Minnesota Bridge

Unit 178 Board Meeting

The Unit 178 Board is having a meeting this coming Saturday, July 18, 11:00AM at the Twin City Bridge Center.  An agenda for this meeting is posted below.

Remember; Unit 178 members are welcome to attend and listen if they so choose!

And Back Again

If people prefer the larger type font for ease in reading, then we are here to supply it!  Our quick experiment has returned to the former standard.  Thanks for your comments!

Petite Change

A small change to Minnesota Bridge Blog - both literally and figuratively.  I decided to try making the font for our posts a bit smaller. 

Definitely, however, I would like your input.  Do people prefer the smaller typeface?  Would you rather I return to a larger size?

Inquiring minds (well, my inquiring mind!) wants to know!

Around the Corner

Fall colors.  Cooler temps.  Kids back to school.

Yes, I know it's still mid-July, but autumn is not that far away!  And, as always, with autumn comes the start of the Minneapolis Grand Slam Club.  President Andy Caranicas requested that I alert everyone that the MGSC will begin its 2009-2010 season on September 11th.  As has been the case for some years now, the Club will continue to meet at the Richfield Community Center at 70th and Nicollet.

Enjoy those days at the lake and long days!  Soon they will be gone - but - great bridge times are ahead!

Trick One Alert

How do the experts do it?  They seem to know where to find queens, recognize when a suit is splitting poorly - and even drop those stiff kings offside.  Are they mind readers?

They are not - but - they are able to examine all the evidence available and deal with it logically.  Today, John Koch demonstrates step by step how all of us can engage in this process!

In The Meantime....

Whether the Washington DC NABC is on your schedule or not - great bridge is available right here in Minnesota!  Starting July 15th through Sunday July 19th, the Aquatennial Silver Point Tournament will be held at the Twin City Bridge Center at 60th and Nicollet.  These five days of events are a super way to warm up for Washington, beat the heat or just have a great time competing with your friends.

Do check out the schedule above and join in the fun!

Goodbye Des Moines! On to Washington!

Thanks to our neighbors in Des Moines for hosting an excellent Regional!  From a pleasant venue with great hospitality to beautiful summer weather, the tournament was a success.  More folks joined the festivities as the week progressed.  Check out our Des Moines photo blog to see photos just added.  If you're curious about everyone's achievements, results for the week are here.

In just two weeks, our summer NABC in Washington D.C. will begin.  If you have never attended a national tournament, consider heading east.  D.C. should have a fine turnout, and nothing can quite equal the excitement and fun of a tournament with thousands of players from around the world.  The best of the best will be there.  Still, there are events for every level of bridge player, whether you're a Bermuda Bowl champ or still searching for your fifth masterpoint.

Bridge Anywhere!

ACBL has a new tool for bridge players on the go.  No matter where you are in ACBL territory, you can now easily find bridge clubs to get your fix - be you in part of District 14, or far, far away in Boise, Boston or Birmingham.  Even directions are available!

If you're returning to Minneapolis from the very fun Des Moines Regional that ended yesterday, here's what you might have seen ....

Des Moines Regional 2009

Our District Director Sharon Anderson is at the Des Moines Regional!  Check out her most recent post for news and photos!

Inferences

Some of bridge is straightforward logic.  One can calculate a play that is 100% to work, irrespective of what any player does or how the cards are situated.

Others are not so black and white.  One must take into account a competitor's proclivities, the likelihood of one action or another, and so forth.

Today, John Koch presents us with a hand that fits into the latter category.  To be successful, declarer must read the "tea leaves" of table action. 

Is anyone shocked that John did just that?  Naaaaaaah!  Please see below the line for another of John's fine articles.

Des Moines Regional

District 14 Director Sharon Anderson reminds us that one of the summer highlights of bridge begins tomorrow:  the Des Moines Regional.

See you there!

How Many?

Sometimes, we are dealt a hand with a long suit where no specific level seems exactly right.  Is the hand too weak for a one level bid?  Too strong for the two or three level?  Better to pass - or just guess and pick one of the above?

Murray Appelbaum presents such a hand, along with the thought processes involved in weighing it all.  Thanks, Murray!

Sublime or Mundane?

Some of us love to reach for "New York Times" hands.  These involve plays that are so dramatic, they would earn the right to be read by millions in the NYTimes bridge column.

Sometimes, however, "New York Times" plays earn not accolades but the booby prize.  Sometimes, "normal" saves the day.

How is one to tell which way the wind blows?  Today, John Koch offers us such a lesson.

A Teacher's Inspiration

Teachers and inspiration.  When we contemplate them, we think of students who were inspired by their teachers.

Sometimes, however, the tables are turned.  A student can inspire the teacher!

Paul Meerschaert shares such a story with us.  Somehow, though - my guess is this teacher inspired his students, too.

Thanks, Paul!

Aquatennial

Our next summer sectional is less than a month away!  Enjoy all the festivities of the Aquatennial Silver Point Tournament at the Twin City Bridge Center.  The tournament starts July 15th and runs through the 19th. 

A full schedule can be found here.

St. Cloud Success

The Granite City Sectional in St. Cloud ended yesterday.  The two top masterpoint winners were foreigners!  Congratulations to William and Sue Moore Treble for their excellent performance.

To see who did what in all the events, check out the results page here.  A great way to spend a summer weekend!

Capturing the Excitement

Those who watched the final match of the team trials were able to view bridge at its most thrilling.  The Nickell team faced the Fleischer team:  one of the strongest teams in U.S. history, facing a team that had beaten team after team of elite experts from the start of the competition.

The last day of bridge afforded the spectators "can't take your eyes away" hands.  Every two to four hands, one team would overtake the other by a few IMPS.  Near the end of the penultimate set, the Nickell team built up a moderate lead.

On the first hand of the last set, however, the Fleischer team met with disaster.  One pair had a bidding misunderstanding, finally resting in 5 clubs redoubled.  Down 1600 translated into a 19 IMP loss for the Fleischer team - and they never recovered.

Mike Cassel has thoughtfully delivered a column that details many of these fascinating hands.  Thanks Mike!  And - enjoy seeing how the best of the best do what they do in the heat of competition.

Second Chances

Sometimes in life we are dealt second chances.  Sometimes those second chances arise at the bridge table, too.

Have you ever had a hand where partner has blown the defense?  Sure you have; anyone who plays bridge has hands where this happens.

You have two choices.  You can fume and fret and think about how you will berate partner when the hand is over.  Or - you can dig deep and see if there is a second chance.

As he always does, John Koch masterfully teaches us.  Today?  It's all about second chances.