January 2023 - News - Pasadena Bridge Club

Special game Wednesday at 11:00, extra points and pizza
by Morris Jones 23 Jan '23

23 Jan '23

Pasadena Bridge Club Logo <https://pasadenabridgeclub.com> News from N Fair Oaks Mojo Pasadena Bridge Club <https://pasadenabridgeclub.com> BridgeMojo <https://bridgemojo.com> Courses <https://pasadenabridgeclub.com/available_courses> ABTA Master Teacher 649 N Fair Oaks Ave #201 Pasadena CA 91103 (626) 247-4457 pasadenabridgeclub.com <https://pasadenabridgeclub.com> Bridge, Pizza and Extra Points The *Wednesday Open Pairs* game at 11:00 a.m. will be a Junior Fund game, awarding many extra masterpoints (it looks like it's more than double a normal club game). This game helps raise funds to support ACBL programs for players under 26 years of age. Besides the extra points, we'll have pizza from Blaze Pizza. And all for the same $15 card fee. Drop me a note if you're planning to come play! I'll add you to the RSVPBridge reservation system. New /Bridge Basics 1 - An Introduction/ series scheduled For our friends who won't be getting out in the evenings, but want to try their hand at our favorite game: We have a new Bridge Basics series starting on Thursday mornings, February 23, at 9:00 a.m. Have them come try it for free! If they want to take the full six-week series, it's only $91, including the textbook from Audrey Grant. Reservations are available now on the web site. All I need is a name and email address. https://pasadenabridgeclub.com/contact/course_enrollment The introductory course will be followed by the full Bridge Basics series, 1 through 3. We'll also have a novice bridge game on Wednesdays at 12:00 noon, playing about 14 hands. Best regards, Mojo, Jane, Zach

1 0

Anyone for Wednesday?
by Morris Jones 17 Jan '23

17 Jan '23

It's Tuesday, and we don't have any reservations for tonight's scheduled game. We'll continue to offer, of course! Tomorrow at 11:00 a.m. will be our first of many Bridge and Pizza (or Tamales) games for Open Pairs. If you'd like to come play, please drop me a note here, or call or TXT message (626) 247-4457. 12 players is enough for a game! Every Wednesday at 11:00, bridge with pizza. $15. :) Best regards, Mojo -- build message Morris "Mojo" Jones mojo(a)PasadenaBridgeClub.com https://PasadenaBridgeClub.com <https://pasadenabridgeclub.com> Pasadena Bridge Club <https://pasadenabridgeclub.com>

1 0

Monday night is where to start
by Morris Jones 16 Jan '23

16 Jan '23

Pasadena Bridge Club Logo <https://pasadenabridgeclub.com> Learn and Play Bridge! Mojo Pasadena Bridge Club <https://pasadenabridgeclub.com> BridgeMojo <https://bridgemojo.com> Courses <https://pasadenabridgeclub.com/available_courses> ABTA Master Teacher 649 N Fair Oaks Ave #201 Pasadena CA 91103 (626) 247-4457 pasadenabridgeclub.com <https://pasadenabridgeclub.com> Monday Evenings are special The Monday evening game is the one where *new bridge players* come to learn and practice playing bridge the way we do at clubs and tournaments. In 2017, I created the *BridgeMojo *game for Monday evenings. I rented a Masonic hall in San Marino, and set up tables. The game ran for a year, and continued at the San Marino Center next to the library. It was a place for new players to get accustomed to *how duplicate bridge works*. Learn how to keep score; pick up all the little details involved in formal bridge tournaments. Get started with the right habits. We played 14 hands on those Monday evening. It was a quick two hours of bridge. After the game I would have a topic on the laws of bridge, a play or defense tip, or other things you need to know whether you're playing in a weekly club game or a national championship. Let's do that again. It's just us! Come meet an old or new partner and join us for a real bridge game. This could be the night where someone earns their first masterpoints. Drop me a note and let me know if you'd like to play! I'll find you a partner if you need one. /We only need 12 players for a game!/ This is the game to do it. Play joyfully and fearlessly! Play bridge fearlessly! Best regards, Mojo, Jane, Zach

