January 2022
Well here is some positive news to start 2022: You can earn coveted Gold points (Red, Silver and Black, too!) at participating clubs January 24-30 in the first ever ROYAL StaC, a new, experimental event for face-to-face clubs. The ROYAL STaC works the same as a regular STaC, but you can win multi-color awards. All face-to-face clubs in Districts 3, 4, and 24 are eligible so check with local directors to see if they plan to participate.

Wishing you the best of health and the best of luck in the New Year!
District 4 Officers  
Questions? Comments? Concerns?
Contact your District 4 board members.

PRESIDENT 
Jeanne Gehret
jeannegehret@comcast.net

VICE PRESIDENT 
Betsy Cutler
betsy2955@gmail.com

SECRETARY 
Bill Bauer 
william.baueriii@verizon.net

TREASURER
Pat Civale 
pat@csa-accounting.com 

DISTRICT DIRECTOR 
Joann Glasson 
joannglasson@msn.com 
President's Message
Hallelujah, 2021 is in the rear-view mirror! Are you ready for 2022?

You might be wondering what’s ahead for District 4 Bridge in 2022…
  •  January 24-30: Royal STaC -- A STaC experiment for face-to-face clubs in Districts 3, 4 and 24, awarding special masterpoints of 25% Gold, 25% Silver, 25% Red, and 25% Black points.
  • A new District 4 Website is almost ready – be on the lookout for an email announcement about it in January.
  •  Sectional tournaments start up around the District with the first scheduled for February 18-20 in Wilmington DE.
  • And, don't miss out on District 4’s first Regional tournament in over two years – the Rehoboth Beach Regional – May 2-6, 2022.

And, of course, it seems my column wouldn’t be complete without mention of Covid (ugh). I have high hopes that this latest Covid variant will burn itself out very soon and that no others pop up to take its place. Enough, already! (This is surely something on which we can all agree.)

Until next month, be safe and well!
I welcome your comments or suggestions (jeannegehret@comcast.net)
From the District Director 
New Year's Resolutions 
As we begin the New Year, I will begin my term as ACBL President and I have a list of challenges to work on this year.

ACBL Board
2022 will be the first year that we will experience a reduction in the size of the ACBL board. We have a board of 20 directors this year, down from 25, and need to prepare for 2023 when the number of directors will be reduced to 15.

Our Bridge Committee, chaired by Dennis Carman, will be working to complete the transition of all bridge-related activities off the ACBL board and to committees composed of expert players. This will enable the board to focus on strategic and financial issues.

Fall Board Meetings
A complete report from the ACBL Board Meetings in Austin, Texas, last month is available here.

Pandemic
The pandemic has changed how we play the game of bridge and will provide additional challenges for the board and management this year.   Many of our players have discovered the advantages of playing online and others are holding out for a return to face-to-face bridge, so we will work on a new hybrid model that provides a place to play for all of our membership.

As an organization, we must do all we can to enable our face-to-face bridge clubs to survive. The pandemic has dealt a serious blow to face-to-face play and unless we can recover, the future of our wonderful game is in danger. Prior to the pandemic our new members came mostly from bridge clubs that offered teaching programs. With the pandemic, we have lost our "on the ground" sales force and it's in the best interest of the organization to try to protect the survival of teaching clubs. 

Cheating
We also need to streamline the process of keeping cheaters out of the game of bridge. The Recorder system worked OK until we moved the game online and made cheating a bit easier. In 2022, we are planning on reviewing and improving the current process for keeping our game honest. AJ Stephani will be leading that effort for the board.

I wish everyone a healthy and happy 2022!

