Aces Places and Faces April 2007

	ACES, PLACES, and FACES PUBLICATION OF THE FRESNO UNIT OF THE AMERICAN CONTRACT BRIDGE LEAGUE
Volume LIX No 4 April 2007 Special Events Calendar	EDITOR: RICHARD MEFFLEY bridgefresno@hotmail.com (please e-mail to get on e-mail list)

LESSONS FOR BEGINNERS START APRIL 11 First Four Are Free! We are starting a new series of beginning lessons with a new book, a new time, a new teacher, and hopefully many new students who will learn the game. Our teaching program is essential to keeping our membership active. With more people learning the game, more players enjoying the novice, intermediate, open, and tournament games, bridge will thrive. This new lesson series will start on Wednesday morning, April 11 at 9 am. The lessons will continue every Wednesday morning, with the first four lessons free. Mike Molinari will teach the Wednesday morning class. Our Education - Recruitment committee has chosen the book, "Bridge for Beginners and Beyond" by Karen Walker as the textbook for the course. Members can help with the class by telling their friends about the classes and passing out flyers, which are available at the clubhouse. If you know of a bulletin board that has room for a flyer, feel free to post the flyer. We have a reward program - for every student that a member recruits to sign up for the lessons after the first four free lessons, the recruiter gets a free play in the unit game on Sunday or Wednesday night. Tell your friends, neighbors, relatives, and co-workers - bridge school is back in session. CLUB NEWS Top Oakhurst players for March are Don McCartin, Burke Zane, Mike Molinari, Al Crane, and Claire Molnar. Top February Madera master point winners are Bob Mortimer and Everett Bondeson, who won .01 more than Morgan Johnson and Denny Green. Top Fresno master point winner for February was Wanda Cardella, followed by Laura NeVille and Barbara Thacker. Wanda took over the 2007 lead. Top 99er for February was George Efthemon, followe by Sydney Bluestone. Sydney still leads for 2007. March results are in already - check them out. March MP leaders 2007 leaders March 99er leaders 2007 99er leaders John and Della Schnell lead in the unit's series games, with Hugh Miller, Sandy Zovod, and several others right behind. Play in the series games as it continues on Sunday April 22 and Sunday Aprill 29. MEMORIAL FUND Thanks go to Kimi Mochizuki, who made a contribution in memory of Jess McCoy, and to Mary Lou Da Costa, who made contributions in memory of Trudy Andrews, Jess McCoy, and Don Mahaffey. We are pleased to accept any contributions to the Memorial Fund in memory of our friends. The Memorial Fund is used mainly to improve the bridge club facility. PLACES AND FACES Judy Zimmerer was 5th in Flight D in the BCD pairs and fourth in Flight C in the open paris at the Palm Springs sectional. At the Saint Louis NABC, Farid Assemi and Ed Wojewoda were third in the Vanderbilt teams and 23rd in the Jacoby Swiss teams, as well as were second in the knockout teams. The Vanderbilt teams is one of the oldest and certainly most prestigious events that the ACBL holds. That's an impressive accomplishment. Also at the Saint Louis NABC, Jim Tritt and Richard Meffley were 27th in the Silidor open pairs, 35th in the Leventritt Silver Ribbon pairs and 12th in the Jacoby Swiss teams. Shirley Blum and Rick Whitworth were 45th in the Lebhar IMP pairs. Former Fresnan Steve McConnell was 9th in the Lebhar IMP pairs. Welcome back to Cor and Ina Yssels, who have been touring South America. Our condolences go to Maggie Mahaffey, whose husband Don recently passed away. Don never played bridge, but he helped us in many ways. He took our soda cans to be recycled, he repaired the parking lot, and did other things inside to help the bridge club operate smoothly. We will miss him. Our sympathy is extended to the family of Trudy Andrews, who recently passed away. We also are saddened to learn that Gladys Jacobs, a long time former member, passed away in March.	