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Frank Doub – Life Master

ACBL District 4

Frank Doub, a resident of Falling Waters, with roots in Washington County, recently achieved the most sought after rank in competitive bridge: Life Master. To achieve this rank, a player must gain different types of points—gold, silver, black—in competition at the local, state and regional level. Frank met the goal of 500 points at a regional tournament in Reston, VA, on July 2.

Frank began his quest for Life Master in 2015. He played bridge with his parents and socially with friends for many years but discovered competitive bridge once he retired. Members of the Hagerstown and Martinsburg Duplicate Bridge Clubs partnered with Frank as he travelled to tournaments as far away as Gatlinburg, Tennessee to get the required points.

“Bridge is a wonderful and fascinating game. It is a great way to exercise your brain which at my age, 68, is a good idea” reports Frank. “It also gets you out of the house and enables you to socialize with some really great people. I received my early lessons from Frank Carden and then later from Dan Putnam,, both of whom are directors at the Hagerstown Club. My primary partner has been Charles Meister, who is the director of the Martinsburg Club”.

There are many levels of Life Master. Frank already has his sights set on the next rank, Bronze Life Master. Charles Meister, a silver Life Master, does not doubt Frank will achieve his goal.
“Frank is very deliberate in his play. He is a good partner, compliments good play and does not criticize his partner’s mistakes.”

Diane Brinker – Regional Master

ACBL District 4

I joined Overbrook golf club about 15 years ago and took a crash course on bridge. I was placed at the last table on the third team in the Philadelphia league.

My first partner in bridge was 93 years old and was so bright and her memory so sharp that she inspired me to continue with duplicate bridge.

I continued to play team bridge and earned master points at the Ocean City yacht club and the shore Bridge club in NewJersey In the summer, and at duplicate games at Overbrook golf club in Pennsylvania in the winter months. Playing bridge has been and continues to be a great experience.

Sharon Laas – Life Master

ACBL District 4

About 15 years ago, I started hearing about how great bridge was from two whitewater paddling friends who had had to give up the sport and whose energy and enthusiasm was now focused on this new endeavor. A short time later, I met another former kayaker at a dinner party who was also touting bridge. Since I was contemplating retirement in another year or two, I thought I might give this a try.

It started with the former kayaker and his bridge partner organizing weekly social bridge with a mini-lesson to start. We needed a fourth, and I eventually recruited a retired friend from work (and future regular bridge partner) to participate. Eventually my friend and I discovered the Intermediate lessons at the Bridge Studio of Delaware, and avidly pursued their course of Intermediate, and then Advanced Lessons which were invaluable.

Meanwhile, we continued to play weekly social bridge with a strong emphasis on analyzing interesting hands regarding the bidding or play of the hand. Eventually my novice partner and I tested the waters at a few local bridge tournaments.

Once I retired, bridge turned out to be a great outlet for mental stimulation, protracted focus and memory improvement. Learning the various bidding systems was like learning a foreign language while play of the hand was a great way to challenge one’s memory powers!

Becoming a life master was a long term goal, but not a priority for me. I’m still an avid white water kayaker and kayak instructor. So I mainly played in Sectional, Regional or National tournaments that were easy day trips from home such as the Philadelphia National (where I won my first gold points), and tournaments in Hunt Valley, MD; King of Prussia, PA; Lancaster, PA; and Wilmington, DE.

The most recent tournament in Fort Myers, FL where I finally made life master was the first “away game” I ever attended.

Besides the instruction at the Studio, I’ve also spent many hours of practice using Bridge Baron for Mac on my computer, reading the Bridge Bulletin, and a few bridge books. By and large, however, my primary partner and I have generally stayed with the systems that we learned in the Intermediate and Advanced program at the Bridge Studio of Delaware.

Aileen Watkins – Bronze Life Master

ACBL District 4

Bill and I started playing Bridge in the 1960s – our first hobby together. We discovered Bridge was a great way to meet people and develop friendships. We enjoyed party Bridge until we were invited to play in a Duplicate Club. It was then Bill decided we were moving on to Duplicate.

Upon our retirement in 2000 the Farquhars introduced us to ACBL and bidding boxes! They took us to Dini’s game and we met Southern Delaware’s Bridge Ambassador. It wasn’t long before we formed a partnership with the Coars and hit the road in the hope of earning the coveted title of Life Master. In less than four years we logged many miles, met lots of nice people and earned that Life Master designation. We were encouraged by Joe Botkin and Kim Kvalnes in District 6 to become certified Directors and form a club and give back to the game. Around 2005 we took a break from Bridge to enjoy our outdoor hobbies: golf, hiking, biking and yard work. After a five-year break and slowing down physically it was time to return to playing Bridge – the hobby that we started when we were first married. As we began earning points we set our sights on Bronze Life Master. We looked forward to our weekly outing to stimulate our brains and, of course, meet new people…the reason we started playing Bridge back in the 1960s. We did not expect to earn over 200 points so quickly but we’ve had fun doing it. I remember telling Dini that Bridge was the best thing for our marriage because we had to improve our communication.

Looking back, Bridge has always been an important part of our life and the hobby that we have enjoyed all of our married life. We are grateful to ACBL and Districts 4 and 6.

Mary Burns – Club Master

ACBL District 4

Could not have come at a better time. I’ve had a couple of awful scores this past month, so this will keep me playing!

When we moved to Rochester, a couple of years or so ago, while unpacking a trillion boxes, my husband suggested we join the local duplicate bridge club! Having only played party bridge I was a little apprehensive, but Jim had played a little duplicate and convinced me I could do it !

To get away from unpacking boxes I did and am so glad I did as I’ve met the nicest, kindest, most welcoming people I could imagine!

Edith Ulrich – Bronze Life Master

ACBL District 4

My life as a bridge player began in the late 1970’s in Hawaii. My late husband learned bridge in the military and I wanted to learn to play so we would have something to do in our old age. I took beginner lessons from Edith Neff, a long time director in Kialua, HI.

One of the first games at the club I had 6 hearts and my partner had 7 hearts. I did not realize much later how unusual that was. I did not join ACBL until my husband died in 2005 at age 62. I went to my first regional several years later in Charlotte, NC. My partner had over 750 pts. and needed only one gold point to become a life master. I had a total of 17 points. She found us a team (man & wife) who were directors in Hickory, NC. We won over 6 gold points. with a hand where my partner opened 2C with 19 points. I had an excellent hand and eventually I bid 6NT. The opponents were a relay team (fresh team filling in for the tired opponents). The lead was an advantage for my partner who maintained a poker face throughout. They won 1 trick and then played another card that helped the declarer. We made it and the other table bid 3NT making 5NT. Jane, my partner who was in her 80’s cried as he called her husband. What a day for her!

I moved to MO in 2009 and at the bridge club in Springfield MO I met my second husband. He was an excellent player making LM in only 3 yrs. We went to Gatlinbrug,TN in April 2012 where we won 19.85 points in 3 days. 14 were gold. I got the rest of my gold in Council Bluff shortly after. My total points were only 162 points so it took me another 2 1/2 years to get the black I needed to make LM. My 2nd husband passed away in Mar 2013. We played bridge 3 days before he died and won. He told me we needed to win big or not place because he had around 665 points and did not want to get a score that was 666. He died having 668 master points. Thanks goodness. When he died the bridge club provided the meal at his funeral and were such a support to me when I needed it.

I now live in PA and enjoy a duplicate group here at Willow Valley. There are many good players that helped me attain bronze LM. Life is good.