The December calendar features two special events for local bridge players. First, there’s the annual Unit 116 general meeting and game at 11 a.m. next Saturday, Dec. 7, in the Buffalo Bridge Center, 60 Dingens St., off Exit 1 of the I-190.
The following week, from Monday, Dec. 9, to Sunday,
Dec. 15, there’s the District 5 Sectional Tournament at the Clubs (StaC), which
offers silver master points at all participating ACBL clubs. The Buffalo Bridge
Center’s next special game on Saturday, Dec. 14, is a StaC game. For partnerships,
call Pat Haynes 716-202-1155 or email phaynes508@roadrunner.com.
• • •
The Buffalo Bridge Center
offers a regular schedule of in-person and online
games five days a week, with special games on the weekends. Fee for
face-to-face games is $8 for members and $11 for non-members. For more info, visit the
Buffalo Bridge Center website or call 716-424-0014.
The Bridge Center reminds
members that dues for 2025 are $80 and can be paid starting Dec. 1, cash or
check. Fee for games next year will be $8 for members and $12 for non-members.
In other notices, the
club once again will offer a game on Christmas Day, Dec. 25. Refreshments at
11:15 a.m., game at 11:45. Pre-registration required. Sign up at the club or
with Andrei Reinhorn at 716-390-8857, email reinhorna@gmail.com.
In case of heavy snow,
the club abides by what the Buffalo Public Schools do. If they close, the club
will be closed.
Lessons for beginners are being held at the Buffalo
Bridge Center from 1 to 3 p.m. Thursdays and 10 a.m. to noon Saturdays. For
more information, call Ruth Nawotniak at 716-949-7574 or email ruth2250@outlook.com.
Don’t want to clean up the house for
kitchen bridge? The Bridge Center also hosts a social game in its lessons room
on Tuesday mornings during the regular 10:30 a.m. game. Players can go at their
own speed and style. Fee is $5 to cover expenses.
In-person games:
Tuesdays, 10:30 a.m. For players
with fewer than 1,600 points. Simultaneous game for players with fewer than 99
points if there are enough tables. Free lesson at 10.
Wednesdays, 10:30 a.m. Open to
all players. Simultaneous game for players with fewer than 99 points if there
are enough tables.
Thursdays, 10:30 a.m. Upgraded to
now include players with up to 2,000 points. Simultaneous game for players with
fewer than 99 points if there are enough tables. Free lesson at 10.
Fridays, 10:30 a.m. Open to all
players by pre-registration only. Call 716-424-0014.
Virtual games on Bridge Base Online:
Mondays, 7 p.m. For players with
fewer than 750 points.
Wednesdays, 7 p.m. Delaware
Wednesday game for players with fewer than 2,000 points. For info on this game,
call Ed Harman at 716-480-1666 or email eharmon@roadrunner.com.
• • •
More access to virtual games on Bridge Base Online is being offered by
the Airport Bridge Club, which currently is not holding face-to-face games. It
has affiliated with a new group of clubs, the SE Club of Clubs Online Bridge
Collective, where most games are $5. For more info, click this link.
The Airport Club also continues
to be part of the Alliance Bridge Club, which offers more than a dozen games
every day. Anyone who has played at the Airport Club is automatically a member.
For more info, visit alliancebridgeclub.com or call Airport Club manager Bill Finkelstein at 716-603-6943.
• • •
The East Aurora Bridge Club begins play at 10 a.m. Wednesdays in
the Aurora Senior Citizens Center, 101 King St., East Aurora. Attendance is
generally three or four tables. For more info, email director Dave Larcom at dmocral@verizon.net.
• • •
The Bridge Centre of Niagara (BCON) in St. Catharines, Ont.,
offers a mix of online games and in-person games at its club in Tremont Square
opposite the Pen Centre shopping plaza off Glendale Avenue.
Face-to-face games open to all
players are offered at 1 p.m. on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays. There is also
a face-to-face game for 499ers (players with fewer than 500 points) at 1 p.m.
Monday and Friday, a beginner game with a mini-lesson at 6 p.m. Monday, mentoring
at 1 p.m. Tuesdays (register by 9 p.m. Sunday), a 299er game at 6:30 p.m.
Wednesday (pre-registration requested); and a 999er game at 1 p.m. Thursday.
The club currently hosts two virtual
games on Bridge Base Online. There’s one for players with fewer than 750 points
at 10 a.m. Tuesdays, and an open game at 7 p.m. Thursdays. For more info, click
here.
BCON also has begun an
affiliation with SE Club of Clubs Online Bridge Collective, which appears as SE
Carolina on Bridge Base Online. Games run throughout the day. A full lineup of
games can be seen at SE Carolina On-line Bridge.
• • •
Face-to-face play in non-sanctioned clubs is offered
at the Tonawanda Senior Center on Wednesday afternoons and at the Amherst
Senior Center on Monday and Friday afternoons.
• • •
Tournament calendar
2024
District 5 STAC (Sectional
Tournament at the Clubs) – Participating
ACBL-sanctioned clubs. Monday, Dec. 9, to Sunday, Dec. 15.
