Minnesota Bridge

Ring in the New Year with Collegiate Initiative Bridge!

Great Opportunities for the New Year for our ACBL members 25 and younger on Friday, January 1 -  First day of 2021! Hope to see many of you there - Details below!

Don't forget about the CBO Club Special Tournament this Friday, January 1, which will award masterpoints and special prizes. Internship Opportunity! Our friends at BBO are looking for a Community Engagement Intern. This is a paid internship only available to college students.  Find out more. First through third place finishers will receive an Amazon gift card. Additionally, ACBL will draw the name of one random CBO tournament participant to receive a gift card.   You do need to be an ACBL member (only $5 for ages 25 and younger), have a BBO account (free) and be registered as a CBO member to participate in a CBO Tournament. Please note that it can take up to 24 hours to gain access to the CBO Club on BBO. Our attendance in both the daily and special tournaments is down. Please encourage your friends to participate so that we can continue to offer these games if there is enough interest.   If you've never played in a CBO tournament before, simply log into BBO and click Competitive / Tournaments / All Tournaments or Free Tournaments / Collegiate. The CBO tournament should be first on the list.   If you have any bridge playing college friends, encourage them to join the CBO. Membership is open to any college undergrad or grad student age 35 and under. If you don’t have a student bridge org/club at your school, consider starting one. We can help! www.acbl.org/college

From President Dave Neiman - With Love for Us All for Bridge!

The Minneapolis Grand Slam Club will be honoring Peggy Kaplan at our weekly game this coming Friday, January 1^st, 2021. We will donate $100, plus $1 for each person who plays in the game, to Peggy’s chosen charity, the ACBL Education Foundation (ACBLEF.org), whose mission is to “...introduce more people, of all ages and walks of life, to the game of bridge…”

Our club has been fortunate and proud to claim her as a member for many, many, (many!) years, but her influence and contributions to the game and world of bridge extends far beyond our borders. She has played at a high level for most of those years, both nationally and internationally. If you don’t recognize the name, you will certainly know the perky woman with the radiant smile and the camera who has been chronicling NABCs in photographs for decades.  

Beyond her own success in bridge, I think Peggy would consider one of her proudest and most important accomplishments is to be a mentor to the Minneapolis-area youths who are beginning their bridge careers at Carleton College and the U of M.

My own words don’t do justice to the influence bridge has had on Peggy and the impact she has had on the world of bridge.  I asked Peggy herself to say a few words (below) and I linked a couple of BW articles to this one for further reading.

We would like to welcome all players, young and old, experienced and newcomer, to our game this week. The game is $5 and game time is 7:15pm CENTRAL time and can be found on BBO’s Virtual Club section under the director ID VACB255646 (MGSC Friday).  To respect IDs and email privacy, if you would like to play, reply to this email with your name and BBO ID (and your partner’s!)  and I will have the director add you to the game’s player list. There will be a Zoom call after the game for participants.  Please forward this note to anyone you think would like to play in this week's game in honor of Peggy Kaplan. 

http://bridgewinners.com/article/view/help-us-honor-peggy-kaplan/

http://bridgewinners.com/article/view/nobituary-for-peg-kaplan/

https://www.acbleducationalfoundation.org/page/about-the-acbl-educational-foundation-1.html

 

My Love Affair with Bridge

As many MGSC players know, I've been ill for some time and unable to play bridge - but I can watch!  And I am thrilled that Cookie Hoberman, my friend from Omaha who has built the Nebraska Regional (in Iowa - go figure) to tremendous standards, has been working with others to create the ACBL Educational Foundation Fund for Junior and Collegiate players, with a tournament in February.  Cookie is honoring Bob Hamman, the player that many believe to be the best in the history of the game - and me, the person who isn't QUITE in Bob's league (hahahaha), but adores our game, the people from all around the world who play it - and who hope it thrives and grows for a great many decades to come.

The Minneapolis Grand Slam Club is hoping that those who can might donate something for this worthy cause - and come out and play on Friday!  I’ve also been asked to list my national wins, so I have below.  Please note that the Machlin Women's Teams was second by ONE IMP (none of us coulda found THAT!!)  And I was proud and delighted that Minnesota stars were with me - Cindy Balderson, Carole Miner and Melody Bi.

I was asked to mention some highlights of my many years of competing.  I'm afraid if I got going too much - you might miss Friday's game!!

But - I will add a few thoughts.  One is from my bridge idol Bob H, and it is one of the wisest actions you can take to up your game.  When a hand has ended - it is OVER!!  If you want to contemplate when the event is finished how you could have made the hand you did NOT make, or how brilliant you were - DO NOT!  Focus on the hand you are playing, and that is it.  Not always easy, but this alone improves your game.  I literally have been on teams where our opponents were significantly superior to our players - but they forgot Bob's brilliant advice.

More of my beliefs about bridge are these.  Never stop learning.  Try your best for you and your pard to have fun. Be nice to your pard AND your opponents (try!)  The game is better if you do.  

And if you can, help others.  I was blessed beyond measure by tons of great friends and partners over the years, by truly wonderful mentors who took me under their wing and and taught me so much.  Bridge IS the greatest game, can be played if you're 8 or 100!  

My thanks to you all.  You are THE BEST!!

Peggy Bundy (thank you, George Jacobs!!)

 

NABC Bridge 1sts & 2^nd

 

2011    1          Freeman Mixed Board-a-Match           NABC+

2009    1          NABC+ Fast Open Pairs                     NABC+

2005    1          Freeman Mixed Board-a-Match           NABC+

2004    1          Rockwell Mixed Pairs                          NABC+

2007    2          Machlin Womens Swiss Teams           NABC

 

John Melancon - Deep Sadness at the St. Cloud Bridge Club

 

COVID Devastates our Club

 Submitted by Connie Nelson

COVID-19 slammed our St Cloud Bridge Club hard in November.  We lost a beloved member – John Melancon.  We were not prepared to lose him.  John was a gentle giant.  Standing over 6’3”, he might have seemed intimidating until you looked up into his warm, twinkling eyes.

