Good start to the 2010/2011 Grass Roots season

We're 5 weeks into the new Grass Roots season, and so far so good. I've scored 3 times, including my 4th ever Grand Slam (20 points), for a total of 47 GRPs. Heidi Glashan has been on fire however, scoring all 4 times she's played, and she has the club lead with 56 points.

Club standing through 5 weeks...

1. Heidi Glashan 56
2. Paul Gregson 47
3. Basil Rudnick 32
4. Doug Fincke 30
5. Mary Gladish 27
6. Tad Pilecki 15
7. Evelyn Gillmore 12
7. Jim Passaglia 12
7. Dennis Johnston 12

Congrats to Club #54 Champ Dennis Johnston

Dennis "Slick" Johnston is the 2009/2010 Club #54 champ. We have one week left tonight, but Dennis' 236 points so far is well clear of my 190 points in second place. Doug Finke is third with 179 points, and can still catch me for second.

So ends my 2-yr run as club champ. There will be no defense of the GRTOC title this September. Have to see if I can win the club this coming year to play in the GRTOC in Sacramento when the GN comes to town.

My bet with Dave Aiken

3 years ago, Dave Aiken and I bet one another an entry into the Grand National on which of the two of us would reach our Grass Roots (GR) silver award first. It's a pretty random bet, as we can't control the competition the other plays, but remarkably, for the past several years we've finished the GR season with the same totals. Check it out:

Season Paul Dave
2004/05 809 809
2005/06 918 917
2006/07 1,094 1,135
2007/08 1,329 1,321
2008/09 1,626 1,597
2009/10 1,816 1,803

I have one week left in this GR season and David's finished. We're still 3-4 years from finishing the bet, but it's been a fun way for a Midwest cribbage player and a West cribbage player to stay in touch.

13 points this week after a brutal week last week

Hit for a 13/6 tonight, after a gut-wrenching 11/5 last week. I'd won 5 of the first 6 and lost the last 3 games after having big leads on 4th street in 2 of them.

Club standing with 10 weeks to go:

Dennis Johnston 176
Doug Fincke 153
Paul Gregson 152

I've still got a fighting chance...we shall see.

Updated Club #54 Standings

With 12 weeks to go, the standings are as follows:

1. Dennis Johnston 164
2. Paul Gregson 139
3. Doug Fincke 128
4. Mary Gladish 109
5. Heidi Glashan 107
6. Anne Sheeran 93
7. Greg Suelzle 92
8. Tom Russo 77
9. Basil Rudnik 66
10. Arne Lillimagi 54
11. Evelyn Gillmore 49
12. Jim Passaglia 49
13. Art Watkins 49
14. Thomas West 37
15. Tad Pilecki 28
16. Jim Tallman 27
17. Virginia Cheney 25
18. Al Haines 18

Need to get hot for a 3rd straight club championship

After my 31/15 card in the GRNT Saturday I was still 39 points behind Dennis Johnston. I had a 14/6 card tonight and Dennis didn't score. I moved past Doug Fincke and into second place overall with 139 points, trailing Dennis' 164 by just 25 points, with 12 weeks still left to play. I might not get there, but I'll have a run at it.

Have you ever been criticized by your opponent for helping them?

Today I was playing Boyd McDonald in the GRNT. Boyd has 1-6-8-9-10 and counted it "15-2, 15-4 and 5 is 8". Of course it's 7, so I innocently said, "It's 7 Boyd", because it's just Grass Roots, and when I'm as old as Boyd I hope to still be breathing yet alone be as sharp as he is, and certainly would want younger players to cut me some slack.

Unperturbed, I won the game, and the tournament. And in the future, I'll keep helping players, just not Boyd I guess!