- News - Pasadena Bridge Club

STaC and new courses starting
by Morris Jones 05 May '24

05 May '24

Pasadena Bridge Club Logo <https://pasadenabridgeclub.com> News from North Fair Oaks Mojo ABTA Master Teacher 649 N Fair Oaks Ave #201 Pasadena CA 91103 (626) 247-4457 pasadenabridgeclub.com <https://pasadenabridgeclub.com> This past week was our first seven-day active week for the bridge club. It capped off with a two-section double game on Saturday afternoon: five tables in the 299er pair game, and seven tables in the Open Pairs. Then we hosted a great 12-table Unit Game on Sunday. Our club is becoming a "destination" bridge club, with players traveling quite a distance to enjoy the view of Mt. Wilson and play bridge. Royal STaC This Week All games except the Tuesday evening game will be Royal STaC games. Sectional rated, big field (most of the western US), and all awards are 25% black, 25% red, 25% silver, and 25% gold masterpoints. Card fee will be $11 to cover a portion of the extra sanction fee. With two games on Saturday afternoon, we *may well reach capacity* at the club. Please reserve your seat, and be sure to let me know if you're signing up for the 299er game or Open game. New Courses Next Week Three great courses will be starting next week. Each course runs for six sessions, and the course fee ($115) includes a great textbook. Click on the course name for a full description and lesson plan: * Wednesday, May 15, 7:00 PM *Introduction to Declarer Play* <https://pasadenabridgeclub.com/course/intro-to-declarer-play> * Thursday, May 16, 7:00 PM *Two Over One Game Force* <https://pasadenabridgeclub.com/course/two_over_one_game_force> * Saturday, May 18, 9:30 AM *Bridge Bascis 2 - Competitive Bidding* <https://pasadenabridgeclub.com/course/competitive-bidding> The Two Over One Game Force course, besides supercharging your bidding, is one of the *best courses for play-of-the-hand* problems you'll find. (These will be our last courses at the club until August 1.) Open on the Bridgemate App Let's try something different! There's a phone app, the Bridgemate App, that will let you follow your progress and results /during a game/ at the bridge club! We normally don't post interim results at the table, but if you'd like to know how you're doing in the game this is the way to do it. I've started a page with explanation links: https://pasadenabridgeclub.com/bridgemate-app If you'd like to try it and need help, let me know. Classes this coming week Classes are available to join for $25. No need to sign up for a full course. This week all of our classes are playing *practice hands* that are relevant to the course topic. This is a great way to brush up on relevant skills, and have fun playing hands in a class context! Here are the topics this week: * Wednesday (4/24), 7:00 PM, /Bridge Basics 3 - Popular Conventions/ * Thursday (4/25), 7:00 PM, /Improving Your Judgment - Doubles/ * Saturday (4/26), 9:30 AM, /Bridge Basics 1 - Introduction/ Coming up ... The first week of July is the annual Long Beach Regional. We have to decide what games we should offer that week! If you'd like to play bridge at the club during the first week of July, would you let me or Zachary know? Finally, it's fun to see this photo of the club display with the seating chart for the Saturday afternoon game! Best regards, Mojo, Jane, Zachary

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Friday and Saturday games start this week
by Morris Jones 28 Apr '24