 

In September, John tested positive, but we weren’t overly concerned at first.  When Roger Melaas asked if he had any underlying conditions, John answered, “No.  Just being in my 70’s.”  On September 30^th, we learned the devastating news that John was in the ICU.  John fought - coming off and back on a ventilator.  After being hospitalized over 40 days, he died.

Herman Wittsack was in the hospital with COVID himself when he heard the news.  Herman recalls:  “I just cried.  John and his wife Nancy are extremely close friends.  We would go on Princess cruises together.  Many from the St Cloud Bridge Club attended their wedding.”

Grief poured out from Club members:

• Nancy Balfanz: It’s hard to believe this has happened. Such a big, tall, strong man ravaged by COVID. 
• Chandra Prakash: John will be missed dearly. He will always remain in our hearts.
• Bobbie Eich: John was so kind, funny and a great bridge player.
• David Warne: I will miss John greatly. Always a gentleman at the table.
• Scott Krupke: I always loved when Mark and I would show up for bridge and he’d say “Here comes the Little Falls mafia!”
• Amy Roske: Such a soft-spoken Man with a Giant heart!
• Rhonda Rossman: John’s presence at the table was so kind and helpful. Fly high John!
• Lois Head: John was so sensitive to others throughout his too-short life.
• Wayne Reynolds: I will miss John so much. He was a good friend and a favorite partner. 
• Saundy Fedor: John was a gentle and kind soul, always giving positive hints as to the play of the hand.
• Roger Knauss: John reminded me of a Teddy Bear- soft, lovable, but a fierce competitor. 
• Shannon Quinlivan: We will all miss his smiling face and wonderful sense of humor, not to mention his ability at the card table.

Here are three headlines re: John’s ability at the table –

 

John’s first ever ACBL Master Point was Gold.

Roger Melaas:  John and I played together for the first time at a Worldwide Club game.  We had a 60% game, top of the field.  John turned to me with a smile and said, “I thought you said this game was hard!”  The next time he and I were partners, we had a 31% game - dead last.  I smiled and said, “Welcome to the humbling world of bridge.”

 

John and Herman set Life Master goals.


Herman Wittsack – My wife Mary and I love to take cruises. On one cruise, we won a 64-team
bridge tourney. The cruise director said I should join ACBL. I contacted the Minneapolis club
and asked for an introduction to someone in St Cloud. Ultimately, I began playing with John
Melancon. I was 70 years old, and had never played duplicate bridge in my life. After a bit,
John said to me, “Herman – Do you want to make Life Master?” I said yes. So John said,
“Here’s the deal. You are going to make Life Master by the age of 75, and I am going to make
Life Master by the age of 65.” We set out to do so. Roger Melaas, Kory Solarz, Al Leighton, Ken
Voigt, John and I started going to tournaments. My first was at Lake Geneva. John and I played
in a pair event and got 37%! Discouraged, we signed up for a second event and ‘won that
sucker’ with a 77% game. My first Gold points. We traveled to Omaha where we met Bill Gates
and Warren Buffet; to the Dakotas; to Duluth. I made Life Master at the age of 74. John was 64.

John’s kind ways at - and away from - the Table.

Rhonda Rossman: John once subbed as my mentor. The lesson was on No Trump bidding. We
learned that if your partner opened 1NT and you had 16-17 points, you should bid 4NT – a slam
try. Wouldn’t you know on the very first hand of play, John bid 1NT, I bid 4NT. He went six. I
played the hand and made it! He mentioned it every time we met up after that.
Wendy Hennes: When the weather was rough during the winter, John would pick up Gloria
Mize and me to make sure we made it to play bridge at the Club. He would tell us stories about
his and Nancy’s travels as we rode along. He made sure we got door to door service.
Lynn Schnettler: I met John when our sons were in 9th grade. They are now 35! I learned that
this friend’s parents played bridge and asked them over. After his first wife died, we met his
second wife Nancy who we all love. For many years, we played with John in a Sunday night
potluck bridge group. The partnerships consisted of John and BJ Backes, Al and Jean Leighton,
Sandy and Bob Johnson, and Bill and me. John often brought dessert thanks to his wife Nancy! I

Kathy Stadther: When my husband Tom died, and I couldn’t play bridge or go anywhere really,
John called me and spoke so comfortingly. He encouraged me to go to “New
Beginnings” when I was ready, saying that’s where he met Nancy some years after losing his
first wife. I will so tenderly remember John.

Our Club sends peace and comfort to his family and all who knew him. Rest In Peace!

MN Gopher Unit 103 - Board of Directors Meeting - 12-17-2020

Our thanks to all those who serve on the BOD for Unit 103 to make bridge in MN as fine as it can be - particularly in such difficult times!  You're great!

 

UNAPPROVED

American Contract Bridge League

Minnesota Gopher Unit 103

Board of Directors Meeting

Thursday, December 17, 2020

Via zoom

On line were: Warren Nelson, Kathy Beckman, Larry Huiras, Tom Owens, Matt Belau, Sue Greenberg, Keith Thompson, Amy Dutton, Connie Nelson, Lance Chamberlain and Patti Huiras

Meeting was called to order by President Warren Nelson at 4:00 pm

Minutes of the October 15 meeting were presented and a motion to accept was made by Sue, second by Tom, unanimously approved.

No financial report at this time because we are not at the end of a quarter.  Lance did ask about paying the Board members the stipend of $35 per Zoom meeting and Warren said that was established at a prior meeting.

