Bridge Buzz

The District 17 Bridge Buzz focuses on district and national news
and provides the links to access the details.
The Buzz is published every other month. Catch the next Buzz January 2027.

Send feedback and content suggestions to bridgebuzzeditor@gmail.com.

by Sharon Smith

sharon@steamboatbridge.com

Thank you in advance for taking the time to read the Buzz! Our District greatly benefits from players being aware of news and events! Ask around at the club, and make sure players know the newsletter is for EVERYONE!

District 17 hosted five fabulous Regionals in 2026! The venues, hospitality, education, and games for players of all levels were fantastic. Please plan to attend the four Regionals in 2027, and the Summer NABC hosted in our district in Las Vegas in July! The success of the Regionals depends on volunteers and attendance!

Many of our Sectionals and Local Sectionals posted larger table counts. Thank you ALL for hosting great sectionals and for supporting the events. The recent Adjunct Director position will help our Local Sectionals! Thank you to our Local directors for stepping up!

Kelly Wawrzynek, our District 17 website assistant, has made many updates and improvements to the District site (d17acbl.org). Spend some time familiarizing yourself with the pages, news, and information available for all players.

At the club level, be sure to nurture our Intermediate and newer players. Most ACBL members are not life masters.

Player participation in the NAP finals in Taos was great! Good luck to our players at the National NAP finals in Dallas!

GNT qualification season is in progress through February. Did you know that if you participate, you qualify to play in the District finals? The district finals in Denver have been a joy to compete in. In addition to the great competition, the camaraderie is palpable!

The Wishbone STaC is coming up: November 9–16 – silver points for winners. Make sure that your club is participating, and make sure to play in it. See below for more information.

The Cactus Flower Non-Life Master (NLM) Regional Pays 50% GOLD Thursday, November 19 through Saturday, November 21 at the Tanque Verde Lutheran Church, 8625 E. Tanque Verde Road, Tucson. Ample free parking daily.

Click here to view the tournament flyer.

The regional is exclusively for NLMs with fewer than 750 masterpoints. All NLMs will receive a tournament patch and more. Gold Rush pairs and/or teams that finish in the overalls (Stratification A) will be awarded 50 percent gold and 50 percent red masterpoints.

There will be two days of two-session Gold Rush pairs. On Friday, 0–20 players play for free. Gold Rush Swiss teams will be held on Saturday.

The Tucson Fall Sectional will be held at the same time and at the same location as the Cactus Flower NLM Regional; however, they are two separate tournaments.

Earn silver points at the sectional! It offers two days of open pairs and two days of Swiss teams. A sectional bracketed Swiss teams will be held on Saturday.

Hospitable touches for all attendees include complimentary coffee and hot tea, morning snacks and premium candy daily. Saturday lunch is included in the team entry. Lunch will be available for purchase on Thursday and Friday.

Take advantage of free lectures by top local experts Thursday and Friday between sessions.

Stay nearby at the Sheraton Tucson Hotel and Suites. Book online here or call Marriott at 800-325-2525 or 520-323-6262 to reserve your room.

by Jack Shoemaker

Unit 356 Tournament Chair

shoejack20@gmail.com

Planning is well underway for the

Albuquerque Regional Bridge Tournament!

Click on the link above to see the full range of events. There are games for every level of expertise.

Click here to reserve your room

We are back to our standard week: January 18–24, 2027

Make your plans and reserve your room now to take advantage of the group rate:
Land of Enchantment Regional

Well-known bridge pro and instructor Donna Compton will be holding classes Tuesday–Thursday, January 19–21, from 8:00–9:00 am. The classes are targeted toward Intermediate/Novice players, but more experienced players may find the refresher rewarding as well.

