Each year the American Contract Bridge League (ACBL) sponsors a "Top 500" competition. Basically, the best tournament players in the country try to win as many master points as humanly possible and the player that tops the list becomes a part of bridge history. This years winner, Richard Hunt of Las Vegas, is not a "professional" bridge player. He did, however, take the year off and made the pursuit of this contest his only priority. It meant traveling around the country and playing top level tournament bridge virtually every day of the week. He played with the best professionals on a consistent basis and he won 3,146 master points. This is an incredible total.
The first twenty or so names on the Top 500 listing were people heavily involved in competing for the number one position. After that, you will find a great number of the best players from around the country. It is interesting to note that a player must accumulate 300 master points over a life time to be considered a life master, but you would have to accumulate 351 master points in 1994 alone to have been listed among the Top 500 players of the year.
The highest ranking player on this years list from the Northeast Ohio area is Martin Baff of Beachwood. His total of 1,087 master points earned him the number 29 spot on the list. Today's hand is an excellent example of the type of play that makes Baff a consistent winner.
The opening lead was the two of spades. Baff, sitting South, was able to count seven sure winners. If the club suit was friendly, nine tricks would be easy. In fact, there was a good chance that ten tricks could be brought in by developing a diamond winner. In order to cater to that possibility, Baff led a small diamond toward the dummy at trick two. West ducked and the nine won the trick. The ace of clubs was cashed and a small club led to the king. East discarded a small spade on the second club.
At this point Baff knew that West had started with a singleton spade, four clubs to the jack-nine, and at least five diamonds to the ace-king. In order to complete the count, the top three hearts were cashed, South pitching two spades. When West followed to all three hearts, his hand was known to be 1-3- 5-4.
Baff now played the ten of diamonds and allowed West to cash four diamond tricks. At trick twelve West, having the jack-nine of clubs left, was forced to lead into declarer's queen-ten.
This hand may appear easy at first. In fact, Baff was thinking about over tricks from the opening lead. It turned out that the cards were not friendly. His careful analysis and counting allowed him to overcome distribution problems and make the contract.
Congratulations to the other Greater Cleveland area players who made the 1994 Top 500 list. Mary Chilcote of Cleveland was number 131 with 603 master points. Phil Becker of Cleveland was number 268 with 458 points, and Charlotte Baff of Beachwood was number 359 with 406 points. Frank Aquila of Solon earned 349 points this year and just missed the top 500 with a total that would have made the list in any other year.
The following members of the American Contract Bridge League (ACBL) have achieved new master point milestones. George Wolf of Cuyahoga Falls has passed 2,500 master points to reach the gold life master level. Frank Aquila of Solon and Keith Sechler of Brookpark have become silver life masters (1,000 points). Raelene Kirkbride of Solon and Richard Sanders of Copley have become bronze life masters (500 points). Doug Becker of Cleveland and Eileen Kless of University Heights have fulfilled the various requirements and are Unit 125's newest life masters. --------------------------------------------------------------------
