, only one other pair All pass reached the cold grand slam. On a combined Rick and I play 5-7 cards preempts at the two 37 HCPs, it shouldn’t have been difficult. level when vulnerable. I was very shocked to The second one featured an interest hear Rick open 2©, because I was holding 8 auction, which was as follows: hearts in my own hand! 4© and 5© seem West Rick East Me sensible, but I didn’t expect to drive them to Pass 1§ Pass 1ª 6ª. The 7© bid now became mandatory. 2© 2ª 4© 4ª 7© was only down two, for –500. 6ª was Pass 5© Pass 6© cold, and 7ª makes on any lead other than the Pass 7ª All Pass ¨A! -480s and -510s were common, with a Do you know what 5© means in your few -980s and -1010s. -500 was right in the system? Even without prior discussion, the middle - just another average board! meaning should be clear. Blackwood is Jason Fuhrman Page 2 Bridging the Counties - September 2003 This N’ That From Your District Director As I am writing, this summer’s being extended an extra 1/2 day 686 members. District 3 ranks NABC in Long Beach, CA, is effective at the 2004 Spring #2 in membership growth, and drawing to a close. It was a great NABC. There will be a 1 session Unit 188 ranks #1 in our District location with wonderful playing afternoon pairs game to benefit and 27th overall in the ACBL. space, good restaurants within the International Fund. We must thank all of our club walking distance and wonderful All sectionals will be able directors, teachers, unit members, weather. The host group to run two sessions to benefit the and the other volunteers who are provided hospitality every International Fund. These helping to promote the game that evening. It had all of the sessions will award regionally we love to new people, and also ingredients of a perfect NABC, rated silver points (substantially keep it fun and interesting for our except it was disappointing that more than sectionally rated current members. the attendance was more than points). There will be an We hope your fall plans 10% below expectations. additional $1/player entry fee include a trip to play in our It was not disappointing, going directly to the International Kerhonkson regional. We know however, to Rich Laufer, Mimi Fund. Hopefully this will be a that attendance is on the small Bieber, Faye Marino and Eileen good way to get people to attend side, and we have added many Paley, who represented District 3 some less well-attended sessions.