The District 17 Bridge Buzz focuses on district and national news and provides you with the links to access the details. Catch the next Buzz March 2024.

Provide Cindy Shoemaker, editor, cndyshoemaker@yahoo.com with

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By Elizabeth Hamilton

grtscot@gmail.com

415-994-3527

'O wad some Power the giftie gie us. To see ourselves as others see us! 

The above quote is the concluding line of a poem entitled, “To a Louse” by Robert Burns January 25, 1759 to July 21, 1796.

Robert Burns was a Scottish poet and lyricist. He is widely regarded as the national poet of Scotland and there are Burns Suppers in many locations in January, that honor celebrate his work with traditional poetry, music, dancing and food. He wrote in old Scots and English. A renowned lyrics to “Auld Lang Syne” - so many of you are already familiar with his work. This song is sung at many New Year’s Eve celebrations around the world, to mark the passing of the old year into the new.

The quote above was inspired by a louse that Burns saw crawling on a lady’s bonnet in church. From the worldview of the louse, everyone is regarded as a potential host without individual distinctions. 

 A simple translation of the phrase would be that it would be a very powerful gift if we could all see ourselves as others see us.

The quote inspires me when the D17 board is dealing with tactical and strategic decisions that will benefit all of our members. Many things have changed and they will continue to change. We need to keep an open mind so that we can meet the needs of our clubs large and small. Our city and rural communities and our players at every level.

2023 was a busy year in D17. It just ended with an incredibly successful Royal STaC. There were four STaC events in 2023. The total table count was almost a thousand more than 2022. An incredible amount of masterpoints were won by D17 members. In the recent wishbone STaC that amounted to 3,721.32. Amazing! Now it is time to watch for GNT qualifying games and remember that the D17 finals will be played at the Denver Regional this summer. The 2024 D17 board will hold its first meeting by ZOOM on January 9, 2024 and the first face-to-face meeting will be at the Tucson Winter Regional. February 27 to March 2. Mark your calendar and come meet us at the bridge table. Read more.

By Jack Shoemaker

Tournament Chair

shoejack20@gmail.com

Great weather, a dynamic playing schedule and signature hospitality make the Tucson Winter Regional THE place to play!

The regional will be held Tuesday, February 27 through Saturday, March 2 at the Tanque Verde Lutheran Church, 8625 E. Tanque Verde Road in Tucson. Ample free parking daily. 

With start times of 9:30 am and 2 pm, this tournament schedule includes Bracketed Round Robin teams, Gold Rush pairs and open pairs. Side pair games and 299er pair games are offered for play mornings and/or afternoons. 

A/X/Y Swiss and Bracketed Gold teams (0-3000) will begin 9 am on Saturday.

Free lectures will be held between sessions Tuesday through Friday.

Players will receive discounted rates at two Marriott properties nearby. Click here for details and booking deadlines.

For player convenience, lunch may be purchased onsite Tuesday through Friday. Saturday lunch will be included in the team entry fee. Free coffee, hot tea and premium candy will be provided daily. 

If you need a partner or a team contact

Doug Cain, cainds2@comcast.net or post to www.playsouthernazbridge.com and click partnerships.

This is a no cash tournament. Credit/debit cards only. No smoke, no fragrance and no bad behavior. Zero tolerance will be strictly enforced.

We look forward to seeing you in Tucson! 

Click here to view flyer.

By Kim Bauer

Event Chair

kimbauer123@cox.net

The Progressive Sectional is a unique, two-part event in bridge. Part one is a week-long qualification stage at the Unit 351 participating clubs. At this time, you are able to play at various clubs within the Unit to qualify so that you are then eligible to play in the final, which is at a later date. 

Part two is the final itself and is a one-day, one session tournament where pair games are the only event played. This is a bracketed event, so you will be playing against players in your bracket only. Silver points will be awarded for winners in the Progressive Sectional Final and in all qualifying games.

The 2024 Progressive Sectional Final for Unit 351 will be held on Saturday, February 24, 2024 at Risen Savior Lutheran Church (South Building Fellowship Hall) located at 23914 S. Alma School Road, Chandler, AZ 85248. 

The fee will be $8 for members. The doors will open at 9 am with the game starting at 10 am. Cookies and beverages will be served. 

Susan Kraght - slkraght@gmail.com - will handle partnerships for those who qualify to play, but do not have a partner.

To qualify for the final, you must play in a qualifying game at one of the Unit 351 clubs and finish in the top 50% of the field in your bracket or have a 50% game or better. These qualifying games will be held February 5 - 11. The participating Unit 351 clubs and the game dates and times can be found here in the Progressive flyer and available at all clubs and on the Unit 351 website. Players are permitted to play in as many qualifying games as they like that week in order to qualify for the Progressive Final event. 

The chairperson in charge of this event is Kim Bauer, kimbauer123@cox.net. All ACBL members are welcome and we invite you to join us!

