Most experienced duplicate players have from time to time run into other players who try to gain an advantage through intimidation – obviously a big part of competitive bridge is mental and playing mind games with your opponents is all part of the game. But when it crosses the line into … [Read more...]
No Reno
October 25, 2015 By Leave a Comment
Last year around this time I was able to send out a triumphant message: “New Orleans, here we come!” when my partner Christine and I placed second in the Florida District playoffs of the North American Pairs competition, Division B, thus qualifying for the nationals this past spring in New … [Read more...]
Nice guys finish last
October 20, 2015 By Leave a Comment
My partner Christine and I keep brushing up against the periphery of the world at the top of the game of bridge where the professionals rule, and frankly, the more we see and hear about it, the less we like it. This past Saturday, we ventured out to the Jacksonville Remlinger Sectional tournament … [Read more...]
Exotic Conventions
October 18, 2015 By Leave a Comment
My partner Christine and I don’t play a lot of complicated and arcane conventions. We like to keep things as simple as possible and use as few as possible artificial bids to avoid confusion. And we’ve rarely found ourselves lamenting not playing a certain convention because it was the only tool that … [Read more...]
Two Floridians pick pockets in France
October 14, 2015 By Leave a Comment
Vive la difference! In the second week of our two-week European vacation, my partner Christine and I started needing our bridge fix, and in advance we had arranged to play on Friday (5-29-2015) at the Club St. Honore just behind the Arc de Triomphe. And even though one of the other main clubs, … [Read more...]
Tampa pre-empt doesn’t scare Eagles fan
October 14, 2013 By Leave a Comment
TAMPA, FL - The people of Tampa Bay proved to be very congenial hosts when Christine Matus and I decided to spend a weekend there around the Buccaneers’ NFL home game against our former home team, the Philadelphia Eagles, on Sunday (10-13-2013). Walking the streets of Ybor City the night before … [Read more...]
5 diamond sacrifice in Vero Beach
June 26, 2013 By 1 Comment
VERO BEACH, Fla - While on a weekend visit to Central Florida, my partner Christine Matus and I wanted to check out what is supposed to be one of the top five, eight or nine bridge clubs in the country, the Vero Beach Bridge Club. We were initially told that on Sunday, the day we had available to … [Read more...]
Aggressive interference kept opponents out of game
June 21, 2013 By Leave a Comment
KING OF PRUSSIA, PA - I couldn't play as much as I had wanted at the annual Valley Forge Regional duplicate bridge tournament this year (2013) because of previously scheduled travel and a family visit, but I was on a team that did earn a couple of red MasterPoints for winning one match and getting … [Read more...]
Rock ‘n’ Roll bridge in Cleveland
May 28, 2013 By Leave a Comment
CLEVELAND - My partner Christine Matus and I played our last session of Gold Rush pairs at the All-American Regional duplicate bridge tournament on the Sunday of the Memorial Day weekend in Cleveland immediately after touring the Rock-and-Roll Hall of Fame with the new Rolling Stones exhibit on the … [Read more...]
Optimists don’t fare well in Reston
March 28, 2013 By Leave a Comment
RESTON, Va - I should have known better than to try and squeeze in a late-night bridge game after the annual visit to my tax accountant, which is always a pretty exhausting exercise. But since I still use the same accountant who has served me well since the days I lived in the DC area in the ‘80s … [Read more...]