Donna's topics:

• Day 1: Attitude Signals ~ Sending the Right Message
• Day 2: Count Signals ~ The Mystery of Declarer’s Shape
• Day 3: Combining Attitude and Count for a Smarter Defense

by Sue Kelly

President, Unit 374

Unit 354 is excited to host the Phoenix NLM Gold Rush Regional, February 5–7 in Fountain Hills, AZ, in conjunction with the Silver Sun Open Sectional.

The Gold Rush Regional is specifically for Non-Life Master players with 0–750 masterpoints. If you have earned your Life Master title, you are not eligible for the NLM Regional, regardless of your current masterpoint total.

Gold Rush Pairs will be held Friday and Saturday, with a NLM Bracketed Swiss Teams event on Sunday. Single-session entries are welcome in the Gold Rush Pairs. The accompanying Silver Sun Sectional offers Open Pairs and Bracketed Teams throughout the weekend.

Come join us for a fun weekend of Regional and Sectional bridge! Free coffee, donuts and snacks will be provided, along with free parking.

Location: Fountain Hills Community Center, 13001 N. La Montana Dr., Fountain Hills, AZ 85268. Click here for more information.

by Julie Bosserman

Vice President and Tournament Coordinator, Unit 354

Great weather, a consistent playing schedule and signature hospitality make the Tucson Regional THE place to play! The regional is at the Marriott Tucson University Park Hotel, April 6–10, 2027.

RESERVE YOUR ROOMS TODAY!

Click here to view the tournament schedule, hotel details, and booking deadlines.

With start times of 9:30 am and 2:00 pm, this tournament schedule includes bracketed round robin teams, Gold Rush pairs, and open pairs. 299er pair games are offered Tuesday and Wednesday and 0–10 players play for free Tuesday through Friday.

Note:

• Free lectures will be held between sessions Tuesday through Friday.
• A/X/Y Swiss and Bracketed Gold teams (0–3000) will begin at 9 am on Saturday.

The community surrounding the Marriott Tucson University Park is vibrant, youthful, and deeply rooted in the cultural and academic heartbeat of Tucson. Main Gate Square: Just steps away, this lively district offers a mix of restaurants, boutiques, and entertainment venues that cater to both students and visitors.

If you need a partner or a team, contact our partnership chair, Rick Dunie, at rickybehr@comcast.net.

This is a cashless tournament. Credit/debit cards only. No smoke, no fragrance, and no bad behavior. Zero tolerance will be strictly enforced.

by Jack Shoemaker

Tournament Chair

shoejack20@gmail.com

Play in the D17 Wishbone STaC, November 9–15. Silver points available :)

Note that this will not be a royal STaC, as the September STaC was a Royal STaC and and the ACBL allows only two Royal STaCs a year.

Click here to see if your club is participating, and if it isn't, there's still time to talk to your club owner/manager/director.

The recently completed D17 Falling Leaves Royal StaC, September 14–20, had 837 tables. Masterpoint awards were 25% each gold, silver, red, and black.

Much appreciation to the club owners and players who participated!!

Click here for STaC winners.

• Winter Wonderland STaC (January 25–31, 2027)
• Summer Fun ROYAL STaC (June 7–13, 2027)
• Falling Leaves STaC (September 13–19, 2027)
• Holiday ROYAL STaC (December 6–12, 2027)

STaC stands for Sectional Tournament at Clubs. Click here for more information.

Thank you again for your participation,

Bonnie Bagley

D17 STaC Coordinator

The D17 board held its third face-to-face meeting of 2026 at the Taos regional. You can see the draft minutes here, and minutes of all board meetings here.

Congratulations to the following people who will be representing District 17 at the upcoming National NAPs in Dallas this March!

