Bonnie Loudin of Lodi has played twice at Stockton Bridge Club recently and has done really well. She is pictured here (left) with Sherrie Barakatt, Queen of Desserts, at the unit game and birthday celebration for Mary Sievers. Mary Wells bumped into a teacher friend at the Las Vegas NABC who had mentored Bonnie, and Mary subsequently looked her up and arranged a partner, Mary Westin, for her. Welcome, Bonnie, and may you play many happy games with us in 2025.

From left: Roger Hanlon, Sandy Saler, Sonny Bailey and Mike Saler. Sonny decorated the playing room at the Sonora Senior Center for Valentine's Day, and local schools made Valentine cards for everyone. The Salers are new players at the club. Welcome! And congratulations to Roger and Sonny on their magnificent 69.8% game, 1st in A, B and C. 👏

Ann Chargin enjoys a birthday cake celebrating her 102nd birthday at the Wednesday game at Stockton Bridge Club. Isn’t she beautiful?

Newer players practice their Stayman skills during a workshop run by Mike and Mary Wells at Copperopolis. Soon they will play in a newly sanctioned limited masterpoint game to be held once a month at 4 pm on Mondays. Call 209-454-1223 for more information. The mp limit is 50 but anyone is welcome to mentor a new player (but the pair cannot earn masterpoints). 
Mary will be starting a new beginners class in the new year. 

Debbie Dezarn's Stockton Unit report

in the D21 Diamond in the Ruff February 2025 newsletter

Will it ever be warm again? Of course! But arriving at the bridge club in 3 layers of warmth for the first chilly hour is getting a little old. Thank goodness people have been bringing goodies to go with the hot coffee and now hot chocolate, too! Many thanks to those who have bought pizza, tacos, or Subway sandwiches for all the players on unexpected days as well!

In January, Ann Chargin turned 102 and the Stockton Club celebrated with cake! She still drives herself to the club and does so quickly so she “won’t hold anyone up”. Sue Vogtlin has officially become a Unit 510 member and joined the Board of Directors as of the January meeting. There is still a vacancy if anyone would like to join the Board and become a “tiebreaker” in the ninth seat. Meetings are the 3rd Monday of odd months, with the next meeting scheduled for March 17. Anyone is welcome to attend…wear Green!

Congratulations to Claudia Prather who became a Club Master in January! I hope to announce many more rank advancements in the next issue as so many are really close. Bonnie Loudin moved into our Unit (Lodi) many months ago but hadn't yet played in a local Club. It turns out she met both Mary Wells and Mary Westin elsewhere and has now played in person at the Stockton Bridge Club twice in February, scratching both times! Welcome Bonnie. Any other new Unit members in the Manteca-Tracy-Lodi areas please text Rose Knutson (209-969-2414) to ask for a partner to play at the Stockton Club. NLM games are 2nd and 4th Thursdays at 11:30, and Open games are MWF at 11:30 each time except for once a month (3rd) Sunday potluck Open game at noon.

The Monterey Clambake Regional is always a big draw for Stockton Unit players and this year was no exception with 19 attending. Top point winners were Mary and Michael Wells and Sherrie Barakatt with over 15, Carole Seed and Mary Westin with over 12, Joy Gotelli, Byron Barclay, and Doris Ashcroft with over 7. The rest of us all got a little something but not the big hauls of some prior years. It was the very first Regional for Paula Monroe who won some gold and also placed first in a 499er game with 73%.

Mary Wells continues to teach bridge out of her home in Copperopolis and offers a sanctioned “satellite” beginner game as well. Wendy Buchanan is starting another 10- session beginner class at the Stockton Club on February 25. It will be a repeat of the class offered in the fall, but the two extra sessions will allow a slower pace. Some of the “beginner beginners” are retaking the class hoping to be less overwhelmed this time. For most of us, learning bridge was so long ago that we have forgotten just how mind boggling it can be! There is still room in the class (offered through SICL at Delta College) if you want to encourage some friends to take up our favorite game.

The final rankings are out for the 2024 Mini-McKenney, Helen Shanbrom Ace of Clubs, and Virtual Ace of Clubs awards. The following people are first in their divisions (which is based on their total masterpoints on January 1, 2024):

Points /  Mini-McKenney  /  Shanbrom Ace of Clubs / Virtual Ace of Clubs

0-5      /   Beryl Simkins     /   Beryl Simkins                    / Herbert Pike

5-20    / Jeanie Douglas   / Jeanie Douglas

20-50  / Zhimin Lin            / Zhimin Lin                           / Joan Canepa

50-100 /  Frank Klo, Jr.     / Frank Klo, Jr.                      / Janis Morehead

100-200  / Mikki Kindelberger /  Aurene Schene           / Mikki Kindelberger

200-300 / Paula Monroe        / Paula Monroe

300-500 / Earl Jones             / Earl Jones                     / George Westin

500-1000 / Mike Wells           / Mike Wells                    / Sherrie Barakatt

1000-1500 / Debra DeZarn    / Glo Klinger Williams     / Yvonne Tiscornia

1500-2500 / Rose Knutson    / Mort Horn                     / Alan Hamilton

2500-3500 / Doris Ashcroft    / Doris Ashcroft

3500-5000 / Stephen Tu        / Stephen Tu                   / Susan Kroning

Currently our Unit does not have any active members with more than 5000 masterpoints. There is a full listing of the top 25 in each division at both the District 21 and Unit 510 levels. You can see those on the ACBL Website after logging in to your own account at MyAcbl.

STOCKTON BRIDGE CLUB

Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays at 11:30 am.

Non-Life Masters (NLM) 2nd and 4th Thursdays at 11:30 am

3rd Sunday Potluck and Unit game at 12 noon.

MOTHER LODE BRIDGE CLUB AT MURPHYS 

Murphys Diggins Club House alternate Mondays at 12:30 pm.

GOLD COUNTRY BRIDGE CLUB AT SAN ANDREAS

Alternate Wednesdays and one Monday per month.

12 noon at San Andreas Senior Center.

SONORA BRIDGE CLUB

 Every Friday at the Sonora Senior Center at 11:30 am.

HWY 49ers BBO CLUB

Online at 1:00 pm alternate Wednesdays.

Call 209-768-2936 for more information on the foothill bridge clubs.  

For a full schedule of all the foothill games, click below.

2025 Schedule.pdf

♥  There's lots to see! For your game results click on the date in the green boxed heading under RESULTS on the TOP RIGHT of the screen. Now you should see a list of players and their percentages. Click on your name for a list of your personal scores. Scroll down to the end to see if you were a better declarer than your partner!

   On the right you can see some [PLAY] tabs. Click on one, select the BBO tab, and now you can 1) Replay the hand as you did at the table [NEXT], 2) Replay the hand as you wish you had at the table [PLAY], 3) Let GIB – the super-robot – replay the hand as you should have done at the table [GIB]. Cool stuff!