SPECIAL GAMES
Unit Games
Membership Dinner & Game
Sun 6/20
Dinner: Fung Lum 5:00PM
Members: Free
Guests:
$20
Game: CCC Big Room
Approx 6:30 PM
Members: Free
Guests:
$8
ProAmNovice Teams
Sat 7/17 7:00 PM
SJBC
Teams organized at
Game Time
Wine and Cheeze Pairs
Sat
8/14 7:00 PM SJBC
NAP Qualifiers
Tue 6/22 & 7/6 7:30PM
Wed 6/23, 7/14 & 7/28 11AM
Club Championships
Tue 6/29 7:30PM
SJBC
Thu 7/1 10 AM Belmont
Wed 7/6 11 AM BridgePoint
Jr. Fund Games
Wed 6/16 &
7/21 11AM
WHAT’S INSIDE?
Prez Sez 1
Unit Promo 1
Top Ten 1
Warzek Obit 1
May-June Results 2
Masthead 3
Idioter’s Corner 3
Promotions 4
Game Times 4
Prez Sez by
Dan Turkus
Can you believe it's June already? I hope you have all
voted, and are anxiously awaiting the results of our elections, which will be
announced at our Unit Dinner at Fung Lum Restaurant on Sunday the 20th. If you don't have a partner yet, come anyway,
as I've heard that there may be a few strays around. We will need some help setting up tables for
the Bridge game after the dinner at around 4:00PM. So please drop by, and help out a little.
In case you haven't
heard, Frank Warzek passed away about three of weeks ago. If you didn't know
him, you missed out on quite a fine player. He will truly be missed!
My long time
partner, George Humphrey, and his wife Dee have sold their house and moved to San Diego. I'm sure we will miss seeing them, also.
We have a really
neat Unit Team game coming up July 17. It will consist of teams of 6 people (2
Pros, 2 Ams and 2 Novices). You will have to ask Jeff Hack exactly how it
works, -- better yet, attend! It should be very interesting. I'm looking
forward to this new and unique format.
On August 14, we are planning a Wine and
Cheese Unit game. If you missed these in
the past, the food is great, and the wine isn't bad either (No two buck
chuck!) In fact, I've noticed the number
of Director calls are in direct proportion to the number of bottles of wine
consumed.
Our next Board
meeting is July 7 at 5:30 PM. If you would like to add your two cents as to
what are Unit can do to make your Bridge experience better, or just want a
slice of pizza, come by!
Well, that's it for
this month, so I'll see ya at the tables. Dan Turkus
Unit ProAmNovice Teams July 17
by
Jeff Hack
Saturday, July 17
we will be having the Pro-Am-Novice Swiss teams. Each team will consist
of 3 pairs: a pro pair, an amateur pair and a novice pair.
For each match,
the pro's will sit in one direction against the pro's of the other team. Both
the amateurs and the novices will sit in the opposite direction and play their
respective opponents. The pro's score will count twice, once with the Am's and
once with the novices on their team.
All the pairs
will be ranked and the top 1/3 will be designated Pros, the bottom 1/3 novices
and the rest Ams. A team may enter with either two or three pairs but the team
may be broken up if it has too many in the Pro or Am division. Pairs may
play up if they want to. All pairs not on a team will be placed on teams.
One warning: we need a number of pairs divisible by 3.
In Memoriam Frank Warzek
by Jim Hayashi
The bridge world lost a
colorful personality recently. Frank Warzek was a good bridge player and used
the same intensity and precision at the bridge table in everything that he did
in life.
Frank was a nuclear engineer from Yonkers, New York. He
started working for General Electric in New York and moved
to San Jose where he was the Responsible Engineer for several nuclear power plants.
He was a very active member of the Elk’s Club and a devoted father to his
children Michael and Michelle.
When I started to play bridge, I played only on
weekends. Then someone asked me to play on a Wednesday night saying, “Swanee
has the best game.” When I arrived at the game I was asked, “What section do
you want to play in? Frank’s or Charlie [Dorn]’s?” This was when I met Frank
for the first time.
Later Frank became my mentor in bridge and my big
brother in life. Frank was a great cook and had me over many times. I would
always look forward to the times he would go to New York because he
usually brought back his favorite New York Polish sausage.