28 Apr '24

Pasadena Bridge Club Logo <https://pasadenabridgeclub.com> News from North Fair Oaks Mojo ABTA Master Teacher 649 N Fair Oaks Ave #201 Pasadena CA 91103 (626) 247-4457 pasadenabridgeclub.com <https://pasadenabridgeclub.com> A lot of folks won a little gold, and supported ACBL Charities this past week! For the ACBL-wide Charity Pairs on Wednesday, each district awarded five overall places. Our own *John Barrow* and *Sherry Hansen* placed 3rd in District 23 for a nice chunk of points! Friday and Saturday Open Pairs This week marks the inaugural games on Friday and Saturday: * Friday Open Pairs 11:00 AM * Saturday Open Pairs 1:00 PM Note that the Saturday game will be two sections -- two games playing simultaneously. The Open Pairs game will be held along with a 299er game (limited to players under 300 masterpoints). The bridge club could possibly be very full on a Saturday afternoon! Reservations will be important. These new games /will not appear in your calendar/ on RSVPBridge until you *add yourself to the "group"* for each of the games. To do that: * Log in to https://rsvpbridge.com/ * Click on "My Clubs" in the top ribbon * You'll see a list of the groups you belong to, and "Would you like to join any of these groups?" * Click on the groups you'd like to join, such as Open Fri AM, or Open Sat PM, and click the "Join" button When you're a member of a group, you'll get an email with reminders of the game. Each game will appear in your top calendar, and you can see who has already signed up to play. Is that the right score? Last week we had a little rash of score corrections discovered only after the game was long over! It's good to know that each game has a 24-hour period when score mistakes can be corrected and the game results adjusted, but no one really wants to see that happen very often! There are two important things you can do to help prevent scoring mistakes: 1. Keep a private written copy of your results. Use the back of a convention card to make note of the contract, declarer, and results for each board. 2. Carefully check the board results entered into the Bridgemate! When North passes you the Bridgemate to verify a result, check to see that it has: 1. The right board number 2. The right contract 3. The right declarer 4. The right result If the wrong information is there, the "Cancel" button on the Bridgemate acts as a "backspace" to back up and fix the result. Classes this coming week Classes are available to join for $25. No need to sign up for a full course. This week and next, all of our classes are playing *practice hands* that are relevant to the course topic. This is a great way to brush up on relevant skills, and have fun playing hands in a class context! Here are the topics this week: * Wednesday (4/24), 7:00 PM, /Bridge Basics 3 - Popular Conventions/ * Thursday (4/25), 7:00 PM, /Improving Your Judgment - Doubles/ * Saturday (4/26), 9:30 AM, /Bridge Basics 1 - Introduction/ Coming up ... Royal STaC week! May 6-12. All games will award Sectional rated masterpoints. The awards will be 25% black, 25% silver, 25% black, and 25% gold. Best regards, Mojo, Jane, Zachary

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Special games this week and lots more
by Morris Jones 19 Apr '24

19 Apr '24

Pasadena Bridge Club Logo <https://pasadenabridgeclub.com> News from North Fair Oaks Mojo ABTA Master Teacher 649 N Fair Oaks Ave #201 Pasadena CA 91103 (626) 247-4457 pasadenabridgeclub.com <https://pasadenabridgeclub.com> We've been having to make a lot of adjustments! We're ready to start having a two-section game on Saturday afternoons starting *May 4*. That means we'll actually be running two games at 1:00 PM, one for players with fewer than 300 masterpoints, and another open to everyone. With the two games in session, the club will be pretty full. It becomes impossible to have the workshops in the format I've been having them. Those workshops are one of my favorite features at the club, so I'm determined to find another way to offer fun, short single-topic learning sessions. Several years ago there was a very big novice game on Saturdays at 10:00 AM at the Arcadia Bridge Center, preceded by a chalk talk. That might still be an attractive time for our students and new players to come play. I just started a new Bridge Basics series on Saturday mornings. At the conclusion of this series, in a few months, it's worth asking if maybe a Saturday morning "workshop and game" would have interest. Let me know what you think! Also starting *May 3*, we're going to add Fridays at 11:00 AM, for a full week of Open Pairs games. More about that next week! ACBL-wide Charity Pairs Wednesday The ACBL-wide Charity Pairs is a very special game! We'll be playing the same hands as clubs all over North America, and results will be pooled for some potentially huge masterpoint awards. The game includes a handout with analysis of every hand. I'll have the analysis available on the web site after the results are posted late Wednesday afternoon. This is a fund-raising event for ACBL Charities, and we'll be paying an extra $7.50/table sanction fee. So the card fee for this game will be $12. Stardust games Monday, Tuesday, Thursday These special games have bigger awards, and 25% of the award will be coveted *gold masterpoints* that are normally only available at regional or national tournaments. To achieve the rank of Life Master, you have to win at least 50 gold points. The sanction fee for this game is $2/player, so we'll kick in $1, and the card fee will be $11. Classes this coming week Individual classes are available to join for $25. No need to sign up for a full course. Here are the topics this week: * Wednesday (4/24), 7:00 PM, /Bridge Basics 3 - Competitive Bidding/ "Slam bidding and Blackwood" (practice session on Saturday morning with Jane and Michael too!) * Thursday (4/25), 7:00 PM, /Improving Your Judgment - Doubles/ "Balancing and other doubles" * Saturday (4/26), 9:30 AM, /Bridge Basics 1 - Introduction/ "Minor Suit Openings and Responses" Tomorrow will be our next to last Saturday afternoon workshop, at least in its current format! This week on Saturday (tomorrow), let's talk about *what can go wrong at the table* while playing, how the Laws of Bridge apply, and how the tournament director applies the Laws. This should be a special workshop! Bring your questions, and let me help eliminate any fear of calling the director when something goes wrong. Coming up ... Coming up the week of May 6 through May 12, we'll be hosting "Royal STaC" games, where players can earn a bit piece of all the colors. :) Best regards, Mojo, Jane, Zachary

