Special Focus: Oregon Coast Regional: Sept. 30-Oct. 6 RECRUITING RUMPETTHE DISTRICT 20 T www.ACBLD20.org Vol. 9, No. 4 Bridge Across the District July/August 2013 Zwerling team advances feated Eric Stoltz, Chris Gibson, GNT champs will compete in Atlanta John Ashton, Dennis Metcalf, Roger McNay and National Teams Champi- By Chip Dombrowski David Brower in a 52- onship Flight final was More GNT inside Editor board knockout for that of Marc Zwerling, Flights A-C results | 3 Playing the champs | 7 the right to represent After three days of online com- Mark Tolliver, John Lusky the district in the petition in May, the last team and Randy Pickett. standing in District 20’s Grand In the May 5 final, the team de- Continued on Page 7 GNT Championship Flight: Marc Zwerling, Mark Tolliver, Randy Pickett and John Lusky. Seaside: Where the bliss is Why it’s everyone’s favorite D20 regional By Marie Ashton D20 Tournament Manger It is time to plan your visit to our an- nual beach blast! With good reasons, the Oregon Coast Regional has become a favorite for players from District 20, the sur- The beach is just blocks from the event site. rounding districts and many in far- flung reaches of the ACBL. Seaside is just a cool town, devoted Astoria or south to the Tillamook to tourism in the best ways. Put your Cheese factory. Shopping in Cannon car keys on the dresser for the whole Beach is quite satisfactory, if I do say week and find all the dining, shopping so myself. They might even want to at- and outdoor activities you want. Hous- tend the “Learn Bridge in a Day” sem- inar on Monday, Oct. 1, and join the Chip Dombrowski / The Trumpet ing is abundant and there are myriad choices. See some options on the flyer rest of us at the tables. As young bridge players pack Zack Woodbury’s Portland condo for his weekly game one Friday in May, Gregg But what really takes us to Seaside St. Cyr, top right, enjoys a laugh. St. Cyr says the game saved his social life. About 50 players frequent the club. on our website at www.acbld20.org. If you bring family or friends who is a fabulous bridge tournament that “DPB,” they can do the same or take has grown big enough to host many The hottest club a day and venture north to historic Continued on Page 2 Private Portland club attracts growing numbers of young players What is District 20? Will this be on By Chip Dombrowski Since beginning its weekly game a year Editor and a half ago, the club has grown to more than 50 members, almost all between the the quiz? New president explains On any given Friday night, Zack Wood- ages of 25 and 40 — but no more than bury’s Portland condo is jam-packed with half can play at a time due to space con- What is “the district”? Those excit- units in Oregon, southwest Washing- young bridge players. Every available space straints, and there’s a waiting list to join, ing regional tournaments that we go ton, western Idaho, Hawaii and parts is used to conduct 4- to 6-table games, and which is by invitation only. These are prob- to in Vancouver, Eugene, Med- of Northern California (and in there are often more than four people at a lems most club managers would kill for. ford, Seaside and Reno (and, theory, Guam). (A technical table as new students shadow regular players. In a world where the challenge for bridge coming soon, in Bend and point: the “members” of our The least comfortable spot appears to be clubs to attract new and younger players is Boise) don’t just happen on district are the 25 units, rather West at Table 3, which doesn’t get a seat in some places an existential threat, Wood- their own. They take a host of than the nearly 4,000 individ- but must stand and lean over the kitchen bury seems to have found the answer, district personnel, mainly vol- uals who belong to the ACBL.) sink. But no one seems to mind — they’re maybe even the Holy Grail. unteers, to organize and run. District board all young enough to have strong backs and District 20 is one of 25 such The 25 units in District 20 are glad to be there. organizations in the American Continued on Page 8 are grouped into nine areas. Contract Bridge League, and Molly Harris The unit boards in each area represents an intermediate D20 President elect a representative (known step between the national as an “area rep”), who serves as a vot- ACBL headquarters and the local units ing