Stay well and please contact me anytime with any questions or concerns: joannglasson@msn.com
District 4 Schedule
NABC
March 10-20
Sectionals
Feb. 18-20
March 18-19
March 26-27
April 22-23
April 29-May 1

Regionals
May 2-6

STaCs
ROYAL STaC
For a full year D4 calendar, click here.
For the D4 virtual club calendar, click here
For a 2022 online event schedule, click here
Our Monthly Feature
The 4Spot features fantastic contributors, on a regular rotation:
Larry's Learning Center by Larry Cohen:
January, April, July, October
For Novices Only by Marti Ronemus:
February, May, August, November
The ABC of Bridge by Dave Wachsman:
March, June, September, December
At Larry's Learning Center there is no shortage of excellent advice and loads of practice exercises for you and your partner. And speaking of partners, have you reviewed your approach to showing a minor after partner's 1NT opening? In his usual clear language, Larry uses a number of examples to illustrate sound bidding practices. Reminder: If you adopt a new method be sure to update your card!
Master Solvers Club
Nick is surely the master of no-one-answer problems! No Trump, Clubs, Pass or Double? Each has it proponents but what do most of our experts suggest? An interesting dilemma to start another competitive year!
Then visit the MSC website to read next month's problem and submit your answers online: http://d4msc.straguzzi.org
News from Around the Units 
Unit 112: Central New York
Betty Youmans
readsausten@yahoo.com
Happy Holidays! Hopefully, your New Year’s resolutions include: playing more bridge, improving your game, attending available tournaments, and being nice to your partner and opponents.

Face-to-face bridge continues to attract a consistent audience across the Unit at perhaps 25% of pre-Covid levels. Virtual club games continue to do well. The governor of New York declared everyone in a public place must either be vaccinated or wearing a face mask starting December 13 and running until March 2022. Since most games were already requiring this, the new declaration should have minimal impact.

An interesting observation in the Rochester area is that most of those playing face-to-face games are open level players and most of those playing virtual club games are 499ers.

Advancing Players in Unit 112 are
  • Ann Smallen (Clinton NY) - Silver Life Master
  • Colleen Kaminski (Elmira NY) - Sectional Master
  • Ruth Bruning (Elmira NY) - Club Master
  • Annette Satloff (Pittsford, NY) - Club Master
Unit 120: Northeastern Pennsylvania 
Doreese Torrey
doreeset@gmail.com
Hello Unit 120!! Please check back next month for Unit news. In the meantime, enjoy your bridge games and best wishes for a Happy, Healthy 2022!
Unit 121: Berks Montgomery 
Brian C Snyder 
4spadesdoubled@gmail.com
Unit 121 continues face-to-face bridge every Tuesday and Thursday at 12:15pm at Good Shepherd UCC church. For updates, partnerships or questions contact Sue Wessner. 
bridgebysue@gmail.com. 610-562-1333
Unit 133: Lehigh Valley 
Lois Fuini
lafuini@yahoo.com
Happy New Year!
We hope your holiday celebrations with family and friends were a little more festive this year, and you all enjoyed them. We extend our best wishes for a safe, healthy, and happy 2022. Unit 133 looks forward to serving our members with online virtual club games and face-to-face games. For more information, please check the website for playing opportunities.

Congratulations!
New Rank Achievements
New Bronze Life Master
Barbara Berk
New Gold Life Master
Jane Havighurst

In Memoriam Game 
Thank you to the many members who played on Sunday, December 5 to celebrate the lives and achievements of the members of Unit 133 who passed away last year. An Open game of duplicate bridge was played in their honor. All proceeds benefit Lehigh Valley Active Life.
Winners - Open Pairs
N/S 1st-Paul and Peg Irvine
        2nd-Mike and Barbara Dopera
E/W 1st-Walt Bell and Tom Kriz
        2nd-Naim Rizk and Mary Jo Stofflet

Thank You!
The Board of Directors and members of Unit 133 would like to sincerely thank the following retiring board members for their generous gift of time, talent, and treasure. These volunteers have helped our unit grow and achieve many goals and successes needed to move our unit forward.
Retired Board Members:
Chuck Campbell
Sara Gainey 
Sylvia Hand
Dave Kresge

