CincinnatiBridge Association October, 2003 Vol. XXVIII, Number 3
1
Cincinnati Fall Sectional
(and CBA Board Elections)
October 24-26, 2003
SHARONVILLECONVENTION CENTER
11355 Chester Road
Exit 15, I-75 (Sharon Road), west on Sharon .2 miles, north on Chester .5 miles
FRIDAY, OCTOBER 24
Stratified Pairs………………………………………………1:30 p.m.
Strat. A 1500+ Strat. B 500-1500 Strat. C 0-500
Stratified 199er Pairs……………………………………….1:30 p.m.
Strat. A 100-199 Strat. B 50-100 Strat. C 0-50
Stratified Pairs………………………………………………7:30 p.m.
Strat. A 1500+ Strat. B 500-1500 Strat. C 0-500
Stratified Future Masters Pairs……………………………7:30 p.m.
Strat. A 100-300 Strat. B 50-100 Strat. C 0-50
SATURDAY, OCTOBER 25
Stratified Pairs………………………………………………1:30 p.m.
Strat. A 1500+ Strat. B 500-1500 Strat. C 0-500
North American Open Pairs District Finals………1:307:30 p.m.
Flight A, B, and NLM – Two Sessions
Stratified Pairs……………………………………………….7:30 p.m.
Strat. A 1500+ Strat. B 500-1500 Strat. C 0-500
SUNDAY, OCTOBER 26
Stratified Pairs………………………………………………10:30 a.m.
Strat. A 1500+ Strat. B 500-1500 Strat. C 0-500
Stratiflighted Swiss Teams (Play-Through)……………...10:30 a.m.
Flight A1 2500+ Flight A2 0-2500 (A stand alone)
Strat. B 500-1000 Strat. C 0-500 (B & C play together)
Concession Stand Open
No food or beverages allowed to be brought in -- will be strictly enforced!
Chairperson:Nancy Sach, 513-561-1766, email:
Partnerships: Lorna Davis, 513-777-1760
Carolyn Ahlert, Editor
INSIDE
Prez Sez 2
ACBL Charity Game 3
CBA Elections 4
Absentee Voting Instructions 5
New Parking Rules 5
Zero Tolerance 6
Bridge Lessons 6
Jon Spinner Memorial Library 7
Summer STaC Winners 8
Middletown Sectional Winners 9
Membership Appreciation Game 9
BridgeCenter Ladder 10
Finding the Elephant – Raturi 11
Cincy/Dayton Team Game 12
Mentor/Mentee Grand Finale 12
Steuernagle Award 12
Holiday Party 13
Membership News 14
The Ladies’ Journey – Pollack 16
Board Meetings 17
CBA Income Statement 18
Club Notes 19
COMING EVENTS
ACBL Charity Game
BridgeCenter
4:00 PM, Sunday, October19
CBA Holiday Party
Kenwood Country Club
Sunday, December 14
4:30 PM Cocktails
5:30 PM Dinner
6:30 PM Bridge
1
PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE
This summer CBA members again enjoyed some special games at the BridgeCenter, thanks to our special events committee -- Elena Hickman, Pat Newman and Sis Gleisinger. They worked together to plan and run this year’s very successful Mentor/Mentee Program (from the new Kick-Off Party in May until the Grand Finale Party in September), the Membership Appreciation Party in August, and
the upcoming Charity Game in October.
On the following page you will see information about our 2003 ACBL Charity Game. This is always a big event at the CBA and in past years we have raised so much money that the ACBL has returned some to us to donate to local charities of our choice. If you can’t attend the party, you are still eligible to win the split-the-pot raffle, so buy your tickets now.
Among improvements at the BridgeCenter, in August we dedicated the Jon Spinner Memorial Library. Soon we will have new chairs, purchased with profits from the Flying Pig Regional last May. We recently had to purchase a new computer, and next we will be installing a new speaker system.
The CBA Board of Trustees election will be held at our Sectional, October 24-26, at the SharonvilleConvention Center. Look on page 4 of this ALERT to review the resumes of candidates running for the Board. Each year our Unit membership elects five new members to a three-year term. No Board member may serve more than two consecutive terms. Please come out and vote at the Sectional, but if you can’t attend, please see page 5 and follow the “Absentee Voting Instructions.”
This year’s CBA Holiday Party will be on Sunday evening, December 14, at the Kenwood Country Club. This is always a popular event, but seating is limited, so be sure to buy your tickets early!
