ACBL District 16 Scorecard

Volume 58, No. 2

ItMarch/April 2026

President’s Message

By Jamie Southerland President District 16

is a pleasure to write to you for the first time as president of District 16. I look forward to serving our members over the next two years and want to begin by briefly introducing myself.

About Me

I came to the game of bridge relatively recently, first playing socially in late 2019. After retiring in 2020, I was able to devote more time to the game, playing regularly online and learning as best I could during a period when in person lessons were unavailable. Like many newer players, I benefited greatly from the generosity of more experienced players who offered advice, encouragement, and occasional partnerships. Those experiences not only helped me grow as a player but also showed me the value of a supportive bridge community, something I hope we continue to foster throughout District 16.

That spirit of giving back led me to serve in several roles over the past few years, including treasurer of Unit 207, executive treasurer of District 16, trustee and treasurer of the ACBL Charity Foundation, and most recently as a club director. I have enjoyed using my skills to support a community that has given me so much, and that perspective will guide my work as your president.

Focus

Going forward, my focus will be on you – our

members – and on ensuring that District 16 operates efficiently, transparently, and in ways that enhance your bridge experience.

Barbara Phillips Lone Star Regional

The recently concluded Barbara Phillips Lone Star Regional (LSR) in Houston presented a number of challenges, including significant weather related disruptions. Co-chairs Betty Starzec and Brigitte Sandifer did an outstanding job adapting to changing circumstances and keeping the tournament running smoothly. We are grateful for their hard work and dedication.

New District 16 Officers

During the LSR, the Board of Directors met and elected officers. The Executive Committee for the next two years is as follows:

• Jamie Southerland – President

• Kristen Onsgard – First Vice President

• Scott Nason – Second Vice President

• Linda Drake – Executive Secretary

• Jamie Southerland – Executive Treasurer

• Jack LaVigne – Immediate Past President

This strong and experienced team brings continuity and leadership, and I look forward to working closely with them as we move the district forward.

ACBL District 16

Upcoming D16 Tournaments

March 5-7 Beaumont Spindletop Sectional

March 7-8 Austin Texas Capital 0-200 Sectional

March 12-15 Austin BCA Mardi Gras Sectional

March 13-15 San Angelo Texas Independence Local Sectional

March 17-22 San Miguel de Allende Regional

March 18-21 Dallas Spring Sectional

March 19-22 Spring [Houston] Spring 499er Sectional

March 20-21 Dallas D16 GNT (A & C) Finals

March 29-31 Arlington Spring NLM Sectional

March 30-April 5 D16 Royal STaC

April 10-12 Houston Steve Vaughn Election Sectional

April 11-12 Houston D16 GNT Finals: Championship & B

April 17-19 Lubbock April Showers Sectional

April 18-19 Austin Spring 0-200 Sectional

April 23-26 San Antonio Roxana Tom Sectional

April 30-May 3 Austin Spring Sectional

May 11-17 Fort Western DFW Regional

June 5-7 Midland Sectional

June 6-7 Austin NLM Sectional

June

June

June

District 16 Officers

President First Vice President

Jamie Southerland Kristen Onsgard

Second Vice President Executive Secretary

Scott Nason Linda Drake

Executive Treasurer Immediate Past President

Jamie Southerland Jack LaVigne

Committee Chairs

Awards Charity

Jerry Harrington Karen Nussbaum

Membership Teacher of the Year

Juanice Welch Sam Khayatt

Tournament

Tomi Storey Coordinators

Education Grand National Teams

Patricia Herrera

Scott Nason

Marketing/Publicity Intermediate/Newcomer

Lauri Laufman

Sam Khayatt

STaC North America Pairs

Daniel Jackson

Larry Davis

Financial Verifier Recorder

Jim Woodward

Larry Davis

NABC Correspondent Tournament / Sanction

TBD Applications

Scott Humphrey Lecture Series

Dolores Aquino (I/N), Patricia Herrera (Spanish) &

James Moody (Zoom®)

Website Team

Beth Tobias, Ken MacMorran, Sue Caufield & Evvie

Gilbert

District 16

Scorecard Editor

Evvie Gilbert

For Submissions, Omissions or Errors, send an email to: D16-ScorecardEditor@d16acbl.org

IbeginRegional Director's Update

By Rebecca Brown Region 9 Director

with the sad news of the sudden death of BJ Sanders, who was slated to be the new District 16 President. BJ was respected and liked by all and served as Unit 207 representative and executive secretary to the D16 Board and successfully chaired the 2021 Fall NABC. We will all miss her. You can read more about BJ in this issue.

2025: Connected We Grow –

The year in review for the ACBL

In 2025, the ACBL continued to advance its mission to promote, grow, and sustain the game of bridge – strengthening connections across the membership while expanding opportunities to play, learn, and engage with the broader bridge community.

Centennial Celebration of Contract Bridge

ACBL celebrated the 100th anniversary of Contract Bridge, marking the development of the scoring system that shaped the modern game. From October through December, clubs and events worldwide hosted Contract Centennial Games, offering special glitter point opportunities and honoring the game’s enduring legacy.

Community Club

The expanded Community Club experience further unified face-to-face clubs and online play, allowing players to earn the same “glitter” Masterpoints® in both settings. This continuity reinforced local club connections while supporting flexible participation across the League.

Sapphire Recognition Program

The Sapphire Program gained momentum as a milestone-based recognition system for new players. By rewarding participation, learning, and engagement with badges rather than traditional masterpoints, (which badges can be converted to masterpoints) Sapphire helps build confidence, sustained involvement, and tracking for clubs and recruiters early in a player’s bridge journey.

JumpStart Bridge Outreach

JumpStart Bridge achieved significant growth in 2025, with 38 exhibit booths at educational conferences nationwide. As a result, 366 teachers in 23 states ordered bridge teaching materials, enrolling more than

13,000 students and expanding youth exposure to the game

BridgeBattle -– A New Entry Path

ACBL launched Bridge Battle (formerly BridgeWar), a simplified trick-taking format designed to welcome newer players. Offered both online and in person, BridgeBattle provides an accessible introduction to bridge concepts and serves as a pathway to deeper engagement with the game.

Expanding Strategic Online Partnerships

ACBL strengthened its digital presence through partnerships with multiple sanctioned online platforms awarding ACBL Masterpoints, broadening access to play beyond traditional in-person settings. By year-end, sanctioned platforms included Bridge Base Online, Funbridge, IntoBridge, OKbridge, RealBridge, and Shark Bridge.

Highlights included the ACBL Centennial Event Series on Bridge Base Online, the launch of sanctioned tournaments on Funbridge, the introduction of masterpoints on IntoBridge Ranked Games, RealBridge’s approval as an e-Club platform for 2026, and the addition of RSVP Bridge to the sanctioned ecosystem. Long-standing partner The CommonGame continued to support club communities with additional partnerships under active discussion.

Governance

The ACBL Board of Directors election was held in November with the following results:

• Cindy Shoemaker (Region 10), Board President

• Dennis Carman (Region 5), Vice President

• Joann Glasson (Region 3), Treasurer

• Newly elected Directors: Sue Miguel (Region 2) and Cornelia Gould (Region 11)

We are looking forward to a terrific 2026! The summer NABC will be in Minneapolis and the Fall NABC will be in San Diego. Make your plans to come and have fun!

Please feel free to email me with questions and concerns at Region9Director@acbl.org

See you at the table!

Sabine Neches

Local Sectional

March 5 - 2026 7

Local Director Ed Rasmussen

Tournament Location

Schedule of Events

Beaumont Bridge Studio 950 North Street, Beaumont, TX 77701

409-838-2447

Hotels

MCM Eleganté Hotel and Convention Center I10S, Beaumont 77705 2355 (409) 842- 3600

3755 Ih-10S, Beaumont, TX, 77705, (409)842-5646

Thursday, March 5th

Stratified Open Pairs Single sessions ( 9:30a & 1:30p )

Stratified 499er Pairs (Single sessions 9:30a & 1:30p )

Friday, March 6th

Stratified Open Pairs (Single sessions 9:30a & 1:30p )

Stratified 499er Pairs (Single sessions) 9:30a & 1:30p

Saturday, March 7th

Entry Fees

Sessions: $12 per person per session Note: $16 per session for unpaid ACBL member (CASH only)

Stratification and Awards

Open: A (2000+) B (750-2000) C (0-750)

499ers: A(300-500) B(100-300) C(0-100) - - -

**This is a ZeroTolerance & No -80 % Silver 20%Black Points Fragrance Tournament. **

Stratified Open Pairs (Single sessions) 9:30a & 1:30p

Stratified 499er Pairs (Single sessions) 9:30a & 1:30p

Tournament Chairs

Valerie Townley-Smith 409-504-6374 valts@att.net

Susan Pennington 409-670-7546 spennington@gt.rr.com

Partnership Chair

Linda Briggs 409-960-2927

richardlindabriggs@gmail.com

Join Us for a great time Playing Bridge in Southeast Texas

As always, entry fee includes coffee, snacks and lunch !

The Most Beautiful Game in the World ♠

By Patricia Herrera D16 Education Coordinator

Bridge is the most beautiful game in the world – but it is also one of the most psychological. We spend countless hours studying conventions, combinations, defensive signals and bidding approaches; yet many times we devote very little attention to one of the most decisive elements at the table: confidence.

In bridge, confidence is clarity of mind under pressure and the quiet trust that exists between partners. Let’s not confuse confidence with arrogance or stubbornness. Confidence does not mean perfection. It means resilience.

Bridge is a complex interplay of strategy, communication, and psychology – and that psychology applies not only to reading opponents, but to how we treat our partner.

To be a good player and partner, it is crucial to strengthen not only technical skills, but also the emotional environment at the table. And here is something we do not talk about enough: as partners, we have the power to build or quietly erode each other’s confidence.

A single reaction can change the atmosphere of an entire session: a raised eyebrow, a visible sigh, a comment like, “Why did you do that?” Even when unintended, these reactions create doubt. And doubt leads to hesitation. Hesitation leads to conservative bidding, timid defense, and fear-based decisions. Bridge should never be played from fear.

If mindset affects performance – and it certainly does – then building confidence in your partner is not just kindness; it is strategy.

Here are some small but powerful habits:

• Acknowledge Good Decisions – Not only brilliant slams, but thoughtful passes and disciplined defenses

• Protect the Partnership Publicly – If there is a misunderstanding, it belongs to the partnership, not to one person

• Separate the Hand from the Human – A mistake is information, not identity. Experts make mistakes. World champions make mistakes. The difference is that confident players recover faster because they feel safe. And when players feel safe, they think clearly

Always remember those confident partnerships:

• Compete more accurately

• Bid close games with conviction

• Defend actively

• Stay emotionally steady across long sessions

Sportsmanship has always been one of the pillars of this game. Just as we welcome beginners and build community, we must also protect the atmosphere at our own tables.

Bridge is already complex. Let us not make it heavier than it needs to be.

The goal is, and has always been, to help us approach the game with greater confidence and skill together.

So, the next time you sit down with your partner, remember: You are not only managing cards. You are managing energy. You are shaping belief.

And belief in bridge is powerful.

Remember that the more, the merrier! We are always better together.

Patricia Herrera is a Mexican bridge teacher, player, coach and the Education Coordinator for the ACBL's District 16. She is part of the Women's team representing Mexico in the World Championships. Patricia is also the President of the Mexican Bridge Federation. When she is not playing bridge, she runs a nonprofit consulting firm based in Mexico City called Pontis, and is also designs itineraries for people that want to visit Mexico. You can reach her at: herrerapatricia@gmail.com

SectionalGras

Stratifications

(Pair & team games based on average MPs)

Open Pairs: A: 3000+, B: 750-3000, C: 0-750

299er Pairs: A: 200-300, B: 100-200, C: 0-100

Sunday Stratiflighted Swiss Teams: A:3000+, X:0-3000, B:1500-2500, C:500-1500, D:0-500

Note: No player with over 2500 can play in the BCD Series

Director has discretion on Director has discretion on A/X MP break; Basic Chart for 299ers & B/C/D Sunday Swiss; Open Chart for all other events.

Entry Fees

$14/session ($16 for unpaid members, ACBL requirement)

$140/Sunday Swiss (includes meal)

Players with 0-5 masterpoints play for $7 in pairs games.

Thursday, March 12 - Saturday, March 14

Swiss Teams, single session 10am, 2:30pm

Stratified Open Pairs, single session 10am, 2:30pm

Stratified 299er Pairs, single session 10am, 2:30pm

Sunday, March 15

Stratiflighted Swiss Teams 10am & TBD Meal served between sessions on Sunday

Chair: Jean Durocher, jdurocher39@yahoo.com

Partnerships: Earnestine Broyles, laughdoc7@aol.com

Director in Charge: Kevin Perkins, kevin.perkins@acbl.org

Link to Sign Up for Partners Online available after February 12th D http://tinyurl.com/atxbridge

District 16 NAP Winners

Congratulations to the following District 16 North American Pairs (NAP) winners who have qualified to compete in the NAP finals at the NABC in St. Louis. Winners who compete in the national finals receive a stipend from District 16 and support from the ACBL. We're rooting for you all!

Champion Flight 6000+

1st Cenk Tuncok, Carrollton & Lynn Baker, Austin

2nd Daniel Jackson & Bill McCarty, San Antonio

3rd Mark Bumgardner, Murphy & Kimmel Jones, Euless

4th John Erickson, The Woodlands & John Zilic, Houston

Flight A 0-6000

1st Gary Bush & Scott Nason, Dallas

2nd Wiley McMinn III & Jerry Barrett, Austin

3rd Steve Chen & Andrew Chen, Austin

continued from 1President's Message

Awards

Several awards were also presented at the LSR. Immediate Past President Jack LaVigne awarded the Presidential Extra Mile Award to Beth Tobias in recognition of her leadership in redesigning the District 16 website. The new site is easier to maintain, eliminates the need for a paid webmaster, and will save the district approximately $5,000 per year –resources that can instead be directed toward member programs and services. Beth accepted the award on behalf of the entire web team: Beth Tobias, Sue Caulfield, Evvie Gilbert, and Ken MacMorran. We thank all of them for their important work on this project. You can read more about Beth in this issue.

Jack also presented the ACBL Charitable Recognition Award to Lauri Laufman for her efforts to increase charitable giving. In addition, I had the pleasure of recognizing Jack LaVigne for his dedication and leadership during his two years as president. We are fortunate to continue benefiting from his experi-

Flight B 0-3000

1st Phillip Jaeger, Austin & Thomas Hackenberg, Round Rock

2nd Michael Peirce, San Marcos & Wes Peirce, The Woodlands

3rd Mark Rosen & Daniel Baker, Austin

4th Ying Peng & James Zhan, Sugar Land

Flight C 0-750 NLM

1st Mary Keeney & Karen Atchley, Austin

2nd Victoria Collins-Becker, Austin & Christopher Steele, Pflugerville

3rd Boyce Liao & Girish Altekar, Austin

ence as he serves on the Executive Committee.

Bermuda Bowl Winners Recognition

We were also proud to recognize the winners of the 47th Bermuda Bowl, many of whom hail from District 16: Kevin Bathurst, Adam Grossack, John Hurd, Adam Kaplan, Finn Kolesnik, Eddie Wold, and NPC Bob Morris. Congratulations to all on this remarkable achievement.

