2023 Unit 430 Masterpoint Races as of February 1

Brought to you by Python (the programming language)!

How this works: at the start of the year, we make a file from the January ACBL database, with over 30,000 players from Districts 18, 19, and 20. Then, after results are confirmed, we add the results text to a growing text file of results for tournaments, IMP League results, Unit Games, and Mentor-Mentee games. The Python code reads the opening lines of each event and determines which type of event it is and then checks all entries for ACBL numbers (or names where none are listed) and masterpoints won, adding it to the pertinent lists. Once all the results are in, the results are sorted and each masterpoint race is updated on this HTML page.

To claim a free play, let the director know as you buy your entry. Free plays on Entry Express, the pre-arrival entry buying site, is not yet an easy possibility. Unit free plays are not transferable. Beginning in 2023, Bruce McIntyre is keeping track of masterpoint winner free plays used at sectionals and Unit Games, so no certificates or letters will be given out.

The three lists below include the following Unit 430 trophy races:

LIST ONE: Sectional Trophy Races

The Phil Wood Trophy goes to the overall masterpoint leader in a calendar year, who wins free plays to all open sectionals in the next calendar year. 2020-22 Winner: Jack Lee.
The Edie Bonnell Trophy goes to the masterpoint leader in a calendar year among female players, the winner receiving six free plays to open sectionals in the following calendar year. (A growing number of people are joining the ACBL without indicating a gender: when the program encounters one of these it assumes "M" but this can be changed manually. If you are included in this race but should not be, or vice versa, let me know!) 2020-22 Winner: Kathy Adachi.
The Phil Wood Under 200 Trophy goes to the player with the most masterpoints who began the year under 200 masterpoints, the winner receiving six free plays to open sectionals in the following calendar year. 2020-22 Winner: John Lai (who is ineligible for 2023).
These three trophy races include only points won at the four open sectionals of each year. You'll be listed if you are in the top 100 of the Phil Wood race, or the top 50 of the Edie Bonnell race, or the top 30 of the Phil Wood under 200 race.
The Leo Steil Trophy goes to the overall masterpoint leader in a calendar year among players 70 (a recent change from 65) or older as the year begins. In my younger and crazier days I would actually ask the Phil Wood leaders and try to determine who was old enough. When enough people looked at me like I was some sort of degenerate I decided to stop doing that, and now we simply ask eligible players (born in 1952 or earlier for the 2023 contest) who are in contention to quietly claim the prize (or have a friend in the know claim it for them), which is six free plays for open sectionals in the following calendar year. 2022 Winner: Kathy Adachi.

LIST TWO: Monthly Unit Game Trophy Races

The Monthly Unit Game Trophy goes to the player with the most masterpoints in Monthly Unit Games (usually the first Saturday of each month, 7pm at the VBC), the winner receiving free plays to all Unit Games in the following calendar year. 2022 Winner: Ken Lochang.
There is a B flight of the Monthly Unit Game Race which goes to the player under 2500 points (at the beginning of the year) with the most points in Monthly Unit Games. The prize is six free plays to Monthly Unit Games in the following calendar year. 2022 Winner: John Lai.
There is a C flight of the Monthly Unit Game Race which goes to the player under 1000 points (at the beginning of the year) with the most points in Monthly Unit Games. The prize is six free plays to Monthly Unit Games in the following calendar year. 2022 Winner: John Lai.
Note that individual Unit Games are not always stratfied to these limits: for 2023, 3000 and 1500 is usually a starting point, but we often adjust the limits to ensure that all three groups are large enough to warrant separate awards.
If there is a tie, the tied players share the prize. No player can win more than one prize, but can win parts of prizes from different flights, as long as the parts add up to no more than one prize. For 2023, John Lai won six MUG free plays for both the B and C flights, but can win only one of these prizes; the other six free plays were split between the B and C runners-up, Julien Levesque (B) and Nolan Derby (C).

LIST THREE: The Rocket Rookie Race

The Rocket Rookie Race tracks all Unit-run events and counts only masterpoints won by non-Life Masters playing only with other non-Life Masters, with two exceptions: 1) Mentor-Mentee game masterpoints count for non-Life Masters even if their mentor is a Life Master, but only count at 50% rounded up: an award of 1.11 would add 0.56 RRR points to a non-Life Master's total, and 2) You become ineligible to win RRR points when you become a Life Master, except that the Flight B/C IMP League continues to count even if you became a Life Master during the event. The prize is (you guessed it) six free plays for the next calendar year at open sectionals.
The difference between the RRR and the Phil Wood Under 200 is that the under 200 race is usually won by a newer player playing with a Life Master in open games. The RRR smokes out the non-Life Masters most ready to move up into the open game! 2020-22 Winner: John Lai, who is eligible in 2023 but may soon become a Life Master and be ineligible to win more points.