As I approach the end of my term as President of the CBA, I want to thank all the wonderful bridge players in the Cincinnati area who have helped me and made our BridgeCenter, tournaments, and other bridge activities so successful.
Respectfully,
Linda Wolber
President
ACBL Charity Game
Sunday, October 19, 2003
at the BridgeCenter
Potluck Dinner at 4:00 PM – Game at 4:45 PM
$10.00
The Charity Game at the CBA has a threefold purpose: one is to donate money to the ACBL Charity of the year; two is to gather around the table to eat all the delicious foods that our members bring; and three is to have fun and a great time playing bridge!
DOOR PRIZES
SPLIT-THE-POT MONEY RAFFLE
Half the money goes to the ACBL Charity Foundation*
The other half is divided between 3 winners!
* Make checks payable to “ACBL Charity Foundation.”
It’s tax deductible!
Members of the board will have tickets to the game and split-the-pot raffle tickets.
Please purchase your tickets ahead of time.
We look forward to seeing all of you there!
For information, call:
Sis Gleisinger, 513-677-0104
1
CBA ELECTION TO BE HELD AT FALL SECTIONAL
Election of five members to the Cincinnati Bridge Association Board of Trustees will take place at the Fall Sectional at the SharonvilleConvention Center, October 24-26. Polls will open one hour before the afternoon and evening sessions on Friday
and Saturday, and one hour before the Sunday morning session. Write-in candidates’ petitions should be submitted to the
Executive Secretary, Joy Norris, no later than October 4. Absentee voting instructions for members unable to vote in person follow the candidates’ profile below.
CANDIDATES RUNNING FOR THE CBA BOARD OF TRUSTEES
1
DON ETSON
Now that I am retired from 37 years at P&G, I will promote bridge for all – especially new and C players.
PATTI ENGLISH
I am excited about the opportunity to become more involved in the CBA. I truly love the game and feel that I could add to the composition of the current Board.
Professionally, I was an elementary school teacher, and then served as an assistant principal at the elementary and secondary level.
I am looking forward to bringing my volunteer experience to the CBA. In the past, I have served on the Board of Directors of the Junior League of Cincinnati as Secretary and as Vice-President. I am currently completing 8 years as a member of the Indian Hill School Board, having been its Vice-President and President.
CAROL A. GREVE
For the past 20 years I have been playing duplicate bridge. In those years I have worked as a Senior Programmer Analyst and the most I have contributed to the club has been to assist Mary Lou Zimmer in making coffee. Now I am retired and have the time, energy, and most importantly the desire to work hard for our bridge unit. In the past I have let others work out all the problems and now it is my turn. If not elected to the Board, I will still want to contribute by working in any capacity in making our unit a success at the club and at our tournaments.
SHIRLEY LEVY
I am motivated, enthusiastic and committed to providing exceptional service representing you. My goal is to make your club “user friendly” – one where the highest standards or courtesy prevail, competition thrives, and honing our bridge skills is fun. To help me help you, I envision a suggestion box so your Board can attempt to meet your needs.
Wouldn’t a bulletin board be helpful so players can arrange tournament partnerships for out-of-town events, share transportation and accommodations? My career in law and mediation will help me foster these goals.
MICHAEL LIPP
I began playing bridge in the winter of 2000. I have come to enjoy this game very much and I would like a chance to give something back. I am available to attend the meetings and I am committed to improving our club.
JOE LUTZ
For the past year it has been my privilege to serve as a member of our unit’s Board of Trustees due to an appointment to replace someone who had resigned her position. Because of that experience, plus having served a seven-year stint as tournament chairman for the Dallas, Texas, unit, I know that I will be able to work efficiently as a continuing member and serve for the best interest of our unit and for its members.
STEPHEN MEGERLE
POTTER ORR
I have been married to Sandy for 37 years. I am a lifelong Cincinnati resident and have lived in Madeira for the last 33 years. We have a daughter and son (both grown) who live in Nashville. I work mornings as controller for The ATM Exchange in Fairfax. In the afternoon, I have my own business writing custom computer programs for a variety of small to medium sized businesses in Cincinnati.
I have played bridge for 40 years and after 30 years thought I knew something about the game. Sandy and I started playing at the Center and quickly found out how little we really knew. As a member of the CBA board, I think I can provide some fiscal insights and perhaps a contrarian’s point of view, as I often see things differently.
FRED POLLACK
I am a college mathematics professor and a statistical consultant. I was a District 1 board member for many years and I served two years on the CBA unit board. I would appreciate your vote in order to serve the members of the CBA one more time.
