Minnesota Bridge

Unit 178 Board Meeting - November 3, 2022

Minutes of Unit 178 Board Meeting - November 3, 2022

 

Fri, Nov 18, 2022 3:34 pm

 

Steven Gaynor (stev1249@comcast.net)To:you (Bcc) + 1 more Details

 

 The Unit 178 Board of Directors meeting was called to order on November 3, 2022 at 4pm.

 

Present: David Trevor, Cass Weil, Steve Gaynor, Vicky Smith, Deana Liddy, John Schlundt, Sue Sanger, Tom Botten 

 

Deana reported that ACBL has selected Minneapolis as the location of the summer 2026 NABC.  Exact dates and site are not yet determined.  Steve will meet in December with reps from the Unit 103 Board; discussion will include how we will work together to provide volunteer and other assistance for this event.  John and Cass will also attend.

 

Tony’s Saturday game will return to Studio One beginning in January.  He will also hold a sectional tournament May 5-7, likely at Edina.  There was discussion but no decision whether to hold an Aquatennial sectional next summer.  We need to find a tournament chair, the board will seek volunteers.

 

 

Tony’s Saturday game will return to Studio One beginning in January.  He will also hold a sectional tournament May 5-7, likely at Edina.  There was discussion but no decision whether to hold an Aquatennial sectional next summer.  We need to find a tournament chair, the board will seek volunteers.

 

We discussed the need for a stronger pipeline of new directors.  One obstacle appears to be that some who may be willing to direct are not willing to handle all the set=up and other required computer tasks.  However, there may be others who would be willing to handle the computer tasks but prefer to play rather than direct games.  We will try to identify players who might be willing to fulfill these roles, and provide appropriate training.

 

 We discussed what action, if any, the Unit should take when a player dies.  Consensus seems to be to take no action except if the player has been a director, tournament chair or other active leader in the bridge community.  Sue will draft a policy statement prior to the next Board meeting.

 

 Respectfully submitted,

 Sue Sanger

Waterloo Sectional Tournament!

An Opportunity for the Waterloo Sectional Tournament!

Check out the Details!

Get Ready for November 11-12 - 2022!

A Super Way to End 2022!

ACBL Unit 163

Waterloo Fall Sectional November 11 - 12, 2022 Westminster Presbyterian Church  1301 Kimball Ave. Waterloo, Iowa 50702 Unit 163, Eastern Iowa Bridge League, is inviting you to our Waterloo Fall Sectional Tournament in Waterloo, Iowa, November 11 – 12, 2022. Games begin on Friday at 1:00 pm with an Eight is Enough Team Game followed by a Stratified Pairs/Teams event at 6 pm with a Newer Pair/Team Game run simultaneously. Saturday is a Two Session Play-Through Swiss Teams Event with FREE LUNCH served in between sessions.  The first session of bridge starts at 10 am. Parking and Entry is at the back of Westminster Presbyterian Church.  Driveways are on both sides. Check out the flier! Tournament Chair: James Jurgenson 319-240-5560 james.jurgenson@uni.edu                                Partnership Chair: Ramesh Shah 319-230-9800 shah0827@gmail.com                                                     Proof of full vaccination required.  No proof, no entry!                        Masks optional for LOW and MEDIUM levels, required for HIGH levels.                   End the 2022 Bridge Year with a bit of Iowa on your plate!

Summer will be winding down - Fall Bridge Events are On Their Way!

Once again, summer is winding down before I expect it. But it's State Fair time and school starts next week, so it must be true!

On the plus side, there is a lot to look forward to in bridge this fall in Unit 178.

 

September Schedule of games is attached. Here are some highlights:

Board-a-Match game resumes, Wednesday evening at 6:15

On September 7, Keith Thompson and Tony Ames are restarting the ever-popular Board-a-Match game. Games will be held every other Wednesday at 6:15 pm at the Edina Senior Center. The schedule for 2022-23 is attached.

BAM is a team game without complicated scoring like IMPs, so every board is win or lose and a single extra overtrick (or undertrick) can be a huge difference.

Teams need to register by contacting Keith (keithclockt@icloud.com, 612-239-2667) or Tony (ynotsema@aol.com, 952-200-3871). They will help you form a pair or team, too.

New location for Saturday games starting Sep 10

The Saturday FTF game at 1:00 p.m. is moving to the Eden Prairie Center Community Room as of September 10. It's in the basement next to the main rental office and restrooms.

Enter on the East side through the Von Maur store, or on the South through the food court. Take the elevator, located in the center of the mall, down t the basement. It's very similar to the Southdale Center where we had the recent sectional tournament.

