DailyNovember 28-December 8, 2002 Bulletin76th Fall North American Bridge Championships Phoenix, Arizona Vol. 76, No. 6 Wednesday, December 4, 2002 Editors: Henry Francis and Jody Latham Kyle Larsen–The Quiet Man By Jody Latham One of the great bridge stories in recent years was the 2001 Bermuda Bowl win by the Rose Meltzer team -- you remember the squad: Meltzer and her trade- mark million-dollar smile; Peter Weichsel and Alan Sontag, still tough after all these years; Chip Martel and Lew Stansby, another of the world’s great partner- ships, and . .the almost forgotten player, often seen standing off to the side nurs- ing a Diet Coke or non-alcoholic beer. Not that Kyle Larsen minds the lack of attention. He is secure in his role as Meltzer’s partner. He knows he is a key player on a team that will always be among the favorites in any major competition. Weichsel, who put the Larsen-Meltzer partnership together, is more sure than ever that the one-time teen prodigy was the best choice for the squad. Larsen grew up in the bridge world. He remembers caddying with Gary Soules and Bob Crossley at the 1963 NABC in Los Angeles. “Bob and I were caddying and the directors needed a pair to fill in. We were probably the best of the caddy players so we got paid to play. “Bridge has always been such a fun, high-interest thing for me.” Bob Hamman remembers the young Larsen. “In 1964 Harold Shaw owned a bridge club in San Francisco and he made arrangements with me to teach a class every Tuesday. “The Sonny Liston-Cassius Clay fight was on a Tuesday night and I didn’t really want to teach that class. I wanted to listen to the fight.” Hamman laughed as he reminisced: “I made up some problems -- tough prob- Kyle Larsen at the Phoenix NABC with two of his favorite partners: teams partner lems -- and gave the class their assignments. Then I went into the next room to Rose Meltzer (left) and pairs partner Jo Morse. Continued on page 4 Boris Schapiro, 93, Eddie Wold reaches dies in Britain 40,000 masterpoints Boris Schapiro, 93, who made bridge headlines from 1929 to 1998, with special emphasis on 1965, died on Sunday. He amazed the bridge world in 1998 when, at the age of 89, he won the World Senior Championship in partnership with Irving Gor- don at the World Champion- ships in Lille, France. No per- Jim Kirkham Joan Gerard son before or since has ever won a world title in any sport Kirkham and Gerard at such an age. Why the special mention of 1965? At the Bermuda Bowl named to WBF board World Championships in Jim Kirkham, ACBL Board representative from Buenos Aires, Argentina, he District 22, has been elected to represent ACBL on the and his partner, Terence Reese, World Bridge Federation board for a three-year term, were accused of cheating by 2003-2005. John Gerber, captain of the Joan Gerard, ACBL Board representative from American team. Subsequently the World Bridge Fed- District 3, was reelected to the WBF board where she Eddie Wold reached the 40,000-masterpoint pla- eration found the pair guilty of cheating by using ille- already serves as a vice president. Joan recently was teau when his team finished third in the Open Board- gal hand signals. honored by the WBF by being named to the WBF Com- a-Match Teams on Monday night. The case was referred to the British Bridge League mittee of Honor. “I’m just so glad I was playing with George to determine the ultimate penalty, but after an inquiry (Rosenkranz) when it happened,” said Wold. “Edith that lasted more than a year, the BBL concluded that and George have provided generosity, constancy, faith there was insufficient evidence for the WBF’s verdict Seniors reach semifinals and affection – the foundation upon which my career of guilty. has been built.” Notwithstanding the British verdict, the WBF sus- Today’s semifinal matches in the Senior Knockout Wold remains #5 on the list of all-time masterpoint pended both Schapiro and Reese. After three years the Teams will pit #1 Levine against #4 Murphy and #3 winners – behind Paul Soloway, Mike Passell, Jeff suspension was lifted with the proviso that the two never Colchamiro against #2 Walsh. Meckstroth and Mark Lair. He has won a world cham- play as a pair in world competition again. Levine (Mike Levine, Zeke Jabbour, Bobby Wolff, pionship – the 2001 World Transnational Teams – and Dan Morse, Per Olof Sundelin, Arnie Fisher) defeated Continued on page 4 Continued on page 4 Low (Marc and Sandra Low, Jim Robison, Simon Kantor) 116-75 while Murphy (Jim Murphy, David Adams, Michael Huston, Bruce Reeve, Dennis