KCC-10-13-2014

MONDAY

October 13, 2014

KCChronicle.com

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SINGLING OUT A CHAMPION Geneva girls tennis sweeps singles, wins conference meet Saturday / 4

LOOKING FORWARD Geneva Women’s Club to host arts and craft show GENEVA – The 40th annual Geneva Women’s Club Arts and Crafts show will be from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Nov. 8 at Geneva High School, 416 McKinley Ave., Geneva. There will be more than 100 crafters, as well as baked goods and an opportunity to bid on a variety of gift baskets. Children may have a photo taken with Rudolph and participate in a crafting event.

Admission is $4 a person, and children 12 and younger are admitted free. Proceeds benefit local philanthropic programs.

Visit www.genevawomensclub.org for information and crafter applications or like the organization on Facebook at Geneva Women’s Club. Interested crafters can contact Nikki Spitzer at 630492-1188 or email genevawomensclub@gmail.com.

THE WEATHER

High 69 Low 58 Today Showers and possibly a thunderstorm, mainly after 1 p.m.

High 64 Low 51 Tuesday Showers and possibly a thunderstorm before 1 p.m.

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Kane County Chronicle / KCChronicle.com • Monday, October 13, 2014

| LOCAL NEWS

2

Ferrets weasel their way into fans’ hearts

By BRENDA SCHORY

On the Web

bschory@shawmedia.com ST. CHARLES – Emmy Flinn cuddled Takashio, one of 10 ferrets she brought to the 26th annual Greatest Ferret Show on Earth on Saturday.

Takashio is Japanese for “storm surge,” she said.

Flinn, of Glendale Heights, said she has 23 ferrets at home.

“Ferret math,” Flinn said.

“I started out with a couple from Petco, then I adopted a couple from the shelter. I took a couple in that were supposed go to the shelter that never made it because they ended up staying. Then I got a couple from breeders.”

The event was held for the first time at the Kane County Fairgrounds, a fundraiser for the Greater Chicago Ferret Association, a no-kill shelter.

“The show is important because it raises money for the only freestanding ferret shelter in Illinois,” said show director Valerie Michalski of Pingree Grove.

Ferrets – domesticated distant cousins of weasels and skunks – were evident everywhere: snoozing in cages, getting snuggled, petted and played with as well as being studied for judging.

Ferret accoutrements were in abundance, including beds, toys, blankets, carriers and cages – available for purchase

Visit KCChronicle.com to view videos associated with this story. one,” Wilson said, burying her face in Vladimir’s fluffy fur.

Ethel Rodriguez of Orland Park was fundraising for the shelter.

“We get no ... funding other than what we glean in donations and events,” Rodriguez said. “We operate a shelter in Lyons, and currently we have 110 ferrets that we medicate, clean, support and put up for adoption.”

Ferrets at the event carried an odor some said came from un-neutered males.

“Ferrets have a musky odor, but if you keep their linens clean, you don’t have a probBrenda Schory – bschory@shawmedia.com lem,” Rodriguez said. “I have Frank McCormick of Lake Forest and his ferret Toby attend the 26th Annual Greatest Ferret Show on Earth five ferrets and that is true.”

Her ferrets’ names are Tipon Saturday at the Kane County Fairgrounds in St. Charles. The event was a fundraiser for the Greater Chisi Le Rie, a French diplomat; cago Ferret Association, a no-kill ferret shelter in Lyons.

Tootsie 2736, in witness protecand as raffle prizes. said. “They just have unique “I got married and moved to tion; Begger DaBoy, HungariStephanie McCulloch of personalities. Each one does Australia six years ago,” Wil- an royalty; Mitsi named after Crystal Lake and her daughter, different things, they interact son said. “I have four ferrets: Mitsubishi; and Macy after Allora, 13, were selling ferret and play well, they are a great Jessie and James – who are Macy’s.