| Column Date | Date Emailed |
|---|---|
| March 26, 2004 | October 22, 2019 |
| March 18, 2001 | October 19, 2019 |
| September 11, 1994 | October 15, 2019 |
| March 3, 1996 | October 12, 2019 |
| April 26, 1998 | October 8, 2019 |
| December 9, 2005 | October 5, 2019 |
| October 21, 2005 | October 1, 2019 |
| April 2, 2004 | September 28, 2019 |
| October 11, 1992 | September 24, 2019 |
| June 3, 2005 | September 21, 2019 |
| November 15, 2002 | September 17, 2019 |
| September 17, 1995 | September 14, 2019 |
| June 23, 1996 | September 10, 2019 |
| July 8, 2006 | September 7, 2019 |
| May 5, 1996 | September 3, 2019 |
| March 28, 2003 | August 31, 2019 |
| June 17, 2006 | August 27, 2019 |
| January 22, 1995 | August 24, 2019 |
| October 17, 2003 | August 20, 2019 |
| December 19, 1993 | August 17, 2019 |
| September 15, 1996 | August 13, 2019 |
| November 5, 2004 | August 10, 2019 |
| September 6, 2002 | August 6, 2019 |
| December 27, 2002 | August 3, 2019 |
| July 23, 2004 | July 30, 2019 |
| August 6, 2000 | July 27, 2019 |
| May 12, 2007 | July 23, 2019 |
| November 25, 2006 | July 20, 2019 |
| January 1, 1995 | July 16, 2019 |
| November 27, 2008 | July 13, 2019 |
| June 24, 2006 | July 9, 2019 |
| June 7, 2010 | July 6, 2019 |
| June 7, 2010 | July 6, 2019 |
| April 14, 1996 | July 2, 2019 |
| November 18, 2006 | June 29, 2019 |
| May 27, 2005 | June 25, 2019 |
| December 22, 2007 | June 22, 2019 |
| September 16, 2006 | June 18, 2019 |
| February 9, 1997 | June 15, 2019 |
| December 25, 1994 | June 11, 2019 |
| February 13, 2000 | June 8, 2019 |
| December 16, 2005 | June 4, 2019 |
| November 5, 1995 | June 1, 2019 |
| January 3, 1999 | May 28, 2019 |
| September 2, 2006 | May 25, 2019 |
| May 28, 2004 | May 21, 2019 |
| December 3, 2000 | May 18, 2019 |
| February 13, 2004 | May 14, 2019 |
| June 5, 1994 | May 11, 2019 |
| November 15, 1992 | May 7, 2019 |
| October 22, 2004 | May 4, 2019 |
| August 30, 1992 | April 30, 2019 |
| August 26, 2005 | April 27, 2019 |
| September 30, 2006 | April 23, 2019 |
| April 12, 2002 | April 20, 2019 |
| June 30, 2010 | April 16, 2019 |
| June 30, 2010 | April 16, 2019 |
| February 7, 2003 | April 13, 2019 |
| January 27, 2007 | April 9, 2019 |
| April 17, 1994 | April 6, 2019 |
| June 9, 1996 | April 2, 2019 |
| January 17, 2003 | March 30, 2019 |
| March 4, 2006 | March 26, 2019 |
| May 6, 2005 | March 23, 2019 |
| April 22, 2001 | March 19, 2019 |
| August 12, 2005 | March 16, 2019 |
| April 10, 1994 | March 12, 2019 |
| September 24, 2000 | March 9, 2019 |
| November 29, 1992 | March 5, 2019 |
| June 18, 2004 | March 2, 2019 |
| May 7, 2004 | February 26, 2019 |
| March 17, 1996 | February 23, 2019 |
| August 6, 1995 | February 19, 2019 |
| May 2, 2015 | February 16, 2019 |
| April 30, 2004 | February 12, 2019 |
| December 12, 2003 | February 9, 2019 |
| March 26, 1995 | February 5, 2019 |
| September 2, 2005 | February 2, 2019 |
| December 8, 1996 | January 29, 2019 |
| June 3, 2001 | January 26, 2019 |
| June 26, 2010 | January 22, 2019 |
| June 26, 2010 | January 22, 2019 |
| February 18, 2010 | January 19, 2019 |
| February 18, 2010 | January 19, 2019 |
| May 19, 1996 | January 15, 2019 |
| March 14, 1999 | January 12, 2019 |
| March 17, 2007 | January 8, 2019 |
| April 13, 2010 | January 5, 2019 |
| April 13, 2010 | January 5, 2019 |
| August 20, 2004 | January 1, 2019 |
| February 25, 2001 | December 29, 2018 |
| December 16, 2006 | December 25, 2018 |
| May 26, 1996 | December 22, 2018 |
| June 27, 2010 | December 18, 2018 |
| June 27, 2010 | December 18, 2018 |
| July 22, 2001 | December 15, 2018 |
| May 16, 2003 | December 11, 2018 |
| October 7, 2008 | December 8, 2018 |
| November 12, 2000 | December 4, 2018 |
