Wednesday, November 28, 2018 Volume 91, Number 6 Daily Bulletin 91st Fall North American Bridge Championships [email protected] | Editors: Sue Munday and Chip Dombrowski Chinese pair wins 10K IMP Pairs Fleisher, Martel set the Hua Yang of Plano TX and Yuan Wei Wang of pace in the Blues Carrying the momentum of their win in the China won the 0–10,000 IMP Pairs on Tuesday. Mitchell Open BAM Monday night, Martin Fleisher They’re a first-time partnership and for Wang, it’s and Chip Martel top the field of the Kaplan Blue only the second time playing in the United States. Ribbon Pairs after the qualifying sessions. They Both come from bridge-playing families in China submitted scores of 66% and 61% to set the pace in and knew each other through family. the three-day event. Third after qualifying, Yang and Wang posted Frenchmen Jerome Rombaut and Combescune the second-best scores in each of the final sessions to Baptiste enter the day in the two spot, while Nicolas win by almost 16 IMPs. L’Ecuyer and Zygmunt Marcinski from Quebec hold “It’s very lucky to get a championship,” Wang down third place. said. The Kaplan Blue Ribbon Pairs is a three-day Josh Donn of Las Vegas and Peter Gelfand of event consisting of two qualifying sessions, two Corralitos CA had a monster first final session to semifinal sessions and two final sessions. Today’s take a 35-IMP lead but went negative in the last field of 104 pairs will be cut in half for the Thursday session to place second. Miriam Harris-Botzum and final. Marty Harris, the leaders after qualifying, finished third. Winners of the 0–10,000 IMP Pairs: Yuan Wei continued on page 11 Wang and Hua Yang Canadians top Mini-Blues after day one The wise man Layne Noble and J. Mark Siegrist of Ontario, Godfrey another at a Hawaii Regional in the late 1960s. Canada, lead the field after the qualifying sessions of Chang is known as Chang says he had less than 50 masterpoints at the the Mini-Blue Ribbon Pairs. The three-day event is Hawaii’s best local time. He was playing with Maizie Ho, who managed limited to players with 0–6000 masterpoints. player. A Platinum to endplay her partner twice in a row on the same A board out of first place were Rebecca Anspach Life Master with hand. Sutherlin felt bad for Chang and offered to and Keith Connolly from St. Paul MN. almost 15,000 play with him the following year at the regional. Sitting in third are Texans Virgil Massey and masterpoints, They would play together each January for 50 years, Charlene Sands. Chang has been winning dozens of pair events along the way. The field of 106 pairs, reduced to 56 pairs for playing for 58 Chang considers himself lucky to have been today’s semifinal sessions, will be cut in half for years and earned endplayed by his partner twice on the same hand that tomorrow’s final. most of them day. “That experience was worth a lot to me,” he without leaving his says. Cappelletti, Fung lead home state. In 1999 at the Spring NABC in Vancouver, Godfrey Chang is Hawaii’s Chang, 81, is Chang finished second in back-to-back national pairs Women’s Pairs Allison Cappelletti of Delray Beach FL and highest-ranking player. also known for his events: the Leventritt Silver Ribbon Pairs with Gerry Kismet Fung of Edmonton AB are leading the longtime partnership with John Sutherlin, who died Caravelli and the Rockwell Mixed Pairs with Anne Whitehead Women’s Pairs after Tuesday’s qualifying in May. Arndt. The Rockwell was especially hard for Chang sessions. They scored 57% and 65% to take the lead “He’s as good a guy as you can ever meet,” because it was so close: He and Arndt lost to Mike and a carryover of 34.98 into today’s final, where 13 Peggy Sutherlin says. “They really did become and Shannon Cappelletti by 0.62 matchpoints. That’s will be top. lifelong friends. I think John would consider how close he came to making Grand Life Master. In second, just 4.4 matchpoints back, are Godfrey one of his five best friends.” Before that Chang used to travel to one NABC Virginia Kellermeyer and Brenda Pugsley from the It began the first time they played against one continued on page 5 Reno–Carson City area. Californians Kate Hill and Evelyn Holz are sitting in third. Half of the 28-table field qualified for the second Behind the byline: day. Barry’s world Pre-registration required He has a quick wit, a quick pace and a quick He attended twinkle in his eye. He plays, writes, commentates what was generally for Reisinger and