Toronto Non-Life Master
Regional – Sheraton
Centre, 123 Queen St. West, Toronto, Ont. Friday, Jan. 3, to Sunday, Jan. 5.
For more info, click this link.
Toronto New Year's Sectional – Sheraton Centre, 123 Queen St. West,
Toronto, Ont. Friday, Jan. 3, to Sunday, Jan. 5. For more info, click this link.
2025
Cleveland Rock & Roll
Regional – Embassy Suites
Hotel, 5800 Rockside Road, Independence, Ohio. Wednesday, Jan. 8, to Sunday,
Jan. 12. For more info, click this link.
Niagara Sectional – Holiday Inn & Suites, 327 Ontario
St., St. Catharines, Ont. Friday, Feb. 7, to Sunday, Feb. 9.
Buffalo Spring Sectional – Buffalo Bridge Center, 60 Dingens St.,
Buffalo. Friday, March 28, to Sunday, March 30.
Toronto Easter Regional – Sheraton Centre, 123 Queen St. West,
Toronto, Ont. Tuesday, April 15, to Sunday, April 20. For more info, click this
link.
• • •
Bridge club websites:
Click names for links.
The Airport Bridge Club, which continues to be on hiatus, does not
have a website. For info, call 716-603-6943.
• • •
Duplicate scores from ACBL Live for Clubs
Week of Nov. 18 to Nov. 24
ACBL Affiliated Clubs
Buffalo Bridge Center Monday
evening – 0-750
game online. Michel Dupuis and Gary Keenan, 62.96%; Cynthia Tashjian and Joan
Becker, 60.19%; Fran Schmidt and Richard McGowan, 59.26%.
Buffalo Bridge Center Tuesday
morning – 0-1,600
game. North-south, Paula Rosen and Jim McClure, 55.63%; Betty DeFeo and Phyllis
Stasiowski, 54.38%; Pat Wolcott and Joe Miranda, 53.13%; Maryann Szafran and
Betty Metz, 52.50%; east-west, Ruth Nawotniak and Richard McGowan, 53.75%;
Joyce Greenspan and Audrey Ray, 53.13%; Marilyn Wortzman and Jim Easton, 50%.
Buffalo Bridge Center
Wednesday morning – Open
game. Linda Burroughsford and Jay Levy, 61%; Davis Heussler and David Colligan,
56%; Fred Yellen and Bud Seidenberg, 50%.
Buffalo Bridge Center Thursday morning – 0-2,000 game. Larry Himelein and David Schott, 61.90%;
Marilyn Wortzman and Jim Easton, 61.11%; Pat Haynes and Maryann Szafran,
53.17%; Linda Milch and Jim McClure, 51.59%.
Buffalo Bridge Center Friday
morning – Open
game. Chris Urbanek and Kamil Bishara, 59.52%; Jay Costello and Bud Seidenberg,
55.95%; Linda Burroughsford and Davis Heussler, 50%; Judy Padgug and Fred
Yellen, 48.81%.
Bridge Club of East Aurora Wednesday morning – Open game. Sandi England and Larry Abate, 65.97%; Mary Terrana and Gordon Crone, 55.56%; (3-way tie) Pat Haynes and Joe Miranda, Joanne LaFay and Barbara Booi, Linda and Paul Zittel, 53.47%.
Delaware Wednesday evening – 0-2,000 game online. Sue Manning and Sam Khayatt, 59.44%;
Walt Olszewski and Jim Lanzo, 57.22%; Marilyn Wortzman and Jim Easton, 53.33%;
(tie) Jennifer Paulsrud and Andrew Roe, Terry Camp and Jim Hassett, 51.67%;
(tie) Mary Ball and Joyce Frayer, Henry Chudy and Jeff Bender, 51.11%.
Other clubs
Amherst Senior Center Monday
afternoon – Joe
Huber and Fritz Schweiger, 65%; Shirley Cassety and George Mayers, 56%; Pat
Radtke and Nancy Wolstoncroft, 55%.
Amherst Senior Center Friday
afternoon – North-south,
Shirley Cassety and George Mayers, 60.4%; Nancy Wolstoncroft and Rolene
Pozarny, 60.2%; east-west, Mary and Jim Atwood, 56%; Pat Radtke and Bob Leuthe,
55%.
Tonawanda Senior Center
Wednesday afternoon – Rose Bochiechio and Edna
Fill, 58.3%; Midge Coates and Rob Buchanan, 55.5%; Ed and Mike Rupp, 54.2%.
• • •
Unit 116 Master Point Leaders for Play in All Venues
Jan. 1, 2024, to Oct. 31, 2024
0-5 Points – Mike Rupp, 7.32; John Brennan, 2.61; Alice
Cooley, 2.56; Cathy Hetzler, 2.02; Elaine Rinfrette, 0.66; Maxine
Seller, 0.59.
5-20 Points – Dennis Daly, 11.84; Zakie Nohra, 9.53; Fran
Holmes, 6.91; Anthony Girasole, 6.38; Barbara Kaye, 3.43; Devon Marlette, 3.07;
Jeannine Dupuis, 2.85; Joan Nigrelli, 1.84; Chris-Elaine Santilli, 1.79; Bill
Duax, 1.65; Shrikant Joshi, 1.12; (tie) Melanie Skalski, Carol Li, 0.92; Marie
Aaron, 0.90.