1
ABSENTEE VOTING INSTRUCTIONS
1. Call Joe Muenks (513-563-7566) to request an absentee ballot no later than October 17.
2. An individual must request an absentee ballot personally; no group requests will be honored.
3. One ballot and return envelope will be mailed to the member’s address of record.
4. Once an absentee ballot has been issued, that member’s name will be recorded as having voted.
5. Follow instructions included in the envelope.
6. Return envelopes containing more than one ballot will be declared invalid.
7. Only absentee ballots received by mail through Saturday, October 24, will be counted.
NOTE: The mail is sometimes slow, so please allow ample time for your ballot to be received.
NEW PARKING RULES
at the BridgeCenter on Cooper Road
Effective immediately
Do not park in front of the building at any time
unless you have a handicapped sticker and park in a designated handicapped space.
The front door will remained locked after business hours and on weekends.
You will have to ring the doorbell to enter through the front door.
BE CAREFUL NOT TO PARK IN A TOW-AWAY ZONE!
Unless you have a handicapped sticker, if you are parked in the front of the building or not parkedin a marked space in the rear lot you may be towed!
Please park between the lines in a marked space and do not take up two parking spaces. At many games we need all the available spaces for our players.
Only when the rear lot is full may you park on the drive on the side of the building.
PARTNERSHIP BOARD
The BridgeCenter now has partnership board –
just like at the ACBL National Tournaments.
GIVE IT A TRY!
Noblesse Oblige
(The obligations of nobility)
1
1
When the gods of bridge bestowed their gifts upon the favored few -- gifts of intellect, knowledge, courage and wisdom -- they admonished the favored ones: "Use these gifts wisely, with judiciousness, courtesy and forbearance. Do not use them to intimidate and chastise your less gifted brethren with gratuitous insults.”
Unfortunately, your venerable captain finds that virtually every complaint brought before the court of Zero Tolerance, involves the ill conduct of these very favored ones, the experts! The charges of arrogance, rudeness and insolent intimidation laid against these princes of the pasteboard push the envelope past the boundaries of mere boorishness and rudeness into
the realm of the downright unethical behavior.
Please, dear princes of the pasteboard, let me speak to you as St. Paul spoke to the Sadducees, not as they were but as he wanted them to be. Use your gifts wisely, withkindness and forbearance. Do not whip your cowering card companions into submissionby brutish bombast and insolent intimidation.
Walter S. Bunker
Chairman, Zero Tolerance Committee
Bridge Lessons at the CincinnatiBridgeCenter
CooperBusinessCenter
513-563-2218
2003 FALL SCHEDULE
BEGINNING Saturday mornings, 10:00 AM - 12:30 PM
Beginning October 4
BASICS REVIEW Thursday evenings, 7:00 PM - 9:30 PM
Beginning October 16
INTERMEDIATE IThursdays, 4:30 PM
Beginning October 16
INTERMEDIATE IIWednesday evenings, 7:00 PM - 9:30 PM
Oct. 1, 15, 29; Nov. 5, 19; Dec. 3
TWO-OVER-ONESaturday mornings, 10:00 AM - 12:30 PM
GAME FORCEOct. 18; Nov. 1, 8, 15, 22; Dec. 13
SUPERVISED PLAY II Wednesday mornings, 10:00 AM - 12:30 PM
(with Two-Over-One)Oct. 1, 15; Nov. 5, 12; Dec. 3, 10
Each series includes six 2-1/2 hour lessons. The fee for a series is $70 per person, based on a class size of 12 to 16 students. An adjustment will be made for classes with fewer than 12 or more than 16 students. Individual classes are $15 per class.
STUDENT DUPLICATE GAME
Sunday, November 16, 2:00 PM
$6.00 Per Person
Hand Analysis Sheets, Prizes, Refreshments
Information and\or reservations:
Nancy Sachs, 513-561-1766, or Linda Wolber, 513-522-1771
The Jon Spinner Memorial Library
Last year the CBA lost one of its loyal members to cancer. Jon Spinner contributed generously to our Capital Fund when we were establishing the BridgeCenter. He considered bridge as “food for the mind” and one of life’s necessities. Fortunately Jon was able to enjoy many days of good bridge here at the Center while fighting his illness. Jon’s wife, Sandy, asked that contributions in his memory be sent to the Bridge Center and the Board voted unanimously to use his Memorial Fund to dedicate the CBA Library.
