Scorecard Volume 58, No. 4 July/August 2026

Volume 58, No. 4

July/August 2026

President’s Message

By Jamie Southerland

President

District 16

Summer is here, the air conditioning is humming, and across Texas and beyond, bridge players are finding their way to the table. Whether you’ve been playing for decades or just discovered duplicate bridge this spring, welcome – and let me take a few minutes to give you the lay of the land.

One question I often hear from newer players is some version of: “Wait, who exactly is in charge of all this?” It’s a fair question. When you sit down at your local club on a Tuesday afternoon, you’re connected to a remarkably well-organized world that stretches from your neighborhood all the way to Lausanne, Switzerland – a series of concentric circles, each one containing and supporting the one inside it.

Club

The club is where most of us start. Your local club is chartered and sanctioned by the American Contract Bridge League (ACBL), which means it meets certain standards and is authorized to award masterpoints. Clubs in District 16 range from small community groups to large bridge centers, but they all serve the same essential purpose: regular play, masterpoints, and a place to fall in love with the game.

Unit

Surrounding your club is the unit – a regional grouping of clubs in your area. District 16 has 18 units

across most of Texas and all of Mexico. If you’re in the Austin area, that’s Unit 207, the Texas Capital Bridge Association. Your ACBL membership is held through your unit, and units do far more than manage rosters: they run sectional tournaments (a step up from club games in both size and masterpoint awards), support charitable activities, and advocate for bridge in their communities.

District

Those units, in turn, belong to District 16 – our district is one of 25 in the ACBL. The district is governed by a board of directors elected by the units, and the president is elected from that board. (That’s me –Hello.) Districts run regional tournaments, larger still and richer in masterpoints, and publish resources like the Scorecard you’re reading right now, the I/N Newsletter, the website and the emails you receive.

ACBL

All this lives under the umbrella of the ACBL headquartered in Horn Lake, Mississippi. With roughly 120,000 members across 25 districts in the United States, Canada, Mexico and Bermuda the ACBL sanctions clubs, maintains the masterpoint system, sets ethical standards including the Zero Tolerance Policy, and runs three North American Bridge Championships each year: Spring, Summer, and Fall. continued on 6

Upcoming D16 Tournaments

June 29-July 5 Austin Firecracker Regional

July 20 - 26 Houston Unit 174 Summer STaC

July 23 - 25 Tyler Tournament of Roses Sectional and NLM Regional

July 30-August 1 Plano [DFW] Friendly BC I/N Sectional

August 8-9 Austin Summer 0-200 Sectional

August 14-16 Houston Awesome August Sectional

August 17-23 D16 STaC

September 2-7 Dallas Labor Day Regional

September 10-13 New Braunfels Sectional

September 17-20 Houston BCOH 499er Sectional

September 24-27 Austin Fall Sectional

October 1-3 Denton Fall Open Sectional

October 5-7 San Antonio Local Sectional

October 10-11 Austin Fall 0-50 Sectional

October 15-17 Houston Fall Sectional and I/N

October

November

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

Tournament

Sam Khayatt

Tomi Storey Coordinators

Education Grand National Teams

Patricia Herrera

Bob Holliday

Marketing/Publicity Intermediate/Newcomer

Lauri Laufman

Sam Khayatt

STaC North American Pairs

Daniel Jackson

Larry Davis

Financial Verifier Recorder

Jim Woodward

Larry Davis

NABC Correspondent Tournament / Sanction

Lynn Baker Applications

Scott Humphrey Lecture Series

Dolores Aquino (I/N), Patricia Herrera (Spanish) & James Moody (Zoom®)

Website Team

Beth Tobias, Ken MacMorran, Sue Caulfield & Evvie Gilbert

District 16

Scorecard Editor

Evvie Gilbert

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

The Most Beautiful Game in the World ♠

By Patricia Herrera D16 Education Coordinator

Bridge is the most beautiful game in the world – and one of the greatest teachers of partnership. We often talk about systems, conventions, and agreements. We spend time refining methods, adjusting defenses, and debating bids. But most of the time, that is not where partnerships succeed or fail. They succeed – or fail – because of something much more subtle: Bidding philosophy.

I see it constantly: partnerships arguing after a hand, trying to locate the “wrong convention.” But when you listen closely, the disagreement is rarely about the system itself. It is about how each partner sees the game.

One player upgrades aggressively, the other is disciplined. One stretches in competition, the other prefers clarity. One believes shape justifies action; the other waits for values. Both may be excellent players –but they are not necessarily aligned.

This is why two partnerships can play exactly the same methods and still feel like they are speaking different languages at the table.

So what do we really need to know about our partner? Not just what conventions they play. But how they think.

Here are a few questions that matter far more than most agreements on a convention card:

• How light do they open, really?

• Do they upgrade good shape or stick strictly to points?

• What does “sound” mean to them in competition?

• How much risk are they comfortable taking when vulnerable?

• Do they prefer discipline or pressure?

• What do they do when the auction is unclear? These answers are not written anywhere on a system card. They are revealed over time – through discussion, experience, and sometimes through painful hands.

The best partnerships I have seen are not necessarily the ones with the most complex systems.

They are the ones with shared judgment. They know when partner is stretching – and when partner is being disciplined. They are not constantly surprised. They are not constantly correcting each other after the fact. They are aligned in their assumptions before the auction even begins.

And that alignment changes everything. It creates trust, reduces conflict and replaces guesswork with confidence.

When partnerships misunderstand each other, the instinct is often to rewrite conventions. Add a note. Tighten an agreement. Adjust a gadget.

But more often than not, the problem is not the agreement. It is the absence of a shared philosophy behind it.

So before changing a convention card, it may be more useful to have a different kind of conversation: Not “What does this bid mean in our system?” But “What were you thinking when you made it?” Because that answer tells you far more than any system note ever will.

In bridge, partnership is not just about playing the same methods. It is about seeing the game through the same lens. When that happens, everything becomes simpler and a lot more beautiful.

We are better together. Go to the club, play online, teach someone, volunteer. The more the merrier!

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. When she is not playing bridge, she runs a nonprofit consulting firm based in Mexico City called Pontis, and also designs itineraries for people that want to visit Mexico. You can reach her at: herrerapatricia@gmail.com

North American Pairs (NAP) ♠

By Larry Davis D16 NAP Coordinator

TheNorth American Pairs (NAP) is an ACBL-wide event held annually. Players must qualify to advance to the next level of competition. The event starts each summer with club-level qualifications. Players may qualify at any club NAP game in the ACBL with any partner. (The club does not have to be in your district or unit.) One may play in any number of club-level NAP games, even after qualifying.

Flights

There are four flights – Championship, A, B and C. Championship is 6000+ masterpoints, Flight A is 3000-6000 masterpoints. Flight B is 750-3000 masterpoints, and Flight C is less than 750 masterpoints AND not having life master status. You don’t need to play with someone in your flight, although the flight status of the pair is determined by the player with the higher number of masterpoints. If you earn a Flight A (B) qualification, you automatically earn a Flight B or C (C) qualification, if you are eligible for the lower-level flight.

District-Level Qualification

Some districts require unit-level qualification (District 16 does not). The district-level qualification event in District 16 is currently held in October or November in Austin (odd-numbered years) and San Antonio (even-numbered years), sometimes in conjunction with an open sectional tournament.

In 2026, the district-level NAP will be held on October 31- November 1 in conjunction with a San Antonio sectional tournament. The NAP is a two-day event (usually, *see exceptions below) with two sessions per day. After the first day, about half of the field is

eliminated. At the district-level, both players of a pair must play in a flight for which they qualified. The pair may choose to play in a higher-level flight if both players earned a qualification for that higher-level flight. (For example, two flight C players who have earned a Flight B and a Flight C qualification may elect to play in Flight B even though they could play in Flight C.) You may enter only one flight. You are not required to play with a partner with whom you qualified at a lower-level competition. Both players must be residents of the district in which they resided on June 1 of the current year.

National-Level Advancement/Stipends

Pairs qualifying at the district-level advance to the national-level. There are three or four qualifiers at the district-level. The national-level event is held at the 2027 March NABC in Dallas. There are stipends paid by the ACBL to help defray player expenses. If some of the district-level qualifying pairs cannot attend the NABC, the ACBL contacts other district-level pairs in order of place and offers such pairs the opportunity to represent their district at the nationals. (No stipend is paid by the ACBL to such substitute pairs.) Districts and units might still pay stipends to such pairs. Some districts provide additional stipends (District 16 currently does). Some units provide additional stipends. (Check with your unit’s board.) District-level stipends are paid after the NABC event is held and might be (wholly or partially) withheld if the pair had Zero Tolerance violations at the district and/or national levels.

*Exceptions: If 16 or fewer pairs enter the District 16 NAP finals for a given flight, such flight will have a one-day, two-session play-through final to determine the national-level qualifiers for that flight.

The North American Bridge Championship ♠ Is Returning to Texas

By Scott Nason D16 Second Vice President

It wasn’t that long ago that Austin hosted the first Post-Covid NABC. But District 16 is getting another chance to host, with the Spring 2027 NABC coming to Dallas’s Hyatt Regency Hotel (Reunion Tower to those who know it) in Downtown Big D.

From March 11-21, Dallas will be the center of the bridge world, hosting all of the normal NABC events, plus the four-flighted North American Pairs, which are held once a year in the Spring. Hotel reservations will open on September 22, so make your bookings and join us for a wonderful time in Dallas next March. Hotel information can be seen here.

continued from 1President's Message

National

Now here is where it gets interesting for anyone who dreams of representing their country. The USBF – the United States Bridge Federation – is the organization responsible for selecting and supporting American teams in international competition. Founded in 2001, the USBF holds the United States Bridge Championships, a series of team trials that determine who will wear the USA jersey at world championship events. While the ACBL is the membership organization most of us interact with every day, the USBF is the body that fields America’s best players on the world stage. The two organizations work hand in hand – the ACBL funds the USBF’s international program through its International Fund, and ACBL membership is a prerequisite for USBF competition.