Looking Ahead

Looking ahead, the Austin Firecracker Regional will be held June 29 through July 5. A Best Practices Teacher Certification workshop will be offered the weekend prior to the tournament, providing an excellent opportunity to strengthen teaching and learning across the district. Additional details will be released soon; in the meantime, please contact unit207contactus@gmail.com for more information.

I am honored to serve as your president and look forward to working with you to strengthen District 16 and support a vibrant, welcoming bridge community.

SAN ANGELO

Sectional Game - Silver Points Will Be Awarded!

ACBL District 16 - Fort Concho Bridge Club Unit 204

MARCH 13, 14, & 15, 2026

The Cactus - San Angelo, Texas

36 E Twohig Ave, 15 Floor, San Angelo, TX 76903 th

(overflow parking across the street)

Joe Bailey Memorial Open Pairs and 0-499ers

Friday Games at 2:00pm and 7:00pm

Saturday Games at 9:00am and 2:00pm

George Finley Memorial Swiss Teams

Sunday Game at 10:00am (Lunch Included)

Entry Fees (cashless):

Regular Games: $12

Swiss Teams of 4: $120

Hotel: Fairfield Inn 1459 Knickerbocker Rd 325-482-8400

$109 Rate Available until Feb. 27

Tournament Contact: Joy Foster 325-716-8190 joyf77@wcc.net

Partnership Desk: Neal Perlman 325-374-2825 nealperlman@gmail.com

Early Registration is Appreciated for Planning.

Grand National Teams District 16 Finals♠

By Scott Nason D16 GNT Coordinator

We are approaching the running of the Flight A and C GNT finals in Dallas on March 20-21, in conjunction with the Dallas Spring Sectional. The Championship and B flights will be run on April 11-12 in Houston in conjunction with the Steve Vaughn Election Sectional.

All flights are scheduled for four sessions but will be shortened to two if the field is too small. Details can be seen on the flyer.

At this point, the registrations are low, so your chances of winning are high. Please get your team together and submit your registration to me at sdnason@sbcglobal.net

This is the only District-wide team competition and will earn each of the four winning teams a $2400 expense stipend to subsidize their trip to the Summer NABC in Minneapolis to compete against the other Districts’ winners. Please participate and good luck.

Friday, March 20

Flight C qualifying

District 16 Grand National Teams

2026 District Finals

March 20-21 in Dallas & April 11-12 in Houston

10:00 a.m. and 2:30 p.m.

Flight A qualifying 10:00 a.m. and 2:30 p.m.

Saturday, March 21

Flight C finals (if necessary)

10:00 a.m. and 2:30 p.m.

Flight A finals (if necessary) 10:00 a.m. and 2:30 p.m.

Saturday, April 11

Flight B qualifying

10:00 a.m. and 2:30 p.m.

Championship Flight qualifying 10:00 a.m. and 2:30 p.m.

Sunday, April 12

Flight B finals (if necessary)

10:00 a.m. and 2:30 p.m.

Championship Flight finals (if necessary) 10:00 a.m. and 2:30 p.m.

Formats

for each flight will be based on the number of teams entered. See the Conditions of Contest for the planned formats.

Venues

Dallas - With sectional at the Lovers Lane United Methodist Church, 9200 Inwood Road, Dallas. Houston - With the sectional tournament at 10510 Harwin Drive, Houston.

Stratifications/Eligibility

Every player must be an ACBL member in good standing and must be a resident of D16 as of September 1, 2025.

Masterpoint Limits for Each Flight

• Championship Flight – Open to anyone

• Flight A – Open to players with less than 6,000 masterpoints, as of August 6, 2025

• Flight B – Open to players with less than 3,000 masterpoints, as of August 6, 2025

• Flight C – Open to Non-Life Masters with less than 750 masterpoints, as of August 6, 2025

All teams must preregister with Scott Nason at sdnason@sbcglobal.net no later than April 6 for Championship and B, and by March 15 for Flights A and C. You must supply the names of the players, ACBL numbers and the flight in which you will compete. Card fees will be $64 ($16x4) per team per session.

Tournament Chair: Scott Nason sdnason@sbcglobal.net

Tournament Director: Carolyn Pinto

District 16 2025 Star Award & Unit Goodwill Awards

By Jerry Harrington D16 Awards Chair

The District 16 Star Award honors unit volunteers who work steadfastly to promote unit bridge and to further unit activities. Each unit may choose one Star Award recipient per year.

The Unit Goodwill Awards recognize and honor players who exhibit a spirit of courtesy, kindness and tact at the bridge table. These players are the ambassadors of goodwill to all other players. Each unit may choose two Goodwill Awards recipients per year.

Congratulations to all the District 16 Star Award & Unit Goodwill Awards 2025 recipients!

District 16 Star Award Recipients

Karen Fillis Unit 172 San Antonio

Unit 172 is proud to announce

Karen Fillis has been selected as the recipient of the District 16 Star Award. This prestigious award is being given in recognition of her outstanding service and dedication to the game of bridge.

Karen is a cherished and long-standing member of Unit 172. Her dedication and multifaceted contributions have greatly enriched our bridge community. Over the years, Karen has demonstrated her unwavering commitment by serving in different positions including both secretary and treasurer, roles in which her meticulous attention to detail and organizational skills have been invaluable.

Beyond her official responsibilities, Karen is the backbone of many behind-the-scenes operations that help keep the unit running effortlessly. Whether it is ensuring that the supplies are always stocked or attending to countless other unnoticed yet crucial tasks, Karen’s dedication ensures that everything functions smoothly. Her work often goes unheralded, but its impact is felt by all who benefit from the seamless operations of the unit.

Unit 172 is truly fortunate to have Karen Fillis as a member. Karen, thank you for your hard work, exper-

tise, and dedication. You are a true asset to Unit 172 and we are grateful for all you do.

Please join Unit 172 in congratulating Karen Fillis for this well-deserved honor and for her continued commitment to excellence in bridge.

Marsha Bernstein Unit 174 Houston

It is with distinct pleasure that Unit 174 announces that the recipient for the District 16 Star Award for our unit is Marsha Bernstein. Marsha has been a dynamic force in the unit for decades. From successfully chairing committees at the 2002 and 2009 Houston NABCs to working with the unit board to helping clubs, Marsha has volunteered her services wherever there was a need.

Currently you will certainly find her helping out at the Bridge Academy of West Houston assisting wherever she can. Most importantly Marsha has been responsible for heading up the event naming efforts for the Lone Star Regional for the last couple of years. Her enthusiasm and outgoing personality helped to sell out the events at the 2026 Barbara Phillips Lone Star Regional. The unit board is honored to present this award to such a worthy District 16 Star!

Connie Scott Unit 176 Dallas

Connie has been very involved in the Dallas bridge community for over a decade. She is an active participant in McKinney, Friendly, and Valley View Clubs. She achieved Life Master in 2015 and Ruby Life Master in 2022. She served several years on the McKinney Board as club manager and treasurer.

For the last three years, Connie has been a member of the Dallas Bridge Association Board and for the past two years she has served as president. She was also the tournament coordinator this past year. Connie participates in all Unit 176 sectionals and regionals each year and has volunteered as Regional Hospitality Chair, Sectional Partnership Chair, and Sectional Tournament Chair each year. Connie’s leadership of the board was instrumental in the success of the unit.

Connie can be found always smiling at the bridge tables where she enjoys meeting new people and is an advocate for promoting bridge in our community.

Constance & Ken Javor Unit 183 Fort Western

Constance and Ken Javor have been invaluable to Unit 183 for many years. Ken is now managing the Denton studio for the second time, handling critical areas such as signing folks up for special games which helps improve game attendance. The successes Ken and Constance have enjoyed together include going from running non-life master tournaments to running numerous highly successful local area sectionals. They have done outstanding work in learning the directors' laws and investigating difficult rulings to keep the club members up to speed on the Do's and Don'ts of proper bridge play.

In addition to being the secretary of the Denton Board, Constance personally makes lunches for tournaments and baked goods for the regular Tuesday games. Both Ken and Constance direct weekly 1000 masterpoint games as well as the all-important Swiss Teams games that bring out lots of bridge players. They have been directing online games for several

years as well.

Bringing new players to the fold is critical to keeping our beloved game alive! The Javors have worked hard to publicize the already successful Denton game which results in attracting a large group of new players from as far away as Oklahoma to their local area sectionals. We need more of this “Spreading of the Word!” And speaking of attractive – Ken and Constance are attractive! Anyone lucky enough to deal with them is impressed with their personal charm, honesty and charisma. They are more than worthy of receiving this award for excellence in promoting our game.

Earl Pittman

Unit 201 Sabine Neches

Unit201 is proud to name Earl Pittman for the District16 Star Award. Earl has taken on the role of our building maintenance manager. This is an unpaid role and our aging building has become a lot of work. He always can fix or arrange to have repaired what we need to have done.

Earl is a very valuable member of our club and also serves on our unit board.

Well done, Earl!

Marifrances Watson

Unit 204 Fort Concho

Unit

204 is proud to recognize Marifrances Watson as our 2025 District 16 Star Award recipient. Marifrances is a tireless director and is an enthusiastic teacher, bringing many new players to our club.

As the club technical chair, she keeps us up to date with everything computer related. She continues her education for directorship skills as she will be directing the San Angelo Texas Independence Local Sectional in March.

Always there when she’s needed, Marifrances typifies the volunteerism the Star Award is designed to reward. Well done, Marifrances!

Neal Hayden Unit 205 Amistad

Born in Portland, Oregon, Neal earned a Master’s in Psychology followed by an MBA, building a career that blended mental health, business, and technology. He served as Director of Marketing for a major Oregon hospital before moving into the tech sector as Western Regional Sales Manager for data collection systems. He later capped off his professional life by founding and operating a successful disaster recovery business.

Married with two children and two grandchildren, Neal retired in 2017. Before retiring, he never had the time to invest in bridge, but after relocating to Mexico he soon discovered he needed a hobby that challenged both the mind and the competitive spirit.

He began studying bridge in 2018, joined the Lake Chapala Duplicate Bridge Club, and has been deeply involved ever since. He is now an ACBL Director and, most recently, an ACBL certified Instructor. In addition, Neal has served for five years as secretary of the Unit 205 Board where his willingness to contribute his time and talents is deeply appreciated.

Unit 205 is proud to name Neal our District 16 Star. An award well deserved.

Mickey Goldwater Unit 207 Texas Capital

Mickey

Goldwater learned to play bridge in college and started playing duplicate a couple of years after graduation from University of Texas at the Bridge Studio on Arroyo Secca in Austin. Life intervened. In 2009, she was playing again with new bidding systems and a new location (Bridge Center of Austin). Mickey was elected to the Unit 207 Board shortly before COVID-19, when we all got vaccinated and started to meet again. She was secretary for a year then became the hospitality chair which is what she loves.

Mickey is still working as a real estate broker with Goldwater Real Estate and also enjoys playing the piano, painting with watercolors and oils, and cooking. She has seven blood grandchildren and six step grandchildren ranging in age 1 to 24 years old.

Unit 207 is proud to name Mickey their 2025 District 16 Star Award recipient.

Scott Dau Unit 209 Great Permian Basin

By Bill Brooks

Awhileback I was pulling into the clubhouse, and I had to detour around a man fixing a pothole in the entrance. Then I realized that the man was Scott Dau. Sometime later, I was pulling into the clubhouse, and Scott's wife, Tracy, was sitting there barring the way because Scott and Bill Brooks were working on the parking lot. A few days ago, as I was leaving a game at the bridge house, I saw Scott with glue and nails fixing a tack strip of carpet that had come loose. I looked at Tracy, and she just shrugged and said, "That's what he does." Whatever needs to be done, Scott is always there and on top of it.

We are blessed to have Scott Dau as the vice president (who is in charge of facilities) at the Midland Club and are proud to name him as our District16 Star Award winner.

Jo Britt Unit 225 East Texas

Asa fairly-new member to Unit 225 in 2022, Jo Britt made an exceptional contribution to the board in a remarkably short period of seven months. Since joining the board, she has held three key positions, each demonstrating strong leadership and an unwavering commitment to the organization. Initially appointed to the board in May 2025, Jo quickly assumed the role of secretary, where she took the initiative to research the unit’s history, gaining a comprehensive understanding of its recent developments. This groundwork set the stage for her subsequent contributions.

In August 2025 Jo was elected vice president, where her strategic vision and organizational skills became immediately apparent. She led the effort to create a comprehensive board manual, aiming to stabilize and energize the leadership structure. Additionally, Jo spearheaded the development of a more inclusive election process, increasing involvement from all six clubs within the unit. As vice president, she worked diligently to refine the board’s responsibilities, establish permanent committee processes, and continually improve the board manual. Her leadership has fostered an environment of collaboration and has helped guide the board to focus on both the immediate needs and

long-term objectives of the unit.

Jo’s dedication and leadership were further recognized when she was elected president of Unit 225 in November 2025. In this capacity, she interfaces with the unit’s clubs, District 16, and the American Contract Bridge League (ACBL), addressing current challenges and exploring opportunities for future growth. She has conducted thorough research to guide the board in planning strategies to increase membership, while prioritizing transparency and inclusivity. Given the large geographical area that Unit 225 covers, with six separate clubs spread over 17,500 square miles, this is no small feat. Jo’s efforts have been instrumental in ensuring that all clubs are engaged in decision-making processes, further strengthening the membership’s sense of unity.

Beyond her leadership roles, Jo also dedicates her time to teaching bridge, sharing responsibilities for beginning bridge classes with another director. In the upcoming spring, she will teach intermediate bridge classes. She is co-chair for the unit’s regional tournament in 2027. Additionally, Jo actively contributes as a director, stepping in when needed at a club, ensuring the continued success of the unit’s activities. Jo Britt’s ability to balance leadership, organizational development, and community engagement has made an impact on Unit 225. Her efforts have not only improved the internal structure of the unit’s board but have also helped foster a spirit of inclusivity and collaboration, setting a strong foundation for the future.

Unit 225 is proud to name Jo Britt the District 16 Star Award recipient.

Malissa Baugh

Unit 233 Central Texas

Mallisa

Baugh has been a big part of Unit 233 since she joined. She was president in 2015. She always brought treats to our board meetings, tournaments, and weekly bridge games. Malissa and her bridge partner, Mary Adams, formed a bridge unit called Queens of Heart. She was host and co-host for several tournaments. She brought decorations and decorated our board meetings and tournaments. She brought utensils to our tournaments and board meetings (Her car was always loaded).

Malissa has always gone the extra step in whatever she does. She took over the treasurer role in 2020 and is still treasurer. Unit 233 is honored to name Mallisa for the 2025 District Star Award.

Pat Robinson Unit 353 Wichita Falls

PatRobinson started playing party bridge when she was in college. She moved to Wichita Falls in 1992 and started taking duplicate bridge lessons from Faye Blackwell. She has played in Unit 353 for over 30 years.

Pat has worn many hats in Unit 353 including serving on the Board of Directors, being the unit’s reporter for the D16 Scorecard and being the president of the board from 2012 to 2015. She became a director in 2016 learning much from her mentor, Wanda Gaynor. Pat directed games on Monday, Wednesday and Friday. The Friday night game was a favorite as she always bought pizza for the players. After the COVID-19 pandemic, she cut back to one game on Thursdays. On July 15, 2025, the director of our Tuesday and Saturday games had some health problems. Pat not only stepped up to take his Tuesday game in addition to her Thursday game, but she also mentored a new director who took his Saturday game.

