In the newsletter I said: "Each team of four players (two partnerships)
should have fewer than eight points."
What I actually meant is "eight or fewer," i.e., "Eight is enough." :)
Lots of teams are forming up, but I you can also sign up with a partner
if you like as a twosome, and we can make teams from those folks!
Experienced pairs are looking for newcomer teammates!
We'll find partners for single players too.
Mojo
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Morris "Mojo" Jones
mojo(a)PasadenaBridgeClub.com
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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 December at the bridge club. Just today we had 13
tables for a regular Tuesday club game, after 9 tables for the Monday game.
This is the second week of the Gold for Good event. I think several of
our players scored a little gold over the week.
The unit also hosted a splendid holiday party with 13 tables of open
players and five tables of newer players, many attending their first
ever event like that one.
New Year's Eve Teams
This is a very different bridge club from the one last New Year's Eve,
when we had eight teams compete in a Swiss Team tournament. About half
of the teams were new players in their first ever team tournament. There
were very few experienced players.
I've set the "Eight is enough" points to try and make sure that our
newer bridge players get an opportunity to team with an experienced
pair. (Unlike the "over/under" game, you can pick your own partner and
play with a friendly face across the table.)
Here's how it goes. Each player is assigned a number of points based on
their current masterpoint holding. Here's how the points are assigned:
* 3 points: Players over 1,000 masterpoints
* 2 points: Players from 200 - 1,000 masterpoints
* 1 point: Players with fewer than 200 masterpoints
Each team of four players (two partnerships) should have fewer than
eight points.
If we can't make teams from this group, we might have to bend a little
here and there, but I think it will work out.
/You don't have to form a team yourself,/ although you may. If you have
a partnership that would like to play, or are a single looking for a
team, Zachary and I will do our best to put together teammates. You can
sign up on RSVP as a pair or even an individual looking for a team, or
drop me a note <https://pasadenabridgeclub.com/contact/game_reservation>
and I'll add you to the list.
This will be a wine and cheese New Year's Eve party. We'll start about
12:00 Noon (actually 11:59 AM so it will be a "morning" game by the
ACBL). Swiss Teams takes a bit longer to play, but it includes plenty of
social time. We should be finished by 4:30 at the latest.
Kantar Declaring Classes
The last two of the Kantar classes are Wednesday and Thursday evenings.
Each class stands alone, and are $25 each. We had three tables or more
for each class last week, and the "aha!" moments were precious. This week:
* Wed Dec 18: The avoidance play
* Thu Dec 19: Ducking plays at suit contracts
Doors open at 6:30, and class starts at 7:00. If you're not on the list
and planning to come, please let me know
<https://pasadenabridgeclub.com/contact/contact_the_bridge_club>.
Coming up ...
Two great courses in January! "Play of the Deal," Audrey Grant's newest
addition to the Bridge Basics series on Wednesday evenings. Thursday
will be "Competitive Bidding," probably the most effective course in the
catalog to improve you're score at the club games. Reserve your seat
<https://pasadenabridgeclub.com/contact/course_enrollment> in either class.
The next Bridge Basics 1 - Introduction course will be on Thursday
evenings starting April 3.
Best regards,
Mojo, Jane, Zachary
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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>
Great things at the bridge club this week! We've had lots of big games
this past week. I think everyone is enjoying getting out in December and
spending the day at the bridge club!
Gold for good
This week is the first of two weeks available for the ACBL's ingenious
charity event "Gold for Good." Here's how you do it:
* Register for the week for $30 with the ACBL:
https://www.acbl.org/portfolio/goldforgood/
* Play in two or more "Open Pairs" events at any bridge club (at least
one face-to-face game) during the week, Monday through Saturday
That's it. You can play with different partners. Your partner doesn't
need to be registered. Pay the usual $12 card fee (or one card punch) at
the club.
At the end of the week, the ACBL will gather your two best games from
the week. Your result is pooled with all of the other GfG participants
in North America, and the top 25% will be awarded gold points!
*The deadline to register for the first week is midnight tonight (Sunday)!*
Club championship week
Let's play Club Championship games all week! Tons of black points, and
maybe some of us will earn a little gold as well, in the Gold for Good
event.
Kantar lessons this week
This week on Wednesday and Thursday evening we'll have two single-topic
lessons. Each class is $25, or join all four (including next week) for $85.
