Minnesota Bridge

Second Chance

If you're looking for a Minnesotan bridge player with more ability than TGLO (The Great Larry Oakey) - good luck.  Maybe you'll find someone.  For sure, though, yours will be one difficult task.

Here The Great One expounds on chances at the table - and another bite at the apple.

It's not often that life offers you a second chance; a chance to redeem yourself.  Two hands, however, did give me that opportunity.

First, in the quarterfinals of the Grand National Teams, our Twin City team was facing the heavily favored Washington DC team.  Going into our final hand, it seemed that we were reasonably far behind.  However....

Please see below for the continuation of Larry's article!

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                       

Did You Hear The One About.....?

Do you have a story to tell?  Did someone at your bridge club achieve greatness? 

Are you planning an exciting event - or would you like to share how well a recent one went?

Great!  We'd love to hear about it!

Here's how you do it.

Send an email or word document to Peg Kaplan, MN Bridge blogmaster, at:

[email protected]

That's the easiest.

If someone wishes to snail mail me something:

5592 Bristol Lane, Minnetonka MN  55343

Oh - and do not forget photos!  Just upload them with your email.

THANKS!

Nancy Shifflet Higdem 1936-2008

The bridge world of Minnesota lost a very special member early Thursday morning.  Nancy Shifflet Higdem finally succumbed to pancreatic cancer after a long and valiant fight.

If you play bridge in our state, the odds are that you were then touched by Nancy's handiwork.  It was my pleasure to serve on Unit 178's board concurrent with Nancy's tenure.  You name the positive adjective; it fit Nancy.  Hardworking, energetic, creative, organized, inspiring, no-nonsense, yet full-of-humor - all were true of Nancy.  Fortunately for us, Nancy ran many a tournament and bridge event.  If something had Nancy's mark on it, you knew it would be done well.

Competing at the bridge table, Nancy could hold her own.  Many times she would face top experts, and it would be the experts who came away with regret, not Nancy!  With her bright smile, sparkly eyes and sequined cap to match, Nancy always added to any bridge venture.

Even away from Minnesota, Nancy spread good will and learning with our game.  With her husband, popular bridge instructor and director Dennis Higdem, she sailed the seas and paid forward her love of the game to so many others.

No one expected Nancy to be able to keep up her fight as long as she did.  But when it came to her illness, as with everything else in her life, Nancy gave that battle as much as she had - and then some.

We will miss her.

Visitation for Nancy will be held Saturday, January 5th, from 1PM to 2PM at the Cremation Society of MN, at 4343 Nicollet Avenue South.  A memorial service is scheduled from 2PM to 3PM, and refreshments will follow.

Addendum:  A large gathering of family, friends, co-workers and (of course) bridge players celebrated Nancy's life Saturday afternoon.  One of Nancy's grandchildren, Jade, created a marvelous slide show with dozens of photographs.  Each photograph told a tale about Nancy.

During the service, representatives from family, friends, co-workers and bridge players remembered Nancy with tears and laughter.  From the bridge world, Kathy Beckman and Sharon Anderson told stories about their friend.

Sharon told us the "Top Ten Reasons I'll Miss Having Nancy on Our Team." 

Sharon, thanks.  And - we all will miss Nancy.

Please see below.

Remembering Paul Soloway

Few bridge players ever have come close to accomplishing the feats of Paul Soloway.  Without a doubt, Soloway will remain always one of the bridge greats.

To start out our new year, this week the format of John Koch's column alters a bit.  John shares the experiences of some Minnesotans as they take on the recently departed legend and other stars.

For those players who fear competing against others far more experienced than they, John's column should be a lesson.  Little is more exciting and rewarding than beating the "big guns" at the bridge table!

And - if anyone was a "big gun" - it was Paul Soloway.

John's story of David and Goliath is below.