World

And finally there is the outermost circle: the World Bridge Federation, based in Lausanne, Switzerland. The WBF is the international governing body for the game, recognized by the International Olympic Committee as a mind sport. It runs the world championships – the Bermuda Bowl, the Venice Cup, the d’Orsi Trophy for seniors – and when an ACBL team travels to compete, they go as our representatives on that global stage.

So, the next time you pick up your cards, take a moment to appreciate how much is behind that simple act. Your Tuesday game connects you to your community, your region, your country, and the world.

I hope to see you at the Austin Firecracker or Dallas Labor Day Regional later this summer.

New Members

April - May 2026

172 Jeffrey Hope

172 Robbie Smith

174 Champa Bhatia

174 Mary Douglass

174 Robert Macleod

174 Kathryn Pullum

Junior Master (5 MPs)

172 Paula Brett

173 Melba Elizondo

173 Ma Guadalupe Garza

174 Tedra Black

174 Bruce Carlin

174 Kemberly Warren

176 Traudi Bandura

176 Sam Johnson

176 Donna Parker

176 Tom Rogers

176 Naeem Siddiqui

183 Patty Schaumburg

183 Telena Wright

187 Samuel Neff

197 Malini Parameswaran

197 Sandra Wallace

204 Sherrie Bouissey

204 Shelly Erickson

204 Susan Solomon

207 Suzanne Clayton

209 Nick Collins

Club Master (20 MPs)

172 Linda Elkins

174 Sharon Degnan

174 Hong Sun

174 Cavin Zeng

176 Jim Finley

176 P Gregory Warden

183 Chloe Ann Colgan

183 Brandon Duebel

207 Aamer Ali

207 Lynn Oakes

207 Raghupati Rao

207 Catherine Sansbury

225 Charles Cox III

Masterpoint Milestones

April - May 2026

174 Dong Dong

174 Doris Fujii

174 Helen Kelly

174 Cynthia Martin

174 Donna Sachs

174 Kemberly Warren

174 Kathy Winn

174 Xingwei Wu

176 Stacy Mihalsky

176 Shaeron Moorhead

183 Debra Conner

183 Thomas Matheos

183 John Osoinach Jr

197 Bryan Camp

207 Michelle Aleshin

207 Marc Younger

209 Sheri Hobbs

225 Carol Mayorga

Sectional Master (50 MPs)

172 Edward Livermore

172 Laura Nikas

172 Aris Nikas

173 Gisele de Lima

174 Kathy Bailey

174 Michael Balchunas

174 Vickie Balchunas

174 Elizabeth Bradley

174 Harry Elliott

174 John Untereker

176 Joseph Williams

183 Margaret Gisler

187 Susan Case

187 Petra Ramharack

187 David Swanson

197 Linda Reves

197 Mark Sneed

201 Daisey Arnett

207 Susan Hauser

254 Jan Brosnahan

Regional Master (100 MPs)

172 Cathy O Connor

174 Rodney Armstrong

174 Mary Burrows

174 Brenda Cunningham

174 Bob Driskell

174 Fred Infortunio

174 Baines Manning

174 Frank Marino

176 Laura Lang

176 Noreen Warwick

176 Liz Williams

183 Bruce Bent

183 Yvonne Ryan

197 Robert Faulk

197 William Lancet

197 Christy Marchbanks

201 Frances Price

204 Troy Harvey

207 Girish Altekar

207 Gail Daniels

207 Boyu Liao

207 Stephanie Reed

207 Dan Seitz

224 Jill Rejeanne

225 Judy Walter

NABC Master (200 MPs)

172 Martin Fitch

174 Hao Deng

174 Ann Johnson

174 Mannie Magid

174 Meynard Nussbaum

174 Therese Perez

176 Elizabeth Brown

183 Tim Baris

204 Julia Farmer

204 Marty Simpson

207 Ladair Wright

224 Sandra Carter

Advanced NABC Master (300 MPs)

172 Richard Southworth

187 Bill Samelson

207 Paul Marino

Life Master (500 MPs*)

172 Jane Lawson

174 Beryl Booker

174 Bill Brady

174 Jinrong Wang

176 James Bishop

176 John Redfern

183 Beth DiTommaso

207 Cole Musselman

209 Travis Woodward

Bronze Life Master (750 MPs**)

174 Bill Brady

174 Robert Domsalla

174 Charlotte Howell

174 Mark Levy

176 Carla Joiner

176 Margie Portela

183 Michael Frederick

207 David Sechrest

Silver Life Master (1000 MPs)

172 Carol Ellis

172 Yao-Hui Hsiau

172 Ginny Littrell

172 Dolores Reiley

174 Kathy L'Hommedieu

174 Lois McCallister

174 B J Renshaw

176 James Bishop

176 Donna Jordan

176 William Keys

197 Barbara Bridges

201 Martha Oliver

204 Joy Foster

209 Travis Woodward

225 Curtis Bourland

Ruby Life Master (1500 MPs)

174 Karen Baer

174 Louis Bockman

174 Debbie Nash

176 Susan S M Doe

176 Jim Farmer

207 Barbara Robinson

207 Simone Scumpia

225 David Worrall

254 David McDougall

254 Syndi McDougall

Gold Life Master (2500 MPs)

174 Carl Hogan

174 Donna Moore

176 Ann Ankrum

176 Feza Buyukdura

176 Ari Sippola

209 Belle Harris

237 Charles Anderson

Sapphire Life Master (3500 MPs)

174 Debi Balter

174 Thomas Jahnke

183 Khalifa Ahmed

New Diamond Life Masters (5000 MPs)

174 Dianna Gittelman

New Emerald Life Masters (7500 MPs)

176 Tomi Storey

Platinum Life Master (10000)

172 Daniel Jackson

*Prior to January 1, 2010 - 300 MPs

**Prior to January 1, 2010- 500 MPs

D16 + Club

Mary Bartley & Mark Leighton 81.25%

Longview – Longview DBC

Ira & Ellen Hessel 75.67%

San Antonio – Unit 172 Game

John Erickson & Linda Sutton 75.48%

Conroe – Lone Star Bridge Club

Jim Stelly & Arline Meyers 75%

Beaumont – Beaumont Bridge Studio

Gary Blaiss & Greg Loran 73.57%

Lubbock – LLano Estacado Bridge Club

Joe Quinn & Jack Lavigne 73.56%

Abel Pushkar & Sandra Sarnow 70.83%

Mexico City – CDMX Bridge Center

Beryl Cobb and Sanjay Santhanam 70.83%

Longview – Longview DBC

Neal Perlman & Joy Foster 70.74%

San Angelo – Fort Concho (Unit 204)

Rob Johnson & Jimmy Reynolds 70.6%

Ajijic – Lake Chapala DBC

Peter Jones & Andrew Small 70.37%

Ajijic – Lake Chapala DBC

Robbie Butts & Bonta Thompson 70.24%

Houston – Bridge Academy of West Houston

William Turner & Angela Hester 73.26%

Houston – Bridge Academy of West Houston

Jerry Derby & Gerry McKim 72.11%

Plano – Friendly Bridge Club

John Erickson & Gil Micheletti 71.61%

Conroe – Lone Star Bridge Club

Bob Holliday & Joe Gill 71.36%

Plano – Friendly Bridge Club

Gary Blaiss & Robbie Butts 71.13%

Lubbock – LLano Estacado Bridge Club

Bob & Val Townley-Smith 71%

Beaumont – Beaumont Bridge Studio

Janie Wolver & Jerrell Wolaver 70.83% Pittsburg – Pittsburg DBC

Lubbock – LLano Estacado Bridge Club

Pawel Hanus & Ari Sippola 70.2%

Dallas – Unit 176 Game

Reporting D16 70% + Games

The D16 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.

Unit 174 Houston

By Sarah Springer

Member Profiles

Meet the Real Paul Cuneo

[Previously featured in the Unit 174 April 2026 Newsletter.]

There are probably very few people in the bridge community who are not familiar with Paul Cuneo. He has been active in leadership and volunteer roles for many years within Unit 174, District 16 and in the ACBL, even serving as Interim Executive Director prior to Bronia Jenkins’ assumption of the role.

Even though Paul is an iconic bridge figurehead, he is very approachable and caring. He has a delightful twinkle in his eye as he interacts with others, and he is always charming and capable at the bridge table.

Background

Paul grew up in Denver, Colorado, one of four boys in his family. He enjoyed playing sports at the city parks, including baseball and softball. Paul earned a degree in chemical engineering at the prestigious Colorado School of Mines and embarked on a career with Shell Oil Company. In his early years, he worked in Gallup, New Mexico and was fascinated by the lunchtime bridge game which he kibitzed. He soon read a bridge book and then started playing. He continued playing party bridge as he moved from New Mexico to Houston to Saint Louis, and the Hague (Netherlands) and back in Houston. After 33 years with Shell, Paul retired in 2002.

Volunteer Extraordinaire

After his successful career, Paul wanted to give back through volunteering in his retirement, working to make the world a better place. He worked with chari-

table organizations through his church and Executive Service Corps, leading the Strategic Planning Process for Meals on Wheels, and Children’s Safe Harbor in Montgomery County, to name a few. He has given thousands of hours of his time and has enthusiastically shared his considerable talents to help those not as fortunate as himself.

Duplicate Bridge Journey/Service

Despite his almost full-time charity work, Paul continued to play bridge and eventually was lured into a duplicate bridge class at the Bridge Club of Houston (BCOH). Paul joined the ACBL in October of 2005. He initially played in the mentor/mentee games at BCOH, and after a few mentors he settled in with Paul Nimmons as his main mentor. Savvy Barbara LaVigne asked Paul to run for the Unit 174 Board, and he consented to run and was elected in 2008. He campaigned on the premise that he might not be the best bridge player, but he was an organizer and analyzer, and he would work hard to make the unit the best it could be. He was elected in a landslide, and he set to work right away.

