Bridge Buzz
ACBL District 17 / Region 10
Greetings, District 17 Players!
What a joy to see and play with so many of you in Albuquerque. The tournament committee worked hard to ensure a well-run tournament, including excellent educational talks.
Thank you to the clubs and units that hosted GNT Qualifying events. This year was fun knowing that simply participating qualified you for the District Finals. Thank you to the teams that supported the two online GNT finals that were hosted to support teams that are not in the same location. Look below for more information from our GNT Coodinator, Julie Clark. (And good luck to our NAP players, at the table now in St. Louis.)
Welcome, Kelly Wawrzynek! Kelly has taken on the role of website assistant. I personally am so grateful for her talent and energy. Be sure to check our website often (D17acbl.org). We welcome fun pictures and stories from recent events.
As always, players, enjoy the camaraderie and friendships made at the table and may all your finesses work!
The D17 board met in January at the Albuquerque regional. A few takeaways:
- The D17 Policies and Procedures manual and the Bylaws have been updated, subject to approval at the next D17 board meeting. These documents include all the guidelines and implementation procedures for District 17 business. Click here to view (scroll to the bottom of the page).
- Information on grass roots funding will be provided soon. Clubs will receive information from ACBL regarding choosing to host charity events at tournaments. The goal is to increase funding for grass roots events. The funding will help support players that represent D17 in final competitions. Contact Dave Baglee, D17 Tournament Chair, if you have questions.
- The board performed the annual review of unit board representation.
- A constructive dialogue was begun regarding NAP and GNT subsidies. This will be continued in April.
For more details of the full board meeting, refer to the minutes. Minutes of all board meetings are posted here.
Jump Start Bridge
Jump Start Bridge is active in District 17! Linda Thieken and several other volunteers hosted a very successful booth at the AAGT (Arizona Association for the Gifted and Talented) conference in Mesa, AZ in February. Of the approximately 400 teachers in attendance, 88 registered, from 27 different cities, and 18 checked the Contact Me box. The Spanish-language version of Jump Start Bridge was very well received.
Congratulations to the pairs representing District 17 at the North American Pairs NABC Finals in St. Louis!! Let’s wish them luck! Winners are shown below.
The new qualifying period for NAPs will begin in June 2026 and run through August. Plan on playing at your local club qualifying game to be eligible for the District 17 NAP finals being held at the Taos Regional on September 25th and 26th.
Flights (points accumulated by May 6, 2026 determine your flight):
Championship Flight: Open to any player
Flight A: less than 6000 masterpoints
Flight B: less than 3000 masterpoints
Flight C: Non-Life Masters with fewer than 750 masterpoints
Flights are based on individual players; flights are not averaged.
Stay tuned – more information will be coming soon! Questions? Contact District 17 NAP Coordinator: Julie Clark; jclark9811@comcast.net or 303-981-5230
This is your chance to represent District 17 at the Minneapolis NABC GNT Finals! The prestigious event will be held Wednesday July 8, 2026 – Sunday, July 12, 2026. The first-place teams in the Championship Flight and Flight A will advance. The first- and second-place teams in Flights B and C will advance, if there are at least eight teams competing in each flight at the District 17 Finals.
Championship Flight (unlimited masterpoints) District 17 Finals
The online competition on Bridge Base Online will be held on Saturday, April 4, 2026, and Sunday, April 5, 2026 (if needed).
Flights A, B, and C District 17 Finals
The in-person competition will take place at the Denver Rocky Mountain Regional on Saturday, May 23, 2026, and Sunday, May 24, 2026.
Eligibility
- Flight C: Non-Life Master with fewer than 750 masterpoints
- Flight B: 0 – < 3000 masterpoints
- Flight A: 0 – <6000 masterpoints
Flight eligibility is based on the number of points accumulated by August 6, 2025. No member of any team can exceed the top limit of the flight – the points are not averaged.
Pre-registration
Teams participating in the Championship Flight D17 GNT Final must pre-register no later than Monday, March 31, 2026. Teams participating in the Flights A, B, and C District 17 Finals must pre-register no later than Thursday, May 8th, 2026.
All team captains must email their team roster to Julie Clark, jclark9811@comcast.net. The emails must include the names and ACBL numbers of all team members. Additionally, for the Championship Flight, the message must include the BBO names of all team members.
