Unit 131 Mini-McKenney Award for 1500-2500 rank. This is awarded to the player in the unit who earned the most colored masterpoints (Platinum, Gold, Red,Silver, or Black-does not include online mp wins) for the rank they held at the beginning of the calendar year. The competition was tough this year! Unit 131 is a tough unit with a lot of good players, one can see this when looking at rankings across ACBL, across District 15 and then across the unit. Percentage wise I am ranked a couple of points higher ACBL wide and District wide than I am in our unit!
2024 goal met on Wed. Dec. 4, 2024, making Gold Life Master. Turns out I also won the Mini-McKinney for unit 131 1500-2500 points again.
2025 Goal: Play bridge in some states in which I’ve never played. My plan is to play in Maryland, Delaware, and New Jersey after playing at the NABC in Philadelphia this summer. I had 22 to go when the year started.
The 15th Annual Scholarship fundraiser will be held at Culver’s at 1275 SE Oldham Parkway on Tuesday June 24, 2025, from 5 to 8 p.m. 10% of all sales are 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 or Fall 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 raised almost $500 with the Culver’s donation and private donations at the event last year.
Here’s a few pictures from last year! A lot of former, current and future bridge students and players here!
Join us again in 2025? Indian Hills Country Club, 6847 Tomahawk Rd., Mission Hills, KS. (IH) or at Kansas City Country Club, 6200 Indian Lane, Mission Hills, KS. (KC)
Start time: 4:30. If you would like to play sign up here.Cost $10. This is a shorter game; we are usually done by 7:15.
What is Kids Bridge? NEXT DATE: Saturday June 7, 2025!
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. Next Kids Bridge Sat. June 7, 2 to 4 p.m. 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 2025 LESSONS
2025 Dates:
May 30, June 6,13,27; July 11,18; Aug. 8, 15
Mo-Kan Bridge Academy is offering youth lessons and supervised play on Friday Mornings in conjunction with their duplicate game. 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 1 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. No need to attend every session. Mo-Kan will provide instruction at your skill level! Absolute beginners welcome. See the 2025 summer flyer or check out the Mo-Kan Bridge Academy website.
Here are some pictures from 2024 taken during the duplicate game.
Here’s some pictures taken at our last class of 2023.
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.
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These kids had some fun in the spring 2022 Youth Lessons.
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FALL 2019 HOMESCHOOL School Bridge Tournament
Playing hard in their end of class pupil game! Five Tables of kids ranging in age from 8 to 17!And the winners are: Sophia & Clare with a 79.92% game, (1st Overall & 1st EW)! Miles & Joseph came in 2nd overall (1st. NS) with a 57% game. 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.
If you sign up for a class or supervised play and then must cancel, you will be charged 1/2 the cost of the class if cancellation is not done at least 24 hours ahead of the scheduled class time! This allows me to try to fill your spot or to decide to cancel the class, freeing up my schedule.
Classes are mostly online 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! ALL CLASS TIMES ARE CST.
Cost: $22 for each two hour class per person. Classes may cancel with less than 4 students. The pricing per hour expects 8 students maximum. Classes are normally in the 4 to 6 p.m. or 7:00-9:00 p.m. Central Time frame but other schedules can be arranged. Pricing for a more private class of 4 students max and on a topic of your choice can be arranged at a cost of $66 per one hour class for the group. This pricing goes into effect Sept. 1, 2024 for any new private classes formed. Any change in pricing for existing private classes will be discussed individually.For smaller groups of 4 this is a discount from my $88 per contact hour expectation.
YOU MUST PRE-REGISTER! Just call (816-237-0519) or e-mail to sign up. Flexible scheduling for online classes. Or just sign up here.
CURRENTLY SCHEDULED!
Declarer Play-Series 1 Classes: 4 sessions .Cost $22 per lesson. Last Class is Wed. April 30, 6 to 8 p.m. Call or email to sign up. See details below!
Beginning Bridge Classes: 5 sessions. First one is free! Then $22 per lesson after that. Wednesdays from 6 to 8 p.m. June 4, 11,18,25 and July 2. Call or click now! See more details below! If Monday afternoon works for you but not Wed. evenings, let me know and I’ll see if I can get enough students to do both.
