DISTRICT 24 NEWSLETTER Alvin Levy Volume 99.2
published after San Antonio NABC, July 21-31, 1999
District Players win most NABC+ Events
It's Official…Bridge is an Olympic Sport
Orbis World Bridge Championships
Board of Director’s Actions in San Antonio
San Antonio's NABC site offered players the charming and convenient River Walk with its many restaurants and shops. The host hotels were near the Convention Center, where most Regional events were held. There was something to do every evening, with great entertainment at the Marriott River Walk, and a bar area at the Marriott Rivercenter that found many players unwinding with friends.
Overall it was a well-run tournament with ample playing space and excellent Daily Bulletins. Even the midnight games were run with a good mix of fun and decorum. The final table count was a better-than-expected 12,281 tables.
There were some minor complaints. Some players complained that the food offered at the Convention Center was overpriced and limited in variety and quality (management will be paying more attention to this kind of situation in the future). At the Board of Governors meeting there was a strong sentiment that section overall finishers of all events should be printed in the Daily Bulletin (only the top section finishers of Intermediate and Novice games were printed).
There is always much more going on at NABCs than just playing bridge. NABCs bring together administrators, teachers, club owners, and expert contributors to the game. San Antonio was typical. In addition to the Board of Directors' meeting, there were many behind the scenes work activities going on, including: national committee work (Competition and Conventions, Open and Women's International Team Trials, Internet Advisory); meetings of the Laws Commission, the Charity and Educational Foundations, the Board of Governors, and various teaching organizational meetings. Many players contribute their expertise by serving on committees and many administrators and teachers stay and play bridge.
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District 24 Players win most NABC+ Events
District 24 players had great success in NABC events, with a winner in five of the seven regular NABC events held in San Antonio.
A major win for Sam Lev, playing with John Mohan, in the prestigious six-session Life Master Pairs. Congratulations also to second place finisher, Brad Moss, playing with Fred Gitelman.
GNYBA Board member, Andrew Rosenthal, won the Red Ribbon Pairs, playing with long distance partner, Jennifer-Jo Hartman of Spokane, WA.
Lisa Berkowitz (Beth Palmer, Lynn Deas, Rozanne Pollack, Carol Sanders, Connie Goldberg) won the Wagar Women's KO Teams. Finishing 5/8 were Susan Wexler, and on a different team, Judi Radin-Sylvia Moss.
Nick Nickell (Richard Freeman, Bob Hamman, Paul Soloway, Jeff Meckstroth, Eric Rodwell) won the Spingold KO Teams. Nickell has captained the winning Spingold team in six of the last seven years. Another high finish for Sam Lev, placing 3/4 with New Yorkers Michael Polowan and Jaggy Shivdasani. A good showing by Janet and Mel Colchamiro finishing 5/8. They were the highest finishers in 25 years playing on a two couple team.
Zia Mahmood (Lynn Baker, Karen McCallum, Matt Granovetter) won the Mixed Board-A-Match Teams. Other high local finishers were John Solodar, 4th, and Jill Levin, 5th.
District players finishing high in other NABC events include Mark Feldman, finishing 6th in the IMP Pairs, partnered with Ron Gerard, and Alan Truscott, on the 8th place team in the North American Seniors Swiss.
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The Hall of Fame banquet took take place at the start of the tournament. This glamorous event was full of emotion, especially with the tributes paid to inductee Bobby Goldman. Goldman, who died unexpectedly in May, joined Bob Hamman, Ted Lightner, Al Sobel, Margaret Wager, Katie Wei-Sender and Michael Gottlieb, as the newest members entering the Hall of Fame.
The current yearly selection process starts with nominations from the Hall of Fame committee. There are two nomination categories, living and deceased players. Living nominees must be at least 60 years old. Ballots go to the top masterpoint holders, journalists, and administrators. The top vote getter in each category is elected. Others elected, with a maximum of two in the living category, must be named on at least 50% of the ballots cast. The nominating committee also selects two Hall of Fame inductees - the recipients of the von Zedtwitz and Blackwood awards.