member on the district board. to which individual members belong. Eugene Regional: It’s almost here District 20 consists of the ACBL Continued on Page 7 This is a reminder that ing promises to make it even If you need a partner, summertime and the Emerald better. Get your partners for Norma Smith can help you Meet four women Empire is beckoning you to the Gold Rush pairs on Tues- ([email protected] or Winning by a hair | come play bridge July 22-28 day and Saturday, or the 299er 541-686-3061). I hope to see with a secret to their success | 7 at Eugene’s Valley River Inn. events being held each day. many of you there! Roundup | What readers say about us | 9 It has always been a great See the schedule on page 3 — Marie Ashton, INSIDE WWBC | Medford pair is second in world | 11 playing site and the remodel- or online at acbld20.org. D20 tournament manager Page 2 The District 20 Trumpet July/August 2013 Can the gay club save bridge? Reflections from a Retiree I was at the Vancouver Regional when I It also made me realize that, despite received an important news tip. At the what I said before, when you love the The rare one-level cuebid time, only my first issue had published, game as much as I do, it doesn’t matter At the Emerald Bridge Club, I held Then at the Idaho Falls Regional, I wit- the one with the feature introducing me, who you play it with. I want to see the ´ K Q ♥ Q10 9 5 2 © 6 5 4 ® A 8 3, both nessed this dummy in a hand-dealt with its pesky question about whether guys I met there discover that. vulnerable at matchpoints. The strange teams game. A super-sub-Yarborough there was anything I didn’t like about But in my time there I was able to see auction: consisting of ´ 6 5 ♥ 76 4 3 2 © 76 4 bridge. And my memorable answer about some of the obstacles preventing these 5 3 2. At our table declarer opened 1 , it not being a good way to meet cute guys. players from joining the ACBL and at- West North East South ® ´ P 1NT P we competed in diamonds and the big An alert reader notified me she had lo- tending more games outside their own hand bid 3 down 300. Our teammates 1♥ Dbl P1´ ® cated the mother lode. non-sanctioned club. started with 2NT. After a 3 transfer and Those weren’t Jan Yocom’s exact words, The first, biggest step Woodbury could P 1NT 2® 2♥ © PP2NT AP an unfavorable 5-1 trump break, de- but after meeting Zack Woodbury and take to encourage this would be getting a clarer with an even worse de- some of his friends at a game at the Mult- sanction. Allowing members to earn mas- After pass-1NT-pass I am con- clared hand was down 300 for a nomah Athletic Club, she knew there was terpoints in the nurturing environment templating doubling 2♥ for the push board. The odds for hold- a big story here. So she contacted he’s built could do a lot to in- lead when RHO bids 1♥. I as- ing a seven-high hand are a for- Marie Ashton, who told me. spire them to pursue the game sume he meant to bid 2♥ so I midable 254,397 to 1. “I hear some of them are really more seriously. double. Pass to partner who opts cute,” she said. While Woodbury and I were to bid 1´, the rare one-level cue- Directors diffuse a power outage Although my editorial duties playing together at the Portland bid. The bidding proceeds pass, Idaho Falls was hit with a leave little time for feature writ- Spring Sectional, Diane Cullen 1NT, 2®, 2♥, pass, pass. We are power outage at 9:50 a.m. Friday, ing, it was clear this was a matter encouraged him to send his in a great spot but the opponents Jeff Taylor May 17. I would have to personally inves- players to Flo Savage’s classes — bid again and go for a number. Retiree in Chief The directors moved the morn- tigate. My busy schedule pushed also an excellent idea which Score a top for this unusual cue. ing events into the foyer and set up tables anywhere there was light — that until after my May deadline. would greatly benefit all of them. Against the odds: Two sub-Yarboroughs When the appointed time came, The club’s nurturing environ- foyer, halls, bar and restaurant. Anything A week later at the Emerald I pick up to keep the games going. Power came I arrived — rushed and overdue Chip Dombrowski ment has been successful in this machine-dealt gem, 8 5 8 76 5 3 Editor ´ ♥ back on at 12:30 and we played at these for a haircut — at the door to keeping its members coming 75 4 2 5 2.