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!

I began learning bridge with my in-laws two years ago.  We used a bridge tablecloth to help with the bidding and had lots of fun playing.

In the spring of 2023, an acquaintance introduced me to the Ithaca Bridge Club.  I began attending their casual play Fridays, which included weekly instruction.  From two fantastic rotating teachers, I learned and developed my elementary knowledge of the game. I was encouraged to become a member of the club and join the ACBL whose monthly bridge bulletin, I was told, would be worth the fee alone.

Our bridge club hosts occasional 499er ACBL-sanctioned games.  Beginning players are paired with more seasoned players.  I took advantage of this fantastic opportunity and was having fun playing in a sanctioned game, with great support from an experienced partner. The training wheels of bridge were starting to come off.

I then began to play occasionally in the bi-weekly ACBL-sanctioned games with partners who were not discouraged to play with a novice like me. Thank you!  All of the players at the Ithaca Bridge Club have been supportive and offer their help/advice in a positive manner. For example, early on in the league play, I decided to double an opponent’s opening and quickly learned that I should have 13HCP to do so. I might have gone down in that contract. For me, the best way to learn is by making mistakes and then correcting them. Sometimes this happens more than once!

The club also started to offer weekly mentor sessions where one experienced player meets with 4 mentees, and we play practice games online together. The critique and instant feedback supports my developing knowledge of bridge.  We all have certain bridge knowledge, but when we play together and combine that knowledge, we become more comfortable with the game.  This group experience, along with the patience of countless partners at the club, have nurtured a level of confidence in the game that has helped me become a better bridge player,

In sum, great instruction, understanding partners, and lots of opportunities to play have all helped me develop as a player and has led me to my small sum of master points.