This section contains reports from the Unit 390 President for the past several years.
Scroll down or click on any date below to jump to the report for that date.
| 2024: | April | ||||
| 2023: | February | April | June | ||
| 2022: | April | October | |||
| 2021: | April | October | |||
| 2020: | January | April | July | October | |
| 2019: | April | June | October | ||
| 2018: | January | April | October | December | |
| 2017: | April | October | |||
| 2016: | January | April | October | December | |
| 2015: | January | April | September | November |
Scroll down to read the most recent message from the Unit 390 President.
President’s Message
by John Sharpe – President, Calgary ACBL Unit 390
April 2024
The attendance at the New Year Sectional was a very promising 257 tables and the Unit made a substantial profit of $1,563. Although 257 tables are still significantly less than pre-COVID attendance, when in excess of 300 tables was the norm, it is a step up from recent sectionals. For example, last year, the January 2023 Sectional had 191.5 tables, the Spring Sectional, 195.5 tables and the September Sectional, 200 tables. We are heading in the right direction. Thanks are due to Lois Matton, the event organizer, and her very capable assistants.
The next Sectional will be held at one of our old locations, the DoubleTree by Hilton (which used to be called the Clarion).The dates are May 3rd to 5th. The hotel has undergone renovations since our last visit and also has the advantage that the playing area is larger than that at the Royal Wyndham. We are hoping that all the available space will be filled.
This year’s Rookie Master Swiss Teams event was held on February 24th at the Bridge Centre. Nineteen tables had a very enjoyable event with hand records and lunch provided. Setting up Swiss Teams with pre-dealt hands is quite a challenge, but it was overcome successfully and the participants benefited from having hand records to review how they fared. Many thanks to Brad Bowyer, the event organizer.
Delores Hedley and Karen Mitchell will be hosting a supervised bid and play for players with less than 50 masterpoints on Wednesday and Thursday mornings from April 3rd to June 27th at 11 a.m. There is no need to sign up, just come along when you can. Cost is $3.
Over the next few months Unit members will have the opportunity to play in several tournaments in Calgary. The first is the Calgary Spring Sectional (see above), The next is the Calgary Regional August 12th to 18th followed by the Fall Sectional September 20th to 22nd. If those tournaments are not enough for you, there are the following ones out of town: Red Deer Sectional April 26th to 28th, Edmonton Sectional May 24th to 26th,Penticton Regional and Canadian Championships June 10th to 16th and the Lethbridge Sectional and concurrent Non-Life Master Regional September 27th to 29th. The District 18 North American Pairs Final will be played online in November. I hope that will meet the requirements of all players.
The ACBL has got itself into a bit of a predicament. In order to ensure that rooms are available at the host hotels for tournaments organized by the ACBL, they pre-booked a significant number of rooms. If those rooms are not utilized the ACBL still has to pay for them. This means that the ACBL could be on the hook for several hundred thousand dollars. To mitigate against this possibility, the ACBL is offering a discount in card fees of $10 per session if you are staying at a host hotel and book using Entry Express. It is to be hoped that Entry Express is working, since it has been having problems recently, most notably at the last NABC in Louisville, where (as reported on Bridge Winners), for at least one day, all entries had to be sold at the discounted price, hotel guest or not.
If you are planning to go to the North American Bridge Championships in Toronto in July, there is an even bigger “Maple Leaf Discount” for Canadian Bridge Federation members who reside in Canada. Even if you are not staying at a host hotel, if you book using Entry Express, your discount will be $14 per session. To be eligible, you must be a CBF member (at June 1, 2024) and your ACBL membership must also be current.
John Sharpe
President
Calgary ACBL Unit 390
President’s Annual Report 2023
by John Sharpe – President, Calgary ACBL Unit 390
June 2023
The past year has not been a great one for our Unit and for the ACBL. Overall membership in the ACBL declined by 6.68% leaving 131,815 active members. Our Unit has had a similar drop in membership of 6.6% to 899 active members. Looking back to Spring 2020 before the Covid lockdown, the Unit had 1057 members so the loss since the beginning of Covid is 15%.
What is the Unit doing to stem the tide? Well since the make up of the membership is approximately 2:1 of non-life master to life masters, the Unit has continued to focus on providing events for non-life masters. Over the past year there have been two 299er sectionals, which are one day, 2 sessions events, a rookie/master teams game and the mentorship program in addition to three regular sectionals.
The 299er in November attracted 32 tables over the two sessions. Lunch was provided as a welcome back after Covid and was the cause of a significant loss. The 299er in May attracted 28 tables, 16 in the morning and 12 in the afternoon. For some reason 299ers do not seem keen on playing two sessions a day. This trend was also the case at the regular sectionals. This sectional produced a small profit.
The rookie/master teams game was a single session event that attracted 20 tables. This also resulted in a loss and has convinced the Board to provide only light snacks at future events.
The mentor/mentee program had 24 pairs. There was an opening game and a wind-up game at the Bridge Centre. The intent of this was to encourage the participants to play face-to-face because that assists the communication between the mentor and mentee. However, the majority of the participants preferred to play on-line. There is no doubt that the availability of on-line bridge is a significant hurdle for face-to-face bridge and there is little that can be done about it. We just have to hope that the social advantages of face-to-face bridge will, over time, result in more participation in face-to-face bridge. Thanks to the organisers of the program, Nancy Stewart, Janet Sharpe and Sandra Stewart.
There were three regular sectionals held this year. The first in September attracted 204 tables and was held at the Bridge Centre. It produced a significant profit. However, the Board thinks that a regular sectional should be held in more spacious surroundings. A sectional is not just an event to gain silver points, it should feel like a more prestigious event and so it was decided to hold the January Sectional at the Royal Wyndham Hotel. This enables players from out of town to have accommodation at the playing site. Unfortunately, the new surroundings did not attract any more players. There were only 191.5 tables, which resulted in a significant loss.
A request was sent out to the membership asking for ideas for modifications at the sectional to enhance attendance. The two main suggestions were to increase the table fees and reduce the time between sessions. So at the next sectional in April, also held at the Royal Wyndham, the table fee was increased to $15 and the time between sessions reduced by 45 minutes. The increase in the table fee does not appear to have been a negative factor, but the reduction of 45 minutes for the lunch break was too much for the tournament directors, especially since there were significant delays caused by bridgemate problems. At future sectionals the reduction will be 30 minutes.
The increase in tables fees should have resulted in a breakeven situation, but it did not because there were two full-time tournament directors and they are very expensive. An ACBL tournament director costs $Cdn314 per session and in addition has a per diem of $Cdn106, travel expenses and accommodation. There is nothing we can do about that. However, a small increase in table count will see us back in the black. The table count at this sectional was 197.5.
The next sectional was scheduled for the July long weekend, but the Wyndham Hotel was not available and so it was decided to cancel it. In the coming year we are only going to have three sectionals in the hope that this will renew enthusiasm and result in increased attendance. Bear in mind that we are also running two 299er sectionals so there are a total of five sectionals per year, more than there used to be in the past. Owing to the table count at 299er sectionals we hope to continue holding them at the Bridge Centre. A few people questioned why we did not hold the July Sectional at the Bridge Centre. The main reason, as previously mentioned, is that we wish to make sectionals something special, not just an extension of STACs week.
The awards to the 2022 Ace of Clubs and Mini-McKenney will be awarded later in this meeting. An additional Race was introduced in 2012. The is the Mini-Richmond which recognizes Canadian Bridge Federation members who win the most masterpoints in the calendar year in each of the masterpoint categories. Unit 390 is part of Zone V, which encompasses Alberta, Saskatchewan and Northern Manitoba. In 2022 Unit 390 players were Zone V winners in 8 of the 13 masterpoint categories. Please recognise the following: 5-20 Hai Hu, 50-100 Ray Nance, 300-500 Terry Kaufman, 500-1000 Cynthia Clark, 1500-2500 Jim Murphy, 2500-3500 Chris Galbraith, 3500-5000 David Johnson and 5000 to 7500 Janet Galbraith. Janet was also the winner of the Alberta Sectional Masterpoints Race. Congratulations Janet.
Finally, I wish to thank all the Unit Associates, club managers, directors and teachers without whom the Unit could not function successfully. Special thanks to the Calgary Community Bridge League and the Calgary Bridge Centre without whom the status of bridge in Calgary would be in a sorry state.
That concludes this report.
Regards,
John Sharpe
President
Calgary ACBL Unit 390
President’s Report
by John Sharpe – President, Calgary ACBL Unit 390
April 2023
In my last message I asked for a volunteer to take on the position of Tournament Chair. I am delighted to report that Lois Matton has taken on the position and has just successfully completed her first sectional tournament. We wish Lois all the best as she has taken on a challenging assignment. At this time I also wish to thank the outgoing Tournament
Co-Ordinator, Carrie Stockman, who has held the position for several years and has worked tirelessly to promote the sectionals and ensure that they were run efficiently.
The April tournament had a 196.5 table count. This was four more tables than the January Sectional but it was a smaller increase than I had hoped for. However, owing to the $2 increase in fees per session ($13 to $15) the loss was approximately $1160 compared with the $1712 in January. Any mathematician will question why an increase in revenue of $1772 only reduced the loss by $552.