20-50 Points – Brian Fleming, 28.01; Ilene Rothman, 23.52;
Michel Dupuis, 10.76; Donna Starnes, 8.73; Molly Morris, 8.47; Pepe
Justicia-Linde, 7.97; Gini Sicignano, 5.48; Kathleen Voigt, 5.26; Maxine
Johnson, 4.83; Phyllis Stasiowski, 4.03.
50-100 Points – Maria Schory, 34.71; Howard Epstein, 25.28;
John Houghtaling, 16.75; Mike Meacham, 16.59; Susan Cardamone, 15.03; Gary
Keenan, 14.09; Maureen Cancilla, 12.99; Mike Metzger, 12.90; Cynthia Tashjian,
10.30; Candace Graser, 8.99.
100-200 Points – Carol Licata, 35.88; Jim Hassett, 17.94;
Joan Ciszak, 15.04; Betty DeFeo, 12.38; Fran Schmidt, 11.70; Judith McDermid,
11.64; Jim Greno, 9.04; Susan Levy, 7.72; Betsy Greno, 7.09; Janet Desmon,
3.95; Tiger Li, 3.82.
200-300 Points – Maria Amlani, 54.55; David Whitt, 28.89;
Ethan Xie, 17.98; Laura Houghtaling, 16.75; John Scott, 5.25; Judy Babat, 5.15;
Barbara Scott, 3.47; Laurie Foster, 3.32; Patty Porter, 1.68; John Fiegl, 0.58.
300-500 Points – Pat Haynes, 85.75; David Schott, 85.72;
Joanne Nover, 63.37; Jim McClure, 29.16; Linda Milch, 28 even; Kusum Phadke, 27.43;
Bob Ciszak, 22.89; Margaret Zhou, 21.39; Ruth Nawotniak, 21.05; Maryann
Szafran, 15.22.
500-1,000 Points – Larry Himelein, 132.20; Martha Townson, 94.14;
Terry Hamovitch, 66.08; Bram Hamovitch, 64.76; Joyce Frayer, 58.51; Linda
Zittel, 50.07; Paul Zittel, 49.77; Mary Terrana, 45.88; Andrei Reinhorn, 43.89;
Gordon Crone, 41.16.
1,000-1,500 Points – Jim Lanzo, 179.03; Kamil Bishara, 144.22;
Vic Bergsten, 68.88; Mary Ball, 48.81; Betty Metz, 47 even; (tie) Marilyn
Wortzman, Jim Easton, 43.09; Sue Neubecker, 42.65; Terry Fraas, 40.40; Joanne
LaFay, 35.16.
1,500-2,500 Points – David Colligan, 78.51; John Bava, 57.27; Tova
Reinhorn, 48.90; Pinky Regan, 46.91; Paula Kotowski, 39.36; Walt Olszewski, 32.83;
Joyce Greenspan, 27 even; Rajat Basu, 23.32; Sandi England, 22.09; Judy
Kaprove, 12.55.
2,500-3,500 Points – Linda Burroughsford, 188.96; Fred Yellen, 81.62;
Art Morth, 30.30; Bill Rushmore, 21.95; Dale Anderson, 19.38; David Turner,
9.77; Mike Silverman, 9.07; Elaine Kurasiewicz, 6.05; Pat Rasmus, 1.89; Joanne
Kelley, 1.71.
3,500-5,000 Points – Davis Heussler, 239.25; John Ziemer, 82.65;
Donna Steffan, 79.53; Judy Graf, 68.14; Judy Padgug, 51.27; Martha Welte, 43.32;
Chongmin Zhang, 42.83; Jim Gullo, 41.03; Mike Ryan, 35.60; Brian Meyer, 7.88.
More than 5,000 Points – Saleh Fetouh, 879.53; Chris Urbanek, 150.48;
Jay Levy, 148.31; Glenn Milgrim, 141.78; Dian Petrov, 112.58; Bud Seidenberg, 100.20;
Jay Costello, 76.67; Kathy Pollock, 64.27; Sharon Benz, 25.97; Dan Gerstman,
7.88.
• • •
The Duplicate Bridge column is compiled weekly by Buffalo News
Staff Reporter Dale Anderson. The print version stopped appearing Saturdays in
The News in March 2020 when the pandemic forced local bridge clubs to halt
face-to-face play.
These days you can find it in two
places online. Google “Duplicate Bridge” plus the current Saturday date and
that should bring up a link to it on buffalonews.com, the Buffalo News website. Another place
to find it is on Dale Anderson’s bridge blog at http://newsdupli.blogspot.com/
Deadline for submission of scores
and notices is Tuesday night. Email danderson@buffnews.com or dahotwings@aol.com. Office phone is 716-849-4420.
• • •
A Gold Life Master, Dale Anderson has a career total of more
than 2,970 master points. He occasionally writes about his quest for the next
measure of achievement, Sapphire Life Master (3,500 points), and other bridge
adventures here.
