Minnesota Bridge

Spring is Coming Sectional - March 3-5

 

 

We escaped "Snowpalooza" in the metro area this past weekend. Perhaps spring is not so far off, after all!

Spring is coming quite soon, however, to our bridge world! Starting this coming Friday, enjoy multiple sessions of sectional bridge at the Twin Cities Bridge Center. 

The schedule is here. Grab your favorite partners - then aim to have fun and win silver points at our harbinger of spring tourney!

Unit 103 Celebrates a New Silver Life Master!

 

Unit 103 is excited about their newest Silver Life Master!  Bravo, Adele!

 

One of our "super senior" bridge players, Adele Boettner, became a Silver Life Master on Monday, February at the Bridge Center of St. Paul.   Adele was playing with her partner, Greg Stromath, and needed .61 to reach her goal.  As the results were published, they had earned 1 full point.  

 

Adele says she and Greg started playing after noticing how curious he was about the game.  He liked to ask how people got to a certain contract or inquire about conventions they used.  Adele asked him one day, "Would you like to play sometime?"  A great partnership was formed after Greg was able to change his day off so he and Adele could play in the Monday game.

 

Adele does not remember when she started playing duplicate -  but she reports it seems like "forever".  She played social bridge many years before turning into a duplicate player.  Adele felt she never got many points, so learning to play good defense made the game less boring and more rewarding then social bridge. 

 

Unlike most of us who anxiously track our points on our path to become a Life Master, Adele did not know she had attained this goal until a director at a tournament in Des Moines came up and congratulated her.  She said at the time, she did not keep track of points or their colors.

 

After accepted congratulations from everyone, Adele said her next goal was to help Greg become a Life Master.

 

We love seeing Adele's smiling face at the Bridge Center of St. Paul. We sure don't think she will be retiring from bridge in the near future!

 

 

Game On!

 

A month ago, MN Bridge reported that the U of MN would start having bridge classes for honor students. Now, the game is on!

Your webmaster traveled to the West Bank to see for herself how the lessons were coming along. Delighted to report that all systems are go! 

 

At the front of the room, Professor Matthew Bribitzer-Stull, Director of the Honors Program and Associate Dean, leads a lively discussion about the values of honor cards. Getting their bridge feet wet, students offer thoughts on aces and spaces.

 

Other U of MN professors assist as students wade into our fascinating yet confounding game. How do we capture tricks? What bids are to be made when? Which hands are great - and which not? Professor Hsu, below, advises.

 

As I walk through the room, I remember my own fascination and concurrent bewilderment with this marvelous game as my bridge education began. I hope that many of these students take on the bridge challenge, leading to a lifetime of excitement, mental sport - plus an entire world of bridge playing friends.

What does it all mean? How does it work? 

Never ever do you master bridge completely - yet learning continues forever - along with the fun!  

We will be reporting more on our bridge adventure at the U of MN!  Stay tuned, everyone!

The MGSC's Grand Evening!

 

If you are in Minnesota and want to play in the state's most challenging club game, then the Minneapolis Grand Slam Club is for you. Now in its 79th season, the MGSC is a super place to compete, irrespective of experience.

One of the big reasons for this is our people. We have great folks who love our game, work hard at it, volunteer at the club and elsewhere - and are friendly and welcoming. One of those people who surely would be a contender for Best in Show in all these aspects is a guy who today is celebrating his 70th birthday:  Kerry Holloway.

Last night, as Mike Cassel, another fine player and volunteer, was preparing lots of goodies for our GNT Fundraiser Super Bowl evening, Kerry's marvelous wife Cara was preparing for a surprise! She dropped off a huge & very yummy birthday cake with Kerry's partner for the evening (yours truly) to surprise Kerry on his Big Birthday.  

 

Kerry was indeed duly surprised and delighted!  And all of us enjoyed the treats and birthday cake - along with another excellent evening of bridge.

If you happen to be reading this and you are not a bridge player, then please note that we would love for you to learn our game! Not only is it THE greatest mind game out there - it is filled with loads of really superb people who forge friendships for decades - just as important as the bridge partnerships they cherish. 

Happy BIG birthday to someone I met forty years ago, already an expert then when I was a newcomer.  Whether playing with a novice, seasoned player or someone top flight, Kerry is kind, a tough competitor and supportive in every way.

Thanks to all who played Friday night!  We love our bridge community and are happy to share lots more photos of the people who are as wonderful as the game itself.

From Here to Eternity

A new year for bridge - and - Steve Gaynor has provided us with a new schedule for almost all of eternity!

Our thanks to Steve for helping us know what fabulous games are lurking throughout our state - along with other events that Minnesotans would love.

From the start of 2017 and on - posted below.  Thank you, Steve!