Old Business:

• Non-profit filing status is due on Dec. 20. Warren said that he went in to the site and realized this is due every 2 years, not annually.  So December, 2021 that will need to be updated.  He did see the address listed was probably for Gus.  Warren will change the address to his (as President) that would be the appropriate address to use.
• Unit and ACBL Membership: From Oct. 1 to Dec. 1 the unit lost 25 members, which is the largest drop since Covid19.  Since March we are down 4%.  ACBL is losing members at a 3% rate. Larry reported that the St. Paul club is down about ½, but donations are up.
• Retention: Raj is receiving the monthly report from Warren and following up.  Connie asked to see the list to see who has not renewed.  Warren will forward the report monthly to the Board.
• Education Fund: Larry had a hand-out for “Resources for Bridge Teaching Programs”.  He will update the hand-out with some additional information. He had recently talked to Unit 131 in Kansas City about their program.  They do run advertising to get people to class.  They reimburse half the advertising cost and the ACBL reimburses them forthe other half.  They also pay for the student’s tuition. They also indicated they would be interested to send their members to our classes.  Question was raised if we need to restructure our program.  Sue likes the grants that the unit has and adding the advertising in.  Warren doesn’t want to eliminate the program that is in place but would encourage clubs to advertise. They can already be reimbursed half their advertising expense from the ACBL.  Larry will look into updating the Policy Manual and report back to the board at our next meeting.

New Business:

• Returning to face to face play: Connie presented a survey she had conducted of the St. Cloud club.  After much discussion it was decided that the Board come up with a policy statement that would be revised and voted on by the Board at the next meeting and then sent to the Clubs after that.  The statement that is under discussion for the next meeting is:

Local clubs may make the decision to open based on ACBL and CDC Guidelines, when the members have been vaccinated.  Masks will still be required.

• On-line bridge playing will probably continue once clubs open. Sue said that Rochester has renewed their sanctions except for the Thurs. evening game.  Warren said Duluth now has more games and will continue the Tuesday on line.  Larry said that keeping night games on-line  might be more viable in the post Covid19 future considering our demographics.
• Next Meeting: February 18 at 4:00 pm via zoom

Motion to adjourn made by Kathy, second by Amy. Unanimously approved.

Submitted  by Patti Huiras, Secretary

Goodbye to Grant Boadwine - 1943 - 2020

Yet again, it is my very sad duty to report the loss of another of our bridge players.  Sue Greenberg alerted me that Grant Boadwine passed away earlier this month.

Grant's obituary is below - and a remembrance of him is shared by Sue.  Our deepest condolences to all of Grant's family, friends and fellow bridge players.

Grant Boadwine from Preston, MN passed away earlier this month.  He was a member of  the Rochester Duplicate Bridge Club, playing with multiple partners.  In 2010, he was the committee convener when four disparate bridge clubs (in Rochester) decided to merge.  He was always ready to pitch in as needed.  Grant was a Gold Life Master, a fierce competitor at the table, and he loved bridge.  He, along with his partner, Judy Hansen, qualified several times for the NAP national finals. 

 

Our bridge community will miss him, cowboy hat and all!

 

        Sue Greenberg

 

Grant Boadwine

Grant Boadwine went home to be with Jesus on December 07, 2020. He died unexpectedly at St. Mary’s Hospital at the age of 77.

Grant was born in Watertown, South Dakota to Nelson and Clara Boadwine on May 21, 1943. He grew up on the family farm and managed the dairy herd through high school. He graduated from Hayti High School in 1960, South Dakota State University in 1967, and the University of Mississippi in 1971, with a Master of Science in Chemistry. Grant taught high school chemistry and physics in Watertown, S.D. and Preston, MN. In 1979 he changed gears and began his 40-year career as an insurance agent. He loved teaching his students and helping his clients. Grant was a kind and compassionate man who embraced life. The instigator of many practical jokes, Grant had a wonderful sense of humor and a great wit.

Grant met his wife, Marilyn Paulson, in 1966 at a young Christian adult group in Rapid City, South Dakota. They married on June 9, 1967 and have four children and four grandchildren.

In addition to being a dedicated and loving husband and father, Grant also loved hunting, fishing, playing cards and billiards. He had a special passion for duplicate bridge and was a Gold Life Master.

Throughout his entire life, he held an unwavering faith in God, which he shared with those who surrounded him. He was a member of Resurrection Lutheran Church in Rochester, MN, for 49 years, where he served as a president and council member.

Grant joins his father Nelson, his mother Clara, and an unnamed brother and sister in Heaven. He is survived by his wife, Marilyn, his brother, Robert, his children, Julie Bakewell (Rob) – Bloomington, IL, Scott Boadwine (Mona) – Tracy, MN, Gene Boadwine – Rochester, MN, and Lisa Boadwine – Preston, MN, and his grandchildren Jeremy Boadwine, Brandon Bakewell, Lauren Bakewell, and Audra Bakewell.

A family funeral service will be held at Resurrection Lutheran Church. A Celebration of Life service will be held in the future on a date to be determined. In lieu of flowers, please send memorials to Resurrection Lutheran Church, Rochester, MN or St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital.

 

 

 

 

 

College Bridge Online -- December 15th Results

Thrilled to see a number of our Minnesota Collegiate Players

so successful!

Delighted to have more students falling in love

with the Greatest Game!

 

Thanks to those College Bridge Online Club members who participated in the December 15 special tournament; 28 of those players received masterpoints. Click here for hand analysis for board 2 from Tuesday’s event. Congratulations to our top finishers! 1st Place ardaak47 $50 Amazon GC Fanshawe College   2nd Place Sean9816 $30 Amazon GC Georgia Tech   3rd Place matthewshi $20 Amazon GC Carnegie Mellon University   Drawing Winner UMN_TrentN $25 Amazon GC University of Minnesota   See below for the full breakdown of masterpoints awarded in last week’s tournament, including a breakdown of the top schools:

CBO Special - Tuesday, December 15th

A super opportunity for those in our college bridge group and juniors!  Details below! Begins tomorrow! Act fast & have a GREAT GAME!

