Buffalo Niagsra duplicate bridge notes: September 5, 2026

 

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

Is it too soon to start making plans for the Buffalo Fall Sectional Tournament? It’s taking place in three weeks, from Friday, Sept. 25, to Sunday, Sept. 27, in the Buffalo Bridge Center, 60 Dingens St. off Exit 1 of the northbound I-190. Find out more about it by clicking this link.

Congratulations to Chris Urbanek, who earned the most master points among Buffalo players at the Great Lakes Sectional Tournament Aug. 29 and 30 in Erie, Pa. She collected 6.33 points and was tied for seventh place overall. Also doing well in Erie was the Swiss team of Mike Ryan, Linda Burroughsford, John Ziemer and Davis Heussler, who collected 4.75 points apiece.

Two of those Swiss team members – Linda Burroughsford and Mike Ryan – are among the five people nominated by the Unit 116 nominating committee as candidates for election to the board of directors. Also nominated are David Colligan, Jay Levy and Donna Steffan. 

Unit members will choose from among them in an election during the unit's annual meeting on Dec. 5. Want to be a candidate? Put together a nominating petition, get signatures from at least 25 members in good standing and submit it to the unit's nominating committee at least 60 days prior to the meeting. That deadline is Tuesday, Oct. 6.

The Buffalo Bridge Center has a regular lineup of in-person games Tuesday through Friday with party games once a month on weekends, usually on Sundays. Now that the National Football League season is here, the next party game has been shifted to a Saturday, Sept. 19. 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.

The fall bridge lessons are about to start up at the Buffalo Bridge Center. The first one – a 10-week series on popular bidding and playing conventions – begins this coming Wednesday, Sept. 9, from 2:30 to 4:30 p.m. A second 10-week series, an introduction to Basic Bridge, begins Thursday, Oct. 1, from 1 to 3 p.m. And for anyone curious about the game and wondering how to get into it, there’s a one-time introductory session from 9 a.m. to noon on Saturday, Sept. 19. For more info, call or text Ruth Nawotniak at 716-949-7574.

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. Sadly, the Wednesday game, Delaware Wednesday, has been inactive since mid-March.

In addition, the club hosts a supervised play session for players who want to gain some experience and get some advice to improve their game. It’s from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Mondays and it’s been a great success. Small games now have been added to the session. All are welcome. No pre-registration is required, but things work out better if those interested in supervised play get in touch with Julie Mitchell by calling 845-978-9480 or emailing jkmitchell070121@gmail.com.

Also popular is the club’s social bridge game at 10 a.m. on Tuesdays, which is just for fun. Signup needed for this one. Call Ruth Nawotniak at 716-949-7574 or email at ruth2250@outlook.com. 

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

BCON is bringing back its 199er team championship game after a two-year absence. It's at 6:30 p.m. on Wednesday, Sept. 23, and it’s open to anyone with fewer than 200 master points as of last Jan.1.

BCON also is starting up new rounds of bridge lessons. Beginner Bridge with Selina Volpatti kicks off at 6:30 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 10, and continues for eight weeks. Cost is $200 Canadian. For more info, email lessons@bcon.club.

BCON also has a series of six bidding workshops with Doug Dolbear that are aimed at intermediate and advancing players. First one – on overcalls and partner response – is at 9:30 a.m. Wednesday, Sept. 9. Cost in Canadian funds is $30 each, $160 for all six. Maximum of 12 students per session. Register by emailing dougdolbear@gmail.com.

Other ACBL sanctioned clubs: Bridge Club of East Aurora holds an open game 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 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. The Tonawanda Senior Center game resumes this coming Wednesday, Sept. 9, after being on hiatus for two weeks.

Upcoming tournaments

Toronto Labor Day Sectional – St. Volodymyr Cultural Centre, 1280 Dundas St. West, Oakville, Ont. Today, Saturday, Sept. 5, to Monday, Sept. 7. For more info, click this link.

Pittsburgh Labor Day Regional – Doubletree Meadowlands Racetrack and Casino, 340 Racetrack Road, Washington, Pa. Monday, Sept. 14, to Sunday, Sept. 20. For more info, click this link.

Buffalo Fall Sectional – Buffalo Bridge Center, 60 Dingens St. Friday, Sept. 25, to Sunday, Sept. 27. For more info, click this link.