If you played regularly
with Frank, you not only became a partner but also a friend. His favorite
partner was Sachi Miki. Sachi was a delicate looking lady who was as tough as
nails. You had to be tough to play with Frank. Another of his favorite
partners was Jim Foster from Saugus, California whom he would meet to play at tournaments. Sachi’s
and Jim’s deaths were devastating to Frank.
Recently he’s been playing frequently with Olive Tangney, Diane Shannon,
Bill Langlois, Richard Sarsfield and others.
Frank was a frequent tournament winner. The most
memorable win for me was in an event at the Nationals called the National
Industrial Teams in which everyone had to work for the same company. Our team
consisted of Frank, Ron Hamilton, Norm Friedman and me. Frank was already a
Life Master, but the other three of us all became Life-Masters upon winning the
event. In the final session we had a 94% game! Our top results in other
Nationals were a 3rd Overall in both the Men’s Life Master Pairs and
the Blue Ribbon Pairs.
Frank, I’ll miss you!
Top Ten Games May 11-June10
|
1
|
75.21%
|
Celso
& Ching Ravelo
|
6/3
Late
|
|
2
|
70.45%
|
Mich Ravera - Bill Garfield
|
6/10
Eve
|
|
3
|
69.28%
|
Behrooz Tofighrad - Mike Sullivan
|
5/16
Eve
|
|
4
|
68.78%
|
Robert
Freitas - Lu Weakland
|
6/5
PM
|
|
5
|
67.56%
|
Kit
Humphrey - Bill Langlois
|
6/10
AM
|
|
6
|
67.20%
|
Kit
Humphrey - Henri Farhi
|
5/12
Eve
|
|
7
|
66.44%
|
Helen
Mitchell - Billie Mechanic
|
6/7
AM
|
|
8
|
66.27%
|
Karen
O'Connell - Joy Baker
|
6/4
Eve
|
|
9
|
65.78%
|
Frances Dickman - Diane Shannon
|
5/20
AM
|
|
10
|
65.76%
|
Art
Fonda - Susan Cook
|
5/18
AM
|
Wednesday
7:30 PM Oakwood
|
5/12
|
David Gambelin - Helen Mitchell A
Marilyn Campbell - Dan Oneal B
Rekha Nirula - Melinda Foos A/B
Rita Randolph - Shirley Anderson C
Pam Woods - Mich Ravera
C
|
|
5/19
|
Abby
Aldecoa - Larry Miller A
Patricia
& Richard Bader A/B/C
Shirley
Anderson - Rita Randolph B/C
|
|
5/26
|
Bill
Sumner - Gregory Haardt A/B 65.15%
Steve
Bosma - Jack Clinch A
Marilyn
Campbell - Dan Oneal B
Barbara
Soohoo - Nancy Nakamura
|
|
6/2
|
Celso & Consorcia Ravelo A/B 75.21%
Mario & Connie Vazquez A/B
Patricia & Richard Bader C
Daniel Rappaport
- Matt Moore C
|
|
6/9
|
Ted
Finlayson - Elaine Elkin A/B
David
Gambelin - Helen Mitchell A
Dan
Rappaport - Matt Moore C
Mervin
& Shirley Falk B/C
|
Thursday
10:30 AM SJBC
|
5/13
|
Kit
Humphrey - Bill Langlois A
Frances Dickman - Diane Shannon A
|
|
5/20
|
Frances
Dickman - Diane Shannon A 65.78%
Billee Giansiracusa - Rose Meltzer A
Y.E. Chen - Chi Yung Lin B
|
|
5/27
|
Dan
Turkus - Derek Fiero A 65.23%
Earl Wentworth - George Wuschnig B/C
|
|
6/3
|
Carole
Dietz - Tina Pearson A
Billee Giansiracusa - Madie Horton B
|
Thursday 7:00 PM SJBC
|
5/13
|
Dick
Pitzer - Bill Garfield A/B
Heather Cutting - Paul Vevera A
|
|
5/20
|
Joel
Koransky - Stan Batiste A/B/C
Mike Sullivan - Dan Rappaport A/B
Bill Garfield - Mich Ravera C
|
|
5/27
|
Celso
Ravelo - Consorcia/Ching Ravelo A
Eric Yang - Leon W. Lee A
Ron Baron - Alexander Tampilang B
Rekha Nirula - John Prior B/C
|
|
6/3
|
Consorcia/Ching
Ravelo - Celso Ravelo A
Mike Sullivan - Dan Rappaport A
Judy Travis - Bill Garfield B/C
Andre Dermant - Fred Kurzweil B
|
Friday
11:00 AM SJBC
|
5/14
|
Doris
Oelberg - Consorcia/Ching Ravelo
Hugh Roberts - Harry Shannon
|
|
5/21
|
Richard
Jacobs - Malcolm Stewart
Carol &- Mark Maggipinto
|
|
5/28
|
Jean
Franke - Marilyn Payne
Charlotte Miller - Harriet Rounds
|
|
