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In This Issue
Thanks!
Bridge in a Day
Beginner Course
NLM Sectional
Solomon Finals
Quiz Show 3
Table Tips
Club News
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Upcoming Events
Bala Sectional
October 11-13
October 19
October 26
October 28
October 28 - Nov. 3
November 11-17
November 28 - Dec. 8
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From the President:
THANKS for a Great Year of Sectionals!
 The final Unit 141 Sectional for 2013 takes place on October 11-13 at Bala Golf Club.
This event, plus the Learn to Play Bridge seminar on September 21 and the one-day NLM teams Sectional coming up on October 28, brings to a close a terrific first year at Bala. We hope that you will join us for the remaining events.
It has been a remarkable year. We had record turnouts at each Sectional, including an amazing 321 tables in September. That number made it the largest sectional on the East Coast this year. On many of the days throughout the year, table counts were 30-50% higher than the corresponding Sectional date for the previous year.
There are so many people to thank for such success.
The first is all of you who attend the Unit 141 Bala Sectionals. We appreciate your ongoing support as we continue our effort to host high-quality events. Bala is a great host for our events and we appreciate everyone's effort to respect their club.
Thanks to Tom and Linda Smith, who facilitated the original move to Bala and continue to problem-solve the issues that arise as the Sectionals there grow. The Sectionals couldn't succeed without the tireless efforts of the Bala staff, particularly Mary Khmeth. They come in early and stay late to be sure that the food is prepared, set out and replenished, that the cars are parked, the trash is removed, the rooms are cleaned, and so much more. The tournaments would not run smoothly without them. Director-in-Charge Marc Labovitz manages countless pre-game details, including making sure that we have pre-duplicated boards for all pairs games and the unique Dupli-Swiss on Sunday. He and assistant Director Tom Purl, both whizzes at planning and executing game movements for the large turnouts, start the games quickly. They both coordinate the last minute changes as the table counts grow and as more tables than expected walk in (a nice problem to have). We also appreciate the support of Directors Bob Cole and Alan Hodesblatt, who keep things running smoothly and field director calls. Hospitality Co-Chairs Allison Brandt and Wendy de Chadarevian assure that breakfast, lunch, and snacks are available throughout the day. They plan, organize, order, and shop for the supplies that keep us fed and help the transition from morning to afternoon runs smoothly.
A special thanks to Meyer Kotkin, our Tournament Chairman. Meyer does not think just one event at a time, but plans tournaments with a broad and long-term plan. He always has the players' best interests in mind, using research, plannings, and perseverance to bring his ideas to fruition. He is the brains behind the Dupli-Swiss and has help grow the compact knockouts on Saturday from five teams a year ago to 16 teams at the September Sectional.
Thanks also the other members of the Tournament Committee and Unit Board who volunteer their time and support the effort. Howard Kahlenberg has great insight about what makes a tournament successful, will wake up early and work hard whenever his time is needed, and brings computer skills to the party. Phyllis Taxin, our treasurer, pays the bills, keeps the books, and makes sure that everyone is reimbursed quickly for out of pocket expenses.  Throughout the year, many volunteers have schlepped, baked, shopped, and cooked as well. We would never have lunch on Friday if Carl Perchonock didn't pick up racks of 6-foot sandwiches and dozens of pounds of salads. Linda Smith and Joan Brandeis have both provided the salads on Sunday. Kathy Chalek, Gina Bressler, and April Uhlenberg have generously baked homemade goodies for us to enjoy. The key word here is volunteer. Everyone volunteers their time, but we all enjoy working together and seeing the success of our efforts. All of the positive comments we have received are greatly appreciated. More help is always welcome, so if you would like to become involved, don't hesitate to send me an email. 
If you ever have questions or need more information, click the links in Upcoming Events or contact Tournament Chair Meyer Kotkin at guymath@comcast.net or me at mgiesler@comcast.net. We will continue to update you on more Unit 141 events and look forward to seeing you at the Bala Sectionals in October and in 2014. Mike Giesler |
New Players Learn Bridge in a Day?
