In case you missed it, see less fresh news here.
Congratulations to Eric Peffer,
Player of the Year 2025
Eric Peffer is the winner of the Tim Stecker Player of the Year contest for 2025. To qualify one must play in at least six unit games. Master points from the unit games are combined with those from our sectional tournaments. Eric played in 8 of the 12 unit games with various partners. At the final game of the year, he was .28 masterpoints shy of Fran Tewkesbury who was also playing. Eric with his partner, Rich Peffer, was able to pull ahead by less than one masterpoint.
Fran Tewkesbury, yet again, is the runner up. Hang in there, Fran. See the final top ten players here.
Congratulations, Eric. And Fran.
Article submitted by Judy Hellen
Triad Bridge Club Supports Operation Yuletide
From left to right: Barbara Boyd-Bowman, April Parker, Booboo Watkins, Mary Ann Young, Ann Bennett and Mary Morgan.
Article submitted by Candie Hurley
The Triad Bridge Club participated in Operation Yuletide, a project of the Greensboro Police Department, which identifies vulnerable families in our community to provide them with gifts, clothing, and essentials during the holidays. April Parker and Booboo Watkins chaired the club's effort. We adopted two families this year that are both going through tough times.
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The Nelson Family: A resilient single mother raising three daughters (Sharonda, 10; Shadiamond, 14; and Alexis, 17). The family is currently living in a hotel, and the mother is working hard to support her girls who attend Vandalia Elementary, Jackson Middle, and Smith High.
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The Walker Family: This family of five is facing a sudden crisis. Their 9-year-old daughter, Kennedy, was diagnosed with cancer just a few weeks before Christmas. The parents are currently out of work to be by her side at Brenner’s Children’s Hospital, while trying to maintain normalcy for her siblings, Madison (5) and Cayden (11).
April and Boo Boo collected the donations and shopped for over $1700 of gifts while Barbara Boyd-Bowman was in charge of the gift wrapping! Our club raised nearly $5,000 — far beyond any goal we set. That generosity means not only that the Walker and Nelson families will have a brighter, merrier Christmas, but the excess will also go back into the GPD’s general fund to help last-minute families in need and even seed next year’s campaign. Once again, we’ve proven that our community is as strong in spirit as it is at the table!
Unit 169 Team Joins Walk to End Alzheimers
Article submitted by Judy Hellen and Candie Hurley
Congratulations to Candie Hurley and Judy Hellen for organizing the "Learn Bridge - Play Bridge - Have Fun" team for the Walk to End Alzheimer's event in Guilford County on October 25. Candie recruited a team of walkers and solicited donations. Our walkers included Jane Perrin, Peter Boyd-Bowman, Eric Lee, Marty Friedman and Kevin and Mary Haggerty. Judy worked with ACBL HQ to design a sponsor booth. And Marty Benjamin and Dixie Culver helped staff the booth. Donations from club members and friends exceeded $2,700 dollars. In fact, one of our team members, Judy Hellen, brought in donations exceeding $500 to qualify for the Champions Club!
Our presence at this event is new this year. The ACBL is now a national Alzheimer’s Association partner and we requested to have a sponsor table at this local walk. Our goals were to support the Alzheimer's Association, spread the word about how bridge is beneficial in delaying the onset of dementia, and introduce our clubs and lessons to the wider community. We did, in fact, hear people say they didn’t know about what we offer. Hopefully, we will be able to attract some new players.
It was a learning experience for all of us and a fun and meaningful day.
Candie Hurley, Team Captain
Candie, Kevin, Mary, Jane, Peter, Judy, and Marty
Judy Hellen, Booth Captain
Ever Present Eric Lee
A Look at our booth.
Dixie Culver & Marty Benjamin
In Case You Missed It
Congratulations to Bob Hale,
Player of the Year 2024
Bob Hale is the winner of the Tim Stecker Player of the Year contest for 2024. To qualify one must play in at least eight unit games. Master points from the unit games are combined with those from our sectional tournaments. Bob tallied over 78 MPs in nine unit games along with his sectional tournament results. Bob's regular partner at the unit games is his wife, Claudia.
Fran Tewkesbury is the runner up with 66 MPs. Eric Lee is second runner up with 60 MPs having attended fourteen unit games. See the final top ten players here.
