Remember those who have given their life for this country this Memorial Day Weekend and throughout the month of June as we honor our flag and those who have served under it. Have a great start to your summer and come on out to play bridge!
Greetings
Bridge Competition Scholarship
Normally Unit 131 holds a student competition at the Spring Sectional Tournament. This year it will be at the 2 p.m. session of the summer sectional on Aug. 28,2021 being held at the Jewish Community Center, 5801 W. 115th St., Overland Park, KS. Check out the flyer here. The students will play in their own section if there are at least 3 tables. If at least 10 students don’t participate, those attending will play in the 0-299 section with the adults. This is for students age 18 and younger with less than 20 masterpoints. Winners will be awarded masterpoints and the Unit provides a trophy to the top student winners as well. In addition, Kathy Rolfe is providing a $50 scholarship to the top winners residing within Unit 131 through the Rolfe Bridge Fund administered through the Truman Heartland Community Foundation. It will be free to play. Contact Kathy via e-mail or call 816-237-0519 to let her know you plan on playing.
The 2019 Spring Tournament hosted 3 tables for the competition bridge scholarship on June 1. Finishing in first place were Peter Caughron and his grandmother Nancy Caughron (playing to complete the 3 tables) with a 60% game, picking up .92 Silver masterpoints and winning Peter a $50 scholarship when he graduates from high school next year. In second place were Patrick and Michael Caughron with a 57.5 % game picking up .69 masterpoints and $50 each in scholarship money to be used this fall at their college.
Carriage Club Duplicate
Tuesdays again in 2021 at 5 p.m. at the Carriage Club. If you would like to play contact Kathy. Cost is $8. This is a shorter game; we are usually done by 7:15. At least for now, those attending the game will need to have had their Covid-19 vaccinations.
Upcoming Dates:
June 15 & 29
July 13 & 27
Aug. 10 & 24
Sept. 28
Oct. 12 & 26
Nov. 9
Call Kathy at 816-237-0519 or email her to sign up.
This is an invitational club with limited space. You have to be approved to come before coming!
Carriage Club Results:
Kids Bridge
What is Kids Bridge?
I give the younger students a place to play bridge with others who are just starting out as well. All the players have completed at least a beginning set of lessons. The purpose is to give them the opportunity to practice and to speed up their play. It is free! You just need to sign up ahead of time. Parents are welcome to stay and watch! Call 816-237-0519 or e-mail to sign up and get directions. This is usually held in my home, unless the numbers signing up require a larger space. We hope to continue this starting some time in 2021. After building up speed, for those who are comfortable with the idea, we plan to go play at some of the Duplicate Bridge Clubs in the area.
SUMMER 2021 YOUTH LESSONS
Mo-Kan Bridge Academy is offering youth lessons and supervised play on Friday Mornings in conjunction with their duplicate game. From June 4 through August 13 – most Fridays anyway, they will offer a 45 minute lesson from 9:30 to 10:15, snack break until 10:30, and then continuing lesson/supervised play until noon. Any students the teacher deems ready for duplicate play may play in the duplicate game from 10:30 until about 2 for no additional charge if they wish, instead of playing in the supervised play until noon. Cost is $5 per student ages 8 and up! Adults are welcome to join the lessons for the same $5 as long as they bring a youth to learn too! Any adults switching to the duplicate game will need to pay an additional $3. This essentially gives the adults the lesson for free if they wish to play in the duplicate game. Sign up ahead of time is required and Covid restrictions will be in place as required at the time – so masks! No need to attend every session -Mo-Kan will provide instruction at your skill level! Absolute beginners welcome. See the 2021 summer flyer or check out the Mo-Kan Bridge Academy website.
FALL 2021 LESSONS
Fall 2021 Youth Lessons and Play to be held at ? Sunday afternoons from 1 to 4, from Sept. 11 through Oct. 23. These lessons are for any youth, age 8 to 18. You don’t have to know any bridge at all to start! Flyer coming as soon as the details get worked out.
