Thursday 27 June 2024 Open Game

We were very pleased to see Colleen Bakker and Connie Kaplan here on Thursday for the first time.  It was also nice to see Ron, Herb, Terry and Gery Connors who we have not seen in a while.

Today we had a full 9 tables for our sectional STaC game which awards silver points. The points below are provisional and may be adjusted after compiling them with other clubs in our section.

There is no game next week in observance of July 4. The following week the lesson will be on 2 over 1.

Wednesday FUN GAME 26 June 2024

This is the final result.  I fixed the problem.  Not much change.

Today we had a  VERY Eventful 5 and a half table Howell movement with one hand (18) making 7 NT and another (19) making 7 Spades!  Only 2 couples bid I small slam!  Maybe its time to revisit those beginning lessons that Dave and Carl taught!   The 7 Spade hand should have made only 5 Spades according to the Double dummy.  Maybe we need to review some defensive play as well!

 It was a hot day with a nice breeze.  The Usual suspects showed up and we had a lovely time playing 8 rounds of 3 boards for a total of 24 boards!

You all did well, but Pat and Sherry squeaked out a first place with an unheard of 72.9% , closely followed by Paul and Susanne with a 62.7%, rounded out by Jane and Jan at 54% and the Dickinson team at 48%.  There were a whole lot of people in the 42% to 47% range that kept jockeying for position.

WARNING INAPPROPRIATE INFORMATION:  The rule book says " Calls and plays should be made without any undue emphasis, mannerisms or inflections and without undue hesitation or haste . . .  no extraneous remarks or gestures."  Penalties can be assessed based on inappropriate behavior.   If there is a problem with scoring please call the director and do not discuss it in front of other players.  We have to stop being so relaxed and sloppy!  Speaking of sloppy  I had a little visitor who helped me put things away.  Apparently with all the help I lost one final score.  So I have 7 full rounds and 20 boards from round 8.  However, the 8th round had one very late play.  I thought all the scores were in and my "helper", Mia (a little 4 year old) was talking my ear off asking why this and why that.  So I left early without checking  that the last pair had put their scores in.  As a result I put an average for both teams. That board was passed 2 of the 4 times I have results for.  Now it has 2 passes, one average and two nearly identical scores for 2 other pairs (see board 14)

Another issue:  PLEASE ensure that you are playing in the Correct direction.  Look at the bridge mate. Look at the place mat!  Call the director if you do not understand it.  Several times we have had people confused as to whether they are NS or EW.  PLEASE Ask

Suzanne 

 Tuesday 25 June 2024

We finished up the "prepared" lessons today and will begin starting lessons for total beginners on August 6th.  Please tell any of your friends that, starting August 6th, these lessons will be for students who no nothing about bridge. but want to learn.  Between now and then we will go over what you need to know to leave the beginning pupil nest and go out into other bridge clubs and tournaments.  We will talk about the convention card next week, as well as some recommendations on deportment during play. In addition, we will discuss randomly dealt hands (all students will have the same hands) each July lesson.

A reminder that we will begin Advanced beginners classes on August 6th at 10:00.  There will be a fee of $5 for these lessons.  If you want to stay and play in the pupil game there will an additional fee of $7.

We had 5.5 tables in out pupil game today and we were very grateful for the AC as it wasn't as hot as last week, but it was still quite warm.  Christopher and Melissa were the big winners with 60.42%! The Kingsburys were right behind with a very nice 59.38. --See you next week!, Carl

 20 June 2024 Open Game

Wow we played an 8-1/2 table Howell movement today.  That is the most pairs we have had in a long time. Take a look at Board 2!  You do not see that kind of distribution very often.  Helen even used the Law of Total Tricks to sacrifice at 6C.

Congratulations to Claire/Carol for first place, Donna/Peter for first in the B strat and John/Ed for first place in the C strat. The lesson next week is about when to break the rules when playing the hand.

A Very Hot Wednesday 19 June (Juneteenth) 2024 with traffic that made us all late!  - We had a nice 6 full table Howell movement with 24 boards, 3 boards a round with all the normal people!  It was a hot day and I provided grapes which were left over and will be finished by the Thursday group.  You all played well despite the heat. The change in positions was like watching a horse race.  The final pair in first place is Sid and Bobbie, then Jack and Bill, Susanne and Paul,  followed closely by Pat and her partner. Once again we had a tie for 2/3 position!  The final grouping had the top 4 pair separated by l.1 pts or LESS than 1%!  

PLEASE remember to put your scores in and check them.  There are several people who do not record their scores so one board (15)  I had to put a No Play because neither pair registered board 15 on any of the 4 score sheets. 

Remember that tomorrow June 20th there will be an open house with a cash bar from 6 to 8 pm to celebrate the opening of the new ballroom/theatre!