More details and Future Classes Listed Below!
Responding to an Opening 1NT: From Partscore to Slam!
Let me know when you want this class again! $22 per class, must sign up ahead!
Class 1: How to respond with 0-7 points or 10-15 points. This includes transfers, Stayman, Smolen, Garbage Stayman. These point ranges in response to an opening 1NT (15-17 HCP) are more about responder setting the level of bidding.
Class 2: How to respond with 8-9 points or 16+ points. Still includes Stayman, transfers, but also talking about 1430 Gerber, 1430 Roman Keycard, and Quantitative NT. The 8-9 pt and 16+ point ranges after an opening 1NT (15-17 HCP) include bids by responder that are more oriented to tell (or ask) and then ask a question.
Class 3: In this class we’ll spend more detailed time on Quantitative NT and 1430.
Class 4: Review and Puppet Stayman (for those who want to learn it).
COUNTING – A series of 4 two hour classes. Let me know when you want to see this class offered again.
Class 1: during the bidding and how it influences our bids.
Class 2: adding the play of the cards to what we already knew from the bidding. Starting with just the first trick. We’ll review defensive signaling during this lesson.
Class 3: keep counting- what the bidding, and play of the cards tells us till the end of the play. Still need to keep in mind that defensive signaling!
Class 4: let’s mix it all up! Review!
Slam Bidding: Let me know when you want this again!
Slam Class 1 & 2: 1430 Key Card, Quantitative NT, 1430 Gerber, Gerber, Control Bids, Minorwood. Two session series – each class two hours long.
Slam Class 3 & 4: Cost $22 per lesson. More practice with 1430, control bids and minorwood.
Defensive Signaling and Card Play Remember that defense is 50% of the game! Get better at this and your game gets a lot better! Must sign up ahead! Cost $22 per class. Jan. 7,14,21,28,30 from 6 to 8 p.m. Cost $22. Sign up Required!
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
DRURY CONVENTION-Just one class of 2 hours. Let me know when you want this again!
What is Drury? A convention used to show a limit raise of partner’s. major suit when they’ve opened it in 3rd or 4th seat.
Can you bid Drury after an opponent’s bid or double? Sometimes, but sometimes not but then you may have other means of conveying your message.
How do you as opener rebid after partner’s Drury bid?
All of these questions and more will be answered!
BEGINNING BRIDGE CLASSES SERIES 1 – The Basics of Bidding and Play – no competitive bidding.1st session is free! Let me know if you want this class!
5 Sessions – 1st session is free! Try it, you’ll like it! Class is limited to 8 students to allow for more personalized instruction.
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.
Competitive Bidding:
Tues. & Thurs. 7 to 9 p.m. Dec. 10-19, Cost $22 per class, Sign up Required
Class 1: One level and two level overcalls: making them, advancing them Class 2: Opening Pre-empts and responses, 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
Transition to Two Over One (2/1) Let me know when you want it 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!
DECLARER PLAY – Series 1 Cost $22 each class, attend the ones you can. Let me know when you want this again!
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,(s/h is extra), “Declarer Play at Bridge” retails for $15.95 you can purchase from me for $15 which also includes any sales tax (s/h is extra).
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
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 –
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!
Reverses – what are they, when can you, should you use them? Cost $22. Sign up required! Let me know if you want this class!
Lebensohl Class Series: Let me know when you want this again!
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
NEW MINOR FORCING: 2 sessions. Cost $22 per lesson. WED. FEB 26 & Mar. 5, 6 to 8 p.m. 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 Class is a four session series,
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)
Completing a Convention Card : Cost $11 each class, attend the ones you can.
Class 1: One hour class: Right Hand side of 2023 Classic convention card-the one that makes sense-not the newer version. Both are allowed.
Class 2: One hour Class: Left hand side of Convention Card.
Online supervised play for groups of just 4. We play for one hour online. The morning sessions are at 10:45 Monday through Thursday, (through Friday during the school year). Cost is just $5 to me. Evening sessions are frequently offered on Monday and Thursday as well from 7:00 to 8:00 at a cost of $5. To sign up, click here or call or email me. I send you a Zoom link so we can talk while playing the deals online. You pay me via Paypal, Venmo, Apple Pay, credit card or a check. We can work out those details when you sign up.