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This week at the bridge club
by Morris Jones 09 Apr '24

09 Apr '24

Pasadena Bridge Club Logo <https://pasadenabridgeclub.com> News from North Fair Oaks Mojo ABTA Master Teacher 649 N Fair Oaks Ave #201 Pasadena CA 91103 (626) 247-4457 pasadenabridgeclub.com <https://pasadenabridgeclub.com> It's been an amazing first week of nearly full-time operation of the bridge club. Zachary and I are getting into a new rhythm, and things are working out nicely. For yesterday's game, Jane brought a few eclipse glasses, and everyone had a view of the 50% eclipse even from inside the club. Online Community Games The ACBL is hosting online bridge games that include some themed hands and a lesson after. The games are limited to players with fewer than 20 masterpoints, and are held Tuesdays and Thursdays at 3:00 PM Pacific time. (They have other games, but Tuesday and Thursday features the free lesson.) The games are 12 boards, about an hour and a half, and the lesson after is on Zoom. If you join the game today or Thursday, I'll be the guest instructor, filling in for Linda Green. Here's where you can learn more: https://www.acbl.org/portfolio/community-games/ Robert Todd Seminar Robert ToddSunday, April 14, join us for a full day with entertaining teacher and player Robert Todd. Robert's seminars are dynamite for experienced and newer players alike. He teaches how to think about bridge, not just rules to memorize. * 9:00 AM Modern Preempts * 1:00 PM Defensive Tools Spend the day with us for $85. Save your seat at this link <https://pasadenabridgeclub.com/contact/course_enrollment>. Classes this week Individual classes are available to join for $25. No need to sign up for a full course. Here are the topics this week: * Wednesday, 7:00 PM, /Bridge Basics 3 - Competitive Bidding/ "Jacoby Transfer Bids" (practice session on Saturday morning with Jane and Michael too!) * Thursday, 7:00 PM, /Improving Your Judgment - Doubles/ "Advancing Partner's Double" * Saturday, 9:30 AM, /Bridge Basics 1 - Introduction/ "Opening 1NT Bids and Responses" For the Saturday morning workshop, let's spend some time studying matchpoint scoring. Come practice and understand the scores on the results better. Coming up ... We're planning to add Friday Open Pairs at 11:00 starting in May, and a Saturday Open Pairs section at 1:00 alongside the Saturday novice/intermediate game. We probably have to drop the workshop part of that session, and find another way to offer that. It's a work in progress! Coming up the week of May 6 through May 12, we'll be hosting "Royal STaC" games, where players can earn a tiny piece of all the colors. :) And the Sunday Unit Games are at the Pasadena Bridge Club, both Sundays. The next one is April 21. Best regards, Mojo, Jane, Zachary

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seeking TAs for Bridge Introduction
by Morris Jones 04 Apr '24

04 Apr '24

This Saturday morning at 9:30 I'm expecting 26 students for my next series of /Bridge Basics 1 - Introduction/. If you have taken the class recently, and would like to see the material again, I'd love to have two or three volunteers to be "TAs." The main job is to be a 4th at a table, and I may not need everyone who comes to help, so you might be just hanging out. :) The class runs for six Saturday mornings. Interested? Drop me a note! Best regards, Mojo -- build message Morris "Mojo" Jones mojo(a)PasadenaBridgeClub.com https://PasadenaBridgeClub.com <https://pasadenabridgeclub.com> Pasadena Bridge Club <https://pasadenabridgeclub.com>

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New games and courses this week
by Morris Jones 31 Mar '24

