STAC GAMES, MAY 3 THROUGH 9, ALL REGULARLY SCHEDULED GAMES. 

STAC RESULTS (CLICK HERE)

THE ACE OF CLUBS IS DOING WELL IN THE STaC GAMES
i AM SO PROUD OF:

Monday - Karlas Lentini and Jettie Holmes
25th overall in C with 368 tables in play.

Tuesday, Sue Robinson and Barbara Coughlin
4th OA in A (aux), 1st in B - 3.94 Silver Points

Tuesday, Ann Walter & Jane McCague
6th OA in C (aux) - 1.05 Silver Points 

THE FRIDAY NIGHT STAC GAME IS ON!  7:00!  Our first special Friday night game.  The next one will be on June 4, the ACBL Wide Bridge Contest.  See special games schedule for our special game.

VIVIAN JACOBOZZI....

Has taken a fall and broken her shoulder.  She will be out for six weeks!  Get well, Vivian!  That's painful, I remember when my mother fell and did the same thing. 

We are not going to close the club on Friday and Saturday during the Glendale tournament the weekend of May 14 and 15.  We are staying open because ASU West is too far for most of us to travel.
 
MONTHLY WINNERS FOR THE MONTH OF APRIL.

2000 + is JIM HUGHES
300 - 1999 is SUE ROBINSON
0-299 is BETTY CODD

Eileen Friend and Vyrn Muir had a blockbusting 72.50% game today in the Charity Pairs game, Tuesday, April 20, 2010.  Congratulations!  They got 1.73 MP.  Getting 72.50% is like scoring a hole in one in golf.

Betty Tillery and Vivian Nicholas came in second in the same Charity Pair game and scored their first masterpoints.  Betty is straight out of our Club, Diamond, Heart, Spade series of lessons and Vivian has taken lessons but has not played very much.  They got 1.30 masterpoints!  Congratulations to you too.

NEW LIFE MASTER PARTY HONORING ANN WALTER, EILEEN UTTER and HOPE CASTELLANOS ON SATURDAY, May 22, 2010 between the two sessions.  Game time is 10:00 and 2:00, with pot luck for all.  This will be on the same day as our two-session Jr. Education Fund Game. 
John Oakley, Ann Walter, Eileen Utter, Vyrn Muir, Jane McCague, Bob Plotner!!  Read below.

 John Oakley, in a photo with me.

What John did.  I just looked and see that in addition to the successes you see below, John Oakley (who is not old enough for the Senior Regional) won every sectional event he played in this weekend.  He played with Beth Hughes and won; he played with D'Anne Pientka and won; and his swiss team of Jason Schroeder, Gang Zhao, and D'Anne won both single sessions on Sunday. 

Also, Mayre Meyers and Eileen Friend came in 5th in the Flight B Swiss on Sunday.

Read about the virus that was going around. 

On a brighter note!

The winners!  Vyrn Muir, Jane McCague,
Bob Plotner and Ann Walter.



ANN WALTER MAKES LIFE MASTER!! 
CONGRATULATIONS, ANN.
Celebration coming soon.  It will be announced.

For my birthday today, I got this lovely card from Ann, and a note that said that there will be special treats and she is making lunch for our Tuesday 10:00 lesson, lunch, 0-1500 game this coming Tuesday.  Y'all come!  

Eileen Utter made it at this tournament too.  She and Gee Gee got the virus that is going around at the tournament and did this while being very sick at their stomachs.  I hope they are doing much better today.  

Hope Castellanos made Life Master at this tournament too. 
Congratulations, Hope!

Bill Ahern and Joan Tschirki have had quite a tournament.  He has a good partnership with Joan Tschirki - and Kerry Brothers told me she needed partners for the tournament so I got them together and they have done just great.  That always makes me feel good when I am a matchmaker. 

Sid Sides has gotten about 11 gold points, plus other points.
She also won the most points in the 0-300 point category at the club for the month of March by getting 9.07 points.  Way to go Sid!   


I AM VERY HAPPY TO ANNOUNCE THE FOLLOWING:

JOHN OAKLEY, who many believe, and we know, IS "TERRIFIC AT THIS", HAS BEEN OFFERED THE SUNDAY GAME, AND HAS ACCEPTED.  THE SUNDAY GAMES WILL BE CLOSED UNTIL APRIL 25, when JOHN will have his debut.  The GNT Qualifying, the Senior Regional and Tucson tournament are scheduled on the next 3 Sundays, so April 25 is a good time to start. 
Let's welcome JOHN OAKLEY!! 