Lessons this fall

Tony Ames is offering beginning bridge lessons this fall on Tuesdays at 1:00 pm at the Edina Senior Center. Lessons start September 13 and continue for 8 weeks. Contact the Edina Senior Center at 952-833-9570 to register.

Alternatively, the Bridge Center of St Paul is offering beginning bridge lessons Monday evenings at 6:30 starting September 19, both online and in person. A second series will be held online only on Wednesdays evenings starting September 21. Check out the website for more information or to register http://www.bridgecenterofstpaul.com/

Chat bridge continues

Chat bridge continues every Tuesday at 12:45 at Studio 1. It's a great way to practise and improve your game after you've taken lessons. A number of players have "graduated" to the limited game at the same time, there's always room for more. Contact John Schlundt for more information. john.schlundt@gmail.com

Gopher Regional Tournament very successful!

Tournament chair Patti Stuhlman reports that the Gopher Regional tournament last may was very successful. Attendence exceeded expectations, and the tournament even made money. Congratulations and thanks to Patti and her team!

Feedback was generally positive, and suggestions will be taken into account in planning next year's Gopher. I know they've started working on it already.

Milestones

Congratulations to these players who have reached new levels:

• Junior Masters: David Gregg, Carol Hagelee, Carol Lord
• Club Master: Mary Stark
• Sectional Masters: Patti Richardson, Jeffrey Knapp
• NABC Master: Marc Ashton
• Bronze Life Master: Mark McGree
• Silver Life Masters: James LaFave, Michael O'Leary

The End IS Near!

The End is Near
So Get Qualified Now!

                                           

 

State Fair time means the end of summer, and the end of summer is the end of North American Pairs qualifying. The North American Pairs event is one of the two grassroots events where people can compete against pairs at their own level from across North America. These qualifiers only happen during the 3 summer months of June, July , and August. You have be qualified at the club level in order to compete in the finals. The top finishers in the finals will get to play in the spring Nationals in New Orleans next March. 

The finals will be held online Saturday October 1st and Sunday October 2. The top three pairs will qualify for Flight A, while four pairs each from Flight B and Flight C will go to New Orleans. All pairs will play 4 sessions of 24 boards. You must play with the same partner throughout the finals.

In order to play in the District 14 NAP Final, players must be members of District 14 and have qualified for their masterpoint flight or a higher flight in a NAP Club Qualifying F2F or online game.

Flight masterpoints are determined as of the June masterpoint cycle run by ACBL data Processing on May 6, 2022. Any points won but not included in this cycle do not affect masterpoint eligibility.

Flight A is open to all Players.

Flight B is open to Players with fewer than 2,500.

Flight C is open to Players who are Non-Life Masters with fewer than 500.

 

Our local clubs are doing their part to help qualify people for a shot at the Nationals. On Monday, August 29 the Bridge Center of St. Paul hosts a North American Pairs qualifier face to face during their 10:00 AM Open game. Also on August 29, the Plymouth Bridge Club has a face to face NAP qualifier at 11:45 AM. 

 

Tuesday, August 30 finds both clubs again hosting NAP qualifiers. The Bridge Center of St. Paul again uses the 10:00 AM Open game for qualifying, while the Plymouth Bridge Club will have a qualifier for the 0 to 750 game at Studio 1, 6001 Lyndale Ave South, in Minneapolis. This game starts with a mini lesson at 12:15, and game time is 12:45. 

 

On August 31, the very last day of qualifying, all three online games from the Bridge Center of St. Paul will be NAP qualifiers. Those game times are 9:15 for 0 to 500 masterpoints, 9:30 for the 0 to 2500 Flight B competitors, and an Open game at 9:45.

 

So lots of opportunities to get qualified for the North American Pairs. Not only will you play for free if you make it to New Orleans, there will be a travel subsidy should yours be one of the pairs making it through the October finals. Check your schedule, call your favorite partner, and get to work on that ticket to the Nationals. I hope to see you there!

 

See what you can do, and protect your health by all means!

 

Thanks.

 

Keith

Steve Gaynor - A Gift to Us!

Moving Forward

And THANKS to Steve Gaynor!

Steve has been delightful in helping MN Bridge with so much of what has been happening!

Please join me in thanking Steve for all that he has done
And all that he continues to do!

You and Steve DO ROCK!!! 

 

Hello

 

I want to express my personal gratitude and congratulations to all of you for presenting a fine bridge experience for our members.  

 

All of you put in a lot of time and effort but it paid off in a positive experience for just about everyone who attended.   It was what our area needed coming out of the pandemic and I know many of the participants are counting the days until our next sectional.

