Illini Champaign Regional -- May 21-26, 2024

We hope you can join us Memorial Day week for our Unit's annual regional tournament in Champaign IL!

The Illini Regional features six days of events for players of all skill levels. New this year is a 199er Pairs at 10:30 a.m. on Saturday. If attendance warrants, there will also be a second 199er Pair session at 3:00 on Saturday.

Site is the Holiday Inn (former Hawthorn Suites). Bridge rate is $104 for phone reservations (not available online) and includes one or two beds and a sleeper sofa. Parking and wife are free. To reserve, call 217-398-3400 and ask for the bridge rate.  Please reserve early.

Check out the tournament web site for more details and a full schedule of events.

  Newsmakers in Louisville

Congratulations to our Central Illinois pairs who had big games at the North American Bridge Championships in Louisville KY:

    (Left) Pete Ashbrook of Urbana IL and Lisa Bievenue of Savoy IL were winners of the four-session 0-2500 Pairs. Read more about their win in the Saturday, March 23 Bulletin:
          https://cdn.acbl.org/nabc/2024/03/bulletins/db9.pdf

    (Right) Ryan Fu and Kyle Blocher of Champaign IL placed second in the national finals of the Flight C North American Pairs.

♣ 2023 Ace of Clubs winners

Congratulations to these active and successful players who won their categories in the Unit 208 Ace of Clubs race. Point totals are for points won in clubs during calendar year 2023.

   * Denotes players who won their categories in the Unit 208 Mini-McKenney race (total points won in all events in 2023). 

