ACBL-Wide Senior Game

CincinnatiBridge Association February, 2003 Vol. XXVIII, Number 1

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ACBL-Wide Senior Game

Monday, February 24,11 a.m

at the

CincinnatiBridgeCenter

All seniors, men and women,

age 55+ are invited!

Compete both for national awards and locally

for CBA’s Eva and Israel Horwitz Award

(Deschapelles will not have a game on Feb. 24)

THE FLYING PIG REGIONAL

CINCINNATI, OHIO

April 28 - May 4, 2003

SHARONVILLECONVENTION CENTER

See full schedule of events on Page 4.

Carolyn Ahlert, Editor

INSIDE

Prez Sez 2

Senior Game/District 11GNT 3

Flying Pig Regional 4

Mentor-Mentee Program 5

Bridge Expert Pt. 2 – Pollack 6

Awards/Awards Night Party 7

Sectional & NAOP Winners 8

Claims and Claiming – Walter 9

Will Rogers Remembered 10

Membership News 11

Board Meetings 12

CBA Income Statement 13

Fossick Defense - Raturi 14

Club Notes 15

OTHER COMING EVENTS

District 11 GNT

Sat-Sun, March 22-23

Unit 124 Awards Party

Tuesday, April 22, 6:45 PM

Mentor-Mentee Kick-Off Party

Sunday, May 18, 1:30 PM

Cincinnati STaC

July 7-13

Membership Appreciation Party

Sunday, August 10

Mentor-Mentee Finale Pot Luck

Sunday, September 21

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PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE

The CBA has another exciting yearwith many new activities. First, as your

President, I would like to introduce the other newly elected officers of your

Board of Directors:

Joe Lutz, Vice President

Joy Norris, Executive Secretary

Bill Higgins, Treasurer

Jane Burpee, Recording Secretary

and welcome the following newly elected board members:

Sis Gleisinger, Pat Newman, Alex Pappas, and Jerry Violetta.

We started 2003 by taking part in the brand new “Bridge Week in North America”at daily club games during the week of January 6 – 12. On February 24 we will celebrate another new event, the ACBL-Wide Senior Game. This will be a special Monday afternoon game where all men and women age 55+ are invited to play.

If you are eligible, come join the fun!

This year we are adding something new to our popular Mentor-Mentee Program

-- a special Kick-Off Party on Sunday, May 18, where Mentors and Mentees can meet for the first time. Look for more information about this program later

in the ALERT.

Finally I want to recognize our own Norman Coombs, who recently achieved a

new milestone when he surpassed the 15,000 masterpoint level. He is the top masterpoint winner in the history of the CBA. We will honor him at the

“Stormin’ Norman Stratiflighted Swiss Teams,” on Sunday, May 4, at our

Flying Pig Regional. Congratulations Norm!

Respectfully,

Linda Wolber

President

THE ACBL-WIDE SENIOR GAME

and the

EVA AND ISRAEL HORWITZ AWARD

On Monday, February 24, the CBA will participate in the ACBL-Wide Senior Game for all players age 55 or over. The game will begin at 11 AM at the CincinnatiBridgeCenter and will cost $6.00 per player. The winning pair will not only be eligible for national awards, but will also win the CBA’s Eva and Israel Horwitz Award for the most masterpoints won each year at a Unit 124 senior event. (The award previously was given to the player or players who won the most masterpoints at a Cincinnatiarea senior tournament, but the ACBL no longer sanctions senior tournaments.)

Eve and Is Horwitz first met playing duplicate bridge here in Cincinnati. In recognition of their many years of service to the CBA, they were chosen to receive the coveted Gerald Steuernagle Award in 1986. In 1994 the CBA created the Senior Award, named in their honor.

Is has passed away, but Eve will play with her son-in-law in the special Senior Game at the BridgeCenter on February 24th. We hope all our players, men and women, who are 55+ will be there too.

District 11 Grand National Teams

Flights: Championship, A, B,C Finals

Saturday, March 22 – 1 P.M. and TBA

Sunday, March 23 – 10 A.M. and TBA

at the

CincinnatiBridgeCenter

District Chairman, Diane Travis, 513-745-0886

Local Chairman, Barbara Levinson, 513-530-0953

THE FLYING PIG REGIONAL

CINCINNATI, OHIO

April 28 - May 4, 2003

SHARONVILLECONVENTION CENTER

See full schedule of events on

MENTOR-MENTEE PROGRAM

It's that time of year for theCBA’s 2003 Mentor-Mentee Program to begin. From April 1st until April 30tha sign-up sheet will be posted at the BridgeCenter. This year we will be bringing back the Monday night gamewith a special stratification system for the Mentor-Mentee pairs and the Grand Finale Pot Luck Bridge Party in September.