Don't forget about the CBO Club Special Tournament this Tuesday, December 15, which will award masterpoints and special prizes. First through third place finishers will receive an Amazon gift card. Additionally, ACBL will draw the name of one random CBO tournament participant to receive a gift card.   You do need to be an ACBL member (only $5 for ages 25 and younger), have a BBO account (free) and be registered as a CBO member to participate in a CBO Tournament. Please note that it can take up to 24 hours to gain access to the CBO Club on BBO.   If you've never played in a CBO tournament before, simply log into BBO and click Competitive / Tournaments / All Tournaments or Free Tournaments / Collegiate. The CBO tournament should be first on the list.   If you have any bridge playing college friends, encourage them to join the CBO. Membership is open to any college undergrad or grad student age 35 and under. If you don’t have a student bridge org/club at your school, consider starting one. We can help! www.acbl.org/college Discounts for Juniors playing in online tournaments! 2020 Online Schedule Juniors playing in ACBL Sanctioned regionally rated online tournaments are eligible to have a portion of their entry fees rebated so that your final cost is only $5 per session. Just email [email protected] and let them know when you played. Discounts will be applied for tournaments after 7/1/2020.

Unit 178 Board Minutes - October 28, 2020

Many thanks to Unit 178 Board President Steve Gaynor and 178 Board Members and Guests for their efforts in making bridge as good as it can be - particularly in these most trying times!

We are most appreciative of  everyone who does so much for our game, and we send best wishes to all of our bridge community during the holiday season!

 

Subject:  Minutes of Unit 178 Board Meeting, October 28, 2020

Date: December 3, 2020

To: Steve Gaynor

The ZOOM meeting was called to order by Board President Steve Gaynor

 

Board Members Present: Linda Conley, Jane Schmidt, John Schlundt, Cass Weil, Susan Sanger, Vicky Smith, Richard Cottle

Guests: Sharon Anderson, Deanna Liddy, Patti Stuhlman, Teri Blu

Minutes of September 30: Approved

Financial Report: Approved

Report, Sharon Anderson: ACBL Taskforce on Tournaments—Nothing yet; More to Follow; Realignment expected. ACBL finances—adequate at this time. Lawsuits on Cheating—A serious matter: Procedure involves Charges, Appeal, etc.

Sharon thanks all of us for our support over the years.

Regional Tournaments, Patti Stuhlman: Regional 2021 cancelled at no cost; Regional 2022 and 2023 to be renegotiated.

Payments to Operatives: Tony, only, will continue getting payments, 4 games per week, $20 per game, through December 30.

Retention: Jane and Linda have received no responses to emails re: new members. Sue Sanger reports just 1% of social bridge players are ACBL members.

Report, Deanna Liddy: Omaha--Board meetings being held; ACBL Guidelines for Conditions of Play, face to face, being discussed.

Report, Teri Blu: Teri retains her ACBL sanctions. She can run games anywhere but is not planning any. Our Board can take them over any time. Tony has 3 sanctions. Grand Slam has 1 sanction.

                                                              

Partnerships: Jane Schmidt will add “Partnerships” to her email; how to get started online. Linda Conley will assist Jane with developing a partnership list. Teri will help Linda with membership, getting them online etc. Teri would consider “online” lessons.

National Committees: Steve reported—the Board of Directors now has 13 members instead of 25. Deanna is our representative.  The Board of Governors has 125 members, 5 from each district. That group will be reconfigured in the future.

Meeting Adjourned

Next Meeting: Steve will talk with Jackson about when he is available for meetings. No meeting scheduled at this time.

More on Dr. John from Iowa!

Courtesy of Rich Newell, Rich has shared more stories and accomplishments about Dr. John.  Much to appreciate and digest in Rich's story about his partner and friend - and we can all learn from it!  Thanks, Rich; thanks Dr. John!!

 

What can I say about the lovable Dr. John Gustafson?  He is a fierce competitor and a thoroughly knowledgeable gentleman.  You are much better having him across the table from you than as your opponent, partly because when he knows you have a problem he sometimes gives you the friendly “Dr. John stare”, which is oddly annoying.  He likes to mull over the post-mortem and discuss where he (and his partner, matter of factly) both could have done better.  And, he loves to accumulate masterpoints.  One time at the club before the game started he took me aside and pointed out that he was on track to win something like 80% of the total available points at the club one month, and followed that up with a childish smile and chuckle – if that gives you any insight into how much he loved the game.

In an earlier article I celebrated his transition to online play and his rise to 20,000 masterpoints which featured testimonials from other Des Moines bridge players.  The point of this article is to let you know that despite the physical challenges that continue to increase at 97 years of age, the man just shows hardly any signs of slowing down.  He had an insignificant amount of cancer removed from his leg a few months ago, and his vision is bad enough that he no longer plans to drive his car and relies heavily upon a magnifying glass to read.  He told me several years ago that he probably only had a few years of bridge playing left because of his vision, and accordingly to that prognosis he should not be playing now but happily he still is.  He has always tried to stay in good shape, swimming regularly, and failing that he takes multiple long walks daily throughout the facility where he lives when he is able.   

Premier Flighted Pairs - Fall North American Online Bridge Championships (NAOBC)

Great opportunity to play in the Fall NAOB Championships Premier Flight Pairs!  Compete against players from all over as you battle at home!

