Vanderbilt Bridge Calendar

2008 Calender

Message from the Calender Keeper - July & August 2008

Kreal Memorial.  Sue Kreal lost her battle with cancer recently.  A memorial game in her honor is set for Monday, August 4.   Although it is a charity game, this is planned more as an opportunity to fondly remember Sue’s life.  She dearly loved playing bridge.  The charity game will benefit cancer charities, and of course, extra donations will be accepted.

NOTEWORTHY NEWS:

World Wide Pairs

• Congratulations to our best local finishers, Carol Cox and Barbara Zander, who finished 39th in the world and 19th in the US on Saturday. That was out of 5,481 pairs – WOW!  Roslyn and Steve McMahan finished 70th.  We did not do so well Saturday, but Mable Gray and Greg Reichert were our top pair, finishing 325th out of 5,662 pairs.
• Our Saturday results were the strangest I had ever seen.  The results are scored both locally and worldwide.  Usually, the local percentage will be within 1% or so of the worldwide percentage.  Carol and Barbara did not win based on local scoring – they were only 3rd.  But, in general, the N/S scores fell considerably and the E/W scores grew considerably when scored worldwide.  Most pairs moved about 5-6%.   Talk about turning results upside down.
• Special kudos to a couple of 299er pairs who opted to play in the event:  Eva Mendelssohn / Elaine Garafolo and Joy Murphy / Elizabeth Herstek.  Both pairs more than held their own.
• One of the best bridge players ever to come out of Nashville is John Griscom.  He retired to Boca Raton.  He and his partner finished 4th worldwide in the Friday night heat.

Dorothy Derr – The July Bridge Bulletin brought news of her death.  It must have been 20 years ago, but she used to run the Monday night game for several years before moving to Oklahoma.  After leaving, she continued to direct and became a popular sectional director in her neck of the woods.

STaC – We had lots of people who did well in the District 10 STaC the last week of June.  But the best was Coley McGinnis who finished a very close 3rd in the entire tournament with 29.05 points.  Probably could have won if he had only played somewhere Friday morning.

GET YOUR TEAMS TOGETHER. There are quite a few opportunities to play Swiss teams this period.

• 8 IS ENOUGH.  The quarterly date for a Monday night installment comes up July 21.  Remember, in April, we had 23 teams (plus 3 more tables in a pair game).  We should be able to meet or break that record – even with vacations.  Then the August date falls on Sunday, August 20.  Both dates will be staged as unit championships.  There will be sign-up board at the club.  We need to know if you have a team, can help fill out one or need help putting yours together.  We will definitely need A and B players to help fill out teams.  Volunteer and see what a sociable and enjoyable session of bridge it is.  The classification breakdown varies from time to time –  July 21 - C up to 200, B up to 1250, A over 1250
• August 20 - C up to 500, B up to 2500, A over 2500
  Each group is assigned a value: C=1, B=2 and A=3.  Team “value” cannot exceed 8 points.  Your team does not have to add to 8.  In fact, it is unlikely that there will be enough A’s and B’s available.  Don’t worry; the events will also be stratified as to average master points of each team.  Aside from the sign-up sheet,  Pat Williams is a general contact: stopgaap@yahoo.com and 423-6472.

• OPEN. Two dates – Sunday July 20 and Sunday August 3.  The August game is a Unit Championship.  In each of these games, teams will be stratified on the basis of average master points, and will be set depending on the mix that enters the event.

Sunday Games.  All Sunday games will have a start time of 1:15 in July and August.  We have a nice mix of pair and team games planned.  Plus, the Juks will be hosting brunch on three dates. Come on out for a relaxing afternoon of bridge.  It is too hot outside anyway!  Remember, we expect all games to make, but in the unfortunate event one does not …. Guarantee:  If you come to a Sunday game that happens not to have enough people show up to play, you will receive a certificate for a future free play at any club game.  Here is the schedule for this these two months (indicates director in charge):

7/06 – Holiday Weekend Firecracker Pairs (Pat Williams)
7/13 – Pancakes and Pips – Brunch @ 12:30; pair game @ 1:15 – Club Championship (Kristina Juk)
7/20 – Sunday Swiss - (Pat Williams)
7/27 – Lunch with Juks – Brunch @ 12:30; pair game @ 1:15 –NAP Qualifying – (Kristina Juk)
8/03 – Unit Swiss - Open ABC – (Pat Williams)
8/10 – Pancakes and Pips – Brunch @ 12:30; pair game @ 1:15 – NAP Qualifying (Kristina Juk)
8/17 – Unit Swiss – 8 is ENUF – C to 500, B to 2500, A over 2500 – (Pat Williams)
8/24 – Open Pairs – (Pat Williams)
8/31 – Open Pairs – NAP Qualifying (Gardner Dixon)

Other Special Games During the Period.  These include:

• Club Championships - These happen once per quarter.  Extra master points (65% sectional rating) without extra fees.
• July 19 – Saturday night with the Doug & Melanie.  Great snacks.  Club Championship. 
• Friday night, July 18 – ACBL wide International Fund game – Hand Analysis
• July and August – NAP Qualifying – $1 extra fee.  These games provide extra master points at 100% sectional rating, 50% each red and black.  This is the first stage of a national championship that culminates at the spring NABC.  You can play as many of these as you like.  The top 50% of each strat qualifies to the next stage, which is the unit final that will be held in the fall.  From there, you qualify to play n the District final.  Strats are: C is NLMs < 500; B is < 2000; A is unlimited.  Special Note: There are a few extras of these scheduled the last week of August.  Many players will be in Atlanta, so there is an opportunity here for those of you still in town.
• Goodwill Game, Saturday night, August 2 – Last year, a goodwill committee was established for our unit.  Membership is a lifetime honor, and new people will be named each year.  This game is in honor of, and a party for, new and old members of the Unit 179 Goodwill Committee.  This is a Unit Pairs Championship.
• Tuesday afternoon, August 12 – Interclub championship.  Scored across all participating ACBL clubs.  A smaller version of the world wide game.

LOOKING AHEAD – The NAP unit final will be in the early fall.  This will be for B & C only.  Qualification is to the District final.  To infinity….and beyond!

The schedule of games and the directors in charge of them is available on the club website.  Things are subject to change.  Note the director assignments for the Sunday games listed earlier in this document.
Your Input Appreciated

This club exists for its members and the promotion of bridge.  We would like your input.  Let us know if you –

• Have questions or concerns about how things are run.
• Have suggestions for the menu of games offered – types, start times, etc.
• Particularly like or dislike something.
• Have a suggestion for a topic to cover
• Have content to contribute

Contact me as editor and ombudsman:    Pat Williams  423-6472     stopgaap@yahoo.com (note there are two a’s)