Speaking of tournaments ...

A player who attended our January tournament in Huntley commented that she really appreciates the 10:00 and 2:00 starting times for events as those are better for traffic, lunch break, etc.  That extra half hour makes a big change in the morning! 

Do you have ideas that might improve our tournaments or attendance at our tournaments? Share them! Better still, get involved by helping at tournaments. We can all push in chairs, collect boards, bring food, and welcome new or visiting players!

Please check the information in your myACBL account, which has your history and should show your current contact information!

Unit 239 welcomes new members:

Sue Bowen (Crystal Lake), Barbara Johnson (Rockford), Teri Beth Spencer (Rockford), Deborah Webb (Rockford), Michael Haller (Huntley), Jim Hornbostel (Lake in the Hills), Grace Leonard (St. Charles), Karen Olson (St. Charles), Vance Olson (St. Charles) and James Potts (Geneva).

Congratulations to the many members who have achieved new ACBL levels:

Junior Master: John Schoen (East Dubuque) and Victoria Prendergast (Geneva)

Club Master: John Carbaugh (Polo), Mary Ann Wham  (Rockford), Shirley Bruns (Huntley), Shirley Skinner (Crystal Lake), and Bob Thompson (East Dubuque  

Sectional Master: Linda Bubnack (Stillman Valley), Lois Morrissey ( Huntley), George Jauch (St. Charles), Paula Jauch (St Charles), Mary Young (Rockford), Bruce Jasper (Rockford), Doug Shuman (St. Charles) and Dennis Cotter (Aurora)

Regional Master: Michael Chakoian (Crystal Lake), Steve Lowe (Geneva) and Tom Drouin (Glen Ellyn)

NABC Master: David Shair (Rockford),  Douglas Giloy (Rockford), Dorothy Johnson (Huntley), Martha Adams (Barrington Hills), Greg Maccoubrey (Crystal Lake) and Ann Martin (Oregon)

Bronze Life Master: Maria Solvie (Elgin) and Van Stone (Geneva)

Silver Life Master: Catherine Wright (Rockford), Tara Mufich (Rockford) and Ken Prouty (DeKalb)

Ruby Life Master: Platt Hill (St. Charles)

Van Stone is a Bronze Life Master.

I would be remiss if I did not give thanks to the partners who put up with me, supported me, and challenged me. No one, and I do mean no one, can ever say that they accomplished anything in bridge alone.  No matter how good you are or think you are, without a good partner(s), you will not succeed. I have been truly blessed with some outstanding partners.

Lastly, bridge requires dedication and discipline if one is going to improve. You must be willing to commit the time in study and actually playing the game to achieve any level of proficiency. I have purchased many, many books and actually have read most of them. I believe that bridge is an intellectual pursuit that requires the investment of time.

I hope we are able to grow our game, which sadly is experiencing an aging and declining member base. I have a number of suggestions, but then I'm sure so do everyone else. Now is the time to reinvigorate our great game.
 

Platt Hill is a Ruby Life Master and shares his ideas.

I was taught to play bridge by my grandmother and played very casually with high school friends in the 60's. In college I met a coed that loved to play bridge and became romantically involved with her. In the 70's we played duplicate in Newark, Ohio, and played against Jeff Meckstroth, who was a teenager.

I attended U of Chicago 1972-1974 and was introduced to serious bridge. I played some duplicate bridge from 1974 to 1980 in the Elgin area. I was partnered with Diane Clark then. Family and business took over, and I stopped playing until 2017. A free game in St. Charles "suckered " me back in. I was amazed how much bidding had changed. Julia Kelly took me under her wing, and I still remember her teaching me Bergen Raises, Forcing NT and 2/1 bidding. 

I have met lots of wonderful people at the bridge table. I love to laugh at my mistakes in addition to other amusing things that happen in this wonderful game. The biggest help in becoming a higher ranked life master is having good partners: A big Thank you to Diane Clark, Fred Clayton and Judy Zhu who have tolerated and taught me as a partner.

I have two suggestions for tournaments: 1) We are all there for fun. There is way too much unpleasantness at the table. Directors should take a firmer stance on this. We are losing way too many players. 2) Bring back the 'STOP' Card!! Eliminating it has created way more unauthorized information then was given by its use. 

My favorite bridge books are: 1) Bridge in the Menagerie - Victor Mollo; 2) Matchpoint Play - David Bird; and 3) To Bid or Not to Bid - Larry Cohen.

Thank you to all of our wonderful bridge community for providing the sites and companionship for our wonderful game. 

   -- Platt Hill