John Oakley directs our Thursday night game as well.  Did you know that when he was in college at Texas A & M in College Station, Texas, he owned/managed a bridge club?  The college club passes down to another college student as one graduates.  He is a computer whiz and, in fact, works for Fujitsu, a computer company.  He is a very competent and experienced director!  We are so lucky to have him as a vital part of the Ace of Clubs.


WOULD YOU BELIEVE?

Ann Walter got all but .01 gold point in Reno?  She needs .01 to become a Life Master.  Good luck, Ann, our Roadrunner Senior Regional will bring you over the top. Once you get that fraction of a gold point, they will start pouring in.

Taylor Ketchum, Bob Plotner's grandson, and our student on Tuesday nights, 16 years old, just got his driver's license and his first masterpoints today, 3-15-10!  Sylvia, Sam, Bob and I are planning to play with Taylor this summer.  He is so sharp and an all around great guy with lots of talent for this game.

I WON, I WON!!  Darcy Schroeder and I won the Progessive Sectional Final at Sun Lakes on Sun. Mar. 14.  We got 15.50 points for that.  It was a beautiful day playing at Oakwood.  What a gorgeous country club.  Thanks for having us!

WOW!!  I DON'T KNOW HOW MANY POINTS THEY GOT, BUT....
I DO NOW!  2nd overall in the KOs.  2.72 points.  I just knew that Ann made it!
Judy Higbee and Ann Walter got to the finals of the Bracket V KOs...and I know Ann needed less than 2 gold points to make LM.  I am almost sure that she made it.   Judy needed more gold points than Ann so I don't know if she got enough or not.  I am so proud of them.  I just found out this morning that the points were not gold.  :{
Jason and Darcy are trying to find them to play with them this afternoon, Friday, Mar. 19, to play with them this afternoon in the KO.

Did you know....

Jason Schroeder made Bronze Life Master on Mar. 8, in the Monday afternoon game, playing with his mom, Darcy White.  He just made Life Master last year.  He is racking up the points, which is no surprise to me.  Congratulations, Jason!  You know we are so proud of you.  You are special! 


Richard Katz made Gold Life Master today, Mar. 7, playing in the AOC Board-a-Match teams?


Ann Walter and Judy Higbee are leaving for Reno on Wednesday, Mar. 10, for 10 days for the NATIONAL?...Good luck to both of YOU in your quest for the gold.  We will anxiously await your return. 

Today, Feb. 27, 11:00, Allan began his lessons on Defense.

There was a new life master party honoring Sameera Abou-Haidar (2010), Mayre Meyers (2009), Don Elliott (2010), Gang Zhao (2009), Jason Schroeder (2009), Gloria Coles (2009), and also Sylvia DeSerpa (Diamond LM 2009), Priscilla Kelly (outstanding accomplishment, 700 points in 2.5 years) and Sam Whitten, Gold LM!

There were 49 of us enjoying the day today.   Darlene Griffith and Carole Odenreider were first overall.  The field was strong and so were they!

*********************************************************************
Did you know? 

Paul and Mary Lou Glick are in Peru until the end of the month? 

That Sidney Sides made Regional Master this past week?
 
That the ACBL is sponsoring the ACBL-wide SENIOR PAIRS NEXT MONDAY, Feb. 18, at 12:30? 

That we have a new game on the schedule (Tuesday mornings, 10:00 pre-game lecture, 10:30 game, lunch at 12:30, post game discussion and that it is limited to players with no more than 999 masterpoints? 

That Allan DeSerpa is going to teach lessons on DEFENSE, on Saturdays, beginning Feb. 27? 

That Jason teaches on Monday mornings at 10:00?
 
That Sam and I will be teaching a beginning bridge class on Monday nights, beginning March 1 @ 6:30 (Club series), and
 that we currently teach the Diamond series (play of the hand) every Tuesday night @ 6:30?  And, that this class is a continuing class from our previous beginning classes? 
 
That Jim Horton has graciously delegated the name tag job to me? 
 