See you next week,  Suzanne 

 Tuesday 18 June 2024

We had 5 tables in our pupil game and a lesson about asking about the Queen of trump using Roman Key Card 1430.  I applaud all of you for continuing to tackle this complicated but useful system for slam bidding.  We will continue to asking for kings next week.  I plan to use the entire month of July for review and strengthening understanding of concepts already covered, so please let me know if you have any requests next week.

We had a return from a long absence from bridge by Kay Roelke, brought in as a ringer by Elizabeth Brugger.  She proceeded to win the day with Elizabeth with a whopping 70.83%!  Bob E. and Guil S. came in second with a very good 63.89 % and the Cullys got 3rd with a very nice 60.42%.

Hopefully, the heat wave will be gone by the time we meet again next week.  See you then! --Carl

 

13 June 2024 North American Pair Sectional Game

On the first really hot day of the season we played 9 rounds of 3 boards with 5 Tables in a Howell Movement.  We were greeted with a wonderful surprise blueberry treat from Nancy Pierce!  Thank you Nancy!  Not surprisingly Brent and Darryl came in first! followed by Susan and Nancy H.  This was a NAP sectional game and both Red and Black points were awarded.  An old friend, Helen Campobasso,  showed up and made it an even 5 Tables.  You all did very well.

Next week intermediate lessons will start again and Skip will be your director.  Remember that Carl is teaching an advanced beginner's lesson every Tuesday at 11 am!  Also next Thursday there is an open-house celebration for the opening of the Upstairs ballroom/theatre. June 20, 6 to 8 pm.  Cash bar with catered appetizers!

Suzanne 

P.S.  I had to update file since for a NAP sectional  ACBL sets the Strata not the director.  Therefore we have no couples who have qualified as Stratum A

 12 June 2024 - Wednesday fun game!

Congratulations to Sid and Bobbi for coming in first today followed closely by Cynthia and Marion, then Jack and bill, and Susanne and paul !  All of  you are actually winners!  We  had a 5 table 27 hand Howell movement.  For some reason the bridge file was mislabeled but I finally found it.

Here are the results! thank you for coming on such a beautiful (except for thunderstorms0

remember June 20th there is an open house for the upstairs area!  All are welcome.  cash bar.

Suzanne

 11 June 2024  Pupil Fun game!  We had 5 full tables and played a Howell movement for 18 boards.   Bill Zannini from the past showed up and Ann Yenchick also made an appearance! You are all winners!  Remember you played the exact same hands that the sanctioned game played on Thursday 6th June so if you want to see what contracts the more experienced players played Please look.  The overall scores showed Elizabeth and Jean came in first followed by MJ and John, Melissa and Chris and John and Joan.  Several of you opened 2NT and your partners passed and you made 5 NT.  look and see if the more advanced players did any better!

Thank you for coming.

Suzanne 

 Centennial Hall is having a Celebration on 20 June to open the upstairs theatre.  From 6 to 8 on 20 June there will be an open house with free appetizers and a catered cash bar!  All are welcome!

 6 June 2024 Open Game

Today was our first NAP game of the year. Anyone who has a "Q" next to their name below has Qualified to compete in the National American Pairs tournament. The top 4 qualifiers get paid to go to the tournament! The stratification for the NAP is preset with C<500 and B<2500.

Congratulations to Sue & Judy who took the top spot playing together today for the first time. Several other C strat players got points including Nancy/Mary Ellen, Darrell/Brent, George/Louise and Linda/Nancy. I am very happy to see another full 8 tables.

There will be no lesson next week since I will be at the Nashua tournament and this game will be directed by Suzanne.

I just corrected the results below for boards 3 and 18 which were entered in error on the bridgemates:

 

 Wednesday 5 June 2024 - a beautiful sunny day until 4:30.  We had 4.5 tables and played 9 rounds of 3 boards with a sitout.  Today was a first!  We had 3 pairs tie for the top position!   You all are winners.  

I hope you all got home safely.  I looked outside saw the dark cloud and as soon as I put everything away I headed out the door to go home.  I got to about a mile from Target in the beginning of the storm. Somehow made it to Target.  Sat in the car in the parking lot for 1 hour writing this blog.  I thought the wind would blow the car over.  The hail was nickel sized (not Joan Nickel but close!) I thought I would go deaf and thank heavens the windshield did not break. After 45 min, went into Target and hung out for 1/2 hour.  The parking lot was about 7 inches deep in water.  Drove home carefully only to find a soggy chipmunk and a soggy squirel caught in my Havahart trap.  took them out to a new home at the wildlife refuge!

got home about 6:30.  

Remember Centennial Hall will have a Grand opening for the upstairs room June 20th.  Free appetizers and a catered cash bar! from 6 to 8 pm.  Everybody is welcome. 

Suzanne

 Tuesday 4 June 2024

We had 5.5 tables for our pupil game and our first lesson on slam bidding.  Next week, Suzanne will run a review of previous lessons.  This week we had a big winner today with 72.52%!! Congrats Melissa and Christopher! Wynne and Betty came in second with a very good 67%.  I am playing in a tournament next week.  Wish me luck!  --Carl