Buffalo Niagara duplicate bridge notes: Feb. 7, 2026

 

News and notes for the Buffalo area duplicate bridge community appear weekly here at http://newsdupli.blogspot.com/, usually by midweek.

The Niagara Winter Sectional Tournament opens Friday, Feb. 13, in its usual location, the Holiday Inn & Suites Parkway Conference Center, 327 Ontario St., St. Catharines, Ont., and continues to Sunday, Feb. 15. Pairs games are at 1 and 6 p.m. Friday, 10 a.m. and 2:30 p.m. Saturday. It concludes with Swiss teams at 10 a.m. Sunday. For more info, click this link.

The Buffalo Bridge Center, 60 Dingens St. off Exit 1 of the I-190, has further explained its snow-closing policy. It’s more than simply staying home whenever Buffalo public schools are closed due to the weather. If Buffalo schools merely revert to remote learning, then the Bridge Center will be open. Furthermore, if the club decides to close because of the weather during Presidents Day week, Feb. 16 to Feb. 20, when Buffalo schools are on winter break, members will be notified by email.

Otherwise, the Bridge Center offers a regular schedule of in-person and online games Monday through Friday with party games once a month on weekends. For more info, visit the Buffalo Bridge Center website at https://buffalobridgecenter.godaddysites.com/ or call 716-424-0014. Fee for games is $8 for members and $12 for non-members. Membership is $80 annually.

Next special game is the Valentine Game on Sunday, Feb. 22. Refreshments at noon, game at 12:30 p.m. $8 members, $12 non-members. Bring a snack to share. Dressing in red is encouraged. For partnerships, call Pat Haynes at 716-472-5189 or email phaynes508@roadrunner.com.

The Bridge Center reports that its supervised play session from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Mondays is a great success with players who want experience and advice to improve their games. All are welcome. No pre-registration needed. Also a success is the club’s social bridge game for fun at 10 a.m. on Tuesdays. Signup needed for this one. Call Ruth Nawotniak at 716-949-7574 or email at ruth2250@outlook.com. 

Other ACBL sanctioned clubs: Bridge Club of East Aurora games are at 10 a.m. Wednesdays in the Aurora Senior Citizens Center, 101 King St., East Aurora. Contact is Dave Larcom at dmocral@verizon.net.

The Bridge Centre of Niagara (BCON) in St. Catharines, Ont., offers face-to-face games five days a week at its club in Tremont Square opposite the Pen Centre shopping plaza off Glendale Avenue. Website is bridgewebs.com/Niagara.

The Niagara-on-the-Lake Bridge Club plays in the Community Centre in Niagara-on-the-Lake, Ont., on Anderson Lane off Mississauga Street on the western end of the village. Open games are at 1 p.m. Tuesdays and Fridays. Website is bridgewebs.com/niagaraonthelake.

Non-sanctioned clubs: Tonawanda Senior Center, 12:30 p.m. Wednesdays; Amherst Senior Center, 12:30 p.m. Mondays and Fridays.

Upcoming tournaments

Niagara Winter Sectional – Holiday Inn & Suites Parkway Conference Center, 327 Ontario St., St. Catharines, Ont. Friday, Feb. 13, to Sunday, Feb. 15. For more info, click this link.

Niagara BCON Sectional – Bridge Centre of Niagara, 2E Tremont Drive, St. Catharines, Ont. Saturday, March 14, and Sunday, March 15. For more info, click this link.

Rochester Non-Life Master Sectional – Perinton Community Center, 1350 Turk Hill Road, Fairport. Friday, March 27, and Saturday, March 28.

Toronto Easter Regional – Sheraton Centre Toronto Hotel, 123 Queen St. West, Toronto, Ont. Tuesday, March 31, to Sunday, April 5. For more info, click this link.

Buffalo Spring Sectional – Buffalo Bridge Center, 60 Dingens St. Friday, April 10, to Sunday, April 12. For info, click this link.

Rochester Spring Sectional – Gates Community Center, 1605 Buffalo Road, Gates. Saturday, April 18, and Sunday, April 19. For more info, click this link.

Finger Lakes Regional – Seasons on Keuka Lake, 110 Mace St., Penn Yan. Monday, June 8, to Friday, June 12. For more info, click this link. 

District 5 Sectional Tournament at the Clubs (StaC) – Participating local clubs. Monday, June 8, to Sunday, June 14. For more info, click this link.

Cleveland All American Regional – Embassy Suites Hotel, 5800 Rockside Woods Road, Independence, Ohio. June 23 to June 28. For more info, click this link.

Buffalo Summer Sectional – Location TBA. Friday, July 10, to Sunday, July 12.

Oakville Summer Regional – St. Volodymyr Cultural Centre, 1280 Dundas St. West, Oakville, Ont. Tuesday, July 21, to Sunday, July 26. For more info, click this link.

Rochester Summer Sectional – Gates Recreation Center, 1605 Buffalo Road, Rochester. Saturday, July 25, and Sunday, July 26.

Scores from ACBL Live for Clubs

Week of Jan. 26 to Feb. 1

Buffalo Bridge Center Monday evening – 0-900 game online. Gary Keenan and Michel Dupuis, 69.44%; Maria Schory and Mike Metzger, 58.33%; (tie) Laura and John Houghtaling, Leslie Deich and Fran Holmes, 54.17%.