HOW 2020-22 WAS HANDLED: The cancellation of offline tournaments in March 2020 caused some special decisions to be made for the 2020, 2021, and 2022 races. Monthly Unit Games were quickly reinstated online, and the online MUG games were rescored in ACBLScore with MUG masterpoints and continued to be tabluated. This means that masterpoints listed on the ACBL site or on the BBO lists were NOT the masterpoints applying to the MUG race. In most cases players were credited with considerably more points for the race than the BBO or ACBL lists indicated, since online games were scored as regular club games run by the online version of the VBC. The objective was to have each game count equally as it would if the games were all offline, all rated as MUG games and dependant on attendance, not dependant on which games happened to fall on special game weekends; and to fix the BBO stratification algorithm that divides the field into three equally sized groups, even if no TD would ever choose those strat boundaries in real life.

The other races included the events from January-February 2020 and the remainder of 2022 when offline bridge restarted with the Spring 2022 sectional. Free play coupons won in 2019 were extended and will still be accepted as players return to live play at their own pace.

ALERT: to be eligible to win a prize for any race (including the Unit ones mentioned here, and the ACBL-wide ones some of us track every night...) you need to be a paid up member of the ACBL by the time the race ends. (We're OK if you joined mid-year.) However, for year-long races with a masterpoint limit, what counts is how many you had at the start of the year. Unit 430 also reserves the right to restrict limited awards for players who have had significant experience in another National Bridge Organization before joining the ACBL. Members who have been suspended or placed on probation for any part of the year are not eligible by ACBL bylaws.

THE LISTS:

