District 17 BRIDGE BUZZ
MARCH 2019
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The Buzz is delivered to you the months the ScoreCard is not published. This online newsletter focuses on upcoming District 17 tournaments, events and breaking news and provides you with links to access the details.
Contact
Cindy Shoemaker
, editor,
cndyshoemaker@yahoo.com
with feedback and content suggestions.
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D17 Mini-McKenney and Ace of Clubs Winners Are In
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The Mini-McKenney masterpoint contests recognize the ACBL members who win the most points in their respective categories. A player is in a category based on his/her masterpoints at the beginning of the year.
T
he Mini-McKenney award is named after William E. McKenney. His originality, drive and organizational ability did much to establish the ACBL. McKenney was the ACBL’s first executive secretary and remained at the helm until 1947.
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The Helen Shanbrom Ace of Clubs winners will receive a certificate for the most 2018 club game
wins within their respective masterpoint category. Black points are counted and not points earned in STaCs and other special games paying pigmented points.
In 2011, The Ace of Clubs award was named after Helen Shanbrom, the most successful club player in ACBL history. Helen passed in 2013 at the age of 94.
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The Personal Invite is Alive and Well in Tucson
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Tucson couples and non-life masters Doug and Sheri Cain and Robert and Diane Bixby go the extra mile to support Unit 356 by personally inviting players to attend its sectionals and regionals while playing in events throughout District 17.
To better support their efforts, the unit provided each with custom postcard-sized invitations for the 2019 Tucson Winter Regional with space for personalization and has plans to do the same for its upcoming sectionals and NLM regional held in November.
“The response was fantastic,” said Diane Bixby. “Players really appreciate being personally invited and the opportunity to ask questions. It’s just a great way to meet new players and to grow the game.”
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UPCOMING DISTRICT 17 REGIONALS
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The Denver Rocky Mountain Regional
May 21 - May 27
Denver, Colorado
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By Wayne Eckerling
Tournament Chair
Don’t miss the Denver Rocky Mountain Regional May 21-27 (Memorial Day) at the newly renovated Renaissance Hotel by Marriott. The Renaissance Hotel is conveniently located between Denver International Airport and downtown Denver in the redeveloped Stapleton area. The bridge rate, $112, is good through April 30.
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The regional begins with a Pro/Am pairs event Tuesday at 1 pm. If you have between five and 299 points and want to play with a more advanced player, sign up by May 10 with an email to
ProAm@DenverBridge.org
. In addition to masterpoints, section tops and first and second place overalls will receive prizes. There is also a single-session charity open pairs game at the same time. Evening charity games begin at 7 pm.
Start times for games Wednesday - Sunday are now 9:30 am and 2:30 pm providing ample time for dinner before evening play at 7:30 pm.
We are honored to once again host the D17 Grand National Teams finals held Friday, Saturday and (if necessary) on Sunday.
The Denver Rocky Mountain Regional offers a dynamic playing schedule that includes KOs, Swiss teams, bracketed teams, Board-A-Match teams, open pairs, fast pairs and side pairs.
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With an average of over 60 tables daily, Gold Rush pairs is one of our most popular events. These two-session pair games will be held Wednesday through Sunday with the exception of Friday when a two-session Gold Rush Swiss teams game will be offered. To play Gold Rush pairs, you must have less than 750 masterpoints. Tops in each section and overall winners will earn gold.
On Wednesday there will be special discounts, promotions and prizes for I/N and Gold Rush games. Friday there will be prizes for winners in all events.
299'er single-session pair games will be held Wednesday through Sunday.
The regional will conclude on Monday with an A/X/Y Swiss teams game and a Bracketed Gold team game for players with fewer than 3000 masterpoints. The top three finishers in each bracket will earn gold! If you need a partner, send an email to
Partners@DenverBridge.org
.
Regardless of level, all players are encouraged to attend bridge lectures by top experts 1:45 pm Wednesday through Sunday.
Click here
for a map of the Denver/Stapleton area.