 

The newly flighted Premier Flighted Pairs event – part of the Fall North American Online Bridge Championships (NAOBC) – is this weekend. Don’t miss your chance at gold points and an NABC title!   The NAOBC Premier Flighted Pairs event features four sessions over Dec. 5-6 (Sat.-Sun.) with 24 boards per session. The top 50% of Saturday’s field qualifies to play in Sunday’s final.   Flights are set at Open, 0-5000, 0-1500. All members not playing in concurrent semifinal/final knockout matches are eligible to play.   Entries ($100 per pair per event for Open flight, $80 per pair per event for 0-5000 and 0-1500; players qualifying for the final play free) will be sold on Bridge Base Online two hours before game time for each flight.   Click the button below for detailed schedules, masterpoint awards, security information and an FAQ. Learn More Catch the film about the exhilarating, brainy world of bridge that keeps making headlines! “Aces and Knaves” will be available to screen online Dec. 13-16. Tickets are $15 and include access to the director’s live conversation with champions Boye Brogeland, Christina Lund Madsen and Mike McNamara (Dec. 13). Click here for trailer and tickets.

Dr. John Continues to Amass the Masterpoints!

It's December 1.  Perhaps no one will ever read this (too late, Rich - I did!  PK), but I thought I would post an update to Dr. John's advances.

Dr. John regularly plays 300-350 hands each week. (Google "BBO My Hands" and type in Gus94 and see for yourself!)  He accumulates 50+points each month (google "BBO Points") playing 18-board tourneys on BBO.  I only play with him Tuesdays at 7:15PM, but other people with more time on their hands give him several games per eek.  I'm sure that Dr. John would like to be playing face to face again - and I find it amusing that he is now playing 4 times as much as he used to play with the migration to online bridge.

I sure hope I shall get the chance to play with him face to face sometime in 2021!

            Rich Newell

 

Note - Peg again here.  I'm not too swift on what can be done playing online with different friends, but I do believe that some areas area able to "cross over" and play with others from different clubs, cities and states.  

Rich, if Dr. John is willing to play with some "foreigners" (ha ha ha), check around and see if some of our people are available!

 

 

 

 

20,000+ for Dr. John!

April 12, 2020

20,000+ for Dr. John!

Dr. John Gustafson - 20,000+ Masterpoints!

Please note; this post is from April of this year, and thus a "repeat".  But Rich Newell of Iowa sent me some great comments, and I wanted to make sure that all are familiar with Dr. John, can compliment him, and relish his achievements!  As soon as I'm done here, we will here from Rich - another wonderful Iowan player! 

Peg

 

For most of us, the world wide events of this year's pandemic have created chaos and stress of all sorts. Thus, we are delighted to be able to bring everyone an event from down south (Iowa, thank you) which is deserving of much applause. 

Rich Newell, Dr. John Gustafson's partner over the weekend and good friend, sent me the thrilling news that John is now the proud owner of over 20,000 masterpoints!  That the good doctor is well into his 90's and still sharp as a tack is news enough on its own. Yet we have great tales from Friends of Dr. John about his achievements, his years at the bridge table and more. 

Congratulations, John, on reaching masterpoint heights that few ever attain - and for being a success at the table for decades upon decades!  Big thanks, too, to our contributors for sharing these day brightening stories!

John & Bob Hamman - Nebraska Regional

In the early 2000's when I lived in Minnesota and was progressing to life master at the Gopher Regional, I noticed an elderly gentleman watching a team match all morning.  I remember finding that odd because I would rather just play all the time.  In 2005 I moved to Des Moines and have come to know that kibitzer as Dr. John Gustafson.  John still loves to watch and is a constant spectator of BBO team matches.  With the bridge club closed for now, he finally tried his hand at playing on BBO and has done so successfully.  The Des Moines club has anticipated his rise to 20,000 masterpoints for some time now, but alas he was about 10 points shy once the coronavirus shut down the bridge center.  So, Toby White & I hatched a plan this month to play with him online and get him those points.

John & Helen Gustafson won the 1983 Rockwell Mixed Pairs, edging out famed Italian player Benito Garozzo at the finish after bouncing back from the lowest qualifying position.  I cannot begin to tell you how much I have learned from this man in years of post-game bridge discussions while sipping wine at the "roundtable".  On many occasions it has been my immense privilege to sit across the table from this gentleman, and there are few players in District 14 who are his equal.   

        Rich Newell

I have been playing bridge with John Gustafson some 47 or 48 years.  We’ve played from club games to Nationals and everything in between.  In that time I’ve become accustomed to some things.  For example, John plays his share of hands and then some.  Not because he’s a hand hog.  But the bridge gods know who should be playing these hands.  The man who can take a trick or two more than everyone else holding that hand should be declarer.   They turn the auction, blind the opponents, make John’s partner take a view suitable to their will or whatever it takes to put John in the declarer’s seat.  And, more often than not, John collects those extra tricks.

 

I remember only one time in this period where John told a partner ( no, not me ), “You can’t bid your hand anymore.  When I balanced, I’ve already bid on your values.  You can’t bid them too!”  It only took a bad opening lead and a subsequent misdefense to let John land his highly unfavored contract.  His partner remained unconvinced because of that success until the Post Mortem session after the game.  

 

John has an uncanny gift for divining the lie of the cards in the unseen hands whether as declarer or defender.  More than once I’ve seen defenders or declarer hold their hand closer to their chest on the next hand after John put this gift on display.

 

With all this, playing as John’s partner is not where I’ve learned the most.  It’s the drive home after a tournament outside our unit that has been that place.  John would typically discuss with the car load of partners and team mates the last round of the traditional Sunday Swiss.  One hand could easily cover 50 to 75 miles of driving if it was complicated enough.  That meant that we might not have enough miles to cover that last round.  On the other hand, if the hands were not sufficiently complex, we might get to cover the penultimate round as well.  Given John’s lack of tournament traveling the past few years, that has transitioned to discussions after the local club game.  These days he might also bring in an interesting hand that he kibitzed on BBO from a Jimmy Cayne set match or the finals of the Reisinger, Vanderbilt or Spingold to discuss before the game starts.