Frank McCormick of Lake beds and other items. animal to have – and they all brother and sister – Billy Black Forest, advertising coordina“This is my fifth year with need homes.”

Legs and Sandy.” the Greatest Ferret Show Some ferret enthusiasts Wilson was carrying a tor for the show, also brought on Earth,” McCulloch said. came a long way, such as Sue white, pink-eyed ferret named two of his ferrets, Toby and “Whatever you buy goes Wilson of Brisbane, Australia. Vladimir that belonged to Shelby.

“I love ferrets because straight to the ferret shelter.”

She said when she comes to someone else, as she could not they’re kind of like puppies McCulloch said she has two the United States to visit fam- travel with her own ferrets. ferrets, Tilly and Angelica. ily, she coordinates her travels “I was having ferret with- that never grow up,” McCor“I love ferrets,” McCulloch with the annual event. drawal, so I had to borrow mick said.

I-Cash event headed to St. Charles on Tuesday KANE COUNTY CHRONICLE editorial@kcchronicle.com ST. CHARLES – Illinois Treasurer Dan Rutherford has planned an I-Cash event for 2:30 p.m. Tuesday at Autumn Leaves, 10 N. Peck Road, St. Charles.

The program allows Illinois residents to determine whether the state is holding any money or unclaimed property that is entitled to them. According to a news release, there is $40,093,099 in unclaimed property in Kane County.

To find out if one has unclaimed property through I-Cash, one can visit the treasurer’s website at www.trea-

surer.il.gov and follow the I-Cash link. The website is updated weekly to reflect new properties remitted to the office.

“People are thrilled to find out they have money just waiting for them through I-Cash,” Rutherford said in a news release. “I encourage area residents to come visit me at local I-Cash events for assistance in locating their money or property.

In addition, everyone should make an attempt to review our online database annually so they don’t miss out on money or valuable assets the state is holding for them.”

I-Cash staff will be on hand

from 2:30 to 4 p.m. Tuesday at Autumn Leaves to help attendees find out whether they have unclaimed property. Rutherford will attend the event at 3:30 p.m.

There also are stops scheduled Tuesday at Yorkville and Aurora.

The treasurer’s Unclaimed Property Division’s costs, including staff, computers and travel, are paid with program funds, and not by tax dollars, according to the release.

In 2011, during Rutherford’s first year in office, the program marked the first time in history that the office returned more than $100 million to the people who owned

those assets, the release states.

The total returned for 2012 was $129 million, a 27 percent increase over the previous year.

In 2013, the program returned more than $139 million in cash and other assets. In the first half of 2014, the program returned $71,441,744 to 32,257 claimants.

Businesses and banks are required to turn over unclaimed accounts to the treasurer’s office.

Some examples of unclaimed property currently held by the treasurer’s office include: • Money from inactive savings and checking accounts.

• Unpaid wages or commis-

sions.

• Stocks, bonds and mutual funds.

• Money orders and bill overpayments.

• Paid-up life insurance policies.

• Safe deposit box contents.

The I-Cash team conducts regular outreach across the state, places twice-annual notices in newspapers and sends direct mail to new claimants with property worth more than $100, the release states.

One can contact the Unclaimed Property Division by calling 217-785-6998 or emailing info@ Icash.Illinois.gov, although searches cannot be completed by telephone.

KANE COUNTY CHRONICLE editorial@kcchronicle.com

Song debuted, yearlong campaign announced at closing ceremonies

By ASHLEY SLOBODA

On the Web

asloboda@shawmedia.com ST. CHARLES – Scarecrow Fest might be over, but the Year of the Scarecrow is only just beginning.

Sunday’s closing ceremony of the three-day festival revealed a new, yearlong marketing campaign to promote St. Charles to visitors regionally and nationally as the festival prepares to celebrate its 30th anniversary next year.

“That is a big deal,” Lynn Caldwell, vice president of the Greater St. Charles Convention and Visitors Bureau Board of Directors.