PLAY DUPLICATE WITH ME AS YOUR PARTNER
I will play duplicate with you at a local club. The cost for this varies from free to $35, as follows: Kid prices: First 4 times I play with you, I’ll pay my own entry fee. Next 4 times I play with you, you’ll need to pay my entry fee. Playing with you time # 9 and above, you pay my entry fee and $35.
FALL 2019 HOMESCHOOL School Bridge Tournament
3rd overall (2nd NS) with a 56.64% game, some of our youngest players Lucy & Charlie!
4th overall (2nd EW) with a 52.83% game, Isabella & Theresa
Hear why bridge for kids is fun for a lifetime, from one of our newest life masters., Brian Zhang.
A new Youth Bridge organization. Youth Bridge Association, run by youth to teach youth!
ONLINE CLASSES
Due to Covid-19, classes have been moved to online. Classes are still online, not so much because of Covid but because the advantages to learning online are greater – ease of location, get to play more deals in the same time frame. Covid forced us to play and learn online but lo and behold, we found out we liked it!
Cost: $20 for each two hour class per person. Classes are normally in the 4 to 6 p.m. Central Time frame but other schedules can be arranged.
YOU MUST PRE-REGISTER!
Just call (816-237-0519) or e-mail to sign up. Flexible scheduling for online classes.
BEGINNING BRIDGE CLASSES SERIES 1 – The Basics of Bidding and Play – no competitive bidding. Been a while since you played? Never played before? Either way, this is the class for you!
5 Sessions – 1st session is free! Try it, you’ll like it! Class is limited to 8 students to allow for more personalized instruction.
Let me know if interested and we’ll get a class scheduled!
Class 1: suits, trump, notrump, counting High Card Points, counting distribution points, playing to a trick, keeping track of tricks, a little about scoring, and a start on how to make the first bid.
Class 2: More on that first bid. Opening bids of 1NT and how to respond.
Class 3: Opening bids of 1 of a Major and a start on responding.
Class 4: Opening bids of 1 of minor and a start on responding.
Class 5: More on responding to opening bids of 1 of a Major.
Defensive Signaling and Card Play (call or email to schedule a set of classes.) Call or email to let me know if you want me to offer this class again. Remember that defense is 50% of the game! Get better at this and your game gets a lot better!
Class 1: Attitude and Count online
Class 2: Suit Preference Signals online
Class 3: Opening Leads in Suit Contracts. online
Class 4: Opening Leads at NT online
Class 5: Discard Signals & Leading through Strength and to Weakness & Review online
DECLARER PLAY – Series 1
It is highly recommended that you purchase these books by Barbara Seagram and David Bird for these classes as well as the series 2 classes coming soon: “Planning the Play of a Bridge Hand” retails for $19.95 you can order from me for $19 including any sales tax and s/h, “Declarer Play at Bridge” retails for $15.95 you can purchase from me for $15 which also includes any sales tax and s/h.
Class 1: Planning the Play in a Suit Contract – Count Losers and plan to eliminate them – 3 main ways to do that: Ruff in short trump hand, discard, finesse
Class 2: Review planning – Pay attention to entries, when to draw trump, which card to play first, loser on loser. Start on planning the Play in a NT contract. Count your winners, developing extra tricks in the safest way possible.
Class 3: More on NT Play – the hold up play, will holding up give them a chance to switch to a more dangerous suit, safe and dangerous hands, establishing a suit
Class 4: More NT play and then let’s start going deeper – double finesse, two way finesse – how to choose your direction? Plan your entries.
Declarer Play – Series 2
Next series of classes: call or email to let me know you want this offered again.
Class 1: More on drawing trumps and more on the dangerous hand
Class 2: More on the hold up play, useful in a suit contract as well as NT. Combine your chances.
Class 3: Gathering information before choosing the suit to try to establish.
Class 4: Counting the hands to give you a clue – counting distribution, counting HCP. Don’t take a finesse that is sure to lose.
DISTURBING OPPONENTS NOTRUMP – let me know if you want this class offered again!
Class 1: We’ll start by learning the DONT (Disturbing Opponent’s NoTrump) convention and how to advance partner’s overcall.
Class 2: We’ll talk more about how to overcome that overcall if we are the NT bidding pair. We’ll do that with some simpler techniques – if you want to get more complicated sign up for the Lebensohl classes.