Rochester Fall Sectional – Gates Community Center, 1605 Buffalo Road (Route 33), Rochester. Saturday, Oct. 10, and Sunday, Oct. 11.

Niagara Open Sectional – Niagara-on-the-Lake Community Center, 14 Anderson Lane, Niagara-on-the-Lake, Ont. Friday, Nov. 6, to Sunday, Nov. 8. For more info, click this link.

Scores from ACBL Live for Clubs

Week of Aug. 24 to Aug. 30

Buffalo Bridge Center Monday evening – 0-900 game online. (Tie) Candace Graser and Cynthia Tashjian, Jim Hildebrand and Susan Mann Dolce, 55.56%; Mike and Jim Hassett, 54.63%; David Schott and Fran Riordan, 50.93%.

Buffalo Bridge Center Tuesday morning – 0-1,600 game. North-South, Larry Himelein and David Schott, 68.50%; Pat Haynes and Maryann Szafran, 62.08%; Ruth Wurster and Mary Terrana, 58%; Paula Rosen and Jim McClure, 50%; east-west, Linda Milch and Linda Zittel, 68.75%; Julie Mitchell and Mike Meacham, 56.25%; (tie) Mary Ball and Mike Segal, Betty Metz and Ruth Nawotniak, 49.58%.

Buffalo Bridge Center Wednesday morning – Open game. Chris Urbanek and Kamil Bishara, 61.57%; (3-way tie) Martha Welte and Howard Foster, Donna Steffan and Jim Gullo, John Ziemer and Mike Ryan, 59.72%; Jay Costello and Bud Seidenberg, 53.24%.

Buffalo Bridge Center Thursday morning – 0-2,000 game. North-south, Paula Rosen and Richard McGowan, 60.95%; Betty Metz and Barbara Landree, 55.24%; Bonnie Clement and David Schott, 52.38%; east-west, Adrian Figliotti and Audrey Ray, 67.22%; Mary Terrana and Paul Zittel, 56.67%; Mary Ball and Joyce Frayer, 55%.

Buffalo Bridge Center Friday morning – Open game. Jay Costello and Bud Seidenberg, 63.19%; Chris Urbanek and Larry Himelein, 58.33%; Judy Graf and John Ziemer, 57.64%; Donna Steffan and Davis Heussler, 56.25%; Judy Zeckhauser and Mike Ryan, 52.78%.

Buffalo Bridge Center Saturday afternoon –Open game. North-south, Judy Graf and Mike Ryan, 60.97%; Jay Levy and Bud Seidenberg, 60.87%; Barbara Libby and Sandi England, 55.08%; Betty Metz and Ruth Nawotniak, 54.95%; Davis Heussler and David Colligan, 54.49%; Martha Welte and Jo Nasoff-Finton, 54.42%; Ann and Joe Williams, 53.27%; Pat Haynes and Agi Maisel, 53.19%; John Bava and Larry Abatye, 52.28%; east-west, Chris Urbanek and Dan Gerstman, 67.44%; Maria and Sushil Amlani, 63.33%; Ed Harman and Jim Lanzo, 61.65%; John Ziemer and Vic Bergsten, 59.76%; Terry and Brian Hamovitch, 55.97%; Linda Zittel and Bert Feasley, 53.53%; Rajat Basu and Mike Silverman, 53%; Mary Terrana and Gordon Crone, 52.56%.

Bridge Club of East Aurora Wednesday morning – Open game. Jan and Carl Hasselback, 57.29%; Marueen Cancilla and Mary Smith, 55.21%; Dan Clark and Dave Larcom, 54.17%; Mary Terrana and Gordon Crone, 52.08%.

Non-sanctioned clubs

Amherst Senior Center Monday afternoon – North-south, Edna and Ron Fill, 67%; Cindy Darone and Rich Kayton, 54%; east-west, Jack Cukierman and Mel Mesnekoff, 63%; Angela Curis and Dan Blatz, 55%.

Amherst Senior Center Friday afternoon – North-south, Ruth Nawotniak and Betty Metz, 59%; Paul Orosz and Nels Larson, 57%; Shrikant Joshi and Ron Helfman, 60%; (tie) David Young and Tim Hartnett, Gus Alfano and James Cook, 54.46%.

A Gold Life Master, Dale Anderson has compiled notes on duplicate bridge activities locally since he began playing in competition more than 20 years ago. 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. Email is dahotwings@aol.com.