Face-to-face bridge is critical to Unit 503 thriving long term, and that is why we were so excited to see so many people at the Palo Alto Bridge Center (PABC) for the San Mateo Sectional last weekend (see below for some stats). The Unit 503 Board met twice last month to discuss accelerating the return of face-to-face bridge. What did we discuss? Here are just a few of the topics we discussed, some of which will be implemented this month:
- How do we get intermediate players and newcomers to return to the Palo Alto Bridge Center (PABC)
- Limited game 50 or 20 points with free lecture?
- Limited game early afternoon one day a week
- New format single session Non-Life Master (NLM) Sectional at the PABC (see below)
- Tuesday morning junior game free if you don’t get points and featuring same helpers as in Kathy Harper’s class
- Better scheduling and promotion of the $4.99 for 499er games with a free lecture
- How do we build attendance at our regularly scheduled games
- Special events like STaC weeks and parties seem to help… how do we make every day special?
- BYOB Wine & cheese Wednesday nights (idea is under discussion)
- Food truck lunch once a month with game (idea to be explored)
- Improve our partnership desk proces
- Other topics discussed
- Try to work with the District to schedule a NLM Regional at the club
- Mentor games
- Cross – Unit challenge vs. Units 498 & 507
- Teaching at senior centers and re-vitalizing SiVY
Many more topics were discussed and not all of the above will be implemented. I want to personally thank the Board members for giving up so much time this month to discuss improving our community.
More than 750 Silver points were awarded to 225 players at the San Mateo Sectional hosted at the PABC last week where we had 150 tables filled in total over the two days. Matthew & Jun Shi were the top recipients with 27.99 silver points each. There are two more opportunities for our members to win Silver in March:
- Our first ever single session NLM “Local Sectional” will be held March 17 (St. Patrick’s Day) at the PABC. This a one day single session event. 80% of the points awarded will be silver. This is a new ACBL format and is designed for Intermediate and newer players. Sign-up! May the luck of the Irish be with you.
- Starting March 31 and continuing to April 2, we will be holding our Super Silver Open/Non-Life Sectional. 100% Silver Points awarded for all games. Pairs games for players at all levels, including 0-20 newcomer games! Sunday will feature bracketed Swiss team games as well as pairs games. Based on the demand for last weekend’s sectional we recommend signing-up in advance. Volunteers are needed for the partnership desk for March 31 – April 2 sectional. Please contact marc.cervellino@hotmail.com.
- Santa Clara Valley will be hosting their spring sectional at the PABC April 29th-30th
- And of course, the Firecracker is coming July 5th to 9th.
Our free lecture series targeting beginning and intermediate players will be presented by H. Paul Davis discussing “End Play”. The lecture will be on March 21st at 9:30 followed by our monthly 499er game for $4.99. Please sign up here. The April lecture and $4.99 game will be held on April 18 and will mark the return of Lynn Yokel. Thank you to H. Paul Davis for coordinating these lectures.
The Celebrity Lecture series returns April 22nd with Barbara Seagram! Barbara is the co-writer of one the best selling bridge books of all time, “25 Conventions You Should Know”. Her classes are fun and insightful. I cannot wait to learn how to “Be a Smart Detective” by following the clues as declarer. $25 is a bargain. Visit our site for information and registration.
Our members continue to excel locally, regionally and nationally. I could fill this letter each month with their accomplishments, but have decided the best way to be fair is to simply focus on our members as they achieve new levels of recognition. On behalf of the Unit 503 membership, I would like to congratulate the following Unit 503 members who achieved a new ACBL Rank in February:
Junior Masters: John Affaki, Suzy Papazian
Sectional Masters: Jim Miller
NABC Masters: Patricia Steele
Advanced NABC Masters: David Leaver
Bronze Life Masters: Margaret Dalton, Kathy Puryear
Silver Life Master: Donald Vance
Ruby Life Masters: Vera Baum
On a sad note, long time member Rosemarie Sammon passed away recently. Her presence at the club will be missed and the memory of her presence will forever be a blessing. Her service will be on April 22nd at the Cupertino Senior Centre, 2-5pm. I have no other details.
Finally, March features a National Convention in New Orleans and we wish our members attending there well. Please bring back some beignets with all your gold points.
If you have questions, comments or concerns I can be reached at merenbach@yahoo.com.
As always, be well and we will see you at the tables –
David
P.S. If you know someone who is not a member of Unit 503, but who plays often at the PABC and would enjoy this newsletter please feel free to forward it.