We are addinga new Kick-Off Party so that all the mentors and mentees can meet each other. The party will begin at 1:30 PM on Sunday, May 18th. Plans for bridge and desserts are still in the making, so watch for flyers about the event to be posted at the BridgeCenter. We hope you all will participate.

You can sign-up during April at the BridgeCenter or by calling any one of the chairpersonslisted below. Mentees must have under 200 masterpoints, and Mentors must be experienced players who are willing to assist mentees to grow in the game. The chairpersons will collect all names and do the pairings. If you would like to sign up with a particular mentor/mentee in mind,please check with that particular personand thensign-up together on the sign-upsheet.All participants will be notified by mail withthe name of their partner. Each mentor–mentee partnership should play together at least four times during the summer months before the Grand Finale Party on September 19th.

Every Monday night, beginning May 19th until the September party, the Century Club Game at the BridgeCenter will accommodate the Mentor-Mentee program with a special stratification systemthat differs a bit from last year’s. Strata A will be open, where all life masters must play. Strata B will be for non-life masters only. Strata C will be specifically for Mentor-Mentee partnerships. This method of stratification will allow mentor-mentee pairs a better opportunity to win masterpoints. Of course, hand records will be available so mentees can study the hands after the game and seek further advice from their mentors. We hope everyone participating in the mentor-mentee program will play in the Monday night game.

The Grand Finale Party, as always, will conclude the Mentor/Menteeprogram. It will start at 6:00 PMX on Sunday, September 21stwith a Pot Luck Dinner. Mentees should bring a salad, main dish, or dessert to share at the dinner. Beverages, plates, etc. will be provided by the CBA. Bridge will follow dinner at 7:00 PM. Remember, if a conflict arises with the date and a mentor or a Mentee cannot attend, you may find a substitute who has a similar ACBL rating. Please notify us as soon as you know there is a conflict so we can help with the pairings.

If you have questions, please call:

Elena Hickman, 513.469.0859 -- Pat Newman, 513.469.7172 -- Sis Gleisinger, 513.677.0104

Volunteers Needed to Plan Monday Night Club Events

Kay Mulford, who is now directing both the Monday Night Century Club Game and the Homestyle Game at the BridgeCenter, plans a variety of special activities for the Monday night games. The Mentee-Mentor Stratification during the summer months is one of these special activities. She would like a few volunteers to help her plan other new events. Those interested please talk with her at the BridgeCenter, or call 513-631-8070.

BECOMING A BRIDGE EXPERT - PART 2

by

Fred Pollack

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Bidding: You should know the basics of bidding extremely well. I am not talking about Bergen Raises and the Law of Total Tricks. The sudden rise in popularity of the Law of Total Tricks is truly amazing. 10 trumps, bid to the 4-level. 9 trumps, bid to the 3-level. Bridge has become a game of robots!

You hold: S Jxxx

H K10x

D A10x

C Axx

Partner opens 2S, do I bid 4S because I have 4 trumps? Of course not. I have plenty of defense and partner will most likely have no play for 4S. Of course the good players don’t follow the law like robots and use judgment in their decisions. The gap between the good players and the great players is narrowing every year, but the gap between the average players and the good players is getting bigger and bigger. The biggest reason is that the average players try to substitute rules for judgment. Don’t get me wrong, the power of trumps and the value of the 9th trump is just about the most important idea in bridge. Still, the law of total tricks is not the gospel that most people have elevated it to.

The key is knowing basic Standard American Bidding very well.

1H 1NT

2C 2S

2S shows a good club raise as a 1NT bidder can’t have spades. This is simply common sense, not a convention. Let’s say partner opens 1D and right hand opponent bids 4S.

At this high level most partnerships do not

play negative doubles so doubles are defined

as “penalty”. You hold:

S QJ10xx

H Jxx

D xx

C xxx

Do you double? “Of course, I have 3 trump tricks and my partner opened the bidding,” says the average player. WRONG. Doubling 4S in this situation guarantees values and invites partner to take out with shape. With this hand:

S xx

H Kxxx

D Ax

C Axxxx

You must double 4S because from your point of view, defending is the most likely chance for a plus. Of course, if partner has shape your hand will play well if he pulls. The expert does not even think of doubling with three trump tricks but automatically doubles with xx in the trump suit!

