Minnesota Bridge

Minnesota Autumn Sectional Results

 

Once again, our fall tournament at the Oak Marsh Golf Club in Oakdale was a fine success.  A varied array of events, including popular pair-team events ran from November 1st to November 3rd.

Results from each event are here.  Overall masterpoint winner stats, however, have not been posted.  (Rest assured that if they do pop up, I will share them with you!

Our thanks to co-chairs Kerry Holloway and Kathy Beckman for their superb work in all aspects of the tournament. Directors Kimberly Hayward and Bjorgvin Kirstinsson, as always, kept our games moving smoothly. Partnership chair Maureen Weiman helped to fix up everyone with a pard so they, too, could compete!

To all who came, who volunteered and who competed - we thank you and we look forward to seeing you next year!

 

TWO Smiles!

 

 

TWO reasons to smile today!  

First, this news from Sue Jackson as to how you can help our bridge community:

AmazonSmile has donated over $100 million to charities thanks to customers shopping at smile.amazon.com.

To celebrate, AmazonSmile is donating 5% (ten times the usual amount!!) to Minnesota Bridge Education when you shop at smile.amazon.com/ch/37-1745323 through Nov 2.

AmazoSmile #StartWithaSmile  

 

And.......  another great reason to smile is the Minnesota Autumn Sectional begins tomorrow!  Head to 526 Inwood Avenue N, Oakdale, the Oak Marsh Golf Club and enjoy a great THREE days of sectional competition!

The flyer is on the left; we look forward to seeing you there with a big SMILE!

Minnesota Autumn Sectional - November 1-3

 

The Minnesota Autumn Sectional will be here before you know it!  Enjoy a great schedule of events Thursday through Saturday in a fine venue.  Loads of great eating spots nearby to visit with friends and go over the hands.

Start planning your games now - and - see you soon in Oakdale!

The details for the sectional and flyer are here.

North American Pairs District 14 Qualifying - October 6-7

 

Tomorrow is the day! Compete against your peers at the Edina Community Center on Saturday and Sunday - and - you and your partner might be among those earning funds to attend the 2019 NAP at the Memphis Spring NABC!

The flyer for the event can be found here.  Remember; you must have qualified for the event to compete.  And - registration starts early:  12PM through 12:50PM.

A super opportunity for all, irrespective of your experience level!

Intermediate & Novice Regional - Results and Report

 

Some seem to think that the greatest mind game ever created - bridge - is on its last legs. It is true that in today's world, bridge is not the game that "everyone plays" as it was some decades ago.

But. If you think that people are giving up and ready to say "au revoir" to our game, you are sadly mistaken.  

 

 

Wonderful people, like Tournament Chair Amy Dutton, Partnership Chair Susan Sanger and other volunteers are bringing new life - and players - to our game!  

 

 

As you can see above, our I/N players are competing - and winning - and having a glorious time doing it! Surprised but elated by their victory, these players can't wait to show their trophies off to their grandkids!

 

 

Other players were also excited to win - and all had a marvelous time. In two days of play, the I/N Regional had 117 tables in play, and 140 people won masterpoints!

 

 

At the top of the list were Bernice Blaske and Thomas Botten.  They earned an impressive 12.66 masterpoints!  The full list of masterpoint winners is here; the results from the events are here.

 

 

As always, our thanks to Director in Charge Kim Hayward and Director Brian Weikle.  

 

 

And a huge "way to go" and thanks to all our I/N players who came to compete and enjoy!  Three of our players had never played duplicate before the regional!  Thanks for being brave and dipping your toes in the duplicate waters.

Well done, everyone! We look forward to seeing you at the clubs and more tournaments, appreciating and attempting to tame this incredible, fascinating game!

More shots of our competitors below - enjoy all!

I/N Regional in New Brighton - Sept 28-29

 

 

Are you an intermediate or novice non-Life Master bridge player with under 750 masterpoints?  If so, this weekend provides a great opportunity to learn and compete!

Friday and Saturday, an I/N regional is being held at the New Brighton Community Center. Three sessions are available on Friday; two on Saturday.  Lunch is provided inbetween sessions!

The flyer for the regional is here.  Please do take advantage of this fine opportunity to play, learn and enjoy!