Pre-payment
Payment for the first two sessions of play must be submitted in advance:
- Championship Flight: $160
- Flights A, B, and C: $128
Payment options:
- Send a check to Jennifer O’Neill, D17 Treasurer, 30 Sommerset Circle, Greenwood Village, CO 80111
- Remit via Zelle to ACBLd17@gmail.com
Pre-qualification
Pre-qualification is required to play in the District 17 GNT Finals. Click here to see if you qualified.
If you believe you qualified and do not see your name, please contact Julie Clark at jclark9811@comcast.net with the date and club of the qualification game.
Julie Clark has been and continues to be a very active contributor to bridge, including:
- President of Unit 361 for two years
- Co-chair of the Denver regional for two years
- Co-chair of the upcoing Taos regional
- Co-chair of Registrations and Prizes for the 2027 NABC in Las Vegas
- D17 GNT Coordinator
- D17 NAP Coordinator
- D17 Pianola Coordinator
Thank you, Julie!
Kitty Larson is a dedicated and uplifting presence within the bridge community, known for her steady leadership, collaborative spirit, and genuine commitment to helping others thrive. She has served with distinction on both the District 17 board and the Unit 351 board, where she champions player engagement, supports tournament operations, and works to create a welcoming, inclusive environment for players of all levels.
In addition to her bridge leadership, Kitty is deeply rooted in community service. She volunteers with local organizations and brings the same warmth, reliability, and enthusiasm to her community work that she brings to the bridge table. Whether coordinating programs, supporting families, or building partnerships, Kitty is always focused on strengthening connections and making sure people feel seen and valued.
Her combination of service, kindness, and unwavering good will makes Kitty an exceptional ambassador for the game and a deserving nominee for the ACBL Goodwill Committee.
Patty Coates is recognized for her outstanding work supporting the Alzheimer's Association, and for the energy, compassion, and creativity she brought to her club's fundraising efforts. Patty's leadership, her willingness to try new approaches, and her ability to bring people together made a meaningful impact – both within the bridge community and beyond it.
by Julie Bosserman
Unit 354 member
Jan Evans is the Duke City Bridge Club manager in Albuquerque, NM. She has been a member of the club for 23 years and is a Gold Life Master. Over the past four years she has also coordinated the club's “Longest Day” charity drive in support of the Alzheimer’s Association. She helped the club raise over $22,000 in 2025 and over $80,000 in total!
Her passion stems from her parents. Her father had Alzheimer’s disease and her mother had vascular dementia, both at the same time. Jan took care of them for four years. Jan lectured on caregiving and dementia for several years, guiding seniors on the management of their later years and how to plan for them.
In addition to her Alzheimer’s work, she helps coordinate the club’s annual Christmas charity drives that help local children in need.
We are extremely lucky to have Jan as part of our bridge community! Congratulations on your award!
by Dave Baglee
Unit 351 member
By the time this column reaches you, the ACBL Board of Directors will have concluded our first in-person meetings of the year in St. Louis (February 23–26). These sessions provided a dedicated forum to establish Board committee directions for 2026, review the strategic objectives of the organization, and address the practical challenges facing our game.
Membership building and retention
In St. Louis, the Board conducted a "deep dive" into our current membership initiatives. We focused on evaluating existing programs—analyzing what is working and identifying what isn't. We are determining how to best improve the member experience to ensure long-term retention and drive new member recruitment.
The Board also continued its work on "Pathways to Improving Tournaments," a comprehensive initiative aimed at supporting tournament organizers. This project focuses on three key areas:
Optimizing tournament schedules to better meet player needs.
Refining overall calendar planning.
Improving staffing models for better efficiency.
Budget oversight and integrity
Following our approval of the 2026 operating and capital budgets in Q4 of 2025, the St. Louis sessions served as a vital "temperature check." We reviewed our financial performance to date to ensure we remain fiscally responsible and on track.
Beyond the balance sheet, the Board addressed our ongoing progress in combating online cheating. Maintaining the integrity of the game remains a top priority.
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I will be sending a comprehensive National Board Report to our District 17 membership in mid-March. I value your feedback and encourage you to reach out to me directly at region10director@acbl.org.
I look forward to seeing you at the Tucson Regional (April 7–11) and at all D17 regionals held throughout 2026.
