Buffalo Niagara duplicate bridge notes: May 2, 2026

 

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

The mentoring program has returned to the Buffalo Bridge Center, 60 Dingens St. off Exit 1 of the I-190.  Experienced players who want to share their knowledge with novices are encouraged to sign up. So should new players who want to pick up tips from the masters. Call Pat Haynes at 716-472-5189 or email phaynes508@roadrunner.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. 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

Pittsburgh Spring Sectional – Cranberry Elks Lodge, 20720 Route 19 North, Cranberry Township, Pa. Thursday, May 7, to Saturday, May 9. 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 April 20 to April 26

Buffalo Bridge Center Monday evening – 0-900 game online. Jim Hassett and Terry Camp, 52.78%; Jeannine and Michel Dupuis, 41.67%.

Buffalo Bridge Center Tuesday morning – 0-1,600 game. North-South, Julie Mitchell and Paul Zittel, 60.07%; Gini Sicignano and Pat Wolcott, 56.25%; Joanne Nover and David Schott, 53.13%; Ilene Rothman and Carol Licata, 52.43%; east-west, Linda Milch and Linda Zittel, 60.72%; Ruth Nawotniak and Betty Metz, 59.52%; Dennis Daly and Brian Fleming, 50%.

Buffalo Bridge Center Wednesday morning – Open game. Martha Welte and Howard Foster, 64.58%; Jay Costello and Bud Seidenberg, 58.50%; John Ziemer and Mike Ryan, 57.50%.

Buffalo Bridge Center Thursday morning – 0-2,000 game. North-south, Pat Haynes and Sharon Wilcox, 64.38%; Judy Zeckhauser and Brian Fleming, 55.63%: east-west, Mary Ball and Joyce Frayer, 63.75%; Julie Mitchell and Walt Olszewski, 58.13%; Nathan and Bill Kross, 52.50%.

Buffalo Bridge Center Sunday afternoon – Open game. North-south, Chris Urbanek and Kamil Bishara, 71.73%; Judy Graf and John Ziemer, 52.68%; Linda Burroughsford and Davis Heussler, 48.81%; (tie) Barbara and Martin Pieterse, Howard Foster and Mike Ryan, 48.51%; east-west, Donna Steffan and Saleh Fatouh, 61.01%; Mary Ball and Joyce Frayer, 58.63%; Pat Haynes and David Whitt, 53.57%; Florence Boyd and Dale Anderson, 52.98%; Tova and Andrei Reinhorn, 50.30%.

Bridge Club of East Aurora Wednesday morning – Open game. Maria and Sushil Amlani, 64.08%; Jim Lanzo and Eugene Giorgini, 55.56%; Joanne LaFay and Linda Zittel, 53.96%; Nancy Kessler and Wilson McClaren, 53.08%.

Non-sanctioned clubs

Amherst Senior Center Monday afternoon – North-south, Shirley Cassety and George Mayers, 60%; Jill and Bruce Brown, 54%; east-west, Angela Curtis and Dan Blatz, 56%; Ellen Lochead and Joan Stankiewicz, 55%.

Amherst Senior Center Friday afternoon – North-south, Shirley Cassety and George Mayers, 60%; Jill and Bruce Brown, 54%; east-west, Angela Curtis and Dan Blatz, 56%; Ellen Lochead and Joan Stankiewicz, 55%.

Tonawanda Senior Center Wednesday afternoon – Mike and Bob Rupp, 67.5%; Susan and Harvey Lichtblau, 63.5%; Rose Bochiechio and Edna Fill, 55%.

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.