Minnesota Bridge

Winter Sectional Results

 

A great venue at the Maplewood Community Center provided a fine weekend of tournament bridge! Our thanks to tournament chair Keith Thompson, DIC Kim Hayward and all our able volunteers for the Winter Sectional.

At the top of the masterpoint list for the weekend, we find Kerry Holloway. Known for not only his excellent play, but also his ability to partner a wide variety of players and achieve great results, this weekend was no different. Kerry earned an impressive 30.5 masterpoints with his partners! The overall masterpoint list is here; results from each event here.

 

And as we near Valentine's Day, a sweet treat. For many of us, partnering our partner in life can be a significant challenge AT the table. Yet, some of us handle it magnificently!

Love is in the air - and in these smiles.

 

More shots of sectional fun below!

"Nobody's Any Good at This Game"

 

While the Winter Sectional at the Maplewood Community Center continues on this weekend, a fine article for all our competitors to enjoy.

We sometimes think that elite players are bridge gods and can do no wrong. Sometimes, they do indeed perform miracles at the table!

Yet, as Fred Gitelman (one of the founders of BridgeBase Online) highlights, even the experts sometimes make errors - and sometimes bad ones!

Fred recalls one time approaching Michael Rosenberg, whom he had just watched make a play that had not turned out well. and asking him why he had made the error. Michael smiled at him. ‘Don’t you get it yet. Fred?’ he asked. ‘Nobody’s any good at this game; it’s just that the top players are less bad than the rest.’

Have a great time this weekend at our Winter Sectional.  And remember that no one at all ever plays perfectly! If something goes wrong at the table, then forget about it and move on to the next hand.  

That's what the experts do!

 

2017 Winter Tournament - Jan 27-Jan 29

 

Just two days until winter fun in St. Paul!  Starting Friday, January 27 at 9:30AM, head to the Maplewood Community Center for the start of the Winter Sectional Tournament. Every day features new and challenging events, along with coffee and treats.  

During Sunday's morning and afternoon sessions, lunch will be served.

The schedule and all the details about our great sectional are here.  Grab your favorite partners and head to the Maplewood Community Center this weekend for the bridge event of the month!

Mike Cassel, our GNT Coordinator, has shared an information sheet about our May District 14 Finals this year in Mason City, IA.

Lots of great information from Mike about the event. A fabulous opportunity to compete against your peers at the Summer NABC in Toronto!

Take a look below at the event.  Hope to see many of you in Mason City - and - winning teams in Toronto!

Eddie Kantar - 2017 Lazard Sportsmanship Award Recipient

 

Minnesota may not be one of the more populous states in the U.S.  Yet, we have produced quite a number of super stars in the bridge world.  

One of those very accomplished stars is Eddie Kantar.

Born and raised in Minneapolis, Eddie began to play at age 11, continuing with both competition and teaching at the University of Minnesota. He has had quite the illustrious career.

Not only has Eddie twice won the famed Bermuda Bowl, he also has many North American Championships to his credit, along with Grand Master status in the WBF and Grand Life Master status in the ACBL. In addition, Eddie is one of the most revered and prolific bridge writers around. His biography has more details.

Twenty years ago, Eddie was inducted into the ACBL Hall of Fame. Much more about his accomplishments in so many aspects of our game are heralded in his HOF write up.

Now, yet another honor has been bestowed upon Eddie.  The 2017 Lazard Sportsmanship Award has named Eddie as their recipient. As an "icon of the game" and a competitor who has been "a beacon of integrity and sportsmanship for decades," the committee selectors chose Eddie for their award.

Bridgewinners has posted a lovely detailed explanation of the award - and why Eddie is so deserving of this title.

Congratulations to Eddie, who joins fellow "from Minnesota but now in California" Howie Weinstein as a Lazard Sportsmanship Award winner!  We are bursting with pride for you both!

Unit 178 - February 4th BOD Agenda

For those interested in what Unit 178's Board of Directors are focusing on - their agenda for February 4th below.

Our thanks to the Board for their diligent service!

Back to the Future! - Bridge at U of M!

 

 

Many of us "old timers" learned bridge when we were in college. Yet for some years, the number of students getting turned on to The Greatest Mind Game Ever dwindled. Now, however, a fine roster of U of MN professors are going to alter that trajectory!

Matthew Bribitzer-Stull, along with colleagues Paul Gutterman, Eric Hendrickson, Leon Hsu, Nita Kevans, Glen Meeden and Harry Sapienza will soon be teaching bridge at U of MN!  Approximately 48 Honors students will learn how to play bridge on Monday evenings, from 5:30-7:00PM in the Honors dorm. If they so wish, students will be encouraged to stay for another hour of play, from 7:00-8:00PM. 

Education will go well beyond rote explanation of rules. Faculty will also include discussion of the thinking skills that bridge develops, including enhanced memory, concentration, analytic thinking, contingency planning, communication and more. 

Bridge at the Honors dorm starts Monday, January 23rd, through May, 1st. A tournament will be held on the final date!  Students are encouraged to join the American Contract Bridge League (ACBL) and to continue their bridge education at local bridge clubs, such as the Twin Cities Bridge Center and The Bridge Center of St. Paul. We hope that students will also continue their education with further lessons.

U of MN students have a fabulous opportunity to learn the game with a fine array of bridge teachers!  We hope that many take advantage of these exceptional sessions!

Thanks to Minnesota Bridge Education for supporting this effort by providing teaching and playing supplies.

Three Cheers for Rochester!

 

 

Bridge lessons at the Rochester Bridge Club have been quite successful in bringing new players into the club.

Recently, 14 of their bridge students have joined the ACBL and are playing regularly, some even competing for the Ace of Clubs award in their category!  Hats off to Sue Greenberg and her team for these achievements!

An additional note is that Minnesota Bridge Education has supported the cause by helping to pay entry fees as the new players try out duplicate games.

MN Bridge Education

MN Bridge Education is a charity whose goal is to support developing bridge players in Minnesota.   We support bridge teachers, students, and clubs by providing funds for lessons, supplies, and duplicate games for new players.

As a recognized charity, donations are tax deductible. So far our funds have come from individual donations, memorial gifts, and bridge charity games. We also have been included in at least one person’s estate planning. Please contact Sue Jackson ([email protected]) with questions. 

We now have a link to this on the left of the website.  Keep an eye out for news about this resource to help promote more bridge players in our state!

And, articles of incorporation are below.

November Minutes - Unit 178 Board Meeting

Today, we present Linda Brammer's minutes for Unit 178's November Board of Directors meeting.  Please see below.

Thank you Linda and thank you Unit 178 Board Members!

Unit 103 - Agenda for January Board of Directors Meeting

Elaine Mulcahy is busy at it again!  Now we have Unit 103's January agenda for their Board of Directors meeting.  Posted below!

Unit 103 - Board of Directors - 2017

Secretary Elaine Mulcahy from the 103 Board of Directors has sent me an updated list for this year's roster.  Please see below.

Our thanks to Elaine and all the other fine people in Unit 103 who contribute to our bridge world!

Minnesota Bridge Education Referrals

Help Minnesota Bridge Education earn money during the tax season!

 

If you are a new client of H & R Block, then tell the H&R office that you visit that you were referred to them by the Minnesota Bridge Education.  

A $20 referral fee will then be donated to Minnesota Bridge Education.

Thank you!

And yes; it is that simple!