Paul is thorough about everything he does, and he did extra homework to bring more than just his business expertise to the bridge board. He got his club director certificate, and at the urging of Dan Morse he attended a tournament manager workshop and was inspired by all kinds of ideas to make our tournaments better. He learned about gold rush pairs and bracketed Swiss Teams and brought them to the Houston Lone Star Regional. The tournament sessions ran at 1:30 p.m. and 7:00 p.m. and he changed the times to 10:00 a.m. and 3:00 p.m. Paul worked hard on the policies and procedures manual and helped to institute electronic voting through the unit’s website.

Paul joined the District 16 Board and as Education Chair instituted teachers’ workshops and directors’ courses. He ran for 1st Alternate and campaigned all around the district and won against four other contestants on the first ballot. Paul joined the ACBL

Board in 2017. He was reelected twice to the ACBL Board and then decided that eight years was enough and retired from the ACBL and District 16 Boards in 2024. Paul was called into service as Interim Executive Director of the ACBL at the end of 2022 when Joe Jones resigned.

Despite his temporary position as Interim Executive Director, Paul went full bore at the ACBL just as he had with the unit and the district. He saved $50,000 by discontinuing the printed daily bulletins at the NABC’s and worked on renegotiating contracts post COVID-19 pandemic. Paul opined that a major challenge for the ACBL is new member recruitment and credited Patty Tucker’s (ACBL 2016 Honorary Member of the Year) efforts in teaching bridge. He was also a member of the ACBL Educational Foundation Board which (among other things) supports fostering bridge in colleges and universities. Paul believes that online bridge is the long-term future, with F2F remaining attractive for the senior population.

Travels

In addition to his volunteer activities and active duplicate bridge playing, Paul enjoys travel, especially to Europe. His favorite countries are Great Britain, Italy, and Spain, but not necessarily in that order. He plans to drive to Salt Lake City in May, following the Lewis & Clark itinerary. Paul loves to drive when he travels and has driven on numerous European trips and even in Australia. He has even mastered driving on the wrong side of the road with the steering wheel on the wrong side of the car.

Time with family brings Paul great joy. He has children and grandchildren in Houston with whom he spends plenty of time, and when he can he visits children and grandchildren in California.

Hidden Passion

Paul’s hidden passion is cooking. He was the primary cook in the household raising his children, and he has continued perfecting his culinary skills throughout his life. His specialties are main courses and a few of his favorites are calzones, green chili chicken enchiladas, Cajun dishes such as etouffee and jambalaya, and Italian dishes like lasagna, and spaghetti and meatballs, and he has grill skills too.

He and his bridge partner Carmen Keys have traveled together, and Paul finds inspiration for his dishes as he visits exotic places. For example, in Marrakesh, Paul and Carmen enjoyed a dish called “Pastilla” or “Bastilla” (either spelling is correct) which consists of phyllo dough stuffed with spicy chicken and topped with cinnamon and powdered sugar. Paul has successfully recreated this culinary delight upon his return to Houston. You can read Paul’s favorite recipe for this inspired dish here.

Paul also enjoys Houston: Astros games, the Fine Arts Museum and restaurants. He enjoys wine, especially reds, and his favorite is pinot noir. He recommends Kirkland Russian River Pinot Noir, a good value at Costco.

When you see Paul at the club or tournaments, thank him for all his hard work making our bridge world better, and see if you can wrangle an invite to his house for dinner.

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

Unit 183 Lewisville

By Darrel VanDyke

Contributors

Bill Lee & Bob Wands

Asthe director of our little club (Bridge Academy of Flower Mound, Lewisville and Coppell or BAFLAC), randomly I will get phone calls from people in which the conversation usually starts with “I would like to start playing bridge again and need help finding a partner.” My reply is always, “You’ve come to the right person.” This is the story of two people who called me.

The first time I met Bill Lee was when he showed up to play while dragging a heavy-duty breathing apparatus. Each time he played, it was an ordeal for him. He had to get a ride to/from the facility, drag in his equipment, and try to keep focused as his lungs did the best they could to keep up. (He was an excellent bridge player.)

Another guy, Bob Wands, gave the impression of health when he walked in briskly. It was only later that he told me that he had been diagnosed with stage 4 chest area cancer that had spread, and he was going through all kinds of cancer therapies. (Bob was also an excellent bridge player.)

The commonality between Bill and Bob was that before they found our club, both had found themselves sitting alone at home too much, but they both loved the game of bridge. All it took was a phone call, and I like to think that their lives changed for the better during the few months left. Both Bill and Bob struggled each day just to stay alive, but they came to our bridge game as a respite from their pain. For a few hours, they focused on the cards, they laughed and enjoyed the social aspects of this game and made new friends – and we made new friends too. Bill died a few months back, and Bob died just recently.

Both men were incredible and you can read more about Bob Wands.

Unit 172 - San Antonio

By Ellen Hessel

Surely do hope everyone’s planning to come out to our New Braunfels tournament September 10-13 at the New Braunfels Civic Center. It’s clearly our most attended sectional by far, and there are indeed some pretty good reasons for that. The people are friendly, the venue is spacious, the hospitality is legendary – just to name a few. Let me emphasize the hospitality. Elizabeth Kay and her crew keep everyone going to the table of delectables between rounds. You’ll be glad you came.

We’ve had a couple of unit games, one in May and the other in June. On May 16, we had 17 tables in play, creating a fun atmosphere made even better by the many members who brought delicious snacks. The open game featured 12 tables, with Ira & Ellen Hessel taking first place with an outstanding 75.67%. Flight B winners were the mother-and-son team of Phyllis & Matt Giffin, while Ken King & Stan Morris won Flight C. In the 499er game, five tables were in play, and Anita Ramirez & Michael Bryne finished first. Thank you to everyone who helped make the event such a success.

John Hilbig & Beth Gale hosted the Unit 172 game on June 6 which was directed by Larry Levin. Half of the entry fees will be sent for Alzheimer's research. There were 15.5 tables in the open game and 3 in the 499er game. Good food, good fun and good company. The winners: Flight A Rosemary Kelley & Bill McCarty, Flight B Robert Martin & Barbara Morgan, Flight C Yesh Singh & Yao-Hui (Joe) Hsiau. Deborah Kline & Cathy O Connor won the 0-499 game.

On another positive note, Fiesta Bridge Club now has 12:00 p.m. games at the JCC on the second and fourth Saturdays of the month; please check the calendar for exceptions. The Saturday games will require reservations and pre-payment; please see Laurie Levin (210-475-1901) for more information. This is welcome news for our bridge players who work during the week. Hope to see you all in New Braunfels if not before.

Unit 174 - Houston

By Sarah Springer

Greetings from Unit 174 Clubs and players to District 16! Summer is upon us and we’ve already had our first sectional tournament, which was a great success. We had a great turnout and wonderful representation from area clubs. Clear Lake (as usual) was in abundant attendance as was Bridge Club of Houston (BCOH), and we had folks travel from College Station and the Woodlands. We also had two out-of-state players of whom I am aware. A good time was had by all and it was great to see so many of our friends actively competing at our unit tournament.

Our next tournament – the Awesome August Sectional – will be held at BCOH in Spring. BCOH has worked diligently to put this event together, and it promises to be a wonderful tournament. Because space is limited, you should make a reservation to secure your place (BCOHEvents@gmail.com). Should more people register than the current space allotment, BCOH has made arrangements with its neighbor in the center for additional flow over space. BCOH will be providing fabulous food at a reasonable cost, so mark your calendars for the Awesome August Sectional, August 14- 16, in Spring! The flyer is available in this issue and on the unit website.

At the June Unit Board meeting President Brigitte Sandifer resigned as president and Lauri Laufman was elected our new president. Fortunately Brigitte remains on the board. She is a tireless and efficient volunteer for our unit and she will continue to serve us. Lauri’s comment regarding her unexpected presidency: “While this came as a surprise, I’m here this year to help however I can. I’m honored to serve alongside such a terrific board and grateful for the outstanding volunteers who support our board and unit.”

Other great news is that Betty and Milton Freedman have committed to donating $10,000 to sponsor the 2027 Lone Star Regional.

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.

F2F Games for FLMers

49er Game

Play in Person Every Sunday Afternoon

Game time: 1:30 p.m.

Bridge Club of Houston 4688 Louetta, Spring 77388

$5.00

99er Game

Play in Person Every Tuesday Morning

Game time: 10:30 a.m.

Bridge Academy of West Houston 10510 Harwin (Shriners) 77036

$7.00

99er Game

Game time: 1:00 p.m.

Clear Lake Bridge Club 16614 Sea Lark Road 77062

$6.00

News from Unit 174 Clubs

Apple Duplicate Bridge Clubs

Weekly Game Schedule

Open games are held Mondays and Fridays at 11:30 a.m. at the Tracy Gee Community Center, 3598 Westcenter. The games at Tracy Gees have been interrupted due to the use of the community center for elections, but there will be no such interruptions in July and August. Please check our website for more information. Don’t forget: It is North American Pairs season so at least two games per month will be NAP qualifying games, which also award extra masterpoints. Come on out and get your Q! You do not have to scratch to qualify, so come on out and give it a go!

Bridge Academy of West Houston

The Bridge Academy of West Houston (BAWH) is located at 10510 Harwin (Shriners).

• Ben Ball’s 98th Birthday Party

On Thursday, May 28, club members gathered to celebrate Ben Ball’s 98th birthday. A wonderful time was had by all as friends came together to honor one of our favorite players.

Ben is well known for the T-shirts he wears, often featuring clever sayings about mathematics and physics. This year’s birthday shirt took a different approach and drew plenty of smiles. If you can’t read it from the photo, it says:

"At 98, I’m Still Playing with a Full Deck — I Just Shuffle Slower."

All Clubs Welcome Singletons! EVERYONE PLAYS!