On September 21, nearly 40 people brand-new to bridge enjoyed learning how to play the game in a day. The topics ranged from the basics of trick taking to overcalls in bidding. Ten tables of players ages 10 and up spent the day learning new concepts and enthusiastically playing many hands of bridge. The following Saturday, many of them enjoyed a supervised game and free lesson at Raffles. An 8-week course designed for new and newer places is also being offered at Raffles, beginning on October 9 (see article below). Thanks to all of the players to took the plunge with the course and all of the volunteers who helped make the day a great success!
 | | A follow-up lesson and supervised game at Raffles drew several tables of players. Here, Wendy de Chadarevian discusses a hand with Suki Griffiin, Leda and Jeff Sportolari, and Sally Gross. |
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8-week Course for New Players Begins at Raffles on October 9
 New and newer players who want to learn more about bridge, including bidding, declarer play, leads, and more, will want to register for an 8-week course designed just for them. Beginning on October 9, this series of classes starts with the basics so people with no bridge experience can participate. It quickly moves along, however, so it is perfect for players with a little experience, like those who enjoyed the Learn Bridge in a Day seminar.
The cost for eight weeks is $125. Classes begin each week at Raffles (3900 City Ave.) at 9:30 AM. For more information, please check out the flyer at the Raffles website or contact Wendy de Chadarevian at 215-879-9923. Please feel free to pass on this information or forward the newsletter to anyone you know that might be interested in the course.
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Non-Life Master Teams Sectional Coming on October 28
 Players with fewer than 499 masterpoints who have not yet achieved the rank of life master are in for a treat! On October 28, the Unit 141 I/N program is hosting a special one-day Swiss Teams Sectional. Enjoy a special Teams Sectional, learn more about teams events, and win masterpoints!
This two-session event, which starts at 10 AM, will include lunch, pre-duplicated boards and hand records, and plenty of instruction, advice, and assistance on how to play, score, and move during Swiss Teams. You can sign up as a pair or (pairs will be teamed up).
The game will a ton of fun, so get your partner or team together and register now. Pre-registration is required and registration is limited to the first 40 teams. Slots have already been filling quickly, so get your entry in soon!
For more information, click this link for the event flyer or contact I/N coordinator Bruce Lang at bruce.edward.lang@gmail.com.
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Victory for Rabinowitz in Solomon Finals
 The 2013 Solomon Teams came to a rousing conclusion with a 28-board final that aired on the BBO VuGraph. The Civale team fell to Rabinowitz in a hard-fought match.
An excellent slate of commentators included Lou Glasthal, who noted the importance of a slam hand that helped the eventual victors, but might have gone the other way. On fairly tricky auctions, the Rabinowitz side bid to 6C while the Civales stopped in 5C. When the king of diamonds turned up onside, the slam made and gave a big boost to the winning side. On another day, the king wouldn't be so cooperative.
 | | Solomon Teams namesakes, Peggy and Charles Solomon |
Registration for the 2014 season is now open. Please contact coordinator Art Korth at Artk78@comcast.net if you have questions or to register.
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Quiz Show 3: Card Combinations
 We hope you have enjoyed this series of quizzes the past few months. Here is part 3 -- and the last -- of the series, which this month focuses card combinations. Thanks again to Richard Pavlicek's excellent website, ( http://www.rpbridge.net/).
1 As declarer in notrump, assume you must play a suit combination of A-J-5-4 opposite K-3-2. What is your approximate chance (percent) to win four tricks?
