I’ve been playing duplicate for many years, but my interest peeked when I retired. I took a few lessons from the Bridge Studio. I attended my first national tournament in Philadelphia. My partner and I were so excited when we won our first gold points. This spring, my long-time partner, Marci Abbott, and I attended the Wilmington Regional. We received 8 gold points. We’re looking forward to our next tournament.
I’ve made so many good friends – its a wonderful game.
When I retired about 5 years ago my wife was concerned that I might not know what to do with myself, as I had only worked all my life and never developed any hobby or significant leisure activity other than reading and listening to music. While I was slowly sinking into a lazy depression she found in the local paper that there was a series of bridge lessons for beginners in the adult education program at a nearby high school, and she registered me. She also joined, I guess to make sure that I was indeed attending the lessons. She had played in college, but not kept it up. The lessons were given by Dottie Ehling, and later on I found out that she owned a bridge club in the area and was one of the area bridge icons, having been playing and teaching bridge for next to ever.
I found the game challenging and fascinating from the very beginning, and after a short period of occasional playing social bridge I decided to take more lessons and get better. At these lessons I also had the good fortune of finding a fellow student who turned out to be a neighbor, and become my main bridge partner. Together we timidly ventured into trying duplicate bridge at a local non-sanctioned club about 2.5 years ago, gradually became more confident and the addiction took over.
My wife also took up the game again and I dragged her to play duplicate with a friend. Unfortunately she is not as committed, but she remains supportive and continues to listen patiently to my bridge problems and is ready to discuss all the hands I just played when I come back home from a game.
Pretty soon bridge players were the majority of our social group, and bridge dominated my life, including spending Christmas/New Year vacations at some regional in the south. After getting my first master point in February 2012, I got addicted to trying to reach higher and higher levels. Now my goal is that of reaching Life Master in the next two years. Probably too optimistic, but I will give it a try. I continue to find bridge incredibly stimulating and always challenging; hopefully it will also help in keeping away brain decline as long as possible.
In my quest for master points I owe a lot of gratitude to Dianne, my wife, who has been supportive even when practically becoming a bridge widow, to Jeff, my main partner with whom I shared great satisfactions and crushing defeats, to Dottie, my first teacher, and to my current one, Jane Ball, who is also willing to play with me and to endure patiently my naive mistakes.
I feel as though it has taken me a long time to reach this goal but I can honestly say that I have enjoyed every minute, hour & year of trying.
I started my bridge playing while living in Delaware, I heard of a great teacher by the name of Evelyn Levitt. I signed up and took many lessons and became good friends with Evelyn. We still run a tournament in Delaware to honor her. After several lessons Evelyn encouraged us to play in some tournaments. I really enjoyed Lancaster and still do. I also enjoyed Harrisburg, Wilmington, Hunt Valley, Baltimore and Cherry Hill. Once at Cherry Hill my partner and I sat down to play against two very nice men. After we finished the round, the one man told me that I was a very good player. I found out later that this kind gentleman was the great Paul Soloway!
I have been fortunate to play under great teachers and directors like Orlin Norder, Bill Laffey and Tom Ciconte and once a week with my friend and great player, the wonderful Arnie Fisher. I have also had the honor of playing many times against Hall of Famer, Dave Treadwell. Dave would always tell me a joke first, then tell me if I did good, or give me a little lesson if I didn’t do good! I now play about three times a week and still enjoy every time.
I think that local games as well as tournaments are hurting for new players. The costs have gotten very high and the more experienced players are not as nice as years ago. We need more of those patient, friendlier and tolerant people like Paul Soloway, Dave Treadwell and Arnie Fisher.
I am thrilled to be getting my Silver Life Master. My mother, who played duplicate till she was 100 years old, would have been very proud to see me achieve this.
My husband, Paul, is usually my partner and I believe our 53 year marriage as well as our long bridge partnership has survived because whatever happens, he always says it was his fault. Who can argue with this?
Together we have taught and I’ve directed on many bridge cruises as well as at our local club, the Mohawk Valley Bridge Association. I am proud to say our club is one in which everyone gets along and seldom does anyone have to be reminded about behavior. Everyone seems to enjoy each other and the atmosphere is definitely one of friendship and support.
There’s no game like bridge and we hope to be playing it together for many years to come!
I retired ten years ago and was looking for a hobby. My husband saw an ad about a free bridge lesson, which I pursued, and I started accumulating points in duplicate bridge. My excellent teacher, Bobbie Gomer, suggested that we all go to tournaments, so I played for free in Cherry Hill, NJ on a Tuesday, because I had less than five points.
I became an addict in no time at all. Bridge opened a whole new world to me, and I met so many nice people in the process. Shortly, I was on the quest to become a life master. I’ve had many nice partners over the years, and I’ve attended regionals in Valley Forge; Wilmington; Lancaster; Cherry Hill, NJ; Hunt Valley, MD; Ellenton, FL; Gatlinburg, TN, and Saratoga Springs, NY. I also worked hard to accumulate the needed silver points at sectionals in many states. So I’ve had some disappointments, such as losing a match by one IMP, and some successes now that I’ve become a life master.
I plan to continue the quest to become a bronze life master, and also to help others achieve their goals.
I finally joined ACBL last year. What was I waiting for? I played bridge as a teenager, college player in between lunch and my 1 pm class, ladies bridge groups, a few couples games. Then in about 2010, I decided to play a bit more seriously inspired by my sister, Marcia Bryant, a silver master, director and cruise director. I finally learned enough to be her assistant on a couple cruises!!! I also took more lessons so I could play duplicate team bridge. All along, I said “no reason to try for Masterpoints – an impossible goal!!”
My husband, Drew was the real impetus to join ACBL and be eligible for masterpoints – He said over and over- “just try- you can do it”- and so I did – and so I tried – and so I have. Hooray!!!
But…the more I played, the more I learned, the more addicted I got, the more fun it was, the more challenge it was! I play a bunch of sports (bridge is sorta a sport, right?) – golf, tennis, paddle, pickleball- but probably the most challenging and equally as hard is bridge. So… I finally joined ACBL and earned some masterpoints, (what fun!!), played in a few regional events, and played supervised bridge in Boca Raton. This program inspired me to start a supervised bridge program at my club. I was lucky enough to find Ala-Hamilton Day from our local area to teach for us. What a great find!!! She was perfect, knowledgable, fun and inspiring. That program has been a wonderful success.
Now I play 2-3 times a week, once in a while I get .45 masterpoint, continue to learn and hopefully improve. Getting masterpoints is icing on the cake. Getting a masterpoint encourages me to try to learn more so I might get a couple more!!! I love bridge and all the challenges it provides. ( plus the ACBL magazine with tons of tips and strategies is great).