Class 3: A brief intro to some other overcalling NT conventions, after seeing a few you can pick your favorite!
Transition to Two Over One (2/1) Let me know if you want this offered again!
Class 1: Responding to an opening Major with Support
Class 2: Responding to an opening Minor, Responding to an Opening Major without support
Class 3: More forcing responses to show support for a Major: Jacoby 2NT and Splinters
Class 4: Putting it altogether – understand when to use what!
Reverses – what are they, when can you, should you use them?
Two hour class – online, flexible scheduling!
Overcalls:
Sign up now! Class will be online from 4:15 to 6:15 p.m. on Mondays, July 19 through Aug. 9. Cost is $20 per person per class.
Class 1: One level and two level overcalls: making them, advancing them
Class 2: Pre-emptive overcalls and advances
Class 3: How to keep competing after an overcall, including negative doubles
Class 4: Takeout doubles and advances, how to keep competing after interference caused by a takeout double
Lebensohl Class Series: Next series Thursdays 4 to 6 Central, July 1- July 22. Call or email to sign up now! Room for 6 more!
Class 1: Over natural 2 level bids
Class 2: Over 2 suited bids
Class 3: Over 3 level bids
Class 4: Responding to a double of a weak 2 and responding to a reverse
Slam Bidding: Let me know if interested!
Slam Class 1 & 2: 1430 Key Card, Quantitative NT, 1430 Gerber, Gerber, Control Bids, Minorwood.
Two session series – each class two hours long. 4 to 6 p.m. 4 students per class.
Slam Class 3 & 4: Call or email if interested in this series. Cost $15 per lesson. More practice with 1430, control bids and minorwood.
NEW MINOR FORCING: 2 sessions. Cost $20 per lesson. Call or email if interested in my scheduling this class again. What is it? When do I use it? Why do I use it? What do I need to have in my hand to use it? How does my partner answer me when I use it? They answered me, now what do I do?
DOUBLES!
Doubles Class is a four session series, let me know if interested in my offering it again.
Class 1: Take out Doubles and Doubles as part of a sandwich NT
Class 2: Negative Doubles – you may think you understand this double, but do you?
Class 3: Lead directing doubles and Lightner doubles
Class 4: Responsive doubles, Support doubles (and redoubles)
I have added an online supervised play for groups of just 4 which will continue through at least October 2021. We play for one hour online. The morning session is Monday and Wednesday at 10:45. In addition there is a morning session at 11:15 on Tuesdays and 11:00 on Thursdays. Cost is just $2 to me. To sign up, call or email me. I send you a Zoom link so we can talk while playing the deals online. You pay me via Paypal or Venmo or a check. We can work out those details when you sign up.
Newsletters
Fundraiser at Pizza Shoppe!
The 10th Annual Pizza Shoppe Fundraiser was held on Thursday November 12, 2020. This year due to Covid-19 our fundraiser was done with call in orders for curbside pick up. 10% of your purchase price was donated to scholarship funds held with Truman Heartland Community Foundation. The first fund is the Eugene J. Rolfe Memorial Scholarship Fund, providing $1500 renewable scholarships to Engineering students. The next fund is the Rolfe Bridge Fund. This fund provides $500 renewable scholarships to Kathy’s students who have at least 1 masterpoint upon graduating from high school and who continue to add to the masterpoint holding while in college. The Bridge Fund also provides scholarships to students winning at the local Unit 131 Spring Tournament when a student section is offered.You can read about these scholarships on this website or read and apply for them via the Truman Heartland Community Foundation.
Kathy was there to catch a couple of supporters on camera. Thanks to those who came out or donated, whether she caught you on camera or not!
Supervised Play
Wednesday Wanna Play:
1st and 3rd Wednesdays 12:30 to 3 p.m. in my home in the Greenwood, MO area. Next Wednesday Wanna Play: June 16, 2021
Cost: $5 per person with light snacks provided. All participants are required to be vaccinated.
You must register ahead of time. I cancel by late Tuesday evening via email communication with fewer than 3 people signed up. Call Kathy at 816-237-0519 or email her to sign up and get directions if you need them.