Phil Wood	Edie Bonnell	P.Wood Under 200	Player	MPts
1			Nicholas Stock, North Vancouver BC	21.93
2			Andrew Krywaniuk, Burnaby BC	17.54
3			Rock Shi Yan, Richmond BC	15.68
3			Xiaoming Shen, Richmond BC	15.68
5			Ben Takemori, Burnaby BC	15.46
6	1		June Keith, Surrey BC	15.28
7			Ken Lochang, Vancouver BC	14.03
8			Gustav Axen, New Westminster BC	12.88
9			Robert Gerrie, Richmond BC	12.72
9	2		Aban Gerrie, Richmond BC	12.72
11			John Lai, Vancouver BC	12.27
12			David Huang, Burnaby BC	11.74
13			Larry Pocock, Vancouver BC	10.59
14			Stuart Carr, Burnaby BC	10.14
15			Eric Pan, Burnaby BC	10.13
16		1	Wade Carpenter, Burnaby BC	9.50
17			Michael Dimich, Burnaby BC	9.26
18			Thomas Anderson, North Vancouver BC	8.76
19	3		Jennifer Hong, Burnaby BC	8.45
19			Rick Wei Wu, Surrey BC	8.45
21			Kai Zhou, Burnaby BC	8.42
21			Lu Gan, Vancouver BC	8.42
23			William Ge, Burnaby BC	8.02
24			Andy Hellquist, Surrey BC	8.01
25			Aidan Ballantyne, Burnaby BC	7.86
26	4		Mojgan Shad, West Vancouver BC	6.95
26			Khosrow Shad, West Vancouver BC	6.95
28			Xiangdong Meng, Surrey BC	6.32
29			Thomas Devine, Ferndale WA	6.31
29		2	Patrick Zhu, Coquitlam BC	6.31
29			Josh Sinnett, Bellingham WA	6.31
32	5		Lana Chow, Vancouver BC	6.12
33			David Yu, Burnaby BC	5.89
33			Jack Lee, Richmond BC	5.89
35			Roy Livingstone, Whiterock BC	5.82
35			Nimi Bhachu, Maple Ridge BC	5.82
37			George Tu, Vancouver BC	5.45
37			Rex Tu, Bellevue WA	5.45
39	6		Trudy Hurdle, Richmond BC	5.44
39			John Hurdle, Richmond BC	5.44
41	7		Diana Jing, Surrey BC	5.42
42			Kenneth Ramsay, Coquitlam BC	5.34
43	8		Joyce Tokarek, Vancouver BC	5.27
44	9		Kathy Adachi, Surrey BC	5.22
45			Brad Bart, Coquitlam BC	5.15
46			Peter Altridge, W Vancouver BC	5.03
46	10		Debbie Harris, North Vancouver BC	5.03
48	11		Shameine Ali, New Westminster BC	4.80
49	12	3	Wenmin Chen, Richmond BC	4.73
49			Tao Feng, Burnaby BC	4.73
51			Andrew Nalos, Vancouver BC	4.72
52	13		Frances Kammermayer, Vancouver BC	4.50
53	14		Frances Corney, Vancouver BC	4.28
53			Bryan Maksymetz, Vancouver BC	4.28
55			Michael Yuen, Vancouver BC	4.10
56			David Schmidt, Chilliwack BC	4.06
57	15		Katrin Litwin, Burnaby BC	3.94
58	16		Yen Karro, White Rock BC	3.76
59			Julien Levesque, Burnaby BC	3.74
60	17		Stephanie Williams, Delta BC	3.67
61			Tanweer Saqalan, Delta BC	3.58
61			David Gabel, Vancouver BC	3.58
63	18	4	Flora Yan, Vancouver BC	3.50
63			Kenny Ying, W Vancouver BC	3.50
65	19	5	Jin Mei Luo, Burnaby BC	3.49
65	19		Adelaine Miller, Surrey BC	3.49
65		5	Qiao Li, Burnaby BC	3.49
65			Cedric Miller, Surrey BC	3.49
69	21		Anita Morse, North Vancouver BC	3.48
69			Doug Hansford, Surrey BC	3.48
69	21		Isabel Chernoff, Surrey BC	3.48
69	21		Insa Fricker, White Rock BC	3.48
69	21		Susan Peters, Vancouver BC	3.48
74	25		Cindy Oishi, West Vancouver BC	3.39
75	26		Lucy Zhong, North Vancouver BC	3.24
75			Jack Qi, North Vancouver BC	3.24
77			Long Xie, Burnaby BC	3.22
77			Qiang Hua, Surrey BC	3.22
79	27		Angela Fenton, Vancouver BC	3.14
80			Paul Fournier, Vancouver BC	3.04
80			John Zohrab, West Vancouver BC	3.04
82			Allan Karro, White Rock BC	2.96
83			Kenny T K Chan, Vancouver BC	2.89
84	28		Colleen Perry, North Vancouver BC	2.87
84	28		Susan Craven, North Vancouver BC	2.87
86	30		Pamela Moore, Vancouver BC	2.81
87			Bruce McIntyre, Coquitlam BC	2.69
88	31	7	Debbie Smith, North Vancouver BC	2.60
88	31		Dorothy Trask, North Vancouver BC	2.60
90	33		Sheila Van De Velde, Vancouver BC	2.55
91			Paul Yip, Richmond BC	2.42
91			Joel Fuhrman, Kirkland WA	2.42
93	34	8	Anne Katrichak, Richmond BC	2.39
94		9	John Cairns, West Vancouver BC	2.33
94	35	9	Alison Donoghue, North Vancouver BC	2.33
96	36		Debra Sutherland, Burnaby BC	2.25
96	36	11	Lisa Bealle, New Westminster BC	2.25
98			Ernst Walti, Vancouver BC	2.21
98	38		Diana Tchakalian, Vancouver BC	2.21
100	39		Jane Youngberg, Surrey BC	2.14
	40		Judy Chang, Vancouver BC	2.10
	41	12	Lois Louden, Surrey BC	2.09
	41	12	Bobbi Moon, Surrey BC	2.09
	43		Debbie Martignago, Port Coquitlam BC	2.03
	44		Ellen Parsons, Vancouver BC	1.46
	44		Carrie Cade, North Vancouver BC	1.46
	46		Zainool Esmail, West Vancouver BC	1.31
	46	14	Gulshan Ajania, North Vancouver BC	1.31
	48	15	Stephanie Counsell, White Rock BC	1.21
	48		Linda Palm, Surrey BC	1.21
	48	15	Dorothy Grubb, Surrey BC	1.21
		17	Pat Rose, Bellingham WA	1.10
		18	Karen Jensen, White Rock BC	0.85
		19	Nolan Derby, Vancouver BC	0.64
		20	Ronald Edgar, Kelowna BC	0.62
		20	Kun Jung Lim, Vancouver BC	0.62
		22	Sze Ping Chan, Vancouver BC	0.47