The birthday cake, generously provided by Gary Kerr, perfectly captured the spirit of the occasion. Judging by the laughter and good wishes, Ben’s sense of humor remains as sharp as ever. Happy 98th Birthday, Ben!

On Wednesday, June 10, we celebrated Jinrong Wang’s achievement of the rank of Life Master. In the photo, Joe Quinn recounts Jinrong’s journey to becoming a Life Master, noting with a smile that Jinrong has a reputation as an overbidder (just take a look at the cake!).

Jinrong spoke about his bridge experience and thanked his many friends for their support along the way. He recalled that when he first started playing duplicate bridge, he would become nervous whenever someone at the table called, “Director, please.” Over time, he learned not only the skills needed to play the game well, but also the rules and procedures that are an important part of duplicate bridge. Congratulations, Jinrong, on this impressive achievement!

• 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, July 7 and August 4.

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 July 26 and August 30.

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 Practice for I/N Players

FLM 0-49 Game

The FLM 0-49 Game is on Sundays at 1:30 p.m. Game fee is $5.00. 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 936-650-8180.

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 0-99 Games

The Online 0-99 games are held the first and third Mondays at 7:00 p.m. and occasionally on Saturdays at 9:00 a.m. (usually). You can check game times on the FLM website.

Saturday F2F 299er Game

Saturday F2F 399er 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.

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.

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

July 1, 3

July 3

Grass Roots Game

$5 Member Games

July 4 Hot Diggity Dog, 11:15 am (bring sides to share)

July 4, 6-10, 27, 29, 31

NAOP Qualifier, 150% with 50% Red

July 11, 12, 19 Silver Quest Glitter –35% Silver

July 13-18 Unit Club Championship

July 20-25 Unit 174 StaC

August 1, 10-12, 24, 26-29

NAOP

August 2 Teams Game

August 3-8 Unit Club Championship

August 17-23 Club Championship

Good Times with Good Friends

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

Clear Lake Bridge Club

Clear Lake Bridge Club (CLBC) is one of the most vibrant clubs in our unit. They have an active and loyal membership, and show up religiously for unit tournaments, and they know how to amass the masterpoints! Their club is spacious and convenient and it is filled with friendly bridge players. Come on down for a visit sometime – you will be glad you did.

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 Saturday at 10:00 a.m. Saturday at 9:30 a.m. is a free mini-lesson with a Q&A after the game.

0-499 games are on Tuesday at 10:00 a.m. and Thursday at 1:00 p.m.

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.

UpComing

CLBC participated in the Do What You Love to End Alzheimers on June 17. Watch the next issue for photos and to hear how generous the membership is.

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, Montgomery. As you enter the parking lot, drive around to the back of the property and enter at the lower level. 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.

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.

UpComing

Star/Pebble Creek participated in the Do What You Love to End Alzheimers Fundraiser on June 15. Watch the next issue for photos and to hear how generous the membership is.

Sugarland Bridge Club

Games are every Tuesday beginning at 9:30 a.m. at Lago Mariscos Mexican Seafood Restaurant, 2329 Hwy 6, Sugar Land. 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

Celebrate July 4th

Friday, July 3, and Saturday, July 4,

Friendly Bridge Club will celebrate the 250th birthday of our country, and the 5th anniversary of the re-birth of Friendly with hot dogs and apple crisp and ice cream. Please make a reservation at Friendly Bridge Club.

Good Luck to our GNT Qualifiers

Several of our players qualified to represent District 16 at the NABC in Minneapolis in July. The team of Linda Schubert, Loralee Berg, Cassie Stern, Myra Hammond, Debbie Taylor and Pam Myers placed 1st in the Flight C. Danny Feng of Frisco is also a member of the 1st place team in Flight A. Good luck to all in Minneapolis!

I/N Tournament July 30 – August 1

Friendly Bridge Club will host an I/N Sectional with games on Thursday and Friday at the Plano location and games on Saturday at King of Glory. This tournament is open to players with 750 or fewer masterpoints. You can see the flyer in this issue for more information. Mark your calendars!

Labor Day Regional

September 2-7: It's almost time for the Labor Day Regional! This year we are back at the Renaissance Hotel in Richardson, our home for many years prior to 2024! We are offering new events and great new hospitality. You can view the flyer to see the details! The reservation portal is open. Click this link to make your reservations: Renaissance or scan the QR code on the flyer .

McKinney Bridge Club – New Location

Trinity Presbyterian Church, 5871 Virginia Parkway, McKinney. Beginning on Tuesday, June 30, play will be at our new location.

Unit Game Results

April - Friendly Bridge Club hosted the Unit Game with 19 tables. All results are here.

• 1st in A: Ari Sippola & Pawel Hanus with 70.2%!!!

• 1st in B: Jeff Karpeles & Kashi Singh 65.52%

• 1st in C: Dan Butler and David Salem 61.34%

May - Valley View Bridge Club hosted the Unit Game with 14.5 tables. All results are here.

• 1st in A: Joan Jackson & Peggy Sutherlin 61.15%

• 1st in B: Joe Gill & Bob Holliday 59.96%

• 1st in C: Janet Meyer & Gail Wingfield 56.79%

June - Friendly Bridge Club hosted the Unit game with 22.5 tables.

• 1st in A: Kristen Onsgard & Nancy Passell with 67.76%

• 1st in B: Rosalind Smith & Mary Lynn Genovesi 59.06%

• 1st in C: Jacqueline & Philip Brown 52.92%

• 1st in 499: Guy Buchner & Roz Ackermann

Unit 183 - Fort Western

By John Coe Robbins

Fort Western Regional Unit 183 held a successful regional tournament at the Hyatt Regency airport hotel in May with 667 tables played over the week of the 11 through 17. Many thanks to tournament manager Randy Eads and all the volunteers who made it happen. Pictures of the winners can be see here.

Arlington Summer Sectional

At deadline, Arlington tournament Chair Dorothy Moore and other volunteers were putting together the finishing touches on the Arlington Summer Sectional scheduled for June 25-27 at the Unit 183 Bridge Studio on Wellington Road in Fort Worth. Results

and pictures will be posted in the next edition of the Scorecard in September.

July Club Special Events

July special occasions at local clubs will include an Eight is Enough Game on July 7 at the Denton Bridge Studio in celebration of our country’s 250th birthday. Bridge lessons are now an ongoing feature at the Fort Worth studio. On the first and third Mondays of each month Kathy Coleman teaches lessons for beginners who have some experience playing bridge, and on the second and fourth Mondays, Gloria Fields gives instruction for players with little or no experience. A limited game follows all Monday lessons.

Thank You, Lynn

Special kudos to Lynn Long. After years of gathering information from all the unit clubs and writing timely and informative monthly unit newsletters, Lynn is passing the baton and will now have a bit more time to devote to her successful interior decorating and design business.

True Story

Finally, a true story: Last week I saw a reference online to the rule of seven and typed that into Google Artificial Intelligence. It explained to me this is a rubric suggesting when playing a No Trump contract while holding an ace and only smaller cards in a suit being led, you should add together your total cards in that suit and subtract the result from seven. This indicates how many times you should hold off playing the ace in an effort to disrupt opponents’ communication. AI added this clever illustration:

“Example: If you have Ax of the suit in your hand and xx in dummy, you would subtract 4 from seven and duck three times.”

In fairness, I entered the question again a few days later and got a less bizarre example, with the addition of a one-line offer: “I can help you determine the safest route to securing your No Trump contract.” I passed.

Unit 197 - Llano

Estacado

By Gwen Wright

Overview of 2026 Achievements

2026 has proven to be an exceptionally successful year for Unit 197, building on the momentum established in 2025. Our club hosted two sets of educational series, featuring ACBL’s Intro to Bridge Series 1 and Series 2. The fall classes attracted 72 students who attended sessions on

Wednesday and Friday mornings. In the spring, we welcomed an additional 25 participants. The opportunity to share our passion for bridge with so many newcomers has been incredibly rewarding. This success is reflected in Lubbock’s standing as #1 in the district for Active Member Trends and New Member Gains. Our consistent growth over the past three years is a testament to the collective effort and dedication of our entire club.

Facility Improvements

In March, we undertook a significant remodeling project for our kitchen and bathrooms. Bill and Rita Lancet led the charge, ensuring that all renovations were completed in time for the April Showers Sectional Tournament. The funding for these improvements came primarily from our members, who once again demonstrated their commitment to the club by stepping up to meet the challenge.

Sectional Tournament Success

We also had the pleasure of hosting a memorable sectional tournament this year. The Bridge Club was filled to capacity with tables, creating a vibrant atmosphere for three days of competitive play. Participants came from across Texas and Oklahoma, and 95 attendees earned masterpoints during the event. We are already looking forward to future tournaments and hope to see even greater participation from our district. You can see some of the tournament winners in this issue.

Unit 201 - Sabine Neches

By Linda Briggs

Memorial Day

May 25 was an occasion for Unit 201 members of patriotism, remembrance of those who gave their lives in this country’s service, fellowship, and hot dogs.

General Meeting

The general meeting, June 1, included the Board of Directors election. Results were new members – Patsy Pierce and Patricia Lavelle; and returning members: Dean and Michele Domec, Earl Pittman, Susan Gore, Pat Bell, Val Townley-Smith, Susan Pennington, and Maxine Moye.

Awards

At the meeting, awards for 2025 were presented. District Star Award: Earl Pittman; Goodwill Awards: Bob Townley-Smith and Maxine Moye, presented by President Val Townley-Smith.

Mini-McKinney and Ace of Clubs Awards went to Asher Puente, Bob and Theresa Cooper, LaRue Smith, Dean and Michele Domec, Elouise Young, Kris Cherry, LaRue Smith, Susan Pennington, Val Townley-Smith, Paul Keedy, Arline Meyers, Carol McGill, John and Nancy Smalley, and Tipton Golias.

Goodwill Award Winners

Bob

Board Officers

The Board officers chosen June 8 are president, Val Townley-Smith, vice-president, Dean Domec, and secretary, Susan Gore.