Monday Minglers
We play on Mondays from 12:30 to 3:00 at my home in those weeks when Wednesday Wanna Play is not offered. Beverages and snacks provided. Cost is $5. You must sign up ahead of time. I cancel by Sunday evening if not enough have signed up. Next Monday Mingler is June 28, 2021.
I have added an online supervised play for groups of just 4 which will continue through at least October 2021. We play for one hour online. The morning session is Monday and Wednesday at 10:45. On Tuesday and Thursday mornings the session is at 11:15. Afternoons are reserved for playing in 12 or 18 board games online. Check out playing lessons with me. Cost is just $2 to me for supervised play. Evening sessions for your own private group of four can be arranged at a cost of $3 per person. To sign up, call or email me. I send you a Zoom link so we can talk while playing the deals online. You pay me via Paypal or Venmo or a check. We can work out those details when you sign up.
Playing Lessons
Think about playing online with me in a playing lesson while we’re all stuck at home! I also have once or twice a day, online supervised play during this period. We play for an hour at 10:00 and 11:15 on Tues. & Thurs. and 10:45 a.m. Monday, Wednesday, and Friday, Central time. Call or email to find out about that. Cost is just $2 per person, to me.
I will play with you online in a 12 board tournament. This includes a 15 minute phone call going over the convention card prior to the tournament followed by up to 20 minutes going over hands after the tournament. Cost for this online play is $15 plus my entry fee. Email, call, or text to set up a time and I’ll meet you online! An 18 board tournament is $25 plus my entry fee.
I am happy to provide a lesson by playing with you. For adults with fewer than 800 masterpoints, this means that I will meet with you for up to 1/2 hour before playing time to go over our convention card. I will play with you, noting the bidding sequence and leads as we play. I usually refrain from making too many comments during the actual playing time. I will then stay and go over some of the issues that occurred during the session, looking at hand records if available, for up to 1/2 hour. The cost for this playing lesson service is my entry fee and $35, or schedule a set of 3 lessons for just $90.
For adults with 800 masterpoints or more, I am happy to play with you for free if I can fit you into my schedule!
For high school age students and younger please see my scheduled rates on the Kids Bridge page.
Book: Wanna Play Bridge The 2/1 Way?
My book is still available! It is entitled, “Wanna Play Bridge The 2/1 Way?” (That is, Wanna Play Bridge the two over one way?) Published by Master Point Press in November, 2017 and available for sale through them, on Amazon, or if you reside in the U.S. you can buy directly from me. (See below.)
It is designed to be used in a variety of ways, but is basically a novice book, designed to teach the 2/1 bidding system to absolute beginners. The description on the back cover gives the best idea of how to use it.
Start early!
2/1: More Power, More Fun!
This book can be used as an absolute beginner book, teaching the 2/1 bridge bidding system from the start. Use just Chapters 1-5 to teach children as young as 6! They can learn how to play before they are ready to learn how to bid. Older than 9, kids can move, right along with adults, into learning the bidding system. It can also be used by a novice player who has the mechanics down but still needs help with bidding structure and playing tips as well as scoring. Those people can probably start with Chapter 6. If you already play a good game of Standard American but want to switch to 2/1 then you should probably start at Chapter 11. If you already know 2/1 but don’t know a couple of other conventions needed when responding to an opening bid of a major suit, then perhaps you just need Chapters 14 and 15. There are dozens of deals for practicing both bidding and play. Use the book the way that suits you best!
You can buy it directly from me at a slight discount or you can buy directly from MPP. You can also find it on Amazon.
My new book, “Wanna Play Bridge The 2/1 Way?” is now available for sale!
It retails from Master Point Press for US $19.95 via ebooksbridge.
If you buy it directly from me, via the link below. I’ll add a WannaPlay Bridge T-shirt, pen , or key chain to your order while supplies last!
I can sell it to you for $19 if shipped within the U.S.
This includes any sales tax and shipping and handling.
Cruise with Me!
I’m sure more cruises will be showing up here soon! Stay tuned for 2021 and beyond!