The reason is that at the January Sectional there was only one tournament director plus an assistant, whereas at the April Sectional there were two tournament directors. The ACBL charges $314.16Cdn per session for a tournament director. The charge for a tournament assistant is considerably lower. Therefore it is evident that future sectionals cannot afford two tournament directors.
In light of the significant losses incurred recently and the apparent stagnation of table count, the Board has decided to cancel the July Sectional and so the next Sectional will be at the Royal Hotel on
September 1st – 3rd.
The next Unit event is the windup for the Mentorship Program for 2022/2023. This will take place on Thursday April 27th at 6:30 pm at the Bridge Centre. Everyone is invited to attend this game. The 2022/23 program has been running since December 2022 and each mentor/mentee partnership should have completed six games together. It is hoped that the mentees will have improved their skills through these games and that the mentors will also have benefitted from the experience. I hope that when the next Mentorship program starts in the fourth quarter of 2023 there will be a multitude of applicants.
On Saturday May 13th the Unit will be holding a 299er Sectional at the Bridge Centre. This is a good opportunity to win silver points. Seventy-five silver points are required to achieve the rank of Life Master, which is the rank many bridge players strive to achieve.
The Unit’s Annual General Meeting will be held at the Bridge Centre on Sunday June 4th at the Bridge Centre. Please make a note of this date and keep a look out for further information which will be forthcoming nearer the time. It is an important event because the financial report for the year will be presented and an election of Board members for the next year will take place. Anyone wishing to put their name forward can do so by contacting me at john.sharpe@telus.net or any member of the existing Board, or making their wishes known at the AGM before nominations close.
Regards,
John Sharpe
President
Calgary ACBL Unit 390
President’s Report
by John Sharpe – President, Calgary ACBL Unit 390
February 2023
This message is to inform you of the state of our Sectionals. Our last Sectional in January incurred a loss of $1712. The table count was 191.5, which was lower than hoped. The next Sectional, scheduled for April 14th to 16th, is budgeted for a loss of $1700, based on an anticipated table count of 200.
The Unit cannot continue to run sectionals at such a significant loss. Things are not disastrous. It only requires about 35 more tables to break even, that is an 18% increase. This could easily happen if players stayed for more games. The January Sectional attracted 30% more players than the one in September, but the overall table count was lower. Hence for some reason players stayed for fewer sessions. What can the Unit do about this? Your suggestions are most welcome and can be addressed to me at john.sharpe@telus.net or to any board member.
Carrie Stockman has been the Tournament Chair for the Sectionals for several years now and it is time for someone to be groomed to take over from her. Carrie is prepared to mentor anybody who volunteers so that there will be a smooth transition. This is a very important position and one that is essential to the success of future Sectionals. If anyone is prepared to volunteer for this position please contact me or Carrie at cmstockman@hotmail.com.
Regards,
John Sharpe
President
Calgary ACBL Unit 390
President’s Report
by John Sharpe – President, Calgary ACBL Unit 390
October 2022
The first meeting of the new Unit board took place on October 24th. At the meeting I was appointed President, Richard Cripps was appointed Vice President, Ed Lamb and Olga Williams continue as Treasurer and Secretary respectively. The remaining Board members are Judith Gartaganis, Delores Hedley, Carrie Stockman, Pam Sterling, Sandra Stewart and Past President, Lyman Warner. We are still looking for one more volunteer to serve as Sectional Tournament Chair. If you or someone you know is willing to tackle this job, please contact me.
The past two years have been a significant challenge for all bridge players. COVID restrictions shut down all face-to-face bridge for quite a long time and it has been terribly slow in returning. I am pleased to say that the Calgary Bridge Centre now hosts face-to-face games every day of the week and the number of tables is slowly increasing. There are games to suit all levels of experience so please make plans to play in one soon.
Of course, the huge change over the same period has been the introduction of ACBL-sanctioned virtual clubs and ACBL-run online tournaments. For many this was a saviour especially during the lockdowns. The website Bridge Base Online frequently hosts games with several hundred tables in play so that only goes to show that bridge players will take the opportunity to play regardless of the format. Playing online does have the disadvantage of eliminating the social aspect of face-to face bridge, but if you cannot get out to the Bridge Centre it is a good fallback option.
As outlined in the article, “Survey Says…”, the majority of players in our Unit (57%) are 299ers. Consequently, in order to grow the game the Unit needs to focus on this group. The first sectional in a long while devoted to 299ers will take place at the Calgary Bridge Centre on Saturday, November 26th. On the Friday evening before, we will host a social gathering for this group featuring information on all aspects of Sectional tournaments, including use of the Bridgemates, the Alert procedure, scoring and any other topic that you wish to learn about. Snacks will be provided. The games will be stratified based on masterpoint holdings —
Flight F: 0-50, Flight E: 50-100, and Flight D: 100-300 — so you will be evaluated against your peers. All points awarded at a sectional are silver and you need at least 5 silver points to achieve the rank of Sectional Master (50+ masterpoints with at least 10 black and 5 silver). All players with less than 5 masterpoints play for free. Keep a lookout for further information coming soon.
The mentorship program will resume this year after a gap of two years. This program matches mentees with mentors who have significantly more masterpoints than they do. For mentees with up to 50 masterpoints their mentor will have at least 100 masterpoints. For mentees with between 50 and 100 masterpoints their mentor will have at least 200 masterpoints. If the numbers permit, mentees with 100 to 300 masterpoints will be matched with mentors with 500+ masterpoints. To be included in this latter category, the mentee must also be prepared to be a mentor. A survey will be issued soon and for those wishing to participate, please make sure to fill in the survey and return it as soon as possible.
As of September 30th there were 921 active members in Unit 390. This is a decline of 4% compared with one year ago. The ACBL number is 134,112, which is a decline of 6.4% year over year, so Unit 390 is slightly better than overall. In new member gains, the Unit again exceeds the ACBL overall, 4.4% compared with 3.5%. However, the losses over the past few years have resulted in our membership now being similar to what it was in 2017!
On a more positive note, the membership of Unit 390 comprises 28% of the entire District, in which there are 22 Units, so we are by far and away the dominant Unit in District 18 in terms of the number of members.
John Sharpe
President
Calgary ACBL Unit 390
President’s Report
by Lyman Warner – President, Calgary ACBL Unit 390
April 2022
Hello Friends.
Spring is in the air – days are longer – nights are shorter – weather is warmer. The coming of spring is a definite mood booster that just cries out for a big bridge get together to see old friends and to meet new ones. Wouldn’t it be nice? Unfortunately, with another wave of COVID mutation strengthening in our area, we are once again on guard.
In our bridge community we now see all clubs opened for face-to-face bridge (F2F). Attendance is low but there are signs of growth. Kudos to these club owners who, at considerable expense, are attempting to host a safe and enjoyable bridge game for participants. From the perspective of club owners as well as the Unit Board, we realize that no amount of time will bring back those who have stopped playing live bridge altogether, but we hope the majority of our members look forward to returning to F2F. Please consider making a date to play in a live game soon.
Attendance at Unit 390 F2F club games and the two upcoming tournaments (Red Deer Sectional in April and the Lethbridge Regional in May), will have a direct bearing on whether we proceed with our scheduled July Sectional (July 8 – 10) at Mount Royal University. It has been a long time since our last tournament and we would love to have it, but the ultimate decision is in your hands. (ACBL protocols to be in effect – proof of vaccination and masks recommended.) A final decision must be made by May 27th.
We are asking you to assist us in making a decision by emailing Delores Hedley at dollyd@telus.net to indicate whether you would be likely to attend a July Sectional. Obviously, this would not be a firm commitment, but a general sense of the feelings of our players would be most helpful.
Congratulations to the Ace of Clubs and Mini McKenney winners for 2021. (See the Unit 390 Winners Here). Well done!!
Take care everyone – I hope we see each other at the tables.
Lyman Warner
President
Calgary ACBL Unit 390
President’s Report
by Lyman Warner – President, Calgary ACBL Unit 390
October 2021
Hello Everyone.
I hope this finds our Unit 390 members and their families happy and well. The past 18 months have been more unusual than any in our lives and we can only hope for a return to some degree of normal soon.
Although our Bridge Community has shown resilience during the pandemic, there is some noticeable concern. Our Unit had 1,015 members in March of 2019; 1,058 in March of 2020; 994 in March of 2021, and currently has 960. Of the current 960 members, 545 are 299ers. After doing some statistics for the week of October 3rd to October 9th, in the fifteen open games run that week, 317 members played bridge (76.39% of the 415 members who have 300+ masterpoints). In the five 0-299er games run that week, 120 members played bridge (22.02%). Can you see the problem? The group of 0-299ers are our future and yet 425 of them are nowhere to be seen.
At the time of this article, two clubs have opened face-to-face games and two more are scheduled to open in November. Kudos to those club owners, managers and directors who now must cope with added rules to enforce, and stringent safety measures to establish. Participation levels at clubs will help the Unit determine the feasibility of resuming face to face sectional tournaments and other Unit events.
The Unit Board met via Zoom on October 21st. This was our first meeting since January 20, 2020 and a first for many of us on a virtual platform. Keep in mind that, although we have not officially met in several months, the Unit Executive Board and the Associate Board have continued with assigned duties.
A discussion surrounding the January Sectional resulted in the difficult decision a few days later to cancel it. We also discussed the popular Mentorship program and we hope to have this up and going in the near future.