Pat has won the Mini-McKenney Award, the Ace of Clubs Award and the Unit Goodwill Award. The board of Unit 353 is proud to recognize Pat Robinson for the 2025 District 16 Star Award.

2025 Unit Goodwill Awards Recipients

Unit 172 San Antonio Anita & Joe Ramirez

Elizebeth Kay

Unit 174 Houston Sally Wheeler

Marcia Chambliss

Unit 176 Dallas

Jim Harp

Debor Cassen

Unit 183 Fort Western Larz Smith

Susan Shaw

Unit 187 Fort Western Charles Good

Patricia Good

Unit 201 Beaumont Maxine Moye

Bob Townley-Smith

Unit 205 Amistad Dagmar Rettberg

Janet Mitchell

Unit 207 Texas Capital Ken MacMorran

Unit 209 Greater

Permian Basin

Unit 225 East Texas

Marty Massie

George Kieke

Karen Bell

Suzanne Smith

Unit 233 Central Texas Cathy Valentine

Unit 353 Wichita Falls Helen Cash Cathy Zinn

Unit 204 Fort Concho

Barry Jackson

Terri Tedford

Dallas Spring Sectional March 18-21 2026

Lovers Ln United Methodist Church 9200 Inwood Rd. Dallas, TX 75220

This tournament will run concurrently with the District 16 GNT Finals on Friday and Saturday

Stratifications:

Open Pairs A: 4000+, B: 1500-4000, C: 0-1500 (By average masterpoints)

Open Swiss A: 3000+, B: 1000-2999, C: 0-999 (By average masterpoints)

499er Events: A:300-499, B:150-299, C: 0-149 (By average masterpoints)

NOTE: Stratifications may be adjusted by director based on attendance.

Entry: $15 per session .

Tournament Chairperson: Paul Taylor Shufflerpaul@me.com

Partnerships: Jackie Brown Email:unit176partnership@gmail.com

Tournament Director in Charge: Carolyn Pinto

Hotel Info Fairfield Inn and Suites

Love Field 10175 Technology Blvd, Dallas, TX 75220

Phone: 972-525-5700 Free Complimentary Hot Breakfast! .

Snacks and Drinks Every Day! Cashless Payments Only!

Beth Tobias Receives the District 16 2025 Presidential Extra Mile Award

By Jack LaVigne D16 Immediate Past President

At the recent District 16 Board meeting, I had the pleasure of presenting the Presidential Extra Mile Award to Beth Tobias (Unit 207, Austin) in recognition of her exceptional leadership and service to our district.

Earlier in 2025, following the retirement of Webmaster Ken Monzingo, I began looking for help to maintain and modernize the district’s website.

Beth Tobias stepped forward – and quickly went far beyond what was needed. She identified areas where information was outdated, missing, or no longer necessary, and then formed and led a team to address those issues in a thoughtful and comprehensive way.

Under Beth’s leadership, the district’s website was successfully migrated from WIX to Bluehost and redesigned as a modern, fully responsive site, significantly improving usability and accessibility for our members.

In accepting the award, Beth was quick to emphasize that this achievement was truly a team effort. She accepted the honor on behalf of:

• Ken MacMorran (Unit 207, Austin), who built and continues to maintain the website

• Evvie Gilbert (Unit 174, Taylor Lake Village), who provided content and developed methods that allow the site to be updated automatically

• Sue Caulfield (Unit 207, Hutto), who contributed the site’s outstanding graphics

I join the District 16 Board in extending sincere thanks to Beth and the entire website team for their dedication, collaboration, and willingness to go the extra mile on behalf of our membership.

Linda Harrison Named 2026 District 16 Teacher of the Year

Linda

Harrison (Unit 225, Pittsburg) is the 2026 District 16 Teacher of the Year. She was selected from a group of accomplished finalists that includes Kathy Carr (Unit 176, Garland), Belle Harris (Unit 209, Midland) and Joe Quinn (Unit 174, Sugarland).

Linda’s contributions to the bridge community go beyond the classroom. She was president of Unit 225 for six years, received the D16 Star Award in 2015 and has been awarded the Unit 225 Honorary Rank for Distinguished Service. She puts a great deal of effort into reaching people scattered all over rural Pittsburg and the surrounding areas.

Linda’s commitment to her students – most of whom had never played bridge before – is reflected in the testimonials submitted by the Pittsburg bridge community.

continued on 20

Steve vaughn

Friday, Saturday, Sunday April 10-12

10 & 2:30 Stratified Open Pairs A: 4000+ B: 1500-4000 C: 0-1500 Single Sessions

10 & 2:30 Stratified 299er Pairs B: 200-300 C: 100-200 D: 0-100 Single Sessions

10 & 2:30 Bracketed Round Robin Swiss Teams Two Sessions

* All Strats may be adjusted by the director to balance for strength of players.

District 16 Grand National Teams

Flight B Qualifying Saturday, April 11 10 & 2:30 Championship Flight Qualifying 10 & 2:30

Flight B Finals (if necessary) Sunday, April 12 10 & 2:30 Championship Flight Finals (if necessary) 10 & 2:30

Annual Meeting

Will be held between Saturday sessions. Vote one hour prior to each session on Friday and before the morning session on Saturday. Full Voting Instructions at ACBLUnit174.org.

Box lunches

• $11

• Cash only

• $1 Coffee & Sodas

• Free water

Tournament Chairs

Gary Kerr (281) 543-8712 madk86@aol.com

Session Fee

• $17

• Credit Cards only

Tournament Chairs

Fred Gregory (832) 315-7721

fhgregory777@gmail.com

Local Hotel

• Springhill Suites 5851 Rogerdale Rd. Houston, TX 77072 (832) 300-0200

Partnership Chair

Karen Nussbaum (832) 524-5233 Karenunit174@gmail.com

172 Michael Byrne

172 Mary Evans

172 Aimee Ransleben

172 Donna Talbott

172 Bill Wilkinson

174 Cheree Alexander

174 Valentin Andreev

174 Qunhong Chen

174 Liz Andrews

174 Doris Fujii

174 Thad Hill

174 Emily Incerto

174 Anthony Kelly

174 Jianbo Li

174 Jennifer Plummer

174 Kevin Robins

174 Howard Schreiber

174 Barbara Smoller

continued from 18Harrison - Teacher of the year

New Members

December

2025- January 2026

174 Dongfeng Tan

174 Liz Wheeler

176 Judy Brownlow

176 Teresa Dodson

176 Jeanne Dunlap

176 Sam Johnson

176 Steve Mastor

176 Tom Rogers

176 Donald Stafford

183 Nick Jones

183 Walter Kinder

183 Beatrice Michael

183 Doug Griswold

183 Jorge Montes Guzman

187 Roger Beck

187 Rick Howard

187 Samuel Neff

197 Diana Melcher

From Frank and Linda Morton (Unit 225, Scroggins): “Linda patiently and politely brought us from the point of knowing nothing to the point where we now often win [in C] and … frequently finish ahead of players with decades of experience.”

Suzanne Smith (Unit 225, Pittsburg) notes “Linda [is] patient, persistent, and willing to be a partner… She is excellent at laying a good foundation and reviewing until we really grasp the concepts. She also spends time making sure new players have partners and are able to play in our weekly games.”

From Jo Britt (Longview), Unit 225 president: “Linda Harrison is the total package when it comes to teaching. She is patient, organized, thorough, a natural reviewer, consistently clear, answers every question, and gives her time generously….

Many teachers win awards because they have many students in a large metropolitan area. However, the real challenge is in a small community… People who

201 Rj Cheslak

204 Shelly Erickson

204 Traci Greathouse

207 Arthur Altman

207 John Burns

207 Suzanne Clayton

207 Olivia Jackson

207 Dan Kirtane

207 Mini Kirtane

207 Eddie Reese

207 Lisa Rhodes

207 John West

209 Gwin Jamerson

209 Kelly Jamerson

225 Peggy Bopp

225 John Kelley

225 Sharon Thomas

225 Jennifer Thompson

take on any leadership role in a small town are under a [large] microscope You not only have to be good at what you do, you have to be GREAT!... The fact that Linda consistently has students [and] former students … playing in the club and the club is growing in a small community is no small effort. I celebrate her productive efforts.”

Appril Showers Local Sectional

(80% Silver and 20% Black Points)

Lubbock, Texas April 17 - 19, 2026

Lubbock Bridge Center

2563 74th Street (806) 745-2817

Friday Stratified Open Pairs - 1 Session 10:00 a.m. 2:30 p.m.

* 299’er Pairs - 1 Session S tratified Open Pairs - 1 Session

* 299’er Pairs - 1 Session

Saturday Stratified Open Pairs - 1 Session 10:00 a.m. 2:30 p.m.

$15 Session Cash only

$100 per Team on Sunday

$4.00additionalcharge per session forunpaid members

* 299’er Pairs - 1 Session S tratified Open Pairs - 1 Session

* 299’er Pairs - 1 Session

Sunday Rolls & Coffee

Stratified Swiss - 2 Sessions (Meal served between sessions) 9:30 a.m. 10:00 a.m

Ashmore Inn & Suites 4019 South Loop 289

806-785-0060 / 800-785-0061

Fairfield Inn & Suites 4007 South Loop 289 806-795-1288 / 800-228-2800

Staybridge Suites 4801 South Loop 289 806-776-8800 / 800-496-7630

\STRATIFICATIONS : Based on average masterpoints per pair or team

A: 2000+ B: 750 - 2000 C: 0 - 750

*All 299’er players must have fewer than 300 masterpoints

Tournament Chairmen

Phyllis Kinnison

806-789-2358

phylliskin1940@gmail.com

Brian Cleveland 806-392-4447

clevelandb61@icloud.com

Rules & Ethics s Mary Hildebrand

806-646-2667

Hospitality

Liz Taylor-Lane and Rita Lancet

Partnership

Sue Myers

806-543-6332

(text or call)

Junior Master (5 MPs)

173 Alberto Sangiorgio

174 Patricia Blandford

174 Judy Briggs,

174 Sharon V Chamberlain

174 Mrs. Lynn C Dunham

174 Nancy S Dunlap

174 Doris Fujii

174 Albert Grobmyer

174 Mary Leary

174 Gwendolyn Miller

174 Jennifer Plummer

174 Jason A Scott

174 Jane E Vallier

176 Paul Flynn

176 Rita Menashe

176 Gayle Page

201 Karen Colburn

207 Erkan Borazanci

207 Roger Boyd

207 Karen Donegan

207 Sharon Lesikar

207 Bill Moore

207 Paula Troy

207 Marc Younger

209 Gwin Jamerson

209 Kelly Jamerson

254 Andrea Silverthorne

Club Master (20 MPs)

172 Joseph E Baka

174 Eva Domene Molnar

174 Julianne Farnsworth

174 L Beth Madison

174 Gwendolyn Miller

174 Dk Medlin

174 Stephen O Schrader

174 Clifford Venier

176 Mimi Drew

176 Mrs. Margaret F Hunt

183 Robin Carson

183 Mahboobeh Khoshnoudi

183 Robert K Lang

205 Graziella Peralta

207 William Hogan

207 Larry McPherson

Masterpoint Milestones

December 2025- January 2026

207 Dana Springs

225 Frank J Morton

225 Linda L Morton

225 Pamela Walters Moore

Sectional Master (50 MPs)

172 Mrs. Diane Bodman

172 Stanley Morris

173 Edna Cardenas Cuenca

174 Mrs. Kathy L Fechik

174 Veronica L Hines

176 Pam Myers

176 James Williams

183 Brandon Buchanan

207 Girish Altekar

207 Gerald P Clarke

207 Boyu Liao

207 James Michalski

207 Dennis Schmidt

207 William Stassen

254 Timothy M Fisher

Regional Master (100 MPs)

172 Neill F Amsler III

172 Donnelle Blahuta

172 Ms. Mary Jo McLaughlin

174 Rajni Amin

174 Dmitry Braverman

174 Martha G Hanson

174 Margaret E Lanier,

174 Sherry L Scarborough

174 Mr. Thomas B Willing

174 Deborah Zissman

174 Rita Zwartkruis

176 Mollye E Morris

176 Elliott R Orr

183 John L Nairn

183 Suzy B Stout

187 Mary G Knopke

207 Mr. Allan Craig

207 Warren C Klein

NABC Master (200 MPs)

172 Mary Massey

174 Thomas Dilger

174 Linda J Monroe Wall

174 Debra Oakes

174 Edwin Tumlinson

183 David Urbel

207 Leslie Brittain

254 Dr. James R Martin

Advanced NABC Master (300 MPs)

174 Mrs. Robin E Thomas

174 Jinrong Wang

Life Master (500 MPs*)

174 Paula M Daly

174 Mr. John C Herzer

174 Lindy Kahn

174 Jessie Y Lee

174 Mr. Thomas M O'Donnell

176 Philippa B Anderson

207 Mrs. Jean Durocher

207 Mr. William S Horton

207 Mr. Brian A Schaffer

207 Mr. Christopher B Steele

Bronze Life Master (750 MPs**)

172 Ms. Evelyn L Pitman

174 Mr. John C Herzer

174 Mrs. Debbie E Zimmer

176 Philippa B Anderson

176 Kent L Baxter

183 Mrs. Frankie D Lemasters

207 Mr. Arthur W Herriott

Silver Life Master (1000 MPs)

173 Ms. Monica Schapira

174 Debbie Cole

174 Carol B Ehrman

174 Mr. Lunhui Lin

176 Mrs. Angela M Johnson

207 Mr. Brian A Schaffer

Ruby Life Master (1500 MPs)

172 Yesh P Singh

174 Ms. Barbara A Courtright

174 Ms. Katherine L Gardner

174 Bill Nash

176 Mr. Michael Chockley

176 Jean Scott

201 Susan W Gore

201 Valerie M Townley-Smith

225 Pamela S Lott

Gold Life Master (2500 MPs)

174 Mr. Fred Mueller

176 Mary Lynn Genovesi

207 Mr. Ed Davis

207 Mr. Ronald L Kunkel

Sapphire Life Master (3500 MPs)

201 Mr. Edward E Rasmussen

Grand Life Master (10000 MPs)

Finn Kolesnik

*Prior to January 1, 2010 - 300 MPs

**Prior to January 1, 2010- 500 MPs

Masterpoint Milestone Messages

Dmitry Braverman Regional Master Unit 174 – Spring

Ibegan playing bridge in college in the Soviet Union. My classmates and I played Preference, a popular contract-setting, trick-taking game, and bridge felt like a natural next step – with richer bidding, deeper strategy, and true partnership play.

We learned the rules and played for fun, but after college I drifted away from the game. I didn’t return to bridge until after COVID-19, when I visited Bridge Club of Houston (BCOH).

There I met many wonderful people, and most importantly, my mentor, Marsha Boyer. She helped bring structure to my learning, suggested books to study, generously shared her thinking after play, and patiently reviewed hands with me at the end of each session. Through the BCOH mentor/mentee games held every two weeks, bridge gradually became more than a pastime it became a discipline.

At one of those games, I met my current mentor, William Brown. Playing with Bill is always an adventure; his approach to evaluating hands and planning the play is both instructive and fascinating to observe.