| October 31, 2003 | December 1, 2018 |
| May 12, 1996 | November 27, 2018 |
| April 2, 1995 | November 24, 2018 |
| December 1, 2013 | November 20, 2018 |
| October 10, 2009 | November 17, 2018 |
| July 5, 2002 | November 13, 2018 |
| February 28, 2003 | November 10, 2018 |
| September 10, 2004 | November 6, 2018 |
| May 10, 2002 | November 3, 2018 |
| April 21, 2007 | October 30, 2018 |
| December 23, 2005 | October 27, 2018 |
| May 9, 2003 | October 23, 2018 |
| October 11, 1998 | October 20, 2018 |
| May 6, 2001 | October 16, 2018 |
| February 1, 1998 | October 13, 2018 |
| March 25, 2006 | October 9, 2018 |
| October 2, 1994 | October 6, 2018 |
| March 11, 2001 | October 2, 2018 |
| August 16, 2002 | September 29, 2018 |
| December 26, 2003 | September 25, 2018 |
| November 7, 2003 | September 22, 2018 |
| April 8, 2001 | September 18, 2018 |
| August 25, 1996 | September 15, 2018 |
| April 25, 1999 | September 11, 2018 |
| September 8, 1996 | September 8, 2018 |
| February 4, 2005 | September 4, 2018 |
| May 31, 2002 | September 1, 2018 |
| December 27, 1992 | August 28, 2018 |
| November 8, 1998 | August 25, 2018 |
| October 27, 1996 | August 21, 2018 |
| October 30, 1994 | August 18, 2018 |
| June 4, 1995 | August 14, 2018 |
| August 5, 2001 | August 11, 2018 |
| January 16, 2000 | August 7, 2018 |
| January 19, 2008 | July 31, 2018 |
| January 30, 2000 | July 28, 2018 |
| August 13, 1995 | July 24, 2018 |
| March 24, 1996 | July 21, 2018 |
| July 14, 1996 | July 17, 2018 |
| January 16, 2004 | July 14, 2018 |
| February 6, 2004 | July 10, 2018 |
| November 29, 2002 | July 7, 2018 |
| December 30, 2005 | July 3, 2018 |
| March 24, 2009 | June 30, 2018 |
| January 10, 1999 | June 26, 2018 |
| June 4, 2004 | June 23, 2018 |
| April 25, 2003 | June 19, 2018 |
| December 6, 2002 | June 16, 2018 |
| June 24, 2001 | June 12, 2018 |
| February 21, 2003 | June 9, 2018 |
| March 14, 2003 | June 5, 2018 |
| October 22, 2000 | June 2, 2018 |
| August 8, 2008 | May 29, 2018 |
| January 8, 1995 | May 19, 2018 |
| July 7, 1996 | May 15, 2018 |
| April 22, 2010 | May 12, 2018 |
| April 22, 2010 | May 12, 2018 |
| April 21, 2010 | May 12, 2018 |
| April 21, 2010 | May 12, 2018 |
| February 28, 1999 | May 5, 2018 |
| August 10, 2015 | May 1, 2018 |
| March 17, 2010 | May 1, 2018 |
| March 17, 2010 | May 1, 2018 |
| February 22, 1998 | April 24, 2018 |
| March 22, 2002 | April 21, 2018 |
| March 19, 1995 | April 17, 2018 |
| December 27, 1998 | April 14, 2018 |
| October 6, 1996 | April 10, 2018 |
| February 25, 2005 | April 7, 2018 |
| April 14, 2007 | April 3, 2018 |
| December 13, 1992 | March 27, 2018 |
| July 21, 2010 | March 24, 2018 |
| July 21, 2010 | March 24, 2018 |
| April 29, 2009 | March 20, 2018 |
| June 9, 2007 | March 20, 2018 |
| July 3, 1994 | March 13, 2018 |
| April 28, 1996 | March 13, 2018 |
| April 7, 1996 | March 6, 2018 |
| December 5, 1993 | March 3, 2018 |
| January 17, 1999 | February 27, 2018 |
| February 14, 2003 | February 24, 2018 |
| April 20, 1997 | February 20, 2018 |
| December 29, 1996 | February 17, 2018 |
| November 28, 2003 | February 13, 2018 |
| May 24, 2002 | February 10, 2018 |
| April 29, 2005 | February 6, 2018 |
| July 19, 2002 | February 3, 2018 |
| July 10, 1994 | January 27, 2018 |
| April 15, 2001 | January 23, 2018 |
| September 25, 1994 | January 20, 2018 |
| October 8, 2000 | January 16, 2018 |
| October 21, 2001 | January 9, 2018 |
| September 18, 1994 | January 2, 2018 |
| February 20, 2000 | December 30, 2017 |
| June 25, 2004 | December 30, 2017 |
| December 30, 2001 | December 26, 2017 |
| January 28, 2005 | September 26, 2017 |
| February 24, 2007 | September 23, 2017 |
