We start this month’s column with two messages from the Unit 551 Board. First, they would like to thank all of those who helped make our charity game a success. Special thanks go to Peter Szesci, Francis Katz,Herman Helber, Fred Theurkauf, and Bill Papa for serving as pros for the Pro-Am feature of the event. They would also like to thank all those who bid so generously for the pros’ services. Another special thank-you goes to Tom Lill, who doubled as barbeque chef in the 100 degree heat and as director.
Our second message from the board is more succinct - HELP!!!We desperately need three volunteers to serve on Unit board for next year. The schedule isn’t onerous - one meeting a month - but the unit can’t function without a board that meets minimum ACBL requirements. If you want to keep the unit alive and can spare one hour per month, please contact Penny Barbieri or other board members to offer your services.
In travel news, Roger Boyar is back at the helm of the LaFetra club after a nice cruise to Alaska. Richard Patterson filled in ably as director in his absence. Cordell Goode has returned from a visit with her son in Australia, Genise Hasan from a tour of Europe,and Hans Hehnke from Yellowstone. I went out to dinner in Rancho Cucamonga.
In monthly results, the overall winners of the charity game were Lary Alba and Cordell Goode, with Karen McCarthy and Herman Helber winning in the opposite direction. Others placing were Gary Olson - Suzy Emminger, Eileen Finlay - Peter Szesci, Gabrielle Sill - Larry Bolles, and Kathy Helber - Fred Theurkauf.
Top game of the month was a 68.5% effort by Dave Ruoff and Vito Sartori. Also posting 60%+ wins were Karen McCarthy, Mary Miller, Donald Naf, George Altinus, Richard Patterson, Kurt Trieselmann, Susan Ruoff, Herb Stampfl, Tom Lill, and Pat Radamaker. Other winners were Consuelo Ledbetter, Sue Rottner, Norman Appley, Roger Boyar, Ben Harris, James Rhodes, Meredith Cole, Marilyn Reed, Karen Olin, Lynne Parker, Kathy Helber, and Penny Barbieri.
Finally, our hand of the month is dedicated to those trusting souls who think skill and thoughtful analysis is what wins bridge events. You open 2♠, Vul. Vs. Non-Vul. Your partner, apparently under the influence of one too many diet sodas, sees your bid as 1♠, and responds 1NT! After a discussion of the ramifications only slightly briefer than those at the Constitutional Convention, your RHO decides to accept the bid and bids 2♦, leading to a fairly banal +110 for his side. Average, you say? When you open the scoresheet, you see a column of 1100’s as long as your arm! It seems the auction at every other table went 2♠-P-P-DBL-P-P-P. Your LHO was sitting behind you with six strong trump, an evil heart, and drool on his lips. One player in your seat got a good board for holding it to -800! The moral is: pure dumb luck beats skill every time! Incidentally, I’m thinking of adding a convention called the Insufficient 1NT Response To Weak 2’s to my convention card. Ciao.