31 Mar '24

Pasadena Bridge Club Logo <https://pasadenabridgeclub.com> News from North Fair Oaks Mojo ABTA Master Teacher 649 N Fair Oaks Ave #201 Pasadena CA 91103 (626) 247-4457 pasadenabridgeclub.com <https://pasadenabridgeclub.com> With the imminent closing of the Arcadia Bridge Center, a lot of players who live to the east of Arcadia have a difficult time in the I-210 traffic to Pasadena. Besides the possibility of someone opening a club or at least a weekly game in that part of the town, you should know that Tom Lill has a splendid pair of games at La Fetra in Glendora: Tuesday and Friday mornings at 8:45 AM. It's a lovely location and I've enjoyed playing in his games. Give it a spin! Drop Tom a note at thomasmlill8(a)gmail.com. Robert Todd Seminar Robert ToddSunday, April 14, join us for a full day with entertaining bridge player and teacher Robert Todd. Robert's seminars are dynamite for experienced and newer players alike. He teaches how to think about bridge, not just rules to memorize. * 9:00 AM Modern Preempts * 1:00 PM Defensive Tools Spend the day with us for $85. Save your seat at this link <https://pasadenabridgeclub.com/contact/course_enrollment>. New Courses Starting Three great new bridge courses are starting this week. Each one is six classes long and comes with a splendid textbook: * Wednesday 7:00 PM, Bridge Basics 3 - Popular Conventions <https://pasadenabridgeclub.com/course/popular-conventions> * Thursday 7:00 PM, Improving Your Judgment - Doubles <https://pasadenabridgeclub.com/course/iyj_doubles> * Saturday 9:30 AM, Bridge Basics 1 - Introduction <https://pasadenabridgeclub.com/course/bridge-basics-introduction> Enroll in any of the classes at this link <https://pasadenabridgeclub.com/contact/course_enrollment>. Bridge Basics 1 has 20 students enrolled right now, with a limit of 28. Sign up through PCC Extension at this link <https://pasadena.augusoft.net/index.cfm?method=ClassInfo.ClassInformation&i…>. "Can't see new games on RSVP!" All of my players on RSVP Bridge are members of "groups" that correspond to each weekly game or class at the bridge club. When you visit RSVP, the only events you see on the calendar are of groups you belong to. When you play in a game for the first time, I automatically add you to the group for that game. The group members can see who is signed up to play, reserve seats for future games, and get a reminder email before each game. To join games you would like to hear about: * Click https://rsvpbridge.com/ and Login * Click "My Clubs" in the top row * See all the groups available, and see "Would you like to join any of these groups?" When you add new games such as Monday or Tuesday Open Pairs, they appear in your calendar. Classes this week Individual classes are available to join for $25. No need to sign up for a full course. Here are the topics this week: * Wednesday, 7:00 PM, /Bridge Basics 3 - Competitive Bidding/ "The Stayman Convention" * Thursday, 7:00 PM, /Improving Your Judgment - Doubles/ "The Takeout Double" * Saturday, 9:30 AM, /Bridge Basics 1 - Introduction/ "Introduction" This Saturday afternoon I thought it might be a good idea to go over the Convention Card. I will discuss how it's organized, how to read one, and how to create one with your partner. Saturday morning we're inviting our Bridge Basics 3 students to come hang out and practice the Stayman Convention, or shuffle and deal hands! Feel free to join us at 9:30. Come practice with Jane Winer and Michael Blottin in the Knowles Memorial Bridge Classroom. Support for Kelsey Kelsey McRaeMy new bridge player and student Kelsey McRae was diagnosed with stage 2 breast cancer this past February. She's doing well and recovering now from a double mastectomy and reconstruction. Her friends have set up a GoFundMe page <https://www.gofundme.com/f/donate-to-kelsey-mcraes-breast-cancer-recovery?m…>, and I was happy to offer some support. If you'd like to as well, give it a click! Help get Kelsey back to the bridge table soon. Best regards, Mojo, Jane, Zachary

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New classes and special Robert Todd seminar
by Morris Jones 27 Mar '24