ACBL Junior Fund Charity Game 
Open Pairs and 0-500 Pairs
WHERE: Lehigh Valley Active Life Center
               1633 W Elm Street
                Allentown PA
WHEN: Thursday, January 20, 2022 at 12:30pm
WHO: Open and 0- 500 Pairs
If the 0-500 game has fewer than three tables, it will be combined with the Open game.
WHY: The Junior Fund is an ACBL-wide foundation that helps support youth bridge for those under the age of 26. Club players earn extra masterpoints while helping the Junior Program for Youth offset the cost for these younger players to attend the World Youth Championships.
COST: $8 per person
REFRESHMENTS: Bagged snacks and water will be provided.
MORE INFORMATION: If you have additional questions or need help finding a partner, please contact:
Betsy Cutler at betsy2955@gmail.com  
or Lois Fuini at lafuini@yahoo.com.
Vaccinations required, masks optional.

Silver Linings Online Games 
January 17-23, 2022
All online games this week will reward double silver points. Schedule your partners early as these games are always very popular. The fee for these games is $7

New Experimental Bridge Event
January 24-30, 2022
Play in the Royal STaC – a special event just for face-to-face clubs! The Royal STaC (Sectional Tournament at Clubs) is run like a typical STaC but with special masterpoint awards.
Royal STaC Awards
25% Gold
25% Red
25% Silver
25% Black
The experimental Royal STaC is just for members in District 3, District 4 and District 24. All face-to-face club sessions during the Royal STaC (January 24-30, 2022) are eligible. The fee for these special games remains at $7 since the unit is subsidizing any additional table fees. Check with your club manager to learn details for your face-to-face club.
Vaccinations required, masks optional.

STaC Games
February 7-13, 2022
All face-face club games are eligible to participate in the ACBL STaC games(Sectional Tournaments at Clubs) this week. The fee for these special games is $7 (except “Souper Bowl Sunday”) since the unit is subsidizing any additional table fees. Please check with your local club manager for information about participation.
Vaccinations required, masks optional. 

“Souper” Bowl Sunday
February13, 2022
“Souper” Bowl Sunday Charity Game - Silver Points
WHERE: Lehigh Valley Active Life 
WHEN: February 13, 2022 at 1 PM
WHO: 0-500 Limited, and Open Games
WHY: Enjoy a game of bridge to benefit the Second Harvest Food Bank. All cash donations and proceeds from the games will benefit Second Harvest Food Bank. Please bring a can of soup or other non perishable food item to donate to Second Harvest. Cash donations may be mailed to Paul Irvine, 5431 Truth Place, Allentown PA 18106, Please make checks payable to LVBA. Thank you!
REFRESHMENTS: Bagged snacks and water will be provided. At this time, no other food can be brought into the facility.
COST: $8 per person
Vaccinations required, masks optional.
Unit 141: Philadelphia 
Jay Apfelbaum
japfel1@comcast.net
Welcome to another year. I was recently elected Unit 141 President. We all hope that 2022 will be the year we finally beat this confounded virus. That means more opportunities to play our favorite game - BRIDGE! 

After nearly two years of little activity, your unit is getting ready to gear up. We hope to have two face-to-face tournaments this year. More details will follow, assuming these become a reality. Meanwhile, there is activity galore online, and we are looking for people with ideas and a willingness to make them come true. Contact me and let us make those ideas a reality.

Sad to say, we lost Arlyne Shockman just this week. She had limited eyesight, but that never slowed her down at the table. Always there and ready for fun.
Unit 168: Central Pennsylvania 
Russell Poppleton
rpoppleton@comcast.net
All players are encouraged to join in for some face-to-face bridge offered at clubs throughout Unit 168. Schedules are available at the club websites. As for those who prefer the virtual game as well as those snowbirds heading for warmer climates, Unit 168 offers an extensive online schedule with both open and limited point games available. A full schedule of virtual games can be found at www.bridgeboardroom.com.

