I hope that you are enjoying these long days as we head into summer. Speaking of long days, I encourage you to plan to participate in Longest Day fundraising events at your local club. Each year the ACBL raises significant funds to combat Alzheimer’s Disease. You can do some good and perhaps be rewarded with bonus master points.
Last month my wife Kathy and I had a good time playing at the Richmond Regional. Unit 109, led by tournament chairs Barry and Winnie Fratkin, exceeded their usual high standards of hospitality. This Regional marked the first time that a Unit took complete charge of running a District Six Regional. They did a great job and we’ve learned how to improve our procedures for future Unit-run Regionals.
The number one reason for the success of the Richmond Regional was the planning and hard work by the tournament volunteers. Our District and Units are volunteer-led organizations. You, our members, have a wealth of skills and life experiences that can help us keep our favorite game alive in District Six. If you’d like to get involved just let us know and we’ll find something worthwhile and engaging to do.
We have two more Regionals in 2025. The Regional in Chantilly, Virginia (northern VA) starts June 30th and lasts through July 5th. The Westfields Marriott is a new location for our tournaments. I’ve stayed there on business travel and I think you’ll find it to be a nice venue. Our last 2025 Regional will be August 18-22 at the Maryland Live! casino and hotel outside of Baltimore near Arundel Mills. Please join us at these tournaments.
We have some ambitious plans for 2026 Regionals. We are working on returning to two cities that we haven’t been to in quite a few years in addition to our annual DC and Baltimore area tournaments. Stay tuned for details as they become available!
Summer is the season for club qualifying for North American Pairs. This year there’s an additional flight A 0-6000, so there are more chances to win a subsidized to the 2026 Spring NABC. District Finals for NAPs will be held on October 4-5 for the Championship (unlimited) flight, October 5 for B (0-3000), and October 4 for C (0-750/NLM). The Final for the 0-6000 flight will be on November 8-9. The final for Flight C will be held at two sites: one in the DC area and in Richmond. The final for Flight B will also be at two sites: DC and Virginia Beach. Start making your plans now.
Finally, the ACBL Education Foundation is holding it’s Annual Youth Bridge Fundraiser as a live celebrity event on RealBridge. This includes an auction to play a session with a bridge legend, a chance to play with your favorite partner, or to kibitz with a backstage pass. For more details, check out https://www.32auctions.com/spark2025.
See you in Chantilly and at Maryland Live!
Pete Haglich, President District Six