Minnesota Bridge

Getting Better

"How do I get better at bridge?"  It's a plaintive cry from more than a few.

And - Irwin Boris has come to the rescue!

For those who wish to improve their games - Irwin has some advice well worth the time to read!

ACBL World Wide Games

 

Play against the rest of the world!  On the evening of June 7th and the afternoon of June 8th, the ACBL is featuring a world wide pairs event.

Every player will receive a souvenier booklet with Eric Kokish's excellent commentary - and have the opportunity to earn sectionally rated half red/black points.

Compete against the whole planet at either the Twin City Bridge Center or the Bridge Center of St. Paul!

Unit 178 - Board Meeting June 2013

Unit 178 will hold their June meeting on the 8th, at Lunds at 50th and France in Edina.

For those who like to observe or see their agenda, please look below.

Partner, Please

We can request partner to show or do various things in bridge.  4NT asks that partner show how many aces or keycards he has.  After a NT opener, bidding clubs asks that partner mention a major suit - if he has one.  And some calls - often "double" - request that partner lead a specific suit.

Yet, how do we know which one it is?  From this week's Gopher Regional, John Koch highlights how he made just such a double, knowing that this partner, Terry Beckman, would figure it out.  T did indeed.

Terry won a number of events at the Gopher, and almost 68 masterpoints.  Read John's column, and you will understand why.

Gopher Recaps

For those who are not quite done with Gopher 2013 - you may find additional recaps to enjoy below from our Bulletin editor, Mike Cassel.

The Gopher - The End!

 

Another Gopher Regional has concluded. Many people contributed to making it a fine event.  A number of our players met with excellent success.

Among the latter group, the Balderson team seized the final KO event in Bracket #1.  They and their teammates are not infrequently found in the winner's circle.

Also big winners were my teammates:  Vern and Monte Evans and Bill Kent. Vern and Monte, session after session, return to compare with a scorecard that rarely has a misstep - and often has a substantial pickup.  And, after watching Bill Kent across the table for close to twenty years, I continue to be amazed by every aspect of his game.  His creativity in both bidding and play, his ability to imagine the entire hand from the start, then know what to do - and to handle it all so fluidly and effortlessly - is exceptional.  

The Kent team topped the masterpoint leaderboard for the Gopher.  As one who tried to stop my teammates from success at times, I can guarantee you that they were great! Bill, however, did sacrifice a couple of masterpoints by attending the District 14 Board meeting on Saturday morning.  Reports were that Bill ably took over the reins of the presidency, after our loss of Verda Gould to cancer earlier in the year.

To all who worked so hard for us this year - a big "thank you."  And to all our competitors who braved the monsoon weather of Twin City spring 2013 to attend - we are so glad that you did!  Please return next year - and bring a few friends along, too!  We will be looking forward to seeing your smiling faces.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Our final Gopher Bulletin, results from throughout the week and hand records for the latter part of the tournament are all posted below.

 

Gopher: Lost and Found

Did you leave a:

• Black Benetton umbrella
• Soft sided Playmate cooler
• Red metal water bottle
• Purple plastic water bottle
• Black chair cushion 
• Blue Tupperware container

at the Gopher Regional?  If so, co-chairman Sue Jackson will deliver all to the Twin City Bridge Center at 60th and Nicollet.  Or, if you prefer, contact Sue and you can arrange to pick up your item from her Roseville home.

 

Last Day

This is the second year that Sunday is the last day of the Gopher Regional.  Organizers have judged that it's wiser to start a day early so that we can spend Memorial Day celebrating with friends and family.

Mike Cassel's final Gopher Bulletin is posted below.  Mike has thanked some of the many people who have contributed to another excellent tournament.  We couldn't do it without you! Special thanks to Co-chairmen Patti Stuhlman and Sue Jackson, DIC Mike Flader and all his other directing staff, our volunteers and their workers, caddies .... And all of our great players.

Whether you drove 3 miles to the playing site, traveled from nearby states or from one of the coasts, whether this was your first tournament or #300 - we are so glad that you could join us!  

Good luck today and looking forward to seeing you in 2014!

 

 

A Good Partner

We've all had it happen to us.  We're playing our little hearts out and doing just fine ... but partner is not.  A game fails when partner revokes.  On another hand, a cold slam goes by the wayside when partner calls for the wrong card from dummy.

Some might have harsh words for partner - or worse.  We've all seen people rant at the table.

Not Richard Lawson.