The visitors bureau produces the annual event.

St. Charles Mayor Ray Rogina told the crowd at Lincoln Park that a formal proclamation officially launching the Year of the Scarecrow will be presented at the Oct. 20 City Council meeting.

The announcement was followed by the performance of an original song, “What’s in a Scarecrow,” which was written by Lynn Caldwell’s son,

Visit KCChronicle.com to watch video from Scarecrow Fest’s closing ceremonies Sunday.

Ryan Caldwell.

The 22-year-old is a recent graduate of Millikin University’s music business program and decided to write the song after overhearing plans for the yearlong campaign, he said.

He said the chorus was inspired by the Chuck and Char blog, specifically an entry about building the perfect scarecrow. Chuck and Char were created last year as the festival’s mascots.

As Ryan Caldwell’s band, Fight with Monsters, performed the tune, Steve Sledzinski and Crystal Skipworth – Steel Beam Theatre actors portraying Chuck and Char – danced among the audience.

“What’s in a scarecrow,” the band sang. “Hey, just ask Chuck and Char. I’m sure they’ll know.”

Amy Egolf, executive director of the visitors bureau, said

the organization won’t have statistics on the weekend’s festival for about a month, but organizers were very pleased with the crowds.

“Obviously the weather was wonderful,” she said.

She noted they were happy longtime participant Ted Eynik of St. Charles was able to make a scarecrow this year after taking a year off. His creation, “Purple People Eater,” took first place in the mechanical category.

Other first-place winners were “Pumpkin Bucket Challenge” by the Goodrich and Hogan families of Geneva, in the traditional category; “Do You Want to Build a Scarecrow?” by Vanguard School, in the whimsical category; “St. Patrick’s Preschool” by St. Patrick Preschool of St. Charles, in the children’s category; “Spongebob Strawpants” by the Wilbur family of St. Charles, in the family category; and “Trellis Farm and Garden” by Trellis Farm and Garden, in the business category.

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• Monday, October 13, 2014

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Ashley Sloboda – asloboda@shawmedia.com

A crowd gathers around the “Purple People Eater” mechanical scarecrow display Sunday at Scarecrow Fest in Lincoln Park. The display earned first in its category and was created by longtime festival participant Ted Eynik.

DUNDEE TOWNSHIP – Renz Addiction Counseling Center will host its seventh annual Epicurean Delight fundraiser from 5:30 to 8:30 p.m. Saturday at Max McGraw Wildlife, 14N322 Route 25 in Dundee Township.

Those interested are invited to attend and enjoy gourmet fare such as almond crusted duck salad with blackberry dressing, smoked salmon, pheasant kabobs, sesame chicken and an assortment of vegetarian canapés among other appetizers and desserts.

Max McGraw Wildlife Foundation sits on 1,200 acres of hardwoods, prairies, lakes and streams.

Epicurean Delight will have the opportunity to visit this members-only facility.

Tickets to Epicurean Delight are $80 a person, and proceeds benefit Renz Addiction Counseling Center’s clinical and prevention programs.

A group discount is available with purchases of three or more event tickets.

“Substance abuse is related to soaring healthcare costs, homelessness, criminal activity and domestic disputes ... it also has a dramatic effect on the children of our community,” Brian Monson, the Renz Center’s board president, said in a

news release. “This fundraiser is important because it directly supports someone in treatment while at the same time makes an impact on the safety and wellness of our community.”

Those interested are invited to participate in advanced raffle sales; Epicurean Delight attendance is not necessary to win.

Raffle tickets are $10 for one; $45 for five; $80 for 10; and 13 for $100.

To enter the raffle or to purchase Epicurean Delight tickets, send your name, address, and check made payable to Renz Center, attn.

Deb Howe, 1 American Way, Elgin, IL 60120.

Raffles and tickets can be purchased by credit card by calling 847-742-3545, ext. 236, or online at www.RenzCenter.org.