Buffalo Bridge Center Wednesday morning – Open game. Jay Costello and Bud Seidenberg, 70.83%; Betty Metz and Tova Reinhorn, 58.33%; Julie Mitchell and Jay Levy, 50%.

Buffalo Bridge Center Thursday morning – 0-2,000 game. Joyce Greenspan and Paul Zittel, 58.33%; Marilyn Wortzman and Jim Easton, 57.41%; Betty Metz and Barbara Landree, 57.14%; Julie Marshall and Brian Fleming, 53.70%; Ellen and Walter Balon, 52.78%; William and Nathan Kross, 50.92%.

Buffalo Bridge Center Friday morning – Open game. (Tie) Davis Heussler and Howard Foster, Jay Costello and Bud Seidenberg, 59%; Tova and Andrei Reinhorn, 52%.

Bridge Club of East Aurora Wednesday morning – Open game. Nancy Kessler and Wilson McClaren, 61.46%; Maureen Cancilla and Kathy Donnelly, 58.33%; Mary Terrana and Gordon Crone, 55.21%; Maureen Piasecki and Dave Larcom, 51.04%.

Delaware Wednesday evening – 0-2,000 game online. Susan Marshall and Jim Smith, 62.96%; Bill Rich and Richard McGowan, 54.63%; Jim Hassett and Terry Camp, 53.70%; Eugene Giorgini and Jim Lanzo, 50%.

Non-sanctioned clubs

Amherst Senior Center Friday afternoon – North-south, Shirley Cassety and George Mayers, 71%; Paul Orosz and David Young, 55%; east-west, Walt Olszewski and Ed Drozen, 61%; Karen Synor and Jeff Peters, 55%.

Tonawanda Senior Center Wednesday afternoon – Susan and Harvey Lichtblau, 61.2%; Ann Dunlop and Christel Bernard, 56.2%.

Dale Anderson has compiled notes on duplicate bridge activities locally since he began playing in competition more than 20 years ago. A Gold Life Master, he reached a career milestone, 3,000 master points, at the Buffalo Fall Sectional Tournament last September. You can call or text him at 716-860-2305 or send an email to  dahotwings@aol.com.

 

Buffalo Niagara duplicate bridge notes: Jan. 31, 2026

 

News and notes for the Buffalo area duplicate bridge community appear weekly here at http://newsdupli.blogspot.com/, usually by midweek.

The Buffalo Bridge Center, 60 Dingens St. off Exit 1 of the I-190, reports that its supervised play session from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Mondays is a great success with players who want experience and advice to improve their games. All are welcome. No pre-registration needed. Also a success is the club’s social bridge game for fun at 10 a.m. on Tuesdays. Signup needed for this one. Call Ruth Nawotniak at 716-949-7574 or email at ruth2250@outlook.com. 

The Buffalo Bridge Center is closed whenever Buffalo schools are closed because of winter weather. When the streets are clear, it offers a regular schedule of in-person and online games Monday through Friday with party games once a month on weekends. For more info, visit the Buffalo Bridge Center website at https://buffalobridgecenter.godaddysites.com/ or call 716-424-0014. Fee for games is $8 for members and $12 for non-members. Membership is $80 annually.

Other ACBL sanctioned clubs: Bridge Club of East Aurora games are at 10 a.m. Wednesdays in the Aurora Senior Citizens Center, 101 King St., East Aurora. Contact is Dave Larcom at dmocral@verizon.net.

The Bridge Centre of Niagara (BCON) in St. Catharines, Ont., offers face-to-face games five days a week at its club in Tremont Square opposite the Pen Centre shopping plaza off Glendale Avenue. Website is bridgewebs.com/Niagara.

The Niagara-on-the-Lake Bridge Club plays in the Community Centre in Niagara-on-the-Lake, Ont., on Anderson Lane off Mississauga Street on the western end of the village. Open games are at 1 p.m. Tuesdays and Fridays. Website is bridgewebs.com/niagaraonthelake.

Non-sanctioned clubs: Tonawanda Senior Center, 12:30 p.m. Wednesdays; Amherst Senior Center, 12:30 p.m. Mondays and Fridays.

Upcoming tournaments

Niagara Winter Sectional – Holiday Inn & Suites Parkway Conference Center, 327 Ontario St., St. Catharines, Ont. Friday, Feb. 13, to Sunday, Feb. 15. For more info, click this link.

Niagara BCON Sectional – Bridge Centre of Niagara, 2E Tremont Drive, St. Catharines, Ont. Saturday, March 14, and Sunday, March 15. For more info, click this link.

Rochester Non-Life Master Sectional – Perinton Community Center, 1350 Turk Hill Road, Fairport. Friday, March 27, and Saturday, March 28.

Toronto Easter Regional – Sheraton Centre Toronto Hotel, 123 Queen St. West, Toronto, Ont. Tuesday, March 31, to Sunday, April 5. For more info, click this link.

Buffalo Spring Sectional – Buffalo Bridge Center, 60 Dingens St. Friday, April 10, to Sunday, April 12. For info, click this link.

Rochester Spring Sectional – Gates Community Center, 1605 Buffalo Road, Gates. Saturday, April 18, and Sunday, April 19. For more info, click this link.

Finger Lakes Regional – Seasons on Keuka Lake, 110 Mace St., Penn Yan. Monday, June 8, to Friday, June 12. For more info, click this link. 