Bridge has taught me how to stay comfortable with uncertainty, weigh probabilities, and keep learning in a deliberate and systematic way – skills that extend well beyond the card table. As my bridge game has improved, so has my confidence, shaping not only how I play, but how I approach challenges in everyday life.

I am deeply grateful to the BCOH community for its welcoming spirit, generosity, and commitment to teaching. The club has made my return to bridge both rewarding and inspiring, and I feel fortunate to be part of it.

Jean Durocher Life Master Unit 207 – Austin

MyJourney to Life Master was eventful. When I retired from nursing in 2010 my goal was to learn duplicate bridge. I took classes for three years and played in several different clubs until I found the wonderful Bridge Center of Austin.

I was known as the bridge Wh*** as I would play with anyone who wanted to play with me. I found several partners to help me with my journey. Great friendships were made and they have stayed with me until I reached my goal.

Everyone said, “Get Gold points early!” Easier said than done.

My partners and I traveled to the tournaments and started piecing together our gold points. After 12 years of playing I got down to only needing 1.28 gold points! Everyone said, “Easy”. Not true.

I chipped away those 1.28 gold points until I got down to only needing 0.14! In the meantime, I accumulated over 700 masterpoints! I was only required to earn 500 masterpoints with silver, black, red and GOLD points to meet my goal.

It happened in December. I traveled to Houston to Non-Life Master tournament with Dianne Morris. After three days of gruesome play we got 0.02 gold masterpoints. Oh geez we said so close. Later that month Jamie Southerland found every game that offered gold. On December 9 we played online for gold. We thought we got 0.15 gold. But the gold ran out at noon on this site as it was European! We played at 2 p.m. CST! Jamie said, “So sorry re-cork the champagne!” The next day Jamie called again and said, “There is a team game online today! They are giving pure gold.” We played and got 1.25 GOLD masterpoints. “Crack that bottle open.” he said and I did.

My friends have been saving their bottles of champagne to celebrate with me, and we will be celebrating for a long time.

I want to thank my closest team members, Earnestine Broyles, Dianne Morris, Pam Akins, Ron Kunkel and Jamie Southerland. So many friends followed my journey.

My family is the most excited that my goal is met as I think they suffered more than I did through this journey. "Is this the end?", asked my husband? Little does he know it NEVER ENDS.

Ira Garrison Silver Life Master Unit 174 – Sugar Land

First,

thank you for your note.

I would like to say that I have been blazing away, but circumstances have prevented me from being able to do that. The combination of COVID-19 and an illness at the end of 2023 precluded my being able to participate in F2F bridge. I play regularly with former partners and teammates on both a casual and competitive basis.

My success in reaching this milestone [Silver Life Master] would not have been possible without the close cooperation between the ACBL and BBO. Health and travel constraints have made it impossible for me to attend tournaments. But I get to play with and against players world-wide. I had many friends in District 16 before COVID-19, and I wish them all the very best.

Charles Grimes

Diamond Life Master Unit 209 – Midland

CharlesGrimes joined ACBL in 1957 and thought he could be a Life Master by 1965. First, he had to finish college which he did in 1958 and then joined the navy and continued to play. After having two sons, Charles dropped playing bridge. He ran a bank in Midland where he hired Jerry Croocker who had somewhere around 6000 masterpoints. It was Jerry who got Charles playing duplicate again.

Charles received his Life Master in 1987 along with three of his partners who also earned theirs at the tournament in Albuquerque.

Currently, Charles plays 4-5 times / week and as of February 6, he is reported to have earned 5,018.17 masterpoints which puts him in 2nd place in unit 209 for masterpoint holdings.

Charles plans to attend Austin’s Spring Sectional in a couple of weeks followed immediately by San Angelo’s Texas Independence Local Sectional.

Tricia Grimstead Club Master Unit 197 – Lubbock

Bridge has always been woven into my family life, even though I didn’t learn to play until much later. I finally took my first beginner classes on a Holland America cruise to Hawaii in April 2025. The classes were held on the sea days going to and from the mainland. My mom, who began playing many years ago and is now a Ruby Life Master, was traveling with us. When I discovered duplicate bridge was offered onboard, I knew it would be a special part of the trip for her – and it turned out to be a meaningful experience for me as well.

The Bridge Instructor, Mary Leger, gently guided us through the fundamentals, making the game feel both welcoming and alive. Some of my fondest memories from the trip were in the afternoons spent playing sessions with my mom as my partner.

When we returned home, I carried that experience with me and began attending open games at the Unit 197 Llano Estacado Bridge Center (LEBC). Different partners took me under their wings, and with every game, I learned a little more. Throughout the summer, Friday classes introduced new conventions and ideas,

and the fall ACBL Beginning and Intermediate courses deepened my understanding.

The teachers at the LEBC made learning a joy, Greg, Phyllis and Gwen helped turn bridge into something I truly love. Fridays, they also host a 0-299er game which helps me and others learn without the experts adding pressure at the table. This spring, I plan on playing in the April Showers Sectional here in Lubbock in April and then the Sooner Unit 167 Spring Regional in May.

Beyond the game itself, I’ve found friendship and a real sense of belonging at LEBC. I’ve loved being part of the camaraderie there and have enjoyed giving back by helping with emails, the Facebook page, and the monthly newsletter. Bridge, for me, is truly about community, and I feel grateful to be part of it.

Cindy Hillman Life Master Unit 174 – Alvin

Thankyou for your congratulations. It has been a long time coming!

I played and directed at the Bridge Club of Houston, but I really didn't catch the Life Master bug until 2018-19. I began traveling to in-state regionals with different friends (what fun!). Thank you, Julie, Phyllis and Leslie. My last trip was to Tucson in March 2020.

To show how fun regionals can be, I ended up being paired up with a lady at the regional in Phoenix and we won some gold masterpoints. We agreed to meet at the Tucson regional. I had met another woman in Phoenix who invited me to stay at her house, which I did. I was able to play with the woman who I first played with in Phoenix. We know what happened in March 2020 and the clubs were closed down, but 2020 was supposed to be my year! We ended up moving to a small town to be near my daughter's new baby. I tried to find a club nearby, even a party bridge group. Nothing, so I gave up on the Life Master goal.

I played online but did not play in person in over five years, when my regular online partner, Mike Linkins, kept encouraging me in 2025 to go for the gold. We played one day last September at the Bridge Academy of West Houston, where we got a smidgen of gold. Boy was it weird to play in person again, but

like riding a bike, it comes back quickly.

The next month Mike and I went on a Regional at Sea cruise, where we got 3.69 gold masterpoints. Then onto the Houston’s Barbara Phillips Lone Star Regional this past January.

The first day we played at the regional, we got 1.51 gold masterpoints. I think after that I then needed 0.70 more gold for my Life Master. I did not want to get my hopes up. The next day, we had a miserable first game and this was the last day we were playing. Mike said, "Maybe we'll get some red." I responded, "I am not interested in red, I want gold.” Yeah, right, we thought. Well, we came in first for 1.38 gold. I was finally done. Next goal: Bronze Life Master.

George McKinley Life Master Unit 174 – Kingwood

Thanks for the acknowledgement of my Life Master status. I have been seriously working toward this goal for about six years, and it feels good to finally achieve it.

I have been playing at the Kingwood DBC for about 10 years and finally decided to join ACBL at the end of 2019 and go for this goal. It was bad luck that the COVID-19 pandemic came along about a month after I got serious about it and stopped all club games and tournaments for about a year and a half.

My partner and I kept playing online during that time and accumulated a great many online black masterpoints, but it was difficult to get the colored masterpoints that way. I think it was around the middle of 2021 when we were finally able to get to play in tournaments again. I also managed to pile up enough red points playing in the robot tournaments, which is something my partner does not do, so he still has a way to go.

The only thing I can think of that would have made it easier for me to reach my goal sooner would be to have a couple of regional tournaments in Houston each year since gold masterpoints were hardest to come by. My partner and I have not taken much initiative for to travel out of our local area to get the colored points yet.

David Ochs Life Master Unit 237 – Pharr

Thanksfor the congratulations. It's something that I never thought I would achieve.

I have played bridge since the mid 1950's. It started when I was stationed in Japan with the U.S. Air Force. When an alert was happening, we had nothing to do for hours. We just sat in the ready room until time to board an airplane. One fellow introduced some of us to contract bridge.

My wife (Joy) and I played anytime we could find a game. We taught others and always enjoyed playing. When I retired and we started traveling south for the winters so our bridge playing stopped because the clubs where we played only had winter games – no summer games.

During one trip, we stopped in Killeen and I saw an ad for duplicate bridge in the paper. I asked Joy if we could go and watch them play and see what the difference was. When we entered the room, the director said sit down and we played. Of course we came in dead last. After that we attended regularly while in Killeen until we once again left to go further south.

After traveling to many other southern states in the winters, we settled for the Rio Grande Valley in South Texas. We became permanent residents in Pharr in 2004. We played in a wonderful club (McAllen Bridge Club) since moving to Pharr.

I became director at the club. I turned that task over to a wonderful lady when I turned 90 years old. When Joy and I originally started playing in McAllen there were as many as 25 tables. I am sorry to see the club is now struggling to get 3-4 tables.

Recently, one of the Winter Texans, Bob Derber, ask me if I wanted to go to Houston’s regional to try to get my Life Master rating. He arranged the trip with Don and Virginia Hixon, who had played in McAllen for several years to be our partners. At the age of 92 I am so grateful for their help. I could not travel to tournaments for many years, as I was a caregiver for my wife when she became blind several years prior to her death last year.

Yesh Singh Ruby Life Master Unit 172 – San Antonio

After55 years of experience in mechanical design (34 years at the University of Texas at San Antonio and 23 years in industry in the USA, former USSR, and India), I began playing duplicate bridge in July 2017. I’m reasonably satisfied with my performance, but deeply regret not having a mentor or taking formal bridge lessons when I began. Had I done so I would have avoided deficiencies that took much longer to correct, and I still wonder whether they have been fully corrected. The challenges and mistakes made at the bridge table due to deficiencies caused me some stress and many sleepless nights.

To newcomers to the bridge world, I strongly encourage you to take lessons, seek mentors, join the ACBL, attend your local club regularly, pay attention to casual comments of experienced players, and read the ACBL Bridge Bulletin and bridge books. There is a great wealth of knowledge available for those willing to learn. Duplicate bridge is a fascinating game; once you learn the basics, it draws you in and keeps you eager to play.

My bridge journey has been limited by circumstances. I began playing relatively late, and in March 2020, during a tournament in Kerrville, I lost vision in my left eye and now struggle with my right eye as well. Like many challenges in life, this required adjustment and perseverance.

In this short journey, I earned the Unit 172 Ace of Clubs Award (2019, 2020, 2021, 2022), the Mini-McKenney Award (2018, 2020, 2021, 2025), and the Paul Lewis Award (2019). I became an American Contract Bridge League Life Master in 2022 and a Ruby Life Master on December 31, 2025 – a personal goal.

I am grateful to the Fiesta Bridge Club in San Antonio, the Hill Country Bridge Club in New Braunfels, and the many colleagues who supported me. My special thanks go to the Honorable Rebecca Brown, who has been supportive to me since I started playing bridge and is the very first person to congratulate me on earning the rank of Ruby Life Master.

Pamela Walters Club Master Unit 225 – Tyler

Thankyou for this great news! I love bridge and our Rose City Club has been amazing in their support of new duplicate players.

Directors Nancy Green and Sandy O'Bannon have been extremely influential in supporting new players. Sandy has taught lessons for the past year every Wednesday morning before our play begins and Nancy is gracious and helpful in every way, answering ques-

tions and helping us learn correct etiquette and play of the hand.

The experienced players showed us the ropes and have been very patient as most of us were playing party bridge before we came to the duplicate game and the two are so different.

The past year has been so positive, as I only started duplicate lessons soon after my beloved husband of thirty years passed away suddenly after thirty years of marriage and now I have a whole new family and life is fun again!

Member Profiles

Meet Robert Burridge

[Previously featured in the Unit 174 December 2025 Newsletter.] Unit 174 Houston

By Sarah Springer

Robert (Rob) Burridge hails from Clear Lake, and you may have met him shepherding Junior High School students at area tournaments. He usually has almost thirty students who come and play and some of them even are repeat attenders and have masterpoints! I call him Mr. Burrrrridge in honor of the great job he is doing introducing area youth to duplicate bridge. Rob is originally from England, but grew up in New York City, where his dad was a professor of Mathematics at NYU. He got involved with math early, and was fortunate to be able to take classes at NYU: he had taken ten semesters of math there before leaving high school after 11th grade. He had the honor of representing New York City in national math competitions in 1983 and 1984 (they won both

years). Rob graduated from Yale with a double degree in Math and Electrical Engineering a couple of weeks before he turned 21, worked for a couple of years as a programmer, then headed to the University of Michigan to get a PhD in Computer Science (Robotics and AI). Having had enough cold weather, he headed south to Houston, where he worked for 25 years as a research scientist in Robotics, mostly as a contractor for NASA and the DoD.

Since 2009, Rob has volunteered at Westbrook Intermediate School that is in the Clear Creek ISD in Friendswood that is south of Houston. He coaches their math team and teaches “mini-courses” (quarterly elective enrichment classes) in topics ranging from Competition Math to Frisbee Sports to Bridge to Twisty Puzzles (Rubik’s Cube and the like). Rob is currently two shy of having taught sixty mini-courses at Westbrook.

In 2023, Rob retired from Robotics, but he continues to teach mini-courses and work half-time as a private math and physics tutor in the evenings. This leaves time during the days for bridge at the Clear Lake Bridge Club (CLBC).

Rob’s British grandparents played bridge avidly, and would always have the grandchildren playing whenever they visited. This may have been too much of a

good thing, however, because his mother was never willing to play a card game of any sort.

Although the youngest life master ever (at the time), Billy Hsieh, was attending Rob’s high school, their paths didn’t cross much: Rob was more interested in chess and played for the school team at local and national tournaments. He played a little social bridge in college, but he picked it up seriously in graduate school, taking the Audrey Grant classes with many other students, and joining the ACBL in 1992. Rob played duplicate with a mentor who had the annoying ability to remember every play of every hand on the car ride home after a session… without looking at the hand record.

After moving to the Clear Lake area to work with NASA in 1997, Rob played a few times at the CLBC, and was a little surprised to be the youngest player there. Then life, job, and kids got in the way, and the next time he played at CLBC was in 2006. He returned again in 2016, when his daughter left for college, and started playing regularly, but only in tournaments. In 2018, Rob competed in the GNT with teammates Marsha Doyle and Jack and Jeanette Dean (Unit 174 - Houston). They won District 16 for Flight C, and represented the district in the summer NABC in Atlanta. At that tournament, he earned over 70 Masterpoints, 50 of which were gold. Because of this odd schedule, only 15% of his masterpoints were black points when he attained the level of Life Master in 2019. As of this year, he has finally played enough club games to have more black points than any other

color. He is looking forward to sometime soon not being one of the youngest at the club, and that will happen soon if his efforts with the area youth continue to be successful.

Since 2012, Rob has taught his Bridge mini-course to Westbrook students 12 times. The class is loosely based on the material in Audrey Grant’s books. He usually has 28 students in the class. When possible, he tries to take them to a tournament to show them what it is like, and the class has been graciously welcomed at the Lone Star Regional, the Election Sectional, and, in November, the Bridge Club of Houston 499er Sectional. He and the students are very grateful for the warm welcome they have received in these events! Make sure to read about their successes at the November tournament in this issue.