2 Assuming you have adequate entries to either hand and no clues from the bidding and early play, what is the best play of each of these card combinations for five tricks at notrump:
1. A K J 10 9 opp. 8 7
2. A K J 10 9 opp. 8 7 6
3 Assuming you have adequate entries to either hand, and no clues from the bidding and early play, what is the best play of each of these card combinations for four tricks at notrump: 1. Q 10 9 8 7 opp. A 6 5 2. Q 10 9 8 7 opp. A 6 5 4
4 Assuming you have adequate entries to either hand, and no clues from the bidding and early play, what is the best play of each of these card combinations for four tricks at notrump:
1. A J 10 9 8 opp. 7 6 5
2. A J 10 9 8 opp. 7 6 5 4 [Answers] 1 To win four tricks, you need two favorable things: a 3-3 break and a finesse. The chance of a 3-3 break is about 36 percent, of which you will succeed only half the time: 18 percent. 2 1. Finesse the jack then finesse the 10; 2. Cash the ace then finesse the jack (and the 10 if necessary). The reason for the difference is that with (1) you could not finesse twice if you cashed the ace first. 3 1. Run the 10 then run the nine; 2. Cash the ace. The reason for finessing with (1) is to avoid a second-round guess if the ace were played first. Note that with (2) there can be no guess because if both follow low to the ace, the only K-J will be missing.
4 1. Finesse the jack then the 10; 2. Same! In general, missing the K-Q, it makes no difference how many cards you have - always finesse twice if possible. |
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Table Tips: Zero Tolerance
 The ACBL, Unit 141, and its clubs maintain a Zero Tolerance policy designed to improve "acceptable player behavior" and ultimately create a pleasant playing atmosphere for all. While the Z-T policy recommends certain "commendable" behaviors, such as greeting opponents and praising their worthy plays, it is more important to know which behaviors are not tolerated and what to do if you should experience them.
Here are some of the behaviors that are not acceptable:
- badgering, rudeness, insinuations, intimidation, profanity, threats, or violence
- negative comments concerning opponents' or partner's play or bidding
- constant and gratuitous lessons and analyses at the table
- loud and disruptive arguing with a director's ruling
It might be uncomfortable, but your role is clear if you should experience any unacceptable behavior at the table: call the director immediately. Do not become embroiled in an argument or discussion with the offending party. Law 74A prohibits any behavior, remarks, or other conduct that interfere with the enjoyment of the game and directors have the authority to assess penalties for these offenses. Further action can and will be taken if the offense is more serious or the offender fails to comply with the ruling or request of the director.
For a complete explanation of the Zero-Tolerance policy, see the ACBL website.
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Club News
The Yorktown Bridge Club wants to remind players that every Saturday at 12:30 is Bagels and Bridge. Please feel free to call Ellen or Edie at the club (215- 886-7800) if you need a partner or visit the website for more information: http://www.yorktownbridgeclub.com/.
Raffles for Bridge has several announcements for new and new players. The Non-Life Master Game has moved to Thursday afternoons at 12:30 PM. A novice lesson and supervised game starts every Thursday morning at 9:15 AM. Also, beginning on October 9, there will be a series of lesson on Wednesday mornings for new players. For more information that class and about Raffles, visit the website: http://www.bridgewebs.com/rafflesforbridge/.
ACBL-wide Instant Matchpoint Game is being held Wednesday evening October 2 (yes, that's today) at these clubs:
Bridge Club of Center City
Bridge Center of Delaware County (BCDC)
Marple Bridge Club
North Penn DBC
Bridge Studio of Delaware (Wilmington)
A gold point is awarded for section tops in each direction at each club. Additional points are half red, half black with additional overall awards possible.
NAP Flight C Finals - These local clubs are hosting the District 4 Flight C finals on October 19.
North Penn Duplicate Bridge Club, Lansdale
Bridge Center of Delaware County, Drexel Hill
The Bridge Studio of Delaware, Wilmington, DE
N.B. Pre-registration is required. Visit the District 4 website for more details and the websites of these clubs for directions and game times.
Bridge Center of Delaware County (BCDC) has started a new Non-Life Master section to the Monday afternoon game. They are also running both the ACBL-wide Instant Matchpoint game and the District 4 NAP Flight C final. Check their website for details www.delcobridge.com.
Local clubs are encouraged to send announcements, schedules, updates, and special games for placement in upcoming newsletters.
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