Special thanks to Treasurer Ed Lamb who keeps financials up to date and filed with the government (see Audited Financial statements for the fiscal year ending March 31st, 2021 contained within this newsletter); to Secretary Olga Williams who keeps records and correspondence with the ACBL up to date; to Notices Coordinator Terri Bedard who looks after preparing and sending out notices; and to Webmaster Daniel Bertrand who maintains the website. And always, for the hours of work entailed in publishing an incredible newsletter – thanks to Judith and Nicholas Gartaganis.
Keep safe and I look forward to seeing you in person in the upcoming months.
Lyman Warner
President
Calgary ACBL Unit 390
President’s Report
by Lyman Warner – President, Calgary ACBL Unit 390
April 2021
Here’s wishing all the best to our Unit 390 members in these difficult times.
Thanks again to our club owners and managers for making it possible to play in Virtual Games. A total of 25 sessions run every week, including eight limited-masterpoint games, 14 stratified pairs games and three team games.
The final results of the 2020 masterpoint races were announced in March and can be found in the April 2021 Kibitzer. Medallions for the Mini-McKenney races and certificates for the Ace of Clubs races will be presented to the winners as soon as we are able to gather face-to-face.
We are optimistic that our traditional New Year’s Sectional tournament will take place in January 2022. Wouldn’t it be a wonderful way to welcome the new year?
In anticipation of the return to face-to-face play, the old “Cell Phone Policy” has been updated. It now pertains not only to cell phones, but to all electronic devices capable of communicating in any manner. Any such equipment must not be visible while a Unit 390 bridge event is in session and must remain off at all times. This includes, but is not limited to, cell phones, smartphones and smartwatches. You can read the full Electronic Device Policy HERE.
The 2021 Grand National Team Championship is a go! The registration period for the District 18 Final has begun. This year, the competition has been split over two weekends: Flights A and C will play on May 15-16, 2021 and the Championship Flight along with Flight B will play on May 22 23, 2021. Players may choose to play both weekends if they are eligible for multiple flights. In an effort to maximize security, the District has stipulated that all players must have an ongoing video or audio chat session with their screenmate while a match is played.
With the ban on public gatherings still in place, Unit 390 is in limbo as far as scheduling its next Annual General Meeting. There have been only a handful of matters requiring the attention of the Unit Board, and luckily, many of our volunteer board members and associates are able to continue performing their duties until elections can be held.
In the April 2021 Kibitzer, the Audited Financial statements for the fiscal year ending March 31, 2020 were included. In accordance with the regulations for non-profits, the statements were filed with the government last summer. Preparation of the statements for the year April 1, 2020 – March 31, 2021 is underway.
Finally, thank you to departing Board members Caroleigh Houghton and Marvis Olson. Their service and contributions have been very much appreciated.
Please stay tuned to the Unit 390 website for ACBL and Unit notices.
Lyman Warner
President
Calgary ACBL Unit 390
President’s Report
by Lyman Warner – President, Calgary ACBL Unit 390
October 2020
I hope everyone is well and keeping safe.
Thanks again to our Club Owners and Managers for making it possible to play in virtual games.
Please stay tuned to the Unit 390 website for ACBL and Unit notices:
- Virtual Club game schedules
- FAQs re: online play including how to fill out your convention card
- ACBL’s Guest Membership Options – a free way for players and students to try the benefits of ACBL membership. If you know of anyone who may be interested in this 120-day free guest membership, please refer them to one of our Club Owners/Managers.
Lastly, here is an excerpt from a message from the President of the ACBL sent to the Districts and Units on September 9, 2020:
“Of significance was the Online Bridge Task Force recommendation to reduce the number of face-to-face
regionals held nationwide. Although I believe a percentage of ACBL Regionally-Rated Tournaments will continue online, ACBL Management and your ACBL Board of Directors are committed to the return of face-to-face tournament play.
However, we cannot ignore our reality. Even before the COVID-19 pandemic, membership and tournament attendance has been on the decline, and it is becoming increasingly difficult for units and/or districts to compete for and secure affordable venues.
Therefore, until we make any determinations surrounding the Task Force recommendation to reduce face-to-face tournaments, I ask that you do not sign new contracts for any future regionals.”
Lyman Warner
President
Calgary ACBL Unit 390
President’s Report
by Lyman Warner – President, Calgary ACBL Unit 390
July 2020
First and foremost – I hope you are well and keeping safe.
Members have all been notified by the ACBL of the cancellation of all tournaments for the remainder of 2020. The Unit Board had already cancelled our Fall and Winter Sectionals prior to this notice, but we were certainly not surprised to see the decision made for all Units and Districts.
Bridge is definitely thriving on BBO and thanks to our club owners and managers for making it possible for our members to play in virtual games. Once the ACBL ran their first 4-day virtual Regional, we envisioned hosting our Unit Sectionals in the same manner. Unfortunately, at a recent ACBL Board meeting whereby the Districts had the opportunity to vote in favor of Unit Sectionals, it was not passed. Most disappointing was that our own District Board member voted against it.
Event operations of the Unit Board are at a standstill but there is still work being done. A thank you to Ed Lamb (Treasurer) for preparing our year end Financial Statements for audit; to Judy Gartaganis and Dan Bertrand for the always-accessible and up-to-date website, and to Terri Bedard for “notices”.
The current Board of Directors will keep their status until such time as elections can be held at an Annual General Meeting.
We do want to recognize, and congratulate, the winners of the 2019 Ace of Clubs and Mini-McKenney Races. Winners in each category receive certificates (Ace of Clubs) or medallions (Mini-McKenney).
| 2019 Ace of Clubs Winners (Players who win the most masterpoints for the year playing in club games) | |
| Category | Member |
| 0 to 5 | Andrew Melton |
| 5 to 20 | Keith Barry |
| 20 to 50 | Moira Misselbrook |
| 50 to 100 | Richard Weinberger |
| 100 to 200 | John Prance |
| 200 to 300 | Bob Gagnon |
| 300 to 500 | Dennis Ooms |
| 500 to 1000 | Brent Muir |
| 1000 to 1500 | Mark Manzer |
| 1500 to 2500 | Pauline Huculak |
| 2500 to 3500 | Maged Wafa |
| 3500 to 5000 | Elaine Stewart |
| 5000 to 7500 | Abdul Fakih |
| 7500 to 10000 | (no player in this category) |
| Over 10000 | Steve Lawrence |
| Mini-McKenney Awards (Players who win the most masterpoints in all events, including club games and tournaments | |
| Category | Member |
| 0 to 5 | Andrew Melton |
| 5 to 20 | Keith Barry |
| 20 to 50 | Moira Misselbrook |
| 50 to 100 | Richard Weinberger |
| 100 to 200 | Peter Serafini |
| 200 to 300 | Bob Gagnon |
| 300 to 500 | Richard Piette |
| 500 to 1000 | Cynthia Clark |
| 1000 to 1500 | Dorothy Mersereau |
| 1500 to 2500 | Ian Findlay |
| 2500 to 3500 | David Johnson |
| 3500 to 5000 | Janet Galbraith |
| 5000 to 7500 | Dan Bertrand |
| 7500 to 10000 | Francesca Walton |
| Over 10000 | Steve Lawrence |
That’s all for now folks. Stay safe and have a great summer.
Lyman Warner
President
Calgary ACBL Unit 390
Addendum to the President’s Report
Hello again members. I just want to clarify the statement in my President’s report whereby I stated the Unit’s disappointment in our own District Board Member voting against the possibility of Units holding BBO Virtual Sectionals. Our ACBL District Board Member (not to be confused with the title District Representative) at the time of the vote was Claire Jones, and the vote was not a final prohibition of such tournaments, merely a recognition that there are certain technical and other issues making them unfeasible now. Those are currently being addressed by a task force with the intent of enabling Units to conduct Sectionals, (likewise for Districts and Regionals) or benefit them in some way. I apologize for any confusion related to this topic.
I also have an important update. Please join me in congratulating our own Unit member David Johnson who has assumed the role of ACBL National Board of Directors for District 18 (replacing Claire Jones). We look forward to working with Dave and wish him the best in his new role.
Lyman Warner
President
Calgary ACBL Unit 390
President’s Report
by Lyman Warner – President, Calgary ACBL Unit 390
April 2020
I am pleased to report that our fourth 299er Sectional on November 9, 2019 was a great success with 38 tables playing during the morning session and 25½ tables during the afternoon session. Thanks to Susan Korba for coordinating this event, to Directors Murray and Marilyn Haggins, and to Clarende Duby for conducting the Supervised Bid and Play.
The New Year’s Sectional at our new venue at Mount Royal University was a great start to 2020 and had a turnout of 344 tables. We were and are confident in our choice of venue and we will now have sufficient space for our growing membership.
Based on the comments from participants and the subsequently received e-mails, this year’s Rookie-Master event was a great success and was made possible with the help of many enthusiastic and dedicated volunteers. The March 7 event was coordinated by Marvis Olson and Delores Hedley and featured the introduction of Bracketed Swiss Teams. All 28 teams played the same pre-dealt boards with hand records available afterwards. Thanks to Doug Mann for his outstanding direction of this event. Special thanks go out to the chili maestros (Betty Fenton, JoAnn Hanson, Marvis Olson, Delores Hedley), the many Masters for the best-ever salads and desserts, the set-up and tear-down team (Garry and JoAnn Hanson, Barbara Wallat, Stewart Brightman, Milt Mansell, and Darrell Martindale), the caddy Greg Bedard, the registration desk crew (Terri Bedard and Janet Galbraith), and the kitchen and clean-up work by Krissy Hedley.