 

After these year, my greatest reward is not winning, points or the like with John.  It’s playing with John.  And once in a great while, it’s hearing, “Peter, you played a perfect game.  I couldn’t find a single thing to give you a charge for.”

 

        Peter Wityk

 

 

John's approach is to treat every hand as the crucial one.

 

        Doug Stark

 

 

Val and John in Competition

 

During the past 50 years of playing bridge in Des Moines, David and I have had the pleasure of playing both with and against John many times.  Nobody else in the bridge world takes more joy in or has more enthusiasm for the game.  He is a pleasure to play with or against, not only because of his obvious skill, but also because his appreciation of the game is so contagious.  One of the pleasures of attending the club games is anticipating what challenging hand from last week's game John is going to discuss with you. 

 

Clearly John is an outstanding player, but he is also an outstanding patron of the game.  Nobody in our bridge community has contributed more than John...with financial support, with friendship, with his dependable presence at all club games, and most of all with his love of the game.  John, you are a class act through and through. 

 

Congratulations on a highly successful life and on reaching this latest bridge goal.  You deserve it!

 

Valerie Laing

 

 

 

 

GREAT ACCOMPLISHMENT BY A GREAT GUY!

 

I HAVE HAD AN ACQUAINTANCE WITH Dr. JOHN FOR YEARS AND YEARS...HE IS NOT ONLY A PILLAR OF THE BRIDGE COMMUNITY BUT A PILLAR OF ANY COMMUNITY.

 

REACHING INTO THE PAST: IT IS SAID YOU GET BETTER BY PLAYING AGAINST BETTER PLAYERS. ONE OF THE BEST PAIRS  EVER IN IOWA  AS WELL AS ONE OF THE BEST PAIRS EVER IN DISTRICT 14...I REMEMBER PLAYING AGAINST JOHN AND J. FRED BENEDICT...YOU COULD LEARN A LOT PLAYING AGAINST THEM. 

    

    Jim Nash

 

Big thanks to Rich Newell for playing in the final session so Dr. John could go over 20,000 - and for collecting fine anecdotes and stories about Iowa's bridge hero!

 

And.... if you'd like to send John your OWN congratulatory note, you can reach him at this email address:  [email protected]

 

 

Posted by Peg on April 12, 2020 | Permalink

Comments

The first time that I played against John and Helen Gustafson was about 12 years ago at a regional in Iowa. My partner and I played against John and Helen in a team game and we finished our 6 boards quickly, while at the other table, both pairs were playing very slowly. John asked if we wanted him to tell us how we should have bid and played on each of the hands while we waited and we were then treated to a very good bridge lesson. He knew that we were novices and spoke to us respectfully. I thought it was very nice of him to give us the lesson. I am glad to see that he is still enjoying bridge and still winning. I look forward to seeing his photo in an upcoming Bridge Bulletin.

Posted by: Rebecca Anspach | April 12, 2020 at 01:50 PM

I had been playing bridge about three years or so when I headed to Des Moines for a sectional with my partner who was then one of the youngest players around. (Sadly he still is.) We sat down against a gentleman and lady who were quite a bit older than the field and I thought, "We are really gonna crush these two." Three boards and three match point bottoms later the reverse had occurred. I had to know who had just thrashed us and quickly found out it was Dr. John and his wife Helen, two grand life masters. I try not to underestimate players anymore.

A few years later I was playing against this star couple in the Omaha Regional. As the hand progressed I had a little luck and made an over trick. Dr. John must have given Helen a questioning look as she belted out in her quivering voice, "I was squeezed!" Indeed she was. I vowed then never to play with my wife.

Congratulations! 20000 is amazing. I hope to see you all soon at the bridge table.

Posted by: Jonathan M. Cohn | April 14, 2020 at 12:28 AM

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Dr. John Gustafson - 20,000+ Masterpoints!

Please note; this post is from April of this year, and thus a "repeat".  But Rich Newell of Iowa sent me some great comments, and I wanted to make sure that all are familiar with Dr. John, can compliment him, and relish his achievements!  As soon as I'm done here, we will here from Rich - another wonderful Iowan player! 

Peg

 

For most of us, the world wide events of this year's pandemic have created chaos and stress of all sorts. Thus, we are delighted to be able to bring everyone an event from down south (Iowa, thank you) which is deserving of much applause. 

Rich Newell, Dr. John Gustafson's partner over the weekend and good friend, sent me the thrilling news that John is now the proud owner of over 20,000 masterpoints!  That the good doctor is well into his 90's and still sharp as a tack is news enough on its own. Yet we have great tales from Friends of Dr. John about his achievements, his years at the bridge table and more. 

Congratulations, John, on reaching masterpoint heights that few ever attain - and for being a success at the table for decades upon decades!  Big thanks, too, to our contributors for sharing these day brightening stories!

John & Bob Hamman - Nebraska Regional

In the early 2000's when I lived in Minnesota and was progressing to life master at the Gopher Regional, I noticed an elderly gentleman watching a team match all morning.  I remember finding that odd because I would rather just play all the time.  In 2005 I moved to Des Moines and have come to know that kibitzer as Dr. John Gustafson.  John still loves to watch and is a constant spectator of BBO team matches.  With the bridge club closed for now, he finally tried his hand at playing on BBO and has done so successfully.  The Des Moines club has anticipated his rise to 20,000 masterpoints for some time now, but alas he was about 10 points shy once the coronavirus shut down the bridge center.  So, Toby White & I hatched a plan this month to play with him online and get him those points.

John & Helen Gustafson won the 1983 Rockwell Mixed Pairs, edging out famed Italian player Benito Garozzo at the finish after bouncing back from the lowest qualifying position.  I cannot begin to tell you how much I have learned from this man in years of post-game bridge discussions while sipping wine at the "roundtable".  On many occasions it has been my immense privilege to sit across the table from this gentleman, and there are few players in District 14 who are his equal.   