 

Final figures posted today on the ACBL website were 158 tables (26+ per session), 1271.80 masterpoint won by 182 different players. It was a win/win all the way especially considering we experienced income over expenses.

 

Again, great job everyone, you all rock!

 

Cordially yours,

 

Steven Gaynor, President, ACBL Unit 178 (Viking).

Information from Brian Weikle for Summer NABC at Providence

Brian Weikle Updates Us for Summer NABC
and
For The Fall NABC

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

For Summer  from July 13-24, the NABC will be held at the
Providence Convention Center

For Fall the NABC shall be at the Phoenix Convention Center

(no bridge play at the Hyatt)

 

 

 

June 25th - Unit 103 Membership Meeting to be Held

Unit 103 Membership Meeting to be Held June 25^th

 

While playing at the recent Gopher Regional, several of us wore our name badges identifying us as ACBL Unit 103 Board members.  A frequent question we encountered was: “What does a Unit Board do?”

Well, now is a perfect time to find out!  For the first time post-Covid, we will be holding an in-person Unit 103 membership meeting during the upcoming Granite City Sectional.

 

What Happens at a Membership Meeting?

Come and meet your Unit 103 Board Members -- learn what your Unit does, how Unit 103 “fits” inside ACBL, and hear quick updates on our Unit’s plans and finances.  Feel free to ask us questions or offer suggestions for the betterment

 of this game we all love! 

 

How do I know if I am a Member of Unit 103?

You are if you are an ACBL member and reside within the geographical area of Unit 103 (i.e. most of Minnesota, except Minneapolis and its suburban areas), or you live elsewhere but have retained your membership with Minnesota Gopher Unit 103. 

Other interested persons are welcome to attend the membership meeting, especially anyone considering joining ACBL.

 

What are the Meeting Arrangements? 

The annual meeting will be held on Saturday, June 25^th, during the St Cloud Granite City Sectional, held in Sartell MN this year.  Come and play in the Sectional’s team and pair games played each day from June 23 to June 25, and then join us for the Membership meeting between Saturday’s playing sessions on June 25^th.  The tentative start time is 12:30 p.m..

As a final enticement … there is such a thing as a free lunch!  A tasty luncheon will be provided.   

We look forward to seeing you there!

 

Sincerely,

The Unit 103 Board of Directors
Sue Greenberg, President

Matt Belau (Rochester)

Amy Dutton (St Paul)

Rajiv Kapadia (Mankato)

Connie Nelson (St Cloud)

Warren Nelson (Duluth)

Tom Owens (Woodbury)

Keith Thompson (St Paul)

 

Board President Steve Gaynor - Thanks for Superb Work!

BIG BIG Thanks to Steve Gaynor

And those who work SO diligently for great
bridge games!

Feel free to see what has been accomplished - 
and more to come!

Subject: Minutes of Unit 178 Board Meeting,
May 4, 2022

 

Date: May 23, 2022

To: Steve Gaynor

 

The ZOOM meeting was called to order by Board Pres. Steve Gaynor

 

Board members present: Vicky Smith, Sue Sanger, Jane Schmidt, John Schlundt, Cass Weil and Richard Cottle

Guests: Teri Blu, Barbara Zipoy, Patty Stuhlman, Linda Brammer

 

Minutes of April Meeting: Approved as corrected. ( Lyndale site available for $700 per day, not $700 per month.)

 

Financial Report: Approved

 

Sharon Anderson Induction: Sharon will be inducted in to the ACBL Hall of Fame on Friday, May 23, at the Gopher Regional Tournament. She will make a short speech. There will not be a reception. Our unit will make a donation in her name to an organization of our choice.

 

Regional Tournament:  Patti Stuhlman report: 155 rooms have been reserved (120 were committed). 550 tables are expected (1/2 of tables played in 2019). Jane will send out the final email today. Volunteers are needed: Caddies-one per day, $35 per session (9:30 to 6:00), Greeters, Standby Partners (will play for free). Players must register vaccinations and receive a wrist band. Tables will be set up on Sunday. 0 to 5 master points will play free in IN games (paid for by Minnesota Educational Fund—up to 150 plays). Credit cards OK. Coffee, tea and snacks will be available.

 

Sectional: Report by Barbara Zipoy and Linda Brammer : Edina Community is not available. Lyndale site is not ready to commit. They will negotiate only  with Tony Ames who will do so. August 3, 4, 5. is suggested date. Other sites considered include: St. Paul Bridge Center (Unit 103}, Oak Marsh, New Brighton, Crown Plaza. The exact date must be determined—Wed, Thur, Fri, something on Sat?, something at night?. Motion: August 3,4,5, Wed, Thur, Fri, moved, seconded and approved. Patti suggested we combine with St. Paul for a fall Sectional at Oak Marsh or New Brighton.