That website also provides information about an upcoming bridge cruise in Feb. that offers both the pleasure of cruising and plenty of bridge with ACBL masterpoints.

Congrats to the Harrisburg Bridge Club! At their recent annual meeting, they held a ceremonial "burning of the mortgage." The member-owned club was able to pay off its 30-year mortgage in just nine years despite COVID restrictions.

On the subject of COVID restrictions, all Unit 168 Clubs require proof of vaccination in order to play. At some Clubs this includes proof of the booster shot.
Remember to put the Royal STaC on your bridge calendar later this month.

Congratulations to the following as they move up the ACBL recognition ladder:
Club Master
Randall Rowand
Sectional Master
John F. Freet Jr
Regional Master
 Mary Berwick, Jimmie Groves, Joe Marter, Kurt Meyer, Darius Kapadia
NABC Master
Terry Johns, Jill Grenier, Paul Sekula
Bronze Life Master
Bob Kurtz
Silver Life Master
Ian Miles, Roy Grube
Ruby Life Master
Susan Kennedy
Gold Life Master
Jeanne Gehret
Sapphire Life Master
Steve Fama

As we enter the year 2022 lets all make a resolution to improve not only our play at the bridge table, but our decorum as well. No matter where you are in either of these two areas, there is always room for improvement.

Q: Where do snowmen get the weather report?
A: The Winternet.
Q. What do Santa's elves study at school to help with their spelling?
A. The elfabet!
Unit 190: Delaware 
Tamara Holm & Paula Varrassi 
tamaraholm@yahoo.com
pvarrassi@gmail.com
The Dave Treadwell Sectional, where the players partied and celebrated, was a great success!  Check out these pictures:
TOP UNIT 190 MASTERPOINT WINNERS
 1 16.38 Richard Popper, Wilmington DE
  2 16.19 Peter Filandro, Wilmington DE
  3 16.19 Marie Filandro, Wilmington DE
  4 14.81 Sigridur Kristjansdottir, Wilmington DE
  5 14.81 Harold Jordan, Wilmington DE
  6 10.45 Rick Rowland, Wilmington DE
 12  5.75 Kurt Engleman, Avondale PA
 13  5.75 David Venetianer, Chadds Ford PA
 18  4.42 John Strange, Wilmington DE
 19  4.42 Caroline Hughes, Wilmington DE
THE DIAMOND STATE SECTIONAL
COME FOR THE FUN AND CAMARADERIE!
 February 18-20
At the “NEW” Bridge Studio
 Suite 203 in Building 1403 of Foulkstone Plaza in Wilmington Delaware
 Proof of Covid-19 Vaccination Required
Current Covid-19 precautions will be in effect
Due to Covid-19 precautions we will not be able to serve lunch
Check our website www.unit190.org for updates 
RECENT ADVANCEMENTS
NABC MASTER: Pamela Folz
GOLD LIFE MASTER: Sigridur S. Kristjansdottir
2022 Delaware State Championship Online Tournament
Our state-wide online tournament in January-March of 2021 was so successful that we're doing it again in 2022. The tournament will be held on BBO at 10:00 on six consecutive Saturdays starting January 8, 2022. The results of all six sessions will be combined to designate state champions in each of three flights: 0-500, 500-1500 and 1500+ masterpoints.
 
We’re doing it! To read about how the Delaware Unit is working to get the old gang back together and playing face-to-face bridge at tournaments and at clubs, as well as the BBO Delaware State Championship, check out the Unit 190 website and click on the links below:
Unit 217: Susquehanna 
Jim McKeown
jcm@psu.edu
Please join us for our next Sectional, June 3-5, 2022 at the at the Boalsburg Fire Co 113 Pine Street in Boalsburg, PA.  
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4Spot |January 2022| Editor: Janet Johnson | janet.johnson210@gmail.com