Donation to Southeast Texas Veterans Association

Billy Hall of the Southeast Texas Veterans Association received the club's donation from Val Townley Smith and Unit 201 members June 10.

DWYL

On June 17 and 19 Unit 201 participated in Do What you Love to End Alzheimer's, the partnership between the ACBL and the Alzheimer's Association with the goal of raising funds to fight Alzheimer's disease.

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

April Showers Tournament Club members Joy Foster, Julie Moorman, Sandra Love, Barry Jackson, Neal Perlman, and Michelle Anderson recently traveled to Lubbock (Unit 197) to compete in the April Showers Local Tournament.

Collectively, the team earned an impressive 40.34 silver points out of the 451.16 total points awarded to 95 players – capturing 9% of all points awarded at the

Leading the way was the unstoppable Neal Perlman, who brought home a remarkable 19.93 silver points in a truly dominant performance.

Another highlight came from Michelle Anderson and Sandra Love, who achieved a stellar 70% game during one of the 299er sessions – an accomplishment that reflects outstanding partnership, focus, and teamwork. Congratulations to both players on this exceptional achievement! We are certain this duo will continue making headlines in future tournaments.

Board Election

Unit 204 recently completed its board election, welcoming new board members Prissy Griffis (vice president), Traci Greathouse, and Fran Grogan (treasurer).

We also extend heartfelt appreciation to outgoing board members Suzanne Dorris, and Charlotte Sisco, who will continue serving as mentors and advisors to the newly elected board.

Linda Cole has stepped into the important role of Money Manager (title subject to change), Marifrances Watson is club manager – a position that Suzanne Dorris managed tirelessly for many years with dedication and professionalism.

As a token of the appreciation for Suzanne’s countless hours of service and commitment to the club, she was presented with a Lifetime Free Play Pass.

The club simply cannot thank Suzanne enough for everything she has done to keep Unit 204 running smoothly through the years.

More Donations & Facility Improvement

Club members recently contributed another round of donations to help offset the cost of installing much-needed new carpet for the clubhouse.

We also want to give special recognition to Terri Tedford, who created beautiful new covers for all the

bridge tables while also assisting with painting and plumbing repairs around the club. Her dedication and willingness to help wherever needed truly make a difference.

Slam Pot Victories

During one of Julie Moorman’s recent games there were two games with Slam Pot victories! Pat Bitner and Peggy Jackson, Marci and Neal Perlman, Candyce Pfluger, Marty Simpson, Charlotte Sisco, Jerre McAffee, Karl Wehner, Sharon Haney, Brenda Chapman and Pat Bitner. Note that Pat seems to get hands on the slam pot quite often.

These wins showcased tremendous skill, partnership trust and teamwork. Congratulations to all involved!

Birthdays

Julie continues to make her games fun and welcoming for everyone and, with support from fellow members, also hosts a monthly birthday celebration for club members. Happy Birthday to all celebrating this season!”

Tributes & Retirements

Sandra Love

We recognize Sandra Love who is now officially retired!

Sandra retired from San Angelo Independent School District after an incredible 26 years of dedicated service in education. Of those 26 years, 21 were spent working as a behavior teacher – a role Sandra describes not simply as a job, but as her ministry.

Throughout her career, Sandra devoted herself to helping students who faced significant challenges, always believing she could make a meaningful difference in their lives and in the lives of their families. Her compassion, patience, and unwavering commitment touched countless students over the years.

Sandra also served for several years as the Special Education Department Head and spent 4–5 years co-teaching Algebra classes. In addition, she taught multiple subjects to students who struggled to maintain attendance in traditional classroom settings, ensuring they continued to receive encouragement, support, and an education tailored to their needs.

Sandra credits fellow bridge player, Julie Moorman, as an important mentor during her career, sharing that Julie served as her behavior supervisor for many years and provided her with a tremendous amount of knowledge and guidance along the way.

Reflecting on her career, Sandra says [she] “answered the call to be a teacher” and feels grateful for the opportunity to have made a difference in so many lives. Her love and dedication for her students, as she says herself, “I have loved all of my kids and will continue to do so.”

As we congratulate Sandra on her retirement and thank her for the extraordinary impact she has made on so many lives, it must also be mentioned that Sandra has one of the most contagious laughs in the entire club room – a laugh that never fails to bring smiles to everyone around her.”

Mike Jones

After a distinguished career in Internal Medicine, Mike Jones has officially retired. In true Mike fashion, he shared his story with humble simplicity – proving once again that a few words can say a great deal.

Mike and Betty’s story began long before medical school. The two first met in 7th grade in Lubbock, though romance did not blossom until they reconnected years later while attending The University of Texas at Austin. They married in 1973 before Mike began Medical School at University of Texas Medical Branch, eventually building a respected career specializing in Internal Medicine.

Family stays at the center of Mike and Betty’s lives. Their son, Charlie, and his wife Jessica live in Dallas with their two children, ages 17 and 14. Their daughter, Laura, and her husband Daniel live in New Jersey with their 12-year-old triplets. Rather than elaborate family vacations, Mike and Betty prefer simply visiting their children and grandchildren and “hanging out” together at home – time that has become even more meaningful in retirement.

As for what comes next, Mike plans to enjoy gardening, golfing, and traveling. And although he did not specifically mention it, those of us at the club suspect retirement may also provide a little extra time to sharpen his bridge game.

We congratulate Mike on his retirement and wish him many happy years ahead filled with family, friendship, and plenty of time at the bridge table.

Tall City Sectional Tournament

A dozen or more Unit 204 members also recently traveled to Midland to compete in the Tall City Sectional Tournament (Unit 209). We look forward to sharing tournament highlights and results in the next edition of the Scorecard. But make sure you check out the winners in this issue.

With growing attendance, tournament success, and so many members volunteering their time and talents, the future continues to look bright for Unit 204.

Unit 205 - Amistad

By Mary Ann White

Who’s been watching the World Cup and cheering on your favorite teams? Excitement is high right now in Mexico and Team USA is also looking very good. Here’s wishing success to both teams as they move forward in the tournament.

Don’t forget to make your reservations to attend the Puerto Vallarta Regional Tournament! The tournament will be held from November 9-15 at the Melia Puerto Vallarta Resort. This is a lovely all-inclusive property in the Marina area of Puerto Vallarta, close to the airport with lots of restaurants nearby. But you might not be needing those because we are offering all-inclusive rates at the hotel – $220 single/$258 double for a garden view room, or $270 single/$316 double for an ocean view room, including your food, drinks, taxes, and gratuities! That’s a pretty good offer, so why not join us? You can see the flyer in this issue or visit our website for all the details. Room block closes August 25!

Big Games

There were some big games at the Lake Chapala Duplicate Bridge Club (LCDBC) in April and May. On April 2, Peter Jones and Andrew Small scored 70.37% (8 tables). Susan Case and Dave Swanson posted 76% on April 3 in the 499r game (3 tables). Rob Johnson and Jimmy Reynolds hit the mark with 70.6% on May 26 (3½ tables). Congratulations to all.

Farewell to Neal & Robin Hayden

It’s time to say farewell, good luck, and we’ll miss you to Neal Hayden and his wife Robin who are relocating to Florida. Neal has been a tireless worker for the LCDBC and Unit 205 and was our D16 Star Award recipient for 2026. Having retired in 2017 and subsequently moving to Mexico, Neal discovered he needed a hobby that challenged both his mind and his competitive spirit. He began studying bridge in 2018, joined LCDBC around 2020, and has been deeply involved ever since. In addition to serving on the unit’s

board, he is an ACBL Director and, most recently, an ACBL certified Instructor. Thank you, Neal, for giving us your time and your energy! We wish you and Robin all the best in your new home.

Unit 209 - Greater Permian Basin

By Ann Parish

Tall

City

Sectional Tournament

We had a great Tall City Sectional on June 5-7. We were in a new location at Manor Park, and it was a wonderful place to host a bridge tournament – lots of room, good parking, a little kitchen, good lighting, and temperature control.

We would like to give gold medals to Marty Massie, the chairman of the Permian Basin Bridge Club, and her handy team members who moved furniture in, arranged tables and chairs and bidding boxes, emptied trash, arranged food, ran to the store, and then moved everything back out.

Thanks to Bill Brooks, Tracy Dau, Kay Sewell, Scott Dau, Phil Middleton, Marlene Blumentritt, Sandy Hill, Lonnie Yee, Mark Beckstrom, Patty Heard, Larry Pitts, and all the bridge players who helped and supported the 2026 tournament.

Special thanks to Scott Humphrey, our tournament director, who kept the games running smoothly.

Finally, thanks to all the players who came from out of town. We enjoyed going to your tournaments in Abilene, Lubbock, and San Angelo, and we are glad you chose to come to ours.

Tournament winners’ names and pictures are can be seen in this issue.

Life Masters

Travis Woodward became a Life Master in May. She had enough masterpoints to jump over bronze and is now a Silver Life Master. Of course, we had a party and celebrated. Paula Bayley decorated with a special bulletin board and a wall full of silver stars. Congratulations, Travis!

At our Tall City Sectional tournament, Belle Harris earned her Gold Life Master. Belle has taught most of the current players in Midland how to play bridge. She is still giving lessons and playing with novices to keep the game fresh and growing. Congratulations, Belle!

Non-Life Master Players of the Month

The Non-Life-Master Players of the Month are Sandra Harwell and Kay Sewell

Sandra Harwell

July Player of the Month

Family: My husband and I will be celebrating our 38th anniversary this summer. We are blessed with two children. Our daughter and her husband live in town with our grandson. Our son is still single and lives in the Austin area.

Career/job: I have had many interesting jobs over time, but bookkeeping is what has stuck! I have been a bookkeeper for over 25 years and currently am self-employed in this field.

Non-bridge activities: I enjoy reading, audiobooks, cross stitch, quilting, various games on my phone, and playing with my grandson.