        Rich Newell

I have been playing bridge with John Gustafson some 47 or 48 years.  We’ve played from club games to Nationals and everything in between.  In that time I’ve become accustomed to some things.  For example, John plays his share of hands and then some.  Not because he’s a hand hog.  But the bridge gods know who should be playing these hands.  The man who can take a trick or two more than everyone else holding that hand should be declarer.   They turn the auction, blind the opponents, make John’s partner take a view suitable to their will or whatever it takes to put John in the declarer’s seat.  And, more often than not, John collects those extra tricks.

 

I remember only one time in this period where John told a partner ( no, not me ), “You can’t bid your hand anymore.  When I balanced, I’ve already bid on your values.  You can’t bid them too!”  It only took a bad opening lead and a subsequent misdefense to let John land his highly unfavored contract.  His partner remained unconvinced because of that success until the Post Mortem session after the game.  

 

John has an uncanny gift for divining the lie of the cards in the unseen hands whether as declarer or defender.  More than once I’ve seen defenders or declarer hold their hand closer to their chest on the next hand after John put this gift on display.

 

With all this, playing as John’s partner is not where I’ve learned the most.  It’s the drive home after a tournament outside our unit that has been that place.  John would typically discuss with the car load of partners and team mates the last round of the traditional Sunday Swiss.  One hand could easily cover 50 to 75 miles of driving if it was complicated enough.  That meant that we might not have enough miles to cover that last round.  On the other hand, if the hands were not sufficiently complex, we might get to cover the penultimate round as well.  Given John’s lack of tournament traveling the past few years, that has transitioned to discussions after the local club game.  These days he might also bring in an interesting hand that he kibitzed on BBO from a Jimmy Cayne set match or the finals of the Reisinger, Vanderbilt or Spingold to discuss before the game starts.

 

After these year, my greatest reward is not winning, points or the like with John.  It’s playing with John.  And once in a great while, it’s hearing, “Peter, you played a perfect game.  I couldn’t find a single thing to give you a charge for.”

 

        Peter Wityk

 

 

John's approach is to treat every hand as the crucial one.

 

        Doug Stark

 

 

Val and John in Competition

 

During the past 50 years of playing bridge in Des Moines, David and I have had the pleasure of playing both with and against John many times.  Nobody else in the bridge world takes more joy in or has more enthusiasm for the game.  He is a pleasure to play with or against, not only because of his obvious skill, but also because his appreciation of the game is so contagious.  One of the pleasures of attending the club games is anticipating what challenging hand from last week's game John is going to discuss with you. 

 

Clearly John is an outstanding player, but he is also an outstanding patron of the game.  Nobody in our bridge community has contributed more than John...with financial support, with friendship, with his dependable presence at all club games, and most of all with his love of the game.  John, you are a class act through and through. 

 

Congratulations on a highly successful life and on reaching this latest bridge goal.  You deserve it!

 

Valerie Laing

 

 

 

 

GREAT ACCOMPLISHMENT BY A GREAT GUY!

 

I HAVE HAD AN ACQUAINTANCE WITH Dr. JOHN FOR YEARS AND YEARS...HE IS NOT ONLY A PILLAR OF THE BRIDGE COMMUNITY BUT A PILLAR OF ANY COMMUNITY.

 

REACHING INTO THE PAST: IT IS SAID YOU GET BETTER BY PLAYING AGAINST BETTER PLAYERS. ONE OF THE BEST PAIRS  EVER IN IOWA  AS WELL AS ONE OF THE BEST PAIRS EVER IN DISTRICT 14...I REMEMBER PLAYING AGAINST JOHN AND J. FRED BENEDICT...YOU COULD LEARN A LOT PLAYING AGAINST THEM. 

    

    Jim Nash

 

Big thanks to Rich Newell for playing in the final session so Dr. John could go over 20,000 - and for collecting fine anecdotes and stories about Iowa's bridge hero!

 

And.... if you'd like to send John your OWN congratulatory note, you can reach him at this email address:  [email protected]

 

 

20,000+ for Dr. John!

Dr. John Gustafson - 20,000+ Masterpoints!

Please note; this post is from April of this year, and thus a "repeat".  But Rich Newell of Iowa sent me some great comments, and I wanted to make sure that all are familiar with Dr. John, can compliment him, and relish his achievements!  As soon as I'm done here, we will here from Rich - another wonderful Iowan player! 

Peg

 

For most of us, the world wide events of this year's pandemic have created chaos and stress of all sorts. Thus, we are delighted to be able to bring everyone an event from down south (Iowa, thank you) which is deserving of much applause. 

Rich Newell, Dr. John Gustafson's partner over the weekend and good friend, sent me the thrilling news that John is now the proud owner of over 20,000 masterpoints!  That the good doctor is well into his 90's and still sharp as a tack is news enough on its own. Yet we have great tales from Friends of Dr. John about his achievements, his years at the bridge table and more. 

Congratulations, John, on reaching masterpoint heights that few ever attain - and for being a success at the table for decades upon decades!  Big thanks, too, to our contributors for sharing these day brightening stories!

John & Bob Hamman - Nebraska Regional

In the early 2000's when I lived in Minnesota and was progressing to life master at the Gopher Regional, I noticed an elderly gentleman watching a team match all morning.  I remember finding that odd because I would rather just play all the time.  In 2005 I moved to Des Moines and have come to know that kibitzer as Dr. John Gustafson.  John still loves to watch and is a constant spectator of BBO team matches.  With the bridge club closed for now, he finally tried his hand at playing on BBO and has done so successfully.  The Des Moines club has anticipated his rise to 20,000 masterpoints for some time now, but alas he was about 10 points shy once the coronavirus shut down the bridge center.  So, Toby White & I hatched a plan this month to play with him online and get him those points.