It's Official…Bridge is an Olympic Sport
Jose Damiani, president of the World Bridge Federation, announced that the International Olympic Committee has named the WBF as a Recognized International Federation. This means that the IOC now recognizes bridge as a mental sport. The IOC has three categories of sports, physical, mental, and mechanical (car racing, for example). The WBF is making a major effort to include bridge as part of the Winter Olympics. However, there are many slopes to navigate - the Olympics currently contains only physical sports, and the Winter Olympics contains only those physical sports that are held on ice or snow.
As a preview of what the Olympics might hold, the IOC will host a second Olympic Grand Prix bridge tournament at its headquarters in Lausanne, Switzerland, this September, one year after its first bridge tournament. There will two events – an open team event between six teams selected from around the world, including one North American team, and a women’s event in which four North American pairs will play against four European pairs.
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Orbis World Bridge Championships
The Orbis World Bridge Championships, to be held in Bermuda from January 7-21, 2000, will include the 2000 Bermuda Bowl and Venice Cup. The 2000 Bermuda Bowl marks the 50th anniversary of the event, and by design, is being held in Bermuda, site of the first Bermuda Bowl.
For the Bermuda Bowl, U.S. I is the same Nickell team (see above) that won the San Antonio Spingold, and U.S. II is Jeff Wolfson-Neil Silverman, Lew Stansby-Chip Martel, Zia Mahmood-and Michael Rosenberg. For the Venice Cup, U.S. I is Jill Meyers-Randi Montin, Tobi Sokolow-Janice Molson, Shawn Quinn-Renee Mancuso, Ron Smith, npc. U.S. II is Lynn Deas-Beth Palmer, Sue Picus-Lisa Berkowitz, Rozanne Pollack-Connie Goldberg, Karen Allison, npc.
Other events to be held as part of the Orbis World Bridge Championships are the World Transnational Open Teams, to be played during the second week of play, open to all bridge players from around the world. Also part of the games will be the Orbis World Computer Bridge Championships, pitting the best bridge playing computer programs from around the world, with over $5,000 in prize money to top finishers (I am the organizer and coordinator of this event). For more info on events and reservations, see http://www.bermudabowl.com/
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Board of Director’s Actions in San Antonio
The Edgar Kaplan Blue Ribbon Pairs
The prestigious Blue Ribbon Pairs will now be even more prestigious, as it's new name will be the Edgar Kaplan Blue Ribbon Pairs. Kaplan is a member of the ACBL Hall of Fame and the WBF Committee of Honor. Edgar won many NABC+ events, including the Blue Ribbon Pairs with his favorite partner and long time friend, Norman Kay…fittingly they won in San Antonio. Kaplan excelled in more areas of the game than any bridge player did who ever lived. A great writer, editor, viewgraph commentator, theoretician, teacher, international team captain, ACBL Board member, and the recognized authority on the laws, Edgar unselfishly gave his time and expertise to the game. This honor is a small token of the Board of Directors appreciation to the man who most influenced the game.
While not usually mentioned, Edgar revolutionized the game. As a young player he didn't take kindly to the use of hesitations or gestures as a method of communicating. At the highest level this practice took place without criticism. Being a purist, sportsman, and a gentleman, Edgar fought hard to change this practice and succeeded. Now the use of unauthorized information is dealt with in an organized and judicial manner. Edgar may have single-handedly saved the game.
A final comment on the selection of the Blue Ribbon Pairs as an appropriate event to name after Edgar Kaplan…I chaired a small committee that had been searching for an appropriate event, and while a team event might have seemed more appropriate, none were available. Even though Edgar was associated with team events more than pair events, he did enjoy playing in the Blue Ribbon Pairs, playing in the event at every opportunity.