Renz Center is dedicated to empowering people to lead healthier lives.

Since 1961, the center has provided substance abuse and problem gambling treatment services, in addition to HIV and teen pregnancy prevention education, employee assistance services for small businesses, and tobacco, alcohol and drug prevention education for youth and the community, according to the release.

Renz Center serves residents of central and northern Kane and western Cook counties with offices in St. Charles, Streamwood and Elgin.

LOCAL NEWS | Kane County Chronicle / KCChronicle.com

Epicurean Delight event 3 to benefit Renz Center

Kane County Chronicle / KCChronicle.com • Monday, October 13, 2014

| SPORTS

4

Jeff Krage for Shaw Media

Geneva’s Grace Krueger returns a shot in the No. 2 singles final Saturday at Larkin. Krueger won the Upstate Eight Conference River Division title at No. 2 singles.

GIRLS TENNIS: UPSTATE EIGHT CONFERENCE RIVER TOURNAMENT

Geneva sweeps singles, wins conference

By JAY SCHWAB jschwab@shawmedia.com BARTLETT – Geneva’s top three girls tennis singles players – Kirby Einck, Grace Krueger and Elizabeth Prendergast – have lost four matches combined the whole season.

None of those defeats came this weekend as the Vikings won the Upstate Eight Conference River tournament Saturday to cement their overall conference championship.

Einck has lost twice on the year, both times to Naperville Central’s Tiffany Chen, the defending IHSA state champion.

Players locally have had much less luck with Einck, including Elgin’s Dahlia Keonavingsa, a 6-0, 6-1 victim of Einck’s in the championship match.

Einck said she was in top form Friday and Saturday in her trio of victories.

“I think I played my best tennis of the whole season, which is good leading up to sectionals and hopefully state,” Einck said. “I played really consistent, made all my shots, so I feel good about this tournament.”

In the No. 3 singles final between Prendergast and St. Charles East’s Haley Jeanes, Prendergast needed to overcome a second-set deficit to prevail, 6-1, 7-5.

“The second one was really tight because I was down 3-5,” Prendergast said. “I won it, 7-5.

I just sort of made her run more so she’d get more tired than I would.”

It was the season finale for

Prendergast since No. 3 singles players aren’t slotted into the sectionals draw.

Geneva (78 points) comfortably maintained its advantage going into the weekend, finishing 11 points ahead of conference runner-up Batavia.

St. Charles East (64) and St. Charles North (53) made for an all Tri-Cities top four.

While Geneva was 3 for 3 in netting singles titles, coach Maureen Weiler also was proud of the Vikings’ doubles output.

“All our doubles, they placed, and that’s what we needed for them to do,” Weiler said. “All our doubles teams are brand new this year … and every position either won second place or third place, and that’s enough of a score. It’s

the depth of the team that wins conference. That’s what was able to come through for us.”

The No. 1 doubles final between Batavia’s Sydney Unterberg and Julianne Robinson and St. Charles North’s Brittany Rohrsen and Morgan Rerko was hotly contested, with Unterberg and Robinson rallying for a 4-6, 6-4, 6-3 victory.

The Bulldogs duo avenged a regular season loss to the North Stars ,but a rematch this week at sectionals is a possibility.

Robinson, a sophomore, said she and Unterberg, a senior, kept their calm after the first-set loss.

“Most of the games went to deuce, so I think we did fine in the first set, they just won the more important points,” Robinson said. “But then we got it

back in the next two.”

North’s Lianne Anderson and Emma Spellman won the No. 2 doubles final over Geneva’s Madi Corda and Maddie Krafcisin.

“They played their game,” North coach Eve Tubman said.

“They played aggressive, they stayed positive through the whole match and took over the net.”

East’s Sonia Ost and Jenna Patzner won at No. 3 doubles and teammates Grace Esler and Allison Smith won at 4 doubles as both Saints tandems maintained their perfect conference records.