How I learned bridge: In 2021 I met Linda McDonald and Marty Massie through a stitching organization. The subject of bridge came up. Marty encouraged me to take Belle’s class in December of 2021, and I have been playing bridge ever since.

Kay Sewell

August Player of the Month

Family: I’m married to Alan. We have two grown sons, Kedric and Aubrey, one daughter-in-law, Patricia, and a grandchild on the way. Our current pet is a mixed breed (mostly Aussie) dog named Magnus. Our previous pets besides dogs included turtles, frogs, fish, a hamster, and an iguana.

Career/job: I’ve been retired for a long, long time. My degree was from Montana State University in chemical engineering. I worked at the Mobil Oil refinery in Joliet, Illinois. I then joined Phillips Petroleum

in my hometown, Cut Bank, Montana. From there I worked briefly in Alaska before moving to Stavanger, Norway. The next move was to Odessa/Midland where I worked until our son came along.

Non-bridge activities: I enjoy practicing yoga and clogging. I try to garden, but my thumb isn’t green. Skiing, travelling, camping, and hiking are some other favorite activities.

How I learned bridge: I took bridge lessons from Belle Harris through Midland College. I joined ACBL in 2011. I’m still learning!

New HVAC

Last spring we had a fundraising campaign for a new HVAC system. We raised more than enough money. The new system has been installed, and we are comfy and happy. The board is considering other little improvements we can make with the extra money.

Congratulations to the fundraising committee and all who contributed

Unit 225 - East Texas

By Gary Britt

Wehave reports from the following clubs in our unit:

Sheila Bell DBC

From Molly Chambers

The Sheila Bell DBC in Texarkana welcomed five kibitzers from Lisa Looney’s newest bridge class on Wednesday, April 29. They learned to enter information into the Bridgemates, move boards using a Mitchell movement and record contracts and scores in their new Scorebook. A few weeks earlier, all members of the class were given four coupons for free games when they play at our club. We hope they join us very soon.

Pittsburg DBC

From Linda Harrison

Do What You Love to End Alz (DWYL)

Pittsburg DBC continued its annual participation in DWYL starting June 16. All player table fees for June were donated to the Alzheimer's Association.

Players were decked out in purple to support the event. We had our annual silent auction that included items generously donated from local merchants and lots of our talented players.

Last year Pittsburg DBC raised a total of $3,000. We hope to meet or exceed what we brought in last year as we continue supporting this very worthy event!

2026 Intro to Bridge Series 1 Class

Pittsburg DBC students completed the ACBL Intro to Bridge Series I. This was a 10 week course to improve the student's game. On April 30, the students donned their hats and received Certificates of Participation followed by a social with brownies and coffee. The students have elected to continue the next segment of the course, Series 2 and new class details will be available soon.

The five students were: Frank Morton, Jean Huskey, Linda Morton, Angie Dickinson, and Jerry Bell. The instructors included Jo and Gary Britt, Linda Harrison and David Worrall.

Nacogdoches DBC

From Gay Roach

Nacogdoches DBC Welcomes Four New Active Members

Our bridge club is fortunate to have welcomed two delightful couples who have added to the camaraderie and enjoyment of our games. And, largely because of their addition, on June 1st our club enjoyed its first 4.5 table game since COVID-19.

John & Bernice Kelley

Our first couple, John and Bernice Kelley, joined us last year and they have a unique bridge story. As avid readers, they came across an Agatha Christie novel in which bridge played a prominent role. Their curiosity was sparked and they decided to learn the game for themselves. What began as an interest inspired by a mystery novel soon grew into a rewarding hobby. They have now been members of our club for over a year and have become valued participants in our bridge community.

Delos & Hazel McCauley

Our second couple, Delos and Hazel McCauley, recently relocated to our area and transferred their membership from the Pine Bluff Arkansas Bridge Club. They have long enjoyed the challenges and friendships that bridge provides and we are pleased they have decided to continue playing with us. When they are not at the bridge table, they enjoy spending time bird watching. And, fortunately, Nacogdoches is well supplied with fellow bird watchers.

We are delighted to have both couples with us and appreciate the enthusiasm, friendship, and love of bridge they bring to our club.

Unit 233 - Central Texas

By Jean Lara

Unit

233 has clubs both in Waco and in Temple, giving our members many opportunities to play bridge. You can read about each below.

Waco Clubs

Waco clubs meet at the Harrison Senior Citizen Center, 1718 N. 42nd St.

Monday Slammers – Managed and Directed by Cathy Valentine

Monday games are open to all and games are stratified. Games begin at 1:00 p.m.

Sul Ross Bridge Club – Managed and Directed by Cathy Valentine

These games are offered on Tuesday and Friday. They begin at 1:00 p.m. and are stratified.

Waco 0-500 – Managed and Directed by George Holmes

The Waco 0 to 500 club (up to 750 may play) continues to attract fun players for good times of fellowship, plus play an afternoon of challenging bridge. Please join us for a great fun day of bridge every Thursday at 12:30 p.m. played on Thursday and begins at 12:30 p.m.

Bridge Studio of Temple (BSOT) – Managed and Directed by Gene Thompson

The BSOT is located at 1712 North 3rd Street, Temple. Games are played on Sunday, Wednesday and Friday. They begin at 1:00 p.m.

* Robert Arnett, Houston

* Geoff L. Booth, Houston

Bridget C. Burkhart, Houston

Carolyn A. Johnson, Kemah

Audrey C. McCool, Lubbock

* Mrs. Janet McCormack, Dallas

James T. Mitchell, Dallas

Irene J. Pence, Dallas

In Memoriam

* Glenda Stieber, Houston

* Mrs. Susan K. Stubinski, Houston

* Mrs. Darlene R. Thompson, Houston

Max Walton, Nacogdoches

* Paul Wear, Houston

* Jean M. Westfall, Lubbock

*Life Master

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)

18 de julio – Presenta: Jorge Rosen – TBD 15 de agosto – Presenta: Francisco Guerra – 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) July 25 – Presenter: Mary Jane Orock – TBD August 22 – 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.

Friendly Bridge Club hosts a 0-750 Sectional

If you have less than 750 masterpoints come on out and pla y duplicate bridge in a friendly but competitive environment, awarding 100% silver masterpoints.

Thursday 7/30/26 and Friday 7/31/26

Saturday 8/1/26

Disciples Christian Church King of Glory Lutheran Church 2001 Independence Pkwy Plano TX 75075 6411 LBJ Freeway, Dallas TX 75240

Two days in Plano, and the final day in Dallas

Each day there will be Stratified Pairs (single sessions) at 9:30am and 1:30pm. Entry is $15 per session – cash or check only

Snacks and drinks each day, light lunch ser ved between rounds on Friday

Stratifications:

A- 500-750

B- 200-499

C- <200

The director reserves the right to change the strats as needed for equity.

www.bridgewebs.com/friendlyllc

Tournament Chairperson/partnerships:

Valarie Remmers –vjremmers@gmail.com

Are you slow? Tips to Speed Your Play & Minimize Your Ethical or Consequential Breaks in Tempo

By Scott Nason

Bridge is both a difficult game that frequently requires thought to figure out what to do and it is a timed game in which you are expected to maintain a reasonable pace of play. How can you best manage these competing requirements? In this article I will provide some tips to speed things up – where possible – so you can use more time to ponder those tough hands.

Logistics

Let’s start with some logistics. There are several simple things you can do to avoid wasting time at the table ... and avoid annoying your partner and your opponents. These include:

1. Lead when it is your turn to lead. Before you write down the contract on your scoresheet, and/or before you enter the contract into the BridgeMate!

To be writing when everyone is waiting for your lead is rude and a waste of everyone’s time. This bookkeeping can and should wait until you have led.

2. Put the dummy down immediately when the opening lead has been faced. Everyone is anxious to see it and to begin THEIR process of planning the hand.

Delaying its tabling to write down the opening lead, or whatever, is simply rude and another waste of time.

3. Keep your chitchat down to times and topics that are not interfering with the pace of play. Short comments about something WHILE things are progressing – returning the hands to the board, writing the results, the score is being entered into the BridgeMate and approved, etc. – is fine. But when everyone has (or should have) their hands out and are ready to start the next board, the chatter should cease.

4. It is fine to chat after the last board of the round, IF YOU FINISHED EARLY. If the round has been called, or is about to be called and the next pair is at the table, ready to sit, that is not the time for prolonged discussions unless they are pertinent and necessary to the hands just played.

The Play

Now to the play. Here there are some things you can do, both to speed things up and to become a better player.

1. Think about your next bid, thinking through what you will do if RHO passes AND what you might do if RHO takes one of the common actions. This will both speed things up, and more importantly, will avoid giving away information to the opponents – which they are allowed to use – and to your partner who MAY NOT use it. Some examples:

Your partner opens 1♦ and you hold :

You probably quickly knew that you would bid 1♥ if RHO passes, but what if RHO bids 1♠ or even 1NT? Over 1♠ it is far better to double in rhythm rather than taking 30 seconds to double, wasting time and letting everyone at the table know that you have some “flaw” in your double.

Or worse, to take a long time before passing, letting partner know that you really wanted to bid. And over 1NT, think of the difference between passing in rhythm versus taking a long time before passing. Or similarly taking a long time before bidding 2♥.

Do as much pre-thinking as you can to avoid these breaks in tempo. Those breaks are a time-killer and can create problems for you and partner.

2. Use the thinking time when dummy hits to plan the play. If you are declarer, you probably know that this is the time to figure out how to play the hand: count your winners and losers, figure out what order to play the suits, which finesses to take, what issues you might have with entries, etc.

The defense should be doing the same thing, but most important is anticipating “problems” that you might face during the play. If dummy has the K (or KQ or KJ) in a suit that you have the A, are you going to win the A when declarer leads toward dummy. If you stop to think then, you will give away the show. continued on 33

TEXAS CAPITAL UNIT 207

AUGUST 8 TH- 9 TH

Saturday & Sunday, 1:30 pm

Entry Fee: $10 per session

($4 additional per session for unpaid ACBL members)

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: George Watkins 512-335-1158 tarzan.watkins@gmail.com

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

Online Partnership Requests For This Tourney Opens July 6th, 2026. Use this link: http://tinyurl.com/atxbridge

Bridge Center of Austin K 6700 Middle Fiskville Road

Or say you hold the trump A (or K) and dummy has only small trumps. If declarer leads from dummy toward her hand and plays the Q (for example), are you going to win the trick or let it hold?

If declarer holds KQ10, it will matter a lot whether you duck smoothly or duck after great thought. Note also that taking a long time to “duck” when you do not have the A – to make declarer think you do – is cheating. Or if declarer has AQJ and you take a while before not playing the K, declarer will know not to bother returning to dummy to repeat the finesse.

3. One more: Playing standard carding, you hold Qxx and partner leads the A of the suit in which was overcalled. Dummy has a small doubleton. You reflexively play your middle card, encouraging continuation.

Partner next plays the K and you have a panic attack. If you play low, partner might well think you have a doubleton and if partner has a six-card suit, that play might give them a ruff and sluff. But if you play the Q, it might set up declarer’s J.

So, you think for a while before playing small. Director! Your slow play – at the wrong time – has told partner just what you were worried about conveying. Partner now KNOWS that you started with Qxx. The key to preventing this serious ethical problem is to do your thinking at trick one so you won’t have to think at the inopportune second trick.

If you do all these things, your pace will pick up, your consequential breaks in tempo will be reduced, and your opponents should cut you some slack if you have a toughie and need to take a little extra time to think things through.

Scott Nason is the District 16 second vice president, a previous district NABC correspondent and GNT coordinator. He is a Sapphire Life Master and a certified director. Scott lives in Dallas (Unit 176).

Tournament of Roses

Sectional & Non-Life Master Regional

July

23-25,

2026 Tyler, TX

First Christian Church, Disciples Hall 4202 S. Broadway Ave, Tyler TX 75701

THURSDAY, July 23, & FRIDAY, July 24, 9:30 am & 2:00 pm

NLM Gold Rush Pairs: 1 or 2 Sessions (Gold/Red) (must play in 2 sessions daily and place in overalls for Gold)

OPEN Sectional Pairs: Individual Sessions (Silver)

SATURDAY, July 25, 9:30 am & TBD

Stratified Swiss Teams: 2 Sessions (Silver) Strats based on team average Master Points Lunch will be provided

STRATIFICATIONS: avg MPs or DIC

FEES: credit and debit cards only GOLD RUSH (NLM): Pairs: $15 per session for ACBL members

A: 0-100 B: 100-300 C: 300-750

I/N Regional is limited NLM less than 750 MP

Student (under 27): $8 per session

Swiss Teams: $152 per team OPEN: A: 0-1000 B: 1000-2500 C: 2500+

Tournament Co-Chairs: Hotel

Sandra O’Bannon

Holiday Inn sobann715@suddenlink.net 5701 S. Broadway 75703 903-312-7520 $114 by 7/8/2026

Includes full breakfast buffet Linda Gurasich for reservations: lindagurasich100@gmail.com

1. Call 903-579-8202 ask for Vicki 480-570-7814 or 2. Call 800-465-4329 ask for block code U15

Partnership Chair: Lunch to purchase

Sassy Crookshanks Available Thursday and Friday oscarsicecream@yahoo.com

832-724-2602

Director in Charge: Carolyn Pinto

Hospitality: Coffee, snacks, water

Sanction # 2607325/2607326

ACBL Membership Requirements: All tournament players must have an ACBL member number to participate (even if expired). Lapsed members do not have to rejoin but will pay a $4 surcharge per session. Full membership may be purchased from tournament Director or online at www.acbl.org/join 120-day Free Guest Membership available (visit www.acbl.org/membership to obtain prior to tournament).

♥ Fort Western Regional Winners ♦ Unit 183

Tuesday, May 12 - Saturday, May 16 - Gold Rush Pairs Games

Thursday - A

Caye Cook, John Redfern

Monday, May 11 - Saturday, May 16 - Open Pairs Games

Monday - A

Al Muggia, Finn Kolesnik

Wednesday - A

Kimmel Jones, Bill Staats

Monday - B

Randy Eads, Brian Eaton

Wednesday - B

Shirley Shi, Mark Pan

Tuesday - A

Nancy Kornegay, Steve Kornegay

Friday - B

Mark Pan, Jinrong Wang

Tuesday - B

Sharon Harbach, Brian Eaton

Saturday - C Jinrong Wang, Mark Pan

Thursday, March 12 - Sunday, March 15 - Bracketed Swiss Teams

Monday - 1

Mark Bumgardner, Sheri Bumgardner, Nancy Kornegay, Steve Kornegay

Monday - 2

Ann O'Kelley, Willow McGregor, Tom McCraw, Sue Palmer

Tuesday - 1

Andrew Chesterton, Finn Kolesnik, Zach Grossack, Al Muggia

Tuesday - 2 (Tie)

Dan Kahn, Rich Brandenburg, Tony Pellegrini, James Richman

Tuesday - 2 (Tie)

Shirley Shi, Mark Pan, NJ Tripode, Nicolas Weisz

Tuesday - 3

Charlotte Tunnell, Mary Lynn Genovesi, Walter Netschi, Bob Holliday

Wednesday - 3

Chuck Mogged, Carla Joiner, Fred Seipp, Jan Mogged

Thursday - 3

Michael Carter, Liz Jacobson, Chuck Mogged, Jan Mogged

Friday - 3

TR Sartor, Mike Blanchard, Hal Schultz, Michael Tiernan

Tuesday - 4

John Luebkemann, HP Goel, Ross Ramsey, Bhushan Sanghi

Wednesday - 4

Tamara Fincher, Jane Yarian, Leon Gertsch, Charlie Otto

Thursday - 4

Kamal Das, Jo Shah, Ira Nemazie, Sam Shah

Saturday - 2

Heather Norville, Scott Norville, Carla Joiner, Jane Kirby

Tuesday - 5

Fran Shelton, Rose Whatley, Loralee Berg, Belynn Whatley

Wednesday - 5

Rose Whatley, Loralee Berg, John Redfern, Belynn Whatley

Thursday - 5

Melba Lee, Sanjay Santhanam, Dee Norris, Ann Haynes

Saturday - 3

Gari Martin, Nget Carter, Jean Scott, Deborah Armstrong

Saturday - 4

Mike Blanchard, TR Sartor, Hal Schultz, Michael Tiernan

Wednesday - 2

Jimmy Justice, Mike Peiffer, William Chan, George Morey

Thursday - 2

Karen Jennings, Philip Lawes, Larry Shell, Michael Carter

Friday - 2

Bill Driscoll, Mary Lynn Genovesi, J Terrence Wolfe, Bob Holliday

Sunday - 2

Dan Kahn, Rich Brandenburg, James Richman, Bob Holliday

New Silver Life Master

Awesome August Sectional

ACBL Unit 174

August 14-16, 2026

Bridge Club of Houston

4688 Louetta Road (corner of Kuykendahl) Spring, Texas 77379

FRIDAY, SATURDAY AND SUNDAY, AUGUST 14, 15 and 16

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.

Seating is limited, pre-registration is recommended, please contact Susan.

Fees

$17 per session

Credit Card Only

Lunch

$10 – Cash Only Free Water, Coffee, and Sodas Donations Gladly Accepted

Accommodations

Holiday Inn Express and Suites 21606 Spring Plaza Drive Spring, Texas 77379 (281) 824-7723

Tournament Chairs Partnerships Hospitality

Fred Gregory (832) 315-7721

fhgregory777@gmail.com

Susan Banks-Johnson (281) 536-1451

BCOHEvents@gmail.com

Friday, April 17 - Saturday, April 18 - 0-299 Pairs Overall Winners

Friday AM

Friday PM

Saturday AM

Saturday PM

Friday, April 17 - Saturday, April 18 - Open Pairs Overall Winners

Friday AM

Andrea Ford, Kristie Tooley

Friday PM

Barry Jackson, Neal Perlman

Saturday AM

Phyllis Kinnison, Greg Loran

Saturday PM

Nancy Ramsey, Heather Williams

Sunday, April 19 - Stratified Swiss Team Winners

1st Place

Andrea Ford, Kristie Tooley, Greg Loran, Robbie Butts

2nd Place

Kay Davidson, Scott Vaughan, Will Anthony, Mary Hildebrand

♥ Austin Spring Sectional Winners ♦ Unit 207

Thursday, April 30 - Saturday, May 2 - Stratified Swiss Teams

Thursday AM - A

Boyu Liao, Girish Altekar, Assel Garcia, Robert Sanders

Thursday PM - A

Louis Sachar, Robert Donathan, Stephen Wood, Larry Davis

Friday AM - A

Deborah Zissman, Lori Jacobs, Mark Miller, Jamie Southerland

Friday PM - C

George Schnepf, Scott Peeples, Nancy Schempf, Teresa Mack

Sunday, May 3 - AX Swiss Teams

AX - A

Kenneth Schutze, Ellen Hessel, Ira Hessel, Jim Hilton

AX - X (Tie)

Jerome Tilles, Nancy Joe, Xinpeng Huang, Harry Ingham

Saturday AM - A

Kim Brinkman, Anita Albert, Stephen Wood, Louis Sachar

AX - X (Tie)

Stuart Litwin, Lysa Nguyen, James La Fountain, Pat McMullin

Sunday, May 3 - BCD Swiss Teams

BCD - B

Eric De Rouffignac, Lazaro Brenner, Simone Scumpia, Ken Davis

BCD - C (Tie)

Boyu Liao, Karen Atchley, Mary Keeney, Girish Altekar

Friday AM - A

Anita Albert, Mark Craig

Saturday PM - A

John Bromberg, Barry Schaffer, Dave Swarthout, Donna Swarthout

BCD - C (Tie)

Pam Akins, Michael Rainbird, Jean Durocher, Dianne Morris

Friday, May 1 - Saturday, May 2 - Open Pairs

Mystery Pair Please Identify Yourselves!