 

Paul Bunyan Sectional - Results

As promised, gorgeous fall colors highlighted the drive to the Paul Bunyan Sectional. And - adding color to the picture were two pairs who earned over twenty masterpoints through the weekend.  Terry and Kathy Beckman were at the top of the list with exactly 25 masterpoints.  Well done!

 

 

And - also earning over 20 masterpoints were Mike Cassel and Barry Purrington; 21.65.  The full list of points earned can be found here.

 

 

Another beautiful sight to be hold was this one; Terry Lijewski with Diane Carr, our tournament chairman.  As many of you know, Terry has battled some serious health issues lately. So, everyone was delighted to see Terry At the Table and enjoying himself!

 

 

Our thanks to Diane, Director Tony Ames, partnership chair Tess Schirmer and all the others who contributed to this fine September sectional.

 

 

Results for the rest of the tourney can be viewed here.  And more photos are below the line. My thanks for receiving them from the tournament!

Paul Bunyan Sectional - Sept 21-13

 

Stunning autumn colors light up the gorgeous North Shore.  Add in beautiful weather AND the Paul Bunyan Sectional - you have a weekend you don't want to miss!

The sectional starts today, with pairs and teams through Sunday.  The full schedule is here.

Enjoy our great game - battle to win masterpoints - see friends and capture views like the one above!  Win, win, win!

 

Intermediate & Novice Regional Tournament - September 28-19

 

 

Are you a non-Life Master with 0-750 masterpoints?

 

Then we would love for you to join us at the first Intermediate-Novice Regional Tournament in Minnesota!

 

The tournament is on Friday and Saturday, September 28-29, at the New Brighton Community Center - an excellent place to play.

 

Lunch will be provided between the morning and afternoon sessions both days.

 

A copy of the flyer is posted below.  We look forward to seeing you there - and - to having everyone enjoy this new and wonderful event!

Labor Day Sectional - August 31-Sept 3 - Results

 

The long Labor Day weekend holiday delivered four days of great bridge at the Twin City Bridge Center!  As you can see from the photo of Jean Boettcher above - it was LOADS of fun!

 

 

One competitor - Minnesota star Robert Schacter - earned over 31 masterpoints during the sectional.  Judy and Phil Schwartz scooped up 26.49 with a very nice showing, too.  All the masterpoints earned can be viewed here; results from each event are at this link.

 

 

 

Highlights were a couple of BIG games throughout the tourney.  Congrats to Terry and Kathy Beckman for a substantial 68.15% - and to Harry Sapienza and Dave Collins for a 67.61%.

And "well done" to University of Minnesota tough competitors, Sean McNally and Morgan Johnstone.  Their hefty 59.43% earned them 1st in Flight B and C - and 3rd overall in Flight A!  We do hope that with students returning to college, more of our young players will be battling away at clubs and tourneys.

 

 

As always, our thanks to Director Kim Hayward, and Tournament Chair Teri Blu.  (By the way, be sure to read our write up of Teri, who earned District 14 Teacher of the Year for 2018!  Part of why we had lotsa people playing!)

 

 

Wonderful to see quite substantial turnouts on Friday and Saturday.  And, despite the holiday weekend, both Sunday and Monday fared well, too.

More photos below!  And apologies for everyone I missed. Your webmaster is becoming too decrepit to follow suit and get a shot of everyone ... but glad I could nab some!

Rochester - NLM Sectional - Sept 15

 

Are you a player with 0-500 points?  Would you enjoy two sessions of bridge with your peers - along with a lecture from District 14 Platinum Life Master G S Jade Barrett?

If so - then this is a great opportunity for you!  On September 15th, Rochester is hosting a Non Life Master Sectional for players with 500 or fewer masterpoints. 

The flyer and details are here; come, compete and have a fun day of bridge and learning!

See You in September!

 

Where has summer gone?!  Another 11 days and September will have arrived!

For bridge in Minnesota - this is great!  Loads of fun events throughout the month.

First, starting on the last day of August, we have the Labor Day Sectional at the Twin City Bridge Center.

Mid month - September 15th - Rochester features a Non Life Master Sectional.

The 21st through the 23rd, head to the Duluth area for the Paul Bunyan Bridge Sectional.