John & Helen Gustafson won the 1983 Rockwell Mixed Pairs, edging out famed Italian player Benito Garozzo at the finish after bouncing back from the lowest qualifying position.  I cannot begin to tell you how much I have learned from this man in years of post-game bridge discussions while sipping wine at the "roundtable".  On many occasions it has been my immense privilege to sit across the table from this gentleman, and there are few players in District 14 who are his equal.   

        Rich Newell

I have been playing bridge with John Gustafson some 47 or 48 years.  We’ve played from club games to Nationals and everything in between.  In that time I’ve become accustomed to some things.  For example, John plays his share of hands and then some.  Not because he’s a hand hog.  But the bridge gods know who should be playing these hands.  The man who can take a trick or two more than everyone else holding that hand should be declarer.   They turn the auction, blind the opponents, make John’s partner take a view suitable to their will or whatever it takes to put John in the declarer’s seat.  And, more often than not, John collects those extra tricks.

 

I remember only one time in this period where John told a partner ( no, not me ), “You can’t bid your hand anymore.  When I balanced, I’ve already bid on your values.  You can’t bid them too!”  It only took a bad opening lead and a subsequent misdefense to let John land his highly unfavored contract.  His partner remained unconvinced because of that success until the Post Mortem session after the game.  

 

John has an uncanny gift for divining the lie of the cards in the unseen hands whether as declarer or defender.  More than once I’ve seen defenders or declarer hold their hand closer to their chest on the next hand after John put this gift on display.

 

With all this, playing as John’s partner is not where I’ve learned the most.  It’s the drive home after a tournament outside our unit that has been that place.  John would typically discuss with the car load of partners and team mates the last round of the traditional Sunday Swiss.  One hand could easily cover 50 to 75 miles of driving if it was complicated enough.  That meant that we might not have enough miles to cover that last round.  On the other hand, if the hands were not sufficiently complex, we might get to cover the penultimate round as well.  Given John’s lack of tournament traveling the past few years, that has transitioned to discussions after the local club game.  These days he might also bring in an interesting hand that he kibitzed on BBO from a Jimmy Cayne set match or the finals of the Reisinger, Vanderbilt or Spingold to discuss before the game starts.

 

After these year, my greatest reward is not winning, points or the like with John.  It’s playing with John.  And once in a great while, it’s hearing, “Peter, you played a perfect game.  I couldn’t find a single thing to give you a charge for.”

 

        Peter Wityk

 

 

John's approach is to treat every hand as the crucial one.

 

        Doug Stark

 

 

Val and John in Competition

 

During the past 50 years of playing bridge in Des Moines, David and I have had the pleasure of playing both with and against John many times.  Nobody else in the bridge world takes more joy in or has more enthusiasm for the game.  He is a pleasure to play with or against, not only because of his obvious skill, but also because his appreciation of the game is so contagious.  One of the pleasures of attending the club games is anticipating what challenging hand from last week's game John is going to discuss with you. 

 

Clearly John is an outstanding player, but he is also an outstanding patron of the game.  Nobody in our bridge community has contributed more than John...with financial support, with friendship, with his dependable presence at all club games, and most of all with his love of the game.  John, you are a class act through and through. 

 

Congratulations on a highly successful life and on reaching this latest bridge goal.  You deserve it!

 

Valerie Laing

 

 

 

 

GREAT ACCOMPLISHMENT BY A GREAT GUY!

 

I HAVE HAD AN ACQUAINTANCE WITH Dr. JOHN FOR YEARS AND YEARS...HE IS NOT ONLY A PILLAR OF THE BRIDGE COMMUNITY BUT A PILLAR OF ANY COMMUNITY.

 

REACHING INTO THE PAST: IT IS SAID YOU GET BETTER BY PLAYING AGAINST BETTER PLAYERS. ONE OF THE BEST PAIRS  EVER IN IOWA  AS WELL AS ONE OF THE BEST PAIRS EVER IN DISTRICT 14...I REMEMBER PLAYING AGAINST JOHN AND J. FRED BENEDICT...YOU COULD LEARN A LOT PLAYING AGAINST THEM. 

    

    Jim Nash

 

Big thanks to Rich Newell for playing in the final session so Dr. John could go over 20,000 - and for collecting fine anecdotes and stories about Iowa's bridge hero!

 

And.... if you'd like to send John your OWN congratulatory note, you can reach him at this email address:  [email protected]

 

 

Comments

[Rebecca Anspach]

The first time that I played against John and Helen Gustafson was about 12 years ago at a regional in Iowa. My partner and I played against John and Helen in a team game and we finished our 6 boards quickly, while at the other table, both pairs were playing very slowly. John asked if we wanted him to tell us how we should have bid and played on each of the hands while we waited and we were then treated to a very good bridge lesson. He knew that we were novices and spoke to us respectfully. I thought it was very nice of him to give us the lesson. I am glad to see that he is still enjoying bridge and still winning. I look forward to seeing his photo in an upcoming Bridge Bulletin.

[Jonathan M. Cohn]

I had been playing bridge about three years or so when I headed to Des Moines for a sectional with my partner who was then one of the youngest players around. (Sadly he still is.) We sat down against a gentleman and lady who were quite a bit older than the field and I thought, "We are really gonna crush these two." Three boards and three match point bottoms later the reverse had occurred. I had to know who had just thrashed us and quickly found out it was Dr. John and his wife Helen, two grand life masters. I try not to underestimate players anymore.

A few years later I was playing against this star couple in the Omaha Regional. As the hand progressed I had a little luck and made an over trick. Dr. John must have given Helen a questioning look as she belted out in her quivering voice, "I was squeezed!" Indeed she was. I vowed then never to play with my wife.

Congratulations! 20000 is amazing. I hope to see you all soon at the bridge table.