Minnesota Bridge

District 14 2019-2021 Grand National Team Champions!

Many thanks to Minnesota's Brian Weikle, Director in Charge and Manager, Bridge Operations for excellence in reporting our most recent competition for Grand National Teams in District 14!

Congratulations to those who won the opportunity to compete! 

Best wishes to the winning teams as they battle in the National Finals on July 14!

 

District 14 crowned its 2019-2021 Grand National Teams champions this weekend. A total of thirty teams across four flights entered the competition back in May, with each flight coming down to a four-team Knockout final.

In the Championship flight, the mostly-Minnesotan team captained by Mike Flader (Steve Gaynor, Rich Newell, Barry Purrington) defeated the Twin Cities based squad led by Tony Ames (Judy Nassar, Keith Connolly, Vern Swing) in a closely-fought final match. The Ames team led by 9 IMPs at the half, but a strong third quarter put Flader’s team ahead for good. They held on to win by 22 IMPs in a match that featured strong play at both tables. Records are somewhat incomplete, but I believe only Barry Purrington has previously represented the District at the National level.

In Flight A (0-6000 MPs), the team led by Eric Hendrickson (Paul Gutterman, Richard Lawson, Andy Caranicas, Mark Krusemeyer, Robert Schachter) dominated a group led by Bill Voedisch (Dennis Cerkvenik, Jonathan Cohn, Andrew Clements) by over 100 IMPs. The core of the winning team (Hendrickson/Gutterman and Lawson/Caranicas) have owned this event in recent years, winning in 2013, 2015, 2016 and (also including Krusemeyer/Schachter) 2019. Before graduating to Flight A, at least one member of this team was on the winning Flight B squad every year but one between 2003 and 2011, including a National title in 2010.

In Flight B (0-2500 MPs), the top two teams both qualified for Nationals. The Iowa-based winners were led by Steph Baumann (Dan Walker, James Graves, David Johnson) and defeated Diane Henson’s team (Larry Henson, Mark Lasoff, David Trevor). The Hensons previously represented the District in Flight C in 2007 and 2008.

Finally, Flight C (non-Life Masters under 500 MPs) was won by a St. Cloud area team led by Sue Knauss (Robert Nairn, Dale Larson, Beverly Berg). They held on to edge a Twin Cities squad led by Thomas Botten (Arne Langsetmo, Marc Ashton, Rolf Hubmayr) by 7 IMPs.

Congratulations to all of the winners! The National Final begins on July 14; it will be played online as part of the NAOBC.

Thanks to all of the players who competed this year. Thanks also to our new District GNT Coordinator Jade Barrett, and to the folks at Bridgebase for providing us with a place to play. (Next year, I hope to see you all back at the table!) Thanks especially to Tournament Director Kimberley Hayward, who ran the preliminary rounds in all four flights as well as assisting with the knockout finals.

 

Brian Weikle, Director-in-Charge

Brian Weikle

Manager, Bridge Operations

ACBL Field Operations

Face to Face St. Cloud Bridge Returns!

We are THRILLED to have Minnesotans returning to F2F Bridge!

Delighted yet again to have Connie Nelson provide us with all the scoops!

Hear about the fun that St. Cloud players & others can now enjoy!

Thank you, Connie Nelson!

On June 4, 2021, the St Cloud Duplicate Bridge Club held our first in-person bridge game since March 2020.  We had a great turnout -- thirteen full tables!  It felt so celebratory.  The “buzz” in the room was palpable – as friends greeted friends, and started up the familiar patter - “So glad to see you.  So glad to set you.”

 

The BridgeMates still worked, though many of us players were “rusty.”  After a year of on-line bridge – or no bridge, we sometimes forgot to alert our partner’s bids.  We could once again bid insufficiently or play out of turn.  There were way too many “Director, please” calls which kept Kory distracted.  (Maybe that’s a good thing!)  But I expect we’ll settle down quickly.

For anyone who is traveling through or by St Cloud, you are welcome to stop in and play!  Here is the pertinent information.  We currently offer two in person, ACBL sanctioned bridge games each week:

• On Monday evening, our game begins at 6:00 PM at the Labor Temple, 1903 4th St. N, St. Cloud, at the intersection of 19 1/2 Avenue and 4th Street North.
• On Friday afternoon, our game begins at 12:45 PM at the Whitney Senior Center, 1527 Northway Drive, St. Cloud.