That Jason teaches at 8:30 before the Thursday morning 0-1500 game?    

Congratulations to:
 PAUL GLICK made Gold Life Master at the Ace of Clubs playing with Dave Rankin last Saturday.  I am particularly happy for Paul because he has been one of my regular partners for 3 years now.  
 
SYDNEY SIDES got all of her silver points playing with Linda Brock at the Ace of Clubs on Sunday.  She has great success at the Club and places in high places overall as a C player with her partners, Linda Brock and Kathy Ronquist.  That girl has talent!!

ALICE BENDHEIM made Silver Life Master playing with Kerry Brothers at the Club in our Friday night game.
Alice has been a friend of the Club and a friend of mine.  We called her to play with Kerry, a new to the area "snowbird" on Friday night, and she became a silver life master as a result.
 
VYRN MUIR and DON ELLIOTT had a 67% game today!!  They have been studying the game on Monday mornings through the lessons offered by Jason and they beat us all today.

Eileen Utter and Gee Gee Alexander won on Thursday morning!

The Ace of Clubs "Club series" class graduated to the Diamond series
on Jan. 27.  Sam and I are very pleased that all of them have continued on to the Diamond series. 
Congratulations to:
Mary Lou, Betty, Mary Ann, Taylor, Dan, Paula, Jim, Gary, Debra,
Gary W., Karen and Ann!  Welcome to our World of Bridge.

SAMEERA ABOU-HAIDAR is only 10 points away from becoming a Life Master.
My SAM's birthday is this Thursday, Feb. 11!
**********************************************************

Last night, Tuesday, Jan. 26, the first class in the Club Series graduated.  A party, Certificates, and a game was played.  They are doing great.  The winners were Paula and Jim Bandura and Gary and Ann Walters.  There was a tie for first place.  Our youngest person in the class, Taylor Ketchum, was visited and kibitzed by his proud and happy grandfather, Bob Plotner
and his grandmother, Mary Plotner.  It was a pleasure to finally get to meet Bob's delightful wife.  She is a retired nurse.  

We look forward to starting the Diamond Series, the play of the hand, beginning next Tuesday, Feb. 2, at 6:30.  All of our advancing players will be there for the next series and we welcome all of you who believe you need to improve this aspect of your game to join us for this 8 week course. 

We are going to announce the date for the next Club Series, for brand new players very soon.  We would like to run an ad in the paper to increase the number.  As of this writing we already have 8.  If you know of anyone you think would like to learn to play bridge, we have one of the best teachers right here at the Ace of Clubs.  Sam is terrific. 

Last night was even more festive because Steve Scott, who just went over 10,000 masterpoints, Suzette Wynn, Dave and JoAnne Rankin played Charlotte and Richard Katz, Ardy McLeod and Colin Van Wallegham in a makeup team league match.  Congratulations Steve, for all of your bridge accomplishments.  We are proud of you.  Many of those points were earned playing with his favorite partner, Suzette.
**************************************************************
Our New Year's eve party was so much fun.  There were 32 of us and lots of food.  Thank you, everyone, for the wonderful evening welcoming in the new year.

Jim Horton has returned.  I have ordered 10 more name tags and we will have them tomorrow afternoon (Saturday, Jan. 2).

DON ELLIOTT - Near and dear to our heart!  Don has been by our side through thick and thin!  An avid and frequent player at the Ace of Clubs!  We saw him in almost all of our lessons as he is a student of the game!  He has a very endearing personality that we all love and is just one of the many people that make up the warm spirit at our Club.  Having previously earned all of his colored points, Don appropriately made Life Master at the club on Thursday morning in our 0-1500 game, playing with Ann Walter, one of his frequent partners (she only needs 2 gold points herself).  He lives in Grealy, Colorado in the summer...45 minutes away from any bridge clubs, so he used his summer time away from us to study the game at home...and when he returned in October, we noticed a new and improved Don, polished, confident and very deserving of his new rank of ACBL Life Master.  We are so proud of you, Don, and wish you continued success as you climb the ranks.  You will notice that once this plateau is reached, the points begin to come easier and we will be by your side every step of the way.  When our club reopened on September 6, 2009, the most frequent inquiry from all the excited supporters of the club was:  Where is the stained glass ACE OF CLUBS that Don made?  It was a labor of love from Don to all of us and is very proudly displayed in  one of the front windows at the club.  