When his partner was struggling, Richard offered a cheerful "forget about it" to him. The opponents saw no anger and only support from Richard.

Playing bridge well is difficult - and we all have our moments when we do not rise to the occasion.  Kudos to Richard for understanding that being supportive of partner during such times is the wisest course - and for earning the respect of others, too!

A good partner can be tough to find.  Yet if you are looking for one - you will have found him in Richard Lawson.

A Few "Thank You's"

Any regional has a great many people who contribute to its success. Here are just a few of those super folks who have made the Gopher a fine tournament - and who help bridge in Minnesota throughout the year.

 

David Neiman, speaker

Chris Patrias, director

Caddies!

Gus Doty, District 14 Board Member

 

Hello Sunshine!

No locusts, but the Gopher Regional has been plagued with loads of rain.  Thursday and yesterday, however, brought us some lovely sunshine - in addition to loads of fun and new winners.

One of the special treats of our tournament, too, is seeing faces of friends who either do not live in the Twin Cities or who aren't able to get to the bridge table very frequently.  We are so glad that we were able to see their sunshiney faces!

Saturday's Bulletin is now available for viewing, too!

Gopher Reading Material

When he's not playing, our hard working editor is producing another fine Bulletin for us! Here is Friday's, along with recaps and all the hand records that have been in play so far.

Not Just the Competition

Needless to say, every bridge player loves competition.  Whether a local club game or the Spingold at a nationals, we want to do our best and win!

Yet, there is so much more to bridge.  

We have learning about the game, hearing stories of huge success and sad losses.  We have partnerships that last decades, and friendships to match.  We also have sharing and teaching and helping others to enjoy this game as much as we have.

Thursday, I/N players were treated to a free dinner in the hospitality suite.  There, volunteers such as Sue Jackson, Jean Boettcher and others met with our newer players over sandwiches and other tasty treats.  They reviewed hand records, explained bids and regaled the group with their own tales of winning and defeat.

Thanks to all those who make bridge such a great game - at the table and away.  And to our newer players - here's to a lifetime of enjoying both the best mind game there is - along with the people who play it!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Two Peas in a Pod

Before the game begins, most people are laughing and visiting.  Peder Langsetmo and Paul Meerschaert, however, are fastidiously studying their convention cards.

Two peas in a pod at the Gopher!

Smiles - and Furrows

Are competitors playing?  Or are they visiting before the game begins?  As your photographer roams around the room, it's always quite easy to tell from everyone's faces.

If it's the former, then generally faces are serious and brows are often furrowed.  If it's the latter, we see lots of laughing and smiles - as in most of the photos below.

Congratulations to those who have already earned a win.  Lots more bridge, lectures, hospitality and fun to be had this week!  Be sure to experience as much of it as you can!

Today's Bulletin and recaps for your review, too.  Our thanks to Mike Cassel for his late night efforts to produce them!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

They Play, Too!

Our tournaments simply would not occur if it weren't for our fabulous volunteers.  Here are a few of them - with their work set in place, they're concentrating hard at the table.

Sue Jackson, Co-Chairman

Patti Stuhlman, Co-Chairman

Rebecca Connolly, Partnerships

Kerry Holloway, Daily Speakers Coordinator

Get Some Sleep, T Beckman!

Terry Beckman, along with wife Kathy and teammates Terry Lijewski and Bruce Boje went undefeated to win Tuesday's Swiss Team.  Very well done - but - at this moment in time, it assuredly looked as if Terry needed to get a few more "zzzzzzzzzz's"!

First Full Day

Tuesday, the Gopher had its first full day of play.  "Full" it was!  Pair games, knock-outs and Swiss events were all available for our players.

Mike Cassel has results, hands, news, quips and upcoming events all posted in Wednesday's Bulletin.  Recaps are also below for your review - along with additional pics!

Start Your Engines!

The directors are getting the first games set up.  Players are meeting, discussing system and making partnerships.  The Great Larry Oakey is on hand.  Caddies are ready to go!

Six more days of bridge at the Gopher are awaiting us.  Be sure to enjoy as much of it as you can!

Also note that Tuesday's Bulletin is posted below. 

 

Forty Dozen Reasons!

If you see this woman with the fabulous smile, then be sure to tell her "thank you."  We have forty dozen reasons to do so; exactly the number of chocolate chip cookies Sue Shorter baked at home for our hospitality room!

Talk about sweets from the sweet!  

Thank you, Sue!