The Gatlinburg regional again
broke its own record as the
largest regional in the history
of the ACBL If you like play‐
ing in Knockouts (and who
doesn’t?), Gatlingburg is the
regional for you.
This year there were an in‐
credible 10,554 tables in play
during the week. If you have
never been to Gatlinburg,
you should try it, since ac‐
commodations and restau‐
rants are in abundance and
are inexpensive; the playing
areas are nice; and the mas‐
ter point awards are huge.
All of the greatest players in
the country were in atten‐
dance this year, but due to
the manner in which the
Knockout events are ar‐
ranged, based on master
point holding, one almost
never encounters them. This
year, 218 hardy Unit 160 members trekked to them thar
hills in east Tennessee in search of master points. Unit
160’s own Robert Hampton of Blythwood copped the
laurel wreath as the leading master point winner of the
entire field. Other South Carolinians acquitted them‐
selves quite well, thank you. Here is the listing of our
own Unit 160 leading master point winners in Gatlin‐
burg: