Happy New Year! I’m writing this wish a month in advance, when I’m not ready for Christmas or the new year. I need the time to determine some workable resolutions for the next year. Winning every time I play bridge isn’t one of them. Maybe following suit.

November was a busy month for tournaments. At the BER sectional, Shaila & Hemant Mandpe had a strat top. A Swiss team including Kathy Maxfield & Mindy Foos swept the field. It was rare, but fun, to play 8 rounds of Swiss.

At the Diablo Valley sectional, Li-Chung Chen took first in the two-session open pairs. Eryl Barker had a section top. In the Swiss teams, Teddi & Derek Fiero, Mike Roney & Marilyn Imaoka-Yancey won their bracket.

The following weekend, Li-Chung Chen had a strat top at the East Bay sectional. If I included all the second place finishes at sectionals, I’d run out of room too much of the time. But they can be found online at ACBL.org.

At the Sacramento sectional, Mike Carney had a strat top, as did William Bidermann.

I saw few familiar faces at the nationals in Orlando over Thanksgiving. Those who didn’t go missed short sleeve weather. Fran Dickman’s team was second in the national senior knockouts. Rose Meltzer’s team was 10th in the Reisinger and they won a knockout. Erin Gove took first in a limited pairs game. In regional Swiss events, Jim Tseng had a strat top, as did Mike Cailean, Mansoor Gowani, and Steve Chen. Mike Cailean and Steve Chen teamed up to win a knockout. Steve also had a strat top in a pairs event.

We had another popular wine and cheese unit game right after Thanksgiving. Thanks to Gigi Spinazze and Lynn Yokel for obtaining the snacks. 11 tables enjoyed them. Overall winners were Don Nemiro & Betty De Paolo, with Bill’s Reister and Langlois first in the other direction. Raja Smadi & John Prior were first in their strats.

I hope those of you who are Campbell and Willow Glen residents saw the articles about duplicate bridge that appeared the first week of December in the Campbell Reporter and the Willow Glen Resident. The reporter did a good job and you saw photos of some of your friendly competition. Don’t just toss those weekly newspapers.

I’m hoping the new year sees Jim Hayashi back in the saddle directing on Wednesday nights.

Corrections, additions, and newsworthy items are welcome at rayyuenger@comcast.net or (408)379-7717.