0 to 5

* John Nelson, Pesotum IL -- 20.96

Judy Sgro, Springfield IL -- 19.47

Stanley Balbach, Urbana IL -- 18.26

Philip Casella, Chatham IL -- 18.22

Erden Ustunsoy, Danville IL -- 15.46
 

5 to 20

Mike Kelly, Peoria IL -- 29.24

Barbara Elliott, Glenarm IL -- 15.00

Ashley Kinne, Peoria IL -- 9.95

Tracy Meyer, Springfield IL -- 9.78

Joni Newberg Clinton IL -- 9.33
 

20 to 50

* Lee Blocher, Champaign IL -- 26.89

Diane Schumacher, Champaign IL -- 23.79

Elizabeth Winberry, Peoria IL -- 21.82

Carl Curry, Decatur IL -- 21.14

Ann Collins, Springfield IL -- 17.84
 

50 to 100

* Jennifer Schwarz, Bloomington IL -- 61.93

Janet Scott, Metamora IL -- 52.33

Susan Wyatt, Mahomet IL -- 38.13

John Hsu, Urbana IL -- 26.23

Richard Montanelli, Champaign IL -- 23.73
 

100 to 200

* David Quigg, Germantown Hill IL -- 84.84

Sandy Steinberg, Peoria IL -- 39.79

Michael S Bohn, Peoria IL -- 36.46

M E Schuster, Peoria IL -- 31.50

Barry Kurz, Hopedale IL -- 27.37
 

200 to 300

Phil Reeser, Monticello IL -- 53.75

Richard Kern, Grayslake IL -- 27.50

Doris Mabry, Decatur IL -- 27.41

Glee Cumbow, Bloomington IL -- 25.04

Robert Bray, Bloomington IL -- 24.20
 

300 to 500

William Smith, Peoria IL -- 65.60

E. R. Dalton, Bloomington IL -- 61.86

Lynn Steffen, El Paso IL -- 59.99

Kathryn Marvin, Bloomington IL -- 59.95

Barry Mayworm, Princeton IL -- 59.82
 

500 to 1000

* Grant Brewen, Peoria IL -- 101.47

Kevin Stewart. Champaign IL -- 72.47

Carol Sue McNaught, Springfield IL -- 57.06

Linda Albrecht, Mt Zion IL -- 52.42

Gene Albrecht, Mt Zion IL -- 52.42
 

1000 to 1500

Joan Butz, Kankakee IL -- 107.53

Brian Maloney, Champaign IL -- 81.89

Steve Wulfers, Normal IL -- 74.50

Camilla Rabjohns, Peoria IL -- 74.26

Douglas Jonquet, Decatur IL -- 67.94
 

1500 to 2500

Bill Bulfer, Peoria Heights IL -- 85.96

Mark Beattie, Sherman IL -- 77.99

Larry Richardson, Springfield IL -- 76.99

Lawrence Thomas, Peoria IL -- 69.96

Ronald Emmett, Normal IL -- 66.39
 

2500 to 3500

Marciann O'Brien, Decatur IL -- 98.97

Patrick Moos, Peoria IL -- 88.60

Edward Horton, Champaign IL -- 80.84

Henry Hoffman East, Peoria IL -- 72.21

Ann Caparros, Springfield IL -- 66.69
 

3500 to 5000

Mary Allen, Peoria IL -- 152.81

Stephen Babin, Normal IL -- 151.47

Zach Freehill, Bloomington IL -- 91.94

Leonard Kaufman, Peoria IL -- 41.20

Terry Goodykoontz, Wellington FL 40.92
 

5000 to 7500

Robert Butz, Kankakee IL -- 151.80

John Seng, Champaign IL -- 112.80

Ron Sholes, Springfield IL -- 31.86

* Michael Halvorsen, Champaign IL -- 24.67

Larry Rabideau, Marana AZ -- 10.68
 

Over 7500

Chris Benson, Leroy IL -- 115.56

* Gary Kessler, Springfield IL -- 10.78

Karen Walker, Champaign IL -- 6.89

Colby Vernay, Lacon IL -- 2.33

      The top 10 point winners in each category are listed here.

      A list of Mini-McKenney winners and runners up is here.

♥ 2023 Virtual Ace of Clubs winners

Congratulations to these players who won their categories in the Unit 208 Virtual Ace of Clubs race. Point totals are for points won in online games during calendar year 2023.

0 to 5:  Andy Johnson, Champaign -- 1.20

5 to 20:  Lisa O Banion, Champaign -- 5.41

20 to 50:  Cheris Larson, Bloomington -- 17.66

50 to 100:   Jennifer Schwarz. Bloomington -- 18.15

100 to 200:  Anne Wildrick, Jacksonvillle -- 24.52

200 to 300:  Nancy  Rader, Champaign -- 130.27

300 to 500:  Rob Husband, Savoy  -- 47.87

500 to 1000:  Darryl Bremner, Clinton -- 41.24

1000 to 1500:  Irene Wen, Urbana -- 42.65

1500 to 2500:  Gary Dell, Champaign -- 33.66

2500 to 3500:  Cindy Moore, Bloomington -- 25.56

3500 to 5000:  Leonard Kaufman, Peoria -- 59.36

5000 to 7500:  Ron Sholes, Springfield -- 21.71

7500+:  Karen Walker, Champaign -- 10.67

The top five point winners in each category are listed here.

In Memory

We are saddened by the loss of Robert Butz of Kankakee. Bob, age 92, passed away in November.

Bob grew up in Herscher IL and was a lifelong farmer. He and his wife Joan were married for 70 years. A regular at Unit tournaments, he was a Diamond Life Master with more than 6300 masterpoints.

Bob's obituary is here.
 

 Mark your calendars: 

♦ Non-Life Master Sectional -- Saturday, April 6. One-day event in Bloomington IL for 0-499 players.  

♦ District 8 Royal Sectional at Clubs -- April 8-14. Win black, red, silver & gold points in special games at your local club.

♦ District 8 Grand National Teams -- April 27 & 28.  Bridgebase Online

♦ Spring Sectional at Clubs -- May 6-12. Win silver points in special games at your local club.

♦ Illini Regional Tournament --  May 21-26. Holiday Inn, Champaign IL