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(Next ALERT: Discussion of ethics, judgment, strategy and intangibles.)

Bridge Lessons at the BridgeCenter

Lessons for players of all levels, beginners to advanced, are available at the BridgeCenter.

For information, call Nancy Sachs, 513-561-1766, or Linda Wolber, 513-522-1771

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AWARDS

At the CBA’s annual Holiday Dinner and Bridge Party on November 22nd

at the Kenwood Country the following awards were presented:

GERALD STEUERNAGLE AWARDMichael Oeschler

MANNY ISRALSKY AWARDFred Pollack

MASTER OF THE YEARMichael T. Pierce

CLUB MASTERRichard Pleshek

ROOKIE OF THE YEARMichael Lipp

JANE WARD MEMORIAL AWARDFred Pollack

JANE WARD NOVICE AWARDBill de la Vega & Timothy Martin

Also honored were all the new Life Masters of 2002,

each receiving an engraved pewter cup in recognition of this achievement.

♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦

More Awards to Come

at the

Unit 124 Awards Night Party

Tuesday, April 22nd, 6:45 P.M.

Ace of Clubs Awards in 12 categories to those

who won the most points in 2002 Club Games

Little McKenny Awards in 12 categories to those

who won the total most points in 2001.

Good food and good bridge.

Come join us and celebrate the success of your bridge friends!

♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦

Congratulations to Michael T. Pierce who won the national ACBL

Little McKenny Life Master of the Year!

♥ TOURNAMENT WINNERS ♦

Cincinnati Fall Sectional, November 8-10, 2002

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Friday Afternoon Stratified Open Pairs

Flight A: 2nd Sherby Chernin-Walter Bunker

Flight B: 1st Sherby Chernin-Walter Bunker

2nd Susan Hermans-Cecelia Gleisinger

Flight C: 1st Susan Hermans-Cecelia Gleisinger

2nd Mary Segal-Susan Westerling

3rd Lois Klein-Rachelle Rosenberg

Friday Afternoon 199er Pairs

Flight D: 1st William de la Vega-Timothy Martin

2nd Thomas Terwilliger-Suzanne Terwilliger

Flight E/F: 1st William de la Vega-Timothy Martin

2nd Ellen Mazer-Zelda Penn

3rd Joseph Bagby-Landre Szekeres

Friday Evening Stratified Open Pairs

Flight A: 3rd Agnes De Lany-Nancy Luetge

Flight B: 1st Otto Watler-Larry Klein

2nd Jerry Katz-Joann Katz

Flight C: 2nd Herb Schapera-Jimmie Edwards

3rd Terry Briscoe-Anita Mangold

Friday Evening 199er Pairs

Flight D: 1st Thomas Hillger-Ray Tolston

2nd Nancy Reams-Doug Reams

Flight E/F: 1st Sandra Glover-Marcia Cantrell

2nd William de la Vega-Timothy Martin

Flight E: 3rd Jane Coleman-William Coleman

Saturday Afternoon Stratified OpenPairs

Flight A/B: 1st Anton Habash-Carolyn Ahlert

2nd Robert Wurster-Suzann Wurster

Flight C: 1st Robert Wurster-Suzann Wurster

3rd Robin Carver-Tonette DeAngelis

Saturday Evening Stratified Open Pairs

Flight A: 1st Bruce Parent-Norman Coombs

3rd Frank Guiher-Herb Behr

Flight B: 1st Frank Guiher-Herb Behr

2ndAnthony Viscomi-Heidi Leeb

Flight C: 1st Anthony Viscomi-Heidi Leeb

2nd Patricia Hoffman-Joyce Dennis

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Sunday Flight B/C Swiss Teams

Flight B: 3rd Elena Hickman-James Myers-Paul Pschesang-Ed Lee

Flight C: 2nd Heroldine Ukelson- Louis Ukelson-Frances Evers-Marsha Phillips

3rd Herb Schapera-Jimmie Edwards-Jeffrey Abrams-Rosalyn Abrams

North American Open Pairs Unit Final Winners

October 13, 2002

Flight A: 1st Marshall Tuly-James Cunningham

2nd Nancy Sachs-Amit Raturi

3rd Lorna Davis-Karen Kendall

Flight B: 1st Lorna David-Karen Kendall

2nd Otto Walter-Jim Edmiston

3rd Mike Purcell-James Bush

Flight C: 1st Sis Gleisinger-Phyllis Downey

2nd Arun Goyal-Rachna Goyal

3rd Howard Ringel-Sanford Franklin

North American Open Pairs District Final Winners

November 9, 2002

Flight A: 1st Jerry Fink-Joe Lutz

Flight: C 1stSanford Franklin-Howard Ringel

These two pairs won funding for their trip to represent District 11

in the National Finals at the Spring NABC in Philadelphia. Best of Luck!