UNIT UPCOMING EVENTS CALENDAR with tournament links California and nearby tournaments Bay Area Tournaments PRO-AM SWISS TEAMS APRIL 15 Sunday April 15 is the date for the annual Pro-Am Swiss teams. Anyone can play - just sign up or come to the bridge club with some food about 12:15 on April 15. Yes, we're having a pot luck....good bridge and better food. Bring a favorite dish - dessert, main course, salad, or whatever you like so we can all enjoy. Nearly every year for the past 50 years we've held this game. You do not need to get a partner or a team together. With pro-am teams, we pick everyone's team for them. We try to get a Life Master to be captain of each team, and pick an intermediate, a 99er player and another player for each team as well. Each team is about equal and nearly everyone gets to try a new partner. Everyone has a good chance to do well. It's fun to play with a new partner - sometimes you learn more things about how others play just by playing with them. Circle April 15 on your calendar and come enjoy new teammates and a new pot luck lunc PEGGY OCHS MEMORIAL GAME MAY 6 The first Sunday in May is a Unit Championship when we remember the players we have lost during the last year and in past years. We'll have a pot luck lunch and talk and reminisce about the great times we have had playing bridge over the years. We honor Peggy Ochs, who directed her games at the bridge club from the 1960's until the early 1980's when she passed away. She taught bridge to many player at Weinstock's department store, many of whom are still playing. Her games at one time were every afternoon and some evenings, too. She was more than a director - she was a hostess who enjoyed opening her bridge club to us. Thanks to her and many others, we still enjoy duplicate bridge at the Fresno bridge club. Come help us remember all of our bridge playing friends. UNIT NEWS The unit board and the building committee have had several meetings of late. Our present building has been in and out of escrow and may be sold soon. We have actively investigated properties, and found one that we like, but at the moment it appears that we may not be able to buy it . We are checking various ways of finance a building, include pledges and selling bonds to our members. We will let our members know when we are in a position to buy. Be prepared if we start a drive soon to raise additional money for a building. We are now part of District 21, which reaches from Fresno to Sacramento and includes all the Bay Area. We need a reprentative to the District 21 board. If anyone who regularly goes to District 21 regionals would like to be appointed, let unit president Richard Meffley know. Draft minutes of unit board meetings will be posted at the clubhouse and will be available on the unit website. PUZZLE You hold: Spades VOID Hearts A654 Diamonds A87 Clubs A96532 Your right hand opponent opens 7 Spades and everyone passes. What is your opening lead? The correct answer is the Ace of Clubs. Your opponent would never open 7 spades with a sure loser outside spades, so he must have mis-sorted his hand with a club in with twelve spades. If you lead a red Ace, declarer will trump, lead a spade to dummy, who holds the 13th spade, and throw his club loser on the now winning red King. LETTER OF THANKS I wish to thank all my wonderful Bridge friends for all the flowers, cards, love and support during my most difficult time. Without your prayers and love I could not have made it!! Thank you, thank you!! Maggie