 

Bridge Center Search: Letter sent in March by Sue Sanger and Task Force received little or no response. They said this is not a good time to plan for a new bridge center. Suggested to revisit at a later time. Barb Zipoy: “Does it have to be non-profit? St. Paul and Rochester are not. Who would run it?” Estimated start up cost could be $50,000! Keep looking.

 

I-pads: Steve suggested we purchase two I-pads so robots can sit in. Should directors play? Nobody wants sit outs. Talk to Tony and Scott.

 

Membership Meeting: Steve suggested we have a brief meeting at the Regional, morning session, to introduce new board members—two are needed. Any volunteers?  Names for possible members should be sent to Steve.  Members leaving the board are: Vicky Smith, Richard Cottle and Jackson Wahl .

 

Old Business: Has website been updated? Chip Blu said the game schedule has been updated. Lessons? Teri said not enough have signed up. Barb suggested a charity game for the Educational Fund.  

 

Next Meeting: Early June

Adjourned

 

Getting Time to GO for The Gold!

May means it is almost time for the Gopher Regional. It's back this year, once again at the Crowne Plaza Aire Hotel in Bloomington, at American Blvd and 34th Street.
There will be Open Pairs, Gold Rush Pairs, Swiss Teams, and Side Game series -- something for everybody.

"Go-Pher" the gold!

Gopher Regional is May 23-28 - Volunteers needed

Full details about upoming the Gopher Regional are at the website: bit.ly/gopherregional

Volunteers are needed - any help you can provide will be greatly appreciated!

Contact Patti Stuhlman to sign up: pattistuhlman123@gmail.com,
612-865-2527 -- and thanks!

Some specific jobs are:

• Help at the Partnership Desk matching up players (9:00 every day)
• Can you be a stand-by player? Let Patti know what day(s) and how many Master Points you have
• Greet players at the door (top of parking ramp) and direct them to the Health and Safety desk
• Wrist-band checkers at the doors to the playing site

F2F games

There are regular in-person games every day, Monday - Saturday, at locations all around the west metro. The full schedule is attached. Note there will be no games the week of May 23-28, as we will all be at the Gopher Regional of course.

Locations:
Edina Senior Center, MWF, 5280 Grandview Sqare
Studio 1, Tu & Sat, 6001 Lyndale Avenue S
Maple Grove Community Center, Thurs, 12951 Weaver Lake Rd

Milestones

Congratulations to these players who have reached new levels of Master Points!

• Life Master: Aly El-Selehdar
• Silver Life Master: Carol Ann Paulson
• Ruby Life Master: William Drake
• Gold Life Master: Jill Flader

 

Not Just a Side Game Anymore!

NOT JUST A SIDE GAME ANYMORE

 

 

You would play at the MN GOPHER REGIONAL (May 23-28) regional but you have a concern.   I only want to play one session a day.

1. I only want to play in the morning.
2. I only want to play in the afternoon.
3. I need GOLD but only want to play one session a day.
4. I only want to play on Saturday and prefer to play pairs.
5. I like to play with multiple partners over the course of a tournament.
6. I would rather not play in a two session open game. I want to wait to decide if I want to play a second session but still be eligible for overall awards.

If any of these applies to you then the ‘Side Game Series’ is for you.  Face it, we need your help to bring live bridge back and would appreciate your participation even if you can only play one or two times.  The ‘Side Game Series’ is built for you!

 

Consider these points:

1. Overalls are paid individually and are GOLD. You may play with different partners and still qualify.
2. You only have to play in one session a day. As long as you play in two sessions of the same series you qualify for overalls.
3. Section tops pay GOLD as long as you play in another session of the same series.
4. The event is separate from the two session event held the same day. You play the same hands, but your score is calculated only against the players in your event.

There are three series planned for the MN GOPHER REGIONAL this year.  All are four sessions long.

1. Monday through Thursday mornings (10:00 am start).
2. Monday through Thursday afternoons (2:30 pm start).
3. Friday and Saturday morning and afternoon (10:00 am and 2:30 pm starts).

For more information visit:  bit.ly/gopherregional or mnbridge.com

 

LIVE BRIDGE IS THE BEST BRIDGE

Minutes of Unit 178 Board Meeting, March 2, 2022

Our Thanks to Board President Steve Gaynor
And Those who Help All Unit 178 Members
Who Improve Bridge for Us!