CLAIMS AND CLAIMING

byOtto Walter

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Claims can and should be used to expedite play. It is certainly a waste of time for declarer to play out the last six tricks holding six sure winners.

The correct procedure for declarer in making a claim is to table her cards and state a line of play. If any technical play is required for the claim to function, this absolutely needs to be part of the claim statement. (Examples include needing to ruff high, finesse, end- play a particular opponent, draw trumps, not draw trumps, etc.)

A defender may also claim but needs to be extremely cautious in so doing – see example below. The correct procedure for a defender in making a claim is to show her cards to the declarer.

Following a claim, play stops. The non-claiming side certainly has the right to contest the claim. The director will listen to the objection of the claim and then be able to make a ruling on the claim. Note, however, that questionable claims are almost always decided in favor of the non-claiming side.

Here are several examples of claims that left the claimer unhappy.

1. Declarer is in a notrump contract and on the board in a three-card ending position. The board has the 8 of clubs and two small spades. Declarer leads the club and LHO, thinking the club on board will win,

claims two of the last three tricks because she holds two high spades and a high heart. Declarer held the Queen and seven of clubs and a small heart. Because LHO was uncertain as to what declarer held, it was required of her to discard the heart winner and keep the potential spade winner for the last trick, allowing declarer to score all three of the remaining tricks.

2. Declarer, in a heart contract and with the Ace and King of hearts still outstanding, claims the balance of the tricks except for either one or two losers depending upon whether or not the Ace and King fall together. This claim was made when the LHO was on lead. The Ace and King were, in fact, in separate hands. RHO was void in diamonds and called for a diamond lead from partner which he ruffed - thus scoring the two high trumps separately.

3. Declarer, holding eleven trumps, claims the last eleven tricks after RHO has cashed two high spades and has lead a third spade. Dummy still had a spade but declarer was now out of spades. Declarer said she would ruff that trick, pull the outstanding trumps, cash winners and ruff the remaining losers. Declarer was required to ruff low on the spade lead which allowed LHO to over ruff with the seven of trumps.

So, please do claim where appropriate but be aware that simply saying, “I got the rest or the tricks,” is not a correct claim statement.

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HOLIDAY PARTY

November 22, 2002

Winners

Flight A

Linda Wolber-Amit Raturi

Flight B

Bill Bohmer-Dee Maymo

Flight C

Landra Szekeres-CindyTretter

Bridge Week in North America

January 6-12, 2003

Top Masterpoints Winners

in the Bridge Week Games

Flight A 1st Amit Raturi - 16.54 pts.

2nd Nancy Sachs - 10.87 pts.

3rd Diane Travis - 7.59 pts.

Flight B 1st Sherby Chernin- 6.87pts.

1st Walter Bunker - 6.87 pts.

3rd Lorna Davis – 5.67 pts.

Flight C 1st Myrna Rosen – 10.81 pts.

2nd Bobby Carter – 6.97 pts.

3rd Linda Luther – 5.46 pts.

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LET US GIVE YOU A HAND, WILL

by Ron Babcock, January 2002

On Thanksgiving Day I lost another partner, another friend. I am profoundly saddened by a sense of personal loss in the passing of Will Rogers. In a greater sense, all of us in the bridge world are diminished by the loss of one of the true stalwarts of the game. He was from the Old School of bridge - whose alumni are sadly ever waning - where he earned his thousands of masterpoints the hard way: the Old School where bidding was primitive (by today’s standards) and we lived by our wits, playing against the top players in an era when there were no strata and everyone had to “play in A.”

Will was extraordinarily bright and had a keen analytical mind, ever probing, ever inquisitive – qualities of mind and spirit which fitted him well, both to his professional life in the burgeoning computer industry and to his avocational immersion into competitive bridge. He had a natural flair for sorting and ordering scattered logic, for divining the obscure. He was a superb technician and had numerous championships (mostly from the “good old days”) to his credit. He passionately loved the game of bridge, the pureness of its logic on the one hand and the challenge of its perversities on the other. When we would meet, the first thing out of his mouth usually was, “Let me give you a hand,” and you knew right away, from the glint in his eye, that there would be some veiled point of logic that he was hoping you would catch.