Rob has played frisbee sports most of his life and has been an avid amateur disc golfer since 1982. He won the Michigan State Championships in 1993, and Texas States in 2023, and has placed in the top ten in Worlds twice. His son is currently one of the top 45 professional disc golfers in the world. When he’s not teaching, Rob and his wife, Andrea, love to watch Astros games and wonder how many runs are a big enough lead to be safe in the final innings.

Sarah Springer is the Unit 174 immediate past president, the Unit 174 Scorecard reporter and a Ruby Life Master. She lives in Katy and is a retired Family Law Attorney.

SAN ANTO NIO

SA Jewish Community Center 12500 NW Military Hwy; San Antonio, TX Playing Site

Saturday Games are Grass Roots FUNd Games –Regional Rated – Extra Silver Points Awarded

Cashless Entry Playing Site

Thursday – Saturday Cost: $14 per person / per session

Sunday Cost: $144 per team

Stratifications: A: 3001+ B: 0-3000 C: 0-1000

All Events Average MP’s Changes of Strats at the discretion of the DIC

Thursday – Saturday are Single Sessions

TEXAS

Thursday, April 23, 2026

10:00 am Stratified Pairs 3:00 pm Stratified Swiss Teams 10:00 am & 3:00 pm 499er Stratified Pairs

Friday, April 24, 2026

10:00 am & 3:00 pm Stratified Pairs 10:00 am & 3:00 pm 499er Stratified Pairs

Saturday, April 25, 2026

10:00 am & 3:00 pm Stratified Pairs 10:00 am & 3:00 pm 499er Stratified Pairs

Sunday, April 26, 2026

10:00 am & TBA Stratified Swiss Teams Meal served between Saturday’s session

499’er Game (3 Table Minimum) Thursday – Saturday

SA Jewish Community Center 12500 NW Military Hwy San Antonio, TX

All ACBL protocols will be followed.

$7 Discount for Students with ID

$4 additional per session for unpaid/lapsed ACBL members

Non-members: must sign up for a FREE Guest Membership: go to acbl.org/membership

Tournament Chairs: Roxana Tom, 210-508-4697, rtom85@yahoo.com

Partnership Chair: Sharon Evans, (832) 421-4034, sbolen2002@yahoo.com

Director in Charge: Carolyn Pinto, Carolyn.pinto@acbl.org

D16 + Club

Norma Walker & Vicky Fisher 75.93%

San Angelo – Fort Concho (Unit 204)

Barbara Atkins & Nancy Carlin 75.16%

Conroe – Lone Star Bridge Club

Ann Haynes & Mike Graham 75%

Longview – Longview DBC

Gary Blaiss & Greg Loran 74.11%

Lubbock – LLano Estacado Bridge Club

LaRue Smith & Margaret Jackson 74.08%

Beaumont – Beaumont Bridge Studio

Jo Bryan & Alice Wright 73.40%

Beaumont – Beaumont Bridge Studio

John & Nancy Smalley 70.83%

Beaumont – Beaumont Bridge Studio

Jerry Derby & Gerry McKim 70.74%

Plano – Friendly Bridge Club

Ed Rasmussen & Tom Watson 70%

Orange – Orange Community Bridge League

Susan Pennington & Carol McGill 70%

Beaumont – Beaumont Bridge Studio

Ed Rasmussen & Tom Watson 70%

Orange – Orange Community Bridge League

Denton – Robson Ranch Denton Bridge Club

Louetta Green & Barbara Wright 72.69%

San Angelo – Fort Concho (Unit 204)

LaRue Smith & Margaret Jackson 72.62%

Beaumont – Beaumont Bridge Studio

David Worrall & Karen Bell 72%

Pittsburg – Pittsburg DBC

Jo Bryan & Alice Wright 71.88%.

Denton – Robson Ranch Denton Bridge Club

Wayne Outlaw & Martha Oliver 71%

Beaumont – Beaumont Bridge Studio

John Smalley & Earl Pittman 71%

Reporting D16 70% + Games

TheD16 70% + Club recognizes members who have scored 70% or higher scores in one of the district’s club masterpoint games that is open or non-restricted club game. 70% + Games must be reported to Scorecard. The club director, manager or any player may send an email with the subject: D16 70% + Club

Be sure to include the club’s name and location. Games will be reported on a first come, first served.

By Janice Rush

IwantContributors

Westbrook Intermediate Gifted & Talented Kids Play in Their First Tournament

to tell you about a wonderful happening at Bridge Club of Houston during the November 2025 0-499er Tournament. Betty Starzec, Unit 174 president, asked our club to include a class of middle

Sally Wheeler, Grand Life Master and International Champion, volunteered to assist with the game. She gave them an abbreviated hand review and pep-talk at the end of the game which they thoroughly enjoyed.

school students for one morning of our tournament. Of course we will!

Rob Burridge (Make sure you read about Rob in this issue.) teaches an elective class in the Gifted and Talented program at Westbrook Intermediate School in the Clear Creek ISD of Friendswood located south of Houston. These students choose their electives, and a group of 28 students are enrolled in his class. The program strives to give the students real-life experience in their chosen elective and what better experience for a new bridge player than playing at a real club in a real tournament?

Sarah Springer from Unit 174 arranged free ACBL Student Memberships for every student. We were able to set up a limited tournament of 0-50 for this group and had several volunteers from our club agree to play with and against the students. There were 27 students and 9 adult players (an adult played with the odd student). During the game, we had drawings for ACBL National Tournament Playing Cards. The students were excited about playing and they were well behaved.

At the end of the morning, three pairs of students placed and won silver points, not bad for their first real game!

One of the pairs came in first in their section and won $2 bills. It seems they had never seen $2 bills before and thought they were fake. We had to assure them that the bills were legal tender.

While the experience was supposed to be an enrichment experience for the students, it was an exciting event for our club. We were so proud that our club was chosen for this honor and are hoping we can do this again next year.

Janice Rush is in Unit 174, president of the Bridge Club of Houston and is a Bronze Life Master.

Unit 172 - San Antonio

By Ellen Hessel

Our Ed Rawlinson Winter

Sectional Tournament, hosted by Roxie Tom and expertly directed by Carolyn Pinto was held at the Jewish Community Center of San Antonio (JCC) January 15-18. It’s a beautiful facility, centrally located, and close to many restaurants. All our sectional tournaments in 2026 with the exception of the New Braunfels sectional will be held there. Tom Trudeau took home the honors, as he achieved the most masterpoints (20.71).

Two of our unit members played at the District 16 NAP finals in Austin and qualified to play in the Championship Flight of the North American Pairs at the Spring North American Championships held in St. Louis. Best of luck to Bill McCarty and Daniel Jackson on their quest to achieve national recognition! Looking ahead, our unit will be hosting the Roxana Tom Spring Sectional April 22-25 at the JCC as well as an I/N Sectional April 10-11. Check the flyer in this issue for details.

There will be a Unit Game on Saturday, March 21 at St. Thomas Episcopal Church. Snacks will be served starting at 11:30 a.m. and game time is 12:00 noon. Hope you all come out to support our unit and join in the fun of our game!

Unit 174 - Houston

By Sarah Springer

Greetings from Unit 174 Clubs and players to District 16! As the weather warms and we are relaxing after the excitement of the Barbara Phillips Lone Star Regional in Houston, we wish you great cards and a great deal of fun at the tables at your respective clubs. Hopefully all of you came out to enjoy the Houston Regional. It was unfortunate that the tournament was cut short due to the threat of inclement weather, but it was important for all of our players, volunteers, directors and staff to remain safe. As usual a lot has been going on in Unit 174, and we begin our news with a message from our President, Betty Starzec:

Message from Unit 174 President Betty Starzec

Thanks to everyone who joined us at the Barbara Phillips Lone Star Regional in January. We always appreciate everyone who attends from near and far and try to host a fun, enjoyable event for all. Many thanks to everyone who helped with the aspects of the tournament from sponsoring events to volunteering.

The next event is our Election Sectional in April. I hope that you will look at the great slate of candidates that are willing to put their time and effort into helping our unit move forward.

Congratulations to the recipients of the Mini-McKenney, Ace of Clubs and Virtual Ace of Clubs contests in 2025. Please note that the ACBL has sent certificates directly to all the recipients.

See you at the tables!

Future Life Masters

The fun is just beginning! 99ers

Unit 174 has a vibrant Future Life Masters program with many opportunities in our area clubs. If you know new players, please encourage them to take advantage of the many opportunities to play limited games and tournaments F2F at our unit’s clubs. As you peruse the news from our various clubs, you will see the offerings each has for new players. We are always excited to welcome new players into the fold.

New players in Unit 174 or District 16 are cordially invited to explore the resources available on the Unit 174 Future Life Masters website. Unit 174 has an active role in encouraging our new players, so come on and join the fun.

The Future Life Masters (FLM) of Unit 174 is a board sponsored program with the mission to support and develop the newest players (0-99 masterpoints) in Greater Houston Bridge. FLM is a resource center featuring information about classes, games and tournaments with a freestanding website.

If you are a new player in Unit 174 or District 16, you are invited to explore the resources on our website. Come join the fun.

F2F Games for FLMers

49er Game

Play in Person Every Sunday Afternoon Game time: 1:30 p.m.

Bridge Club of Houston 4876 Louetta, Spring 77388

$5.00

99er Game

Play in Person Every Saturday Afternoon Game time: 1:00 p.m.

Clear Lake Bridge Club 16614 Sea Lark Road 77062

$6.00

99er Game

Play in Person Every Thursday Morning Game time: 10:30 a.m.

Bridge Academy of West Houston 10510 Harwin (Shriners) 77036

$7.00

All Clubs Welcome Singletons! EVERYONE PLAYS!

News from Unit 174 Clubs

Apple Duplicate Bridge Clubs

Weekly Game Schedule

Open games are held on Monday and Friday at 11:30 a.m. at the Tracy Gee Community Center, 3598 Westcenter.

March is election time and some of the Apple games have been rescheduled or moved. It is a good idea to check the club’s website for schedule changes. Apple DBC will be at Shriners for the March 2 game. The club will be closed on March 23 for a special event at Tracy Gee. We will be participating in the District 16 Royal STaC on March 30.

Bridge Academy of West Houston

The Bridge Academy of West Houston (BAWH) recently celebrated four years since they started up

after the pandemic. The club is extremely proud of its success, and rightfully so. Many new players have achieved Life Master goals, and there have been rank advancements galore as players rack up their masterpoints at the many games held at the Academy. BAWH has been woven into the fabric of Houston’s vibrant bridge community. Congratulations, BAWH!

• 499er NLM Sectional Tournament

A 499er NLM Sectional Tournament was held on Thu-Sat, Feb 26-28. The results will be reported in the May/June Scorecard.

• Rank Achievements

Congratulations to John Herzer and Jennie Lee, who achieved the rank of Life Master and Carol Ehrman who achieved the rank of Silver Life Master.

Mentor/Mentee

Mentor/Mentee games are held on the first Tuesday of each month at 10:30 a.m. The next games are scheduled for Tuesday, March 3 and April 7. If you have not yet signed up, you can register online by clicking here. Mentees must have fewer than 300 masterpoints.

Eight is Enough Swiss Teams

The Eight is Enough Swiss Teams are held once a month on Sundays at 1:30 p.m. The upcoming games are March 29 and April 26.

Linda McReynolds has worked tirelessly to ensure the Swiss Team events are successful. If you have never participated want to join the fun, please send Linda a note at lindamcreynolds@comcast.net and she can fix you up!

Weekly Game Schedule

The Bridge Academy of West Houston hosts games at 10:30 a.m. at the Arabia Shriners.

• Tuesdays: Open pairs game. On the first Tuesday of each month, a mentor/mentee pairs game is also held.

• Wednesdays: Open and 0–299er pairs games.

• Thursdays: Open and beginner pairs games.

Come early to the club and take advantage of Joe Quinn’s mini-lessons – they start at 10:00 a.m. and run about 15-20 minutes.

Bridge Club of Houston Bridge Lessons

• Learn Bridge in a Day – Ten people braved the cold on Sunday, January 25 to attend the Unit 174 sponsored lesson. Because the poor weather in January, the unit will sponsor a second FREE class on: Sunday, April 12 1:00 – 7:00 p.m., at Bridge Club of Houston. Spread the word! If every bridge player encouraged one other person to come and get addicted to bridge, imagine what we could do. You can register at LBIAD.

• Tuesday Tidbits

Tuesday Tidbits – Build a solid foundation with Susan Banks-Johnson, Bronze Life Master and ACBL Teacher. Enjoy a FREE lesson for all from 9:30-10:10 a.m. A game follows at 10:30 a.m. Email Susan for more information. Beginner Bridge & Other Classes

Make sure to check out the website to find their schedules and see what is new for 2026.

Practice for I/N Players

FLM 0-49 Game

The FLM 0-49 Game is on Sundays at 1:30 p.m. Please see the FLM section of the Unit 174 report for more details. For questions, you may contact via email or call BridgewithCarol@gmail.com or call 936-6508180.

Mentor/Mentee F2F

Mentor/Mentee games are held the second and fourth Tuesdays of each month at 10:30 a.m. To be matched with a mentor for the second Tuesday game, call or text Judy Cupps at 713 320-5592. For the fourth Tuesday game, call or text Bob Zeigler at 713 829-6928.

Online Mentor/Mentee Games

Online Mentor/Mentee games are held the first and third Mondays at 7:00 p.m. (The Mentee should invite and pay for the mentor). Contact Mike Linkins at mlinkins@swbell.net if you have any questions.

Online 0-20 Game

The Online 0-20 games are held the second Saturday of the month at 9:00 a.m. (usually).

Saturday F2F 299er Game

Saturday F2F 299er game is held every weekend at 12:00 p.m. (noon). To find a partner or to register

please contact Kas Rangan at kas.rangan@gmail.com or call at 539-210-1333.

5th Tuesday 0-1000 F2F Game

Make sure to check the BCOH website for more information.

Game Schedule Recap

F2F Open Pairs

Mondays: 10:30 a.m.

1st and 5th Tuesdays: 10:30 a.m.

Wednesday & Fridays: 10:30 a.m.

Saturdays: 12:00 p.m. (noon)

F2F Swiss Teams

1st Sunday : 1:30 p.m.

3rd Tuesday: 10:30 a.m.

Online - Choose Houston on BBO

1st & 3rd Mondays: 7:00 p.m. (mentored)

Thursdays: 7:00 p.m.

See the SE Carolina Club of Clubs for more information.

2nd Saturday: 9:00 a.m. (usually)

You can read more about all of our games at the BCOH website.

March 1 Handicap Team

March 1, 2, 4, 7 Glitter Game –33% Red

March 6,9-14, 23-28 Unit Club Championship

March 14 Twenty Table Saturday

March 16 ACBL Wide Silver Seniors

March 17 St. Patrick’s Day Party, Swiss Teams “8 is Enough”

March 19-21 499er Tournament

March 20-21 Grass Roots Fund

March 30-31

March 31

District 15 Royal StaC

25% Gold, Red, Silver, Black

Limited Pairs <1000 MP

April 1-4 D16 Royal StaC

April 5

April 6-8, 20-25, 27, 29

Club Closed – Easter

Charity Club Championship

April 7 8 is Enough Teams

April 9-12

Club Closed –Election Sectional & GNT

April 15-19 Club Championship

April 18 Spring Fling Potluck

April 19 Handicapped Teams

Good Times with Good Friends

Check the BCOH Website for more including details, potlucks and points each week.