1 0

Pasadena Bridge Club - Saturday classes and games!
by Morris Jones 13 Jan '23

13 Jan '23

Pasadena Bridge Club Logo <https://pasadenabridgeclub.com> News from N Fair Oaks Mojo Pasadena Bridge Club <https://pasadenabridgeclub.com> BridgeMojo <https://bridgemojo.com> Courses <https://pasadenabridgeclub.com/available_courses> ABTA Master Teacher 649 N Fair Oaks Ave #201 Pasadena CA 91103 (626) 247-4457 pasadenabridgeclub.com <https://pasadenabridgeclub.com> Off to a great start! On Wednesday evening I held the first class of *Bridge Basics 1 - An Introduction* for Pasadena City College Extension. I've been teaching the class for them for about 13 years now. This class was *sold out with 28 students* — the total capacity of the room at Arcadia High School! I had to turn away a few wait-listed students. Along with Bridge Basics 1, we have a great turnout for *Play of the Hand* on Thursday evenings, and *Improving Your Judgment - Opening the Bidding* on Saturday morning. (It's not too late to join the fun if you'd like!) We've also had new players from our classes coming in to enjoy social/supervised bridge games at the club. This is a great way for players to get to practice their bridge and enjoy the great atmosphere at the club, while having an experienced bridge player on hand to answer questions. Of course there's also the beverages and snacks on hand. Calling Saturday players! Tomorrow morning starts with the Opening the Bidding course, class 1, and hosted social bridge at 9:30 a.m. At 1:00 p.m. we have *Open Pairs* and a *299er game* on the calendar. We will definitely have the 299er game if we can get 12 players. Else if we can get 12 total players, we can have a combined open game. If you'd like to play, drop me a note please! Partners available. Wednesday Open Pairs Starting this Wednesday at 11:00 a.m. through February, the pizza is on me. We'll have Blaze Pizza, vegetarian and not, to enjoy at lunch time during the game. Maybe we'll switch it up with tamales from Vallarta. :) If you'd like to play, drop me a note and I'll make a reservation for you! And evening games *Monday evening, 299ers*, 7:00 p.m., 14 boards, two hours of bridge! *Tuesday evening, Open*, 7:00 p.m., 14 boards, a quick two hour bite of bridge! Be home in time to feed the dog. :) New Bridge Basics Thursday mornings Starting *Thursday, February 23 at 10:00 a.m.*, /Bridge Basics 1 - An Introduction/. Here's a new beginning bridge course for those who prefer weekdays to evenings or weekends! Bridge Basics 1 will be followed by the second (Competitive Bidding) and third (Popular Conventions) courses in the series. Best regards, Mojo

1 0

Schedule and events
by Morris Jones 11 Jan '23

11 Jan '23

Pasadena Bridge Club Logo <https://pasadenabridgeclub.com> News from N Fair Oaks Mojo Pasadena Bridge Club <https://pasadenabridgeclub.com> BridgeMojo <https://bridgemojo.com> Courses <https://pasadenabridgeclub.com/available_courses> ABTA Master Teacher 649 N Fair Oaks Ave #201 Pasadena CA 91103 (626) 247-4457 pasadenabridgeclub.com <https://pasadenabridgeclub.com> Revamping the schedule We're going to back off offering so many Open Pairs sessions, and add new games one at a time, as the demand builds back. Starting next week, we'll offer Open Pairs games on *Wednesday mornings* at 11:00 a.m., and a short Bridge Express (14-board) game on *Tuesday evenings* at 7:00 p.m. Make a reservation to play on Wednesday any time through February and I'll be bringing in either pizza from Blaze or tamales from Vallarta. We'll make it *lunch and bridge*. Drop me an email, and I'll add you to the "Wednesday Morning" group on RSVPbridge. Partners available! No Open Pairs games on Thursday or Friday mornings this week. (Or Monday or Tuesday.) We're also going to take the opportunity to offer some *daytime beginning bridge classes on Thursday mornings* starting in about six weeks. I'll be posting an offer for /Bridge Basics 1/ on Thursday mornings, and we'll have a short form (14-board) novice game on Thursday afternoons. I'll post more information about the class and game when we nail down a date. Huge event this Sunday We have reservations for 18-1/2 tables of bridge this Sunday for the North American Pairs District 23 Final! These players all qualified to compete by doing well in a designated NAP Qualifier game at a club during June July and August. The top 4 pairs in each flight (top 3 in A flight) will be invited to compete in the prestigious North American Pairs championship at the Spring NABC in New Orleans. This is also a great opportunity to showcase our wonderful club! Play of the Hand and Social Bridge Our classes on Thursday evening and Saturday morning have great turnouts. There's still room if you'd like to join! We also have new players coming to spend time at the club and play bridge with friends, old and new. Social bridge sessions will be available on Thursday evenings, 7:00 - 9:00 p.m., and Saturday mornings, 9:30 - 11:30 a.m. For the social bridge games, we'll have mentors on hand to help you when you're stumped. I have Chicago score pads available for keeping track as well! I just completed the first class of a new /Bridge Basics 1 - An Introduction/ class for PCC Extension. Class was completely full, with 27 of the 28 registered students coming to the first session. Watch for these folks to start filling in our social and novice games! Updates to the space We've added four large (and silent) air purifiers to the playing area, three in the main room and one in the classroom. Every table now has an anti-virus Kleenex box. and there's hand sanitizer in the kitchen and next to the convention cards. Our landlord has roofers visiting the space Thursday morning to help pinpoint the source of a few roof leaks that popped up during the Monday night downpour. Maybe they can patch it up enough for the next storm! As it is, there was no damage to the club that wasn't easy to clean up. We have spare ceiling tiles, and we're all set to go. Best regards, Mojo