The 2019/2020 Bridge-in-Schools program coordinated by Myron Achtman culminated in a nine-School tournament at St. Philip Fine Arts School on March 11, 2020. The attendees comprised 120 children in grades 4-6, a number of teachers and Principals, and 30 or more mentors/volunteers from Unit 390. A special thanks is due Murray and Marilyn Haggins for supplying equipment, as well as directing and scoring. I am sure many of you saw the media coverage of this event. Thank you to the 50+ Unit bridge teachers/mentors who gave freely of their time at the nine schools now committed to the Bridge-in-Schools program.
Our bridge community is very fortunate to have an incredible group of volunteers working as executives and associates of the Unit Board, to maintain the unit website, to send out notices of unit and club events, to run our tournaments and special events, to purchase and maintain a large amount of equipment and supplies, and to supervise the mentorship program.
Your Unit Board is searching for volunteers to replace retiring Board members and is always in need of volunteers to help in other ways. We urge you to come forward. Please contact myself or Delores Hedley and ask where you can help.
Lastly, given the present situation (Covid-19), all events and programs including the GNTs, the AGM, and the Mentorship Program are postponed until further notice.
Please stay safe and stay tuned to the Unit 390 Website for further notice.
Lyman Warner
President
Calgary ACBL Unit 390
President’s Report
by Lyman Warner – President, Calgary ACBL Unit 390
January 2020
On behalf of myself and your Unit 390 Board of Directors, we wish all bridge enthusiasts the very best in the New Year.
The New Year’s Sectional was a success with a total of 344 tables attending at the new Mount Royal University venue. We will now have sufficient space for our growing membership. Included in our contract with MRU are 169 parking stalls in Lot 8. Parking outside Lot 8 will cost $17.00 on Friday, $8.75 on Saturday, and free on Sunday. We are asking that players work with us to ensure that sufficient parking is available by ride-sharing whenever possible.
Unit 390 welcomes the 13 new Directors who completed and passed the Directors Course taught by Doug and Crystal Mann last November.
Thank you to all our teachers and mentors; we recognize your impact on the continued growth of our membership. Thank you also to the 50+ volunteers giving freely of their time at the nine schools now committed to the Bridge-in-Schools program.
The Unit Board will soon be searching for volunteers to replace retiring Board members and we encourage you to come forward and get involved.
The annual Rookie-Master Team Game (with chili dinner) is scheduled for Saturday, March 7. This fun event pairs a Master with a newer player in a team competition. A “Rookie” is considered to be a player with little experience at duplicate bridge. Although we use a masterpoint cut-off of 50, the intent is that the player be fairly new to the game. Please watch for further notices.
The Bridge-in-Schools wind-up tournament will be held Wednesday, March 11, 2020 at St. Philip Fine Arts School. Unit members are invited to volunteer to help out, or even just observe this event.
The next Sectional is scheduled for March 27-29, 2020 at Mount Royal University and we look forward to seeing you there.
Lyman Warner
President
Calgary ACBL Unit 390
President’s Report
by Lyman Warner – President, Calgary ACBL Unit 390
October 2019
I am pleased to report that the September Sectional was once again very successful, with a table count of 354½, up 50 over last year. Thanks to Tournament Coordinator Carrie Stockman, Assistant Tournament Coordinator Jo Peterson, and the many volunteers who facilitated the event. There was positive feedback regarding the Knockout games and the time changes.
Subsequent to the June 2019 AGM, we have a full complement of 12 Directors. Olga Williams is the new Secretary, replacing retiring Secretary Judy Madge, and we thank Judy for her work during her term of office. I want to recognize and thank the Directors continuing on the Board:
Ed Lamb
Judith Gartaganis
Susan Korba
Carrie Stockman
Jo Peterson
Caroleigh Houghton
Marvis Olson
Delores Hedley
Myron Achtman
Treasurer
Membership
Future Masters
Tournament Coordinator
Assistant Tournament Coordinator
Information Officer
Special Events
Events
Youth Education
The Unit 390 School Bridge Program for 2019 – 2020 is underway. Please check the Unit 390 website for details and the contact information if you are willing to help as a Teacher or Mentor. Thanks to current teachers Myron Achtman, Peter Weir, John Finlay, Jim Berglund, Margaret Nielsen, Lois Matton and Joan Shannon, and to the many mentors on our roster.
The first Calgary 0-750 NLM Regional (awarding Gold Points) was held June 28 – 30, 2019 and was a great success. Thanks to Doug Mann, who served as Tournament Chair, and to his right hand “Mann”, Crystal. We look forward to more such events in our District.
The schedule for the upcoming Calgary Winter Sectional is available on the Unit 390 website. It will be held October 25 – 27, 2019. Note the special 299er events.
We have our fourth 299er Sectional coming up on November 9, 2019. More than 50% of our Unit membership has fewer than 300 masterpoints. The growth in our membership is credited to the many Calgary and area clubs offering bridge lessons and restricted games (such as 0 – 100, 0 – 200, 0 – 750 masterpoints).
Thanks to Brian Johns and Sandra Evans for heading up this year’s mentorship program. Mentors were found for 62 mentees and Brian and Sandra are willing to help anyone looking for a mentor for the balance of 2019.
Lyman Warner
President
Calgary ACBL Unit 390
President’s Annual Report
by John Sharpe – President, Calgary ACBL Unit 390
June 2019
The Unit membership reached a milestone this year reaching 1000 for the first time. That was achieved in December 2018. As of our year end 31st March the membership was 1006, compared with 949 one year ago. This 6% increase should be compared with the overall performance of the ACBL, which had a 1.23% decrease in membership. I attribute our Unit’s performance to the work of the many bridge teachers in Calgary who are providing tuition to all levels of player and at times suitable for everyone. Thanks to them all.
District 18 was the highest performing District in terms of membership increase over the past year at 1.34%. Only four of the 25 districts had a membership increase. District 18 membership increase was almost entirely attributed to Unit 390, which has 25% of the membership of the District. Of the 22 Units in District 18 exactly half increased membership and half did not.
Another interesting statistic is that the average age of Unit 390 at 69.17 is the 14th lowest in the ACBL, which has 280 units. The ACBL average age is 72.5 so relatively speaking we are just youngsters. This brings me to the bridge in schools program, which is our attempt to reduce that average age substantially. Myron Achtman started this program last year with one school and in September 2018 it increased to three. An additional two schools started in January 2019 bringing the total to five. All five schools participated in an end of year tournament at Nellie McClung School with 16 tables in play. The media were there in force and so the program achieved wide publicity. One consequence of this may be that several more schools will be interested in joining this September. That is very encouraging, but in order to accommodate any increase more teachers and mentors will be required. If you are interested please contact Myron. I wish to thank all the teachers and mentors who made the 2018-2019 program successful.
The number of tables at the sectionals increased from 1149 to 1178.5, or 2.6%. The service provided by the Clarion has dropped recently for some unknown reason. It is to be hoped that it will improve for the next sectional in September. The Unit would like to move to a brighter, larger venue but has been unsuccessful in finding one within our budget limitations. Sectionals do not result in many room bookings for the hotel and so understandably they are not viewed favorably from their perspective. If anyone knows of any opportunities for a new venue please let any board member know about it. Thanks to the tournament organisers, Carrie Stockman and Jo Peterson and the host of volunteers.
Two events targeted at newer player were held during the year. The first was another one day 299er sectional held on November 10th with 33 tables. This event also included a supervised bid and play enjoyed by nine participants. The second was the Rookie/Master Swiss teams event held on March 2nd with 25 tables. Fortunately the weather cooperated this year and it was able to be held as planned. I am sure that these events contribute to the enjoyment of the game by the newer players. Special thanks are due to Susan Korba, Delores Hedley, Judy Gartaganis and Marvis Olson for being the main organisers of these events, but I also wish to thank the masters who assisted and contributed to the chili and desserts at the Rookie/Master.
Members from Unit 390 figured prominently at the recent Canadian Bridge Championships in Burnaby. In the CNTC-A there were five teams out of 17 which included at least one member from Unit 390. In both the CNTC-B and CNTC-C there were three teams comprising entirely of Unit 390 members. The B event had 11 teams and the C event 13 teams. That means that teams from Unit 390 represented over 25% of the total. Unfortunately the results were disappointing. The best result was the Gartaganis team, who were beaten in the final of the A event. Next year the masterpoint range for the CNTC-B has been changed from 1000-2500 to 1000-3500 and the duration of the whole event has been increased to 12 days from 9. This is to enable you to participate in the CNTC-A, B or C event and the CWTC or the CSTC. If you are interested I have a copy of the new schedule.
Unit 390 was even more prominent in the District GNT finals. A team from Calgary will represent the District in the Open, B and C events. It has to be admitted that in the Open and C events all the teams were from Calgary so we could hardly lose. However, this only goes further to emphasize the dominance of Unit 390 in District 18. Congratulations to teams Gartaganis, Mann and Serafini who were the winners in the Open, B and C events. Best wishes for the finals in Las Vegas and don’t forget to apply for the travel subsidy.
