Minnesota Bridge

Day One

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

First day in Orlando, and Jean and Steve already have a pair event win.  Congratulations!

 

Happy Thanksgiving

 
Whether you are heading to the Orlando NABC, driving to Grandma's for a family dinner - or hosting your own spread at home, Happy Thanksgiving!  Warm wishes to the entire Minnesota bridge community on this wonderful holiday!

Second Time Around

Recently, Irwin Boris analyzed a most interesting hand that one of our purported better players (oy!) failed to field accurately.  This week, John Koch revisits The Hand.  In addition, John gives us hints as to how to recognize similar hands and gain on them all.

Thanks, John, for helping us to get the maximum success possible!

Name That Event!

With ice storms, snow and wintry temperatures, May and the Gopher Regional may be far off in our thoughts.  Yet, for those who plan our feature tournament, now is when preparations must be made.

Do you have someone special for whom you would like to name an event?  The person you honor will not only have the honor of representing an event, they will also be featured in a Daily Bulletin article.

Cost to name an event ranges from $100 to $150.  To find out more about this opportunity, please contact Sue Jackson at sjackson@smumn.edu.

 

 

Increasing Your Odds

Irwin Boris was on the winning team at our most recent November MN State Sectional.  Irwin sent me an analysis of a fascinating hand, with a note that I "might not wish to publish this on the MN Bridge blog."

Why would I not?  Well - it might have something to do with yours truly being the declarer on this hand  . . . and sadly, not a successful declarer.

Frankly, part of what I love about bridge is that it is never dull and that one never stops learning.  If you wish to improve your game, then you must decide that gaining knowledge is more important than your ego.  Irwin highlights how we can calculate a good line of play - and then search for something even better.

Thanks to Irwin, too, for remembering and highlighting the skills of Jim Hall.  Whether at the bridge table, the golf course or the bowling alley - Jim never stopped concentrating on how to do better.

He Who Hesitates

We've all heard "he who hesitates is lost."  Bridge is an exceptionally challenging game.  Many positions take some thought.

The more we can play in tempo, however, the less we give away to our opponents.

This week, John Koch demonstrates both how to know what to do as a defender - and how declarer can take advantage of those tell tale hesitations.

Two Over One

Are "2/1" systems a mystery to you?  Would you like to understand how they work - perhaps even be able to play 2/1?

Then Tom Hammond's lessons at the Bridge Center of St. Paul are perfect for you!

Tom's lessons will begin on Thursday, December 2nd, from 10AM to noon.  Cost for each of these four lessons is $5 per session.

All the details about how you can learn more about "Two Over One Game Forcing" are below.

Two Hundred

As all matchpoint players know, writing "plus 200" on your scorecard is generally a fine result.  One can risk disaster by chancing a close double.  When bold bidding is followed by fine defense, however, the rewards can be huge.

This week, our author extraordinaire and national champ, John Koch, shows how to earn 200's.  As an extra bonus, John's thoughts on how to compete over the opponents' no-trump openers.

What A Feeling!

What a great sectional!  Co-chairmen Kathy Beckman and Verda Gould, featured with newly retired director Ron Johnston - now newly enjoying-his-bridge-game player!  (Our thanks to Unit 178 President Marv Riedesel for the photo.)

Lots more photos of happy participants, directors and caddies at our most recent tournament.

And - for all the final results, check this link at ACBL.org.

Holidays at the Bridge Table!

Less than a month away, another fun Minnesota tournament is on the horizon.  This one is the Holiday Sectional.  Held at the Bridge Center of St. Paul in N. St. Paul, the tournament offers compact KO's, Swiss teams and pair/team events.  Enjoy a mini-bridge lesson with Steve Gaynor at 6:30PM on Saturday night, too!

The full schedule of events plus other tournament details can be viewed here.

Start enjoying the holiday season in style at the Holiday Sectional!

MN State Sectional Results

If you want to see how people are doing at the sectional, please check here for results.  They will be posted as available.

UPDATE:  Another excellent MN State Sectional is completed!  Our thanks to the directing staff, headed by Mike Flader, to Co-Chairmen Verda Gould and Kathy Beckman, to all our most valued volunteers and to all of you for making our tournaments so fun and exciting!

The rest of our results are posted below - and photographs will be coming!

Two Hours from Now

The Minnesota State Sectional will begin! 

If you're not already booked for the entire tournament, check out the schedule and finalize your plans.  A weekend's worth of fun and competition is waiting for you at Mystic Lake!

Snip, Snip

Every defensive hand is unique.  On some, one must develop winners before declarer has enough tricks.  On others, suits can be blocked.  Other hands, transportation can be mangled.

This week, John Koch focuses on the last type of hand.  Declarer might in theory have tricks to fulfill his contract.  Yet, a little "snip, snip" of conduits - and suddenly, success belongs to the defense.

If you want to learn how to reap rewards when they seem almost impossible to attain, John - and the great Benito Garozzo - will light the way.