WINNERS CIRCLE WINTER SECTIONAL OVERALL WINNERS WINTER SECTIONAL RECAP SHEETS February 15 - March 15, 2007 UNIT CHAMPIONSHIP 1A Della Schnell - John Schnell 2A1B Paul Boyd - Michael Molinari 3/4A Ginny Dow - Richard Meffley 3/4A2B Bill Wood - Jill Wood 3B Ray April - Verlee O'Neill GRAND NATIONAL SWISS TEAM 1A John Schnell - Della Schnell - Suzanne Cederborg - Warren Cederborg 2A Jay Roll - Gerard Laquerriere - Richard Meffley - Shirley Blum 1/3B Jim Stefanich - Mary Jo Davila - Rick Betcher - Vivian Betcher 1/3B Rose Boot - Ray April - David Zealear - Diane Zealear 1/3B Jean Kesler - James Sweet - Jean Moats - Laura Neville MEMBERSHIP CHAMPIONSHIP 1A J. Jay Roll - Gerard Laquerriere 2A Manny Dichner - Bert Rettner 3A1BC Steve Sharp - Rick Betcher 2B Robert Endara - Carolyn Lofton 3B2C Judy Jessick - Sally Perring 299 MEMBERSHIP 1 Debbie Levine - Gerald Levine 2 John McGregor - Patrick Carroll 3 John Renna - Tina Renna CLUB CHAMPIONSHIP 1A Margaret Mahaffey - Ginny Dow 2A Norman Woo - Wanda Cardella 3A Bert Rettner - Gerard Laquerriere 1B Delia Green - Mary Jo Davila 2B Barbara Thacker - Doris Frazer MADERA CHAMPIONSHIP 1A Everett Bondeson - Bob Mortimer 2A Denny Green - Morgan Johnson 3A Bob Johnson - Richard Meffley 1B Larry & Gay Slates 2B Pearl McGinnis - Barbara Brock 3/4B Rose Wheeler - Martha Conley 3/4B Betty Eden - Dan Cartego RESTRICTED CLUB CHAMPIONSHIP 1A Marion Krohn - Verlee O'Neill 2A Barbara Thacker - Jim McKoane 3/4A1B Jackie Noblat - Barbara Taniguchi 3/4 Delia Green - Laura Neville 2B Mary Lloyd - Frank Goeddel 3B Kim Morris - Kay Chrisman 1C Martha Franks - Betty Swartz 2C Patricia Creede - Lorraine Elia 3C Howard Reed - Pat Simpson 750 CHAMPIONSHIP 1A David Zealear - Diane Zealear 2A1BC Marlene Robinson - Patricia Biddy 3A Carol Miller - Suzanne Graham 2B Pat Simpson - Howard Reed 3/4B2C John Oakshott - Peggy Oakshott 3/4B Susan Vildosola - Dolores Beebe	OAKHURST WINNERS Paula Oliver- Blake Fuessenich Bobbie Schlagel- Thelma McDonald Don McCartin- Corey Cole Burke Zane- Al Crane Don McCartin- Mike Molinari ( 2 ) Claire Molnar- Karen McCartin ( 2 ) Ken Doig- John Pickering Jim Honeywell- Everett Bondeson Burke Zane- Al Ellis Corey Cole- Al Crane Morgan Johnson- Bob Mortimer ( 2 ) BAROMETER Victor Greener - David Haberstich Judy Jessick - Mary Jo Davila[B] SPECIAL Martha Waller - Imogene Camp Barbara Thacker - James Sweet[B] Ron Licata - Sharon Peterson[C] Gerard Laquerriere - Curtis Reeves Michael Molinari - Barbara Thacker[B] Sandra Zovod - D Zody[C] Doris Frazer - Alan Hakes Wanda Cardella - Verlee O'Neill Mildred Ashworth - Jim Stefanich Bert Rettner - Larry Cavanaugh Mary Lloyd - Dorothy [B] Olivia Stockton - Annie Chiljian[C] Howard Reed - Pat Simpson Robert Endara - Carolyn Lofton Mun Takeda - Vivian Betcher[B] Annie Chiljian - Judy Jessick[C] Bert Rettner - Norman Woo Doris Frazer - Alan Hakes[B] Wanda Cardella - Verlee O'Neill Alma Griffin - Charlotte Maschke[B] Judy Nicholson - Jim Stefanich[C] Mary Jo Davila - Linda Ash[C] Judy Dodd - William McCormick, Jr. VALENTINE'S SPECIAL Monique Irion - Kazue Iwatsubo Margaret Mahaffey - Wanda Cardella David Zealear - Diane Zealear[B] 750 SPECIAL George Efthemon - Alan Button John Oakshott - Peggy Oakshott[C] Juanita Mason - Roberta Beam Linda Coppersmith - Carole Olson[C] John Oakshott - Peggy Oakshott Linda Sims - Angelina Heisdorf Sydney Bluestone - William McCormick, Jr. C.J. McPike - Patricia Creede[B] Marnie Powell - Judy Nibler[C] 299ER SPECIAL Mary Ann Clark - Beverly Little Andrew Jones - Kathy Jones[C]
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