| June 11, 1995 | September 19, 2017 |
| February 4, 2006 | September 16, 2017 |
| February 4, 2001 | September 12, 2017 |
| March 30, 2010 | September 9, 2017 |
| January 23, 2004 | September 5, 2017 |
| January 28, 2001 | September 2, 2017 |
| August 19, 2001 | August 29, 2017 |
| December 2, 2001 | August 26, 2017 |
| September 27, 2002 | August 22, 2017 |
| December 28, 1997 | August 22, 2017 |
| January 2, 2004 | August 19, 2017 |
| July 8, 2005 | August 15, 2017 |
| September 9, 2006 | August 12, 2017 |
| July 7, 2007 | August 8, 2017 |
| October 7, 2001 | August 5, 2017 |
| October 17, 1993 | August 1, 2017 |
| February 27, 2004 | July 29, 2017 |
| January 13, 2007 | July 25, 2017 |
| March 15, 2002 | July 22, 2017 |
| February 18, 2006 | July 18, 2017 |
| June 18, 1995 | July 15, 2017 |
| February 7, 1999 | July 11, 2017 |
| November 1, 1992 | July 8, 2017 |
| March 29, 2010 | July 4, 2017 |
| February 22, 2002 | July 1, 2017 |
| February 27, 1994 | June 27, 2017 |
| December 5, 2003 | June 24, 2017 |
| April 29, 2001 | June 20, 2017 |
| February 11, 2001 | June 17, 2017 |
| June 17, 2001 | June 13, 2017 |
| August 28, 1994 | June 10, 2017 |
| May 4, 2015 | June 6, 2017 |
| October 8, 2004 | May 30, 2017 |
| July 30, 2000 | May 27, 2017 |
| October 28, 2008 | May 23, 2017 |
| June 14, 2002 | May 20, 2017 |
| March 5, 2004 | May 16, 2017 |
| July 30, 2004 | May 13, 2017 |
| March 7, 1999 | May 9, 2017 |
| September 6, 1998 | May 6, 2017 |
| June 11, 2004 | May 2, 2017 |
| October 5, 1997 | April 29, 2017 |
| April 26, 2009 | April 29, 2017 |
| September 1, 2007 | April 25, 2017 |
| January 6, 2007 | April 22, 2017 |
| March 12, 2000 | April 18, 2017 |
| August 2, 2002 | April 15, 2017 |
| May 14, 2000 | April 11, 2017 |
| December 10, 1995 | April 8, 2017 |
| March 9, 1997 | April 8, 2017 |
| January 12, 1997 | April 8, 2017 |
| July 17, 1994 | April 4, 2017 |
| April 22, 2005 | April 1, 2017 |
| July 29, 2006 | March 28, 2017 |
| March 29, 2010 | March 25, 2017 |
| May 30, 2003 | March 21, 2017 |
| July 15, 2006 | March 18, 2017 |
| December 10, 2004 | March 14, 2017 |
| February 11, 2005 | March 11, 2017 |
| September 8, 2007 | March 7, 2017 |
| October 7, 2005 | March 4, 2017 |
| July 2, 2000 | February 28, 2017 |
| October 29, 2004 | February 25, 2017 |
| October 4, 1998 | February 21, 2017 |
| April 15, 2006 | February 18, 2017 |
| March 18, 2005 | February 14, 2017 |
| September 3, 1995 | February 11, 2017 |
| June 25, 2000 | February 7, 2017 |
| November 12, 2004 | February 4, 2017 |
| January 11, 2002 | January 31, 2017 |
| October 4, 2002 | January 28, 2017 |
| July 9, 2000 | January 24, 2017 |
| December 14, 1997 | January 24, 2017 |
| May 28, 2000 | January 21, 2017 |
| December 20, 1992 | January 17, 2017 |
| October 10, 1993 | January 14, 2017 |
| September 20, 1998 | January 10, 2017 |
| December 7, 1997 | January 10, 2017 |
| September 19, 2003 | January 7, 2017 |
| April 4, 1999 | January 3, 2017 |
| October 13, 2007 | December 31, 2016 |
| May 20, 2001 | December 27, 2016 |
| November 11, 2006 | December 24, 2016 |
| February 2, 2008 | December 20, 2016 |
| July 23, 1995 | December 17, 2016 |
| April 1, 2006 | December 13, 2016 |
| May 20, 2005 | December 10, 2016 |
| May 7, 2000 | December 6, 2016 |
| January 31, 2009 | December 3, 2016 |
| September 5, 2003 | November 29, 2016 |
| February 18, 2001 | November 26, 2016 |
| October 31, 1993 | November 22, 2016 |
| October 15, 1995 | November 19, 2016 |
| July 2, 2004 | November 15, 2016 |
| August 4, 2007 | November 12, 2016 |
| May 21, 1995 | November 8, 2016 |
| August 19, 2005 | November 5, 2016 |
| August 5, 2005 | November 1, 2016 |
| February 17, 2007 | October 29, 2016 |
