Buffalo Niagara duplicate bridge notes: April 4, 2026

 

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

The Buffalo Spring Sectional Tournament opens Friday, April 10, and continues to Sunday, April 12, in Buffalo Bridge Center, 60 Dingens St. off Exit 1 of the I-190. Friday and Saturday feature pairs games at 10 a.m. and 2:30 p.m. Swiss teams competition begins at 10 a.m. Sunday. For more info, click this link.

Wrapping up this weekend is the Toronto Easter Regional in Sheraton Centre Toronto Hotel, 123 Queen St. West. There are pairs games at 10 a.m. and 2:30 p.m. today, Saturday, April 4, and Swiss teams games in three bracketed flights at 10 a.m. on Easter Sunday, April 5. For more info, click this link.

Further on down the road, less than 90 minutes away, is the Rochester Spring Sectional on Saturday, April 18, and Sunday, April 19, in the Gates Community Center, 1605 Buffalo Road (Route 33), Gates. For more info, click this link.

The Buffalo Bridge Center is starting two new sets of classes this month for beginners who want to step up their skills. A 10-week course, Competitive Bidding, begins Thursday, April 9. Classes run from 1 to 3 p.m. Fee is $175. For info and registration, call or text Ruth Nawotniak at 716-949-7574 or email ruth2250@outlook.com. Another 10-week course, Bridge Basics Part I, starts Wednesday, April 15, and will be held from 2:30 to 4:30 p.m. Fee is also $175. For info and registration, call or text Joyce Frayer at 716-984-3570 or email joycefrayer@gmail.com.  

The Bridge Center also offers a regular schedule of in-person and online games Monday through Friday with party games once a month on weekends, usually on Sundays. The game next month will be on Sunday, April 26. 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.

Online games hosted by the Bridge Center at 7 p.m. Monday and Wednesday have been transferred from Bridge Base Online to a new platform, RealBridge. For more info, including a player guide, visit realbridge.online.

In addition, the club hosts a supervised play session for players who want experience and advice to improve their game from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Mondays, which has been a great success. Small games now have been added to the session. 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. 

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: Games are held at 12:30 p.m. Mondays and Fridays in the Amherst Senior Center and at 12:30 p.m. Wednesdays in the Tonawanda Senior Center.

Upcoming tournaments

Toronto Easter Regional – Sheraton Centre Toronto Hotel, 123 Queen St. West, Toronto, Ont. Today, Saturday, April 4, and 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 (Route 33), 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. Tuesday, June 23, to Sunday, June 28. For more info, click this link.

Buffalo Summer Sectional – Buffalo Bridge Center, 60 Dingens St. 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 (Route 33), Rochester. Saturday, July 25, and Sunday, July 26.

Scores from ACBL Live for Clubs

Week of March 23 to March 29

Buffalo Bridge Center Monday evening – 0-900 game online. Judith Ciccio and Michael Lipnick, 56.25%; Francis Riordan and David Schott, 53.75%; Cynthia Tashjian and Candace Graser, 52.50%.

Buffalo Bridge Center Tuesday morning – 0-1,600 game. Barbara Landree and Paul Zittel, 60.03%; Marilyn Wortzman and Jim Easton, 55.03%; Joanne Nover and David Schott, 53.15%; Pat Haynes and Brian Fleming, 48.96%; Linda Zittel and Susan Cardamone, 48.93%.

Buffalo Bridge Center Wednesday morning – Open game. Mike Ryan and John Ziemer, 57.14%; Martha Welte and Howard Foster, 56.55%; Judy Graf and Allen Beroza, 55.36%; Jay Costello and Bud Seidenberg, 52.98%; Tova Reinhorn and Linda Burroughsford, 50%.

Buffalo Bridge Center Thursday morning – 0-2,000 game. Marilyn Wortzman and Jim Easton, 56.25%; Linda Marsh and Art Ziller, 55%; Julie Mitchell and Brian Fleming, 53.75%; Joyce Greenspan and Andrei Reinhorn, 50%.

Buffalo Bridge Center Friday morning – Open game. Barbara and Steven Grzegorzewski, 58.33%; (3-way tie) Tova and Andrei Reinhorn, Pat Levy and Jim Overcasher, Jay Costello and Bud Seidenberg, 54.17%; Howard Foster and Mike Ryan, 52.78%; Judy Graf and John Ziemer, 50%.

Bridge Club of East Aurora Wednesday morning – Open game. Paul Zittel and Bert Feasley, 63.10%; Mary Terrana and Gordon Crone, 53.57%; Nancy Kessler and Wilson McClaren, 52.38%; Joan Ciszak and Kathy Donnelly, 51.19%.

Delaware Wednesday evening – Open game online. Art Morth and Don Wright, 59.38%; Mary Ball and Joyce Frayer, 57.50%; Jim Hassett and Terry Camp, 54.38%.

Non-sanctioned clubs

Amherst Senior Center Monday afternoon – Mary and Jim Atwood, 65%; Shirley Cassety and George Mayers, 56%; Edna and Ron Fill, 53%.

Amherst Senior Center Friday afternoon – Shirley Cassety and George Mayers, 67%; Edna and Ron fill, 62%; Jill and Bruce Brown, 52%.

Tonawanda Senior Center Wednesday afternoon – Mike and Bob Rupp, 63.75%; Ann Dunlop and Pat Sexton, 57.5%; Joanne Biondo and Rose Bochiechio, 50%.

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.