MUG Race	Flt. B ( < 2500 )	Flt. C ( < 1000 )	Player	MPts
1			Nigel Fullbrook, N Delta BC	4.45
1	1		Julien Levesque, Burnaby BC	4.45
3	2	1	Jennifer Hong, West Vancouver BC	2.63
3	2	1	Juan Xu, Toronto ON	2.63
5			Ken Lochang, Vancouver BC	2.34
6			Aban Gerrie, Richmond BC	1.86
6			Robert Gerrie, Richmond BC	1.86
8	4	3	Nolan Derby, Vancouver BC	1.48
9	5	4	John Lai, Hong Kong HK	1.40
9			Eric Pan, Burnaby BC	1.40
11			Larry Pocock, New Westminster BC	1.28
12	6		John Ashwell, Vancouver BC	1.15
12			Andrew Nalos, Vancouver BC	1.15
14	7	5	Margaret Pattison, North Vancouver BC	1.11
14	7	5	Paul Pattison, North Vancouver BC	1.11
16	9	7	Norma Doucette, Vancouver BC	1.09
16	9	7	Jean La Borie, Vancouver BC	1.09
18	11	9	Felix Merk, Vancouver BC	0.86
19			William Ge, Burnaby BC	0.83
19	12		David Huang, Burnaby BC	0.83
21	13	10	Diana Tchakalian, Vancouver BC	0.82
21	13	10	Ernst Walti, Burnaby BC	0.82
23	15	12	Geraldine May, Vancouver BC	0.78
23			Joerg Schneider, Vancouver BC	0.78
25	16	13	Lana Chow, Van BC	0.69
25	16	13	Ron Sekiya, Vancouver BC	0.69
27			Nicholas Stock, North Vancouver BC	0.66
28			Yue Su, Vancouver BC	0.62
29	18	15	Karen Levine, Vancouver BC	0.43
29	18		Lesley Laudan, Vancouver BC	0.43

Rocket Rookie Race	Player	MPts
1	Nimi Bhachu, Maple Ridge BC	5.82
1	Roy Livingstone, Whiterock BC	5.82
3	Frances Kammermayer, Vancouver BC	4.50
4	Cedric Miller, Surrey BC	3.49
4	Adelaine Miller, Surrey BC	3.49
6	Ernst Walti, Burnaby BC	3.03
6	Diana Tchakalian, Vancouver BC	3.03
8	Colleen Perry, North Vancouver BC	2.87
8	Susan Craven, North Vancouver BC	2.87
10	Flora Yan, Vancouver BC	2.74
10	Kenny Ying, W Vancouver BC	2.74
12	Qiao Li, Burnaby BC	2.73
12	Jin Mei Luo, Burnaby BC	2.73
14	Jennifer Hong, West Vancouver BC	2.63
14	Juan Xu, Toronto ON	2.63
16	Debbie Smith, North Vancouver BC	2.60
16	Dorothy Trask, North Vancouver BC	2.60
18	Sheila Van De Velde, Vancouver BC	2.55
19	John Cairns, West Vancouver BC	2.33
19	Alison Donoghue, North Vancouver BC	2.33
21	Jack Qi, North Vancouver BC	2.28
21	Lucy Zhong, North Vancouver BC	2.28
23	Lisa Bealle, New Westminster BC	2.25
23	Debra Sutherland, Burnaby BC	2.25
25	Lois Louden, Surrey BC	2.09
25	Bobbi Moon, Surrey BC	2.09
27	Paul Pattison, North Vancouver BC	1.96
27	Margaret Pattison, North Vancouver BC	1.96
29	David Drake, Vancouver BC	1.95
30	Carrie Cade, North Vancouver BC	1.46
30	Ellen Parsons, Vancouver BC	1.46
32	John Wilson, New Westminster BC	1.21
32	Linda Palm, Surrey BC	1.21
32	Dorothy Grubb, Surrey BC	1.21
32	Stephanie Counsell, White Rock BC	1.21
36	Wendy Allex, Ferndale WA	1.10
36	Pat Rose, Bellingham WA	1.10
38	Norma Doucette, Vancouver BC	1.09
38	Jean La Borie, Vancouver BC	1.09
40	Bill Walter, Vancouver BC	0.88
40	Christine Walter, Vancouver BC	0.88
42	Trudy Merritt, Surrey BC	0.85
42	Karen Jensen, White Rock BC	0.85
44	Ron Sekiya, Vancouver BC	0.69
44	Lana Chow, Van BC	0.69
46	Kun Jung Lim, Vancouver BC	0.62
46	Ronald Edgar, Kelowna BC	0.62