Subject: Minutes of Unit 178 Board Meeting, March 2, 2022
**********************************************************************

Date: March 30, 2022

To: Steve Gaynor

The ZOOM meeting was called to order by Board Pres. Steve Gaynor 

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

Guests: Teri Blu, Deanna Liddy

Financial Report: Approved

Gopher Regional: May 23—May 28, Monday—Thursday

Championships: 2 sessions, bracketed

Gold points in side games (2 games required)

Lunch and Learn: Tuesday—Friday

Free coffee

 

Sectionals: Who is financially responsible? Possible dates: Aquatennial and Labor Day. Mayflower will have space available for Sectionals.

Deanna suggests: Ask membership, elect committee, elect a chair, list responsibilities.

 Compensation for Sectional game operators: Operators are “owners”/managers of sectional games. Question: Should other Unit 178 games be closed during sectionals? Game operators, if asked t close during sectionals, could be paid to direct IN games. No need for action at this time.                                                                                    

Face-to-Face events: Attendance could increase as Covid declines. On-line Alliances in ACBL (5), have as many as 40 tables per region. 

Elections: Board members are needed to help find candidates. 

North American Pairs/Grand National Teams: Money is available to help pay costs. Coordinator needed to help get players. 

Miscellaneous: Social game players should be encouraged to join ACBL. Non-stress games (Saturday nights?) with ACBL mentor might be played. Chip Blu has designed a website— https://unit 178.com 

Next meeting: April 6 

Adjourned

 

Nice News for March and April - Games at Plymouth Bridge!

PLYMOUTH BRIDGE

Edina Senior Center
5280 Grandview Square

Fridays - 12:45pm

MARCH
18TH - GNT Qualifier and Practice ($8)
25TH - Stratified Pairs ($6)

APRIL
1ST - Stratified Pairs ($6)
8TH - Swiss Teams Fundraiser ($7)
15TH - Sectional at Clubs ($8)
22ND - IMP Pairs Club Championship ($6)

Directors & Partners - Tony Ames
952.200.3871

Special Event Sunday, March 20TH - 1PM
Please bring something good to share!

On-Line "Last Chance Qualifier & Practice"
Thursday March 31ST - 6:30PM

Proof of Covid vaccination must be provided.
You can email a copy of your vaccination card to
ynotsma@aol.com or bring it to your first game.

 

Bridge - The AMAZING Game!

Bridge offers a wealth of fun, fascination, learning, friendships - and sometimes WINNING!  And part of all this (plus plenty more) is a function of bridge being unique for each of us.

When I first learned bridge, I was in college in Madison, Wisconsin.  I played a myriad of different card games.  Oddly enough, bridge was NOT one of them - until some encouraged me to learn a bit.  I might have remained in the "oh, I'll play a game or two every few weeks" status. But others "took me on" - and I got hooked.  

Some of us have such amazing abilities, their game "clicks" and they become talented "faster than a speeding bullet!"  Joey Grue was one of those people.  I remember watching him play a hand, get doubled and go down some # of tricks.  Had it been me - I might have had some tears after that.  Joe?  No way!  It was on to the next hand.  And easy for those more experienced to see that this guy had talent and No Fear!

All of us who have played for some time are aware that abilities can be extremely different from one another.  Some - forever - stick to the "game every week or two" crowd - and that satisfied them.  Others became more and more intrigued.  They'd watch, they'd listen, they'd learn from those who had been playing longer.  And their games grew and improved.

The last couple of years, due to Covid - and more - have altered our bridge world more than we might ever have imagined.  Yet it doesn't mean that we should forget this fascinating game.  Neophite?  Frequently winning intermediate?  Another player with Grue "DNA" in their blood?  Whatever works well for our players - they should keep on!  

I'd love to see many of us express their feelings about a game that has intrigued millions for ages.  Have stories that thrilled you to no end?  Did you become a Life Master - or a Grand Life Master?  Did one of the most exciting aspects of bridge grab you - a WIN?!

Whether you are someone starting to stick their toes into this fascinating yet sometimes frustrating and challenging - or someone who has done so amazingly well, you are known around the world - realize this.  The game can be what YOU want it to be - which includes a lifetime of blasts!  And if you wish to do so, we'd love to hear YOUR experiences about this amazing game!  Please drop me a line - and grab your stories for those who are learning - and may one day end up a super star, too!

 

Great News from Steve Gaynor - The Minnesota Gopher Regional in May!!

Minnesota Gopher Regional May 23-28, 2022 sanction # 2205105

Fully vaccinated players only (must show proof of vaccination).
We follow ACBL protocol for masking for the safety of all.