Clear Lake Bridge Club

CLBC is located at 16614 Sea Lark, Houston 77062. We close for Unit 174 tournaments, Thanksgiving and Christmas. You can reach us at 281-480-1911.

Game Fees

Our game fees are $6.00 for members ($7.00 for guests). If you are a frequent guest, it is probably a good idea to become a member because our annual dues are only $25.00/year.

Weekly Game Schedule

Games are held every day of the week. Please arrive at least 15 minutes before game time.

Open games are held Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday mornings at 10:00 a.m., and Thursday and Saturday afternoons at 1:00 p.m.

I/N games are offered five days per week as follows:

0-199 games are on Saturday at 1:00 p.m.

0-299 games are on Monday and Wednesday at 2:00 p.m. and Tuesday at 10:00 a.m.

0-499 games are on Tuesday at 10:00 a.m. and Thursday at 1:00 p.m. Note: These games were previously 0-749.

Swiss Teams games are on Sunday afternoons at 1:00 p.m.

If you are interested in playing in the teams games, please register by calling the club or signing up in person at least one day prior to the game so that the director can set up the game on time. Chuck Ensor will assist anyone to organize a team for any teams game. You can call Chuck at (713) 501-0282 or email him at cwensor@sbcglobal.net

Eight is Enough Teams games are usually held on the second Sunday each month, unless otherwise stipulated. Check the CLBC website for accurate calendar information.

The Swiss Teams stratifications are:

Level 1 – 0-749 masterpoints (1)

Level 2 – 750-1999 masterpoints (2)

Level 3 – 2000+ masterpoints (3)

Example: A team with one Level 3, two Level 2 and one Level 1 players total is 8 (3+2+2+1). The requirement is that the team’s total must be less than or equal to 8.

Mentor/Mentee (M/M) Open games are the third Wednesday at 2:00 p.m. each month.

Mentees must be Non-Life Masters with less than 500 masterpoints. The game is held after the morning Open game. Sandwiches are served for lunch between the games. Reservations must be made no later than noon on the Monday prior to the game. Mentees pay the game fee for both the M/M. For Information please visit mentor-mentee program or contact Susan L. Hanna, M/M coordinator, at s.l.hanna@gmail.com

Bridge Labs (Supervised Play)

Bridge Labs are Sundays and Tuesdays from 2:005:00 p.m. The table fee is $8.00. Please check out the website for new classes offered in 2026.

Annual Business Meeting

Clear Lake Bridge Club will hold its Annual Business Meeting on Saturday, March 7 at 12:00 p.m. (noon) prior to the 1:00 p.m. game.

Lone Star Bridge Club

Lone Star Bridge Club holds games at St. Paul Methodist Church at 1100 West Semands Street, Conroe.

Open games are held on Mondays at 11:45 a.m. and Thursdays at 10:30 a.m.

A Mentor/Mentee game is held the third Tuesday at 10:30 a.m.

Game Fee is $5.00. Free Lesson

Diamond Life Master Jeff Kroll gives a free lesson the first Monday of every month at 10:50 a.m. He is an inspirational teacher and everyone should take advantage of his presentations. Lucky for us, there is an archive! Click here if you are unable to attend his lessons.

For more information visit our website or contact Club Manager Mary McDonald 281-964-7212.

Northside Bridge Club, LLC

Games are held every Friday at Restoration Church, 107 Fish Creek Thoroughfare, Mongomery. All games are Open Games. As you enter the parking lot, drive around to the back of the property to the parking lot at the newer Worship Center and the Children’s Church Building. The games are held at the Children’s Church building lobby with easy access with no stairs or ramps. The game begins at 10:30 a.m., with a $5.00 entry. Snacks are offered along with coffee and ice tea, and players are welcome to bring treats to share with fellow players. There is a break for lunch, so bring your sack. A microwave, ice maker and refrigerator are available for use.

All March and April games are open and special so extra points will be awarded.

If you need a partner, please contact Carol Meade at 281-543-4541 or email her at meadecm@icloud. com and she will do her best to assist you in getting a partner.

Please contact Norm (281-795-6664) or Joyce Gautier (713-249-8767) or email them at Gautier39@ comcast.net for further information.

Star Duplicate Bridge Club

The Star/Pebble Creek Duplicate Bridge Club has their games in a beautiful venue, with spectacular views of the Pebble Creek Country Club golf course. Games are held on Mondays and Fridays at 9:15 a.m.. For more information, contact Club Manager Richard Duble, 917-324-8421, Richard.duble@yahoo.com.

Sugarland Bridge Club

Games are every Tuesday beginning at 9:30 a.m. at Lago Mariscos Mexican Seafood Restaurant, 2329 Hwy 6, Sugar Land. This club is host to a small but enthusiastic and growing group of bridge players. Since the play is in a restaurant you can order beverages (including wine!) to enjoy while you play. Come on out and enjoy a morning of fellowship, cards, and food! Players are invited to stay for lunch at the restaurant following the game.

If you have questions about the games, you can contact Mariah Stopper at 713-817-6899 or email her.

Unit 176 - Dallas

By Mary Chaffin

New Officers and Board Members

Aswe start 2026, we welcome new board members to our Unit. Bob Holliday was re-elected and now serves as our president. Cheryl Brunson and Judy Wood were also elected. Congratulations to all of you and thanks to everyone who ran for election. Bill Driscoll and Connie Scott are stepping down, and we sincerely thank them for their years of service to our board. Other officers are Bill Higgins, vice president; Paul Taylor, Secretary and Jackie Brown, treasurer.

Bob Hamman Interview

Our own Bob Hamman was interviewed at the NABC in San Francisco. Click here to see the interview.

Winter Sectional

We held a successful Winter Sectional in late January – despite very icy weather. Masterpoints (1,526.66) were awarded to 288 players. Results can be found here.

Our Spring Sectional will be held March 18-21 at Lovers Lane United Methodist Church.

North American Pairs

The North American Pairs (NAP) qualifier was held in Austin in January. We had several teams that placed: Mark Bumgardner and Kimmel Jones placed 3rd in the Championship Division; Scott Nason and Gary Bush placed 1st in the A division. Bob Holliday and Mary Lynn Genovesi placed 5th in the B division and are the 1st runner-up in that division for the finals. The finals competition is at the NABC in Minneapolis this summer.

D16 Star and Unit Goodwill Awards

Our Unit awarded the Star Award to Connie Scott. Connie has served as our president the past two years and has done an excellent job. You can read more about Connie in this issue

January Unit Game Results

• 1st in A & B - Cheryl Brunson & Feza Buyukdura

• 2nd in A - Peggy Sutherlin & Joan Jackson

• 3rd in A - Bob Friz & John Schwartz

• 2nd in B - Bonnie Kay Yetter and Ed Yetter

• 1st in C and 3rd in B - Kathy Russler & John Peart

• 2nd in C - Athena Leung & Linda Walton

• 3rd in C - Nancy Young & Sharon Tomnitz

Unit 183 - Fort Western

By John Coe Robbins

Newer Player Focus for March

The focus for Unit 183 in March will be on newer players. Three unit 183 clubs are encouraging new and prospective duplicate players to broaden their participation in the game by taking part in a series of lessons.

At the Fort Worth club, Kathy Coleman is teaching lessons on the first and third Mondays of the month for beginners who have some experience playing bridge. Contact kbcoleman8@gmail.com.

Gloria Fields (gofields@gmail.com) will also give lessons on the second and fourth Mondays for players who have little or NO bridge experience.

In Denton, free beginner bridge lessons are now underway on Thursday afternoons. Please check out details on the club website.

In Arlington, Dorothy Moore will continue her combined lessons and games. Contact Dorothy at drmoore@flash.net

Spring NLM (0-750) March Sectional

New and advancing players will be able to try out their skills when Arlington hosts a non-life master Sectional tournament March 29-31 at the Randol Mill studio. The Sunday game on the 29th will begin with a lesson at 1:00pm followed by Swiss competition at 2:00. The tournament will continue with morning and afternoon pairs games on Monday and Tuesday. You can find the flyer in this issue.

January Open Sectional

The Denton Bridge Studio’s Winter Open Sectional January 15-17 had a big turnout this year with a total of more than ninety tables played.

Upcoming Regional Tournament

Unit 183 is planning a Regional tournament for May 11-17, details will be forthcoming.

The Unit Goodwill Awards went to Jim Harp and Debor Cassen for their cheerful presence at games.

Unit 201 - Sabine Neches

By Linda Briggs

Parties and More Unit 201 players love parties and always find a reason to celebrate.

The December 17 Christmas party, with the traditional eggnog before the game, included a gift basket for the lottery winner, Rita Moss.

Ninety-year-old members and those who would turn 90 in 2026, were honored at the Nifty-Ninety Party Wednesday, January 22. Honorees were: Arline Meyers, Martha Sigler, Kaz Bell, Phyllis Mann, Loretta Gary, Juinez Moss, Pat Schiwart, Vivian Breedlove, Jan Niederstadt, Jerry Heckman, Norma Crane, Maxine Moye, Mattie Grant, and Betty Kirwin.

Susan Pennington and Val Townley-Smith represented the Beaumont Bridge Studio at the Conventio Visitors Bureau’s Hall of Fame Banquet, February 4.

The Bling Party February 14, celebrated Silver, Ruby, and Sapphire Life Masters. Honorees attending were: Sapphire - Ed Rasmussen, Ruby - Frankie Hall, Wayne Outlaw, Edwina Landrum; Silver - Janis Williams; Ruby - Susan Gore, Val Townley-Smith, and Linda Briggs.

Not attending were Bob Townley-Smith, Dee Payne, Jan Niederstadt, and Richard Carpenter

Spindletop Sectional

Plans are underway for the Spindletop Sectional March 5-7, chaired by Val Townley-Smith and Susan Pennington. Partnership chair is Linda Briggs. Information can be found on the flyer in this issue.

Check out the D16 70%+ Club to see all our members who scored 70%+ games since our last report.

Unit 204 - Fort Concho

By Troy Harvey

Club Charity Donation Team

Hello2026! We’re kicking off the new year with a big round of applause for our Club Charity and Donation team, Debra Dawkins and Hope Garza Thanks to their efforts, 90 pounds of food was donated to the Concho Valley Regional Food Bank in December 2025. Well done! That’s a number to beat next year – challenge accepted?

Green Grocery Bags & Convention Card Holders

Additionally, Hope Garza set up a vendor table to sell her handmade green friendly grocery bags as well as convention card holders. Hope will also have a vendor table at our tournament in March.

Trivia Time

Number of Tables in 2024 vs. 2025

Our club numbers are holding steady, which is good news, but 2026 is the year we focus on growth. Let’s peek at ACBL-generated table counts for the past two years, covering San Angelo, Shamrock, and Fort Mason games:

San Angelo Bridge: 2024 – 830 | 2025 – 768.5

Shamrock: 2024 – 468 | 2025 – 507

Fort Mason: 2024 – 106 | 2025 – 95

While we’re aiming to grow these numbers, here’s a fun fact: Over the past two years Unit 204 games totaled 2,774.5 tables – and not a single hand was ever the same! An excellent player and club member Hope Garza is famous for saying, before even looking at her cards, “Please! Let this hand be a textbook hand!” Somehow that almost never happens – but Hope, keep wishing for all of us.

Winners

Congratulations to Marifrances Watson and John Osborne for attending the D16 NAP Finals in Austin in early January and bringing home 2.47 Gold points. Amid all the excitement, they encourage all members who qualify to attend next year – it’s well worth it.

More winners to celebrate! Unit 204 member Carl McGill with partner Jo Smith of Abilene, attended the January Sectional in San Antonio. True to form, they played strong and finished 2nd overall, earning 10+ masterpoints. Congratulations to both!

January 70%+ Winners

26th

Norma Walker & Vicky Fisher, 75.93% (6 tables)

Slam x 3

16th

Louetta Green & Barbara Wright

72.69% (6 tables)

Three pairs during one of Julie Moorman’s game bid and made Slam with 7NT contract.

New Director/New Game

Another exciting New Year milestone: On January 4, our very own Barry Jackson, international ambassador extraordinaire, officially became a certified ACBL Director! A big round of applause from our club –and possibly worldwide at this point. Barry is now hosting Sunday games at the San Angelo Sue Barber Clubhouse at 1:30 p.m. and there is already plenty of buzz. His goal is to engage newer players who have taken lessons and are easing into club play. His games will be for 0-499 players. He will be reviewing after each game a few the hands for discussion based on the Live for Clubs results and offer training to use many features of Bridge Base online. Reach out to Barry for details about upcoming games.

Game Changes

Speaking of weekly games, Julie Moorman (our fun-loving Director, with assistant Daisy-at-Large) is planning a schedule shift from Wednesday/Thursday to Tuesday/Wednesday, hoping for even better turnout. Julie’s games are known for being lively, full of twists, surprises, and lots of laughs – don’t miss them! Julie and Marcie Perlman are “twinning”.

Both Cash and Credit Card Game Fees

All Unit 204 games are moving toward offering both cash and credit card payment options. We appreciate everyone’s patience and cooperation as we roll this out.

We’d also love to see more players from surrounding areas join us. Unit 204 San Angelo invites first- and second-time ACBL members (locals or visitors) to play FREE for their first two games. Please coordinate ahead of time with Troy Harvey at 561-252-0977.

Texas Independence Sectional

Mark your calendars and sharpen your pencils! Unit 204 is excited to welcome players to our Texas Independence Sectional, happening March 13–15 in San Angelo. Expect great bridge, warm hospitality, and plenty of Lone Star spirit. Whether you’re a local favorite or visiting from out of town, this is a tournament you won’t want to miss. Contact Joy Foster for more details or to pre-register at 325-7168190.

For full tournament details, schedule, and location information, click here to see our flyer. Visit our website and use the QR Code to pre-register.

Hope to see you there!

Unit 209 - Great Permian Basin

By Ann Parish

Allison Bridge Center Makeover Allison Bridge Center in Midland is gradually getting a makeover. Back during the COVID-19 pandemic, we got a facelift – remodeled bathrooms, new paint, and new flooring, and new outside signs. Last fall, we got a re-do on the parking lot, complete with newly painted lines and handicapped spaces.

New (Old Chairs)

Last fall, Ann Parish talked to Manor Park, a Midland retirement village that is preparing for a serious makeover of its own. Manor Park offered to GIVE us 100 chairs, on the condition that we take care of transporting them. On January 28, seven bridge players and three conscripted family members showed up at Manor Park, loaded 96 chairs into their assorted vehicles, took them to the bridge center, unloaded them and arranged them around the tables, put some into storage, and gave 16 to the local ham radio club. Thanks to bridge players Bill Brooks, Kay Sewell, Scott Dau, Phil Middleton, George Kieke, Mark Beckstrom, and Marty Massie, and to their family members Allen Sewell, Henry Beckstrom, and Jim Massie. Way to go, Movers!

Of course, when new chairs come in, old chairs gotta go out. Tracy Dau advertised our old black chairs on Facebook and sold all of them in less than a week. Way to go, Tracy!

New HVAC

Finally, we are getting a new HVAC system to replace the one that was originally installed in the ‘80s. Our capital campaign goal was $40,000. As of February 1, we reached $45,013, so we are looking at bids for the HVAC and hoping we’ll have a little extra for other minor fixes. Way to go, Donors!