Congratulations, Bob, Fran and Eric.
🚶➡️ Walk to End Alzheimer's - Oct. 25 in GSO 🚶
Article submitted by Candie Hurley and Judy Hellen
The Alzheimer’s Association Walk to End Alzheimer’s® is coming up in Greensboro on Saturday, October 25th. Unit 169 will have a booth there to talk with people about the fun and benefits of playing bridge. Our team is called "Learn Bridge - Play Bridge - Have Fun!". We will be raising money for the cause of course. We also want to promote our games and lessons to the community. Triad Bridge Club will be launching a Thursday evening event for newcomers and open players. Watch for more information.
If you’d like to be part of this effort, here are three choices for how you might help:
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You could join Judy Hellen at our Unit 169 ACBL table/booth at the event and talk with participants about the joys of playing bridge! We’ll have some informational flyers and a table set up to play Bridge War. Please reach out to Judy (judy@learnbridgegso.com) for more details.
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If you’d like to walk in the event (1 mile or 2 mile option), you can pre-register on our team page. No donation or fundraising is required to walk. A simple registration form and an acknowledgement of a safety waiver and you are registered for the walk.
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If you would like to make a donation to the Alzheimer’s Association on behalf of our ACBL District, simply check DONATE TO OUR TEAM at that same link to our team page. Or you may pass along your cash or check donation to Candie Hurley or Judy Hellen.
Thanks for supporting this important cause and helping grow our bridge community. If you have questions, please reach out to judy@learnbridgegso.com or candiehurley@twc.com.
Date: Saturday, October 25
Time: Registration starts at 9 am. Walk starts at 10 am
Location: First National Bank Field, 408 Bellemeade Street, Greensboro, NC
Impressive Unit 169 Results in
District 7 North American Pairs Qualifier
Submitted by Peter J. Boyd-Bowman
This past weekend (Sep 20&21), Unit 253 hosted the District 7 North American Pairs qualifier at the Charlotte Bridge Center. Four levels of play saw seasoned competitors and rising talent competing for coveted stipends toward the Spring North American Bridge Championships.
In the Championship Flight, Dwight Meredith of Greensboro (playing with George Woltman of Unit 244) triumphed, earning first place and an $800‐per‐player stipend. Greensboro pair Peter J. Boyd-Bowman and Debbie Monroe managed a fifth-place finish, just shy of stipend territory but an impressive showing for Debbie's first venture into the top field.
Flight A saw stiff competition, with Mark and Martha Meyer of Winston claiming sixth place. Though outside the top three stipend cutoff, their performance laid the groundwork for a breakthrough. True to form, the Meyers rebounded in Flight B to capture third place—sealing $800 each and punching their ticket to the NABC.
Flight C boasted two Unit 169 duos on the podium: Thomas Johnson & Louisa Witten secured third, while David Hurd & Robert Whaling landed fourth. Both pairs earned $800 per player to support their Spring NABC journey.
This year’s stipend structure rewards the top three finishers in Championship and Flight A, plus the top four in Flights B and C. For Johnson/Witten, Hurd/Whaling, and the Meyers, this will be their first time representing District 7 at an NABC in pairs. The Meyers have represented the District previously in teams. Meredith adds another NABC appearance to his résumé—he’s previously represented D7 (and won) in the Grand National Teams at an NABC.
Congratulations to all our qualifiers and participants for showcasing the competitive spirit and camaraderie of Unit 169. We look forward to following their progress at the Spring North American Bridge Championships—and to the next opportunity for more Unit 169 success!
Piedmont Triad Fall Sectional
Oct 3 - Oct 5
Hoping to see you all in Greensboro for the Fall Sectional October 3-5 at the
Bur-Mill Clubhouse and Event Center,
5834 Bur-Mill Club Road, Greensboro, NC 27410
Friday and Saturday game times at 10AM and 2:30PM, stratified open and 499er single session games,
$15 per person per session.
There will be a list of nearby restaurants available.
Sunday, October 5, open Swiss teams at 10 AM and TBA, $160 per team including lunch.
Sunday, October 5 at 10AM, 499er single session Swiss teams, lunch NOT included.