District 5 Sectional Tournament at the Clubs (StaC) – Participating local clubs. Monday, June 8, to Sunday, June 14. For more info, click this link.

Cleveland All American Regional – Embassy Suites Hotel, 5800 Rockside Woods Road, Independence, Ohio. June 23 to June 28. For more info, click this link.

Buffalo Summer Sectional – Location TBA. Friday, July 10, to Sunday, July 12.

Oakville Summer Regional – St. Volodymyr Cultural Centre, 1280 Dundas St. West, Oakville, Ont. Tuesday, July 21, to Sunday, July 26. For more info, click this link.

Rochester Summer Sectional – Gates Recreation Center, 1605 Buffalo Road, Rochester. Saturday, July 25, and Sunday, July 26.

Scores from ACBL Live for Clubs

Week of Jan. 19 to Jan. 25

Buffalo Bridge Center Monday evening – 0-900 game online. Bill Gormley and Robert Lowe, 61.11%; Michel Dupuis and Gary Keenan, 59.72%; Fran Schmidt and Richard McGowan, 58.33%; Maria Schory and Mike Metzger, 48.61%.

Buffalo Bridge Center Wednesday morning – Open game. (Tie) Tova and Andrei Reinhorn, Donna Steffan and Bud Seidenberg, 56.25%; Linda Burroughsford and John Ziemer, 55.21%; Judy Graf and Mike Ryan, 51.04%.

Buffalo Bridge Center Thursday morning – 0-2,000 game. Home style pairs. (Tie) Agi Maisel and Joanne Nover, Julie Mitchell and Brian Fleming, Marilyn Wortzman and Jim Easton, 2 wins.

Buffalo Bridge Center Friday morning – Open game. Mike Ryan and Bert Feasley, 60.42%; Judy Graf and John Ziemer, 56.25%; Terry Fraas and Cathy Majewski, 51.04%.

Buffalo Bridge Center Saturday afternoon – Open game. North-south, Jay Levy and Kamil Bishara, 66.29%; Judy Graf and Mike Ryan, 60.20%; Joyce Frayer and Mary Ball, 57.40%; Martha Welte and Howard Foster, 55.83%; Joanne Nover and David Schott, 52.98%; east-west, Davis Heussler and David Colligan, 68.37%; Julie Mitchell and Brian Fleming, 63.25%; Larry Abate and Jim Lanzo, 55.95%; Susan Mann Dolce and Jim Hildebrand, 49.53%; Walt Olszewski and Sushil Amlani, 48.43%.

Bridge Club of East Aurora Wednesday morning – Open game. Maureen Piasecki and Wilson McClaren, 62.50%; Linda and Paul Zittel, 54.17%; Mary Terrana and Gordon Crone, 53.13%.

Non-sanctioned clubs

Amherst Senior Center Friday afternoon – North-south, Nancy Wolstoncroft and Ed Drozen, 59%; Shirley Cassety and George Mayers, 54%; east-west, Violet and Jasbeer Makhija, 61%; Pamela and Craig Jones, 60%.

Tonawanda Senior Center Wednesday afternoon – Susan and Harvey Lichtblau, 61.2%; Ann Dunlop and Kay Brinkman, 56.2%.

Dale Anderson has compiled notes on duplicate bridge activities locally since he began playing in competition more than 20 years ago. A Gold Life Master, he reached a career milestone, 3,000 master points, at the Buffalo Fall Sectional Tournament last September. You can call or text him at 716-860-2305 or send an email to  dahotwings@aol.com.

Buffalo Niagara duplicate bridge notes: Jan. 24, 2026

News and notes for the Buffalo area duplicate bridge community appear weekly here at http://newsdupli.blogspot.com/, usually by midweek.

The Buffalo Bridge Center’s annual meeting precedes the next special game today, Saturday, Jan. 24, at the club at 60 Dingens St. off Exit 1 of the I-190. It also will be a Unit Championship Game with extra points for the winners. Refreshments and meeting at noon. Game at 12:30 p.m. Players are encouraged to bring refreshments to share. Free for members. $12 for non-members. For partnerships, call Ruth Nawotniak at 716-949-7574 or email ruth2250@outlook.com.

The Bridge Center also offers supervised play from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Mondays for players who want experience and advice to improve their games. All are welcome. No pre-registration needed. The club also hosts a social bridge game for fun at 10 a.m. on Tuesdays. Signup needed for this one. Once again, Ruth Nawotniak is the person to call at 716-949-7574 or email at ruth2250@outlook.com. 

The Buffalo Bridge Center is closed whenever Buffalo schools are closed because of winter weather. When the streets are clear, it offers a regular schedule of in-person and online games Monday through Friday with party games once a month on weekends. For more info, visit the Buffalo Bridge Center website at https://buffalobridgecenter.godaddysites.com/ or call 716-424-0014. Fee for games is $8 for members and $12 for non-members. Membership is $80 annually.

Other ACBL sanctioned clubs: Bridge Club of East Aurora games are at 10 a.m. Wednesdays in the Aurora Senior Citizens Center, 101 King St., East Aurora. Contact is Dave Larcom at dmocral@verizon.net.

The Bridge Centre of Niagara (BCON) in St. Catharines, Ont., offers face-to-face games five days a week at its club in Tremont Square opposite the Pen Centre shopping plaza off Glendale Avenue. Website is bridgewebs.com/Niagara.