CROWNE PLAZA AIRE HOTEL @ MALL OF AMERICA.
(Please park on the top level of the Parking Lot).

Walking distance from the recently expanded and Fabulous MALL OF AMERICA
American Blvd & 34th Ave S (3 Appletree Square) Bloomington, MN 55425
(I-494 and 34th Ave. So.) 952-854-9000.

Ask for the MN Gopher 
Regional Bridge Tournament (Code –MGB) rate: $99 sgl/dbl; Suite - $129
 Book by phone or on-line Reserve rooms by May 8, 2022.

Do not accept a higher room rate – call or e-mail Patti with problems.
Daily Hospitality: Snacks and FREE COFFEE & TEA every session

MONDAY, MAY 23
10:00 MONDAY OPEN AND GOLD RUSH PAIRS 1ST OF 2 SESSIONS
MONDAY BRACKETED SWISS 1ST OF 2 SESSIONS
MORNING SIDE GAME SERIES #1
2:30 MONDAY OPEN AND GOLD RUSH PAIRS 2ND OF 2 SESSIONS
MONDAY BRACKETED SWISS 2ND OF 2 SESSIONS
AFTERNOON SIDE GAME SERIES #1

TUESDAY, MAY 24
10:00 MARY MEINECKE OPEN AND GOLD RUSH PAIRS 1ST OF 2 SESSIONS
TUESDAY BRACKETED SWISS TEAMS 1ST OF 2 SESSIONS
MORNING SIDE GAME SERIES #2
2:30 MARY MEINECKE OPEN AND GOLD RUSH PAIRS 2nd OF 2 SESSIONS
TUESDAY BRACKETED SWISS TEAMS 2nd OF 2 SESSIONS
AFTERNOON SIDE GAME SERIES #2

WEDNESDAY, MAY 25
10:00 WEDNESDAY OPEN AND GOLD RUSH PAIRS 1ST OF 2 SESSIONS
WEDNESDAY BRACKETED SWISS 1ST OF 2 SESSIONS
MORNING SIDE GAME SERIES #3
2:30 WEDNESDAY OPEN AND GOLD RUSH PAIRS 2ND OF 2 SESSIONS
WEDNESDAY BRACKETED SWISS 2ND OF 2 SESSIONS
AFTERNOON SIDE GAME SERIES #3

THURSDAY, MAY 26
10:00 LARRY OAKEY OPEN AND GOLD RUSH PAIRS 1ST OF 2 SESSIONS
THURSDAY BRACKETED SWISS TEAMS 1ST OF 2 SESSIONS
MORNING SIDE GAME SERIES #4 (FINAL)
2:30
LARRY OAKEY OPEN AND GOLD RUSH PAIRS 2ND OF 2 SESSIONS
THURSDAY BRACKETED SWISS TEAMS 2ND OF 2 SESSIONS
AFTERNOON SIDE GAME SERIES #4 (FINAL)

FRIDAY, MAY 27
10:00 FRIDAY OPEN AND GOLD RUSH PAIRS 1ST OF 2 SESSIONS
FRIDAY BRACKETED SWISS TEAMS 1ST OF 2 SESSIONS
WEEKEND SIDE GAME SERIES #1
2:30 FRIDAY OPEN AND GOLD RUSH PAIRS 2ND OF 2 SESSIONS
FRIDAY BRACKETED SWISS TEAMS 2ND OF 2 SESSIONS
WEEKEND SIDE GAME SERIES #2

SATURDAY, MAY 28
10:00 BRUCE BOJE A/X & BCD SWISS TEAMS 1ST OF 2 SESSIONS
WEEKEND SIDE GAME SERIES #3
2:30 BRUCE BOJE A/X & BCD SWISS TEAMS 2ND OF 2 SESSIONS
WEEKEND SIDE GAME SERIES #4 (FINAL)

I/N PAIR GAMES: MORNING AND AFTERNOON 

SINGLE SESSIONS MONDAY THROUGH SATURDAY
LUNCH AND LEARN TUESDAY THROUGH FRIDAY IN I/N PLAYING AREA.

Any team, regardless of their MP holding, may request to play up in any team event. Please request this at least 30 minutes prior to game time.
 The directors retain the rights to divide the brackets where they deem appropriate. Team strata when applicable, will be decided
by the average of the top 4 MP holdings on each team.
Side game series pays Gold points for section tops and overall finishes as long as you play in two or more sessions of the same series.
 Overall awards are paid individually so you can have different partners.