Friday PM - B

Ed Davis, Mickey Goldwater

Saturday AM - B

Barbara Morgan, Martin Fitch

Dallas Labor Day Regional

September 2-7, 2026

World Class Hospitality!

Renaissance Dallas - Richardson

900 E Lookout Dr, Richardson, TX 75082

Special Bridge Rate $130

Free Parking for Hotel Guests

Reservation Deadline: August 14

Scan QR Code to register or go to https://tinyurl.com/2026DLDR

Bracketed Teams

New Event! - Friday! BRACKETED PAIRS

Open & Gold Rush Pairs (except Friday-Bracketed Pairs)

A-X/-B-C-D Swiss on Monday

Single Session Pairs Available Each Session

Future Life Masters!

WEDNESDAY SEPT 2

10:00 Bracketed Swiss Teams (1 st Session)

Stratified Open Pairs* (1 st Session)

GOLD RUSH PAIRS * (1st Session)

*May play only one session.

299er Stratified Pairs (Single Session)

2:30 Bracketed Swiss Teams (2 nd Session)

Stratified Open Pairs* (2 nd Session)

GOLD RUSH PAIRS* (2nd Session)

*May play only one session.

299er Stratified Pairs (Single Session)

THURSDAY SEPT 3

10:00 Bracketed Swiss Teams (1 st Session)

Stratified Open Pairs* (1 st Session)

GOLD RUSH PAIRS * (1st Session)

*May play only one session.

299er Stratified Pairs (Single Session)

2:30 Bracketed Swiss Teams (2 nd Session)

Stratified Open Pairs* (2 nd Session)

GOLD RUSH PAIRS* (2nd Session)

*May play only one session.

299er Stratified Pairs (Single Session)

FRIDAY SEPT 4

10:00 Bracketed Swiss Teams (1st Session)

BRACKETED PAIRS * (1 st Session)

*May play only one session.

299er Stratified Pairs (Single Session)

2:30 Bracketed Swiss Teams (2 nd Session)

BRACKETED PAIRS* (2nd Session)

*May play only one session.

299er Stratified Pairs (Single Session)

SATURDAY SEPT 5

10:00 Bracketed Swiss Teams (1 st Session)

Stratified Open Pairs* (1st Session)

GOLD RUSH PAIRS * (1st Session)

*May play only one session.

299er Stratified Pairs (Single Session)

2:30 Bracketed Swiss Teams (2 nd Session)

Stratified Open Pairs* (2nd Session)

GOLD RUSH PAIRS* (2nd Session)

*May play only one session.

299er Stratified Pairs (Single Session)

SUNDAY SEPT 6

10:00 Bracketed Swiss Teams (1st Session)

Stratified Open Pairs* (1st Session)

GOLD RUSH PAIRS * (1st Session)

*May play only one session.

299er Stratified Pairs (Single Session)

2:30 Bracketed Swiss Teams (2 nd Session)

Stratified Open Pairs* (2nd Session)

GOLD RUSH PAIRS* (2nd Session)

*May play only one session.

299er Stratified Pairs (Single Session)

MONDAY SEPT 7

10:00 Strati-Flighted AX Swiss Teams (2 Session Play-through)

Strati-Flighted BCD Swiss Teams (2 Session Play-through)

Stratified Open Pairs (Single Session)

Gold Rush Pairs Wed, Thurs, Sat and Sun. Play for Play for Gold! Gold!

Bracketed Pairs Friday –Play against a separate section of players at your level. Win More Gold! Win More Gold!

Bracketed Swiss Wed thru Sun – Play against teams at your level.

Single Session Limited Games Available every session. Trophies for Future Life Master Winners!

Entry Fee: $18 per Session + $1 on Sat – NABC Surcharge + $4 for non ACBL members Guest Membership Available

TOURNAMENT CO-CHAIRS: Ed Yetter eyetter@sbcglobal.net Tomi Storey: skeeter303@yahoo.com

PARTNERSHIPS: Send Email to: Unit176Partnership@gmail.co m After Sept 1, contact partnership desk on site.

Director in Charge: Kevin Perkins

Friday, June 5 - Saturday, Saturday June 6 - 0-199 Pairs Games

Friday, June 5 - Saturday, June 6 - Open Pairs Games

Sunday, June 7 - Stratified Swiss Teams

September 10-13, 2026

Playing Site

New Braunfels Civic Center 380 Seguin Ave New Braunfels, TX 78130

Thursday, September 10, 2026 – Cost $14 / person / session

10:00 am Stratified Pairs (single session)

3:00 pm Stratified Teams

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

Friday, September 11, 2026 – Cost $14 / person / session

10:00 am & 3:00 pm Stratified Pairs (single sessions) 10:00 am & 3:00 pm 499er Stratified Pairs

Saturday, September 12, 2026 – Cost $14 / person / session

10:00 am & 3:00 pm Stratified Pairs (2 Session Play Through) 10:00 am & 3:00 pm 499er Stratified Pairs

Sunday, September 13, 2026 – Cost $144 per team

10:00 & TBA Nell Morgan Stratified Swiss Teams Meal served between Sunday’s session Stratifications: A: 3001+

Chair: Ann Kuehler (830) 708-0001 annkuehler@gmail.com Partnership Chair: Charlotte Davis (501) 944-8386 cad22200@icloud.com

Hotel:

(830) 643-1100

September 1

Thursday – Friday are Single Sessions

$4 additional per session for unpaid/lapsed ACBL members

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

Hospitality Chair: Elisabeth Kay (210) 484-9340 sqk2009@gmail.com

Friday - Bkt 1

Sally Wheeler, Shawn Quinn, Buddy Handby, Joe Quinn

♥ Nearly Summer Sectional Winners ♦ Unit 174

Friday, June 12 - Sunday, June 14 - Bracketed Swiss Teams

Friday - Bkt 2

Hong Sun, Shangyou Nie, Ying Peng, Xueqian Lin

Saturday - Bkt 3

Lynn Luster, Lorita Tipton, Judith Smith, Gayle Longmire

Friday - Bkt 3

Barbara Sweeney, William Churchman, Kenneth Hudson, Mark Incerto

Sunday - Bkt 1

Hao Deng, Steve Chen, Andrew Chen, Charlie Chen

Friday - Bkt 4

Syed Tirmizi, Gail Gillespie, Chris Whitelonis, Leora Nowitz

Sunday - Bkt 2

Daad Rodgers, Dianne Kraft, James Rozzell, David Wicks

Friday, June 12 - Sunday, June 14 - Pairs Games

Friday AM & PM OP - A

Gil Micheletti, Mike Doyle

Saturday AM OP - A

Joyce Ryan, David Henke

Sunday AM OP - A

Saturday - Bkt 1

Steve Chen, Hao Deng, Andrew Chen, Charlie Chen

Sunday - Bkt 3

Judi Whaling, Iris Siqueira, Chih-Kuang Lee, Joe Siqueira

Saturday PM OP - A

Gil Micheletti, John Erickson

Sunday AM OP - BC Yunong Qi,

Saturday AM 0-499 A

James McElhinney, Everett Beguin Jr

Sunday PM OP - A

Puer to Vallarta Regional

Monday, November 9

Miguel Reygadas Open Pairs (single session) 7:30pm

Vallarta KO Teams 1 7:30pm

Tuesday, November 10

Open Pairs

11:00am 4:00pm

Vallarta KO Teams 2 & 3 11:00am 4:00pm

Stratified Swiss Teams (2 sessions) 11:00am 4:00pm

Wednesday, November 11

Open Pairs

11:00am 4:00pm

Los Cabos KO (Soloway) 1 & 2 11:00am 4:00pm

Thursday, November 12

Open Pairs

11:00am 4:00pm

Los Cabos KO (Soloway) 3 & 4 11:00am 4:00pm

Stratified Swiss Teams (2 sessions) 11:00am 4:00pm

Friday, November 13

Open Pairs

11:00am 4:00pm

Cancun KO (Soloway) 1 & 2 11:00am 4:00pm

Saturday, November 14

Open Pairs

11:00am 4:00pm

Cancun KO (Soloway) 3 & 4 11:00am 4:00pm

Stratified Swiss Teams (2 sessions) 11:00am 4:00pm

Sunday, November 15

Lew Crippen Stratiflighted Swiss (lunch incl) 10:00am and TBD

Fast Open Pairs (2 sessions, lunch not incl) 10:00am and 1:00pm

PESOS)

Meliá Puerto Vallarta

Av. Paseo de la Marina Sur 7, Marina Vallarta

Garden View: $220 single, $258 double Ocean View: $270 single, $316 double ALL-INCLUSIVE with food, drinks and taxes

Bridge rate available ONLY at: www.pvregional.com/reservations (Bridge rate available until August 25, 2026, while supplies last)

Stratifications:

Open Pairs: A: 3000+ B: 1000-3000 C: 0-1000

Stratified Swiss: A: 3000+ B: 1000-3000 C: 0-1000

Stratiflighted Swiss:

A: 6000+, X: 4000-6000, Y: 0-4000

B: 1250-3000, C: 750-1250, D: 0-750 (B/C/D plays separately; no player over 3000)

By Average Master Points

Entries per Session: USD $20 ACBL Members

USD $24 Unpaid ACBL Members

USD $10 Junior Members

Sunday Swiss (2 Sessions): USD $40 per Person

USD $48 per Person Unpaid ACBL Members (

Tournament Chairperson: Nicci Beninger

Hospitality

ZERO TOLERANCE POLICY

+52 376-106-1245 or +52 332-507-9324 (WhatsApp) puertavregional@gmail.com

Partnership Desk: Mary Ann White

+ 1 817-277-0722 or +52 331-406-0339 (WhatsApp) tourney205@gmail.com