The Ace of Clubs and Mini-McKenney awards for the Unit will be handed out later in this meeting. However, I wish to recognize players who achieved success at the District and National levels. In the Mini-Richmond, which is a Canada wide event, John Prance was the winner in the 5-20 point category. In the District 18 Mini-McKenney David Ho won the 20-50 category, Robert Stothers the 50-100 category and Michael Serafini the 100-200 category. Congratulations to them all.
Finally I wish to thank all the Unit Associates, club managers, directors and teachers without whom the Unit could not function successfully. Over the past year there have been two changes. Notices have been taken over by Terri Bedard and Chris Wuerscher has taken over the recorder position. Thanks to Judy Gartaganis and Frank Ayer, the previous holders of these positions.
This concludes the report.
John Sharpe
President
Calgary ACBL Unit 390
President’s Report
by John Sharpe – President, Calgary ACBL Unit 390
April 2019
This year’s Rookie-Master Swiss teams event took place on March 2nd at Haysboro Community Centre. Fortunately the weather co-operated, not like last year! There were 24 tables in play. The winners in section A and B were: Grant Wharry, Andy Melton, Richard Bickley and Bob Constantin. In section C the winners were: Devra Drysdale, Ron Licht, Deanna Downton and Peter Weir. Congratulations to all.
This event takes a lot of organizing and special thanks to Marvis Olson and Delores Hedley who were the main organizers. However, there were many more who contributed to the success of this event including the chili makers and the masters who provided the desserts. The boards were made up by Barbara Webster, the directors were Dan Bertrand and Michael Farebrother.
The Spring Sectional was held on April 5th -7th at the Clarion. The table count was 275.5, down 11.5 tables from last year, but still a very good attendance. The main reduction was on Sunday when there was a conflict with the Regional in Victoria. This Sectional marked a milestone event. Steve Bates, our main tournament director for many years, is retiring. This was his last sectional in Calgary. Best wishes for your retirement Steve.
On Friday April 12th a tournament was held at Nellie McClung School for the students who have been participating in bridge lessons at five schools since last October. The tournament was masterfully directed by Murray and Marilyn Haggins. There were 16 tables in play and the event received lots of media coverage. You can see the video that was broadcast on CTV at https://www.adita.com/ctv-news-coverage-of-nellie-mcclung-bridge-tournament.mp4.
The event concluded with a PIZZA BANK pizza party courtesy of Vijay Thankey of RE/MAX Realty Professionals. The participating schools and their teachers were as follows:
- St. Jude John Finlay and Caroleigh Houghton
- Father James Whelihan Myron Achtman
- St. Philip Myron Achtman
- Captain John Palliser Jim Berglund
- Nellie McClung Margaret Nielsen
Special thanks are extended to these teachers and their many assistants who have been successful at initiating bridge in Calgary schools. It is hoped that the program can be expanded next year, but in order to do so more teachers and assistants will be required. If you are prepared to volunteer your time to a most worthwhile cause, please contact Myron Achtman at adita@shaw.ca or 403-295-8124.
The membership of Unit 390 continues to increase. I believe that this is thanks to the many bridge teachers in Calgary who are doing an excellent job. Recent additions to the teaching fraternity are Abdul Fakih and Diane Campbell. They are teaching on behalf of the Calgary Community Bridge League (CCBL) at the Westgate Community Centre.
The AGM will be held on Sunday June 2nd at Haysboro Community Centre. Please mark this date in your diary. There will be vacancies on the Board so if you wish to stand for election please notify any of the existing Board members.
Other events to note are the Canadian Bridge Championships in Burnaby on May 4th -12th and the District final of the Grand National Teams (GNT) which will be held online at the Westgate Community Centre on May 31st – June 1st. District 18 will be holding a non-life master regional (0-750 masterpoints) at the Clarion on June 28th – 30th. This is the first such event to be held in Calgary and will provide the opportunity to earn gold points. I hope that it will be well supported.
John Sharpe
President
Calgary ACBL Unit 390
President’s Report
by John Sharpe – President, Calgary ACBL Unit 390
December 2018
I wish you all a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.
The Winter Sectional was again a success with 296.5 tables compared with 281 for the corresponding Sectional in 2017. Congratulations to Tournament Chair Carrie Stockman and her volunteers. This confirms the acceptance of the Clarion as the location for the Sectionals. At a couple of the sessions we were scrambling for table space. That is a good position to be in but does suggest that a larger venue may become necessary if the table count continues to increase.
Unfortunately the very competitive two year agreement with the Clarion comes to an end at 31st December 2018 and so next year the costs are increasing substantially. As far as the players are concerned this will mean that table fees will be increased to $12 and the lunch on Sunday will be $15. The lunch buffet was a very good deal at $10 and still a good value at $15. These increased charges do not take into account the entire extent of the increased costs since we are trying to keep the fees as competitive as possible. We will work to maintain all the positive tournament benefits we have provided in the past two years.
A 299er Sectional was held on Saturday November 10th and with 33 tables the day was a success. Introduced for the first time at a tournament was a supervised bid and play which was enjoyed by the nine participants. Thanks to Susan Korba and her assistants for running the tournament, to Delores Hedley for being the volunteer mentor and Judy Gartaganis for coordinating.
Unit 390 now has a membership of 1002. This major milestone was achieved at December 1st 2018. I believe that this is the first time ever that the Unit membership has reached four figures. The continuing increase in membership can be attributed to the excellent teaching being provided all over the city, to the well run games at the clubs and the assistance given by stronger players to the newer members.
Unfortunately it has been brought to my attention that established players have, on occasion, psyched against novices. This is totally unacceptable. Psyches are part of the game and in a high class tournament if you called the director to inform him of a psyche he would probably say “get used to it” or something similar. Nevertheless against novices psyching is just poor sportsmanship, or nowadays do I have to say poor sportspersonship? I implore novices to always call the director if they have been subjected to a psyche. That way it will be recorded and if someone is frequently psyching against novices then appropriate action can be taken. If it is not recorded then it will just continue.
Another encouraging development is the success of the “Bridge in Schools” program initiated by Myron Achtman. The program has been installed successfully in three schools with active participation by many students. It is hoped that at the end of the sessions in March it will be possible to set up a tournament for all the participants during school hours. If successful that will be a major step forward in achieving recognition in the schools for the program and hopefully tempting more schools into the program next year. Many thanks to the many bridge players who are assisting with this program.
The next dates to note are January 4th to 6th, the New Year’s Sectional and March 2nd the Rookie Master.
John Sharpe
President
Calgary ACBL Unit 390
President’s Report
by John Sharpe – President, Calgary ACBL Unit 390
October 2018
Hello bridge players. After a very smoky summer we can reflect on the successful events held in Calgary, the Regional and the September Sectional. The attendance at the Regional was up 27% from 2015 with 1301 tables. The number of individual players was 652 up from 525, a 24% increase. 50 players were from out of country and 60 were from out of province. 12 professionals attended giving Unit 390 players valuable experience against top class opposition. The hospitality was top class and received lots of positive feedback. Thanks to Emelie Quennell, her tournament committee and all the volunteers. Can I have a volunteer to be chairperson for the 2021 Regional?
Attendance at the September Sectional was also a record at 300 tables. On Saturday afternoon there were 60 tables, the entire capacity of the room! If attendance continues to increase we will have to find a larger venue. Does anyone have a suggestion for a reasonably priced location? Thanks to tournament coordinator Carrie Stockman and all the volunteers for this very successful sectional.
At the AGM last June a full complement of twelve directors was acclaimed. It is now the responsibility of the board to elect the officers and I am pleased to report that Lyman Warner is the new Vice-President. The other three officers, President, Secretary and Treasurer are the same as last year, i.e. John Sharpe, Judy Madge and Ed Lamb respectively. Thanks to the two retiring board members, Tracy Horan and Devra Drysdale, for their work during their terms of office, it is much appreciated. Welcome to the new board members: Susan Korba, Future Masters; Jo Peterson, Assistant Tournament Coordinator; Delores Hedley, Events; Myron Achtman, Youth Education and Marvis Olson, Special Events. Finally I wish to recognize the directors who are continuing on the board; Judy Gartaganis, Membership; Carrie Stockman, Tournament Coordinator and Caroleigh Houghton, Information Officer. I am confident that the new board will be able to carry out their responsibilities very effectively.
Unit 390 recently sent out a brochure by e-mail requesting volunteer teachers and mentors for our school bridge program. The response was very good with 21 bridge enthusiasts saying that they want to get involved. There will be a meeting in September to brainstorm and gather ideas from everyone regarding the program. The target is to set up bridge classes in three or four schools this year. Ideally there would be classes in various age groups; grade 5/6, grade 7/8 and grade 9/10. Meetings will be held in September with the principals of several schools that have already expressed an interest in a school bridge program. You will be kept informed of the progress.
The next dates to note are November 2nd to 4th, the Winter Sectional and November 10th the 299er Sectional.
John Sharpe
President
Calgary ACBL Unit 390
President’s Report
by John Sharpe – President, Calgary ACBL Unit 390
April 2018
Hello bridge players, after a very snowy winter we can now look forward to warmer weather.
The overall attendance at the Spring Sectional was up by 6% compared with Spring 2017, 287 tables vs 270. The largest increase was in the future masters’ category with a 14% increase, 77.5 tables compared with 68. This is very encouraging and bodes well for the future of bridge in Calgary. It also suggests that the new venue at the Clarion is acceptable to the majority despite a few drawbacks that will be present at every venue.