We hope to add additional in person games soon!

The COVID protocols for our Club at this time include:

1. The first time you come for a face to face bridge game, you will be asked to show proof that you are fully vaccinated.  We keep track and will not ask you to show your vaccination card again.
2. Hand sanitizer is available at every table, which we encourage players to use between rounds.
3. Only individually packaged food items are available.

We also continue to offer two online bridge games each week listed under Virtual Clubs at Bridgebase.com.   Their start times are -

• Wednesdays at 10:00 a.m.
• Thursdays at 1:30 p.m.

We ask that you arrive at least 15 minutes before the in-person games, and sign up with a partner at least 15 minutes before the start of each online game. Cost is $3 per player. 

For other information about our games – or to check to see if we’ve added in-person games, please call our Club Manager, Kory Solarz, at 320-292-5001.  Welcome back everyone to in-person bridge!

A Newer Bridge Player - and a Writer - Comes to Minnesota!

Todd Flowerday - a recent transplant to Minnesota with his family as of late last fall - and both a non-Life Master (but working towards that goal) and an author, contacted me a few weeks ago. Todd is an energetic person who has a variety of talents and activities - one being a fine writer!  Todd asked me if I would like to have some articles from him - and delightedly, I said yes.

I think we all are too aware of long time players that we have lost over recent years.  Thus, I'm very happy to have Todd write about some of his experiences about Bridge in Minnesota - and - a review of some of Frank Stewart's fine writing, too!

If we want our game to thrive and stay alive (which I assume almost everyone does) - I am delighted to present Todd to us all!  Welcome both to our state, Todd - and to our bridge world, too!  And thanks for your first article!

 

Keys To Winning Bridge

by Frank Stewart. 220pp, softcover. Published by Baron Barclay Bridge Supply.

In his prologue, the author relates a bridge class in which he lists popular conventions and notes how many hands were raised by his audience members who used them. “I will suggest something heretical,” he continued. “Conventions only minimally affect how well you do. … (C)onventional bidding will significantly impact your results once in 50 deals. And I didn’t say ‘favorably’ impact; sometimes the effect will be adverse.”

Yep, I thought. Even the simple ones. Like when I went silent when a passed partner drops a 2♣ card on the table. At auction end, my partner pipes up, “Failure to alert,” that wonderful phrase we haven’t heard in a year. Oh snap! I think. Drury. And that’s one of the easy ones.

The prologue continues with a mention of two factors that separate those who toil for good results and players who reliably get them: rock-solid fundamentals (never blundering a basic problem in bidding or play) and reducing avoidable errors.

Mr Stewart divides his book into 3 nearly equal sections. (Yes, there’s one on bidding, but it’s the last one.) What I enjoyed most was part one, Dummy Play. I marveled at the first hand in “technique” where the key is to forego the finesse in 6♠ and work to promote the fifth heart from a holding of J7432 opposite a five to discard the losing ♣Q. Would I have seen that?

This isn’t really a problem-solving book. Except for the discussion on opening leads in part two, and some bidding examples, most illustrated deals show all four hands. The point is recognizing basic methods, and why experts make winning judgments. I appreciated that approach in the middle section on defense—the toughest part of my game.

As for bidding, the topic of discipline was a good one for me to absorb. Particularly when the auction is competitive, and I have a minimum hand for my bidding. When should I give my partner room to contest, double, or pass?

The book’s subtitle sums it up: The Advancing Player’s Handbook for Success. That seems right. Some of the content is basic, and some is a good bit above that. In an epilogue, the author devotes three pages to “Winning Attitudes.” Mr Stewart’s advice is to “read, focusing mostly on play and defense” and to play up. Keys is a good book to read. As for playing up, sometimes I have to convince my partner, and sometimes he has to convince me. After the session, I usually find I’m glad I did.

Grand National Teams 2021 in District 14!

Those who are still competing in GNT, Open Flight - Flight A - Flight B and Flight C are listed below.

A different world than what we've seen in previous years - yet - of course we wish everyone the best as

they continue their battle!  And - big thanks to Kim Hayward for both directing

and supplying us with current statistics!