Then, on the 28th & 29th, back to the Twin Cities where New Brighton will host an I/N regional!

Get ready for cooler temps, the beginnings of autumn colors - and - LOTS of great bridge!

WBF Youth Players - USA Youngsters VS Bulgaria

The World Bridge Federation Youth Tournament in China was a thrilling event. Many fine United States players competed with - alas - some matches heartbreakingly close - and a loss for some of our USA competitors. Also a challenge was watching when the action was on the other side of the world!  Your webmaster was able to do it for the 9PM session but not much beyond that.

On the job, however, was Mike Cassel.  Mike watched the USA Youngsters play Bulgaria.  And, he has kindly written up salient moments in that match.

Our thanks to Mike, to all who are contributing in working with the next generation of bridge players - and - to those who went to China to do battle!

Mike's article is posted below.

Ben Does China

 

Minnesota has had a number of extraordinarily talented young players over the years.  Now?  We have yet another one:  Ben Kristensen.

We understand that this is, essentially, "old news."  Ben has already won a Silver Medal in the 2014 World Youth Championships. And a year ago, Ben's junior team beat one of the top teams in the world in the prestigious Spingold - Team Monaco. (Indeed; 2/3's of the players on that team just won the 2018 Spingold in Atlanta).  Ben has had a multitude of other accomplishments along the way; but I digress. If we listed too many, we'd run out of space on the website!

Right now, Ben is competing in China as USA1, not surprisingly at present leading the Youth team competition. 

I am also happy to report that one of Ben's teammates wrote up a hand from one of the matches that delivered a "brilliancy" rating to Ben. Oren Kriegel has the tale of this hand posted at Bridgewinners.  We feel confident that this decision is but one of a great many that Ben will produce as he continues in his bridge career.

 

Ben Kristensen, Adam Kaplan, Zach Grossack, Christian Jolly, Kevin Rosenberg, Oren Kriegel

We wish the best to Ben and his formidable teammates - AND - if you are a night owl and/or an early riser, you can watch Ben & Company compete during some sessions on BBO on vu-graph!

Go Ben!  All over Minnesota we're rooting for you!

North St. Paul 499er I/N Tournament

 

Congrats to all who did well in July's 499er I/N Tournament!  Results are here.

Applause to Mark McGree and James Ashley for top masterpoint winners!

St. Paul 499er Non Life Master Tournament

 

Some Minnesotans are winging their way to Atlanta today to compete in GNT - others will head out throughout the NABC.  BUT - for those who are homebodies, planning on staying in our great state - AND with 499 masterpoints or less - do we have a deal for you!

July 27-29, enjoy the St. Paul 499er Non Life Master Tournament!  Free treats; silver points; separate section for 0-199ers.

The St. Paul 499er schedule is here. Check it out and ENJOY!

Reeling 'Em In

Son Arne with Fisherman Dad Peder

 

The Granite City Sectional in St. Cloud ended yesterday.  Results are not available yet; they'll be posted as soon as available.

In the meantime, however, Steve Gaynor was kind enough to report a most entertaining "fish tale" from the tournament. Think that age 91 is simply too old to be still playing winning bridge?  Then you are not familiar with Peder Langsetmo!  Steve presents the super story below.

Thanks for the story, Steve!  And Peder - you keep on baiting the hook!

 

HE'S THE FISHERMAN; I'M THE FISH - YOU'LL SEE, KER-PLOP!

 

Playing in the 25 table pair/team game at the St Cloud Sectional on Friday we came up against Peder Langsetmo and his son Arne.  Peder, with over 10,000 masterpoints and a Platinum Life Master, is now 91 years old and has been around a long time winning events.  He has always been an imaginative player.    Arne does not have as much experience at the game, but his dad has shown him some of the finer points and Arne has picked them up quite well.

Anyway, I am West. White versus red, I pick up J9763, A42, 82, AT5.  The bidding starts with Arne sitting North.

N             E              S              W

2D           2S           4D           4S

P             P             5D           ?

 

What would you do?  I am thinking I have the ‘death holding’ in diamonds (2 small) and a couple of Aces.  5 spades looks like it may be a bit rich and partner must have a trick over there for her bid.... So with two aces, I double. 