The Niagara-on-the-Lake Bridge Club plays in the Community Centre in Niagara-on-the-Lake, Ont., on Anderson Lane off Mississauga Street on the western end of the village. Open games are at 1 p.m. Tuesdays and Fridays. Website is bridgewebs.com/niagaraonthelake.

Non-sanctioned clubs: Tonawanda Senior Center, 12:30 p.m. Wednesdays; Amherst Senior Center, 12:30 p.m. Mondays and Fridays.

Upcoming tournaments

Niagara Winter Sectional – Holiday Inn & Suites Parkway Conference Center, 327 Ontario St., St. Catharines, Ont. Friday, Feb. 13, to Sunday, Feb. 15. For more info, click this link.

Toronto Easter Regional – Sheraton Centre Toronto Hotel, 123 Queen St. West, Toronto, Ont. Tuesday, March 31, to Sunday, April 5. For more info, click this link.

Buffalo Spring Sectional – Buffalo Bridge Center, 60 Dingens St. Friday, April 10, to Sunday, April 12. For info, click this link.

Finger Lakes Regional – Seasons on Keuka Lake, 110 Mace St., Penn Yan. Monday, June 8, to Friday, June 12. For more info, click this link. 

Scores from ACBL Live for Clubs

Week of Jan. 12 to Jan. 18

Buffalo Bridge Center Tuesday morning – 0-1,600 game. North-south, Paula Rosen and Jim McClure, 59.52%; Gini Sicignano and Pat Wolcott, 51.19%; (tie) Joanne Nover and David Schott, Sharon Wilcox and Paul Zittel, 50.40%; east-west, Bonnie Clement and Agi Maisel, 59.13%; Betty Metz and Ruth Nawotniak, 56.35%; Marilyn Wortzman and Jim Easton, 50.40%; Carol Licata and Ilene Rothman, 48.02%.

Buffalo Bridge Center Wednesday morning – Open game. Chris Urbanek and Saleh Fetouh, 62.22%; Jay Costello and Bud Seidenberg, 55.56%; Mary Ball and Joyce Frayer, 54.81%; Martha Welte and Howard Foster, 54.07%; Donna Steffan and David Colligan, 52.22%.

Buffalo Bridge Center Friday morning – Open game. Jay Costello and Bud Seidenberg, 62.50%; Donna Steffan and John Ziemer, 55.21%; Linda Burroughsford and Davis Heussler, 54.17%; Tova and Andrei Reinhorn, 51.04%.

Bridge Club of East Aurora Wednesday morning – Open game. Joanne LaFay and Linda Zittel, 57.14%; Paul Zittel and Bert Feasley, 53.37%; (tie) Joyce Greenspan and Ruth Wurster, Jan and Carl Hasselback, 51.79%; Brian Universal and Bob Mampe, 50%.

Delaware Wednesday evening – 0-2,000 game online. Mark Chasse and Jason Carter, 66.67%; Eugene Giorgini and Jim Lanzo, 54.17%; (tie) Ed Harman and Bill Rich, Jim Hassett and Terry Camp, 52.78%.

Non-sanctioned clubs

Amherst Senior Center Monday afternoon – North-south, Joe Huber and Fritz Schweiger, 57%; Shirley Cassety and George Mayers, 56%; east-west, Mary and Jim Atwood, 56%; Jill and Bruce Brown, 55%.

Amherst Senior Center Friday afternoon – North-south, Shirley Cassety and George Mayers, 67%; Nancy Wolstoncroft and Ed Drozen, 63%; east-west, Ellen Lochead and Joan Stankiewicz, 63%; Mary and Jim Atwood, 55%.

Tonawanda Senior Center Wednesday afternoon – Mike and Bob Rupp, 61.1%; (tie) Susan and Harvey Licthblau, 56.9%; JoAnne Biondo and Ron Fill, 56.9%.

Unit 116 Master Point Leaders for Play in All Venues

Jan. 1, 2025, to Dec. 31, 2025

0-5 Points – Julie Mitchell, 47.13; Susan Marin Dolce, 9.30; Maureen Piasecki, 8.94; John Brennan, 8.79; Joan Warren, 8.07; Linda Marsh, 6.35; Amy Licata, 4.60; Ann Bonte, 3.50; Arthur Ziller, 3.06; William Kross, 1.97.

5-20 Points – Devon Marlette, 8.06; Mike Rupp, 6.46; Fran Holmes, 3.90; Amber Dixon, 1.46; David Taylor, 0.63.

20-50 Points – Dennis Daly, 23.22; Anthony Girasole, 12 even; Molly Morris, 7.11; Gini Sicignano, 6.01; Zakie Nohra, 5.86; Maxine Johnson, 3.06; Karen Dearing, 1.57; Maureen Saab, 1.34; Phyllis Stasiowski, 0.83; Chris-Elaine Santilli, 0.57.

50-100 Points – Brian Fleming, 63.33; Ilene Rothman, 20.67; Amy Habib, 16.49; Gary Keenan, 15.25; Mike Metzger, 14.09; Candace Graser, 13.51; John Houghtaling, 12.25; Cynthia Tashjian, 11.68; Susan Burns, 10.74; Donna Starnes, 10.26.

100-200 Points – Mike Meacham, 35.67; Carol Licata, 19.98; Maria Schory, 17.91; Fran Schmidt, 15.59; Jim Hassett, 14.14; Betty DeFeo, 5.78; Jim Greno, 5.58; Betsy Greno, 4.95; Pam Righter, 3.44; Joan Ciszak, 2.93.