Stratified Pair Events: Stratified by Average of both players
A: 0-unlimited B: 0-3000. C: 0-1500.
Team events: Stratified (when applicable) by Average of all team members
A: 0-unl. X: 0-5000. B 0-3000. C: 0-1250 D: 0-750
Gold Rush Pairs: A: 0-750. B: 0-300. C: 0-100.
(Gold Rush limited to players with 750 or fewer points).


Entry Fees: $15 person/session; $10 person/session for I/N events.
Unpaid ACBL members $4 more per session.
$5/person/session for current students under 25 with proper ID.
This event complies with ACBL non-smoking regulations.

Patti Stuhlman, Chair pattistuhlman123@gmail.com 612-865-2527
Partnerships – Sue Grue suegrue@gmail.com 702-454-5352 

Come one; come all!  We are thrilled to see everyone!

Breaking News! – 2022 Granite City Sectional

Our Thanks to Connie Nelson
And Kory Solarz
These Two Fine Players and Organizers
Have New Information for the Granite City Sectional 2022!
Come One - Come ALL!!!

 

New Dates & New Location

By Connie Nelson

The St Cloud Bridge Club is happy to announce that – COVID dependent – we are planning to hold our Granite City Sectional once again this year. 

At a New Location.  We will be hosting our tournament at a new venue – the Sartell Community Center, 850 – 19^th Street South, Sartell MN  56377.   Since returning to face-to-face bridge, we have been playing one of our local Club games here and really enjoy the setting.  The space is all one level and well-lit.

For most players, you will not be driving any further than our former location.  (But don’t put your car on auto-pilot and accidentally drive to the Whitney Senior Center!)  At the new location, there will still be free parking.  It also offers more nearby restaurant options for players between games. 

We hope many of you will come.  And, yes! – we will still offer some homemade goodies for which we are well- known.

On New Dates.  To make this happen, we had to change the dates of our Sectional.  We will be holding it one week later than in other years.  Our Granite City Sectional will now be Thursday, Friday and Saturday on June 23-25^th.    This has the added benefit that it will no longer be on the days immediately preceding Father’s Day Sunday, which we hope will allow many more to attend. 

So mark your calendars and hold these dates!  Start to line up partnerships and teams.  As usual, we will be holding both team and pair games.

If you have any questions, please Email Kory Solarz (korysolarz@gmail.com) or me (Connie@psg.us).

 

The Weather Outside May be Frightful! (Real cold at least!!)

Enjoy year 2022!
Minnesota Winter
Super Silver Sectional!

Larry, Patti and Kimberly - All will help guide!

ACBL Unit 103

Minnesota Winter       Super Silver Sectional        January 27-29, 2022  New Brighton Community Center          400 10th Street NW       New Brighton, MN 55112 Happy New Year of Bridge! We are happy to host our first tournament of 2022 this month. Brrrrriiinng a friend, come to New Brighton, and play some hot bridge. See the attached flyer for details. Tournament Chair:      Larry Huiras         phone: 715-410-8705         email:   bridge.kibitzer@gmail.com  Partnerships:      Patti Huiras         phone: 651-343-2078         email:   patti.huiras@gmail.com    Tournament Director:      Kimberly Hayward Notice: In accordance with Minnesota & ACBL safety protocols:  PROOF OF COVID VACCINATION REQUIRED before being admitted to the playing area. MASKS REQUIRED in the playing area and facility AT ALL TIMES.

 

Winter Bridge Classes at the Bridge Center of St. Paul!

Season’s greetings to you all!

Attached is a flyer for our Winter Bridge Classes. We are offering two classes one on beginning bidding and the other on play of the hand.

 

·         Bidding: Thursdays, Jan 13–Mar 3, 6:30-8:30pm

·         Play of the Hand: Mondays, Jan 13-Feb 28, 6:30-8:30pm

The classes can be taken either online or in person at the Bridge Center.

Please consider sharing this with someone interested in learning bridge or perhaps register yourself to improve your own game.

Questions email me at: bcofstp@gmail.com

 

Also: A number of folks have asked about the Defense Class. I will offer it on Mondays from 4:00-6:00pm starting in January if there are enough students. Please contact me directly if you are interested and I can have it added to the schedule.

Peace,

Larry

--------------------------------------

--------------------------------------

   Larry Huiras

 

   Email: bcofstp@gmail.com

   Text/Voice: 715.410.8705

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One advantage of bad bidding is
that you get practice at playing
atrocious contracts.
                   ~ Alfred Sheinwold

Sharon Anderson - To be Inducted Into the Hall of Fame!