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Phoenix NLM Gold Rush Regional
April 26-28
In Tempo Bridge Club
Scottsdale, AZ
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Get ready for The Phoenix NLM Gold Rush Regional, exclusively for non-life masters with less than 750 masterpoints. With convenient start times of 10 am and 3 pm, this upbeat regional features single-session pair games Friday and Saturday and a double-session Swiss on Sunday.
Gold rush pairs finishing in the overalls (Stratification A) will be awarded 33 percent gold and 67 percent red masterpoints! NLM gold rush Sunday Swiss also pays 33 percent gold to overalls.
NLMs will receive a free tournament patch and prizes will be awarded to overall winners.
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The Phoenix NLM Gold Rush Regional and the Silver Sun Sectional will be held at the same time and at the same location, however, they are two separate tournaments. The Phoenix NLM Gold Rush Regional offers gold and red points and the Silver Sun Sectional offers silver points.
Don’t miss free lectures by top local experts Friday and Saturday at 2:15 pm and Sunday’s lecture focusing on team strategies held before play. Handouts provided.
Enjoy complimentary coffee, iced tea, chocolates and goodies daily. Cactus Dogs will offer lunch onsite Friday and Saturday for a nominal fee. Purchase a 6” sub, chips, cookie, pickle and drink on Sunday for only $9.
In Tempo Bridge Cl
ub,
8250 E. Rose Lane, Scottsdale, AZ
is centrally located. Ample free parking provided.
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UPCOMING DISTRICT 17 SECTIONALS
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MAY
CLICK ON THE UNDERLINED HOST CITY TO VIEW TOURNAMENT FLYERS
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PLAY THE MEMPHIS NABC
MARCH 21-31, 2019
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Memphis Cook Convention Center
Several host hotels just minutes from the playing site.
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A MEMPHIS MUST!
VISIT THE ACBL
BRIDGE MUSEUM
While in Memphis, don't miss the ACBL Bridge Museum located in ACBL headquarters just minutes from the NABC.
It's FREE to all ACBL members!
Open Monday-Friday 9 am to 3 pm
.
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Support the United States Bridge Federation
You don't have to be a player to get involved
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If you don’t want to play in the USBF Championships that choose teams to represent the USA in the World Bridge Federation Championships, but do want to aid our events, a Supporting Membership can be the perfect way for you to get involved.
As a Supporting Member, you are eligible to:
1. Enter the fantasy brackets, run on Bridge Winners, for the USBF trials choosing our Open and Senior teams for the World Championships. The highest-ranking Supporting Member in the fantasy brackets for each of these two events will win the prize of your choice - either an online match against the USBC winners or dinner with them at the next NABC.
2. Receive daily emails during the USBF Championships. These will summarize the previous day’s results and provide vugraph information and links to daily bulletins containing pictures and commentary on individual hands.
3. Upon advanced request, make arrangements for you to kibitz a USBF member of your choice for a session once each year – either at an NABC or the USBF Championships.
4. Upon advanced request, we will arrange for you to be one of the vugraph commentators for one session of the team trials.
A Supporting Membership is $25 for one year ($75 for 3 years) and the ACBL now offers you the chance to become an USBF Supporting Member when you renew your ACBL membership. If you don’t want to wait that long, you can join by choosing the red Donate Now button on the USBF website. Your donation will be used to cover inevitable expenses: attorney fees, accounting fees, website support services, tournament directors, insurance, WBF dues, and vugraph operators.
The USBF is an all-volunteer organization. Our meetings are by conference call and at NABCS. Board members and the organization’s officers are not compensated for meetings, travel, or hotel expenses.
We hope you will join us.
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THE WESTERN CONFERENCE SPRING FLING STaC XX IS COMING:
MAY 6-12, 2019
Schedule your games today
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PARTICIPATE IN THE GRAND NATIONAL TEAMS
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Qualifications for the D17 2019 finals began September 1. Check your clubs for upcoming qualification games.
The District final for all flights will be held at the Denver Regional in May 2019. The nationals will be held at the NABC Las Vegas 2019.
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For more information on District 17 activities go to
d17acbl.org
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