teaches bridge. His overnight output for considered the Teams that wish to enter the Reisinger Board-a- championship newspapers is prodigious – his byline strongest academic Match Teams must pre-register no later than in your Daily Bulletin is as familiar as your morning high school in the 9 p.m., Thursday, Nov. 29. See Matt Smith in the cup of coffee. Or tea, if that’s your preference. U.K., studying Tapa Ballroom. Barry Rigal is a man of boundless energy in the math and Latin bridge world. and Greek. “I “I always wanted to find something to excel at,” was consistently Goodwill Message Barry says. “I haven’t yet decided whether bridge is at the bottom of Accept the decisions of your director with it. There is the beauty of the permutations when card my class,” he politeness and grace. combinations fall the way you want and for a short says. Looking for Sandy DeMartino, Chair time, you think you understand the patterns and what something to excel Aileen Osofsky ACBL Goodwill Committee the game is all about. Then the next board comes and in, he first tried you realize you were deluding yourself.” table tennis. “But I Barry was born and grew up in central London. couldn’t smash the ball.” ATTENDANCE He has one older brother, two younger sisters and Then he took up chess: “I could play chess, but 10 nephews and nieces, all of whom still live in clearly I wasn’t going to excel.” through Tuesday London. He was raised in a card-playing household Then his math teacher organized bridge games a – “knockout whist, oh hell, but not bridge.” continued on page 9 3192.5 tables Page 2 Wednesday, November 28, 2018 Daily Bulletin SPECIAL EVENTS MEETINGS / SEMINARS / RECEPTIONS Meetings are at the Hilton Hawaiian Village. Participants must attend both sessions. Fee: $15 covers both days. (Sea Pearl Room 2, Mid-Pacific Center) Wednesday, November 28 9 am-noon Club Director Refresher Course, session 2. A continuing Sunday, December 2 education course for club directors to increase their skills. TBA Peter Pender Memorial Vugraph. (Room TBA) CELEBRITY SPEAKER PROGRAM Don’t miss these free lectures by some of the best-known players in the Thursday, Nov. 29 game! Talks will be held in Coral Ballroom 1, Mid-Pacific Center. Speakers and 9:15 am Donna Compton Let the Opponents Do the Work for You topics are subject to change. 6:45 pm Barbara Heller Leading and Carding Wednesday, Nov. 28 9:15 am Mary Alice Seville Is Your Bridge Too Conservative? 6:45 pm Eugene Chan Cuebids and Gropers HOSPITALITY AND ENTERTAINMENT Evening hospitality is served at the Coral Lounge (Mid-Pacific Center) and the Palace Lounge (Tapa Tower). Wednesday, Nov. 28 Thursday, Nov. 29 10:30 pm Mini manapua and vegetable spring roll 10:30 pm Malasadas Awkward! By Barry Rigal This deal presented an awkward declarer and defense problem. Dlr: East ♠ 7 6 2 Vul: Both ♥ K 8 5 2 ♦ J 10 8 4 ♣ A K ♠ K 9 ♠ Q J 10 5 4 ♥ 6 3 ♥ A J ♦ A Q 9 6 5 2 ♦ 7 ♣ Q 6 2 ♣ 9 8 7 5 3 ♠ A 8 3 ♥ Q 10 9 7 4 ♦ K 3 ♣ J 10 4 West North East South Pass Pass 2♦ Pass Pass 2♥ Pass 3♥ All Pass Because 2♦ escapes for down one, South did well to balance, but North’s raise put his side in dangerous territory. West did not find the ♠K lead, instead, putting a low club on the table. Declarer won to lead a low heart. East took the ace and knew partner rated to have a top spade and decent diamonds. The ♠Q shift covered all bases. South had to duck, and now East shifted to diamonds: king, ace, 4. Discounts offered When West reverted to spades, declarer could Five restaurants at the Hilton Hawaiian win and draw trumps, then set up either a diamond Village are offering discounts to bridge players to pitch his spade or ruff a club and then exit in with convention cards that were not listed in the spades to avoid losing a diamond. restaurant guide. Dairy Queen is offering a 20% Should West have found the winning defense? discount; Blue Water Shrimp & Seafood is offering Underlead in diamonds at trick five. East can ruff 10%. At the other three – CJ’s New York Style and exit in spades and one way or another, the Delicatessen, Hatsuhana and Round Table Pizza – defenders must score a fifth trick. the discount is 10% excluding alcohol. Daily Bulletin Wednesday, November 28, 2018 Page 3 JUST FOR NEW PLAYERS hand. As North, count is counterproductive. As West, if declarer Thinking bridge holding two plays a fourth diamond, intending to ruff with By Eddie Kantar spades, a 2♥ dummy’s ♠A, discard your last club.