Greetings
Playing Lessons
Think about playing online with me in a playing lesson while we’re all stuck at home! I also have twice a day, online supervised play during this period. Call or email to find out about that.
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!
While Support Your Club games are on BBO, I will do playing lessons for my entry fee and $25 for these 18 board tournaments, with the same discussion before and after.
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.
Defensive Bidding and Card Play Classes
Classes are at MY HOME. Due to Covid-19, classes have been moved to online for April 15-29 and to my home for May 13-June 10, with a maximum limit of 8 students. Please send me an email or call to sign up and I will provide you with my address and directions if needed.
Wednesdays, 1 to 3 p.m. (May 13-May 27-June 10)
Cost $17 per class for in person classes, $15 online. YOU MUST PRE-REGISTER!
Just call (816-237-0519) or e-mail to sign up.
Apr. 15: Suit Preference Signals online Wed. 3:30-5:30 $15
Apr. 22: Opening Leads in Suit Contracts. online Wed. 3:30-5:30 $15
Apr. 29: Opening Leads at NT online Wed. 3:30-5:30 $15
May 13: Discard Signals
May 27: Leading through Strength and to Weakness
June 10: Review and Putting it All Together
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!
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 Youth Lessons and Play to be held at the Bridge Studio at 95th and Metcalf. Sunday afternoons from 1 to 4, from August 9 through Sept. 27, excluding Sept. 6. More details here! Get the flyer here!
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.
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
Newsletters
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.
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.
MCC Community Adult Education Courses
Spring 2020
Beginning Bridge Classes will be held on Longview Community College Campus in the spring of 2020. Here are the dates, times, and topics. To register look under classes/recreation, start by going to this link. (Then scroll down the middle of the page and click on Recreation.) Covid-19 has canceled the first 4 classes scheduled to have run March 30-April 27, might be possible to still sign up for 2 classes as follows and extending into summer. Contact MCC to find out and the cost for just 3 classes.
Mondays 6 to 8 p.m.
Beginning Bridge
May 4 – Opening bids and a start on how to respond, more playing practice
May 11 – More about responding to an opening 1 level bid, more playing practice
Carriage Club Duplicate
Tuesdays again in 2020 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.
Dates for 2020:
May 19, June 2 & 16, July 28, Aug. 11 & 25, Sept. 15 & 29,
Oct. 13 & 27, Nov. 10
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:
2019 Scholarship Fundraiser
The 9th Annual Pizza Shoppe Fundraiser was held on Tuesday June 18, 2019. 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 $1000 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. We’ve given away over $50,000 in scholarships and bridge camp funding so far!
Thank you to my supporters! We had a great time this year! Sorry I forgot to take your picture Dave!
Bridge Competition Scholarship
Normally Unit 131 holds a student competition at the Spring Sectional Tournament. (Both the spring and summer sectionals have been canceled due to Covid-19, perhaps we can work this into the August 28-30, 2020 Sectional.) 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. The cost of play will be $1 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.
Supervised Play
Wednesday Wanna Play:
Wednesday 1st and 3rd Wednesdays 12:30 to 3 p.m. in my home in the Greenwood, MO area. Next Wednesday Wanna Play: May 6, 2020
Cost: $5 per person with light snacks provided.
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 from noon to 2:30 at my home with beverages and snacks provided. Cost is $5. Next Monday Mingler May 4! You must sign up ahead of time. I cancel by Sunday evening if not enough have signed up.
Online Supervised Play! Through at least May 1.
I have added an online supervised play for groups of just 4. We play for one hour on BBO at 11:15 a.m. Central and 2:15 p.m. Central. From now through April 17, cost is just $1 to me, the play on BBO is free. From April 20 going forward, the cost increases to $2 . To sign up, call or email me with your BBO user name and your phone number. I call you a few minutes before playing time and add you to a conference call. You then log in and BBO will put you at my table. The conference call is so we can talk over the bidding and play, much easier that a lot of typing. You pay me via Paypal or a check. We can work out those details when you sign up.