Wednesday, December 3 2014 
ACBL Bulletins and Results ACBL Photo Album
From now until December 7, read all the news from Providence 2014 in CsbNews.org.
Two in a row: Gupta wins Senior Knockout rematch
Facing the same squad they defeated in last year’s Baze Senior Knockout Teams final, the team captained by Vinita Gupta took the lead in the first quarter of Sunday’s championship match and increased it with each set for a 155-74 victory. The win was the second in a row for Gupta. She played with Billy Miller, Jeff Meckstroth, Eric Rodwell, Lew Stansby and Bart Bramley. Carolyn Lynch, who captained the runners-up, played with Mike Passell, Garey Hayden, Adam Zmudzinski, Cezary Balicki and Marc Jacobus, an addition to last year’s team of five.
With the win, Rodwell achieved an unusual milestone: At age 57, he now has 57 North American championships to his credit, one more than his longtime partner, Meckstroth. The win last year was Gupta’s first North American title after just three years of playing “serious tournament bridge.” She is the founder and was head of Digital Link Corp, retiring nine years ago to try her hand at bridge. In the 2012 Senior KO, Gupta came in second with the same teammates except that Bob Hamman played with Meckstroth.
Gupta had a scare in the early rounds of the 2014 Senior KO, winning in the round of 16 by just 15 IMPs after trailing by 37 at the half. Throughout the event, Gupta was at least 30 IMPs behind in every match except for the final, when they forged a 30-IMP lead after 32 boards against Lynch and company.
Canadians out front in Blue Ribbon Pairs
Canadians Shan Huang and David Saborin start play today in the Kaplan Blue Ribbon Pairs with a slim carryover lead – just 9.9 matchpoints with a top of 71 for the two semifinal sessions. Huang, of Toronto, and Saborin, of Ottawa, scored 63.52% in the first qualifying session for a section top and followed that with 59.08% in the
evening session.
Their carryover score of 978.93 puts them just ahead of Swedish players Ola Rimstedt and Johan Saefsten. Richard Reitman, Los Gatos CA, and Stephen McConnell, Evanston IL, are third, with John Hurd, New York City, and Justin Lall, Plano TX, in fourth.
The field will be cut roughly in half on Wednesday for the two final sessions on Thursday.
Bragin, Laken lead Mini-Blue quals
Barry Bragin and Mark Laken posted the best score in yesterday’s qualifying round of the 0-5000 Blue Ribbon Pairs. Bragin of Silver Spring MD and Laken of Glyndon MD scored 66% in the afternoon session and followed up with a 60% game in the evening.
Bragin and Laken finished about a board ahead of the runners-up, Gary Bernstein of Montreal QC and Steve Caplan of Hampstead QC. In third are Juan Castillo and Robert Ramos of Ft. Lauderdale FL. The qualifying round reduced the field of 96 pairs to 52 for today’s two-session final.
Hall of Fame announces 2015 nominee list
Eight of ACBL’s most accomplished players are on the list for election to the ACBL Bridge Hall of Fame for 2015. Ballots will go out early next year to about 375 electors. Voting will end in February. Induction for those elected will take place at the 2015 Summer NABC in Chicago.