Buffalo Niagara duplicate bridge notes: Feb. 21, 2026

 

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

This month’s special game at the Buffalo Bridge Center, 60 Dingens St. off Exit 1 of the I-190, 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.

Congratulations to Mike Ryan and John Ziemer, who won the most master points among Buffalo area players at the sectional tournament Feb. 13 to Feb. 15 in St. Catharines, Ont. They each earned 6.64 points and were tied for 46th overall. Also collecting points in St. Catharines were Mike Meachan, with 5 even; and Julie Mitchell and Brian Fleming, both with 3.11.

The Buffalo Bridge Center offers a regular schedule of in-person and online games Monday through Friday with party games once a month on weekends, usually on Sundays. For more info, visit the club’s 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.

The club hosts a supervised play session for players who want experience and advice to improve their games from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Mondays, which has been a great success. All are welcome. No pre-registration needed. Also popular is the club’s social bridge game just 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 Bridge Center will be closed whenever Buffalo public schools are closed due to the weather. However, if Buffalo schools merely revert to remote learning, then the Bridge Center will be open.

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: Amherst Senior Center, 12:30 p.m. Mondays and Fridays. Tonawanda Senior Center, 12:30 p.m. Wednesdays, is currently on a midwinter break.

Upcoming tournaments

Niagara BCON Sectional – Bridge Centre of Niagara, 2E Tremont Drive, St. Catharines, Ont. Saturday, March 14, and Sunday, March 15. Space is limited. Pre-registration encouraged. 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 Feb. 9 to Feb. 15

Buffalo Bridge Center Monday evening – 0-900 game online. Terry Camp and Jim Hassett, 68.06%; Fran Schmidt and Richard McGowan, 62.50%; Maria Schory and Mike Metzger, 45.83%.

Buffalo Bridge Center Tuesday morning – 0-1,600 game. North-south, (tie) Marilyn Wortzman and Jim Easton, Joanne Nover and David Schott, 55.71%; Paula Rosen and Jim McClure, 50.95%; east-west, Linda Milch and Susan Cardamone, 63.89%; Carol Licata and Ilene Rothman, 60.55%; Ginger Maiman and Marcia Wright, 54.45%; Dennis Daly and Brian Fleming, 48.89%.

Buffalo Bridge Center Wednesday morning – Open game. Martha Welte and Howard Foster, 66.46%; Judy Graf and Allen Beroza, 56.75%; Jay Costello and Bud Seidenberg, 52.98%.

Buffalo Bridge Center Thursday morning – 0-2,000 game. Mary Ball and Joyce Frayer, 61.90%; Joyce Greenspan and Andrei Reinhorn, 53.97%; Joanne Nover and David Schott, 53.17%.

Bridge Club of East Aurora Wednesday morning – Open game. Jan and Carl Hasselback, 64.58%; Sandi England and Kathy Donnelly, 53.13%; Joanne LaFay and Linda Zittel, 51.04%.

Delaware Wednesday evening – 0-2,000 game online. Ed Harman and Bill Rich, 61.11%; Jeff Bender and Henry Chudy, 59.72%; Maria Schory and Mike Metzger, 50%.

Non-sanctioned clubs

Amherst Senior Center Monday afternoon – North-south, Connie Wilson and Miriam Regnet, 70%; Ellen Lochead and Joan Stankiewicz, 55%; east-west, Mary and Jim Atwood, 63%; Nels Larson and Ed Morgan, 56%.

Amherst Senior Center Friday afternoon – North-south, Shirley Cassety and George Mayers, 57%; Paul Orosz and Nels Larson, 52%; east-west, Walt Olszewski and Ed Drozen, 64%; Mary and Jim Atwood, 56%.

Unit 116 Master Point Leaders for Virtual Club Play

Jan. 1, 2026, to Jan. 31, 2026

5-20 Points – Joan Warren, 1.86; Mike Rupp, 0.90; Bob Rupp, 0.68; Susan Mann Dolce, 0.51.

50-100 Points – Anne Slater, 2.03; Kathleen Voigt, 1.40; Jo Ann Smith, 1.12; Mike Metzger, 0.51; Susan Burns, 0.45.

100-200 Points – Jim Hassett, 3.24; Cynthia Tashjian, 2.93; Candace Graser, 2.48; Amy Habib, 1.74; Maria Schory, 1.63; John Houghtaling, 1.12; Fran Schmidt, 0.32; (tie) Jim and Betsy Greno, 0.16.

200-300 Points – Laura Houghtaling, 1.12.

300-500 Points – Maria Amlani, 5.57; Eugene Giorgini, 0.34.

500-1,000 Points – Sushil Amlani, 1.74; Martha Townson, 1.11; Richard McGowan, 0.77; (3-way tie) Jeff Bender, Henry Chudy, Joyce Frayer, 0.41.

1,000-1,500 Points – Vic Bergsten, 4.08; Bill Rich, 0.45; Mary Ball, 0.41.

1,500-2,500 Points – Jim Lanzo, 12.05.

More than 5,000 Points – Saleh Fetouh, 2.71; Dian Petrov, 0.45.

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.