WELCOME TO UNIT 497's SITE!
We're ZERO TOLERANCE. We encourage & enjoy kindness & levity at the table; we don't like persistent SLOW PLAY & nastiness. Your time at our club games & Unit events should be fun & hassle-free!
Our "B-E-R" (Berkeley-El Cerrito-Richmond to ACBL) "turf" also contains these burgs: Albany, Crockett, El Sobrante, Hercules, Kensington, Pinole, Point Richmond, Rodeo, & San Pablo. Scroll down for basic info (club & Unit games, contacts, etc). Click a button on the left for quick links to specifics. We don't archive; game results stay for a year (monthly indices are numerical mmyy) Blogs & other stuff remain as long as they're relevant. BER Player of the Year races get updated quarterly (Unit 497 members only; name in italics indicates Non-LM as of 1/1 of current year). You need Microsoft Excel or Excel Viewer to view P-O-Y; click below to get Excel Viewer FREE: http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?FamilyID=c8378bf4-996c-4569-b547-75edbd03aaf0&DisplayLang=en
To gripe, yap at me when you see me, or tweak me @ beerman1949@gmail.com.
SUMMER HEADLINES - PAY ATTENTION!
- NO GAME LABOR DAY (9/5).
- NEW VENUE 6/13-8/19: Arlington Community Church, 52 Arlington (downhill/WEST side, @ the flashing light about 1 mile S of Moeser, caddy-corner from the Library. The room is R of the main lobby; you also can enter via the patio.
- PARKING: Director & those w/handicapped plates/placards get in-front street spaces (blue zone has space for 3 cars; front car - please park fully forward!). DON'T PARK IN THE WHITE ZONE! Use the big lot across the street!
- Back to Castro 8/22 for STAC Week!
- crisbarrere@sbcglobal.net (510/841-2570) is available for individual coaching & playing lessons at reasonable rates. E-mail/call him if you're interested. His lessons will resume once we return to Castro (Mon Aug 22).
UNIT & Club Champ Games thru October:- FRI 8/5 - UNIT game - stratified pairs
- WED 8/17 - Quarterly Club Championship
- SUN 8/28 - "Last chance" UNIT NAP Qualifier (1 PM @ Castro Clubhouse)
- FRI 9/2 - UNIT game - stratified pairs
- FRI 9/16 - Quarterly Club Championship
- SAT 9/17 - BBQ Swiss @ ECCC (same as May)
- FRI 10/7 - UNIT Game - Stratified Pairs
- SUN 10/30 - same as 10/7
UNIT GAME/SECTIONAL INFORMATION
Pair games start 12:15 on the 1st Friday & 1PM on (usually) the LAST Sunday of the month (click Unit Games button for exact dates & for exceptions to this rule); same site as the club games unless we specify otherwise. Table fees are $4 Fri, $5 Sunday; $1 extra for charity games. 2-session May & Sept BBQ Swiss team games (click the button for latest info) feed Unit 497 members FREE between sessions (non-unit members pay $7). Sectionals (1st full weekends in March & Nov) & BBQ Swisses are at the El Cerrito Community Center, 7007 Moeser Lane (@ Ashbury) - at those, table fees are $9/player/session (non-ACBL members pay $1 surcharge at Sectionals).
CLUB GAMES (ALL IN EL CERRITO)
Games are M/W/F 12:15 PM at Castro Clubhouse (1420 Norvell) until school lets out; we go to an alternate site until school resumes (we lose a Fri game in June, maybe a Mon/Fri in Aug). Click Site Directions button for how to get there. Mon games are "El Cerrito Pairs"; Wed & Fri games are "Live Oak Pairs". To see results, click the appropriate button. Table fees are $4, $5 for charity games; 1st Fri is a Unit game. All games are stratified (director discretion for MP limits); we use C only in games > 9 tables.
Partners: If you're visiting the area/are a "newbie", call Mark Kornmann (phone #'s below); he'll try his best to fix you up if you call at least 2 days in advance, & will play w/you if he can't find you a pard & is directing the game (85+% of the time). "Regulars": explore all your options before calling Mark or clue him in at least a week ahead when you're in a game he's directing!
UNIT 497 BOARD MEMBERS