200-300 Points – Maria Amlani, 71.27; Ethan Xie, 22.79; Laura Houghtaling, 12.25; (tie) Barbara and John Scott, 7.22; Judy Babat, 1.88; Patty Porter, 1.55; Hannah Weinberg, 1.13; Tom England, 0.42.

300-500 Points – David Schott, 73.72; Pat Haynes, 61.45; Joanne Nover, 53.27; Audrey Ray, 40.76; Ruth Nawotniak, 23.71; Maryann Szafran, 22.80; Agi Maisel, 21.39; Linda Milch, 15.99; Carl Hasselback, 11.01; David Whitt, 10.40.

500-1,000 Points – (Tie) Terry and Bram Hamovitch, 87.55; Larry Himelein, 78.63; Joyce Frayer, 67.16; Sushil Amlani, 52.69; Linda Zittel, 51.80; Andrei Reinhorn, 49.18; Martha Townson, 42.63; Mary Terrana, 33.25; Richard McGowan, 32 even.

1,000-1,500 Points – Jim Lanzo, 142.40; Vic Bergsten, 91.71; Howard Foster, 75.36; Mary Ball, 67.11; Paul Zittel, 60.41; Betty Metz, 52.26; Marilyn Wortzman, 44.16; Jim Easton, 43.96; Joanne LaFay, 39.63; Bert Feasley, 36.94.

1,500-2,500 Points – Kamil Bishara, 109.18; Paula Kotowski, 59.40; Pinky Regan, 56.02; David Colligan, 53.43; Tova Reinhorn, 48.76; Walt Olszewski, 38.64; Rajat Basu, 35.47; Joyce Greenspan, 34.84; Sandi England, 29.71; Nancy Kessler, 25.64.

2,500-3,500 Points – Linda Burroughsford, 194.60; Dale Anderson, 38.44; David Turner, 27.56; Art Morth, 15.30; Elaine Kurasiewicz, 8.57; Fred Yellen, 8.09; Pat Rasmus, 1.78.

3,500-5,000 Points – Davis Heussler, 258.82; John Ziemer, 124.21; Judy Graf, 110.62; Chongmin Zhang, 74.89; Martha Welte, 65.33; Donna Steffan, 56.02; Jim Gullo, 43.13; Bill Rushmore, 20.21; Barbara Libby, 12.84; Mike Silverman, 9.93.

More than 5,000 Points – Saleh Fetouh, 1,021.31; Jay Levy, 272.33; Chris Urbanek, 232.68; Dian Petrov, 184.03; Mike Ryan, 142.09; Jay Costello, 87.77; Bud Seidenberg, 81.03; Kathy Pollock, 72.90; Glenn Milgrim, 31.21; Sharon Benz, 1.38; Dan Gerstman, 0.60.

Dale Anderson has compiled notes on duplicate bridge activities locally since he began playing in competition more than 20 years ago. A Gold Life Master, he reached a career milestone, 3,000 master points, at the Buffalo Fall Sectional Tournament last September. You can call or text him at 716-860-2305 or send an email to  dahotwings@aol.com.

Buffalo Niagara duplicate bridge notes: Jan. 17, 2026

News and notes for the Buffalo area duplicate bridge community appear weekly here at http://newsdupli.blogspot.com/, usually by midweek.

Congratulations to Linda Burroughsford and Davis Heussler, who as partners earned the most master points among Buffalo area players in the Cleveland Rock and Roll Regional Tournament Jan. 7 to Jan. 11. They collected 39.30 points and were tied for 12th overall. Also doing well in Cleveland were Saleh Fetouh with 16.12 points and Mike Meacham with 8.39 points.

The next special game on Saturday, Jan. 24, at the Buffalo Bridge Center, 60 Dingens St. off Exit 1 of the I-190, will include the Bridge Center's annual meeting. It also will be a Unit Championship Game with extra points for the winners. Refreshments and meeting at noon. Game at 12:30 p.m. Players are encouraged to bring refreshments to share. Free for members. $12 for non-members. For partnerships, call Ruth Nawotniak at 716-949-7574 or email ruth2250@outlook.com.

The Bridge Center also offers supervised play from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Mondays for players who want experience and advice to improve their games. All are welcome. No pre-registration needed. The club also hosts a social bridge game for fun at 10 a.m. on Tuesdays. Signup needed for this one. Once again, Ruth Nawotniak is the person to call at 716-949-7574 or email at ruth2250@outlook.com. 

The Buffalo Bridge Center is closed whenever Buffalo schools are closed because of winter weather. When the streets are clear, it offers a regular schedule of in-person and online games Monday through Friday with party games once a month on weekends. For more info, visit the Buffalo Bridge Center website at https://buffalobridgecenter.godaddysites.com/ or call 716-424-0014. Fee for games is $8 for members and $12 for non-members. Membership is $80 annually.

Other ACBL sanctioned clubs: Contact for the Bridge Club of East Aurora is Dave Larcom at dmocral@verizon.net. Games are at 10 a.m. Wednesdays in the Aurora Senior Citizens Center, 101 King St., East Aurora.

The Bridge Centre of Niagara (BCON) in St. Catharines, Ont., offers face-to-face games five days a week at its club in Tremont Square opposite the Pen Centre shopping plaza off Glendale Avenue. Website is bridgewebs.com/Niagara.