Tournament chair, Andy Symmes
andysymmes@gmail.com 336-553-8485
Partnership chair, Peter J. Bowman
peterboydbowman@yahoo.com 336-686-3680
Central Carolina Regional Tournament
June 1 - June 6, 2026
Article submitted by Debbie Monroe
News Flash: Unit-169 is extremely excited to announce that the first Regional tournament in over 30 years will be coming to Greensboro June 1 - June 6, 2026. The all-new Central Carolina Regional Tournament will be held at the beautiful Embassy Suites (near the Piedmont-Triad Airport). It is a terrific location… close to Greensboro, Winston-Salem and High Point, and just a short drive for those living in Burlington, Reidsville, Asheboro and Salisbury. For players who would like to stay at the Embassy Suites host hotel, special rates are available at $149 per night; this rate includes a free breakfast and a cocktail for each person staying in the room.
For players unfamiliar with ACBL tournaments, Unit 169 typically runs four Sectional tournaments each year, and while 3-day Sectional tournaments can be a lot of fun, players are limited to earning only silver masterpoints. Regional tournaments however, run for 6-7 days and draw players from all over North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, Georgia and Virginia. It is at Regionals where players can earn both gold and red masterpoints. That means that for players who do not like to drive great distances, the Central Carolina Regional will be their best chance to get those ‘elusive’ gold and red masterpoints. We worked very hard to earn the privilege of bringing a regional tournament to our area and one of our primary goals was to help members of Unit 169 achieve their next bridge rankings without having to drive too far.
We also structured the Central Carolina Regional Tournament for all levels of play. If you are still a novice player, you can play exclusively with other novices while still earning gold and red masterpoints. If you have already achieved Life Master status, you will be able to play in events called mid-flight pair and team games; meaning that you can play with other players within your skill level while earning both Gold and Red points. And you are a player with over 3,500 points, there will be many bracketed teams and bracketed open games available… allowing you to compete with people at or near your own skill level. Therefore, no matter what your point range maybe, you will be playing bridge with players who are at or near your skill level. Competitive and fun!
The various events at the Central Carolina Regional Tournament will start each day at 10:00 AM and again at 2:30 PM. In the evening, we will also be offering a variety of team games and pairs events starting 7:30 PM. These games will also be bracketed, again, allowing you to play with people within your skill range. We know that there are players who like to play 10:00 and at 2:30 and then go out to have a great meal, so we will provide a lot of information about available restaurants in Greensboro, Winston Salem and High Point. And while there are a few die-hard players who like to play three times a day, our evening games were also designed to attract ‘working’ players from around the area. Recognizing that the ambiance of evening games is often more relaxed and to facilitate that atmosphere, we will also be providing an open cash bar for additional player enjoyment.
We are expecting many players from District 6 and District 7 to attend the tournament. Early response to our tournament has been strong so we are expecting a nice crowd. Please mark your calendar and save the dates from June 1 to June 6, 2026 for the Central Carolina Regional Tournament. To assist with your planning, we have attached a tournament flyer that outlines the various events and start times.
Excellent Longest Day Fundraising Results
Article submitted by Fran Tewkesbury
Thank you to all the winning Longest Day bidders and to those of you who made very generous in-kind and cash contributions! A special thanks to the players who donated their time and expertise, our cooks and hostesses who donated their talents, and all our generous contributors.
We are happy to report that a total of $10,000 was raised, consisting of $3,359 in auction income, $330 in table fees, and $6,311 in additional contributions.