MAKE PLANS TO ATTEND THE DENVER ROCKY MOUNTAIN REGIONAL

MAY 21-27, 2024

NEW LOCATION!

DOUBLETREE BY HILTON

GREENWOOD VILLAGE, CO

By Bonnie Bagley

GNT Coordinator

bon1bon@comcast.net

The GNT qualifying period is well underway. Hopefully, you have qualified or have plans to do so before the February deadline. If your club is unable to run a GNT Qualifying Game, there are two online games scheduled on BBO, Saturday, January 13 and Saturday, February 17 at 3 pm. Contact Sharon Smith at  sharonsmith@me.com for more information or to register.

The D17 Championship Finals will be held Saturday, April 6 and Sunday, April 7, 2024 on BBO. Pre-registration is required, no later than Friday, March 31. The team captain shall email the roster of the team (names & ACBL number) to Bonnie Bagley at  bon1bon@comcast.net and remit a check for the first two sessions of play, which is $160, payable to D17 to Jennifer O’Neill, D17 Treasurer, 30 Sommerset Circle, Greenwood Village, CO 80111 or use Zelle through your bank – ACBLD17@gmail.com.

The D17 Flight A, B & C Finals will be held at the Denver Rocky Mountain Regional Saturday, May 25 and Sunday, May 26. All teams must preregister no later than May 17. The team captain shall email the roster of the team (names & ACBL number) to Bonnie Bagley at bon1bon@comcast.net and remit a check for the first two sessions of play, which is $120, payable to D17 to Jennifer O’Neill, D17 Treasurer, 30 Sommerset Circle, Greenwood Village, CO 80111 or use Zelle through your bank –ACBLD17@gmail.com. D17 waives the entry fee for Flight C.

Click here to see a list of qualifiers – your team may consist of any qualified D17 player.

TOURNAMENT CHAIR:

JENNIFER O’NEILL

jjo4501@gmail.com

PARTNERSHIPS:

ROLF HOUTKOOPER

rolfhoutkooper@gmail.com

JANUARY

04-06 Tucson, AZ (Open)

12-14 Denver, CO (Open)

25-27 Yuma, AZ (Open)

D17 STaC, January 29 - February 4, 2024

FEBRUARY

05-10 Unit 351 (Progressive Qualifier)

07-10 Colorado Springs, CO (Open)

09-11 Fountain Hills, AZ (Open) Read more

FEBRUARY - CONTINUED

17-18 El Paso, TX (Local)

24-25 Colorado Springs, CO (I/N)

24-24 Unit 351 (Progressive Final)

MARCH

08-10 Denver, CO (Open)

21-23 Chandler, AZ (Open) Read more

22-24 Los Alamos, NM (Local)

1,751 D17 players earned 3,721.32 materpoints (25% gold, 25% silver, 25% red and 25% black) during the D17 Wishbone Royal STaC held November 6-12, 2023.

Click here to view the top 50 masterpoint earners.

Many thanks to Jesse Laird, D17 STaC director, for the January/February, June and September STaCs and to Arleen Harvey, who directed the November STaC. We are fortunate to have these capable directors, who go above and beyond, to help our club owners and players.

D17 is appreciative of Tom Shulman who handles the financial aspects of the STaCs. He does a fantastic job.

D17 will hold four STaCs in 2024. Mark your calendar today:



• January 29 – February 4.
• June 3 – 9: Royal STaC.
• September 16 – 22.
• November 11 – 17: Royal STaC.

The fall North American Bridge Championships (NABC) will be held November 28 - December 8, 2024 at the Westgate Las Vegas Resort and Casino. Weekday rates are $65+ tax per night and weekend rates are $99+ tax per night. Reservations will open May 28!

Click here to learn more about the NABC Las Vegas. 

HELP US RAISE FUNDS FOR HOSPITALITY 

Play in NABC Las Vegas fundraiser games held in all ACBL virtual clubs May 13-19. Earn 200% MPs -- all black -- and be part of the team that makes hospitality in Vegas absolutely fantastic!  

ACBL members receive masterpoints for winning and placing in club games and tournaments as they strive to advance in rank. There are 16 ranks, from Junior Master (5 masterpoints) to Grand Life Master (10,000 masterpoints plus a victory in an eligible North American Bridge Championship). Learn rank qualifications.

Fred Cannon

Unit 360

Colorado Springs, CO

Charles Case

Unit 383

Santa Fe, NM

David Johnson

Unit 355

Sedona, AZ

Barry Nagel

Unit 374

Albuquerque, NM

Jane Perry

Unit 356

Tucson, AZ

Scott Baker, Unit 374, Albuquerque, NM and William Sabo, Unit 355, Sedona, AZ. Both also became bronze life masters.

CHECK OUT THE DISTRICT 17 WEBSITE

WWW.D17ACBL.ORG