
Flowers are still going strong! In June we have Flag Day and Father’s Day to celebrate!

Flowers are still going strong! In June we have Flag Day and Father’s Day to celebrate!
Join us again in 2023? Indian Hills Country Club, 6847 Tomahawk Rd., Mission Hills, KS. Start time: 4:30. If you would like to play contact Kathy or Betsy Allen. Cost $10. This is a shorter game; we are usually done by 7:15.
June 13 (Club Championship) & 27
July 25 (Club Championship)
August 1 & 15
Sept. 12 & 26
Oct. 10 (Club Championship) & 24
Nov. 7
(Remember for any game played with the dealing machines, you can always see detailed results of games you played in by going to the bridge plus server and (after creating a log in with your email and the pswd bridge) click on RESULTS. Once you’ve established that log in you can change the password. This should work if you are an ABCL member, if not then let me know your email and I can get you set up as a member of our club for the dealing machine results.)
May 16,2023 Game Results. Hand Records
May 2, 2023 Game Results. Hand Records
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.
Week of May 29, Puzzle 9:
Week of May 22, Puzzle 8:
Week of May 15, Puzzle 7:
Week of May 15, Answer to Puzzle 7
Week of May 8, Puzzle 6:
Week of May 8, Answer to Puzzle 6
Week of May 1, Puzzle 5: My answers assume 1NT opening is 15-17 HCP and 2/1 bidding system.
Week of April 24, Puzzle 4: My answers assume 1NT opening is 15-17 HCP and 2/1 bidding system.
Week of April 24, Puzzle 4 Answer
Week of April 17, Puzzle 3: My answers assume 1NT opening is 15-17 HCP and 2/1 bidding system.
Week of April 17, Puzzle 3 Answer.
Week of April 10, Puzzle 2: My answers assume 1NT opening is 15-17 HCP and 2/1 bidding system.
Week of April 3, Puzzle 1: My answers assume 1NT opening is 15-17 HCP and 2/1 bidding system.
Answer Puzzle 1 from Real Bridge: Page 1 is the Quiz, page 2 is the answer, so don’t look at page 2 until you have your answer.
The 13th Annual Scholarship fundraiser will be held at Culver’s at 1275 SE Oldham Parkway on Wednesday Aug. 2, 2023. 10% of all sales will be 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.
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!
2/1 Classes and Competitive Bidding Classes now Scheduled! Scroll on down to find the details!
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!
Competitive Bidding: (see details under Competitive Bidding below)
These classes are scheduled for May 31-June 21, Wednesdays from 7 to 9 p.m. Central time. Cost is $20 for each class, please sign up via email if you want to take any of these classes.
Cost: $20 for each two hour class per person. Classes are normally in the 4 to 6 p.m. or 6:30-8:30 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.
Slam Bidding:
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 $20 per lesson. More practice with 1430, control bids and minorwood.
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
BEGINNING BRIDGE CLASSES SERIES 1 – The Basics of Bidding and Play – no competitive bidding. Been a while since you played? LET ME KNOW IF YOU WANT IT!
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:
These classes are scheduled for May 31-June 21, Wednesdays from 7 to 9 p.m. Central time. Cost is $20 for each class, please sign up via email if you want to take any of these classes.
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) Cost is $20 for each class, let me know if you want to take a class (or classes).
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 $20 each class, attend the ones you can. Let me know if you want this class on the schedule!
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
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!
Reverses – what are they, when can you, should you use them?
Two hour class – online, flexible scheduling!
Lebensohl Class Series:
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 $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,
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)
Online supervised play for groups of just 4. We play for one hour online. The morning sessions are at 10:45 Monday through Thursday. Cost is just $3.50 to me. Evening sessions are frequently offered on Monday and Thursday as well from 6:30 to 7:30 at a cost of $4. 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,Venmo, credit card or a check. We can work out those details when you sign up.
I’m cruising again!
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.
Rates:
$120 minimum for two hour class-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 $15 per each 2 hour lesson. Classes of 4 students can be arranged but the cost increases to $30 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 and 3rd Wednesday. Check out Supervised Play.
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 summer. Sign up by calling The JKC Heritage Center, Phone (913) 327.8000 See my online classes for a description.
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!
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-TN-IL-PA-HI-TN-MN
Part 3 States 17-20, Years 2007-2008, CA-NM-NV-MA
Part 4 States 21-25, Years 2009-2013, D.C.-OK-KY-FL-GA
Part 5 States 26-27, Years 2014-2018, RI-SC
Part 6 Foreign Travel and still to go.
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 2023. 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 2023 LESSONS
June 2, 9,30/July 7, 21, 28/Aug. 4,11
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 and Covid restrictions will be in place as required at the time – so masks recommended for non-vaccinated individuals! No need to attend every session -Mo-Kan will provide instruction at your skill level! Absolute beginners welcome. See the 2023 summer flyer or check out the Mo-Kan Bridge Academy website.
Fall Sectional Tournament, Nov. 4, 2023 at the Jewish Community Center, 5801 W. 115th St., Overland Park, KS. Youth Section will be held at 2 p.m. FREE entry with trophies and scholarship money to the winners. It would be helpful to let Kathy know if you plan on playing! Must be High School Age or younger, member of ACBL, and have less than 20 masterpoints.
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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SPRING 2024? Youth Lessons
Youth Lessons and Play to be held at The Bridge Studio, 7115 W. 95th St., Overland Park, KS Sunday afternoons from 1 to 3:30 p.m. Presented by Mo-Kan Bridge Academy.
These lessons are for any youth, age 8 to 18. You don’t have to know any bridge at all to start! Cost is just $5. Adults are welcome to attend for the same $5 if they bring a youth with them! To sign up call or email Kathy Rolfe. Not required to attend all the lessons, just sign up for the ones you can. We cancel by the Saturday evening prior if we have no registrations for the next day’s class.
These kids had some fun in the spring 2022 Youth Lessons.
FALL 2019 HOMESCHOOL School Bridge Tournament
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!
GAME RESULTS: Next game June 9, 2023. Sign up for future Friday games by 5 p.m. on the day before.
This is an 18 board game, beginning at 10:30 and done around 1 p.m. On the 3rd Friday of each month we try to go out as a group to a local restaurant after the game. Games will cancel if at least 12 people have not pre-registered. Vaccinations recommended.
Mo-Kan Bridge is just getting started. Their first duplicate game is offered at Holy Spirit Catholic Church in Lee’s Summit on Fridays, from 10:30 to 1. There will be a variety of directors directing this game, but I will be the director for many of the games. There will be both a novice section (for those with less than 50 masterpoints) and an open section, provided there are at least 3 tables per section. If both sections cannot be run, then one combined open section with stratification will be played instead. Partners are guaranteed if you can’t find your own on any given day. (This might mean you play with the director, in which case you would be playing in the open section.)
Cost is $8 or less. Please check out the Mo-Kan Bridge Academy website for details on costs and this game.
Check out the website and donate to help bridge grow in our area.
Student competition will be held this year at the Fall Sectional Tournament on Nov. 4 at 2 p.m. 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.