14:26 31 March 2014 Dallas North American Bridge Championships by GS Jade Barrett, CsbNews correspondent
Ben Hecht
“Time is a circus, always packing up and moving away” – Ben Hecht, the Hollywood Shakespeare
As the Vanderbilt Knock Out finished there were bridge athletes headed to Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport to begin the flying part of their next journey – most journeying home, but more than a few to another tournament somewhere in the world.
The removal of many of the tables before the final sessions indicates that many have already made their trek, leaving the diehards and qualifiers to their last event. The Caddies and Directors work throughout the day and well into the wee hours of the night breaking down and loading the trucks that handle the supplies that support a nearly 10,000 table tournament and its 4,000 participants.
I imagine it is both a relief and a bit odd at the same time to be the last to turn off the lights. Jeff Johnston, the man who oversees these superb endeavors is simply great at running these North American Bridge Championships, I thank him for these many years of successful efforts. Henry Cukoff 1949-2014
All Championships have their tales, their joys and sadnesses. My family mourns the loss of Henry Cukoff, a wonderful director from Canada who was my personal friend for over thirty years. He was well known to all the high level players, but I remember arguing the merits of baseball and hockey players with him best.
Richard Coren playing in different partnerships performed great feats, winning two North American Championships, while Bobby Levin scored an amazing 450 Masterpoints to claim the Mott-Smith trophy. We congratulate all the winners, and raise a proper glass to all.