The Niagara-on-the-Lake Bridge Club plays in the Community Centre in Niagara-on-the-Lake, Ont., on Anderson Lane off Mississauga Street on the western end of the village. Open games are at 1 p.m. Tuesdays and Fridays. Website is bridgewebs.com/niagaraonthelake.

Non-sanctioned clubs: Tonawanda Senior Center, 12:30 p.m. Wednesdays; Amherst Senior Center, 12:30 p.m. Mondays and Fridays.

Tournament calendar

2026

Niagara Winter Sectional – Holiday Inn & Suites Parkway Conference Center, 327 Ontario St., St. Catharines, Ont. Friday, Feb. 13, to Sunday, Feb. 15. For more info, click this link.

Toronto Easter Regional – Sheraton Centre Toronto Hotel, 123 Queen St. West, Toronto, Ont. Tuesday, March 31, to Sunday, April 5. For more info, click this link.

Buffalo Spring Sectional – Buffalo Bridge Center, 60 Dingens St. Friday, April 10, to Sunday, April 12. For info, click this link.

Finger Lakes Regional – Seasons on Keuka Lake, 110 Mace St., Penn Yan. Monday, June 8, to Friday, June 12. For more info, click this link. 

Scores from ACBL Live for Clubs

Week of Jan. 5 to Jan. 11

Buffalo Bridge Center Monday evening – 0-900 game online. Bill Gormley and Bob Lowe, 68.06%; Jim and Michael Hassett, 59.72%; Jeannine and Michel Dupuis, 55.56%.

Buffalo Bridge Center Tuesday morning – 0-1,600 game. North-south, Joanne Nover and David Schott, 58.93%; Marilyn Wortzman and Jim Easton, 57.74%; Dennis Daly and Brian Fleming, 53.57%; Ruth Nawotniak and Julie Mitchell, 53.27%; east-west, Mary Ball and Joyce Frayer, 61.90%; Carol Licata and Ilene Rothman, 55.65%; Betty Metz and Paul Zittel, 52.68%; Linda Marsh and Art Ziller, 50.30%.

Buffalo Bridge Center Wednesday morning – Open game. (Tie) Chris Urbanek and Kamil Bishara, Donna Steffan and Judy Graf, 55.21%; Mary Ball and Joyce Frayer, 50%.

Buffalo Bridge Center Thursday morning – 0-2,000 game. Betty Metz and Judie Bailey, 64.17%; Paula Kotowski and Walt Olszewski, 62.40%; Joanne Nover and Ed Drozen, 59.25%; Mary Ball and Joyce Frayer, 59.25%; Mary Ball and Joyce Frayer, 57.64%; Bonnie Clement and David Schott, 54.93%; Bert Feasley and Paul Zittel, 52.09%.

Buffalo Bridge Center Friday morning – Open game. Bert Feasley and Donna Steffan, 54%; Howard Foster and Mike Ryan, 53%; Jay Costello and Bud Seidenberg, 52%; (tie) Judy Graf and John Ziemer, Martha Welte and Larry Abate, 51%.

Bridge Club of East Aurora Wednesday morning – Open game. Joanne LaFay and Bert Feasley, 62.50%; (tie) Paula Kotowski and Nancy Kessler, Linda and Paul Zittel, 54.76%; Jan and Carl Hasselback, 50%.

Delaware Wednesday evening – 0-2,000 game online. (Tie) Mary Ball and Joyce Frayer, Jeff Bender and Henry Chudy, 62.50%; Betsy and Jim Greno, 51.39%; Eugene Giorgini and Jim Lanzo, 50%.

Non-sanctioned clubs

Amherst Senior Center Monday afternoon – Violet and Jasbeer Makhija, 70%; Shirley Cassety and George Mayers, 60%; Tim Hartnett and David Young, 53%.

Amherst Senior Center Friday afternoon – North-south, Shirley Cassety and George Mayers, 64%; Nancy Wolstoncroft and Dan Blatz, 52%; east-west, (tie) Pam and Craig Jones, Julie Mitchell and Walt Olszewski, 58%.

Unit 116 Master Point Leaders for Virtual Club Play

Jan. 1, 2025, to Dec. 31, 2025

0-5 Points – Julie Mitchell, 10.22; Joan Warren, 1.96; Amy Licata, 1.85; Maureen Piasecki, 1.58; Susan Mann Dolce, 1.44.

5-20 Points – Mike Rupp, 6.46; Devon Marlette, 4.56; Fran Holmes, 3.90; David Taylor, 0.63.

20-50 Points – Dennis Daly, 4.43; Maxine Johnson, 3.23; Karen Dearing, 1.57; Maureen Saab, 1.34.

50-100 Points – Brian Fleming, 28.82; Gary Keenan, 15.25; Mike Metzger, 14.09; Amy Habib, 12.45; John Houghtaling, 12.26; Cynthia Tashjian, 11.37; Candace Graser, 10.43; Carole Sedita, 7.18; Kathleen Voigt, 6.26; Anne Slater, 5.58.

100-200 Points – Maria Schory, 17.91; Fran Schmidt, 15.59; Jim Hassett, 14.14; Jim Greno, 5.58; Betsy Greno, 4.95; Carol Licata, 4.84; Joan Ciszak, 0.42.