Belated

New Years Eve Party

We had a belated New Years Eve party on January 8. NS winners were Denice Jehring and Belle Harris; E/W were Sherie Hobbs and Kay Sewell. Some of us wore tiaras to celebrate a brand-new year of bridge. Valentine’s Party

Many of us wore hearts – or at least red stuff – for the Valentine’s party on February 13. Winners were N/S Sarah Wright and Mark Beckstrom and E/W Dale Linton and Paul Newbury. Players of the Month

Congratulations to our Non-Life Master Players of the Month, Mark Beckstrom and Georgia Temple. Mark Beckstrom

March Player of the Month

Family: My wife Alice and I have been married for 50 years (this year!). We have four sons; one of our sons lives with us, and our others live in Lehi, UT, Houston and Savannah, GA. We have five grandchildren – one is studying abroad in Spain this semester; one is serving a mission in Ogden, UT, for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints; one granddaughter and one grandson are sophomores in high school, and another grandchild is in the fourth grade.

Career/jobs: I started my career in banking, working in leadership development and as a bank manager

with Glendale Federal Bank (now part of Citibank) in California. I worked for Texaco in California and then Texas in management and organization development. Then I worked for PricewaterhouseCoopers, IBM, and Accenture as a management consultant, where I had assignments in Egypt, the United Arab Emirates, Mexico, Canada, South Africa, England, and multiple states. I finished my career with ten years in oil and gas, first in a small exploration and production company based in Houston, then in an oilfield services/rental company in Midland then a water treatment/services company in Midland. I finished my career back in consulting with clients in Carpinteria, CA, Houston and Rochester, NY.

Non-bridge activities: I am active in my church, where I have taught youth seminary for about 12 years.

How I learned to play bridge: I first learned bridge playing rubber bridge with my wife's parents. I joined a bridge club in Glendale, CA, but after we moved to Texas (Houston, then Midland), I was busy with work. I returned to bridge at the Permian Bridge Club in Midland where I am still learning.

Georgia Temple

April Player of the Month

Family: Son Bill and his children – Hunter, Haley and Landry – live here. Hunter has one son, and Haley has two daughters and a son born this year. My companion is a gorgeous Himalayan cat referred to by vets as the miracle cat because she was born without a diaphragm, survived, and is still alive a decade later. A neighbor and I also feed and care for five, sometimes six, cats.

Career/jobs: Bill was born when his dad and I were students at Texas Tech. We both graduated in 1969. I have a degree in secondary education and did my student teaching in government. I wasn’t a coach, so I knew then I had little chance to ever teach the subject. English was different; however, to get a full-time job then, I had to substitute first. We started a shopping-cart cleaning and repair business. I needed a full-

time job. I worked as a private investigator for Pinkerton’s in Dallas, taught seventh grade English in Irving, and worked as the Lifestyle Editor for the Grand Prairie Daily News before moving back to Midland.

In 1979 I briefly worked as a tutor in Texas English for German businessmen in Hanover, Germany. I returned to Texas and in 1980 was hired as the critic, entertainment, and religion writer for the Midland Reporter Telegram, retiring in July of 2013.

In the early 1980s I hosted a daily radio program, “On My Mind with Georgia Temple.” I have written several novels, an inspirational book, an educational pamphlet on eugenics, and a book regarding adoption, Little Secrets.

Non-bridge activities: I am adopted. I found and met my birth mother, who was living in California, before she died. She and a friend came to Midland, met the family here, rented a car, and we drove to Houston for a reunion. (Mother met my birth mother, Eileen, when I was born.) We had lunch in Houston with one of my birth father's sons and later drove to Galveston to dine at Guido’s.

In the early 1980s I was the educational coordinator for the Midland Council on Alcoholism and Drug Abuse and was the first to teach a course on “Alcoholism: A Family Illness” in the continuing education department at Midland College. I enjoy reading, movies, travel, and fishing.

How I learned bridge: My mother played bridge. The friends she played with called their group the Dirty Eight Club. They were proficient players and were contemporaries of Helen Allison, for whom the Allison Bridge Center is named.

Lonnie Yee’s Bridge Fashions

Finally, we want to share photos of Lonnie Yee, modeling the latest bridge fashions.

Nacogdoches

By Gary Britt

Wehave the reports from the following clubs in our unit:

DBC

From Gay Roach

We’re still here!

How fortunate we are to have dedicated players who just want to play F2F bridge! And we are attracting new people here and there.

Recently John & Bernice Kelley joined us. They decided they wanted to learn to play bridge after reading an Agatha Christie novel! They joined ACBL and got their first points this month.

In January, Ellen Hollis, Melba Lee, and ex-pat Mark Reynolds met up for a team game with me at the Houston’s Barbara Phillips Lone Star Regional Tournament on the next to the last day and we placed 2nd OA and got 6.95 gold masterpoints. Happy Campers. I am so proud of them. They had to play up because of my points and they met the challenge.

The Mini-McKinney and Ace of Clubs finals for 2025 came out and many of our players placed in the top 10 in their brackets. Rand James and I got two 1st places.

And apparently I was voted an Emeritus Member of Unit 225!

I am headed to St Louie on the train from Longview and then to Mardi Gras Sectional in Austin. Hope to see some of you there. Gay Roach

Pittsburg DBC

Celebrating Linda Harrison - District 16 2026 Teacher of the Year Award

Congratulations to Linda Harrison who has been honored with the 2026 District 16 Teacher of the Year Award, which encompasses most of Texas and all of Mexico. This prestigious recognition celebrates Linda's dedication and impact as a bridge instructor, highlighting her commitment to nurturing new players, who are essential to the longevity of the game. If you missed reading why she earned this recognition, click here.

Since founding the Pittsburg Duplicate Bridge Club in 2015, Linda has devoted herself to teaching bridge, enriching the experiences of both new and seasoned players. Her efforts have led to countless success stories, including many students achieving ACBL Life Master status. Linda's enthusiasm and passion for the game have not only fostered friendships but also built a supportive community that thrives on learning and growth.

Pittsburg Duplicate Club honored Linda with a Festive Celebration and Luncheon on Friday, February, 13. There were 30 friends, many former students, from Tyler, Longview, Texarkana, Gilmer, Jefferson, Marietta, Holly Lake, and Lake Cypress.

Sheila Bell DBC

From Jo Britt, Unit 225 President

Thank you to the Texarkana Sheila Bell Club for a great time at our Valentine’s Day Unit game. Their club hosted a baked potato bar with a wonderful salad. And the desserts…WOW! Your members knocked it out of the park!

We had 7 tables in the Open section and 3.5 tables in the 0-299 section. Those who played in the 0-299 section were very happy that the unit provided that section. The inaugural 0-299 game was won by Frank

and Linda Morton, and we had two of the youngest members play, Rookie and Ranger Wages. It was such a success that we will continue having a novice section at the unit games. It will be either a 0-199, 0-299, or 0-499, depending upon the signups for the Intermediate/Newcomer section.

Thank you to every member for making each of us visitors feel so welcome!

Unit 233 - Central Texas

By Linda Pitzer

Unit 233 bridge games continued after Christmas until the winter storm that ended the gatherings temporarily in the fourth week of January. Both Waco and Temple clubs enjoyed their annual holiday party that was sanctioned as a Unit Championship Game in early December. The holiday event was attended by 44 players (33 from Waco and 11 from Temple. This link has pictures of

both the unit meeting and also all bridge players attending the holiday lunch and tournament.

Waco's 0-500 Club manager George Holmes directed the tournament. Temple's club manager Gene Thompson prepared the cards for us. New officers for 2026 include Amy Wilson, president, Linda Pitzer, vice-president, Lynn Sykes, secretary and Melissa Baugh treasurer.

Waco clubs report that members John Alexander and John Twardowski have had major health issues. John Alexander will move to Waco's Asher Point Independent Living facility and plans to continue playing bridge with us. John Twardowski was placed in a rehab facility following foot surgery.

On a happier note, Waco member Janis McIntosh celebrated her 97th birthday in January. Janis is still one of Waco's Sul Ross Clubs' high scorers!

Unit 353 - Wichita Falls

By Marsha May

Unit353 is pleased to award the 2025 District 16 Star Award to Pat Robinson. You can read all about Pat on page 12. We are also proud to give the 2025 Unit Goodwill Awards to Helen Cash and Cathy Zinn. Helen and Cathy have been long-time members of Unit 353 and both went the extra mile when we recently had

Peggy Baker, Fair Oaks

Jonathan R. Friedel, La Grange

* Mrs. Carolyn D. Jackson, Dallas

* Evelyn Kurklin, Petersburg

Victor Luechtefeld, Denton

Robbin D. Moore-Mcgrath, Ajijic

Jim O'Connor, San Antonio

* Judy A. Phillips, Fort Worth

to change the location of our games. Helen won the Star Award in 2013 and is the newest member of Unit 353’s Board of Directors. Cathy is the new Owner and Director of Cathy BC. Cathy’s new club replaced The Bridge Club of Wichita Falls which closed due to health problems of its director. Cathy also serves on the Unit 353 Board of Directors.

Helen Shanbrom Ace of Clubs and Mini-McKenney Awards

It is also with pleasure to announce the 2025 Helen Shanbrom Ace of Clubs Awards and the Mini-McKenney Awards. Jan Papesh won the Helen Shanbrom Ace of Clubs Award for 50-100 points and Dana Clay won the Mini-McKenney Award for 50 -100 points. The following won both the Helen Shanbrom Ace of Cubs and the Mini-McKenney Awards for the listed point brackets. Anne Hoover (20-50); Jody Elgin (100-200); Marsha May (500-1000); Nancy Purcell (1000-1500) Margaret Kirkland (1500-2500); David Hertzog (2500-3500) and Anne Halsell (3500-5000). Congratulations to all the Unit 353 winners.

In memoriam

Sadly, Robert Phillips, a long-time bridge player, passed away on January 17. Robert played with many of our current players until he developed health problems. He always had a grin on his face and a sparkle in his eyes. He especially loved to tease his partners and opponents but Robert was a kind man. He was loyal to his friends and he loved and cared deeply for his family. RIP Robert.

In Memoriam

* Mrs. Sandy P. Potts, Austin

Lucy C. Shaw, Houston

* Dick Simon, Fort Worth

Sarah Warnecke, Dallas

* Shary Watson, Corsicana

* George G. Wieland, Seabrook

*Life Master

Bettijean (BJ) Margaret Sanders 1955 | 2026

Bettijean (BJ) Margaret Sanders was born on June 4, 1955 in Camden, NJ to George Cannon Abbott and Mabel Elizabeth Abbott.

BJ loved life and she excelled at helping others reach their potential. Her playful spirit will be missed by many. She put her heart and soul into everything she did. BJ believed in showing up fully, loving, and speaking truth with moral authority and clarity. She was kindly, observant, fiercely loyal and a true leader in every area of her life.

BJ graduated from Douglass College with a BS and started her career as a home economics teacher while attending Rutgers University, where she received an MBA. She shortly thereafter became an executive in the newly emerging field of Cable TV. Time-Warner Cable brought her to Austin as the VP of Marketing. She stepped up to serve as Acting President of the Austin Division in 1992. During that time, she participated in Leadership Austin and was president of Austin Crime Stoppers. After 11 years in the cable field, she combined her passions for assisting people to reach their potential and travel by leading Dialogue Workshops. These workshops took her as far from Austin as Canada, Australia, France, New Zealand and South Africa.

In 1997 she completed courses in life and business coaching and created her own coaching company, Realizing Potential. During that period, she also held leadership positions in the Austin Chapter of the International Coach Foundation and Austin Women in Technology.

In 1990 BJ married Mark Sanders and thereby acquired two sons: Derik and Matthew. BJ leaves behind her husband, Mark, Derik Sanders (son), Shana Reid (daughter-in-law) and Jordan Sanders (granddaughter), Matthew Sanders (son), Susan Sanders (daughter-in-law), Zoe Sanders (granddaughter) and Ellis Sanders (grandson), George Abbott (brother), Marianne Klink (sister) and Bill Klink (brother-in-law).

BJ loved playing games and had a special affinity for playing bridge. Her bridge life began during childhood as a fill-in for her mother’s bridge parties. In 2005 she began playing duplicate bridge. She went on to become a bridge teacher, game director and a board member of the Austin Bridge Center. In 2021 she chaired the NABC Bridge Tournament held in Austin. It was the largest tournament to be held in North American in over two years due to the COVID-19 hiatus. In 2024 she received the Oswald and James Jacoby Service Award for her outstanding contribution to the promotion of bridge. For the last two years, she was the District 16 Executive Secretary and was slated to become the president beginning January 24, 2026.

BJ recently led a team of Austin bridge players to present the JumpStart Bridge educational foundation to Texas school teachers with the intention of getting young people to play ‘in person’ games. Besides bridge, she was an avid football fan with a special interest in the Philadelphia Eagles, University of Texas Longhorns and Kansas City Chiefs.

BJ’s Memorial Service will be held on Sunday, March 1 at 2:00 p.m. at the Bridge Center of Austin, 6700 Middle Fiskville Rd, Austin. In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to JumpStart Bridge.

PAIRS

MARCH 7 TH- 8 TH

Saturday & Sunday, 1:30 pm

Entry Fee: $10 per session

($4 additional per session for unpaid ACBL members)

K F ree Coffee & Snacks L

J Strat A: 100 – 200

K Strat B: 50 – 100

Ö Strat C: 0 – 50

Strats may be adjusted at Director’s discretion

JThis is a fragrance-free tournament Ö

Chair: Mickey Goldwater, 512-970-7179 mg@mickeygoldwater.com

Partnerships: Jamie Southerland unit207contactus@gmail.com

PLEASE NOTE: The Sectional Online Partnership Requests Form is not available for this tourney.

PLEASE USE THE BCA CALENDAR OR CONTACT THE EMAIL LISTED ABOVE

Bridge Center of Austin K 6700 Middle Fiskville Road

Games & Classes for Newer Players - Come Join us!

0-99 Masterpoint Game: Every day at 6:00 p.m. (CT)

The 99er Nite Club East games are offered seven days a week at 6:00 p.m. If you are a 99er, ask your club if they are participating. Your club must "opt in."

0-199 Masterpoint Game: Every day at 6:00 p.m. (CT)

The 199er Nite Club games are offered seven days a week at 6:00 p.m. If you are a 199er, ask your club if they are participating. Your club must "opt in."

For more information email Janice_Hardcastle@hotmail.com

Click here to see the flyers for the Nite Club Games

Lecture Series

Zoom® Spanish Lecture Series - Third Saturday of every month at

12:00 p.m. (México City), 1:00 p.m. (CDT)

March 21 & April 18 – TBD

Zoom® Intermediate/Newcomer Lecture Series - Fourth Saturday (Except December will be the Second) of every month at

12:00 p.m. (CDT), 11:00 a.m. (Mexico City)

March 28 – Presenter: Curt Soloff, Topic – TBD

April 25 – Presenter: Mary Jane Orock, Topic – TBD

May 23 – Presenter: Sam Dinkins Topic – TBD

June 27 – Presenter: Daniel Jackson, Topic – TBD

Click Zoom® Link for either lecture.

Remember that if you are unable to attend the live lecture, all are recorded so you can watch when you have the time. They are located on the D16 website under the Lectures & Training menu.