The Jon Spinner Memorial Library was dedicated on August 18 and several new books have been purchased. Profits from the sale of the Entertainment Books each year will also be used from now on to improve the library and keep it current. New books purchased are posted on the bulletin board next to the Director’s desk. You will find these new books along with other excellent bridge books arranged alphabetically by author in the book cases. Watch for the next Library News Poster which will feature the books that are recommended by our resident bridge expert, Amitabh Raturi.
The Library Committee members are: Dorothy Gard, Mary Segal, Steve Megerle, Jane Burpee, and Alex Pappas. The library will be open before and after games when a Library Committee member is present. When a committee member is not available, ask the director for the key. Be sure to sign both cards in the book with your name, phone number, and date. One card should stay in the book and the other should be given to the committee member or game director.
I Remember Jon Spinner
Jon Spinner was my bridge partner every Friday for over five years. For four of those years he was battling cancer. Sometimes taking chemotherapy from a flask hooked to his belt while we played.
He was always upbeat, greeting the East-West players who came to our table, joking and full of fun. He was especially forgiving when I made mistakes.
I remember once I opened one no-trump; he answered “two clubs;” I said “two diamonds;” and he said “four diamonds.” I was so confused I passed and we got a zero because the field was in six diamonds, making. After that we played a new convention called “ASBAF.” I recommend it to all new players. It means:
“All Strange Bids Are Forcing.”
In August, 2002, Jon called me from a hospital saying he couldn’t play the next Friday. Then he asked me
if I was free for ten days in October. I said, “Yes,” and he offered me a free cruise with bridge expert Larry Cohen. He had booked the cruise but didn’t think he could make it. A month later, Jon lost his battle with cancer.
Marian and I went on the cruise and met Larry Cohen. He had already heard of Jon’s passing.
He took out a spare copy of his notes, opened the fly leaf and wrote:
“To Sandy,
I heard the story and extend to you my condolences. It’s a wonderful
thing that your husband did to “donate” the bridge cruise.
I hope you take up bridge and that we meet some day.
Sincerely,
Larry Cohen”
Jon’s gift to me was his way of saying, “Thanks and goodbye.”
Goodbye, Jon, I miss you. – George Charrier
♦ ♥ TOURNAMENT WINNERS ♦♣
Cincinnati Summer STaC, July 7-13, 2003
1
Monday Day
Flight A: 1st Susan Goodman-Barbara Dunnivant
Monday Evening
Flight A: 2nd Donald Walker-Rob Weidenfeld
Flight B: 1st Mike Broida-Betty Wills
3rd Bonnie Hertzog-W. Armstrong
Flight C: 2nd Patricia Scheimann-William Scheimann
Tuesday Day
Flight A/B: 1st Jackie Swango-Timothy Martin
Flight C: 1st Howard Ringel-Sanford Franklin
3rd Christine Pugh-Suzy Haerr
Tuesday Evening
Flight A: 2nd Amitabh Raturi-Nancy Sachs
3rd Daniel Kieffer-Charles Reynolds
Flight B: 2nd John Meckstroth-Ralph Terbrueggen
3rd James Edmiston-Rob Weidenfeld
Flight C: 1st John Meckstroth-Ralph Terbrueggen
Wednesday Day
Flight B: 2nd George Edwards-Marilyn Edwards
Flight C: 2nd Joan McElwee-Joan Rogers
Wednesday Evening
Flight B: 3rd Steve Shamroy-Jerome Katz
Thursday Day
Flight A: 1st Linda Wolber-Nancy Sachs
Flight B: 2nd Sherby Chernin-Edward Long
Thursday Evening NLMs
Flight A: 3rd Victor Soukup-Becky Johnson
Flight B/C: 3rd Anthony Brockman-John Woeste
Friday Day
Flight A: 3rd Gerry Mirus-Lorna Davis
Flight B: 2nd Gerry Mirus-Lorna Davis
Flight C: 2nd Bobby Carter-Myrna Rosen
Friday Day NLMs
Flight A: 1st Heroldine Ukelson-Louis Ukelson
2nd Joan Rogers-Vila Sill
Flight B: 1st Heroldine Ukelson-Louis Ukelson
3rd Zelda Penn-Gloria Forman
Flight C: 1st Zelda Penn-Gloria Forman
3rd Barbara Stegmaier-Joseph Stegmaier
Friday Evening
Flight B: 2nd Bernice Stevens-Bernice Schneider