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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>
We live and die by the elevator in our lobby. When it goes out of
service, I'm always amazed at how many of our players who have a
difficult time getting around manage to make their way up the stairs.
Granted, they're good stairs, with excellent hand rail spacing for
climbing and descending safely, but it's not ideal to have to use them
every day!
I'm told that we're dependent on a parts shipment that should arrive
Wednesday or Thursday, and hopefully we'll elevating again soon.
Change in course schedule
Alas, the textbook for /Improving Your Judgment - Opening the Bidding/
has gone out of print, and new copies are no longer available. (I still
have about four on the shelf.)
I'm replacing IYJ - Opening in the schedule with another great class,
/Improving Your Judgment - Doubles/. This is a fantastic class for new
players who need more practice and refinement for takeout doubles in all
kinds of situations.
IYJ - Opening is still a really great class, with or without the
textbook. It adds detail to the opening bid decision that you won't find
in any other course, as well as having great hands for bidding and playing.
Afternoons for novice players
Zachary and I are not only making plans to revive the 3:00-5:00 PM time
period at the club, we're planning to expand it.
On Mondays, we want to offer a more intensive session we're calling the
"Bridge Workshop with Zachary." It's an ideal session to take advantage
of Zachary's unique style and insight to improve your partnership
communication and card play.
Tuesday and Friday will be a resumption of casual bridge targeted
specifically to our student players. We want to provide a comfortable
place for absolute n00bs to develop their bridge chops. The goal is not
to make the /best/ bid or the /best/ play, but to discover the rhythms
of the game and have fun playing it. We have Jon Fuhrman, Susan Kane,
Melanie Moran, and others lined up to host.
Wednesday is going to be a formal class session, from our regular course
catalog. I plan to offer Popular Conventions (Bridge Basics 3), Play of
the Deal (Bridge Basics 4), and Introduction to Defense as the first
three courses offered on Wednesday afternoons. I think it will be a
popular time for folks who don't want to be out at night.
Thursday we're going to add an official duplicate bridge game
specifically for new players with fewer than 20 masterpoints. It will be
a short game of about 12 boards.
The Monday and Thursday events will have reservations and pre-payments
available on RSVP Bridge. Partnerships are encouraged, but friendly
partners always available for those "looking."
There are a lot of students of the game who would rather not attend
evening classes. I gave up Saturday morning classes to offer the popular
"workshop and game" on Saturday mornings. I'm considering offering a
course series, perhaps on Wednesday afternoons.
I dare say that this, along with the Saturday morning workshop and game,
will be a more extensive program specifically for newer players than I
know of at any other bridge club.
We're still finalizing the starting schedule and fees for each of the
offerings. In the next few days I will publish a starting schedule. We
won't be able to start every session on March 3, but I'll let you know.
Bridge Classes This Week
Each week I'll post the topics for the Wednesday and Thursday classes.
Anyone is welcome to join a single class for $25 without purchasing an
entire course.
This week's offerings are both "practice hand" sessions. They're a great
opportunity to drop in and practice the class topic.
This week's classes:
* Wednesday, February 19, 7:00 PM /Bridge Basics 2 - Competitive
Bidding/ "Practice Hands"
* Thursday, February 20, 7:00 PM /Bridge Basics 4 - Play of the Deal/
"Practice Hands"
The next /Bridge Basics 1 - Introduction/ class starts Thursday, April
3. It's open for registration at this link
<https://pasadena.augusoft.net/index.cfm?method=ClassInfo.ClassInformation&i…>.
If you get the PCC Extension catalog in your mailbox, you'll find our
class listed!
I'll send a separate email with information about our new classes
starting next week, "Introduction to Defense" and "Improving Your
Judgment - Doubles."
*Save the date* for our next *Robert Todd* seminar: Sunday, March 30,
all day. We're starting to take reservations for the event. This is a
first class bridge seminar. Robert features a bidding topic in the
mornings, and a card play topic in the afternoon. The seminar fee will
be $90.
Coming up ...
March *Wednesday morning bridge talks* with Lulu Minter!