TEXAS CAPITAL UNIT 207

APRIL 18 TH- 19 TH

Saturday & Sunday, 1:30 pm

Entry Fee: $10 per session

($4 additional per session for unpaid ACBL members)

K F ree Coffee & Snacks L

J Strat A: 100 – 200

K Strat B: 50 – 100

Ö Strat C: 0 – 50

Strats may be adjusted at Director’s discretion

JThis is a fragrance-free tournament Ö

Chair: Earnestine Broyles 214-906-2722 laughdoc7@aol.com

Partnerships: For Partners & General Info: unit207contactus@gmail.com

PLEASE NOTE: The Sectional Online Partnership Requests Form is not available for this tourney. PLEASE USE THE BCA CALENDAR OR CONTACT THE EMAIL LISTED ABOVE

Bridge Center of Austin K 6700 Middle Fiskville Road

ARLINGTON, TX

March 29-31

Sanction # 2603376

1630 W. Randol Mill Arlington, Texas 76012

817-795-1188

Awarded all sessions

Sunday March 29 2pm Stratified Swiss Teams Lesson on Swiss at 1pm

Monday March 30 9:30 and 1:30 Stratified Pairs

Tuesday March 31 9:30 and 1:30 Stratified Pairs

You may play one or both sessions

There will be light lunch served Mon. and Tues.

All Sessions are $15 (cash or check only)

Events Stratified by average. Stratification may change at Director’s discretion.

A = 300 – NLM (750)

B = 100 – 300

C = 0 – 100

Tournament Chair – Doug Berke douglasberke@gmail.com Partnerships – Bob Dove dove.r@sbcglobal.net Dorothy Moore drmoore@flash.net

♥ Austin Winter Sectional Winners ♦ Unit 207

Thursday, January 1 - Saturday, January 3 - Stratified Swiss Teams Games, Sunday, January 4 - Stratiflighted Swiss Teams Games

Thursday AM - A & B

Scott Peeples, Teresa Mack, Nancy Schnepf, George Schnepf

Friday AM - C

Susan Hamm, Linda Vincent, Liz Hinkle, Richard Day

Saturday AM - B

Girish Altekar, Chris Steele, Mark Miller, Jamie Southerland

Thursday PM - A

Jimmy LaFountain, Pat McMullin

Thursday PM - B

Avery Silverstein, Sam Dinkin, Lynn Baker, Cenk Tuncok

Friday PM - A

Avery Silverstein, Sam Dinkin, Lynn Baker, Cenk Tuncok

Saturday PM - A

Venkatrao Komeru, Rosemary Kelley, Jo Smith, Rebecca Brown

Friday AM - A

Lee Stokes Hilton, Kim Brinkman, Jim Hilton, Stephen Wood

Friday PM - C

Jane Kecskes, Rita Schaulat, Linda Golm, Louis Golm

Sunday - AX

Venkatrao Koneru, Rosemary Kelley, Rebecca Brown, Jo Smith

Friday AM - B

Barbara Robinson, Pam Panell, VA Miller, Pam Beck

Saturday AM - A

Kathryn Bailey, Robert Donathan, Stephen Wood, Louis Sachar

Sunday - BCD

Scott Peeples, Teresa Mack, Nancy Schnepf, George Schnepf

Thursday, January 1 - Saturday, January 3 - Open Pairs

Friday AM - A

Brett Leachl, George Watkins

Friday AM - B

Mark Miller, Jamie Southerland

Friday AM - C

Charlotte Brigham, Kristen Andersen

Friday PM - A

Ellen Hessel, Ira Hessel

Friday PM - B Jan Hart, Jeffrey Johnson

Saturday AM - A Jim Hilton, Kenneth Schutze

Saturday AM - B Boyce Liao, Wendy Marks

Thursday, January 1 - 0-299 Pairs

Thursday PM - DEF Shanker Reddy, Anita Thadani

Saturday PM - A & B

Mark Craig, Brett Leach

Dallas Winter Sectional Winners ♦ Unit 176

Wednesday, January 28 - Thursday, January 29 - Bracketed Swiss Teams Games, Friday, January 20 - Saturday, January 31 - Stratified Swiss Teams Games

Wednesday -Bkt 1

Nancy Kornegay, Sheri Bumgardner, Steve Kornegay, Mark Bumgardner

Thursday -Bkt 1

Stefanie Scott, Petra Hamman, Kristen Onsgard, Nancy Passell

Friday -A

Sheri Bumgardner, Nancy Kornegay, Steve Kornegay, Mark Bumgardner

Thursday -Bkt 2

Jo Ellen Wade, David Speer, Lee Huber, Randall Smith

Saturday - A

Kristen Onsgard, Jim Johnsen, Barry Schaffer, Gary Bush

Thursday -Bkt 3

Patty Stille, Connie Scott, Clint Pruett, Walter Netschi

Thursday -Bkt 4 (Tie) Angela Johnson Darlene Campbell, Kent Baxter, Rob Bugbee

Saturday - C

Lynnie Sharma, Arvind Sharma, Ross Ramsey, Brian Eaton

Friday, January 30 - 0-499 Pairs Games

AM - A

Pete Clive, Diana Clive

Wednesday AM - A

Marie-Ann Johnson, Mary McGinnis

PM - A

Patty Degenhardt, Elizabeth Brown

Wednesday, January 28 - Saturday, January 31 - Open Pairs Games

Wednesday AM - C

Athena Leung, Reg Watt

Thursday PM - A

Ribs LaMothe, Jerry Derby

Wednesday PM - A

Thursday PM - B

Farrell Ray, Bruce Barlow

Thursday AM - A (Tie)

Friday AM - A

Margot Hirsch, Randy Eads

Star and Goodwill Award Recipients

Thursday AM - A

Saturday PM - A

Martha Young, Jay Gibson

Spring Sectional 2026

April 30th - May 3rd

Bridge Center of A ustin K 6700 Middle Fiskville Rd.

Thur s, April 30th- Sat, May 2nd

Swiss Teams, single session 10am, 2:30pm

Stratified Open Pairs, single session 10am, 2:30pm

Stratified 299er Pairs, single session 10am, 2:30pm Sun, May 3r d

Strati-flighted A/X & BCD Swiss Teams

10am & TBD

Chair: Dorothy Foster dotfost@gmail.com L512-496-0250

Partnerships: Earnestine Broyles laughDoc7@aol.com

STRATIFICATIONS

(Pair and team games based on average MPs)

Open Pairs: A: 3000+, B: 750-3000, C: 0-750

299er Pairs: A: 200-300, B: 100-200, C: 0-100

Sunday Stratiflighted Swiss Teams: A: 3000+, X: 0-3000, B: 1500-2500, C: 500-1500, D: 0-500

Note: No player with over 2500 can play in the BCD Swiss Director has discretion on A/X MP break

Basic Chart for 299ers

Basic+ Chart for B/C/DSundaySwiss; OpenChartforallotherevents

Entry Fees: $14/session

$140 Sunday Swiss (includes Meal) ($4 additional per session for unpaid ACBL members)

Players with 0-5 masterpoints play for $7 in pairs games.

This is a Cashless Tournament

Meal ser ved between morning & af ternoon sessions on Sunday Link to Sign Up for Partners Online available after April 1st D http://tinyurl.com/atxbridge

Director in Charge: Scott Humphrey

This is a Fragrance-Free Tournament

Friday, February 6 - Saturday, Saturday, February 7 - Open Pairs Games (Matchpoints)

AM - A

AM - C

Friday, February 6 - Saturday, Saturday, February 7 - Open Pairs Games (IMP)

Friday PM - A

Friday PM - C

Friday, February 6 - 0-299 Pairs Games

Friday PM - C

Absentee Voting is March 10 - Postmark March 27 & must be received by April 6 Mail to: Unit 174 c/o Paul Nimmons 1108 Krist Dr., Houston 77055-7522

MEET THE CANDIDATES

Born and educated in St. Petersburg, Russia, I earned a Master of Science degree in Electrical Engineering from the St. Petersburg University. Early in my life I spent a couple of happy and productive years living in the extreme environment of the Northernmost part of Siberia, inside the Polar Circle.

Together with my husband and my son I moved to the United States in 1994 and went on to have a career at the NASA Johnson Space Center.

Upon retiring in 2017, I sought out a new challenge and community: the game of bridge. I began taking bridge classes at the Clear Lake Bridge Club and became an ACBL member.

Now retired, I have the time and energy to serve our unit effectively. I respectfully ask for your vote for the ACBL Unit 174 Board of Directors.

I was born in Germany, spent my formative years in Southeast Asia, before moving to Houston for 7th grade. I proudly received my US citizenship during High School. Upon achieving a B.A. in Biology and a J.D. in Law, I spent my career as an attorney and as an administrative landman.

During Freshman Week at Rice, three freshmen needing a fourth asked if I played bridge. “No, but I’ve played lots of spades and hearts.” They asked me to join them and I have been hooked ever since. In 1988 I joined the ACBL. Upon retiring from law, I worked about a decade as a part time ACBL Tournament Director. My favorite part of bridge is its social aspect, enjoying time with your partners and other players in a friendly competition. Our Unit Board has worked hard to help our Clubs and our Tournaments to increase their attendance and viability.

As a Board member, I want to continue the excellent work that so many players have already contributed to our bridge community.�

I have lived in Texas all of my life: I was born in Dallas; grew up in Austin; earned my undergraduate degree at Rice University in Houston; earned my law degree at the University of Texas in Austin; and thereafter lived in Houston where I practiced tax law with the Vinson & Elkins LLP law firm for many years.

I grew up playing all sorts of card games with my family but didn't play bridge until I was in high school when I started playing casual rubber bridge games with friends. I did not encounter duplicate bridge until after I retired when a friend and I started playing in a supervised game with Kay Johnson. These days, playing duplicate bridge is a regular part of my life. In addition to playing, I help with the games sponsored by the Bridge Academy of West Houston and edit the ACBL District 16 newsletter for intermediate and new players. For fun when I am not playing bridge, I play the piano and conduct visitor tours at Bayou Bend, which is the American antiques and decorative objects wing of the Museum of Fine Arts Houston.

In 9th grade I joined a bridge club that was led by the school principal. There were no books or internet and we just played our own version of Goren. After college I began playing duplicate in India for a few years. Then I came to the US for my graduate degree and didn’t play bridge for about 20 years. My friend in Virginia Beach invited me to a duplicate game and I was instantly hooked. The system has changed dramatically and there was so much to learn. We played together, including representing our district at the NAPs, until we moved to Houston.

Now I have the distinct pleasure of playing bridge with my wife, Iris. We like to travel and we visit siblings and relatives in different parts of the world. We have one married daughter who lives in New York. This does interfere with our bridge game, but I am all in to work for the success of our unit board. Bridge is an amazing game. It requires continuous learning and concentration. Also, it teaches us humility.�

I am an existing board member seeking re-election to continue to work hard for our members and guests to make it better to join in and play the game.

Born and educated in the UK, I married in 1981 and became a widow in 2011. I now live with my daughter in the Memorial area of Houston. My career in the oil and gas construction industry took me to North Africa where I lived for ten years before coming to Houston in 1989. Stateside, I have been active in clubs including the Westside Tennis Club, Houston Acceuil, DBE (Daughters of the British Empire), Awty International School Parent Association, IVH, (International Voices of Houston Community Choir.) I became a US Citizen in 2001 and retired from Emerson Flow Division after 25 years with the company.

I am excited to continue to lend my energies to the benefit of Unit 174 as a member of the Board of Directors.

I am a native Houstonian. I earned my Electrical Engineering degree from the University of Houston and was a Test Engineer at NASA for over 14 years.

I’m also a pilot. I flew for the Civil Air Patrol for many years where we did inspections after hurricanes and we looked for emergency beacons that deployed. Now I fly on occasion to bridge tournaments. Although I played social bridge since I was 17, I had a long hiatus of many years until 2019. I started Lone Star College’s Senior program and took a Bridge class on how to play duplicate. I started playing at the Bridge Club until Covid hit and the Bridge Club closed. I met my husband and together we took Sam Khayatt’s “Bridge Basics” class so we could learn how to play duplicate bridge and are continually working to improve our game.

If given the opportunity, I would like to serve the group by giving my time and effort to further enhance the Bridge experience for all.�

Mon-Tue -Bkt 2

Barbara Sweeney, Jeanette Dean, William Churchman, Jack Dean

♥ Barbara Phillips Lone Star Regional Winners ♦ Unit 174

Monday, January 19 - Thursday, January 22 - Mini-Soloway KO Teams

Mon-Tue -Bkt 3

Robert Vilyus, David Littmann, Marilyn Gale Vilyus, Pamela White

Wed-Thu - Bkt 2

Jane Ardoin, Jean Kiesel, Ginger Hebert, Jane Schmidt

Wed-Thu - Bkt 3

Lynne Trigg, Chuck Mogged Jr, Jan Mogged, Fred Seipp

Wed-Thu - Bkt 4

Lauri Laufman, Bill DeGeorge, James Woodward, Kenneth Hudson

Wed-Thu - Bkt 5

Cindy Schaefer, Michael Hanna, Susan Hanna, Paula Wissman (NP)

Tuesday, January 20, Thursday, January 22 - Saturday, January 24 - Bracketed Round Robin Teams

Tuesday -Bkt 2

James Sells, Ed Cosman, David Richard, Courtney Coffman

Friday -Bkt 2

Sarah Chen, Jessie Lee, Mark Pan, Shangyou Nie

Tuesday -Bkt 3

Virginia Hixson, Donald Hixson, Bob Derber, David Ochs

Tuesday -Bkt 6

Joanna Jewett, Jo Britt, Charles Spradlin, Gary Britt

Friday -Bkt 3

Arjune Bose, Nathan Yee, Kas Rangan, Steven Bell

Saturday - Bkt 1

Dianna Gittelman, Gary King, Anthony Bianchi, Eric Snow

Thusday - Bkt 2

Paddy Fiorino, Cheryl Smith, Jay Evert, Steven Gordon (NP)

Friday -Bkt 4

Joe Siqueira, Iris Siqueira, Chloe Ella Fackenthall, Lesley Kellet

Saturday - Bkt 2

Barbara Sweeney, Jenette Dean, William Churchman, Jack Dean

Thusday - Bkt 3

Herbert Kalman, Robert Reichek, Janice Sandberg, Eric Sandberg

Friday -Bkt 7

Lauri Laufman, Mariah Stopper, James Woodward, Raymond Stopper

Saturday - Bkt 3

Joe Siqueira, Iris Siqueira, Chloe Ella Fackenthall, Lesley Kellet

Thursday - Bkt 6

Tonya McNabb, Gloria Harkey, Bob Mendel, Thomas Brown

Friday -Bkt 8

Barbara Rourke, Julie Barkas, Debra Boehringer, Cindy Barksdale

Saturday - Bkt 4

Elisabeth Cabiness, Lynn Luster, Linwood Olson, Melinda Munson

Monday, January 19 - Saturday, January 24 - Pairs Games

Monday PM SP - A

Wednesday OP - AX

Monday OP - A

Tuesday PM 0-99

Wednesday Gold Rush

Barbara Rourke, Julie Barkas

Friday MF - B

Wednesday AM 299 - D

Saturday OP - A

Wednesday PM SP - A

Saturday OP - X

New Life Masters & Bronze Life Master