Ann Walter had made an "Ace of Clubs" ceramic pumpkin which sadly got misplaced in our transition from one location to the other.  She said "No problem!"  and made another one.  This was also of great concern to all of us. 

JIM HORTON has already built the P.A. system for the Club and is installing it in the morning at 9:00?  Amazing!!  12-13-09, IT WORKS GREAT!

Jim is also expanding the name tag board to 8 feet so the many name tags do not get tangled up.  (As of this writing, 12-13-09, they are installed and now more functional).
 AND
Ever since the first Club opened, I have wanted to be able to have results that we can check for 3 months back.  JIM HUGHES!  Immediately upon hearing of this desire of mine on Saturday, went to work on it.  He brought the CD to the Club yesterday, and it is wonderful.  It is not on this website yet because he is still playing with it.  But it will be nice to be able to look back a few months to see how we did on a particular day.  Can you imagine how many hours he spent on this?  He has every game played at the Club since it reopened on September 6 in this file.  We will be able to save them from year to year, plus check back to the beginning.  Wow!  Thank you so much, Jim.  My father's name was Jim, also.  Let's see, my Dad, Jim Williams, the master at name tags and the P.A. system, Jim Horton, and the magnificent computer guru, Jim Hughes.  I wish my name was JIM.  These Jim's are like precious gems to me. 

Also, I have purchased a coke machine for the Club that will be coming tomorrow.  Surely, the Club is now complete and I will be able to relax and just enjoy it. 
*****************************************************************

In addition to our wonderful name tags that Jim Horton makes for us, he has offered to build us a microphone that works from individual components.  Isn't he wonderful? And talented?  Patti, Sam, Jason, John and I will no longer have to raise our voices to be heard among our bustling, happy, loquacious patrons of the Ace of Clubs.  The energetic atmosphere at the Club is wonderful.

OUR NEXT LIFE MASTERS:

SAMEERA ABOU-HAIDAR (About 15 black)
DON ELLIOTT (About 15 black)
ANN WALTER (only a couple of gold)

STEVE SCOTT only needs 100 more points to go over the 10,000 mark.  If he has won a national event, he will be a Grand Master, the highest rank awarded in the ACBL.
Today is probably the first time he has ever been the least bit interested in how many points he has gotten at a club game. 

And:  GANG ZHAO made it!!
Just 15 months ago, I got an email from a young man from China.  He was asking how he could join the Ace of Clubs, told me that he was the captain of his college bridge team in China, and that he needed partners.  Somehow I knew that he had special talent and needed "students of the game" that he could delve deeply into establishing partnerships with so that he could enjoy the game to the fullest.  I assured him that we had what he was looking for...and forwarded his email to Jason Schroeder.  They quickly got into their partnership, studying, discussing, developing and applying systems, and it was so much fun for me to watch them grow!!  They won, and they won, and they just kept on winning.  Saturday afternoon, at the Kachina sectional, Gang, and one of his other partners, Kang Hong, won the OPEN PAIRS, with over a 70% game, which was just enough to put Gang over the top to become a Life Master in record time.  About a month ago, he told me that he only needed 24 black points, having already met the ACBL requirements for his gold, red, and silver points.  He is one of the people that I can see becoming a new generation top player among all the ACBL. I couldn't be any more proud and happy about his success.  Gang is married and has a young son, works full time, and keeps his priorities straight, putting work and family ahead of his passion for the game of bridge.  He does make good use of his bridge playing time by making each and every game count.  He is just the kind of guy that I hold in high regard and respect.  The bridge community is enriched by having Gang as one of its members.  The Ace of Clubs is better having him as part of our club.  He joined the ACBL at the Ace of Clubs just 15 months ago.  Phenomenal! 

***********************************************
 
NEW AT THE ACE OF CLUBS

1.  Jim Horton, and the Ace of Clubs, have provided name tags for each and every one of you that has played at the Ace of Clubs since we opened.  If you put it on when you arrive and take it off when you leave and hang it on the hanger, you will always have one when you play at the Club.  Thank you, thank you, Jim, for all of your time doing this and for your wonderfully great idea.  The Ace of Clubs will now truly be a "place where everyone knows your name."

and

2.  THE ICE MAKER.  The plumbing is now in place and the ice maker fully installed.  It is now producing these fresh, filtered water, clear ice cubes.  You will love drinking the best freshly brewed tea in town, the lemonade, the juice, the soft drinks and the just plain filtered water provided by the Ace of Clubs with these new ice cubes.  Isn't that exciting?   