27 Mar '24

Pasadena Bridge Club Logo <https://pasadenabridgeclub.com> Learn and play bridge! Mojo ABTA Master Teacher 649 N Fair Oaks Ave #201 Pasadena CA 91103 (626) 247-4457 pasadenabridgeclub.com <https://pasadenabridgeclub.com> This spring features more great bridge courses at the beautiful Pasadena Bridge Club. Special! Robert Todd Day Robert is one of my mentors, and one of the most engaging and understandable teachers of the game. Rather than teaching endless conventions, he concentrates on how to think, evaluate, and strategize at the bridge table. Recommended for novice and highly skilled players alike! * April 14, 9:00 AM - 3:30 PM * $85 for the full day * Morning session: *Modern Preempts* * Afternoon session: *Defensive Tools* * Reserve your seat here <https://pasadenabridgeclub.com/contact/course_enrollment> Bridge Basics 3 - Popular Conventions This is the third course in Audrey Grant's Bridge Basics series, and introduces the most popular and useful bidding conventions for playing bridge at any level: Stayman, Jacoby Transfer Bids, strong hand openings, and slam bidding. * Six Wednesday evenings, 7:00-9:00 PM, starting April 3. * $115 includes textbook by Audrey Grant * Full description and lesson plan <https://pasadenabridgeclub.com/course/popular-conventions> * Click here to reserve your seat <https://pasadenabridgeclub.com/contact/course_enrollment> Improving Your Judgment - Doubles The takeout double is arguably the most powerful and useful call in bridge. Let's take some time to dig into takeout doubles in detail, including responding to (advancing) your partner's double, and doubler's next actions. We'll look at edge cases where you can use a double (or perhaps shouldn't!). And as with all of our classes, it comes with great hands to practice declaring and defending. * Six Thursday evenings, 7:00-9:00 PM, starting April 4. * $115 includes textbook by Audrey Grant * Full description and lesson plan <https://pasadenabridgeclub.com/course/iyj_doubles> * Click here to reserve your seat <https://pasadenabridgeclub.com/contact/course_enrollment> Bridge Basics 1 - Introduction Take it for your first time, or revisit again! There's no better class for learning or reviewing the fundamentals of bridge. We start with the play of the hand. After working out how tricks can be won by declarer, we study hands to discover HOW HIGH and WHERE a hand should be played, and learn the language of Standard American bidding to reach the best contract. Only a handful of seats remain! Sign up with PCC Extension soon to save yours. * Six Saturday mornings, 9:30 AM - 11:30 AM, starting April 6. * Full description and lesson plan <https://pasadenabridgeclub.com/course/bridge-basics-introduction> * Register here with PCC Extension <https://pasadena.augusoft.net/index.cfm?method=ClassInfo.ClassInformation&i…> Games for players of all levels If you're just getting started, drop in for Office Hours to meet friends and play casual bridge, Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday from 3:00 - 5:00 PM. Join our weekly Social Bridge session on Thursday evenings at 7:00 PM, and test your skill against hands played in the huge open game on Wednesdays. Experienced players on hand to answer questions and help with bidding and play problems. Discover the challenges of duplicate bridge with our weekly Novice Pairs game on Tuesday evenings at 7:00 PM. Join us on Saturdays at 1:00 for the weekly "Workshop and Game" at 1:00 PM for a 30-minute bridge topic followed by a duplicate game for novice/intermediate players. /Play fearlessly/ and join our newly-expanded schedule of Open Pairs games, Monday through Thursday at 11:00 AM — three hours of competitive bridge with some of the best players in Southern California. Come learn and play bridge! Mojo

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Monday - Tuesday games
by Morris Jones 25 Mar '24