Championship Flight:

• Curt Soloff and Spencer Jones
• Rick Clelland and Ying Zhang
• Doug Fjare and Josh Donn

Flight A:

• Kyle Rockoff and Shari Smart
• Maya Alela and Brooks Chupp
• Ed Yosses and Roger Miller

Flight B:

• Pete Cowles and John Farbarik
• Wayne Rosenberger and Wayne Caplan
• James Werbel and Helen Tropp-Zell
• Jonathan Dings and Karie Willyerd

Flight C:

• Pawan Agrawal and Rosy Agrawal
• Gary Reser and Bari Holman
• David Pliskin and Helen Korschgen
• Brad Bowden and Mickey Gordon (unable to attend in Dallas)
• Gale Kahn and Judith Hughes

by Julie Clark

D17 GNT/NAP Coordinator

jclark9811@comcast.net

303-981-5230

Qualifying for the District 17 GNT finals is underway. To qualify, an individual must play in a club-level GNT game anywhere in the country. Individuals do not need to qualify with the same team they will compete with at the District 17 finals. However, the teams that win at the District 17 finals can be augmented only according to the District 17 and National GNT Conditions of Contest.

The Championship District 17 finals will be held online. The platform has not yet been determined. They will be held on Saturday, April 3, 2027, and Sunday, April 4, 2027.

The District 17 finals for Flights A, B, and C will be held on Saturday, May 29, 2027, and Sunday, May 30, 2027, at the Denver Regional. These will be held in person.

Flights:

• Flight C: Non-Life Master with fewer than 750 masterpoints
• Flight B: 0 – < 3000 masterpoints
• Flight A: 0 – < 6000 masterpoints
• Championship Flight: unlimited masterpoints

No individual can exceed the masterpoint limit in each flight. Teams totals are not averaged

The National GNT Finals will be held in Las Vegas on July 14, 2027 – July 18, 2027. The top team in the Championship Flight and Flight A will be eligible to compete in the National GNT Finals. If eight or more teams compete in Flights B and C, the district can send the top two teams to the National GNT Finals.

Click here to view District 17's Conditions of Contest

Click here to view the National GNT Conditions of Contest

For questions, please contact Julie Clark at jclark9811@comcast.net.

by Julie Clark

D17 GNT/NAP Coordinator

jclark9811@comcast.net

303-981-5230

The roundtable at the Albuquerque regional is set for Wednesday, January 20, 2027, immediately following the 9:30 session at the hotel restaurant. Please RSVP to Laurie Steuri at lsteuri@icloud.com.

Prior roundtables have included discussions of teaching resources. Are you fully utilizing the curriculum Patty Tucker has provided? What about the new hands provided by Bridge Finesse? Contact Sharon (sharon@steamboatbridge.com) for more information.

• Jump Start Bridge sponsored Game Night and a booth at the Colorado Gifted conference (CAGT) in Loveland, CO.
• The National Math (NCTM) conference was held in Denver, CO October 28–31. Jump Start Bridge hosted a booth!

We have had over 60 Colorado teachers apply for materials. This program takes time for the teachers to implement. We are starting to see the results.

Congratulations to our newly elected D17 representatives:

• Susan Shaver, representing Unit 351
• Sharon Smith, returning representative, representing Colorado at large and Wyoming Units 359, 364, 421, and 422.

Effective January 4, 2027, the roles of Tournament Assistant and Local Sectional Director are being replaced by a single role: Adjunct Director.

As before, the tournament organizers are responsible for recruiting, hiring, and paying this person. The ACBL maintains a list of accredited Adjunct Directors. The Adjunct Director must be approved by the tournament DIC (Director In Charge).

Click here for a complete presentation of the new role and its requirements.

As you know, brain work (like bridge) is thought to contribute to the prevention of Alzheimer's. Stephanie Foster, who is the D17 liaison to our local Alzheimer's Association organization and the coordinator of the local Do What You Love to End Alzheimer's, has provided a brief summary of the current state of Alzheimer's research and a couple of lifestyle practices that may be helpful in preventing Alzheimer's. Click here to read it, and thank you Stephanie.

New to me, anyway.

The Biltcliffe coup: (British slang) A sarcastic term applied to a poor result as a consequence of four steps:

1. The opponents are about to play in a part score, when you bid in pass-out seat.
2. The opponents then bid game.
3. You double for penalties.
4. They make the contract.

