The Niagara Winter Sectional Tournament starts Friday, Feb. 7, in the Holiday Inn and Suites Parkway Conference Center, 327 Ontario St., St. Catharines, Ont. Pairs games begin at 1:30 and 7 p.m. Friday and 10 a.m. and 2:30 p.m. Saturday. It concludes Sunday, Feb. 9, with Swiss teams at 10 a.m. For more info, click this link.
• • •
The Buffalo Bridge Center, 60 Dingens St., off Exit 1 of the I-190, is
starting a new series of lessons this month. Introduction to bridge begins today,
Saturday, Feb. 1. Lessons on competitive bidding open next Saturday, Feb. 8,
and lessons for beginners start during the week of Feb. 11. For more
information, call Ruth Nawotniak at 716-949-7574 or email ruth2250@outlook.com.
Next special event at the Bridge Center is the
Valentine Game on Sunday, Feb. 16. Refreshments (please bring some) at noon,
game at 12:30 p.m. For partnerships, call Pat Haynes at 716-202-1155 or email phaynes508@roadrunner.com.
The Bridge Center offers a regular
schedule of in-person and online games five days a week, with special games on
the weekends, usually one each month. 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 now, cash or check. Fee for
games is $8 for members and $12 for non-members.
In case of heavy snow,
the club abides by what the Buffalo Public Schools do. If the schools close,
the club will be closed.
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
2025
Niagara Winter Sectional – Holiday Inn & Suites, 327 Ontario
St., St. Catharines, Ont. Friday, Feb. 7, to Sunday, Feb. 9. For more info,
click this link.
Buffalo Spring Sectional – Buffalo Bridge Center, 60 Dingens St.,
Buffalo. Friday, March 28, to Sunday, March 30. For more info, click this link.
Toronto Easter Regional – Sheraton Centre, 123 Queen St. West,
Toronto, Ont. Tuesday, April 15, to Sunday, April 20. For more info, click this
link.
Finger Lakes Regional – Louis Wolk Jewish Community Center, 1200
Edgewood Ave., Rochester. Tuesday, June 9, to Sunday, June 14.
Cleveland All-American
Regional – Embassy Suites
Hotel, 5800 Rockside Road, Independence, Ohio. Tuesday, June 24, to Sunday, June
29. For more info, click this link.
South Western Ontario Regional
– St. George Banquet
Hall, 665 King St. North, Waterloo, Ont. Tuesday, July 1, to Sunday, July 6.
For more info, click this link.
Buffalo Summer Sectional – Buffalo Bridge Center, 60 Dingens St.,
Buffalo. Friday, July 11, to Sunday, July 13.
Niagara 499er Sectional – Niagara-on-the-Lake Community Center, 14
Anderson Lane, Niagara-on-the-Lake, Ont. Friday, Aug. 15, to Sunday, Aug. 17.
Pittsburgh Labor Day Regional
– Greater Pittsburgh
Masonic Center, 3579 Masonic Way, Pittsburgh, Pa. Wednesday, Aug. 27, to
Monday, Sept. 1.
Great Lakes Sectional – Erie Bridge Club, 1221 Grant Ave., Erie,
Pa. Saturday, Sept. 6, and Sunday, Sept. 7.
Buffalo Fall Sectional – Buffalo Bridge Center, 60 Dingens St.,
Buffalo. Friday, Sept. 12, to Sunday, Sept 14.
Buffalo Regional – Millennium Hotel, 2040 Walden Ave.,
Cheektowaga. Tuesday, Oct. 21, to Sunday, Oct. 26.
Niagara Regional – Holiday Inn & Suites, 327 Ontario
St., St. Catharines, Ont. Tuesday, Nov. 11, to Sunday, Nov. 16.
• • •
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 Jan. 20 to Jan. 26
ACBL Affiliated Clubs
Buffalo Bridge Center Monday
evening – 0-750
game online. Bonnie Clement and David Schott, 67.36%; Gary Keenan and Michel
Dupuis, 60.42%; (tie) Joyce Frayer and Margaret Zhou, David McLeod and Bryan
Brooking, 55.56%; Maria Schory and Mike Metzger, 54.86%.
Buffalo Bridge Center Thursday morning – 0-2,000 game. Joann Nover and David Whitt, 62.18%; Linda Milch and Judy Zeckhauser, 59.89%; Mary Ball and Julie Mitchell, 57.58%; Brian Fleming and Dennis Daly, 56.07%; Joyce Greenspan and Andrei Reinhorn, 55.19%; Marily Wortzman and Jim Easton, 54.83%; Pat Haynes and David Schott, 51.20%.
Buffalo Bridge Center Friday
morning – Open
game. Judy Graf and John Ziemer, 63%; Jay Costello and Bud Seidenberg, 55%;
Linda Burroughsford and David Heussler, 52%.
Buffalo Bridge Center Saturday
afternoon – Open
game. Howard Foster and Mike Ryan, 64.09%; Betty Metz and Sushil Amlani,
59.09%; Tova and Andrei Reinhorn, 57.50%; Linda Burroughsford and Davis Heussler,
56.82%; Martha Welte and Nancy Wolstoncroft, 53.63%; John Bava and Ed Morgan,
53.18%; John Ziemer and Vic Bergste, 52.28%; Dennis Daly and Larry Abate, 51.67%.
Delaware Wednesday evening – 0-2,000 game online. North-south, Jim Lanzo and Bill Rich, 60.07%; Bobbie Griggs and Mila Dupwe, 56.25%; Michel Dupuis and Gary Keenan, 52.08%; Sandi England and Paul Zittel, 50.69%; east-west, Nancy Steinbach and Theresa Iantosca, 59.72%; Debbie and Bill Nash, 56.94%; Maria Schory and Mike Metzger, 55.56%; Pat Fung and Jackmen Chong, 50.35%.