| May 22, 2012 | October 25, 2016 |
| September 30, 2005 | October 22, 2016 |
| December 6, 1998 | October 18, 2016 |
| March 19, 2008 | October 15, 2016 |
| March 3, 2007 | October 11, 2016 |
| February 1, 2015 | October 8, 2016 |
| April 3, 1994 | October 4, 2016 |
| June 17, 2005 | October 1, 2016 |
| August 27, 1995 | September 27, 2016 |
| January 28, 2010 | September 24, 2016 |
| October 14, 2005 | September 20, 2016 |
| May 13, 2001 | September 17, 2016 |
| May 5, 2015 | September 13, 2016 |
| January 26, 2010 | September 10, 2016 |
| October 25, 2002 | September 6, 2016 |
| September 2, 2001 | September 3, 2016 |
| February 3, 2015 | August 30, 2016 |
| April 27, 1997 | August 23, 2016 |
| April 26, 2002 | August 23, 2016 |
| January 19, 1997 | August 23, 2016 |
| October 29, 1995 | August 20, 2016 |
| June 12, 1994 | August 16, 2016 |
| July 9, 2008 | August 13, 2016 |
| February 12, 1995 | August 9, 2016 |
| October 15, 2004 | August 6, 2016 |
| September 12, 2003 | August 2, 2016 |
| July 29, 2005 | July 30, 2016 |
| October 24, 1993 | July 26, 2016 |
| October 10, 2003 | July 23, 2016 |
| September 16, 2005 | July 19, 2016 |
| December 13, 2002 | July 16, 2016 |
| April 18, 2003 | July 12, 2016 |
| January 2, 2000 | July 9, 2016 |
| June 28, 2002 | July 5, 2016 |
| October 25, 1998 | July 2, 2016 |
| September 27, 1998 | July 2, 2016 |
| May 13, 2006 | June 29, 2016 |
| July 2, 2010 | June 28, 2016 |
| February 19, 1995 | June 28, 2016 |
| November 25, 2001 | June 25, 2016 |
| February 9, 2010 | June 21, 2016 |
| April 29, 2006 | June 18, 2016 |
| September 9, 2001 | June 14, 2016 |
| June 4, 2000 | June 11, 2016 |
| November 18, 2001 | June 11, 2016 |
| January 30, 2004 | June 7, 2016 |
| March 28, 1999 | June 7, 2016 |
| May 20, 2006 | May 21, 2016 |
| August 19, 2006 | May 21, 2016 |
| August 20, 2000 | May 17, 2016 |
| March 12, 1995 | May 14, 2016 |
| February 11, 2006 | May 10, 2016 |
| August 30, 1998 | May 7, 2016 |
| September 11, 2010 | May 3, 2016 |
| March 8, 2002 | April 30, 2016 |
| August 27, 2000 | April 26, 2016 |
| May 16, 2008 | April 23, 2016 |
| December 21, 1997 | April 19, 2016 |
| December 2, 2005 | April 19, 2016 |
| April 18, 1999 | April 19, 2016 |
| February 15, 1998 | April 19, 2016 |
| July 29, 2001 | April 19, 2016 |
| April 13, 1997 | April 19, 2016 |
| April 1, 2014 | April 16, 2016 |
| November 4, 2001 | April 12, 2016 |
| September 13, 2002 | April 9, 2016 |
| March 19, 2000 | April 2, 2016 |
| March 1, 1998 | March 29, 2016 |
| March 24, 2007 | March 26, 2016 |
| December 6, 1992 | March 22, 2016 |
| September 16, 2001 | March 19, 2016 |
| October 14, 2006 | March 15, 2016 |
| March 21, 2003 | March 12, 2016 |
| April 9, 2004 | March 8, 2016 |
| November 5, 2000 | March 5, 2016 |
| July 22, 2005 | March 1, 2016 |
| July 14, 2007 | February 27, 2016 |
| October 18, 1992 | February 23, 2016 |
| July 9, 1995 | February 20, 2016 |
| May 3, 2015 | February 16, 2016 |
| September 11, 2010 | February 13, 2016 |
| September 10, 1995 | February 9, 2016 |
| January 24, 1999 | February 6, 2016 |
| August 6, 2004 | February 2, 2016 |
| May 7, 1995 | January 30, 2016 |
| December 17, 2004 | January 26, 2016 |
| July 16, 2000 | January 23, 2016 |
| May 6, 2006 | January 19, 2016 |
| November 1, 2002 | January 16, 2016 |
| December 1, 2007 | January 9, 2016 |
| September 3, 2000 | January 5, 2016 |
| June 25, 1995 | January 2, 2016 |
| May 19, 2007 | December 29, 2015 |
| October 28, 2006 | December 28, 2015 |
| November 17, 2007 | December 27, 2015 |
| May 26, 2014 | December 26, 2015 |
| April 30, 2000 | December 25, 2015 |
| October 9, 1994 | December 24, 2015 |
| November 27, 1994 | December 31, 1969 |