$150 minimum for two hour face to face classes can be formed at any time. A minimum of 8 students per class allows me to teach with the regular cost for each student of $18.75 per each 2 hour lesson. Classes of 4 students can be arranged but the cost increases to $37.50 per student per lesson for the smaller class. Additional costs may be included to cover the cost of instructional materials. If you’re interested and a class is not in the schedule to fit your needs, get some friends together and form your own class. Just call (816-237-0519) or e-mail to set it up.
Supervised Play in person is available on the 1st Wednesday. Check out Supervised Play.
BEGINNING BRIDGE CLASSES SERIES 1 – The Basics of Bidding and Play – no competitive bidding. Let me know if you want this class!
5 Sessions – 1st session is free! Try it, you’ll like it! Class is limited to 8 students to allow for more personalized instruction.
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. Keeping it simple but introducing Stayman and transfers.
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.
Back to Face to Face classes! Hopefully you’ll be joining me again on Tuesday afternoons at the Jewish Community Center in Overland Park in the spring and summer. Let the JKC Heritage Center, Phone (913) 327.8000 know you want classes!
Join me on a Grand Tour of Europe led by Go Ahead Tours. Since I love to play bridge, we anticipate playing duplicate in four different cities-London, Amsterdam, Lucerne, and Rome- during the free afternoon/optional excursion day or possibly a free evening. Up to you, but I think that sounds like fun and a great way to meet the locals. After all bridge is a universal language!
We leave April 8, 2026 and return April 23, unless you want to go with me on the optional Florence extension in which case we’ll return on April 25.
We’ll start in London and finish in Rome (or perhaps Florence) but in between we’ll see Paris (in the springtime!), Amsterdam with its tulips and windmills, Germany, Switzerland, and Italy (Venice and Rome).
Click on this link or the QR to find out more and sign up! You can still get $100 discount in March!
My previous trip in 2022 was a lot of fun!
Phyllis Siegel, as the Mahjong teacher and assistant bridge teacher, and Kathy Rolfe, as the bridge teacher and director cruised the Indian Ocean from Dubai to Singapore between Nov. 26 and Dec. 10, 2022.
Camel riding in the desert outside of Dubai, 2 days before the cruise.
visiting with a falcon after dinner
Burj Khalifa Tower-to the 148th floor in less than a minute.
Sri Lanka
White Nights!
Teacher with some of my beginners on the Azamara Quest
At the Fall Sectional Tournament on Oct. 28, 2023 at 2 p.m. we had 6 current youth students and one former student (now all grown up) competing in the 0-299 masterpoint section. There were 8 tables in play.
Charlie and Alex came in 3rd EW and 5th overall with a 54.39% game for .78 silver master points. Robert and Rose came in 3rd NS with a 52.31% game for .47 masterpoints. While Ana and Tom did not scratch they had a perfectly respectable game (better than mine!) of 46.22% for 5th EW. For their efforts Charlie, Alex, Robert, and Rose will each receive a $50 Scholarship towards their post-secondary education when they graduate from high school. Kathy Rolfe provides this scholarship through the Rolfe Bridge Fund administered through the Truman Heartland Community Foundation.
The students are pictured here:
From Left: Alex, Rose, Tom, Ana, Robert, Charlie
From Left: Kathy Rolfe (teacher) , Alex, Rose, Tom, Ana, Robert, Charlie
Next year we’ll see if we can get enough students to form their own student section. 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 high school students and younger with less than 20 masterpoints who are members of ACBL. You can join ACBL at the tournament if not already a member. 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. NO Covid Vaccination Required!
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.
I thought it would be fun to look at when and why I first played bridge in each of the 50 states and D.C., so call it 51. I’ve been to all 51, just haven’t played bridge in all 51 yet! Of course I’ve played outside of the U.S. as well so those places get a mention. If you’re interested in where, when and why I got my start in the states I have played bridge in, then click on these links! I’m going to try to add 3 states in 2025!
Part 1. States 1 to 9, Years 1964-2005, MO-OH-KS-AK-WA-MI-LA-IA-CO
Part 2. States 10-16, Years 2006-2007, AZ-TX-IL-PA-HI-TN-MN