Tuesday-Wednesday KO Sorensen, George Pisk) defeated Harris (Joe Harris, Caddies needed NOW If you are playing in the 3rd and 4th sessions Michael Levy, Martin Schiff Jr., Kenneth Badertscher, Caddymaster Jackie Matthews needs cad- of the Tuesday-Wednesday Bracketed Knockout Darrell Keel, Ray Loftis) 168-130. dies for all sessions today – especially this af- Teams, please remember that your playing area In the other bracket, Walsh (Rhoda Walsh, Marv ternoon. If you can help out, see Jackie on the is at the Crowne Plaza, Pueblo Room. Dauer, Betty Ann Kennedy, Don Krauss) took over the second floor of the Hyatt. The Pueblo Room is located on the first floor. #2 seed by defeating Retek (George Retek, Brian Fraser, If you can’t help today, please consider help- Please enter from the First Street entrance. Al Levy, Richard Anderson, Jerry Fleming) 174-108. ing out Thursday and/or Friday. Continued on page 3 Page 2 Daily Bulletin SPECIAL EVENTS Trump tricks When Cezary Balicki tells you he has a fascinat- Wednesday, December 4 ing position, you can be sure that it will be worth look- ing at: Dlr: South « 8 2 Paul Cullen Memorial Day Vul: E-W ª 4 9 a.m. - Noon Club Directors Continuing Education Course, a three-part refresher course that will help © A K 9 5 4 3 you improve as a club director. Wednesday: ACBLscore. Hyatt Regency, Remington AB. ¨ 8 7 4 3 Fee: 10 per morning or $25 for all three sessions. Continues Thursday. « 10 7 3 « A 5 10 a.m. - Noon Education Workshop: The ACBL Unit Growth Program is designed to develop teamwork ª A K Q 7 5 3 ª J 9 6 and to help all of the different groups in your unit (teachers, volunteers, club managers, © J 10 © 8 7 the unit and the members) work together to achieve the goals of the unit. Hyatt Regency, ¨ 9 6 ¨ A K J 10 5 2 Russell AB. « K Q J 9 6 4 12:15 p.m. Intermediate/Newcomer Speakers Program: Peg & Dewy Cundiff, Bridge...It's a ª 10 8 2 Partnership. Phoenix Civic Plaza, Flagstaff 1. © Q 6 2 6:45 p.m. Intermediate/Newcomer Speakers Program: Michael Huston, Elements of Deception. ¨ Phoenix Civic Plaza, Flagstaff 1. Q 6:30 p.m. Phoenix Boys Choir will entertain at the Senior Reception at the close of the second West North East South session of the Senior event.. Phoenix Civic Plaza. Cezary Adam 11 p.m. Two groups of barbershop quartets will stroll the Hyatt Atrium, second floor. The groups Pass will be the Beeliners and the Sweet Adelines. Refreshments will consist of hot dogs, chips 1ª 2© 3© 3« and beer. 4ª Pass Pass 4« Thursday, December 5 Pass Pass 5ª Pass Pass 5« Pass Pass 9 a.m. - Noon Club Directors Continuing Education Course, a three-part refresher course that will help Dbl All Pass you improve as a club director. Thursday: The Proprieties -- managing difficult people, controlling anger, keeping your players coming back. Hyatt Regency, Remington AB. Cezary led a top heart and shifted to a club. Adam Fee: $10. took the ace and found a diamond shift, won by de- 10 a.m. - Noon Audrey Grant Bridge Festival. Enjoy a morning with Audrey Grant and improve your clarer in hand for a heart ruff (yes, he could have cashed bridge game. Audrey's topic: Partnership defense. Hyatt Regency, Phoenix Ballroom. out for minus 500 but he thought he could do better). $20 fee includes a 20-page handout. Now came a club ruff, a heart ruff and a club ruff 12:15 p.m. Intermediate/Newcomer Speakers Program: Rich Colker, Alerts. Phoenix Civic Plaza, with the «6 – overruffed with the «7. Back came the Flagstaff 1. ©J, locking declarer in dummy. A club ruff with the «J 6:15 p.m. Table tennis challenge match between Eddie Kantar and Eddie Wold. Phoenix Civic saw declarer exit with the «Q to «A. Plaza. This was the ending with the defense having four 6:45 p.m. Intermediate/Newcomer Speakers Program: Zeke Jabbour, Winsome and Loathsome. tricks in and East on lead. Phoenix Civic Plaza, Flagstaff 1. « -- 11 p.m. Refreshments: apple-cranberry crisps or brownie cobbler. Hyatt Regency Atrium, Second ª -- Floor. © K 9 5 Friday, December 6 ¨ -- 12:15 p.m. Intermediate/Newcomer Speakers Program: Alan LeBendig, Balancing. Phoenix Civic « 10 « 5 Plaza, Flagstaff 1. ª K Q ª -- 6:45 p.m. Intermediate/Newcomer Speakers Program: Allan Mazer, 2¨ or not 2¨ -- That is the © -- © -- Question. Phoenix Civic Plaza, Flagstaff 1. ¨ -- ¨ A 5 « K 9 ª -- An easy game, © 6 BAM bidding ¨ – The ¨A was the coup de grace. If declarer ruffed By Barry Rigal I suppose low, West would overruff and play a heart, leaving East I thought our teammates, Irina Levitina and JoAnna By Barry Rigal with the long trump.