Minnesota Bridge

Paul Bunyon Pays Big

Rebecca Anspach attended the Paul Bunyon Sectional in Duluth this past weekend; she was my "roving reporter" from the tournament.  Rebecca gave me exciting news:  we have two new Life Masters!

Diane and Larry Henson, along with Cathy and Bob Sigafus, won Flight C of the Swiss Teams on Sunday.  The points that Diane and Larry earned were enough to put them over the top for Life Masterdom.  Congratulations to the Hensons for their achievement! Earning that title still remains one of the highlights of anyone's bridge career.

For the rest of Duluth's results, check this link.  And for fashion statements, check out these photos provided by Rebecca and Keith Connolly.  Diane is a vision in Paul Bunyon motifs!

 

The Best

Howie Weinstein and Steve Garner moved away from the Twin Cities many years ago now.  Nevertheless, Minnesotans still like to claim these "hometown" boys as their own.  Howie and Steve still return frequently to see family and friends.  And, as they learned and honed their elite games here, surely we have a reasonable claim that they are "our guys."

The U.S. had a rough time in the end at Louisville's Buffett Cup competition.  Howie and Steve, however, had the top records for our illustrious team.  This New York Times article gives you some of the action.  You can add your own applause for the Golden Valley and Richfield boys who made good!

At the Buffett Cup in Louisville, Ky., last week, Europe defeated the United States by 205.5 points to 172.5.

The best individual result was by Tor Helness, who won 24 points for his team, three points more than his fellow Norwegians Boye Brogeland and Jan Petter Svendsen. The top-scoring American was Howard Weinstein, with 21 points, just ahead of Steve Garner, at 20.

Captain

Partnerships are exactly that:  a joining of two players who become one meaningful whole.  Nevertheless, on any given hand, sometimes one person becomes "the Captain."  For various reasons, that person is the one who needs to steer a hand to success for the partnership.

Paul Meerschaert has once again graced us with one of his favorites.  In this hand, you can see why having the captain avoid rough shoals really matters!

The Right Steps

At IMPS, our primary purpose is to make our contract.  At matchpoints?  Of course, our contract is important.  Yet, those teensy little overtricks are often where the hefty matchpoint payoff is to be found.

This week, John Koch shows you how to move onward and upward with a large matchpoint score!

Autumn IS Just Around the Corner!

With humid, warm Indian Summer days, autumn seems a distant memory.  Still, leaves are beginning to turn, and cooler days surely will soon be upon us.

With autumn comes competitive bridge events!  The second week in October, we can enjoy the Autumn Harvest Sectional Tournament in Maplewood at the Sheet Metal Workers location.  The schedule is below; find your favorite partners and teammates and come enjoy the spoils of fall!

We've Moved!

The Bridge Center of St. Paul now resides in North St. Paul.  The new address is:  2603 6th Avenue E, North St. Paul, 55109.

Phone the Bridge Center at 651.490.5430; the website remains www.bridgecenterofstpaul.com.

One and One

The Buffett Cup just ended this afternoon in Louisville, Kentucky - and alas; the Americans did not win.  In most sports, it seems that the "home team" has an advantage.  But, in the two times that bridge's answer to the "Ryder Cup" has been played, the "away" team has brought home the prize.  When the event was first held in Ireland, victory went to the U.S.  Today?  The Europeans swept the Individual competition with a vengeance, having the event sewn up with two matches to go.

Nevertheless, watching some of the best competitors on the planet, including our own Steve Garner and Howie Weinstein, was a treat for all the world!  Here are the European and American teams.

 

  

(By the way - any time photos are posted at the MN Bridge Blog - you can see larger versions merely by clicking on the photo itself.)

My Favorite Hands

Unless you are a neophyte, if you are a bridge player, then you have some favorite hands.

Paul Meerschaert, expert player and bridge writer, shares a few of his with us!

Them's The Breaks

It's not the breaks you get in life.  It's what you do with what is dealt to you.

John Koch explains below!

The Buffett Cup

Through Friday, I will be in Louisville, Kentucky.  Have I suddenly taken a fascination to golf and the Ryder Cup?  Noooooooo.  Yet, for those who love elite bridge at its best, you can watch The Buffett Cup, highlighting Europe versus the United States.

For four days, two teams of 12 players each from these continents are battling away.  Yesterday's competition was the pairs, which ended with a tie score.  Today, players are in the throes of a team fight.

You can watch the festivities live at bridge base online - and you can get oddles of information and photos (courtesy of yours truly) at The Buffett Cup website.