Hall of Fame adds Three

It’s great to be back at an NABC even though
many of the celebrations and ceremonies are still
on hold. This year, the Hall of Fame committee
has chosen three individuals to join the ranks of
fellow bridge luminaries: 
Sharon Anderson with the Blackwood Award, and John Swanson and Ron
Von der Porten as recipients of the von Zedtwitz Award.

 They will be inducted at one of the three ceremonies next year.

Blackwood Award

The Blackwood Award is given to individuals who have made major contributions to the game of
bridge outside expertise at the table.

Anderson, who is from Eagan MN, served on
the Board of Directors for 12 years from 2009 to
2020, including a term as president in 2012. She
continues to serve on the District 14 board, where
she has been a fixture for over 40 years.

But it was her work on the ACBL Educational
Foundation that drew the attention of the Hall of
Fame Committee, said chair Mitch Dunitz, who
serves alongside Anderson as the co-chairs of
development for the Ed Foundation.

“It’s imperative more than ever to grow the
game and get more young players,” Dunitz said.
“She’s been a guiding force on the Ed Foundation.
She’s a fantastic volunteer. She has so much energy."

Anderson joined the foundation as a trustee in
2011 and has been involved in various capacities
since then, returning as a trustee this year after
serving as a volunteer most of the years in between.
She pushed for the reorganization of the foundation
that took place in 2017, aimed at drawing
leadership from a wider talent pool and bringing
a focus on evaluating the long-term impact of the
projects supported by Ed Foundation grants.

Leadership was a focus for her both in her
working life and in bridge organization. Before
retiring in 2002, she spent 25 years running a
leadership center at the Hubert Humphrey School
of Public Affairs at the University of Minnesota.
She served on the boards of more than 100
organizations, many of them nonprofit.

“She’s really good at thinking about
volunteers,” said Joe Jones, executive director of
the ACBL. “She makes people feel important. She
gets the best out of people.”

For Dunitz, the selection was personal. “She’s
a mentor to me,” he said. “Everyone she touches
has the same reaction.”

Woo Hoo!!! Bridge Center of St. Paul Announces Hybrid Bridge Classes!!

MN Bridge is So Excited!

 

Hybrid Bridge Classes Now Have

Enhanced Bridge Classes!

 

Recently, with grants from the Minnesota Bridge Education Fund and Unit 103, the Bridge Center of St. Paul was able to upgrade its teaching environment to allow bridge classes to be taught both in person and online at the same time!!!

This past Fall the first hybrid class was taught to 36 new students, half of which came in person while the other half attended via the internet. A second class on play of the hand subscribed by 8 more students was taught online. While there were more than a couple of technical glitches to be overcome by the end of the course everything finally came together in a workable format.

With the uncertain future regarding the shape of our game, the hybrid format seems to fit well encouraging both online and club play at the conclusion of each course.

Now with upgraded bandwidth the Bridge Center is ready to offer these classes again this Winter:

• Beginning Bridge I - Bidding​            

• 8 Classes: Thursdays, 6:30pm – 8:30pm
     January 13th through March 3rd, 2022

 

• Beginning Bridge II - Play of the Hand
    8 Classes:  Mondays, 6:30pm – 8:30pm
    January 10th through February 28, 2022

Please encourage any potential new players to look into the classes!

Additional information and registration links can be found at: www.bridgecenterofstpaul.com  

 

Minnesota Welcome Back Open Sectional!

 

ACBL Unit 103

MINNESOTA WELCOME BACK OPEN SECTIONAL  October 21-24     Twin Cities Multiple Locations We are so looking forward to seeing you at the table again! We are hosting an Open Sectional Tournament. In case you know of an IN player looking for a limited tournament, we are also co-hosting an Intermediate/Novice Regional, limited to those Non-Life Masters with fewer than 750 Masterpoints at the same time! Because of the continuing Covid situation a couple of things are different. We could really use your help figuring out spacing and lunches! If you are planning to attend or thinking about attending plase take the following One Minute Survey: https://s.surveyplanet.com/6vt720j9 Here is the rest of the Covid "need to know:" Proof of Covid Vaccination is required to play. Mask will be required at all times in the playing area and in the building (MN state requirement) No food will be allowed in the playing area except during the lunch break. Beverages are OK Additionally, the ACBL is moving toward cashless tournaments and now prefer credit/debit cards for buying entries. However, we will still accept cash at the tournaments. Tournament Chair:    Larry Huiras     Email: bridge.kibitzer@gmail.com                            Phone: 715.410.8705           Partnerships:      Patti huiras     Email: patti.huiras@gmail.com                            Phone:  651-343-2078 Director in Charge:      Kimberly Hayward Hope to see you there!