25 Mar '24

Pasadena Bridge Club Logo <https://pasadenabridgeclub.com> News from North Fair Oaks Mojo ABTA Master Teacher 649 N Fair Oaks Ave #201 Pasadena CA 91103 (626) 247-4457 pasadenabridgeclub.com <https://pasadenabridgeclub.com> Most of you have heard that the Arcadia Bridge Center will be closing shop soon, after 55 years nurturing bridge here in the San Gabriel Valley. Zachary and I will do our best to offer games when everyone wants to play, starting with Monday and Tuesday. We're working on plans for Friday and Saturday in the near future. I know for many players it will be an extra trek to get to Pasadena. Maybe someone will consider opening another weekly game closer to Arcadia or Duarte. There's plenty of room to grow bridge! New games Monday, Tuesday 11:00 AM Zachary will be directing on Monday and Tuesday at 11:00, starting right away! April 1 will be our first game. We'll play The Common Game <http://thecommongame.com/> hands, with hand records and Bridgemate scoring. We'll plan to offer as many of the special games as possible, including STaC, fund raisers, instant matchpoint games, club championships, and NAP Qualifiers. Our weekday start time is designed to get people on the road before I-210 gets too awfully busy. Add yourself to RSVP Groups The reservation system on RSVP Bridge is designed with weekly games and classes as "groups" of regular players and students. When you add yourself as a group member, the weekly games will appear on your RSVP calendar, and other players will be able to invite you to play. You'll be able to see who has signed up to play, and you'll get a weekly reminder email. Once you let me know that you'd like to play, I create an account for you on RSVPBridge. You can log in and change your profile. Here's how to add the games you would like to follow: * Log in to https://rsvpbridge.com/ * In the top bar, look for "My Clubs" * Under Pasadena Bridge Club, you'll see the groups where you're already a member * Click additional groups you'd like to follow, and click the "Join" button. Classes this week Individual classes are available to join for $25. No need to sign up for a full course. This week features some great practice hands around each course topic — well worth your time! Here are the topics this week: * Wednesday, 7:00 PM, /Bridge Basics 2 - Competitive Bidding/ "Practice Hands" * Thursday, 7:00 PM, /Improving Your Judgment - Opening the Biddin/g "Practice Hands" The workshop this Saturday will continue the Defensive Signals series with "Suit Preference Signals." Saturday morning we're inviting our Bridge Basics 2 students to come hang out and practice competitive bidding. Feel free to join us at 9:30. Come practice with Jane Winer and Michael Blottin. Coming up ... Our next *Bridge Basics 1 - Introduction* course will be on Saturday mornings starting April 6. The course is live on the PCC Extension <https://pasadena.augusoft.net/index.cfm?method=ClassInfo.ClassInformation&i…> web site now and available for registrations. (17 students already enrolled!) Robert Todd is returning to the Pasadena Bridge Club on *Sunday, April 14*, for a one-day seminar. We have topics and will be taking reservations for the seminar soon! I'll be posting a flier on the bulletin board at the club. Three great classes will be starting up in the first week of April: Bridge Basics 1 - Introduction, <https://pasadenabridgeclub.com/course/bridge-basics-introduction> Bridge Basics 3 - Popular Conventions <https://pasadenabridgeclub.com/course/popular-conventions>, and Improving Your Judgment - Doubles <https://pasadenabridgeclub.com/course/iyj_doubles>. I'll announce the full schedule to my "classes" email list very soon. You can sign yourself up <https://pasadenabridgeclub.com/contact/course_enrollment> for any of the classes now. Best regards, Mojo, Jane, Zachary

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Silver Points this week
by Morris Jones 18 Mar '24

18 Mar '24

Pasadena Bridge Club Logo <https://pasadenabridgeclub.com> News from North Fair Oaks Mojo ABTA Master Teacher 649 N Fair Oaks Ave #201 Pasadena CA 91103 (626) 247-4457 pasadenabridgeclub.com <https://pasadenabridgeclub.com> I played my first duplicate bridge game in 1991 at the San Jose Bridge Club. We traveled to Bakersfield to attend a regional tournament. I played in newcomer events, and kibitzed the pros during morning knockouts. While practicing bidding, play, and defense, I became fascinated with the mechanics of running a bridge game. I would follow how the boards and players moved. Once I discovered how team games worked, I started hosting two- and three-table bridge parties at home. I purchased a copy of the Laws of Duplicate Bridge and read through it. (Well worth doing — download it from acbl.org free <http://web2.acbl.org/documentlibrary/play/Laws-of-Duplicate-Bridge.pdf>.) Does this sound anything like your own experience with the game? *Bridge needs directors*, and there are opportunities at all levels. *We need apprentices* to become game directors at our bridge club. Besides bridge skills, you need to be good with Windows computers, and have an excellent attitude for customer service. Talk to me. /There is no masterpoint requirement for being a club director! (I had about 100 when I started.)/ Silver Point Week Three or four times a year, various districts in the ACBL put together a Sectional Tournament at Clubs (STaC). This one is sponsored by district 22 (Southern California except Los Angeles) and district 23 (Los Angeles County). Participating clubs will all be playing the same hands, and results from games in each session will be combined to produce overall results. At our club, we'll have Open Pairs STaC games on Wednesday and Thursday at 11:00 AM. The stratification is 0pen/2500/750. On Saturday we'll have a STaC game at 1:00 PM, limited to players with fewer than 750 points, and stratification of 750/500/200. *Games at the club are limited 16 tables*, and the Wednesday game might well approach that. I recommend making your reservation sooner rather than later! Classes this week Individual classes are available to join for $25. No need to sign up for a full course. This week features some great practice hands around each course topic — well worth your time! Here are the topics this week: * Wednesday, 7:00 PM, /Bridge Basics 2 - Competitive Bidding/ "Practice Hands" * Thursday, 7:00 PM, /Improving Your Judgment - Opening the Biddin/g "Practice Hands" * Saturday, 9:30 AM, /Two Over One Game Force/, "Practice hands" No workshop this Saturday — we'll play a 21 board STaC game. Bring your new skillz to the game for some silver points! Coming up ... Our next *Bridge Basics 1 - Introduction* course will be on Saturday mornings starting April 6. The course is live on the PCC Extension <https://pasadena.augusoft.net/index.cfm?method=ClassInfo.ClassInformation&i…> web site now and available for registrations. (17 students already enrolled!) *Save the date!* Robert Todd is returning to the Pasadena Bridge Club on *Sunday, April 14*, for a one-day seminar. Robert is one of my idols as a bridge teacher and player. Best regards, Mojo, Jane, Zachary