It occurs to me that the NEW ACE OF CLUBS is really almost done now.  Let's see, a kitchen, a serving counter, handicapped bathrooms, pretty carpet, light and bright, painted walls, color, atmosphere, sitting area outside, lots of wonderful people coming to the games, games for everyone at every level, a great staff of directors, great lessons.  We have Ron on Friday mornings at 10:00, Sam teaching 2/1 on Saturdays at 10:00, a class starting Monday, November 16 with Jason on modern bridge conventions and supervised play of those conventions at 10:00, and our beginning class starting Tuesday night, November 10 at 6:30, with Sam and I teaching the club, diamond, heart and spade series.   We have our team league beginning on Friday night, November 13 (or anytime during a two-week period thereafter), a 0-1500 game on Thursday mornings at 9:00 and a 0-1500 game on Thursday evenings, at 7:00, beginning November 12, and an expert game being played separately but simultaneously, with all conventions allowed and no stratification.  You can play up if you like, but you can't play down.  I am thrilled with all the activity and action at the Club.  It is truly a club for everyone, which was my dream. 



HERE YE!  HERE YE!  Priscilla Kelly, Joyce Breclaw, Judy Higbee, Carol Odenreider, and Vivian Jacobozzi, to mention only a few, are on a week long Mexican Riviera bridge cruise this week.  (7 days altogether)  I think Vi Costantino and a few others went also.  THE ACE OF CLUBS is having a Unit game tomorrow (Monday, the 26th) and we need YOU.  Thursday morning will be our last Club Appreciation game this year (October only) and it is a 0-1500 extra point game.  Please make it a point on your calendar to support this game.  In fact, this week, if you want to play in the afternoon also, we will only charge half price for the afternoon game if you played in the morning game.  We then have a Barometer game on Thursday night at 7:00.  If you haven't played in one yet, you should try it.  You just might like it.  We make 4 sets of boards for this and they are played simultaneously.  You get results after each round.  By the way, are you getting ready for the first night game for 0-1500 players on November 12?  An expert game will be played separately but simultaneously, with no stratification, no conventional restrictions, and grueling, fun competition.  We will even have guest speakers give a mini-lesson 15 minutes before the game. 

Ann Walter's granddaughter, Natasha, came in 9th overall at the nationals in dance which qualified her to go to New York for further competition.  There is a sign up sheet on the table in the back at the club for See's candy, the funds of which help fund Natasha's trip.  If anyone would like to order See's candy for this worthy cause, it will help Natasha.  She is a super kid, a beautiful, sweet, smart young teenage girl with her priorities in the right place, whom I have come to love and appreciate.   She is a first class dancer and makes us proud. Let's continue to contribute to her success.

DID YOU KNOW?  That Jim Horton is making name tags for everyone that plays at the Ace of Clubs?  That he is making a 5 foot board with hooks to hang them on?  Isn't that wonderful?  If you want your name to read anything different than what we have in the database, you should let us know.  For example, Jimmie Parrish wants her's to read:  Jimmie Wren Parrish. 


ITALIAN FEAST NEXT MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 12, AT 12:30.  THIS IS BEING PROVIDED BY VIVIAN JACOBOZZI!!  Thank you, Vivian!