Singles competition took place at Larkin while Bartlett High School played host to doubles and the awards ceremony.

5

CROSS COUNTRY: WEST AURORA STAMPEDE

By JARED BIRCHFIELD editorial@kcchronicle.com

“We were running awfully fast. It was a great day to run. It’s flat and fast.” Practically all our varsity [had PRs] and we had 11 PRs in the open race. Madison [Ronzone] and Emily [Martin] are looking real good.”

Vic Mead Rosary cross country coach Neuqua Valley, which scored 79 points.

“The girls that raced ran awesome. Just about everybody PR’d,” Batavia girls coach Chad Hillman said. “Our [top] seven [runners have] been pretty solid, but the great thing is, our eight through 12 runners have pushed the pace up … and put a little pressure on everybody to make them faster. The girls in the [top] seven have held their ground and have done a good job of being consistent.”

Rosary finished eighth (194), placing two runners in the top 10. In addition to Martin, junior Madison Ronzone came in fifth with a time of 17:57.3

“We were running awfully fast. It was a great day to run.

It’s flat and fast,” said Rosary coach Vic Mead. “Practically all our varsity [had PRs] and we had 11 PRs in the open race.

Madison and Emily are looking real good. I’m not worried about them getting to the big dance.”

The St. Charles North boys team took sixth place (128).

Hayden Joyce was the North Stars’ top runner. The senior came in 17th with a time 15:49.5.

St. Charles East girls coach Mike Arenberg took a different approach to the meet. He gave his varsity team the day off and ran his junior varsity

team in the girls open Race.

The Saints’ JV team won the race paced by sophomore Emma Battin’s first place time of 19:40. East placed five runners in the top 10.

“You are looking at the state series and that’s three extra races and I want to guard against over racing,” Arenberg said. “And rather than throw my JV into the varsity race, I kept them at the JV level and gave them a chance to do what they did today. I’m really proud of them.”

Kyle Cepeda of Wheaton Warrenville South won the boys varsity race, completing the course in 14:45.6. Streamwood’s Gabby Juarez took top honors in the girls varsity contest with a time of 17:32.3 Rounding out the top five in the boys varsity race were Wheaton Warrenville South (87), Yorkville (105) and Chatham Glenwood (116).

In the girls varsity race, Glenbard East took second (104), Yorkville third (116) and Sandburg fifth (143).

PREP ROUNDUP

St. Charles East girls volleyball takes third at Mizuno Cup AURORA – The St. Charles East girls volleyball team placed third in the Mizuno Cup Saturday, falling to powerhouse Benet in a semifinal and defeating Normal West for third place.

Megan Schildmeyer and Mikaela Mosquera played their way onto the all-tournament team for East (22-6).

Schildmeyer had nine assists and four kills in the 25-12, 27-25 win against Normal West and had 14 assists, 14 digs and seven kills in the 23-25, 25-11, 25-16 loss to Benet.

“We woke a sleeping giant,” East coach Jennie Kull said about the Game 1 win over Benet, which was recently voted the top seed in the IHSA Class 4A Bartlett Sectional, where East will be the No. 3 seed.

East went 4-1 during the two-day tournament, also defeating Rockford Guilford, Na-

perville North and Hinsdale Central. Anne Hughes had 20 digs apiece in the Guilford and Naperville North wins.

Geneva went 3-2 in the tournament. The Vikings (21-6) beat Lincoln-Way East, Prairie Ridge and Leon, but lost to Normal West and Neuqua Valley. Libero Kelsey Wicinski made the all-tournament team for the Vikings.

behind Neuqua Valley (199).

Mo Guyett won the 200-yard freestyle in 1:55.55 and the 500 freestyle in 5:04.93 and Audrey Guyett won the 100 freestyle in 54.06 seconds.