It’s not too late to give! Send your check made out to Alzheimer’s Association to:
Fran Tewkesbury
1005 Country Club Drive
Greensboro, NC 27408
Honor Roll of Contributors
Jack Alford
Daryl Adams
Ando Bean
Jim Bean
Shelia and Mark Bertoldi
Peter J. Boyd-Bowman
Brenda Chiott
Bridge at Rufty Bridge Club
Dixie Culver
Kathie Dwyer
Evergreen Bridge Club
Brenda Garzia
Bob Hale
Claudia Hale
Marie Harrill
Joanne Hawks
Judy Hellen
Josh Hoffman
David Hurd
Candie Hurley
David Idleman
Mike Jacobs
Butch Johnson
Barbara Katz
Chris Kendall
Eric Lee
Kevin Lee
Jean Leggett
Kent Leggett
Avery Lloyd
Susan Mann
Tom May
Martha and Mark Meyer
Joanne McClusky
Ann McKiernan
Deborah Monroe
Rick Morgan
Nancy Osborne
April Parker
Rich Peffer
Jane Perrin
Barbara Pomer
Suzanne and Bob Rhodes
Dianne Shope
Ruth Short
Jim Skidmore
Bruce Southard
Wayne Sykes
Fran Tewkesbury
Melissa Waldron
BooBoo Watkins
Susan Williford
Bill Wisdom
Cindy Wright
Unit 169
Our Unit 169 Members Competing at North American Championship in Philly this week
Jul 27. Time for some updates. Rich and Marty's team did not advance to the Round of 16. Peter's team did advance to the Round of 16 but was eliminated there. Each team deserves a congratulations for qualifying in the GNTs. ... Peter and his partner, Doug Doub of Oak Ridge, TN, advanced to the finals in the Von Zedtwitz Life Masters Pairs. Congratulations once more. ... Also attending are Judy Hellen, David Idleman, Bob Hale and Dwight Meredith. For more results, go to this link.
Rich, Ian, Marty, Mark. Ian and Mark from Chapel Hill and Durham, respectively. Flight B GNT
Peter J. Boyd-Bowman is part of a team competing in the Championship Flight.
Mentoring Kickoff Season Is Here!
The 2025 Unit 169 Mentoring Program is taking on a different look from previous years. We believe the changes will lead to more effective mentoring. We start with a Kickoff Season which closely follows the old program and lasts about four months. Then we want to continue with two more seasons during the rest of the year. Mentees can request a Mentor for any season. The Mentoring Coordinators are:
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Martha and Mark Meyer in Winston-Salem
mdpmeyermm@gmail.com or 336-416-3049
markmeyerdds@gmail.com or 336-416-6998
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Chris Kendall in Greensboro
cwimp47@gmail.com or 251-424-2501
Contact a coordinator to request a mentor or to volunteer to be a mentor.
Cindy Wright in Winston-Salem and Peter Boyd-Bowman in Greensboro are offering special games/sections where Mentor-Mentee pairs can play outside the open game. These opportunities are a real plus.
M-M Games in Winston-Salem
Cindy will open a side M-M game every Monday from February 10 to March 24. Please turn in your names to Cindy so she will know to prepare an extra set of boards. The game is at Georgia Taylor Recreation Center at 12:30 pm.
Cindy will also change her side game on Tuesday into a Four-Is-Enough side game. See the explanation of this type of game below. The game is at South Fork Community Center at 1:00 pm.
M-M Games in Greensboro
Peter will have Four-Is-Enough games each Tuesday during February through May. The game is at Fellowship Presbyterian Church at 10:00 am. This is a shorter game that finishes around 12:45 pm.
What is a Four-Is-Enough Game?
Each individual player falls into one of three strats defined by the director. For example,
Every two person pair has combined ratings of no more than four.
Mentor-Mentee Game / Unit Championship Game: May 3, 2025
Article submitted by Rich Peffer
Over the past 2-3 months, newer players in our Unit have been paired with more experienced players as “Mentor-Mentee Pairs”. The Unit Game on Saturday, May 3 was a special event where all pairs were Mentor-Mentee Pairs. We had 12.5 tables that day, and the game was expertly directed by Peter Boyd-Bowman. Results of the game can be found at this link.
The top 3 scoring pairs overall came out of the E/W direction:
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Candy Toler – Mary Lou Rix (B): 64% - 4.30 MPs
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Susan Wesley – Bob Whaling, Jr. (A): 60% - 3.22 MPs
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Mike Jacobs – Jeannie Leggett (A): 59% - 2.42 MPs
The first 3 pairs in the N/S direction were then in the 4, 5 and 6 position overall:
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Rene Cone – Rich Peffer (B): 56% - 1.83 MPs
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Mark Meyer – Laura Olsen (B): 56% - 1.37 MPs
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Nancy Osborne – Jim Parker (A): 55% - 1.03 MPs
The Mentees each brought a dish to share, and the food was delicious. But more than the finish order and the good eating, everyone enjoyed meeting new friends who are working together to up their bridge game. A big THANK YOU to all of our Mentors!
