Minnesota Bridge

An Escape Route

Do not box yourself into a corner!  Always have a method of escape - if possible.

This Wednesday, John Koch demonstrates how to achieve this at the bridge table, along with best wishes for a wonderful New Year!

Let It Snow....

Unclear when - or should I say if - it will stop snowing!  In the meantime, enjoy the beautiful scenery, and have a Merry Christmas! 

Choices

Every bridge hand presents a myriad of choices.  What should we open?  How should we continue?  Should we overcall?  What should we lead?  How should we declare?  And so on and so forth.  Each hand is packed with decisions at every step of the way - and each decision creates its own ripple of choices thereafter.

John Koch delivers a present of a hand to us today.  Choices in the auction - choices for opening lead - and thus, choices for declarer as he decides how to navigate.

May you choose well at the bridge table and throughout the holiday season!

The Minneapolis Grand Slam Club in Pictures

 
Professional photographer Chris Bohnhoff shot marvelous photos of bridge players at the Twin City Bridge Center recently.  Chris had so much fun with that project, he decided to head a mile down the street and capture a few of the competitors at the Minneapolis Grand Slam Club.

Here are the results of Chris' most recent efforts.

We so appreciate Chris' attention to our great game, and for showing the world bridge lovers seriously competing in the Twin Cities toughest game.  If you have any photographic needs, Chris Bohnhoff is the guy to call!  Don't forget - Chris is a bridge player himself, too.  Maybe one day we'll capture Chris at the card table ... :)

Holiday Celebrating at the Twin City Bridge Center

Holiday parties abound this time of year.  The Twin City Bridge Center is no different.

Unit 178 President Marv Riedesel enjoyed the holiday celebration at the TCBC with wife Mary, and kindly supplied MN Bridge with these great photos!  Thanks for sharing!

The Underdog

Are you the underdog at the table?  No matter what your skill level, almost all of us are the underdog at certain times in our bridge career.

Many people are scared to play top experts and actually go out of their way to avoid doing so.  Wrong attitude!

Think of meeting up with the "big boys" as a grand opportunity!  If they do something fabulous against you, then you should learn from it and foist it upon someone else in the future.  Sometimes, however, it can be you who delivers the sharp lesson.

A most exciting hand this week from John Koch at the Open B-A-M in San Diego.  When you best Bob Hamman, Zia, Jeff Meckstroth and Eric Rodwell, that is an accomplishment!

Bridge Buddies

For those of you who were unable to make it to the Fall NABC in San Diego, the next best thing--

Our friends at the table and out and about in sunny California!

GNT 2010

Mike Cassel, in charge of our Grand National Teams for 2010, is hoping that everyone will consider participating this year!

Engage in your local competition, win a subsidized trip to the summer NABC in New Orleans and have a great time!  Many links at the District 14 website can be found here.

WWLD?

Larry Cohen, top-notch bridge player, perhaps is best known for "The Law" - that is, the Law of Total Tricks.  This law, which Larry has worked so hard to popularize, teaches players when to compete based upon the "total tricks" available on a hand.

Sometimes, when faced with an ugly choice at the table, many of us wonder "What Would Larry Do?"  John Koch found himself in such a situation in this week's hand.  Larry Cohen would be proud!

Unit 178 Board Minutes for 2009

We're almost at the end of 2009.  Time to thank the board members of Unit 178 for all of their hard work:  thanks so much!

And, for those who like to keep tabs on what has been happening in 178, please find all the board minutes save December below.

Happy Holidays!

Last weekend, some Minnesotans were still battling away in sunny San Diego.  Others of us were competing a bit closer to home - specifically, at the Holiday Sectional in North St. Paul.

Congratulations to the father & son duo of Terry and John Lijewski, who with almost 23 points grabbed more masterpoints than anyone else at the sectional.  Kerry Holloway and Joe Rice were close behind; the only other pair to top 20 masterpoints

All results and point standings can be seen here; well done, all!

Foes and Forces

Matchpoints is a game where doing "just the right thing" matters mightily.  IMPS is a game where bidding games is king; you bid 'em and hope you can make 'em.

This week, John Koch demonstrates how to beat old foes with force.  If you bid skinny games, this is a skill worth adopting!

Minnesota to San Diego

San Diego is a fabulous place for a national tournament!  Is it perfect?  Pretty darn close!  You can see a few photos and a write up at the ACBL home page.

Here are a few more.  Sharon and Roger Anderson were regaled with stories from the Hammans at Rose Meltzer's fabulous "Breakfast with the Stars."  And, a couple of familiar faces starting session number one of the Blue Ribbon Pairs.  Not too late to head west, my friends!

Unit 178 from San Diego

Hi all!  I am blogging from the Fall NABC in San Diego.  The view from my room is so glorious, I may never play bridge at all!  (Only kidding :))

Marv Riedesel, President of Unit 178, requested that I post the September minutes from that month's board meeting. Please find same below.

More to come from the Nationals, too!

Happy Thanksgiving!

Whether you are cooking a big feast in your home, on your way to a family get together - or - heading to San Diego for the Fall NABC - best wishes for a wonderful holiday!

Unlearning

Many years have passed since I began my first bridge lessons.  No matter how much time passes, however, I think I shall still remember my struggles to learn our complex yet fascinating game.  So many rules - and so many that seemed to conflict with one another!  Yet, it is the complexity and the difficulty that makes it all so worthwhile.

At times, it also seems that for every rule I memorized and learned - circumstances arise where ignoring that rule is what works!  If you are a beginning bridge player and fret that you will never master it all - not to worry.  None of us ever achieves "bridge nirvana" - and that is part of bridge's charm.

This week, John Koch features a trick that we are told never to do as beginners:  underleading aces.  How can this maneuver be correct?  When is it the right thing to do?

As he does so well, John shows us the way with some fascinating hands. 

Red - Green - Gold

Mike Cassel, MN Units Coordinator and District 14 Coordinator for the 2009-2010 Grand National Teams season is most excited about this year's competition!  Mike has written an article, letting everyone know how you can win red, green and gold by competing in the GNT.

What is red - green - and gold?  Do read Mike's column below to find out! 

And do be sure to check out the other links to brochures for the event, plus conditions of contest, too.  This could be your opportunity to win a subsidized trip to the New Orleans NABC!

Thanks, Mike!

There Once was a Partner....

At our most recent Minnesota State Sectional, we featured a bridge poetry contest.  Great entries were submitted by Evan Sachs, Steve Gaynor, Edna Lusk, Maurice Mertens, Verda Gould and Dave Neiman.  We thank everyone for their submissions, which were posted at the tournament.

Dave Neiman created the winning poem.  Please enjoy it below!

There once was a partner from hell,
Who bid like his hand was so swell.
He ignored my two passes,
Then took two losing finesses,
And blamed me when one short he fell.