Unit 207 Newsletter

Feb/March 08

The Unit 207 Newsletter editor is Larry Davis. The board member supervising the unit newsletter is Mary Anne Laier. The newsletter will be available on or about the first day of the months of February, April, June, August, October and December. Please let the editor know about newsworthy items so that they may be included in the newsletter.

Upcoming Unit 207 Events

26 Jan (Sat) - Bridge Center - Stratified Open Pairs

2 Feb (Sat) - Bridge Center - Unit 207 Annual Meeting - Stratified Open Pairs

16 Feb (Sat) - Bridge Center - GNT Flights B and C unit-level qualifier - two sessions

Upcoming Special Games at Clubs

1 Feb (Fri) - Bridge Center - Junior Fund game

3 Feb (Sun) - Bridge Center - Mentor/Mentee game and regular open game (separate)

12 Feb (Tues) - Bridge Center - Club Championship

13 Feb (Weds day) - Bridge Center - inaugural 0-500 game (separate from open game)

14 Feb (Thurs) - Bridge Center - Junior Fund game

16 Feb (Sat) - Bridge Center - day pair game IS held, evening team game NOT held

18 Feb (Mon) - Senior Center game held at home of Larry Davis - reservations needed

18 Feb (Mon) - Bridge Center - Junior Fund game

19 Feb (Tues) - South Austin Senior Center - Club Championship

20 Feb (Weds day) - Bridge Center - Club Championship

22 Feb (Fri) - Senior Center - Club Championship

23 Feb (Sat day) - Bridge Center - Junior Fund game

24 Feb (Sun) - Bridge Center - Membership game

3 Mar (Mon) - Senior Center - Club Championship

6 Mar (Thurs) - Bridge Center - Club Championship

8 Mar (Sat day) - Bridge Center - handicap game

8 Mar (Sat eve) - Bridge Center - Club Championship

9 Mar (Sun) - Bridge Center - Mentor/Mentee game and regular open game (separate)

12 Mar (Weds eve) - Bridge Center - ACBL-wide Charity game

15 Mar (Sat day) - Bridge Center - Junior Fund game

17 Mar (Mon) - Bridge Center - Membership game

19 Mar (Weds day) - Bridge Center - Junior Fund game

26 Mar (Weds eve) - Bridge Center - Club Championship

28 Mar (Fri) - Bridge Center - Junior Fund game

30 Mar (Sun) - Bridge Center - Club Championship

Future Austin Tournaments

Apr 08 (5^th - 6^th) - Bridge Center - NLM Sectional

May 08 (1^st - 4^th) - Austin Sectional - Clarion Inn

July 08 (30^th - 6^th) - Austin Regional - DoubleTree

July 08 (26^th - 27^th) - Bridge Center - NLM Sectional

Sept 08 (18^th - 21^st) - Austin Sectional - TBD

Nov 08 (15^th - 16^th) - Bridge Center - NLM Sectional

Jan 09 (1^st - 4^th) - Austin Sectional and District 16 NAOP - DoubleTree

Congratulations!

New Life Masters: Harriette Bowles, Matthew Grant

New Bronze Life Masters (500): Harriette Bowles, Mark McAllister

New Silver Life Masters (1000): Lawton Hutchison

Others: (1500) Sally Sekac; (750) Diana Rogers; (200) Carol Kiehl, Greg Schepens;

(50) Wanda Kuehler, Clara Wood

Those winning 15+ points at the Austin Sectional were: Jack Lacy, Beth Tobias, Anita Cokins, Mildred Breed, Paul Kelley, Rosemary Kelley, Karen Snyder, Robert Donathan, Janet Clark, Tom Clark, Louis Sachar, Qiang Zhang, Nancy Joe, Marilou Powell, Darlene Gilmore and Frank Floca.

Unit 207 Annual Meeting

The annual meeting will be held February 2^nd (Sat) at the Bridge Center at 1:00. A stratified open pairs game will follow at 1:30 (free, if attended meeting). The nominees for four positions on the nine-member unit board are: Harriette Bowles, Larry Davis, Robert Donathan, Sandra Harris, Laney Hennelly, Wiley McMinn, Virgil Massey, and Mark Miller. Additional nominations may be made from the floor. Ballots will be mailed to all Unit 207 members a few days later. They may be returned by mail or at a local club game. The five members whose terms are continuing are: Charlie Aufill, Joe Black, Mark McAllister, Leonard McCormick and Phyllis Tate.

January Sectional

Attendance was spectacular at the sectional! The new KO schedule seemed to be well received (at least judging by attendance). The tournament chairmen (and photographers) were Joe Black and Mark McAllister. Other chairmen: Laura Delfeld - Caddies, Larry Davis and Robert Donathan - Contracts, Harriette Bowles - Partnerships and Jim Wueste (with much assistance from Mark McAllister) - Supplies.

Grand National Teams (GNT)

The unit-level GNT qualifier for flights B and C will be held on Saturday, Feb 16^th.

It is a two-session event. The upper half of each flight qualifies to go the district-level (usually held in Richardson (Dallas) over the Memorial Day weekend). The national-level is at the Summer Nationals. Must play both sessions.

New Game

Beginning February 13^th (Weds.) at the Bridge Center, there will be a 0-500 game running concurrently (but separately) with the open game. This arrangement will be like Thursdays at the Bridge Center. The open game will earn masterpoints based on the combined table count.

New Web Address

The new web address for "Bridge in Austin" (where one goes to see the results of club games) is: http://d16acbl.org/U207/index.html

Alert!

When do you inform the opponents that there has been a failure to alert or that an alert has not been properly explained? There seems to be constant confusion about this. Consider the mnemonic YOND (archaic for yonder). Yes - Offense, No - Defense. If your side has the contract (offense), notify (yes) the opponents (defenders) before the opening lead is made. If your side is on the defense, do not (no) notify the declarer until after the hand has been played. Note that the defense eventually (after the play of the hand) does notify the declarer but not (no) before the play of the hand.

Tricks Won or Lost

Neither the dummy nor the defenders may call attention to previous tricks which partner has incorrectly signified as won or lost. Each defender and the declarer is responsible for keeping track of tricks won or lost. You may call attention to the trick just quitted (completed) if partner has it wrong. Procedural penalties may be assessed for improperly calling partner's attention. After the hand is over, the correct number of tricks won or lost may be ascertained. During the play, neither the dummy nor the defenders may call attention to the number of tricks currently needed to defeat or fulfill the contract. Do not say things like "just one (two) more trick(s) partner".

Deaths and Departures

Jerome Valentine, Austin