Steve Lawrence achieved a milestone at the Sectional reaching the 10,000 masterpoint level. He joins Judith and Nicholas Gartaganis and Gerry Marshall in that very select category. Congratulations to you all.
At the special meeting held on Saturday March 24th a special resolution to replace the existing Bylaws was approved. The special resolution will become effective immediately, but the Bylaws do not come into effect unless and until the Alberta Corporate Registry completes its assessment process following the approval of the special resolution and issues a certificate evidencing the adoption by the Unit of the new Bylaws.
There were two main reasons for the revisions to the Bylaws. Firstly the number of directors was fixed at nine (9). The Unit has not been in compliance with this requirement owing to the resignation of a director and our inability to find a replacement. Secondly the officers, i.e. President, Vice President, Secretary and Treasurer, are elected by the membership, not the board, so the directors do not have the authority to appoint a successor following the resignation or removal of an officer during their term of office. The new Bylaws have changed the number of directors to between seven (7) and twelve (12), and the election of officers is now a board responsibility. In addition a number of minor revisions have been made to improve clarity.
A new cell phone policy has been implemented, effective immediately. The intent of the policy is to eliminate the use of cell phones during a session of play, but also applies to audible pagers or similar equipment. Health-related equipment is exempt from the regulations. Although the penalties are not as harsh as those implemented by the ACBL at National events, they are still severe including disqualification for repeat offenders. This policy will be in effect at Unit sponsored events.
Please make a note of the following Unit events:
- A 299er sectional on April 14th at the Kerby Center.
- The AGM on June 9th, also at the Kerby Center.
Thank you.
John Sharpe
President
Calgary ACBL Unit 390
President’s Report
by John Sharpe – President, Calgary ACBL Unit 390
January 2018
Happy New Year to all bridge players,
The New Year has started off well with increased attendance at the Sectional, 276.5 tables compared with 266.5 last year. This is no doubt due to all the work put in by the volunteers led by Carrie Stockman, the tournament chair. Assisting Carrie during the last three tournaments were Debbie Hunt, Mary Anne Crookes, Gerry Marchant and Elsie Johnson on the welcome desk; Freda Nychkalo – hospitality; Katie Trafford and Marcia Andreychuk – partnership; Mike D’Aguiar – caddy master; Janet Galbraith – awards; Linda Wallace – awards/hospitality; Dorothy Mersereau – liaison/past chair; Janice Eliasson, Chris and Janet Galbraith – speakers; Barbara Webster and Steve Lawrence – equipment and our wonderful new table covers were created and produced by Caroleigh Houghton. They are certainly doing a great job.
Over the past year there has again been an increase in Unit 390 membership. These new members have had the opportunity to gain silver points at the first ever 299er sectional held at the Kerby Centre in November. It was so successful with 39 tables that another one is being arranged for April 14th. Rookies will also have the opportunity to participate in the annual Rookie/Master team event that will be held on February 3rd.
This year an enhanced travel policy has been introduced. In most cases the subsidies have been doubled. It is to be hoped that this will encourage more members to compete in National events. Also introduced this year is a Youth Travel Subsidy Policy. Studies have shown that when young people start playing bridge their academic performance improves. Hence it is a very worthwhile exercise for them.
2017 was a great year for Unit 390 members achieving masterpoint milestones. In the Mini-Richmond, which is the Canada wide event, Michael Serafini was the winner in the 5-20 point category and Dorothy Mersereau was the winner in the 500-1000 category. In the Mini-McKenney for District 18 there were eight winners from Unit 390: 0-5 Robert Stothers*, 5-20 Michael Serafini*, 20-50 Danuta Trafford, 100-200 Brent Muir*, 200-300 Mary Anne Crookes, 500-1000 Dorothy Mersereau, 1000-1500 Helen Dillen and 10,000+ Nicholas Gartaganis. The * indicates that they were also the winner of the Ace of Clubs.
Despite the tremendous success of the unit in the past year and the contributions of many volunteers and teachers, there has not yet been any success in recruiting new board members. Please consider standing for the board and indicate your desire to me at john.sharpe@telus.net or to any of the existing board members.
Thank you.
John Sharpe
President
Calgary ACBL Unit 390
President’s Report
by John Sharpe – President, Calgary ACBL Unit 390
October 2017
Hello bridge players,
The September Sectional was a great success, attracting a record 296 tables. Carrie Stockman and her team did a marvelous job running the tournament and the increased level of hospitality will continue in future Sectionals. The time change to a 12 noon start on Saturday was well received by most players. The noise level in the playing area continues to be a concern and we ask that everyone make an effort to keep their voices modulated when play is in session.
Congratulations to the winners of the Fall Sectional President’s Award, Yurong (June) Cheng and Shuangbing (Frank) Guo with 9.62 masterpoints. The position of Tournament Coordinator will be filled by Carrie Stockman for the foreseeable future. However, Carrie will continue to need volunteers to help on the committee for the coming sectionals. Most specifically, there is a need for someone to manage the Friday morning setup of the playing area. This position includes meeting the trailer and arranging tables and equipment. Please consider volunteering your time.
The board is concerned about finding interested people in becoming Unit Board members. Next year at least three positions will become vacant. If you feel that you could volunteer for a board position please let any board member know. Also, if anyone approaches you about volunteering please give them consideration. With due reference to Uncle Sam and Lord Kitchener, “Your Unit needs You!”
Congratulations to Nicholas and Judith Gartaganis who were inducted into the Canadian Bridge Federation Hall of Fame during Bridge Week 2017 held in Winnipeg. This well deserved award recognizes their success on the international bridge stage and their many contributions to bridge in Calgary both at the table and in volunteer positions. If you have not already seen the article about Nick and Judy, on page 20 in the July edition of the Bridge bulletin, please take some time to read it.
On November 18th there will be a 299er Sectional held at the Kerby Centre. This is a new event and I hope that many 299ers will take this opportunity to earn silver points. A new set of bridge lessons started in September at various locations. For those of you who were not able to sign up there is still the opportunity to enroll in Boot Camp IV and Abdul’s lessons at the Bidding Box Duplicate Bridge Club. For details please refer to the website.
Other dates to put into you diary are; February 10th Rookie Master Event, May 11th/12th GNT Finals, and June 9th 2018 AGM.
John Sharpe
President
Calgary ACBL Unit 390
President’s Report
by John Sharpe – President, Calgary ACBL Unit 390
April 2017
Hello bridge players,
The next main event for ACBL Unit 390 is our Annual General Meeting that will be held at the Kerby Centre on Saturday, May 13th. There will be a light lunch at 11:00 a.m., meeting at 11:45 a.m. followed by an open pairs game. Cost is $5 including lunch and table money. Please register with Tracy Horan by e-mail at tracyhoran@shaw.ca.
The resignations of Brian Johns, Dorothy Mersereau and Marcel Claeys have left three board director positions to be filled for two-year terms: vice president, tournament coordinator and information officer. Many thanks to Brian, Dorothy and Marcel for their contributions to the running of the Unit. The position of vice president has been taken on by Carrie Stockman and Caroleigh Houghton has agreed to stand for the position of information officer.
That leaves the position of tournament coordinator, which is very important and has the responsibility for confirming venue availability for the four sectional tournaments per year, arranging sanctions, ensuring the supplies in the unit trailer are delivered to the venue, arranging for food services, caddies and the partnership desk. Fortunately, for the next two years the venue has been booked at the Clarion Hotel so that helps matters considerably. If you are interested in this position please contact me (john.sharpe@telus.net) or any board member.
The Spring Sectional was a success attracting a total of 270 tables compared with 265 in 2016. Congratulations to future masters President’s Award winner Richard Piette who earned a record 11.82 masterpoints.
It is with great sorrow that I report that David Swadron passed away Sunday, April 9th. He was the Unit 390 webmaster for many years until his illness forced him to retire. David and his wife Marilyn were awarded the Jack Murphy Memorial Trophy last year, in recognition of their lifetime service to the Calgary bridge community. He will be missed.
John Sharpe
President
Calgary ACBL Unit 390
President’s Report
by John Sharpe – President, Calgary ACBL Unit 390
February 2017
Hello bridge players,
2017 has started off very successfully for bridge in Calgary. The Winter Sectional in January attracted 267 tables, which was an increase of 12 tables from January 2016. Noise is still an issue at this location but a decision has been made, based on feedback from members, to commit to this location for the next two years. At upcoming sectionals you are all requested to try to keep the noise down. The lunch on Sunday was again very well received, great value.
The rookie/master event held at the Kerby Centre on February 4th was also a great success, attracting 38 teams. This was about 50% more than last year. Many thanks to Tracy Horan, Dev Drysdale and all the other volunteers for their contribution to an enjoyable evening.
The participation in Unit events is a reflection of the increased Unit membership over the past year. As of January 1st 2017, there are now 924 members in the unit. This is an increase from 898 as of April 1st 2016 and includes 56 new members. Thanks to all the bridge teachers who are contributing to these numbers.
It is with great pleasure that I am able to inform you that Judith and Nicholas Gartaganis will be inducted into the Canadian Bridge Hall of Fame at the Canadian Bridge Championships in Winnipeg at the end of April. This honor is well deserved. Between them they have represented Canada 18 times, winning three gold and three silver medals.