Two of our hometown guys - Howie Weinstein and Steve Garner - are integral members of the U.S. team.  Log on and root for our nation and Howie & Steve!

   

 

What Do You Think?

Our MN Bridge Blog has a wide variety of functions available.  We really have only scratched the surface!

One of those functions is to have a forum for bridge problems.  Richard Lawson encountered an intriguing matchpoint issue.  The hand and questions are posed below the line.  Please examine Richard's display and commentary - and add your own thoughts in the comments, if you so choose!

And - thanks for the problem, Richard!

Calendar of Events

If you are a bridge player in Minnesota, do we have a bounty of upcoming events for you!

Please look below the cut to see all the fun and exciting opportunities available!

Suicide Hot Line

Want a hot line of play?  Check out John Koch's dramatic suicide squeeze below!

Squeezes are an advanced line of play.  Once you use them, tricks can be conjured up - seemlingly out of nowhere!  They can be tough to learn (squeezes surely did not come easily to me) - but, once you are able to employ them, your game will rise to a new level.

John's article is a marvelous place to start!

Back to School

And back to the Minneapolis Grand Slam Club!

Founded in 1937, the MGSC is the Twin Cities' oldest and most respected bridge club.  It is a club that offers membership.  Members get a raft of benefits, ranging from four "Club Nights" of free plays, a weekly bulletin, a useful list of MGSC members, and a mavelous year-end party that is heavily subsidized.  Although many of those who frequent the Club have been members for years, the MGSC welcomes anyone to its games.  You need not be a member to compete.

The Club prides itself in modeling its games to the same level of quality as a "Flight A" regional event.  Hand records and pre-duped hands are provided, both for ease of discussion afterwards and equity during the play.  Members take turns in bringing a host of treats to share every game.

Last Friday was the first event of their 2008-2009 season:  "Win A Membership."  Although that prize is already gone, loads of fun and exciting events are still to come!  Please take a look at the schedule below, as you enjoy photos of players returning to the Club and their friends after a summer off!

Trick One

For many bridge players, defense is tough and treacherous.

Today, Paul Meerschaert helps us to navigate through the rough waters of defense.  Learn what you should do - and why the process begins at Trick One, too!

Giving Back and Moving Forward

This morning, I received an email from Patty Tucker, the youth bridge teacher extraordinaire who is now running Youth Bridge for the ACBL nationwide.  Patty sent me a link to a youth event at the Atlanta Labor Day Regional, wondering if it might be appropriate to post here at MN Bridge.

Well.  As far as I am concerned, anything that promotes our kids learning this game, be it in Atlanta, Dallas, Seattle, New York City or Duluth, is good for bridge in our state!

Elite experts Jeff Meckstroth, Eric Rodwell, Larry Cohen, Dave Berkowitz, Curtis Cheek, Jerry Helms and our own Joe Grue generously donated their time and expertise to helping the juniors.  Patty told me that they all came down early to talk about hands, experiences, bridge tips and hand out trophies to those kids who earned them.  You can enjoy photos of the greats with the kids here.

I know that many of our own local experts also have been wonderful with sharing their talents and knowledge with others.  In particular, Sharon and Roger Anderson have been hosting seminars at their home for intermediate players.  A number of our Twin City experts have shown up to give mini-lectures and discuss all aspects of how to succeed at our great game.  The incomparable Larry Oakey pitches in, too, to ably direct proceedings.

Of course, let's not forget folks like Evan Sachs and Colin Kehe, youth teachers here who have been developing exciting programs and competitions for kids in our area who are just learning bridge.

My thanks to Patty for sharing this event with our state.  All of us - whether we're in Minnesota, the Eastern seaboard, the Southwest or the western coast - need to pitch in and work to train our youth.  If we don't share our enthusiasm and our knowledge with the next generation - then we won't be writing about bridge anywhere!

Thank you, Patty - and a special thanks, too, to all of you here who do give so much to bridge - especially to our kids.

Know Your Customer

Anyone reading this blog knows by now that bride is quite a complex game.  To fare well, you need to have a reasonable bidding system and the judgment to use it wisely.  You must be able to defend sensibly with your partner.  Declaring must be sound.

In addition, knowing your customer at the bridge table helps immensely.  Are the opponents experts?  Are they aggressive or cautious?  How creative are they?

John Koch advises us today about tools that a successful decllarer can employ at the table.  John also highlights how the best declarers size up their customers - and arrive at the winning answer.