New Venue! Join Us for the 2026 Tucson Regional
On behalf of Unit 356, it is my pleasure to invite you to the 2026 Tucson Regional, held April 7–11 at the Marriott Tucson University Park Hotel.
A premier tournament setting
The newly renovated Marriott offers a fresh, modern backdrop for our regional, featuring:
Exceptional playing area: Compete in a bright, spacious environment designed for maximum comfort. For your convenience, restrooms are located immediately outside the playing area doors.
Prime location: Steps away from Main Gate Square, you will have immediate access to a variety of restaurants, local shopping, and vibrant nightlife.
Daily hospitality: Enjoy complimentary morning coffee and gourmet treats each day, followed by a buffet lunch on Saturday.
Make hotel reservations before March 16, 2026: Click Here
September 21–27, 2026
Reserve your room at the Sagebrush Inn today – rooms are going fast
Rates: $119–$159/night
See the flyer for booking information
Daily events to satisfy everyone
Team games every day
Soloway, Bracketed Teams, or Swiss
299 Pair games Monday – Saturday
Gold Rush Pair games Tuesday – Sunday
Open Pair games Monday – Saturday
District 17 North American Pairs finals
Championship and Flight C – Friday, September 25th
Flights A and B – Saturday, September 26th
Partnership desk
Signup Genius: https://bit.ly/47CTGqb
Speakers Tuesday – Saturday
Excellent tips for both newer and seasoned players
Click here to view the flyer.
by Julie Clark and Jennifer O'Neill
Tournament Co-Chairs
In 2023, D17 adopted a unique logo. This logo combines D17, Region 10, and the ACBL. It should be used on all D17 communications, including tournament flyers, and the ACBL logo should not be used. The goal is to distinguish between D17 communications and ACBL communications.
Click here to download the D17 logo.
Recently, several D17 members have received emails purporting to come from various D17 board members, asking for money in some form. Don't bite! D17 board members will never use their position to ask for money, donations, purchases, etc.
One of the easiest ways to verify an email is to check the sender's email address. If it isn't the email address you expect, don't open any links or download any files. If you are uncertain, contact the board member.
What the hey?
If you poke around the internet, you can find quite a few lists of bridge terms, compiled by people who know whereof they speak.
Here are three lists that might be of interest.
- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Glossary_of_contract_bridge_terms (general)
- https://www.betterbridge.com/index.php?route=information/faq&topic=42 (Audrey Grant)
- https://www.jeff-goldsmith.com/bridge/glossary.html (Jeff Goldsmith)
And none of them mentions the backwash squeeze, so I'll define it here. A backwash squeeze is:
"...a non-material trump squeeze without the count. It occurs when the declarer (or dummy) has high trump(s) but must not draw opponent's remaining trump(s). Instead, he ruffs a card high, and the opponent playing after, still having trump(s), must choose to under-ruff or give up one of menaces, either in form of a direct trick or an exit card, allowing later endplay."
(Thank you, Wikipedia)
Jack Shoemaker
My career is defined by proven executive experience and extensive management across diverse sectors. This includes consulting at Deloitte, 17 years as an IT consulting firm owner, and 18 years at IBM, where I held senior responsibilities for the Americas region. Throughout these roles, I've managed over 100 employees, vendors, and independent contractors.
I bring a strong foundation in governance, operations, and strategic execution that directly translates to my service on the ACBL Unit 356 Board. My past roles include Partnership Chair (2018-2020) and Unit Vice President (2020-2022). Currently, I hold a dual role as Unit President (2022-present) and Tournament Chair (2022-present), where I've successfully overseen venue selection, contract negotiations, and the execution of three Open Regionals, three NLM Regionals, and eight Sectionals.
Other information that may or may not be pertinent is I grew up in Park Ridge IL, a suburb of Chicago and attended Iowa State University with degrees in Computer Science and Statistics and a Masters of Managment (MBA) from Northwestern.
Steve Western
I am an Arizona native who began playing bridge in 2014, playing only sporadically until I retired three years ago. I am now a club director and am fortunate to be able to play multiple times per week. Also, I have a partner willing to travel to tournaments to play.
Based on my research I believe bridge is a top activity to maintain neuroplasticity and delay cognitive decline. Play Bridge!
Peg Cook
Unit 355 (Sedona AZ)
Also Bronze Life Master
Tim Ellis
Unit 364 (Edwards CO)