Several unit members participated as extras in the filming of an episode of the TV series Fargo at the Clarion Hotel on January 13th. This will be screened as the first episode of the new Fargo series starting in the week commencing April 17th on FX. I hope that many of you will enjoy watching familiar faces on TV.
Is anyone interested in volunteering to try to start introducing bridge into schools? The ACBL will provide a book, “Bidding in the 21st Century” for each student, playing cards, a teacher manual, drawstring backpacks for students and teacher, and a stipend of $350 for every class of at least eight students who receive 16 or more hours of bridge instruction and play. However, it is not an easy task to get schools interested. Unsuccessful attempts have been made in the past and rejection can be discouraging. Nevertheless I believe that it is beneficial for students to learn and play bridge rather than twiddle their thumbs on video games and so we need to make another attempt. Any takers?
John Sharpe
President
Calgary ACBL Unit 390
President’s Report
by John Sharpe – President, Calgary ACBL Unit 390
December 2016
Hello bridge players,
A Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year to you all.
The September Sectional was held at the Clarion Hotel and was judged by most to be an improvement over Marlborough Park. Consequently the Unit has entered into an agreement with the Clarion to hold the Sectionals there for the next two years. However, there was justifiable concern regarding noise. One change that will be made is to move the AX section closer to the door and the 199ers section furthest away from the door, which is similar to the set up used at Marlborough Park. The reason for this is that the AX section is usually finished first and so they will be able to leave the playing room without passing through the BC and 199er sections.
That move will help, but will not eliminate, the noise concern. The main source of the noise is people talking after the hands are completed. There is no way that discussion of the hand will be eliminated; after all it is one of the most productive means of learning. Unfortunately at both the club level and Sectionals, the discussion tends to be too loud because no consideration is given to the players who are still playing. I request that you all make an effort to reduce the noise level between rounds by lowering your voices during the discussion of the hand. It will make the playing environment more comfortable for all.
Two boot camps were successfully completed during October/November and another is scheduled for April next year. More details to follow soon. In January lots of lessons are starting. Starting on Monday or Tuesday afternoons January 9th/10th Clarende Duby will be hosting lessons in her home. On Thursday afternoons commencing January 17th Sandra Evans will start a series of lessons at Woodcliff United Church. Rae Haaland will be starting several sets of lessons in January for both beginners and intermediate players at Confederation Park 55+ Activity Centre and the Cambrian Heights Community Association. Finally Jane Lamont will be teaching on Wednesday evenings in High River starting January 11th. Details of all of these can be found on the website under the “Improve Your Game” tab, followed by the “Bridge Lessons” tab.
Our website has new webmasters, Dan Bertrand and Doug Mann. Thank you Dan and Doug for volunteering to undertake this important task. Many thanks to Dave Swadron for his extensive work on the website over the past few years and to Judy Gartaganis for her work during the transition. To request for material to be put on the website please send an e-mail to 390web@acblunit390.org
John Sharpe
President
Calgary ACBL Unit 390
President’s Report
by John Sharpe – President, Calgary ACBL Unit 390
October 2016
Hello bridge players,
It is with great pleasure that I welcome to the Unit board three new members: Ed Lamb, treasurer; Tracy Horan, special events; and Devra Drysdale, information officer. It is thanks to all the volunteers that the Unit is able to operate successfully.
I also wish to thank our retiring board members, Larry Fenton and Ken Anderson, for their support over the past years. The retiring President, Delores Hedley, will continue on the board in the position of past president. Her knowledge and experience is invaluable.
The September Sectional was very well attended with over 280 tables. The main increase in attendance was amongst the 199ers, which is very encouraging. The November Sectional will be at the Clarion Hotel on 16th Avenue NE from November 4th – 6th. I hope to see you all there. Since this is a new location for sectionals your feedback on the playing area will be appreciated. Please contact any board member with your comments.
On October 20th and 21st there will be an Audrey Grant Better Bridge Festival at the Glamorgan Community Association, 4207, 41st Avenue SW. This is sponsored by the Canadian Bridge Federation (CBF) and is a country wide event at locations in Saskatoon, Vancouver, Calgary, Charlottetown, Halifax and Moncton. The focus is to promote the growth of the game of bridge in Canada. If you are a member of the CBF you can become an accredited teacher at no charge by attending all three sessions. The Thursday afternoon session is for all levels of bridge players to improve their game. The Friday morning session is for absolute beginners. Since it is difficult to attract new bridge players as most new bridge players have not heard of Audrey Grant, your assistance in spreading the word about this session and Audrey Grant’s reputation as author and teacher will be very much appreciated. Detailed information can be found on the CBF website at www.cbf.ca.
Congratulations to Judy and Nick Gartaganis who again qualified to represent Canada at the World Bridge Games, which were held in Poland in September. There were 53 entries in the open event and Judy and Nick made it to the quarter finals before being beaten by Monaco, who ended up losing to the Netherlands in the final.
There are two boot camps upcoming, one on October 29th/30th and one on November 19th/20th. Nancy Klym and Bev Mason make a fine teaching team and their past camps have received glowing reports. Currently there are two spaces left for the October camp and eight for the November one. Bridge lessons are also being offered by Linda Walker, Jane Lamont and Rae Haaland. Details can be found on the website.
I look forward to working with the new board during the coming year and hope that all bridge players will have an enjoyable and successful year.
John Sharpe
President
Calgary ACBL Unit 390
President’s Report
by Delores Hedley – President, Calgary ACBL Unit 390
April 2016
Hi Everyone..
It has been a great honour and privilege to be the President of Unit 390 and to share the responsibility with such a great Board of Directors. We have had a very busy but incredibly rewarding year and this is recognized with the support we have received from you, our membership.
The first Unit-sponsored Boot Camp, hosted by Nancy Klym and Bev Mason, was so successful it prompted a second Boot Camp (to be held April 23rd and 24th). The second Boot Camp sold out in a week.
Our sponsored Directors Course hosted by Doug and Crystal Mann saw 12 participants (7 from Calgary), all of whom passed to become certified Club Directors. Thank you to the various clubs who have since allowed some of these new directors to gain much needed hands-on experience.
The annual Rookie Master Team Game was once again a huge success with 28 tables in attendance. Thank you to the Masters for providing the incredible feast and, of course, for helping to grow the game we love by encouraging the 56 Rookies in attendance.
And didn’t we pull off a great surprise tribute to our long-serving Director Steve Bates. (See write up on page 19 in the April edition of the kibitzer)
I would like to take this opportunity to promote Unit 390’s four Sectional Tournaments. These tournaments are our primary source of revenue which, in turn, allows us to host and to sponsor special events like the ones mentioned above. The purchase and maintenance of assets (trailer and bridge supplies) and initiatives such as the New Member Packages, the Mentorship Program, the Telephone Directories, the Unit 390 notices, the GNT District Final, the District and National NAP, GNT and CNTC travel subsidies, the 90’s Club, the Trophy updates … are costs incurred on a yearly basis and funded in large part with Sectional revenue.
Attendance at the Sectionals is diminishing, and we ask for your support. Most noticeable is the drop in attendance on the part of Flight B players who, for some reason feel they get “beaten up” by the A players at tournaments. I’ve never been able to understand this. On any given day at any open club game in the city, everybody plays against players in all flights … A, B, C and D! So what makes a tournament different?
Maybe two-session events are too tiring for some players but there are separate morning and afternoon side games on Saturday of each tournament. Why not come and play one session. We’d love to see you.
I am thrilled to announce that Emelie Quennell has agreed to serve as the Chairperson for the 2018 Calgary Regional. It took just one little email request met with an immediate “I would love to” response to set the ball in motion. I realize April 2016 seems a long way away from July 2018 but behind the scenes preparation starts now. I can guarantee an incredible Regional with Emelie at the helm and I know Emelie can count on your support.
The Unit 390 Annual General Meeting is scheduled for May 14th at the Kerby Centre. Light lunch will be served at 11 a.m., and the AGM starts at noon with bridge to follow. Hope to see you there.
Delores Hedley
President
Calgary ACBL Unit 390
President’s Report
by Delores Hedley – President, Calgary ACBL Unit 390
January 2016
Happy New Year Everyone. On behalf of your Unit Board, we wish you the very best in 2016.
Thank you to those who supported our first Sectional Tournament of the year. We were more than pleased with the turnout, particularly in the 199’er events. Thank you to Murray and Marilyn Haggins (Bridge Nutz), Linda Walker and Rae Haaland for continuing to promote the Unit tournaments to their new players.
Upcoming Events include the Director’s Course scheduled for January 22nd, 23rd and 24th and the Rookie-Master Swiss Teams Game on February 6th. The incredible success of the November “Boot Camp” will undoubtedly prompt another one come spring. The AGM is scheduled for May 14th. Watch for notices on all Unit events.
Delores Hedley
President
Calgary ACBL Unit 390
President’s Report
by Delores Hedley – President, Calgary ACBL Unit 390
November 2015
One – Two – Three – GO! That’s the momentum of this year’s Unit Board of Directors. We are excited about our initiative to sponsor a variety of seminars for our members and we hope our enthusiasm is reciprocated by your participation. Watch for Notices to the Membership and also be sure to visit the website regularly to keep up with news and events.
Here is just some of what is in the works.
