Ann Kuperberg
As we welcome the New Year, we remember Eric Vonderheid, a SaddleBrooke bridge player who passed away. He was a lovely, gentle man who always had a ready smile at the bridge table. When we return to the MountainView game, there will be an empty space that he once occupied.
In the meantime, we can play duplicate bridge games through Bridge Base online every hour of the day. Tucson clubs provide morning and afternoon virtual games at different skill levels and offer online classes, too. The Adobe and Northwest clubs have combined with other clubs, so there’s a wider field of players.
Peter Godfrey achieved the Bronze level while playing at the virtual games. Congratulations, Peter.
Good advice comes from experts who contribute to the Bridge Bulletin.
Karen Walker mentioned re-bids by the opener and various answers. Her conclusion was to keep an open mind. “Listen to others’ recommendations and consider the possibility that your bridge teacher’s advice was wrong, misunderstood, or outdated,” she said. It’s good to have an understanding with your partner and be ready to adapt.
Billy Miller responded to a player who wrote about bidding problems. “It’s fine that one player is more optimistic than the other, or that one player is more gutsy but the rules are the same,” he said. A takeout double in the balancing seat is allowed to be up to a king less than a direct takeout double. He reminds the player that the partner, who was a passed hand, should bid accordingly, and include pass.
We hope to all have the vaccine by this summer and perhaps able to play bridge at the clubhouse again. We just need to keep healthy and safe.