200-300 Points – Maria Amlani, 67.94; Laura Houghtaling, 12.25; Patty Porter, 1.55.

300-500 Points – Pat Haynes, 12.97; David Schott, 7.03; Bob Ciszak, 6.38; Kusum Phadke, 6.14; Eugene Giorgini, 2.01; Ruth Nawotniak, 1.60; Agi Maisel, 0.85; Joanne Nover, 0.36.

500-1,000 Points – (Tie) Terry and Bram Hamovitch, 77.74; Martha Townson, 38.16; Sushil Amlani, 30.28; Ed Harman, 21.75; Richard McGowan, 17.73; Joyce Frayer, 11.18; Diana Smith, 7.64; Phyllis Wilkinson, 4.24; Jeff Bender, 4.20.

1,000-1,500 Points – Jim Lanzo, 127.67; Vic Bergsten, 71.02; Bill Rich, 15.26; (tie) Jim Easton, Marilyn Wortzman, 13.38; Mary Ball, 4.55; Paul Zittel, 2.93; Bert Feasley, 1.99; Larry Abate, 0.35.

1,500-2,500 Points – Walt Olszewski, 14.44; Pinky Regan, 10.59; Rajat Basu, 6.88; (tie) Paula Kotowski, Nancy Kessler, 2.03; Martin Pieterse, 1.12; Sandi England, 0.98; John Bava, 0.20.

2,500-3,500 Points – Art Morth, 4.07; Elaine Kurasiewicz, 1.90; Linda Burroughsford, 0.84.

3,500-5,000 Points – Chongmin Zhang, 14.81; Martha Welte, 8.42; Barbara Libby, 7.57; Ken Meier, 3.36; Davis Heussler, 0.84; Mike Silverman, 0.23.

More than 5,000 Points – Saleh Fetouh, 114.62; Jay Levy, 40.44; Dian Petrov, 38.61.

Dale Anderson bid his first 3 No Trump contract as a teen and has compiled notes on duplicate bridge activities locally since he began playing in competition more than 20 years ago. A Gold Life Master, he reached a career milestone, 3,000 master points, at the Buffalo Fall Sectional Tournament last September. You can call or text him at 716-860-2305 or send an email to  dahotwings@aol.com.

Buffalo Niagara duplicate bridge notes: Jan. 10, 2026

 

News and notes for the Buffalo area duplicate bridge community appear weekly here at http://newsdupli.blogspot.com/, usually by midweek.

There's a new president of ACBL Unit 116 for 2026. Joyce Greenspan is succeeding Larry Abate, who now is vice president. Sandi England is secretary and John Bava is treasurer. Rounding out the roster of board members are Jim Lanzo, Larry Himelein and Sushil Amlani. Leaving the board are Ruth Wurster and Rajat Basu.

The Cleveland Rock and Roll Regional in the suburb of Independence began Wednesday, Jan. 7, and continues through Sunday, Jan. 11. For more details, check this link. 

Next tournament locally is the Niagara Winter Sectional Friday, Feb. 13, to Sunday, Feb. 15, in St. Catharines, Ont. And details have just been announced for the Finger Lakes Regional in June in Penn Yan. For details, see the links in the tournament listings below.

The Buffalo Bridge Center, 60 Dingens St. off Exit 1 of the I-190, is closed whenever Buffalo schools are closed because of winter weather. When the streets are clear, it offers a regular schedule of in-person and online games Monday through Friday with party games once a month on weekends. Next party game is the club’s annual meeting and game on Saturday, Jan. 24. For more info, visit the Buffalo Bridge Center website at https://buffalobridgecenter.godaddysites.com/ or call 716-424-0014. Fee for games is $8 for members and $12 for non-members. Membership is $80 annually.

Other ACBL sanctioned clubs: Contact for the Bridge Club of East Aurora is Dave Larcom at dmocral@verizon.net. Games are at 10 a.m. Wednesdays in the Aurora Senior Citizens Center, 101 King St., East Aurora.

The Bridge Centre of Niagara (BCON) in St. Catharines, Ont., offers face-to-face games five days a week at its club in Tremont Square opposite the Pen Centre shopping plaza off Glendale Avenue. Website is bridgewebs.com/Niagara.

The Niagara-on-the-Lake Bridge Club plays in the Community Centre in Niagara-on-the-Lake, Ont., on Anderson Lane off Mississauga Street on the western end of the village. Open games are at 1 p.m. Tuesdays and Fridays. Website is bridgewebs.com/niagaraonthelake.

Non-sanctioned clubs: Tonawanda Senior Center, 12:30 p.m. Wednesdays; Amherst Senior Center, 12:30 p.m. Mondays and Fridays.

Tournament calendar

2026

Cleveland Rock and Roll Regional – Embassy Suites Hotel, 5800 Rockside Woods Road, Independence, Ohio. Continuing today, Saturday, Jan. 10, and Sunday, Jan. 11. For info, click this link.

Niagara Winter Sectional – Holiday Inn & Suites Parkway Conference Center, 327 Ontario St., St. Catharines, Ont. Friday, Feb. 13, to Sunday, Feb. 15. For more info, click this link.

Toronto Easter Regional – Sheraton Centre Toronto Hotel, 123 Queen St. West, Toronto, Ont. Tuesday, March 31, to Sunday, April 5. For more info, click this link.

Buffalo Spring Sectional – Buffalo Bridge Center, 60 Dingens St. Friday, April 10, to Sunday, April 12. For info, click this link.