M-M Coordinators (L to R): Chris Kendall, Mark Meyer, Martha Meyer
M-M Pairs (L to R): Jane Perrin, Wayne Sykes, Rene Cone, Rich Peffer
Peter Boyd-Bowman and Kathy Coop Are Overall Masterpoint Winners
The Jefferson Trophy, in honor of Ken Anderson, is awarded annually to the person(s) who earned the highest number of masterpoints at the Greensboro Sectional Tournament.
The 2025 trophy was won by the couple, Peter Boyd-Bowman and Kathy Coop, who earned a whopping total of 32.35 masterpoints over three days, May 16-18. Congratulations !!
Attendance Grows at Gate City Sectional
The Gate City Sectional was the second tournament hosted by Unit 169 this year. We saw an uptick in attendance drawing players from across the unit and from neighboring units. The non-life master section drew an average of 10 tables per session. See the results here.
Many thanks to Andy Symmes, tournament chair, for leading his team. The Greensboro tournament has a reputation for outstanding food. Brenda Garzia prepared many of the dishes and coordinated with others to augment the selection. Peter Boyd-Bowman made sure partners were available for all.
Most of all we appreciate all who came to play and support the tournament.
Rick Morgan and Barbara Pomer (left) were there to greet us. Brenda Garzia and Patty Peffer (right) were there to feed us.
Upcoming Workshops Offered by Cindy Wright
New Minor Forcing class, Wednesday, Aprit 16, 2025 1 - 4 PM
This convention is used by the responder when the opener (your partner) opens one of a minor, you say one of a major and your partner bids 1NT on their second bid. They have limited their hand to a minimum of 12-14 High Card Points. They don’t have 4 cards in your major or they would have bid two of your major on their second bid. You may have 5 of your Major suit and need to know whether your partner has 3 cards in your suit so that you know whether to play the hand in a NT contract or in your Major. (Remember that a holding of 8 cards in a Major suit is considered a GOLDEN FIT! ) Responder should never bid a 5 card suit twice because this always means a holding of 6 cards.
Michael's and the Unusual 2NT class, Wednesday, May 7, 2025 1 - 4 PM
These are bids that show “two suited” hands with just one bid when your Right Hand Opponent opens one of a suit. If you do not know these conventions, you have to overcall the higher ranking suit and HOPE that the bidding comes back around to you to be able to bid your other suit. Sometimes the bidding gets too high to be able to bid your second suit or there are 3 passes and you don’t have a chance to bid your second suit.
Where:
Ballroom, Georgia-Taylor Recreation Center
1471 West Clemmonsville Road
Winston-Salem, NC
Cost:
$30 (cash or check) for each workshop.
Payments may be made to Cindy Wright in person or by mail to 189 Golden Bear Lane, Clemmonsville, NC, 27012.You may register for one or both workshops.
Powerpoint presentations will be shown as well as bridge hands that go along with the lesson. Handouts will be provided.
Introduction to Slam Bidding
Ready to take your bidding to the slam level? If you're familiar with Blackwood but want to expand your slam bidding skills, this class is designed for you. You'll learn the judgment and techniques needed to confidently explore and bid good slams, while also avoiding the pitfalls of bad ones.
The class will be taught by Judy Hellen, a certified ACBL Best Practices teacher, and will consist of five sessions. It's an ideal pre-requisite for 2-over-1. To enroll, students should have approximately 20 masterpoints or around a year of competitive play experience, subject to the instructor's discretion.
Dates: Wednesday mornings, 9:00 am - noon. March 26, April 2, 9, 16, and 23.
Location: Fellowship Presbyterian Church, 2005 New Garden Rd, Greensboro
Cost: $125 for all five sessions or $30 for any single session
Local Players Shine at GNT District Finals
Congratulations to three Unit 169 members who advanced to the GNT Nationals to be held in Philadelphia this summer.
The Open Fight winning team included Peter Boyd-Bowman of Greensboro, Doug Doub from Tennessee, and Hugh Brown from South Carolina and Robert Fendrick from Georgia.