I have long preached that when a good player makes what looks like a bad bid, he has a surprise up his sleeve.  So he does. 

Peder took a bit of a risk that we may pass out 4D, but he was pretty sure I had some spades and values. Thus, he envisioned me bidding so he could reel me in with his 5D call. 

I swallowed the bait hook, line, and sinker.  Dummy was void in spades and had good hearts and clubs. When diamonds went 2-2, I could take my two aces, but nothing else. 

Five spades would have been a good sacrifice.  When will I ever learn?

The whole deal:

 

                                ♠105

                                ♥10

                                ♦AK9764

                                ♣J762

 

                ♠J9763                         ♠AKQ842

                ♥A42                            ♥863

                ♦82                               ♦Q10

                ♣A105                          ♣ 83

 

                                   ♠none

                                   ♥ KQJ975

                                   ♦J53

                                   ♣KQ94

 

 

 

 

Granite City Sectional - June 21-23

 

A week from today, the Granite City Sectional in St. Cloud begins!  Enjoy team play and pairs in St. Cloud weekend after this.

The schedule is here - looking forward to seeing you in Granite City!

Minnesota Storms Gatlinburg!

 

A number of Minnesotans headed to the world's largest ACBL regional last week - had a wonderful time and performed admirably! Our first tale is shared by Kim Hayward - and - it appeared in the Gatlinburg Daily Bulletin!  These 24 club members above brought home 374.26 masterpoints!

Other 103 and 178 members attended, too. More below! 

 

Minnesotan Migration

Twenty-four members of the Bridge Center of St Paul in Minnesota decided Gatlinburg would be a good idea this year.

Our Annual Unit Awards banquet and game was scheduled for two days before the beginning of the Regional, so many of us were leaving immediately after the game or flying the next day. Unfortunately, something else was scheduled at the same time—piles and piles of snow and ice.

Our Unit cancelled the banquet mid-week and some decided to leave early to beat the storm. As our Friday morning game closed and the radar was becoming more colorful by the minute, we decided to grab our clothes and run for it. Others did the same.

Despite leaving early the 5 carloads of players had very slow and treacherous travel. But the air travelers fared much worse! Cancellations and changes mounted and the last of the group made it late on Monday evening with one pair of players being re-routed 3 times! (The storm yielded 14.9 inches in one day, an April record.)

Now that were all here, we’re having a great time at your wonderful tournament. Please visit us if you are ever in the Twin Cities. You will be sure to receive a warm welcome whatever the weather.

George West, Alexis Campbell. Mary & Larry McIntyre, Larry & Patti Huiras, Kathleen Buraglio, Liz Miller, Miriam Larsen, Joyce Piper, Kay Johnson, Judy Strobush, Tom Baruth, Amy Dutton, Joe Browan, Grant Duffrin, John Crouch, Cynthia Schield, Steph Steele, Gary Mulcahy, Judy Hammond, Sandy Casey, Janet Williams, and Director Kimberly Hayward.

 

In addition, a contingent of three current Minnesotans, Kerry Holloway, Michael Lee Howland and Harry Sapienza joined with former Gopher State Joe Rice and Craig Satersmoen to do battle. Their team had a fine showing; first in Thursday's Bracket 2 KO for almost 44 masterpoints - then second in Saturday's Bracket 3 Swiss and 4th in Sunday's Bracket 4 Swiss.  VWD, guys!

Your webmaster has never made it to magical Gatlinburg - but - these stories of success and fun sure make me want to do it one day!

Rochester Spring Sectional - April 6-8

No Foolin'!

April is time to head to Rochester!

 

 

Enjoy the Rochester Spring Sectional

April 6-8

 Fresh pastries, cookies and coffee every day

Friendly volunteers and players

Special talk by Grand Life master John Koch on Swiss Team Strategy

299er games for I/N and 499er Swiss Teams

Free Parking and hotel across from the parking lot

Silver points!

********************************************

Tournament Co-Chairs:

Linda Grigoleit - 507.269.4172

lindagandtomg@gmail.com

Tom Grigoleit - 507.269.4162

Partnership Desk:

Sheri French - 507.358.9003 - rochestermnbridge@gmail.com