Other clubs
Amherst Senior Center Friday afternoon – North-south, Shirley Cassety and George Mayers 60%; Bobbi and Joe Huber, 57%; east-west, Nancy Wolstoncroft and Rolene Pozarny, 65%; Walt Olszewski and Ed Drozen, 60%.
• • •
Unit 116 Master Point Leaders for Play in All Venues
Jan. 1, 2024, to Dec. 31, 2024
0-5 Points – Mike Rupp, 7.32; John Brennan, 3.29; Alice
Cooley, 2.56; Cathy Hetzler, 2.02; Elaine Rinfrette, 0.66; Joan Warren,
0.60; Maxine Seller, 0.59; Mary Collins, 0.56.
5-20 Points – Zakie Nohra, 15.42; Dennis Daly, 14.22; Anthony
Girasole, 7.58; Fran Holmes, 7.51; Jeannine Dupuis, 5 even; Barbara Kaye, 3.43;
Devon Marlette, 3.07; Chris-Elaine Santilli, 2.35; Joan Nigrelli, 1.84; Bill
Duax, 1.65; Shrikant Joshi, 1.12; (tie) Melanie Skalski, Carol Li, 0.92; Marie
Aaron, 0.90.
20-50 Points – Brian Fleming, 32.79; Ilene Rothman, 29.73;
Michel Dupuis, 14.68; Molly Morris, 10.34; Donna Starnes, 9.41; Kathleen Voigt,
8.13; Pepe Justicia-Linde, 7.97; Phyllis Stasiowski, 5.53; Gini Sicignano, 5.48;
Maxine Johnson, 4.83.
50-100 Points – Maria Schory, 35.25; Howard Epstein, 30.94;
Mike Meacham, 19.32; John Houghtaling, 19.16; Susan Cardamone, 17.01; Gary
Keenan, 16.99; Maureen Cancilla, 15.64; Cynthia Tashjian, 14.22; Mike Metzger, 13.44;
Candace Graser, 11.25.
100-200 Points – Carol Licata, 42.64; Jim Hassett, 22.30; Fran
Schmidt, 17.14; Joan Ciszak, 17.01; Betty DeFeo, 13.49; Judith McDermid, 11.64;
Jim Greno, 9.04; Susan Levy, 7.88; Betsy Greno, 7.09; Janet Desmon, 3.95; Tiger
Li, 3.82.
200-300 Points – Maria Amlani, 59.47; David Whitt, 30.67;
Ethan Xie, 19.24; Laura Houghtaling, 19.16; Judy Babat, 5.31; John Scott, 5.25;
Barbara Scott, 3.47; Laurie Foster, 3.32; Patty Porter, 1.68; Stuart Caswell,
0.75; John Fiegl, 0.58.
300-500 Points – David Schott, 95.69; Pat Haynes, 94.58; Joanne
Nover, 69.59; Jim McClure, 31.30; Kusum Phadke, 30.96; Linda Milch, 30.64; Bob
Ciszak, 25.08; Ruth Nawotniak, 24.80; Margaret Zhou, 22.99; Maryann Szafran, 20.07.
500-1,000 Points – Larry Himelein, 155.12; Martha Townson, 111.91;
Terry Hamovitch, 74.74; Bram Hamovitch, 73.42; Joyce Frayer, 66.36; Paul
Zittel, 60.91; Linda Zittel, 56.68; Mary Terrana, 49.51; Gordon Crone, 44.79; Andrei
Reinhorn, 43.89.
1,000-1,500 Points – Jim Lanzo, 211.05; Kamil Bishara, 153.04;
Vic Bergsten, 86.15; Mary Ball, 62.64; (tie) Marilyn Wortzman, Jim Easton, 53.42;
Betty Metz, 50.76; Terry Fraas, 45.12; Sue Neubecker, 44.45; Joanne LaFay, 38.29.
1,500-2,500 Points – David Colligan, 89.59; John Bava, 57.27; Pinky
Regan, 56.06; Tova Reinhorn, 48.90; Paula Kotowski, 46.92; Walt Olszewski, 37.75;
Sandi England, 30.37; Joyce Greenspan, 29.64; Rajat Basu, 25.82; Judy Kaprove, 15.53.
2,500-3,500 Points – Linda Burroughsford, 201.93; Fred Yellen, 95.47;
Art Morth, 31.42; Dale Anderson, 22.27; Bill Rushmore, 21.95; David Turner, 10.54;
Mike Silverman, 9.07; Elaine Kurasiewicz, 6.94; Pat Rasmus, 1.89; Joanne
Kelley, 1.71.
3,500-5,000 Points – Davis Heussler, 268.70; John Ziemer, 98.92;
Donna Steffan, 84.13; Judy Graf, 73.57; Judy Padgug, 60.59; Chongmin Zhang, 51.97;
Martha Welte, 49.31; Mike Ryan, 46.62; Jim Gullo, 43.19; Ken Meyer, 8.41.
More than 5,000 Points – Saleh Fetouh, 1,056.61; Glenn Milgrim, 284.65;
Jay Levy, 168.37; Chris Urbanek, 156.62; Dian Petrov, 112.58; Bud Seidenberg, 107.47;
Jay Costello, 82.35; Kathy Pollock, 81.09; Sharon Benz, 28.66; Dan Gerstman, 9.21.
• • •
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 2,980 master points. One of his New Year’s resolutions for 2025 is to write more regularly about his bridge adventures here.