Best of luck to all!

 

District 14 Flight C GNT Sunday Aft Session June 6, 2021
Scores after  5 rounds
Team Wins Score 
103  4  68   Q  Thomas Botten Arne Langsetmo Marc Ashton Rolf Hubmayr
106  3  60   Q  Karen Bourne John Scheafer Molly Twohig Karen Fry
101  3  55   Q  Susan Knauss Robert Nairn Dale Larson Beverly Berg
105  3  54   Q  Penny Morton Janny Walker Elise Pechek Phillip Pechek


District 14 Flight B GNT Sunday Aft Session May 23, 2021
Scores after  2 rounds
Team Win Score 
103  8  125   Q  Diane Henson Larry Henson Mark Lasoff David Trevor
111  6  106   Q  Stephanie Baumann Dan Walker James Graves David Johnson
104  5   96   Q  Amy Howells Edie Siemens Matthew Duffy 
                 Jim LaFave Cezanne Martin
109  5   89   Q  Gene Brandl Del Swanson Anne Beaurivage Mary Doyle

 
D14 GNT Flt A Semifinal Two Session June 5, 2021
Scores after  3 rounds
Team Wins Score 
  2  2   40   Q  William Voedisch Dennis Cerkvenik Jonathan Cohn Andrew Clements
  1  2   37   Q  Eric Hendrickson Paul Gutterman Andy Caranicas
                 Richard Lawson Mark Krusemeyer Robert Schachter                                 
  4  1   27   Q  Deana Liddy Tracey Ball Kenneth McNary Cheryl Gorman
  3  1   16   Q  Betty Santa Karen Siegfried Colin Campbell Warren Nelson

D14 Open Flight GNT Semi Saturday Aft Session May 22, 2021
Scores after  2 rounds
Team Win Score
105  5   72   Q  Michael Flader Steven Gaynor Barry Purrington Richard Newell
101  3   61   Q  Bob Balderson Cynthia Balderson Terry Beckman John Koch
103  3   53   Q  Tony Ames Judy Nassar Vern Swing Keith Connolly

 

 Bill Voedisch - Live from Live Bridge at the St. Paul Club!

Hot Days in the City!

 

And great bridge news at the Bridge Center of St. Paul!

 

 

Minnesota Bridge lovers --

 

We are pleased to report that live bridge at the Saint Paul club started again this past Tuesday, June 1 and it has gone very well.

 

We are starting with just 4 games a week.  The biggest table count was 13 on Thursday; for the Mentor game (9) and Chat Bridge (4).  Not a great turnout compared to our pre-pandemic games but we are pleased.  We know that some folks will continue with BBO games and we recognize that we will need to continue some online games for those who do not wish to enter the club, or who can't make it to the club.  At the same time we have members with no technology who have been without the game they love for nearly 15 months.   

 

We're just getting started and we will review things at our June Board meeting.

Kim Hayward has done her usual super job on this!  She drafted the reopening plan which the board approved, got the club ready for play, recorded shot cards ... everything.

For  complete information, schedule, and how to make a reservation for an entry, go to:
www.bridgecenterofstpaul.com

 

On behalf of the Bridge Center of St. Paul Board

Bill Voedisch

 

Genny Rice - Diamond Life Master!

Are there any bridge players who do not love reaching another level of success at our game?  If there are, I'm surely not aware of it!  So I am most grateful to Unit 178's Steve Gaynor for alerting us to Genny Rice's excellent climb into Diamond Life Master!

 

Steve and his wife Jean joined the wonderful celebration at Ann Von Ryn's lovely home in Rochester yesterday.  Please do consider taking a look at Rochester's duplicate bridge website; wonderful stories, great photos and a very happy Genny!

 

We're sorry to hear that Greg Caucutt, Genny's primary partner, is in the hospitall and was unable to attend - and we wish him a full recovery.  And we look forward to Genny, along with Greg and other friends, having more games with our newest Diamond Life Master!

 

(Please note; I have been having difficulties getting photos posted.  I have a couple great ones - but - didn't wish  to put off Genny's big success any longer.  Appreciate anyone who can help out; hope I can figure it out on my own soon!  But can't wait any more; congrats to Genny!!)