My story is similar to most. I joined the ACBL in the late 90’s, I believe. I also was one of the early members of BBO after the Beta testing. My bridge experience prior to joining the ACBL was Yahoo Bridge, and it was Rubber Bridge. I had zero idea what Duplicate Bridge was, and the learning curve was long and steep! I played for a few years, and in 2002 several years of illness began, and I stepped away from bridge.
When I returned to BBO in 2006 it was after a brain surgery, and my neurologist suggested bridge to reignite my problem solving and focus. It worked! I fell in love with the game all over again. I started taking SAYC lessons, and working to improve my duplicate game. I didn’t know how points worked, and honestly didn’t care. I played a few times in my local club live games, but I found the autonomy of BBO more enjoyable.
In 2012, life got in the way of bridge due to an unexpected job loss, and career change. I didn’t come back to the game again until 2016, and it was both BBO, and live bridge. This time, bridge wasn’t as much fun. The game had grown, and I was left in the dust. I played live in my local club, and I was honestly a horrible bridge player. One of the players in the club gave me a lesson book on how to play bridge, and I was both mortified and humbled. I stopped playing live at that club, and 100% focused on playing online, learning 2/1, and dedicating as much time as I could to learning the game, and getting up to speed with players similar to my level, all while not caring about points.
In 2019, I met a girl online, and we hit it off as friends, and as bridge partners. In March of 2020, Covid hit and I was so happy I had bridge as therapy. My new friend and I, along with other random partners, found time to play, and develop our game. In Nov/Dec 2022, my friend invited me to the Phoenix NABC, and I was hooked on tournament play. I also at this time started paying attention to points.
I checked on my points at ACBL.org, and realized I was under the “new” rules. I called the ACBL, and was told I needed to catch up for the years I didn’t pay my dues, and then I could be under the rules that were in effect when I joined. It amounted to over $500. I knew I hadn’t earned many, if any, points back then, so I didn’t understand why I needed to pay that much money. Anyway, I wasn’t prepared to pay that amount, so I let it go. I attended several NABC’s, Regionals, and Sectionals from 2022, until the Spring of 2024 when I moved to DE.
I started attending the Shore Bridge Club in Rehoboth, and the Shuffles Bridge Club in Ocean View weekly. I met a member who asked me how many points I had, and at the time I think I had around 500. She said, “Oh, you’re a LifeMaster”, and I responded, no. I told her my story from above, and she told me, “You keep calling until the answer is you owe a small penalty.” So, I did. Lo, and behold, last year I was granted back to the old rules, and I needed a few silver points to make LifeMaster. Since silver points are only available at STaC games and sectionals, they’re hard to come by. Luckily, BBO offers “Silver Linings Week” several times a year. I made achieving LifeMaster my goal!
I’m elated, honestly. I chuckle when I think back on when points didn’t matter to me. Perhaps now they won’t matter as much either.
But, what I’ve gained on my journey is a long list of bridge friends who are like family. We vacation together around bridge tournaments. We talk incessantly about the game we all love! I’m encouraged to play live, and I do as often as I can.
I will play with anyone who asks me to play, regardless of skill level. I remember the sting of that incident in 2016, and I don’t want another person to be made to feel less than when it comes to the game.
At the end of the day, it’s still a card game!