District 24 Newsletter.........................Alvin Levy, District Director.........................Volume 2012.1
Published after each NABC

The attendance at the Memphis spring NABC was 9,626, 75 tables more than last year's spring NABC in Louisville, and consistent with attendance at the spring NABC in other similar cities over the past 10 years.  Houston in 2009, 9,728 tables; Detroit in 2008, 8,550 tables; St. Louis in 2007, 10,230 tables; Dallas in 2006, 10,230 tables; Pittsburgh in 2005, 9,596 tables, with similar numbers through 2001.  The exception was Reno, one of our more popular cities, with 12,196 tables in 2010, down 2,700 tables from 2004.

We celebrated the 75th anniversary of the ACBL in grand fashion.  On the first Friday of the tournament there was special entertainment including the Beale Street Flippers and the Reba Russell Band, two of Memphis' most popular entertainment groups.  Of course, the rest of the tournament included evening food and entertainment as well.  Sightseeing tour were planned, including a tour of our new building and bridge museum.  It was a treat taking the trolleys down Main Street to see the many attractions, museums and fine restaurants.

What you don't see at each NABC is all the planning...the years of fund raising, organizing volunteer committees, planning nightly activities and day trips, planning restaurant guides and obtaining discounts. There are so many who volunteer for pairing, prizes, information, etc.  Then there is the ACBL management team working on everything from the Daily Bulletins, updating the websites nightly and planning seminars.

Membership has increased 1,650 from a year ago, to 166,145 on February 29, 2012, the highest figure since the mid-1990s.

Attendance growth at our tournaments for 2011 was relatively flat, with Regional table count dropping 900 tables with two less Regionals (121) in 2011, to 178,186, Sectionals dropped 800 tables with 16 less Sectionals (917 in 2011), to 159,172.  STaC table count was up by 5,680 to 116,098 with 1 less STaC (63) in 2011.

The Cooperative Advertising Program, which subsidizes advertising by clubs, Units and teachers for beginner/newcomer ad campaigns, continues to be utilized.  Teachers and Clubs should take advantage of this program.  For more information go to http://www.acbl.org/marketing/coopAdvertising.html

Memphis ACBL Board of Directors Actions

Rand Pinsky was elected treasurer for a one-year term ending April 30, 2013.

The new NABC Super Senior Pairs will be moved to the first Sunday and Monday of the Fall NABC starting in 2012.

Junior coupons were extended as follows for play at NABCs:

Juniors under the age of 26, and full time students, and juniors under the age of 21, will be entitled to $10 coupons per session, that can be used for any event;

Juniors under the age of 19 can play for free at each session of regionally rated events (all events below NABC events).

A final vote on strength of field (SOF) formula for pair events at Regionals and Sectionals was deferred, pending testing which will begin May 1, 2012.

Top District NABC+ finishers

District 24 players won only one NABC+ event, the Machlin Women's Pairs, won by Judi Radin. There were many high places but not a good showing compared to other NABCs.  Last year at the spring NABC in Louisville, District 24 players won seven NABC+ events, namely: Joel Wooldridge and John Hurd won the Kay Platinum Pairs; Joel also won the Silodor Open Pairs; Joe Grue and Shane Blanchard won the NAOPs; Diana Schuld won the Rockwell Mixed Pairs; Debbie Rosenberg tied for first in the Machlin Women's Swiss; Michael Polowan won the Jacoby Open Swiss Teams; and Martin Fleisher won the Vanderbilt KO Teams.

North American Open Pairs, Flight A: David Gurvich - Ron Haack, 4th; Joe Grue - Shane Blanchard, 7th. (Three entrees from each District)

Lebhar IMP Pairs: Kelley Hwang, 23rd.

Kay Platinum Pairs: Joel Wooldridge, 4th; Zia Mahmood, 6th; Barry Rigal, 8th; Shane Blanchard - Kevin Bathurst, 13th; John Hurd, 18th; Martin Fleisher, 23rd.

Leventritt Silver Ribbon Pairs: Jeffrey Rothstein, 6th; Jeff hand - Gail Greenberg, 14th; Judi Radin - Lynne Taropol, 25th.

Rockwell Mixed Pairs: Scott Levine, 4th; Migry Zur Campanile, 14th.

Silodor Open Pairs: Barry Rigal, 19th; Michael Polowan, 21st.

Bean Red Ribbon Pairs: Norman Trabulus, 17th; Paul Frean, 24th.

Golder North American Pairs Flight B: Robert Forster - Stefano Merlo, 4th.

President's Cup North American Pairs Flight C: Ilana Seror - James Southern IV, 14th.

Whitehead Women’s Pairs: Sylvia Moss - Migry Zur Campanile, 10th; Valerie Westheimer, 23rd.

Machlin Women’s Swiss: Winner - Judi Radin; Valerie Westheimer, 2nd; Sylvia Moss - Migry Zur Campanile, 6th.

Jacoby Open Swiss Teams: Zia Mahmood, 5/6th; Roy Welland, 10th; John Hurd - Joel Wooldridge, 11th; Chris Willenken - Bjorn Fallenius, 14/15th; Brian Glubok, 20th; Sam Lev, 25th.           

Vanderbilt KOs: Kevin Bathurst, 3/4th; Alan Sontag, 5/8th; Marty Fleisher, 9/16th; James Cayne, 9/16th; Roy Wellend, 9/16th; Joel Wooldridge, 9/16th.