Winners of the Leventritt Silver Ribbon Pairs: Sheila Gabay and Lew Gamerman
Sheila Gabay of Newton MA and Lew Gamerman of Fall River MA won the Leventritt Silver Ribbon Pairs on Saturday by more than a full board, making Gamerman a Grand Life Master.
Gabay and Gamerman scored 60.94% and 56.27% in Friday’s qualifying sessions to qualify in eighth place. They moved up one spot in the first final with 56.54%, then leaped to the top in the last session with 64.63%, for a final score of 1262.90 matchpoints.
Gabay, who has three previous NABC titles, jumped and hugged her partner at the news.
“I’m more happy he became a Grand Life Master,” she said. “We have been playing together 20 years. I’m so ecstatic.”
Gamerman had little to say. “I’m awestruck. So happy I can’t talk.”
Runners-up in the Leventritt Silver Ribbon Pairs: Mike Passell and Andy Goodman
As happy as they were, they were equally surprised.
“We were shocked,” Gabay said. “I knew we had at least four bad boards. I thought we were having a good game but I didn’t think it would be enough.”
While they were 52 matchpoints ahead on a 38 top, it was very close between second and third. Mike Passell of Plano TX and Andy Goodman of Carmel CA finished second with a score of 1210.96, with Linda Robinson of Arlington MA and Mark Aquino of Jamaica Plain MA in third with 1210.30.
The four-session event is limited to players born after Jan. 1, 1960, who have a blue, silver or red ribbon qualification.