February 2003 Column

San Mateo-Redwood City, Calif. Unit

Our Unit Game of Sunday, February 9th will again feature stratified pairs. We’ll socialize at 5:15, dine at 5:30 and play at 6:15 p.m. There’s no March unit game. It’s superceded by our March 8-9 sectional under Fran Ball’s cool hand. Give her a hand. She’ll welcome volunteers. Ellie Stauffer reported, “Our December Holiday Unit Game was a great success. The food, holiday decor and bridge were tops thanks to Sara Rae Miller’s superb organization. Our New Year’s Eve celebration, hosted by Patty Frederick, was well attended. The food, decorations and bridge were wonderful. Patty organized a great party—and clearly, it will become an annual event. Thanks Patty for your tireless efforts in creating a memorable occasion.”

These premier events produced winners at the tables. At the December Unit game: A Overall: Tom & Brian Reis, Cheryl Haines & Arthur Ferman and Lenore Karp & Claude Hughes. B Overall: Donald & Elise Stone, Gisela Block & Loretta Baines and Arline & James Van Ness. C Overall: Sara Rae Miller & Raad Bunni, Carol Gerlach & Charles Wu and Morrie Nelson & Maggie Goodman.

New Year’s Eve winners: A Overall: Hanan Deeby & Bernard Figueiredo, Pauline Berkow & Ron Kauffman and Claude Hughes & Rosemary Clawson. B Overall: Loretta Baines & Iris Darroch, Anita Hilmoe & Beth Bertao and Morrie Nelson & Maggie Goodman. C Overall: Fran Ball & Marjorie Johnson, Zena Stewart & D. Sibbert and Anne Javer & Carol Gonella.

Many silver points were awarded during STAC week. Bob Robbins’ 7.56 edged out Roger Dewes’ and Sal Ignoffo’s totals. The rest of the top ten were: Antoni Baranski, Arlie Lamb, Ted Richmond, Mildred Engelman, Zakir Mohammed, Fred Schiro and Jerry Edelstein. Others who won two events were Mie Thiemmedh, Gordon Binder, Yoko Tanaka, Paul Levine, Judith Dotan Stein, Carol Gonella and Linda Schwarz. Carol Gerlach won 9.50 Gold Silver and Red points between 10/24 and 12/21 and thought she’d made Life Master. After a review, she found herself one tenth of a Silver point short. She’ll live with it but not for long.

Many members, friends and alumni of Unit 498 competed at the Phoenix NABCs. Most illustrious were Steve Weinstein and Rich Pavlicek, Jr. who played with the big boys at the Hyatt Regency qualifying games. Steve, whose father, Art, fathered our unit, ended the year spectacularly to finish sixteenth in the ACBL player of the year competition. Rich wound up in the middle of the pack. Top non-professional finishers were Douglas Dang, Hanan Deeby, Bernard Figueiredo, Paul Cornelius and Xiaodong Zhang. The Phoenix and STAC results are posted on our bulletin board. I’ll also post the amazing adventures of Arlie Lamb and Paul Levine at Phoenix. If you’re running late, need a partner or want to reserve a table call the club: (650) 344-4919. For other club information, see Andrew Binstock’s web site (www.meckwell.com/unit498). E-mail, Fax or leave material for this column in the club suggestion box. Please include your name and phone number in case I have any questions.

—Paul Levine pblevine@juno.com, Fax: (650) 593-2572