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Spring forward
by Morris Jones 12 Mar '24

12 Mar '24

Pasadena Bridge Club Logo <https://pasadenabridgeclub.com> News from North Fair Oaks Mojo ABTA Master Teacher 649 N Fair Oaks Ave #201 Pasadena CA 91103 (626) 247-4457 pasadenabridgeclub.com <https://pasadenabridgeclub.com> It's the time of year when the evening games and classes almost start in some twilight, and soon full daylight. Sunset this evening is at 6:58 PM. Soon the sun will be moving further north, and I'll have to start making use of the blinds on the big windows to block the direct sunlight. Our new sign will have fewer hours of visibility, but I'm still delighted with its presence in the early evening hours. Grand National Teams The district final for the Grand National Teams will be held on April 13-14 at the Long Beach Bridge Club. This is your chance to earn a seat at the GNT national finals in July in Toronto! There are four flights: * Championship: Open to anyone * Flight A: Limited to 6000 masterpoints * Flight B: Limited to 2500 masterpoints * Flight C: Limited to non-Life Masters with fewer than 500 masterpoints No club qualifier is required! Get your team together and make plans to compete. Drop me a note if you'd like more information, or help putting together a team for the event. Oh, snap! True or false: A card is not considered "played" until it has been snapped against the table. Well clearly, that's a false statement, because it's not necessary to snap a card on the table at all! It's actually much more pleasant to simply drop or place a card (including the bidding cards) on the table. Our lovely green felt tables give the card a nice gentle fall. I think snapping the cards on the table may provide some satisfaction, a little like popping bubble wrap. But there's no reason to do it otherwise, and it's really pleasant to not hear card snaps around the room. If it's something you never thought about, try taking up the challenge of not snapping. By the way, when /is/ a card considered "played?" The answer is different for declarer and defenders! Have a look at the /Laws of Duplicate Bridge <http://web2.acbl.org/documentlibrary/play/Laws-of-Duplicate-Bridge.pdf>/ and check Law 45 C. (The whole short book is worth a read!) Classes this week Individual classes are available to join for $25. No need to sign up for a full course. *Mojo's pick for this week*: "The Competitive Auction" on Wednesday evening. Pick up some more tips on using the Law of Total Tricks and Negative Doubles. Here are the topics this week: * Wednesday, 7:00 PM, /Bridge Basics 2 - Competitive Bidding/ "The competitive auction" * Thursday, 7:00 PM, /Improving Your Judgment - Opening the Biddin/g "Strong opening bids" * Saturday, 9:30 AM, /Two Over One Game Force/, "Practice hands" For this week's Saturday Afternoon "Workshop and Game" we'll talk about "Defensive Carding: Count Signals." Note that next Saturday afternoon's game (March 23) will be a 0-750 silver point game. Coming up ... *Silver point games*: Districts 22 and 23 are sponsoring a Sectional Tournament at Clubs during the week of March 18-24. We'll hold games at the bridge club on Wednesday and Thursday, plus a limited 0-750 game on Saturday of that week. Our next *Bridge Basics 1 - Introduction* course will be on Saturday mornings starting April 6. The course is live on the PCC Extension <https://pasadena.augusoft.net/index.cfm?method=ClassInfo.ClassInformation&i…> web site now and available for registrations. (16 students already enrolled!) *Save the date!* Robert Todd is returning to the Pasadena Bridge Club on *Sunday, April 14*, for a one-day seminar. Robert is one of my idols as a bridge teacher and player. Best regards, Mojo, Jane, Zachary

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