One of my friends at work kept telling me “Terri, you have to learn how to play Bridge before you retire.” She said I needed to keep my mind sharp when I retired and so I took my first lesson in June 2008. My instructors were Life Masters and they played very well. But, as they say “Bridge is easy to learn but takes a lifetime to master” and I realized I had a lot to learn.
I played that summer and into the fall, but at work my hours changed, ( working nights) and couldn’t continue to play. Every time I would vacation in Florida for a few weeks, I took a several lessons by John Foster, in Sun City Center (He was one of the finalist in the ACBL Bridge Teacher of the Year in 2013).
I finally retired in 2013 and that fall started taking Easy BridgeTM lessons in Sun City Center.

Kathy Smith and Sue Batt started the program and it has exploded with so many new players Even people who were social bridge players were converted to duplicate because they heard we were all having so much fun. There program consisted of lessons on Wednesday followed by playing (boards that were related to the chapter) and then they would also have workshops that expanded on the lessons. I finally started to understand why I couldn’t pass when my partner doubled, and how to play Stayman and Transfers. It has been so much fun, and I have met the most interesting people. We also have monthly happy hours and pot lucks and in the summer, we go out to dinner/lunch at local restaurants.

Sun City Center hosted a Sectional Tournament this February and my partner and I came in first North/South in the 0-20 category. Some of the other area bridge clubs have extended invitations to play, Sarasota, St. Pete, Manatee. One even had a cake to welcome us. And there is a Tournament on May 25th that I am going to attend.

I also attended a week long Bridge Boot Camp in Warwick, New York (summer 2014) sponsored by Marti & Gary Ronemus. That was intense bridge lessons, and I can’t tell you how much I enjoyed/learned that week. It was all inclusive meals, lessons and room for under $800.00 thru Road Scholar.
(AKA Elderhostel)