These will all be focused on "play of the hand" topics, taken from an
enormous library of lessons from the late great Eddie Kantar. Here is
the schedule:
* Wed Dec 11: Entries
* Thu Dec 12: Loser on loser plays
* Wed Dec 18: The avoidance play
* Thu Dec 19: Ducking plays at suit contracts
All classes will start at 7:00 PM.
"Black Friday" sale
Get 5-game punch cards good for any regular game at the bridge club for
$55. You can buy up to three. Cards never expire. Sale ends December 31.
Coming up ...
Next Sunday is the Unit Holiday Party with a great luncheon at the
Arcadia Community Center. We'll be hosting about 17 tables in two
sections: Open Pairs and 299er Pairs (similar to the Saturday morning
games). You should already have your reservations! You can pre-pay the
$30 fee at the Pasadena Bridge Club by credit card any time this week,
if you like. (No credit cards at the venue.)
Linda Lucas is looking for a partner for the 299er game at the Holiday
Party. Here's a chance to join in!
On Tuesday, December 31, we'll have a New Year's Eve party, with wine,
cheese, and bridge. It will be a Swiss Team event in the "Eight is
enough" format, much like last year's event. I haven't yet settled on
the "1-2-3" divisions. I'll do that this week. We'll open at 12:00,
start bridge at 12:30, and be finished about 4:30.
Best regards,
Mojo, Jane, Zachary
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>
I had a great time in Las Vegas playing in the North American Bridge
Championships. I had two great days of bridge, and didn't come home with
any big finishes. It was great hearing about the impact the Pasadena
Bridge Club has had from friends near and far.
Audrey Grant was dining next to us at one of the restaurants. She told
me how excited she was about what we're doing, and I was able to
introduce her to several of our folks who were also dining nearby.
Group with Audrey Grant
Lisa Walker, Audrey Grant, Karmen Armoudjian, Mojo and Jane
I might have a new slogan for the bridge club, "The little club that
thinks it's a big club." 🙂
December has several special events to tell you about.
Kantar on Declarer Play
On Wednesday and Thursday evenings, Dec, 11, 12, 18, and 19, I'll be
offering individual classes that each focus on a different aspect of
declarer play.
The source material comes from a treasure trove of lessons and hands by
the inimitable Eddie Kantar. Each class is $25 to attend, or you can
sign up for all four for $85. There is no textbook.
Here are the topics for each session, each starting at 7:00 PM:
* *Entries* Wed Dec. 11
* *Loser on Loser Plays* Thu Dec. 12
* *The Avoidance Play* Wed Dec. 18
* *Ducking Plays at Suit Contracts* Thu Dec. 19
Drop me an email to sign up, and I'll add you to the courses on RSVP Bridge.
Dec. 15 Holiday Party
The unit is putting on a great holiday party on Sunday Dec. 15. The meal
is a tri-tip barbeque from Stonefire Grill.
For bridge we're going to have two sections: Open Pairs like our weekday
11:00 AM games, and 299er Pairs limited to players with fewer than 300
masterpoints, like our Saturday morning games.
Reservations must be made by Thursday, December 5, so drop me a note if
you are coming. You can pay in advance using cash or a credit card at
the Pasadena Bridge Club.
New Year's Eve Party
Last year we had a great time playing a team game on December 31 in the
afternoon. We're going to do it again this year, with plenty of wine and
cheese, and an early start time that will let you get home or to your
own NYE celebration plans. (Probably 12:00 noon.)
I'll have more about that next week.
New Courses in January
January 8 and 9 we'll start with new courses in the Bridge Basics
series, including the *first offering* of Audrey Grant's brand new
/Bridge Basics 4 - Play of the Deal/.
Wednesdays will feature /Bridge Basics 2 - Competitive Bidding/, and
Thursdays /Bridge Basics 4 - Play of the Deal/.
Drop in on the Upcoming Courses
<https://pasadenabridgeclub.com/available_courses> page for all of the
information.
The next /Bridge Basics 1 - Introduction/ will be on *Thursday evenings
starting April 3*, offered through Pasadena City College Extension, as
usual!
Our own "Black Friday" sale!
For December we're selling "5-game" punch cards for $55, a savings of $1
each over the regular $12 game fee. You can buy up to three if you like.
(That's three total, not three at a time!)
I'll print as many as we need. Come January they'll be $60 again, which
isn't a discount, but it's certainly convenient.
More next week!