1 0

Really bad weather for travel!
by Morris Jones 08 Jan '23

08 Jan '23

Pasadena Bridge Club Logo <https://pasadenabridgeclub.com> News from N Fair Oaks Mojo Pasadena Bridge Club <https://pasadenabridgeclub.com> BridgeMojo <https://bridgemojo.com> Courses <https://pasadenabridgeclub.com/available_courses> ABTA Master Teacher 649 N Fair Oaks Ave #201 Pasadena CA 91103 (626) 247-4457 pasadenabridgeclub.com <https://pasadenabridgeclub.com> 40 days and 40 nights? You all know we're in for a lot of rain over the next two days! Over Monday and Tuesday, I will be at the bridge club and available to run a sanctioned bridge game if we have at least 12 players, or just a friendly social game if not. At the moment we have no players signed up for Monday, 2 for Monday evening, and none for either game Tuesday. I honestly don't want any of you to travel if the conditions are unsafe. So if you think you'd like to come play bridge and watch the rain with me with our panoramic view, I'm happy to have you. Let me know please! Things might be look better if there's a break on Wednesday. (Mike and Amy, I don't recommend driving to Pasadena on Monday or Tuesday!) As a result, *Upgraded Club Championship Week* will be postponed to a week with more favorable weather and game attendance. Great time at the opening Our grand opening was a great success. It was wonderful having nine tables: six in Open Pairs, three in 299er pairs. I'll post some pictures as I get them from friends. It was also a delight to have all the friends and family who dropped in to tour the club, grab a bite, and meet the other bridge players. (I had one dear friend, who I've known since high school, drive from Palm Desert to see the new club and congratulate me!) We got to discover all the weak spots in our preparation, and everyone was very patient with the details. Honestly with a day or two off, I'll be able to address a few of the minor issues that came up during the Saturday game. If you played in the Open Pairs game and scratched, you may have noticed that your masterpoint award increased. I left out part of the game configuration on Saturday, and fixed it on Sunday. If you have friends who haven't heard about the club yet, please pass along the word! Speak to you soon, Mojo

1 0

It's almost time!
by Morris Jones 03 Jan '23

03 Jan '23

Pasadena Bridge Club Logo <https://pasadenabridgeclub.com> Learn and Play Bridge! Mojo Pasadena Bridge Club <https://pasadenabridgeclub.com> BridgeMojo <https://bridgemojo.com> Courses <https://pasadenabridgeclub.com/available_courses> ABTA Master Teacher 649 N Fair Oaks Ave #201 Pasadena CA 91103 (626) 247-4457 pasadenabridgeclub.com <https://pasadenabridgeclub.com> Time for some news It's almost opening day! We have people reserving seats for the Grand Opening game and the North American Pairs special event. Students are getting ready for classes. Beginning bridge at PCC Extension is nearly sold out! Let me know you're coming! Reservations are open for *all games and classes* -- drop me a note if you're planning to play! I'm using *RSVPBridge* for managing game reservations. You can also use it to pay card fees in advance if you like (with R-Bucks). When you first make a game reservation, I'll create an account for you on RSVPBridge. Each of the weekly events has its own RSVP group, and you'll have the opportunity to join other game groups. Check our progress! Zach and I have been putting the finishing touches on the club. WiFi is up and speedy. The board prep station has made its first set of boards from The Common Game. We will have fabulous refreshments available. Check out the pictures at the web site! We'll be serving complimentary coffee, brewed hot tea, iced tea, finger snacks (Goldfish, Peanut M&Ms, mixed nuts), and soft drinks. Refreshment station Check out the latest pics here <https://pasadenabridgeclub.com/node/32>. Upgraded club championships Our first week of games, Monday-Saturday January 9-14 will all pay upgraded black masterpoints, courtesy of the ACBL. It'll be a great week to get started on the new "Ace of Clubs" award for 2023! Seeking mentors for supervised play Do you get a kick out of helping out new bridge players? On Thursday evenings and Saturday mornings I'll be inviting my new bridge students (and anyone else who likes) to come play bridge with friends in an unstructured environment. Your job as a volunteer mentor would be to offer coaching and answer questions /when requested/. (And to stay out of the way most of the time!) The only requirement is enthusiasm and friendliness, plus a decent knowledge of Standard American bidding and Chicago scoring <https://acbl.org/learn/#scoring>. For those willing to coach one of our two-hour sessions, I'm offering free plays at a Pasadena Bridge Club game. COVID vaccinations required Club policy will mirror the ACBL tournament policy. Before you come to play, send me a picture of your vaccination card by email if you can. RSVPBridge will keep a record, and you'll never have to do it again at the Pasadena Bridge Club. (You can also show me the card or a picture or digital record the first time you check in at the club.) I will have masks and hand sanitizer available, and require that we all respect the wishes of any players who requests masking at their table. As you know, bridge players constitute an extremely vulnerable population, and we're going to do our best to keep each other healthy! Best regards, Mojo, Jane, Zach

1 0