Congratulations to First Overall:  Richard Catero, Ron Fischer, Charlotte & Richard Katz 1st OA
Congratulations Priscilla Kelly, Sameera Abou-Haidar, and Trudy Franco, 2nd OA
Congratulations Ann Walter, Patti Landwehr, Carroll Morrow and Jason Hsung, 1st OA in C;
today in the Club Appreciation Swiss.TWO EXCITING THINGS HAPPENED AT THE ACE OF CLUBS TODAY!! (Oct. 27)1.  NAME TAGS.  JIM HORTON came by this morning with the beautifully stained wooden hangers for the tags and all of the name tags for each and every one of you that has played at the Ace of Clubs since we opened.  If you put it on when you arrive and take it off when you leave and hang it on the hanger, you will always have one when you play at the Club.  Thank you, thank you, Jim, for all of your time doing this and for your wonderfully great idea.  The Ace of Clubs will now truly be a "place where everyone knows your name."and 2.  THE ICE MAKER.  The plumbing is now in place and the ice maker fully installed.  It is now producing these fresh, filtered water, clear ice cubes.  You will love drinking the best freshly brewed tea in town, the lemonade, the juice, the soft drinks and the just plain filtered water provided by the Ace of Clubs with these new ice cubes.  Isn't that exciting?   It occurs to me that the club is really almost done now.  Let's see, a kitchen, a serving counter, handicapped bathrooms, pretty carpet, light and bright, painted walls, color, atmosphere, sitting area outside, lots of wonderful people coming to the games, games for everyone at every level, a great staff of directors, great lessons.  We have Ron on Friday mornings at 10:00, Sam teaching 2/1 on Saturdays at 10:00, a class starting Monday, November 16 with Jason on modern bridge conventions and supervised play of those conventions at 10:00, and our beginning class starting Tuesday night, November 10 at 6:30, with Sam and I teaching the club, diamond, heart and spade series.   We have our team league beginning on Friday night, November 13 (or anytime during a two-week period thereafter), a 0-1500 game on Thursday mornings at 9:00 and a 0-1500 game on Thursday evenings, at 7:00, beginning November 12, and an expert game being played separately but simultaneously, with all conventions allowed and no stratification.  You can play up if you like, but you can't play down.  I am thrilled with all the activity and action at the Club.  It is truly a club for everyone, which was my dream.  HERE YE!  HERE YE!  Priscilla Kelly, Joyce Breclaw, Judy Higbee, Carol Odenreider, and Vivian Jacobozzi, to mention only a few, are on a week long Mexican Riviera bridge cruise this week.  (7 days altogether)  I think Vi Costantino and a few others went also.  THE ACE OF CLUBS is having a Unit game tomorrow (Monday, the 26th) and we need YOU.  Thursday morning will be our last Club Appreciation game this year (October only) and it is a 0-1500 extra point game.  Please make it a point on your calendar to support this game.  In fact, this week, if you want to play in the afternoon also, we will only charge half price for the afternoon game if you played in the morning game.  We then have a Barometer game on Thursday night at 7:00.  If you haven't played in one yet, you should try it.  You just might like it.  We make 4 sets of boards for this and they are played simultaneously.  You get results after each round.  By the way, are you getting ready for the first night game for 0-1500 players on November 12?  An expert game will be played separately but simultaneously, with no stratification, no conventional restrictions, and grueling, fun competition.  We will even have guest speakers give a mini-lesson 15 minutes before the game.  Ann Walter's granddaughter, Natasha, came in 9th overall at the nationals in dance which qualified her to go to New York for further competition.  There is a sign up sheet on the table in the back at the club for See's candy, the funds of which help fund Natasha's trip.  If anyone would like to order See's candy for this worthy cause, it will help Natasha.  She is a super kid, a beautiful, sweet, smart young teenage girl with her priorities in the right place, whom I have come to love and appreciate.   She is a first class dancer and makes us proud. Let's continue to contribute to her success.DID YOU KNOW?  That Jim Horton is making name tags for everyone that plays at the Ace of Clubs?  That he is making a 5 foot board with hooks to hang them on?  Isn't that wonderful?  If you want your name to read anything different than what we have in the database, you should let us know.  For example, Jimmie Parrish wants her's to read:  Jimmie Wren Parrish.  ITALIAN FEAST NEXT MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 12, AT 12:30.  THIS IS BEING PROVIDED BY VIVIAN JACOBOZZI!!  Thank you, Vivian!Congratulations to First Overall:  Richard Catero, Ron Fischer, Charlotte & Richard Katz 1st OACongratulations Priscilla Kelly, Sameera Abou-Haidar, and Trudy Franco, 2nd OACongratulations Ann Walter, Patti Landwehr, Carroll Morrow and Jason Hsung, 1st OA in C;today in the Club Appreciation Swiss.  The Ace of Clubs "Club series" class graduated to the Diamond series on Jan. 27.  **********************************************************