The Flight B winning team included Rich Peffer and Marty Friedman from Greensboro and Marc Goldberg of Durhan and Ian Cloudsdale of Chapel Hill.
In Flight A Fran Tewkesbury of Greensboro and Martin Causley of Raleigh teamed with Glenn Anderson and Renee Getz of Raleigh made it to the semi-finals of the 2-day event, finishing tied 3rd place overall.
In Flight B the Winston-Salem team of Mark Meyer, Martha Meyer, Susan Williford and Susan Mann also made it to the semi-finals finishing tied for 3rd place.
Pictured below are the Flight B winners: Ian, Marc, RIch and Marty.
Congratulations to Judy Hellen,
2025 Unit 169 Goodwill Ambassador
Every two years, the ACBL and Unit 169 recognize a person within our Unit who has made significant contributions to the game. I am truly excited to announce that Judy Hellen is the winner of the 2025 Unit 169 Goodwill Ambassador award.
I've been in the Greensboro and Unit 169 bridge scene for almost nineteen years. In that time, hundreds of bridge players have come and gone, but there are only a handful that really stand out as people who've made a significant contribution to the game. Judy Hellen is one of the rare few. I'm not exactly sure when she took up the game, but she came on to my radar about 10 years ago, first at the local dupes and almost immediately at Unit tournaments. As a player, Judy has grown significantly, and is probably only a year or two away from reaching Gold Life Master status. And while it's rewarding to watch a player like Judy develop her game over the years, it's been a blessing -- both for myself and for Unit 169 -- that her love for the game has blossomed into a devotion to service for the local bridge community.
For over five years now, Judy has been the vanguard of local efforts to promote and teach bridge in our area. In her role as a bridge teacher, she has helped develop and encourage the game of countless students. As an education liaison for the Unit, she has helped increase the amount of bridge education available in the area by marshalling a cadre of new teachers. As a motivator and champion of the game, she continually inspires the new batches of recruits that she is helping to create, and is directly responsible for the integration of scores of new players into the local bridge community.
If all of that weren't enough, Judy gives a lot of her time to local bridge governance, having served on the Unit 169 board for a number of years, and has volunteered tirelessly on the Unit's behalf since her earliest days as a player. Judy is an all-around dedicated volunteer. The Unit is immeasurably lucky to have her, and I am honored to call her friend.
Judy will be honored, along with other new Goodwill Ambassador for other Units within the District, at a banquet at the upcoming Regional in Greenville SC.
Peter Boyd-Bowman
Learn the Stayman Convention and Jacoby Transfers
The Stayman Convention and Jacoby Transfers are the first conventions every bridge player needs to learn. Each is used after a notrump open (or overcall) to look for a fit in a major suit. Usually you can get an extra trick in a suit contract.
Session 1, March 11. The Stayman Convention is used when you have at least one 4-card major.
Session 2, March 18. Jacoby transfers are used when you have a 5-card major.
You will learn and practice how to initiate each convention and how to continue the bidding. There is work for both the responder and the opener.
Dates: Tuesday, March 11 and 18
Time: 9:30 am - 11:45 am
Location: Fellowship Presbyterian Church, 2005 New Garden Road, Greensboro (Library)
Instructor: Andy Symmes, ACBL Life Master
To register contact: Andy at AndySymmes@gmail.com or 336-553-8485
Cost: $50 for both classes
Registration closes March 7.
Salisbury Sectional is a Grand Success
The Spring-into-Valentines Sectional was a welcome return to Salisbury. It attracted many players from the southern border of our unit. It highlighted how well Unit 169 can put on a tournament. See the results here.
Many thanks to Louisa Witten, tournament chair, for leading her team. The hospitality and food were outstanding. The tournament was well attended and well run. All the Saturday players leave with a story to tell.
Pictured above are Dick Brisbin (Partnership Chair), Charlotte Brisbin, Louisa Witten (Tournament Chair), and Myrnie McLaughlin.
The local paper, the Salisbury Post, generously featured the event. Check out these articles with a gallery of pictures. Feb. 1 Feb. 8
Congratulations to Dan Fowler, the overall masterpoint winner at the Spring-into-Valentines Sectional held February 8-10.