- A Unit-sponsored Bridge Boot Camp with hosts Nancy Klym and Bev Mason, scheduled for November 14th and 15th, sold out in just 11 days with 6 players on a waiting list! This keenness has prompted the Board to schedule a second Boot Camp in the spring. Registrations will not be accepted until plans are finalized.
- A Unit-sponsored Club Director’s Course with hosts Doug & Crystal Mann is scheduled for January 22, 23 and 24th. While designed for those opening a new bridge club or starting a new game, the course would also benefit players seeking a better understanding of common rules. A primer on using ACBLscore will be included in the course. A minimum of 12 participants will be required to sponsor the course.
- A Unit-sponsored ACBL Teacher Accreditation Program (TAP) is a strong possibility for early spring.
- A Unit-sponsored Newcomer-Master Team Game will be held in early spring.
The highlight of our summer was, of course, the very successful White Hat Regional. We may not have set a record in attendance but we sure did in hospitality. With 16 wonderful, hardworking Tournament Committee members (see photo page 12 of the October 2015 Kibitzer), 110 volunteers who baked an abundant supply of cookies and squares and 46 sponsors who contributed to gift baskets, giveaways and some of the evening hospitality – we just couldn’t go wrong. Thank you everybody.
It has been said for many, many years that bridge is dying. Yet I keep seeing so many new faces. I started checking with the various teachers in the city to get a count of people taking lessons. I was surprised to find that there are 107 beginners currently enrolled in fall classes; 38 currently enrolled in various intermediate classes; 30 presently enrolled in an intermediate-plus class and 12 enrolled in a 2-over-1 class. A recently concluded beginner-plus course had 31 graduates and two previous Boot Camps hosted by Nancy Klym and Bev Mason had a total enrollment of 58.
These are just the numbers from people I know of! I would bet there is a lot more teaching going on that I don’t know about. Accolades are due to these teachers who supplied me with their numbers – Linda Walker, Rae Haaland, Dorothy Brayford, Gail Bews, Helen Dillen, Marilyn Haggins, Nancy Klym and Bev Mason.
After my research into teaching, I did a quick check of the number of tables playing bridge at the various clubs during a one week period – a total of 224. I think this is amazing and a tribute to the club owners, managers and directors who provide a great service for our enjoyment. I know they welcome your support.
Delores Hedley
President
Calgary ACBL Unit 390
President’s Report
by Delores Hedley – President, Calgary ACBL Unit 390
September 2015
The Unit 390 Board of Directors welcomes new Board members John Sharpe (Vice President); Dorothy Mersereau (Tournament Chairperson) and Marcel Claeys (Future Masters). Once again the Calgary and area bridge community will benefit through the workings of a strong Unit Board.
The first meeting of the new Board was held on August 27th. Recognizing we are a bit behind schedule, we immediately set about determining what can be offered to the bridge community this year and came up with a few things we would like to explore. In the coming year we will look into sponsoring one or two “Boot Camps” for the developing bridge player and an “ACBL Teacher Accreditation Program”. Plans are already underway to sponsor a “Club Director’s Course” early in the New Year and of course the Special Events Director is focusing on the annual Rookie Master Team Event. Each of these events is dependent on participation so please watch for notices
The Mentorship Program is well underway – thanks to Nancy Stewart and Janet Sharpe. There are currently 70 pairs participating in the program and always room for more. Information on the Mentoring Program is available on the website under Unit 390 Info – Unit 390 Programs. These hardworking ladies do their best to accommodate all Mentors and Mentees entering the program.
We are so very lucky to have some 26 Associate Members assisting us in our role as Directors. We honestly could not accomplish our duties without them. Unfortunately we lost our photographer last year and are on the lookout for a volunteer (or two) to fill the position. Not a hard job – just take pictures of members for the website (particularly new members), and send them to our Webmaster. We wouldn’t mind a few pictures from special events either.
The September Sectional held at Shepard Community Centre was successful with a total table count of 236.5 – down 40 tables from last year. We were a bit nervous with the change in venue but if it was just curiosity of a different playing site or realization that it was incredibly easy to get to that brought the players out, we appreciated the support. In November we are back at the Marlborough Park Community Centre. I think it still feels like home to most of us.
Looking forward to another great year.
Delores Hedley
President
Calgary ACBL Unit 390
President’s Report
by Delores Hedley – President, Calgary ACBL Unit 390
September 2015
The Unit 390 Board of Directors welcomes new Board members John Sharpe (Vice President); Dorothy Mersereau (Tournament Chairperson) and Marcel Claeys (Future Masters). Once again the Calgary and area bridge community will benefit through the workings of a strong Unit Board.
The first meeting of the new Board was held on August 27th. Recognizing we are a bit behind schedule, we immediately set about determining what can be offered to the bridge community this year and came up with a few things we would like to explore. In the coming year we will look into sponsoring one or two “Boot Camps” for the developing bridge player and an “ACBL Teacher Accreditation Program”. Plans are already underway to sponsor a “Club Director’s Course” early in the New Year and of course the Special Events Director is focusing on the annual Rookie Master Team Event. Each of these events is dependent on participation so please watch for notices
The Mentorship Program is well underway – thanks to Nancy Stewart and Janet Sharpe. There are currently 70 pairs participating in the program and always room for more. Information on the Mentoring Program is available on the website under Unit 390 Info – Unit 390 Programs. These hardworking ladies do their best to accommodate all Mentors and Mentees entering the program.
We are so very lucky to have some 26 Associate Members assisting us in our role as Directors. We honestly could not accomplish our duties without them. Unfortunately we lost our photographer last year and are on the lookout for a volunteer (or two) to fill the position. Not a hard job – just take pictures of members for the website (particularly new members), and send them to our Webmaster. We wouldn’t mind a few pictures from special events either.
The September Sectional held at Shepard Community Centre was successful with a total table count of 236.5 – down 40 tables from last year. We were a bit nervous with the change in venue but if it was just curiosity of a different playing site or realization that it was incredibly easy to get to that brought the players out, we appreciated the support. In November we are back at the Marlborough Park Community Centre. I think it still feels like home to most of us.
Looking forward to another great year.
Delores Hedley
President
Calgary ACBL Unit 390
President’s Report
by Delores Hedley – President, Calgary ACBL Unit 390
April 2015
First Order of Business: Thank you to Nicholas and Judith Gartaganis for resuming editorship of the Kibitzer. The best part of 36 years of our Unit history is now archived and available on our webpage. A visit to the archives will provide a trip down memory lane for us “oldies” and to the newcomers – you will recognize many of the names and get a chuckle from some of the pictures.
I know it has been said many times before and it will be repeated again in the future, but bridge in Calgary would not be the same without the time, energy and commitment given by dozens of volunteers. We have those who volunteer on the Unit Board, those who work as Associate Members to the Unit Board, those who help set up and take down games at the clubs throughout the City and then once every three years (this being one of those years), the amazing number of volunteers who commit to ensuring a successful Regional. Pat yourselves on the back people, you deserve it.
At the upcoming Annual General Meeting, we will elaborate on the accomplishments of the Board this past year. I hope you are planning to attend.
Delores Hedley
President
Calgary ACBL Unit 390
President’s Report
by Delores Hedley – President, Calgary ACBL Unit 390
January 2015
It seems it was just the other day that I assumed the role of President and wrote my first message. With a gentle reminder the other evening that a new President’s message was due, I can hardly believe that nine months have passed. The Idiom “time flies when you are having fun” is so very true. My computer Thesaurus defines fun as amusing, pleasurable, entertaining and enjoyable, and I can honestly say that serving on the Unit Board fits each one of these definitions.
Recognition is due to each and every Board and Associate Board Member I have worked with. They are committed and dedicated to maintaining the structure set up by previous Boards and have established new policies and procedures for future Boards. I do feel compelled to extend a personal thank you to Associate Board Member Dave Swadron. We all know him as our Webmaster but he was my personal guru. I can only say that Dave (and wife Marilyn) “had my back”. The majority of us are familiar with and appreciate our website – say thank you to Dave now and then.
My next personal thank you is to Associate Board Members Steve Lawrence and Barbara Webster. As Asset Managers, they are the reason you enjoy the condition of the boards, the new cards, and the clean and complete bidding boxes at each tournament. Maybe thank them once in a while as well.
The upcoming March Sectional will be the last time we will see Doris Lange and Barb Bayer behind the kitchen counter. In addition to all the administrative work and advertising in preparing for each Sectional, these two wonderful ladies catered to us for the past two years, giving up bridge for the entire weekend to make sure that we were taken care of when it came to coffee, tea, soft drinks and those wonderful homemade treats. They have set a standard above and beyond expectations and their departure from the Board is an incredible loss. Whatever will we do without them?
Working on the Board of Directors is an insight into the ACBL, recognition of the history of our Unit, and the ability to implement change to the benefit of our members. With the upcoming Annual General Meeting (June 13), I urge members to attend, stand for election and voice your opinions.
And finally, I can’t help but put a plug in about the upcoming Calgary Regional (July 13 – 19). While the tournament committee is working hard to organize this tournament, remember that you, as members of our bridge community, are the hosts. Ladies be aware you will be called on to bake cookies, squares and slices. Maybe your company could donate a gift basket for a prize? We need some help in the kitchen – can you work one session? And – most of all – support your tournament.
Delores Hedley
President
Calgary ACBL Unit 390