Unit Mini-McKenney and Ace of Clubs Awards
To be eligible for an award in a Mini-McKenney and Ace of Clubs race, a player must be a member of that Unit for more than six months during the year, and not need be a member on the last day of the year. Up to now a player had to be a member of a Unit on December 31 to be eligible for an award, so a player could become a Unit member late in the year and win an award.
I sponsored this motion. Last year the old formula affected one of the GNYBA races. While no one did anything wrong, the application of the then current conditions of contest appeared unfair. By a vote of 24-1 the Board agreed.
New Grand National Team Flight
The GNT competition is revised to have 4 Flights.
Flight C: non-LM up to 500 MPs
Flight B: 0-2000 MPs
Flight A: 0-5000 MPs
Championship Flight: unlimited MPs
This format will start with the 2000/2001 qualifying stage.
Players with less than 5000 MPs are no longer competing in the Flight A District qualifying event, mostly because they don't think they have a chance to win. Every District has a different experience, but most Districts agree that this new format might help to increase participation.
Choice Pairs - a new tournament event
Choice Pairs is a new event that can be run by any sponsoring organization. The format is to schedule three sessions during one day (morning, afternoon, and evening, for example), and a pair plays in any two of the three sessions. During the session that a player is not playing in, they may play in any other event.
Strats of Intermediate/Novice and Flight C
Up to five strats can be held in a one-session event with an upper limit of 300 or less masterpoints.
Flight C events (two sessions) may be broken up into as many as three strats.
Entry Fee Differential for Unpaid LMs
A motion came before the Board to repeal the added session entry fees at Regionals ($1) and sectionals ($0.50) for non-service paying LMs. The motion was defeated by a vote of 20-5
For all Sectionals and Regionals beginning after July 1999, the sponsoring organization is urged to charge at least the above mentioned increased fees. The sponsoring organization can keep the added entry fees without paying an increased sanction fee, but if they do not charge these fees they must remit an extra $1/$0.50 for each Regional/Sectional session played by a non-member or non-service paying LM. Charity events and events limited to players with less than 20 mps are exempt.
Fee Waived at StaCs
The added $0.50 per player that is required to collect at Sectionals, from non-members and non-service paying LMs, is waived for Sectional Tournaments at Clubs.
I sponsored this motion after the issue was raised at a GNYBA Board meeting. The collection of these moneys would have been a nightmare and was recognized by the ACBL Board, as they voted unanimously to remove them.
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Bridge entrepreneurs…Funds, limited to 50% of the cost of advertising, up to $250, are available to Units, clubs, bridge teachers, etc. Eligible media are radio, TV, newspapers, magazines, direct mail, and flyers. Advertisements must meet certain specifications. For specific details, call Jean Patterson, 901-332-5586, x295
Masterpoints on the Internet
Check your mp total online. Go to the "Members" option on the ACBL Home Page at www.acbl.org
Great new software for beginning bridge players…Learn to Play Bridge…a program commissioned by the ACBL and developed by Fred Gitelman. The program can be downloaded for free from the ACBL Web Page. If you know a potential new player direct them to the ACBL Home Page.
DISTRICT NEWS
For the second year in a row Honors topped all ACBL clubs in the number of tables played in regular sanctioned games. Last year Honors narrowly overtook Jourdan's of Boca Raton. This year Honors far surpassed all ACBL clubs with 16,900 tables (special games are not included), over 2,750 tables more than any other club. District 24 has five more clubs in the top 25 list. In order of finish, they are Bridge School of Long Island, Vanderbilt Bridge Club, FrankLin Bridge Center, 110 Bridge Club, and Beverly Bridge Club. District 24 and District 9 (Florida) top all Districts in the number of top 25 clubs. Bridge is thriving in our District.
Any comments or suggestions? Let me know!
Alvin Levy
22 Hamlet Drive
Commack, NY 11725
516-858-9225
allevy@aol.com
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