BOYS SOCCER Waubonsie Valley Invitational: Batavia secured the tour-

nament championship, closing out with a 3-0 win against Metea Valley. Kevin Collins, FOOTBALL Ian Larson and Adam Heinz IC Catholic Prep 20, Whea- were the Bulldogs’ goal scorton Academy 10: At Elmhurst, ers.

Wheaton Academy fell to 0-3 Kaneland 3, Plainfield East in Metro Suburban West play 1: At Maple Park, Felipe and fell to 4-3 overall. David Speroggi scored two goals and Thrasher went 18 for 36, pass- Angel Escontrias also scored ing for 213 yards and a touch- to lift Kaneland (11-7-2) to the down, and Camden Meade nonconference win. rushed 16 times for 93 yards Marmion 3, East Aurora 0: At for the Warriors.

Aurora, Nick Grant and Trevor Jones each scored and the GIRLS SWIMMING Cadets (12-9) also benefited St. Charles North Invitational: from an own goal in finishing Host North (183 points) took unbeaten at home for the secsecond, finishing 16 points ond straight season.

Wheaton Academy 5, Whea- 8-3) couldn’t crack the Raiders’ ton Warrenville South 0: At defense in nonconference play.

Wheaton, Ty Seager scored a pair of goals and Drew Sezon- GIRLS CROSS COUNTRY Sterling Invitational: Kaneov posted the shutout in goal land’s Brianna Bower paced for the Warriors (17-1-1).

Glenbard South 2, St. Francis the Knights with an 18th-place 0: At Glen Ellyn, St. Francis (7- finish in 18:50.

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• Monday, October 13, 2014

AURORA – Favorable running conditions at Saturday’s West Aurora Stampede were a boost to area cross country teams’ running times as the schools head into the season’s home stretch – conference and state meets.

A flat course at the Robert Stuart Sports Complex and dry, cool weather contributed to many runners completing the 3-mile circuit with their best times.

Rosary Emily Martin’s personal best of 17:49.6 earned her a second-place finish in the girls varsity race.

Patrick Redmond of Batavia crossed the finish line with a time of 15:28.9, also a personal record, for a third-place finish in the boys’ varsity race.

“Yes, it is,” said Martin with a big smile when asked if her time was a PR. “I think recently, our workouts have been getting harder and I think that really helped this

week,” said the St. Charles resident.

Redmond attributed his progress to Batavia coach Bronco Meeks.

“I dropped my time by like 30 or 20 seconds,” Redmond said. “We’ve done a lot of difference things this year and I think it has really paid off for me. Also, I’ve improved my work ethic a lot.”

Redmond led the Bulldogs to a third-place team finish in the boys race.

Batavia scored 95 points.

Oswego East won the boys varsity competition, tallying 82 points.

“We were hoping to do pretty well at this meet,” Meeks said. “We were trying to get some of the guys to make a jump this week and Patrick Redmond did exactly that. He had a huge jump.”

In the girls race, Batavia girls took fourth (125) behind the 16th and 17th place finishes of freshmen Daphne Kolody (18:22.5) and Anna Malay (18:26.9). First place went to

SPORTS | Kane County Chronicle / KCChronicle.com

Batavia’s Redmond, Rosary’s Martin shine at meet

Kane County Chronicle / KCChronicle.com â&#x20AC;˘ Monday, October 13, 2014

6

COMICS Arlo & Janis

Garfield

Big Nate

Frank & Earnest

Crankshaft

Soup to Nutz

Stone Soup

The Born Loser

Dilbert

Rose Is Rose

Beetle Bailey

Blondie

Pearls Before Swine

Real Life Adventures

DEAR ABBY Jeanne Phillips my sympathy, but the lessons you would like to teach your adult children are ones they should have learned during childhood.

Sometimes people who are “nouveau riche” try to forget their humble beginnings by avoiding the people who knew them when they were regular folks.

It couldn’t hurt to remind your offspring that money and status can be lost as quickly as they were earned, but family is supposed to be there forever.

Dear Abby: I have a wonderful daughter who is a perfect mother and wife.