In some circles, the coup is not recognized unless the contract makes through misdefense.

Named in honor of a British player, Jim Biltcliffe. Thanks to Mike Green, who posted this on Bridge Winners, and also told me that Biltcliffe was a British county player and probably did not deserve to be memorialized like this.

Las Vegas NABC

Rio Hotel and Casino • Las Vegas • July 15–25, 2027

Join Us in Making the 2027 Las Vegas NABC a Success

The 2027 Las Vegas North American Bridge Championships (NABC), held at the Rio Hotel and Casino, will bring players, partners, friends, and visitors together for an unforgettable tournament experience. You can help make it special by volunteering, sponsoring an event, welcoming attendees, or supporting the activities that bring the bridge community together.

Volunteers and sponsors are needed now—

Every volunteer hour, sponsorship, and word of support help create the kind of welcoming experience that players remember long after the final session.

We welcome volunteers of all experience levels. Volunteers will play an important role in helping attendees feel informed, welcomed, and connected throughout the tournament. Opportunities include hospitality support, registration assistance, information tables, partnership desk help, local guidance, and general event support.

Whether you can help for a few hours or take on a larger role, your time and enthusiasm can make a meaningful difference for players and guests visiting Las Vegas. Click on the link below to see the volunteering list:

https://www.signupgenius.com/go/70A094FACA722A13-64698638-volunteers#/

• $2,500 – Sponsor an entire day at the Nationals

• $500 – Sponsor one regionally rated two-session event, such as Open Pairs, Swiss Teams, or Bracketed Teams

• $350 – Sponsor a three-session Side Game Series

• $150 – Sponsor a single-session Intermediate or Novice event

Sponsorships received by mid-January 2027 will be listed in the April Bridge Bulletin.

Whether you volunteer, sponsor, or help spread the word, your participation helps create a warm, successful, and memorable NABC experience for everyone attending.

We would be delighted to hear how you would like to be involved. To volunteer, reserve an event sponsorship, or learn more about ways to support the 2027 Las Vegas NABC, please contact:

Event Chair: Jack Shoemaker
Email: shoejack20@gmail.com
Phone: 719‑331‑0394

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 using the contact information on the D17 website (d17acbl.org).

Is something happening in your club or unit that the rest of us would like to know about? Maybe an innovative way to attract players, maybe a special event. Share your ideas and successes! Send an email to bridgebuzzeditor@gmail.com. Photos would be great! so plan ahead if you can.

ACBL members receive masterpoints for winning and placing in club games and tournaments as they strive to advance through the ranks. There are sixteen ranks, from Junior Master (5 masterpoints) to Grand Life Master (10,000 masterpoints plus a victory in an eligible North American Bridge Championship). Learn rank qualifications.

Editor's note: This data comes from the ACBL database, which is updated once a month. Accordingly, if your rank advancement occurred after the update, it won't be official at the ACBL until the following month, and won't appear here until the issue of the Buzz that comes after that.

Not shown: Judith Hawk (Unit 361, Mesa AZ), Peggy Dudley (Unit 356, Tucson AZ, also Bronze Life Master), Martin Reinfried (Unit 364, Telluride CO)

This data comes from the ACBL tournament schedule for D17, through December 2026. To see tournaments farther out in time or more distant in space, click here, set your filters, and click Search.

The Bridge Buzz is a bi-monthly publication of ACBL District 17. It is sent automatically to all members of D17 who have current emails registered with the ACBL, and whose privacy settings allow. It is also sent to individuals outside D17 who have asked to be on the mailing list. You can see previous issues of the Buzz on the D17 website at d17acbl.org/d17-buzz-newsletter/.

To join the Buzz mailing list, send an email to bridgebuzzeditor@gmail.com. To unsubscribe, click the link below. For more information about District 17, go to the D17 website at d17acbl.org.