Play of the Hand, Part 2 with Rich Peffer
January 9, 16, 23 and 30
Learn more techniques for developing tricks. Each session presents a topic with multiple hands for the students to play. Remember play of the hand is the most important skill in bridge.
The intended audience: Players new to the game and more experienced players who would like more success as declarer.
The four sessions are scheduled for Thursday mornings starting January 9.
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Jan. 9: The Finesse
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Jan. 16: Dummy Points and Trumping in Dummy
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Jan. 23: Discarding a Loser
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Jan. 30: Practice with Finesses
Location: Fellowship Presbyterian Church, 2005 New Garden Rd, Greensboro
Time: 9:30am - noon
Cost: $100 for all four sessions or $30 for individual sessions.
To register, contact Rich Peffer at rpeffer325@att.net or 336-402-5367.
Bridge Basics 1: An Introduction
January 7, 14, 21 and 28 Flyer
Bridge Basics 1: An Introduction returns in January with the energetic and popular Barbara Pomer as the instructor. This course is the place to learn about modern bidding and the basics of play of the hand as well as defense. It is designed for those who are new to bridge, those who want to re-enter the game (remember college) or those who would like a structured review to get your game on track.
Starting Tuesday morning, January 7
This class meets four consecutive weeks on Tuesdays, 9:30 am to noon at Fellowship Presbyterian Church, 2005 New Garden Rd, Greensboro. The dates are January 7, 14, 21 and 28. The cost is $100. An accompanying book is recommended and can be purchased at a discount at the first session.
Barbara Pomer, an ACBL Life Master, is the instructor. To register or for more information contact the instructor at bdpomer@gmail.com or text/call 336-202-1299.
Stayman Convention and Jacoby Transfers
The Stayman Convention and Jacoby Transfers are the first conventions every bridge player needs to learn. Each is used after a notrump open (or overcall) to look for a fit in a major suit. Usually you can get an extra trick in a suit contract.
Session 1, March 11. The Stayman Convention is used when you have at least one 4-card major.
Session 2, March 18. Jacoby transfers are used when you have a 5-card major.
You will learn and practice how to initiate each convention and how to continue the bidding. There is work for both the responder and the opener.
Dates: Tuesday, March 11 and 18
Time: 9:30 am - 11:45 am
Location: Fellowship Presbyterian Church, 2005 New Garden Road, Greensboro (Library)
Instructor: Andy Symmes, ACBL Life Master
To register contact: Andy at AndySymmes@gmail.com or 336-553-8485
Cost: $50 for both classes
In Case You Missed It
Congratulations to Bob Hale,
Player of the Year 2024
Bob Hale is the winner of the Tim Stecker Player of the Year contest for 2024. To qualify one must play in at least eight unit games. Master points from the unit games are combined with those from our sectional tournaments. Bob tallied over 78 MPs in nine unit games along with his sectional tournament results. Bob's regular partner at the unit games is his wife, Claudia.
Fran Tewkesbury is the runner up with 66 MPs. Eric Lee is second runner up with 60 MPs having attended fourteen unit games. See the final top ten players here.
Congratulations, Bob, Fran and Eric.
Mentoring Kickoff Season Is Here!
The 2025 Unit 169 Mentoring Program is taking on a different look from previous years. We believe the changes will lead to more effective mentoring. We start with a Kickoff Season which closely follows the old program and lasts about four months. Then we want to continue with two more seasons during the rest of the year. Mentees can request a Mentor for any season. The Mentoring Coordinators are:
-
Martha and Mark Meyer in Winston-Salem
mdpmeyermm@gmail.com or 336-416-3049
markmeyerdds@gmail.com or 336-416-6998
-
Chris Kendall in Greensboro
cwimp47@gmail.com or 251-424-2501
Contact a coordinator to request a mentor or to volunteer to be a mentor.
Cindy Wright in Winston-Salem and Peter Boyd-Bowman in Greensboro are offering special games/sections where Mentor-Mentee pairs can play outside the open game. These opportunities are a real plus.
M-M Games in Winston-Salem
Cindy will open a side M-M game every Monday from February 10 to March 24. Please turn in your names to Cindy so she will know to prepare an extra set of boards. The game is at Georgia Taylor Recreation Center at 12:30 pm.