The problem is, she’s in her 40s and dresses really inappropriately, sometimes wearing skirts and shorts so short they barely cover her bottom. She’s also very voluptuous and always shows cleavage. When she goes out for the evening, she shows practically everything.

She takes lots of photographs with her family, and in all of them she’s so exposed that sometimes when she gives me prints, I have to add magic marker so she looks more modest. She is a sweet person who is loved by everyone, so I don’t know how to handle this. Please help me. – Covered Up In Oakland, California Dear Covered Up: You say your daughter is a perfect mother and wife in her 40s.

She may display her assets because it has been a winning combination for her so far or because her husband likes it.

The time is long past when you should tell her what or what not to wear, even if you are well-meaning. The best advice I can offer is to continue wielding your magic marker and pray for colder weather.

• Write Dear Abby at www.dearabby.com.

• Monday, October 13, 2014

The Argyle Sweater

Dear Abby: My lunch date for today canceled on me.

Generally, when a girl does this, I delete her number and move on. But in this instance, it wasn’t a first or second date. We have been seeing each other for about a month and have built up some degree of intimacy.

Moreover, I know she’s not lying when she says she had a busy week. She apologized via text not once, but twice.

Nevertheless, I feel that as genuine as her apology was and as she has seemed in the time we have been together, this incident indicates either a lack of caring or integrity.

Would I be right to forget her? Or is this the one time a cancellation is justified?

– Classic Over-Analyzer In L.A. Dear Over-Analyzer: Your problem isn’t that you are a classic over-analyzer; it’s that you seem to be extremely insecure to the point of courting rejection when none is there. People cannot always control their schedules. And cancellations can happen more than once without it being an indication of lack of interest or caring. I see no reason why you should “forget” a woman whose company you enjoy, unless you are a masochist.

Dear Abby: I am a mother of three grown children who all have successful careers.

The problem is they seem to have lost touch with the real world. They no longer have compassion or respect for people who must live with less, or who are not as well-educated as they are.

This includes my husband and me.

We feel like we no longer fit into their world. It has become hard for us to have any relationship with them.

How can I make them see that money and status are not the only things in this world, and that they should show more compassion to others? – In Touch With The World In Ohio Dear In Touch: You have

COMICS AND ADVICE | Kane County Chronicle / KCChronicle.com

Man takes canceled date as rejection

7

Kane County Chronicle / KCChronicle.com • Monday, October 13, 2014

8

PUZZLES SUDOKU

CROSSWORD

BRIDGE by Phillip Alder

Answer to Puzzle

Trick one is the contract’s key

SOLUTION

CELEBRITY CIPHER

Carlos Castaneda, a Peruvian-American author with a doctorate in anthropology who died in 1998, said: “The trick is in what one emphasizes. We either make ourselves miserable, or we make ourselves happy. The amount of work is the same.”

For a bridge player, trick one is what often emphasizes whether he ends the deal miserable or happy.

The amount of work is not the same, though, because the more effort put in before playing from the dummy at trick one, the more contracts that will be made.

This week, let’s look at some deals in which declarer’s play at trick one is either critical or lays the foundation for success. In today’s layout, what should South do after West leads a low spade against three no-trump?

South starts with eight top tricks: one spade (given the opening lead), three hearts, two diamonds and two clubs. The ninth winner can definitely come from clubs. But what is the risk?

If the club finesse loses, maybe the defenders can run the spade suit.

To stop that, declarer must follow the “honor from the shorter side first” dictum. Since there are only two spades on the board, South must put up dummy’s king.

Here, he wins the trick and can run the club jack to guarantee his contract. Even though that finesse loses, declarer’s remaining queenlow in spades is a stopper with West on lead.

Note, though, that if South takes the first trick with his spade queen, when West gets in with his club queen, he cashes the spade ace to squash dummy’s king, then takes three more spade tricks to defeat the contract.