On Top of the World!

Sean - Morgan - Julia - Zeren

 

Yesterday, February 24th, collegiate teams from all over the U.S. competed in the second Collegiate Tournament.  This exciting event would deliver a subsidized trip to the top 3 teams to compete in the Summer 2020 NABC collegiate event in Montreal.

We were thrilled to have multiple students from Minnesota competing in the Collegiate Tournament. And we are head over heels excited for the team from U of MN - "Gopher the Squeeze" - who not only won a trip - but were first overall!  Indeed - not only did the team win the event, they were victorious in every match throughout the day!  Quite the accomplishment!

Major congratulations to Sean McNally, Morgan Johnstone, Zeren Shui and Julia White for the big win in a big way!  We wish them the best in Montreal!  

I was chatting with Morgan last night, after the team's huge win.  After requesting some details from their day, Morgan contacted Sean; he was kind enough to send lots of details from each match on how they bulldozed their way to victory!

Please note a few items. I copied Sean's email to me about their match without editing. I thought it might be more fun and of interest to all to read one of our most talented young players' impressions and views of their matches.

Yet I feel compelled to add a few of my own thoughts to those of Sean's. 

Part of what makes our game so incredibly fascinating and compelling is how tough it is.  Our students, talented as they are, have only been playing for a few nanoseconds in contrast to thousands of others - including world class players from around the world. Sean refers to "embarrassing hands" and luck. Yet, the greatest players to ever compete at bridge commit atrocities at the table - or bring home a great result due to enormous good fortune.

At the end of the day, what really matters is that we try our hardest to do our best, never stop learning, are good teammates and partners and treat everyone with respect. 

My view is that all our Minnesota collegiate players are doing exactly that; kudos to them all!

For now, though, lots of applause to  Sean, Zeren, Morgan and Julia!  Clearly, to win every single match they were doing a lot right - and - we wish them the best of luck in Montreal continuing to do lots right - and grabbing some good fortune, too!

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• • Match 1 - UMN - Gopher the Finesse
  • Match 2 - Carleton
  • Match 3 - Princeton
  • Match 4 - Caltech
  • Match 5 - Northwestern
  • Match 6 - CMU

It's a lot of boards to go through to pick something interesting.  I'd like to highlight board 5 of match 4.  I managed to go down in a cold vulnerable 4H I should make (I had a count on the hand minus one card.  It is clear and completely safe to run the c9 in the end position.  You'll see what I mean.)  BUT the girls covered my butt.  They were in 3Dx+2.  Nice to go down in a cold vulnerable game and WIN 11 imps.

 

The award for luckiest game goes to board 4 of Match 5.  Zeren and I were in 4H, needing merely the stiff K of diamonds and then the sJ onside so that lefty gets squeezed in the pointed suits. (okay, the way it was played we *should* have gone down but the fact it's actually cold is absurd).  Yes, we should just be in 3NT...

 

Tons of embarrassing hands in there, and a couple decent ones as well.  I hope you enjoy.  Thanks so much for your constant support!!