Thursday Open Game February 26 2026
We had an upgraded Club Championship game today or our 10-1/2 table Mitchell movement. Congratulations to Sandy/Bob and Cliff/Carl for the first place finishes. Gordon/Jack and Joe/Paul were first place in the B strat. Alan/Ken and Suzanne/Tom placed in the C strat.
Wednesday Open Game 25 February 2026
Today the NE stalwarts travelled in the snow to play a 5-1/2 table Howell movement. Congratulations to Bob/David who barely by-passed Claudia/Carl. Lisa/Barbara were first in the B strat and Nancy/John were first in the C strat. Tomorrow should be a lot warmer. See you then.
There was an error on board 31 which I just corrected.
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2/25/26 8am
There is no snow now so I will be at the club and the GAME IS ON today. It looks like we may get a little snow this morning, but it warms up in the afternoon so should turn to rain by then. I do plan to get to the club early to check out the parking.
UPDATE: I just arrived at the club. Rt 1 is clear so I expect highways are clear. If you can get out of your driveway and town roads I expect you can make it here safely. I think we have had about 1/2" of snow. The weather radar shows we have gone through the brunt of the snow and there are only scattered snow and warming weather (37 by 3 pm) from here on out, so I expect the roads to be cleared by the time bridge is over.
However it is up to you to decide if it is safe for you to come to bridge today.
Tuesday February 24
Hi all! This is Carl. I will be returning to teach in exactly 1 month on March 24. I look forward to seeing you all. Unless someone has a reason not to do so, I plan to start with the second lesson and forego the first lesson on point counting and hand evaluation. If you have a comment about that plan, or want me to start with something else, please text me at 501-416-8305 or email me at cvwikstrom@gmail.com
See you in a month! ----Carl
Wednesday Open Game 18 February 2026
We had a very nice 10 full tables. Congratulations to Larry/Vincent and David/Bob for the first place finishes. Congratulations to Barbara/Lisa and Bob/James for first place in the B strat. Congratulations to Mary/Suzanne and Judy/Carolyn for first place in the C strat.
Board 18 was later modified to show 1NT making EW not NS.
but you do not need a lot of points. Had North had the Ace instead of King. she would have had 13 points and Sue would have had 11 - all that is is 24 points. A long ways from the +points that is normally needed. Would you like to have the hands shown? even if the scores are not available?
Poem by Sue Hill (one of Pam's students)
Poem 10 Feb 2026
Today’s bridge lesson was New Minor Forcing,
For which Suzanne did some abundant outsourcing.
Partner bids a minor and you bid a major with five.
Partner has less than 3 of each major so bids 1NT to stay alive.
You bid the other minor to give partner a clue,
Now your partner knows exactly what they should do.
We also reviewed the rules of weak 2’s,
Going down when vulnerable and doubled has you singing the blues.
Don’t save your partner and here is why,
You might go down big time and it will make you cry.
When you go down by 5?
Don’t like that jive.
Here we go now with a practice hand of weak 3’s.
Sure hoping it doesn’t knock me on my knees.
We played boards 1 through 4
And asked for 4 more.
Round and round and round we go
Where Dave lands nobody knows.
Jane gets to be dealer and open the bidding
Only 1 spade this time? You’ve got to be kidding.
I have 2 good majors which one should I bid?
Sometimes there’s no good answer, on this I don’t kid.
One thing is for sure that in bidding I sometimes lie,
And when my cards are laid down I hope my partner won’t sigh.
As you can tell by my ditty today was good fun!
When 3 o’clock came we were sad to be done.
To Suzanne as our temp teacher we bid fond adieu,
To Pam who’s returning we look forward to seeing you.
To the students who’ve been missing please return and join our good time.
It might help to stop me from making these lesson notes that rhyme.
Please bring us your friends who want to learn to play bridge
We meet 11-3, do bring your lunch, there’s a fridge!
A lesson is followed by quick eats at your table.
We are helpful to beginners because we want them to be able
To play with us each Tuesday and join our merry band
Of ACBL bridge players across this great land.
Thanks for tolerating my ditty of today’s lovely lesson.
For me this comes naturally, you tell me, a curse or a blessin’?
See you next week for more bridge drills,
Kind regards with respect from fellow student, Sue Hills.
Thursday Open Game 12 February 2026
We welcome Philip Placzek who was here for the first time today! Congrats to Darrell/Brent and Carl/Cliff for 1st place finishes. Barbara/Joyce and Ellen/Nancy were 1st in the B strat. Jim/Ed and Sharon/Philip were first in the C strat. Paul/Joe and Margaret/Dave also placed in the C strat.
Wednesday Open Game February 11 2026
We were happy to welcome Susan Scott to our game today for the first time. We had a full 9 tables in our 25% Gold Point game. Congratulations to Nancy/Daryl for a fabulous first place finish. Bob/James and Mary/Dave tied for first place in NS. Mary/Michael were first place in the B strat. Nancy/Barbara came in first place in the C strat.
Today’s bridge lesson was New Minor Forcing,
For which Suzanne did some abundant outsourcing.
Partner bids a minor and you bid a major with five.
Partner has less than 3 of each major so bids 1NT to stay alive.
You bid the other minor to give partner a clue,
Now your partner knows exactly what they should do.
We also reviewed the rules of weak 2’s,
Going down when vulnerable and doubled has you singing the blues.
Don’t save your partner and here is why,
You might go down big time and it will make you cry.
When you go down by 5?
Don’t like that jive.
Here we go now with a practice hand of weak 3’s.
Sure hoping it doesn’t knock me on my knees.
We played boards 1 through 4
And asked for 4 more.
Round and round and round we go
Where Dave lands nobody knows.
Jane gets to be dealer and open the bidding
Only 1 spade this time? You’ve got to be kidding.
I have 2 good majors which one should I bid?
Sometimes there’s no good answer, on this I don’t kid.
One thing is for sure that in bidding I sometimes lie,
And when my cards are laid down I hope my partner won’t sigh.
As you can tell by my ditty today was good fun!
When 3 o’clock came we were sad to be done.
To Suzanne as our temp teacher we bid fond adieu,
To Pam who’s returning we look forward to seeing you.
To the students who’ve been missing please return and join our good time.
It might help to stop me from making these lesson notes that rhyme.
Please bring us your friends who want to learn to play bridge
We meet 11-3, do bring your lunch, there’s a fridge!
A lesson is followed by quick eats at your table.
We are helpful to beginners because we want them to be able
To play with us each Tuesday and join our merry band
Of ACBL bridge players across this great land.
Thanks for tolerating my ditty of today’s lovely lesson.
For me this comes naturally, you tell me, a curse or a blessin’?
See you next week for more bridge drills,
Kind regards with respect from fellow student, Sue Hills.
Wednesday Open Game 4 February 2026
Thank you for coming to today's game, our Wednesday Unit Championship. Congratulations to David & Nancy for placing first overall, and to Larry & Vinnie for placing second overall and first in North/South. Also congratulations to our C players Bob & Mark and Gordon & Jack for placing in this game. 
3rd February 2026
We had an informative class today! We reviewed bids that need "alerting" and "explanation" like NT is 15 to 17!.
We also reviewed penalties for missing your contracts, both vulnerable and non-vulnerable as well as what doubling does to a missed contract!
The lesson was about Weak 2s. and when and why we make those bids.
Having only 2 tables we could not run a game using the bridge mates, but we had a grand time playing over 20 boards! Lots of practice! and we had a great time!
thanks to all who showed up!
NEXT WEEK New Minor Forcing! and I was finally able to print out the handouts for today!
See you next Tuesday!
Suzanne