Cindy will also change her side game on Tuesday into a Four-Is-Enough side game. See the explanation of this type of game below. The game is at South Fork Community Center at 1:00 pm.
M-M Games in Greensboro
Peter will have Four-Is-Enough games each Tuesday during February through May. The game is at Fellowship Presbyterian Church at 10:00 am. This is a shorter game that finishes around 12:45 pm.
What is a Four-Is-Enough Game?
Each individual player falls into one of three strats defined by the director. For example,
Every two person pair has combined ratings of no more than four.
See ACBL site link for further information on Four/Eight is Enough.
Unit 169 Boosters
Our mission is to provide challenging and fun bridge tournament experiences for Central Carolina Bridge Association members.
Our focus is to successfully execute four quality bridge tournaments each year. This entails using great venues with easy access and parking, clean facilities, providing appropriate snacks and beverages, and using qualify ACBL directors. In order to achieve this goal, we need additional financial support.
We are asking our friends who love this game to help. The cost of hosting a quality tournament has increased and, as we build back our attendance at our tournaments, entry fees do not completely cover our cost. Therefore, we are seeking a yearly contribution from those who can and are willing to help Unit 169.
By securing appropriate funding up front, we can plan and budget appropriately for each tournament. There will be recognition and appreciation events for those who join.
We hope you will support us. We appreciate checks in the amount of your choosing, made payable to:
“Central Carolina Bridge Association”
and mailed to
2318 Kirkpatrick Place, Greensboro NC 27408
Please contact Dixie Culver, Unit Secretary/Treasurer, at: culverdix@yahoo.com or (336) 457-7107 if you have any questions.
Unit Game Results: August 23, 2005
Article submitted by Rich Peffer
The Unit Game on Saturday, August 23 was held in Burlington at the Holy Comforter Episcopal Church. The game was run as a STAC Game that awarded 100% silver masterpoints, and there were 7.5 tables of players from across our Unit.
The Burlington Bridge Club hosted the event and provided another amazing array of sweet, savory and fruity food choices, a tempting pitcher of margaritas, and a wide selection of other beverages. Kudos to Joanne McCluskey and all of the players from
Burlington for making this another festive and delicious event.
Top Pairs and Final Standings
Top finishers in the E/W direction were Debbie Monroe – David Idleman with a 62%. In addition, special mention is needed for 1st-time partners Joe Hatch – Barbara Walters, who finished 2nd overall and st in B and C with a 61%. Well done! Other
masterpoint winners E/W were: Kathy Coop – Eric Peffer: 58% and Iris Holt – Chris Chatman: 48%. In the N/S direction, top finishers were Ruth Short – Eric Lee (60%) followed by Joanne McCluskey – Phil Mosely (54%). Other masterpoint winners N/S were Patsy Jourdan – June Satterfield: 51%, Ann Bennett – Barbara Woltz: 50% and David Hamby – Nancy Hamby: 46%.
District-Wide Awards
Extra STAC Masterpoints can sometimes be won when our results are “Pooled” across all participating clubs in District 7. For the Saturday Afternoon Open Field, District-wide results are at this link. Our District-wide results were mixed. Top finishers from our game (Debbie Monroe – David Idleman) did not earn more points across D7 than what they had already earned in the Unit Game (1.69). However, Joe Hatch – Barbara Walters were 1st place among all C players across District 7, so their masterpoint award increased from 1.18 to 3.54. Hooray for silver!
Kathy Coop, the latest addition to our crew of teachers, is offering two guided practice sessions for beginner bridge players. The prepared hands will focus on non-competitive bidding, basic defense and basic play. Each hand has a lesson.
These sessions are for newer players who
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Need a refresher;
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Want to gain more confidence in their game; or
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“Just wanna have fun” and meet other players.
Dates: Tuesdays, October 7 and 14
Time: 2:30 pm to 5:00 pm
Location: Fellowship Presbyterian Church, 2005 New Garden Rd., Greensboro
Cost: $20 per session payable to Kathy Coop
You may come to one or both sessions. For planning purposes, please pre-register by contacting Judy Hellen at Judy@LearnBridgeGSO.com or 336-558-3613.