BARRY GORSKI HITS THE BIG TIME!
A bridge player's journey to Platinum Life Master is long and reaching it quite an accomplishment. In late June, our own Unit 168 player, Barry Gorski, reached that major milestone! For those that have played against Barry, you've learned he was born with several abilities that give him a distinct (and might I say, unfair) advantage:
- he has the ability to 'see through' the cards
- he has the ability to make plays that will often bamboozle opponents into giving him an extra trick
- he will squeeze you, end play you, or do both simultaneously!
- he counts cards (okay - us mere mortals do try!)
- he knows virtually every convention (whether he plays it or not)
He's a regular at the Lancaster club games and we're all better for the tough competition. Please join me in congratulating Barry!! Hey... next stop is the GRAND!
News From Harrisburg:
In addition to our regular day and evening schedule, we are featuring the following special games during the month of August.
- 8/03: Mentor game
- 8/05: Brunch & Bridge
- 8/09: Wednesday evening wine & cheese game
- 8/20: Birthday game
- 8/23: Wednesday night Swiss
Hope to see you at the Club! We are 100% owned by our MEMBERS, and we count on your support to maintain The House of Friendship That Bridge Built.
News From Lancaster:
Special games for the month of August include:
- Week of 8/14: Club Championship games all week - extra points!!
- Week of 8/28: STaC games all week - silver points!!
Unit 168 NAP Final Game is Coming! REGISTER TODAY!!
On Sunday, October 1, Unit 168 will be holding its 2017 NAP Final (for points only) at the Harrisburg Bridge Club, 349 N 21st Street, Camp Hill PA. The event is stratified including A, B and C qualifiers in a single section. Points include 20% Gold for A, 10% for B and 5% for C.
All District 4 NAP club qualifiers are eligible to play.
Preregistration deadline is September 25.
Unit 168 Members:
- Preregister and your entry fee is only $5!! (subsidized by Unit 168!)
- If you do not preregister, the rate to show up & play is $30
NOT a member of Unit 168?:
Preregistration is required. The entry fee is $30 per person.
Entry fees include lunch between sessions (stuffed chicken breast, potato and salad).
How to Preregister:
Make checks to "Unit 168", and include your (1) name, (2) ACBL Number and (3) club where qualified. Send your check and information to:
Robert Priest
108 Hanna Street
Harrisburg PA 17104
Unit 168 works hard to keep those Gold Points coming!
For decades, Unit 168 has found ways to award Gold Points at the Club. Since District 4 does not require Unit qualification for either GNT or NAP district finals, Units are permitted to hold a two session final, for points only. For over a dozen years, Unit 168 GNT finals have awarded Gold points. When ACBL changed the color, if qualification was not required (you could still run the event, for black points only), Unit 168 switched to running an NAP Unit final.
CONGRATULATIONS
to the following Unit 168 members on their new master point rank achievements:
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Club Master:
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Dolores Fenton, Marilyn Gillespie, Joseph Nicodemus, William Schantzenbach, Elaine Smith, Scott Worrall, Mary Wyatte
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Sectional Master:
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Sandra Goldberg
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Regional Master:
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Kathleen Gallagher, Patricia Solomon, William Solomon
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NABC Master:
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Michael Mendelson, Jean Pryzbylkowski
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Bronze Life Master:
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Jeanne Gehret, Martha Lewis
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Silver Life Master:
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Kathleen Harter
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Sapphire Life Master:
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John Klinger
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Platinum Life Master:
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Barry Gorski
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WACKY HANDS & GADGETS
- by Dave Bort
Two Hearts Bust Minor Suit Stayman Keycard
In an Inter-Club Championship matchpoints game earlier this month, I was the vul dealer against non-vul opponents, when I fanned my hand to reveal this 4-loser, 23-point beauty:
East: AQ3 AJ65 K8 AKQ2
With the opponents silent, the bidding proceeded:
West
East
2C
2D(1) 2N(2)
3S(3) 3N(4)
4S(5) 4N(6)
6D(7) 6N(8)
Notes:
(1) Game-forcing, showing at least an Ace, a King, or 2 Queens (here also, "Two Hearts Bust", 2H = less than that, after which the 2C opener can stop in either Major at the two level, or go on)
(2) 22-24 high-card points
(3) Minor Suit Stayman
(4) Denies a 4-card minor
(5) 1430 for Diamonds (here also, 4C = 4 Clubs & 5 Diamonds, 4D = 4 Diamonds & 5 Clubs, 4H = 1430 for Clubs, 4S = 1430 for Diamonds, although there are other ways to play this)
(6) 1 or 4 keycards in Diamonds
(7) OK, we're missing a keycard - we'll stop here
(8) Well, it's matchpoints, partner (not a team game, where safety would be paramount), and I have good tenaces to receive the opening lead, so let's try this!
Partner's hand was:
West: KT7 Q QJT9643 73
Making 6, on the lead of the Spade 9, and giving up only the trump Ace. Nice that we had a way to inquire safely, without guessing and blasting into the slam.
Kokish After Drury
Here's the hand I alluded to last month, where one convention segue ways right into another. In a club matchpoints game back in May, I was dealer with both sides vulnerable, when I spread this unassuming hand:
North: A64 K987 K96 JT2
With only a 9-loser, 11-point hand, my action seemed clear, and the auction proceeded (with the opponents silent throughout):
North
South
Pass 1H
2D(1) 3C(2)
4H(3) Pass(4)
Notes:
(1) Reverse Two-Way Drury, showing 4+ Hearts and an invitational hand
(2) Kokish Three-Way Game Try, showing Club shortness (here also, 2H = minimum hand, no interest in game, 2S = "Is there a suit in which you would have accepted a help suit game try, partner?", 2N = Spade shortness, 3D = Diamond shortness, and 3H = "enough points for game, partner, but poor trumps - only bid game if you have good trump honors, otherwise pass!")
(3) Your Club shortness improves my hand, partner, and I have help in the other two suits, so let's do this!
(4) Yay, thanks, partner, wish me luck
Partner's hand was:
South: Q3 AQJ63 QJT74 Q
Making 4, double-dummy, but making 5 at the table, thank you very much, at least partly due to the fact that the opponents were given fewer clues than usual, during the bidding, as to where our hands' weaknesses were.
Coming Attractions
Next month, I'll try to find an example of another cool gadget (which shall remain undisclosed until then)! So, stay tuned.
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