Welcome to these new members:

From Cary, Ruth Degner

From Crystal Lake, Roy Bilsbarrow

From Geneva, Thomas Brown and Reverend Steve Lowe

From Pingree Grove, Diane Hunt

From Rockford, Donald Sullivan

New hands and new friends await you at friendly Unit 239 tables.

New Life Masters

Hurrah, the recent Crystal Lake Sectionals and have elevated two of the Unit’s loyal players to Life Master status and one to Gold Life Master.

Ardythe Edwards began playing at her parents’ bridge table, then casually continued while in college, and then she played as a welcome monthly break with other young mothers. A couple of careers and many moves eventually landed her in Huntley in 2005. A few years after the move she began bridge lessons. Once she had the bridge basics well at hand, the game of duplicate bridge intrigued her so much so that she located ACBL games and tournaments, and soon realized the thrill of earning masterpoints.

Ardythe earned Life Master at the Crystal Lake Sectional in June. She thanks everyone who has ever partnered with her. It was especially fitting, however, that the last gold points were earned with Kay Burda. The partnership had been earning chunks of gold since the 2014 Sectional, so it was fitting that the partnership came full circle at the same sectional in one year. Within a month of achieving Life Master status, Ardythe earned the bronze master status.

The second Life Master featured this month is Lois Hoyer of Geneva. She, too, has had many addresses. She was born in Los Angeles but grew up in Dodgeville, Wisconsin. As an adult she has lived in Falls Church, Virginia, and three suburbs of Chicago before landing in Geneva. Lois is married to Tom Dearing, who besides being her partner in life, is also her bridge partner quite often. Now retired, Lois’ degree in retailing is obvious when one sits at her table. She dresses in bright patterns accented with jewelry that she most likely has made.

Lois’ bridge career started in high school when she started to play using Autobridge. She continued to play off and on until her move to Geneva. She then increased her social bridge games and eventually found herself at the duplicate tables. Her earliest mentors are her family members who played card and board games together. From those games she learned strategies. As she became involved in duplicate bridge, Betty Wade had a big impact. Lois still “hears” her advice in certain situations.

Lois achieved Life Master status at the Crystal Lake Sectional in August. She shares that shortly after joining ACBL, she and her partner were interviewed because of their unusual bidding and play of a hand. To their amazement, they were featured in the next Bridge Bulletin. Lois’ advice to all is to remember that bridge is only a game, and it’s more enjoyable when you think of it as an opportunity to spend time with a friend enjoying a mutual interest.

David Jenkins is the third Unit 239 member to be featured this month. David is now a gold Life Master, earning the necessary points at the Crystal Lake Regional. Like so many of the Advocate readers, David starting playing bridge in college. His college partner, Lu, became his wife. Social bridge lost its appeal as he felt he was never dealt an opening hand. A friend suggested that he try duplicate bridge, so he and Lu played their first duplicate game in the early 80’s. Despite having only one opening hand at that first duplicate game, he and Lu won and they were hooked on this game.

David calls the Bridge Center of Rockford his bridge home. He and Lu play at least two times a week, attend sectional and regional tournaments in the area, and have attended a few national tournaments. (He became a Life Master at the Philadelphia National, not only earning the needed 18 gold points, but earning 21 gold in practice competition for the NAP event.)

Dave shares the story of playing against Omar Sharif in an open pairs game at a regional in DeKalb. His partnership had 100 combined masterpoints and they were quite intimidated by the opponents. On the first hand, they got top board with a 3D contract. Everyone in the field had bid six and not made it.

Professionally, Dave is a practicing architect and he admits that his skill set helps, but nothing beats common sense and some luck at the bridge table.

Here are the recent milestones for Unit 239 members:

New Junior Masters:  Candy Mortenson, Cary; Alice Olson, Crystal Lake; Marian Taylor, East Dundee; Joseph Babos, Fox River Grove; Beth Gilbert and Samuel Gilbert, Ronald Tenggren all of Huntley; Pat Antoni, Spring Grove.

New Club Masters: Eric Mayer of Richmond; Lynne Nelson of Rockford.

New Sectional Masters:  Roberta Size of Elgin; Michenle Joike, Cindy Thompson all of Rockford.

New Regional Masters: Ann Martin, Oregon; Karen Flood, Saint Charles; Ray Parnell, Wonder Lake.

New NABC Masters:  Robert Judd, Algonquin; David Germaine, Huntley.

New Life Masters:  Lois Hoyer, Geneva; Ardythe Edwards, Huntley.

New Bronze Life Masters:  Ardythe Edwards, Hutley; Raymond Tunelius, Winnebago.

New Gold Life Masters:  David Jenkins, Rockford.

New Club Director 

Fred Spitzzeri of Dixon passed the director’s course held at the Chicago NABC in August. He will direct the Monday game in Dixon, which will be moving from afternoons to evenings. He also plans to teach at the club and expand its membership.

   TURKEY BOWL SILVER SECTIONAL

           NOVEMBER 27-29, 2015

       Prisco Community Center, 150 Illinois Avenue

       (SE corner of Rt. 31 & Illinois Ave.), Aurora IL

             Chairman:   John Pree – 630-631-9141

             Partnerships:  Bob Quintin – 630-770-8499

  SNOWFLAKE SILVER SECTIONAL

             JANUARY 8-10, 2016

        Jameson’s Restaurant/Drendl Ballroom

       12860 Del Webb Boulevard, Sun City Huntley IL

           Chairman:  Roland Brabant – 847-732-8752 or rxbincfl@gmail.com

           Partnerships:  Jerry Johnson – 224-600-9912 or GEJCL530@gmail.com