Finger Lakes Regional – Seasons on Keuka Lake, 110 Mace St., Penn Yan. Monday, June 8, to Friday, June 12. For more info, click this link. 

Scores from ACBL Live for Clubs

Week of Dec. 29 to Jan. 4

Buffalo Bridge Center Monday evening – 0-900 game online. Fran Schmidt and Richard McGowan, 68.06%; (tie) Laura and John Houghtaling, Margaret Zhou and Joyce Frayer, 56.94%.

Buffalo Bridge Center Friday morning – Open game. Howard Foster and Michael Ryan, 64.29%; Donna Steffan and Jay Costello, 56.55%; Linda Burroughsford and Davis Heussler, 54.76%; Chris Urbanek and Kamil Bishara, 52.98%; Tova and Andrei Reinhorn, 51.19%.

Non-sanctioned clubs

Amherst Senior Center Friday afternoon – North-south, Shirley Cassety and George Mayers, 57%; Violet and Jasbeer Makhija, 47%; east-west, Carol Neuhaus and Fritz Schweiger, 61%; Mary and Jim Atwood, 50%.

Unit 116 Master Point Leaders for Club Play

Jan. 1, 2025, to Dec. 31, 2025

0-5 Points – Julie Mitchell, 25.56; John Brennan, 8.79; Maureen Piasecki, 7.36; Joan Warren, 6.11; Linda Marsh, 5.39; Susan Mann Dolce, 4.50; Amy Licata, 4.06; Ann Bonte, 3.81; Arthur Ziller, 2.10; Barbara Burns, 2 even.

5-20 Points – Devon Marlette, 1.25; Amber Dizon, 0.67.

20-50 Points – Dennis Daly, 13.88; Anthony Girasole, 10.90; Molly Morris, 5.53; Gini Sicignano, 5.18; Zakie Nohra, 5.15; Phyllis Stasiowski, 0.83; Chris-Elaine Santilli, 0.57.

50-100 Points – Brian Fleming, 25.17; Ilene Rothman, 10.31; Donna Starnes, 10.26; Susan Cardamone, 8.02; Pepe Justicia-Linde, 5.89; Maureen Cancilla, 5.03; Mary Berlow, 4.08; Susan Burns, 3.25; Candace Graser, 3.08; Carole Sedita, 2.83; Amy Habib, 2.56.

100-200 Points – Carol Licata, 9.51; Mike Meacham, 6.05; Betty DeFeo, 5.78; Joan Ciszak, 2.51; Pam Righter, 1.96.

200-300 Points – Judy Babat, 1.88; Ethan Xie, 1.60; Hannah Weinberg, 1.13.

300-500 Points – David Schott, 46.93; Pat Haynes, 38.73; Joanne Nover, 35.30; Audrey Ray, 31.58; Maryann Szafran, 20.09; Ruth Nawotniak, 19 even; Linda Milch, 15.03; Agi Maisel, 12.60; Carl Hasselback, 9.14; David Whitt, 9.12.

500-1,000 Points – Larry Himelein, 53.39; Linda Zittel, 42.70; Joyce Frayer, 39.21; Andrei Reinhorn, 37.96; Mary Terrana, 25.33; Jo Nasoff-Finton, 24.63; Jim McClure, 21.13; Paula Rosen, 20.87; Gordon Crone, 20.12; Dave Larcom, 19.54; Joe Miranda, 17.98.

1,000-1,500 Points – Paul Zittel, 47.22; Howard Foster, 46.59; Betty Metz, 46.33; Mary Ball, 44.02; Joanne LaFay, 34.14; Marilyn Wortzman, 28.10; Jim Easton, 27.90; Bert Feasley, 24.10; Terry Fraas, 23.15; Larry Abate, 20.67.

1,500-2,500 Points – Pinky Regan, 44.57; Kamil Bishara, 38.39; Tova Reinhorn, 34.77; Paula Kotowski, 32.99; Joyce Greenspan, 26.60; Sandi England, 23.40; Nancy Kessler, 16.16; Walt Olszewski, 14.32; David Colligan, 12.19; Judy Kaprove, 9.45.

2,500-3,500 Points – Linda Burroughsford, 47.95; Dale Anderson, 24.88; Elaine Kurasiewicz, 2.25; Art Morth, 2.07; Pat Rasmus, 1.78; Fred Yellen, 1.43.

3,500-5,000 Points – John Ziemer, 66.03; Judy Graf, 65.14; Davis Heussler, 62.04; Martha Welte, 46.05; Jim Gullo, 33.32; Donna Steffan, 31.67; Allen Beroza, 4.86; Chongmin Zhang, 0.74; Brian Meyer, 0.60.

More than 5,000 Points – Mike Ryan, 77.34; Chris Urbanek, 53.36; Jay Costello, 48.25; Bud Seidenberg, 44.09; Jay Levy, 16.54; Kathy Pollock, 3.25; Sharon Benz, 1.38; Dian Petrov, 1.03; Dan Gerstman, 0.60.

Dale Anderson made his first 3 No Trump contract as a teen and has compiled notes on duplicate bridge activities locally for more than 20 years. A Gold Life Master, he reached a career milestone, 3,000 master points, at the Buffalo Fall Sectional Tournament last September. You can call or text him at 716-860-2305 or send an email to  dahotwings@aol.com.