"treat others as you want to be treated."

As the weekly match went on, most of us were unaware that one of our best friends was losing the battle of his life. Only later did we get the news that Opensesamenow had passed away. Max, as most of us knew him, had been recovering form surgery in April and we all rejoiced at his progress. He and his favorite partner RedRover had returned to the alley and brought with them the sunshine that always surrounded Max.

As Bratpuppy Max or as Bratcat Max, or as Opensesamenow he was one of the most wonderful people you could ever wish to play with or against. He was the image of what our Social Community stands for. It would be impossible to list the number of people here who Max has touched. It is easier to say everyone who knew Max has benefited by the experience. He never had a bad word for anybody and was always willing to help where needed. His contributions to Social Puzzles have brought hours of fun to those who try them. He was one of the mainstays of Bridge Central and spent many hours working on the tournaments and enjoyment found there. Max was one of the first "critters" in the alley. He was a driving force in the Social Ladder. Max was always there when we had problems. There were a number of times when things weren't going the way we thought they should, both in the alley and on the ladder. We could always count on Max to look at the problem calmly and wisely and point us in the right direction. Our regret is that we never got to meet this young man in the real world. We are told he was brilliant, witty, and just as nice as he was on the net. What an honor it would have been.

He was one of the best bridge players we have known. He was a champion in Yahoo and he was a champion in life. To those who knew him and loved him, we are sure he has a place in your heart. To RedRover, Tristam, and his other close friends, we offer our sincerest sympathies. To his mother, our hearts and tears go out to you. There are no words to make it better, but the knowledge that Max has touched so many in such a wonderful way hopefully will help ease the pain. We will always remember our friend Max.