6/4
|
Dan
Turkus - Raja Smadi
Judith Clark - Keith Burnett
|
Friday
7:00 PM SJBC
|
5/14
|
Hemant
Mandpe - Shaila Mandpe A
Donna Webb - Gail Meikle B
Joel Koransky - Maria Allo A/B
Judy Travis - Bill Garfield C
Ed Sutton - Martha Sutton C
|
|
5/21
|
Mary
Harvel - Randy Rice A/B/C
Judy Travis - Bill Garfield A/B/C
|
|
5/28
Team
|
5-way Tie
|
|
6/4
|
Karen
O'Connell - Joy Baker A 66.27%
Judy Travis - Bill Garfield B/C
Norma Epler - Martin Anding A/B
Anna & Wayne Menuz C
|
Saturday
12:45 PM SJBC
|
5/15
|
Margaret Lamey - Jean Bogosian
Dan Hoffman - Sheila Goldshine
|
|
5/22
|
Irv Wentzien - Marion Wentzien
Eric Yang - Malcolm Stewart
|
|
5/29
|
Edward Makowski - Margot Livenspargar
Leslie Durkee - Alexander Tampilang
|
|
6/5
|
Robert Freitas - Lu Weakland 68.78%
Ray Crist - Sandra Pallotti
|
Idioter’s
Corner
Baseball legend Tommy Lasorda once
said, “I’ve decided that I’m going to stop telling other people about my
problems because 80% of the people to whom you tell your problems don’t care and
the other 20% are happy that you have those problems.”
I was reminded of this at the recent Regional tournament
in Sacramento. In one case I
learned what may be a valuable lesson at the expense of two extremely nice guys
(with whom I had actually intended to team up). Bill Root was right when he
said, “The juiciest penalties often come from doubling low level contracts.”
After my first ever strong 1♣ opener, my LHO overcalled 1♠.
My partner doubled for penalties and opponents were -1100 before they were even
sure that they were at the right table. Of course, on the very next board,
opponents suddenly acquired a bit of timidity and failed to compete on a
shapely hand where both sides
could make game. Natural single suited overcalls against opponents’ strong
opening bids are off my card – permanently.
I also learned that Mr. Root was right when he warned
“Don’t double the only contract that you can beat.” Two days earlier in that
same tournament we had opponents who properly followed this advice. My partner and
I bid to a ridiculous 4NT
that just begged to be doubled. Opponents, however, recognized the wisdom and
comedy of letting go of the rope and watching us fall all over ourselves. Can
you say “Down ten”? I knew that you could! Yes, I should have rescued, but how
bad can it be? Well, now you know!
Of course, a few minutes later, I learned the wisdom of
making sure that you understand all of the implications of your options before
exercising them. The auction had proceeded as follows:
Nice Lady Friend Nice Guy Me
1♣ Pass 1♥ 2♥ (1)
2♥ (TD)
1)
Preemptive in the other two suits
TD) Director
called at this point
Nice Lady decided to pass and bar her partner from
bidding for the rest of the auction. Well, this wouldn’t be worthy of comment
if I didn’t get to play 2♥ in a 3-2 fit, now would it?
So, the moral of the story is that the most important
lessons that you learn at the Bridge table may be in seeing the humor of your
own faults. It’s best to leave opponents with both smiles and zeros. If you
can’t achieve that, how about just a grin and an average minus or two? You’ll
win a lot of events with a 60% -- and a lot of friends with a grin!
The Di-Rek’Tor
The Di-Rek’Tor is published monthly by Unit 507 of the American
Contract Bridge League, Campbell Community Center, One West Campbell Avenue,
Building J-68, Campbell, CA 95008. Opinions in articles are those of the
authors and not necessarily those of the Unit Board.
Unit 507 Board
Officers
President
Dan Turkus
Vice President
Ray Yuenger
Secretary
Marshall Yancey
Treasurer
Neal Webb
Sgt. at Arms
Art Fonda
Membership
George Pledger
Ethics
Bill Langlois
Unit Recorder
Carole Dietz
Forum columnist
Ray Yuenger
Unit
Game Coordinator
Gigi Spinazze
Tournament
Coordinator
Tania Moalem
The Di-Rek'Tor Editor
Michael Angelo Ravera
Education/NAOP
Lynn Yokel
D21
Representative
Jeff Hack
Stu
Goodgold
New
Player Representive
Mich Ravera
Unit
507 Club Games
|
Day
|
|
|
Photo
|
|
Phone (408)
|
|
Sunday
|
5:20 pm
|
0-499
Stratified
(Lesson:
5:00 pm)
Monthly
Potluck: 4:30 pm
|
|
Faye
Parsons
|
378-4719
|
|
Monday
|
11:00 am
|
Open
Stratified Hand records
|
|
Bill
Traver
|
379-4490
|
|
Monday
|
7:30 pm
|
0-499
Handicapped
(Lesson:
7:10 pm)
|
|
Al
Becker
|
252-1426
|
|
Tuesday
|
10:30 am
|
Open
Stratified Hand Records Super Chart
|
 
|
Judy
Fisher / Carole Dietz
|
395-0032
/ 395-6360
|
|
Tuesday
|
7:30 pm
|
Open
Stratified Hand Records
|
 
|
Neal
Webb / Ray Yuenger
|
243-9132
/ 379-7717
|
|
Wednesday
|
11:00 am
|
Two
Sections: Open and 0-299 Stratified Hand Records
|
 
|
Rita
Tingley / Bernie Bertonis
|
261-0268
|
|
Wednesday
|
7:30 pm
|
Open
Stratified Hand Records
At
Oakwood
|
|
Bill
Traver
|
379-4490
|
|
Wednesday
|
7:00 pm
|
Open
Stratified Hand Records Super Chart
|
|
Jim Hayashi / Anne Boboricken
|
292-2370
/ 379-2805
|
|
Thursday
|
10:30 am
|
Open
Hand Records Super Chart
|
Jim Hayashi / Anne Boboricken
|
292-2370
/ 379-2805
|
|
Thursday
|
10:00 am
|
0-100
at the Belmont Village
|
|
Ray
Crist
|
738-1444
|
|
Thursday
|
7:00 pm
|
0-999
Stratified (Topics: 6:40 pm)
|
See
Sunday
|
Faye
Parsons
|
378-4719
|
|
Friday
|
11:00 am
|
0-999 Handicapped
(Review: 2:30 pm)
|
See
Monday
|
Al
Becker
|
252-1426
|
|
Friday
|
7:00 pm
|
0-200
Stratified (Lesson: 6:30 pm)
One “Teacher Lifeline” Hand Records
|
 
|
George Pledger / Carole Dietz
|
249-2674
/ 395-6360
|
|
Saturday
|
12:45 pm
|
0-2000
Handicapped
|
See
Monday
|
Al
Becker
|
252-1426
|
All
games are held at the San Jose Bridge Center (408-871-1232) at one W. Campbell
Ave, Room J-68, inside the Campbell Community Center except those identified as
“in Sunnyvale”, “at Belmont Village”, and “at Oakwood. The Oakwood game is held
at the Oakwood Garden Apartments, 700
Saratoga Ave, San Jose. The Belmont Village game is
held at Belmont at 1039 E. El Camino Real between Wolfe Rd and Lawrence Expressway. The Evergreen game is held at
BridgePointe Retirement center at 4855 San Felipe Rd, San
Jose.
All games allow methods and
systems permitted by the ACBL General Convention Chart. Those identified as
“MidChart” or “Super Chart” also permit methods authorized by those charts with
proper disclosure.
Check club postings, visit our
web site at http://www.SJBridge.org or call for the exact dates and times of
the Special STaC and Special Unit games, and of the 499er Potluck.
Games
are often reduced, relaxed, or cancelled during local tournaments.