Lulu will be offering a series of free Wednesday morning chalk talks at
10:00 AM before the Wednesday Open Pairs game at 11:00. He has a series
of five seminars. I'll be sending an email with all the information
about his talks and upcoming classes in the next day or two.
Our next *Sectional Tournament at Clubs* will be the week of March
10-16. We'll be offering silver point games every day that week! Card
fees will be $13 to cover extra sanction fees.
Best regards,
Mojo, Jane, Zachary
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 had a bit of an adventure this past week when our internet provider
couldn't get the WiFi router back up after attempting a "factory reset."
We had to do without for a few days, getting by on my phone hot spot. On
Tuesday they a tech finally figured out the problem and got us back online.
Meanwhile, the emails from ACBL about "glitter points" this week have
proven true! All of our open games this week have been awarding 25% gold
masterpoints. We have a few more games, and they've been well-attended
all week. (The bigger the game, the bigger the masterpoint awards.)
What's cool is that there's no extra charge for these games. :)
Plans taking shape for afternoons
The 3:00-5:00 PM time period is a great opportunity to open the bridge
club for new players. We're formulating plans to open the club during
those hours again, but with a slightly different offering.
There are a lot of students of the game who would rather not attend
evening classes. I gave up Saturday morning classes to offer the popular
"workshop and game" on Saturday mornings. I'm considering offering a
course series, perhaps on Wednesday afternoons.
There is also an opportunity to host a sanctioned two-hour duplicate
game limited to players under 20 masterpoints. We're considering
Thursday for those.
On Monday and Tuesday (and perhaps Friday) we're looking for individual
"hosts" who would shepherd new player casual bridge sessions. Several
host candidates have spoken up, and there should be a good pool of
experienced players to draw from.
Let me know what you think, and hopefully we'll have a more concrete
schedule soon!
Bridge Classes This Week
Each week I'll post the topics for the Wednesday and Thursday classes.
Anyone is welcome to join a single class for $25 without purchasing an
entire course.
This week's offerings are both "practice hand" sessions. They're a great
opportunity to drop in and practice the class topic.
This week's classes:
* Wednesday, February 12, 7:00 PM /Bridge Basics 2 - Competitive
Bidding/ "Practice Hands"
* Thursday, February 13, 7:00 PM /Bridge Basics 4 - Play of the Deal/
"Practice Hands"
Our *next two courses are in a bit of flux*. I just learned that the
textbook for "Opening the Bidding" is out of print and no longer
available. And I need to offer a "Popular Conventions" course. I'll be
updating the schedule for new courses later this week.
The next /Bridge Basics 1 - Introduction/ class starts Thursday, April
3. It's open for registration at this link
<https://pasadena.augusoft.net/index.cfm?method=ClassInfo.ClassInformation&i…>.
If you get the PCC Extension catalog in your mailbox, you'll find our
class listed!
*Save the date* for our next *Robert Todd* seminar: Sunday, March 30,
all day.
Help support wild fire victims
Our great friend of the club Jonathan Penzner has been volunteering
tirelessly with a worthy organization, the Pasadena Community Labor
Center. They have been providing food, water, medical supplies, hygienic
products, and other necessities to people affected by the wild fires.
They're accepting monetary donations at their web site
https://secure.actblue.com/donate/lafires2025 and also accept in-kind
donations of things such as trash bags, toilet paper, first-aid
supplies, and diapers. (Clothing is not required.)
The job center is very close to the bridge club at 500 North Lake Ave.
Coming up ...
Zachary, Jane and I are looking at ways to spruce up the "hospitality
room" to make it more inviting, and have a lot more storage. It's not
really a back room, and needs to mesh better with the rest of the club.
(Plus we need more storage space!)
Best regards,
Mojo, Jane, Zachary
Jan Wickersham is looking for a carpool to the sectional in San Juan
Capistrano on Feb. 22 & 23. If you're planning to attend and could give
her a ride, please drop me or her a note. Thanks!
Mojo
--
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Morris "Mojo" Jones
mojo(a)PasadenaBridgeClub.com
https://PasadenaBridgeClub.com <https://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>
A year or so ago Zachary recognized the need for our new bridge students
to have a time to drop into the bridge club and practice playing bridge.
He had a chunk of time available in his afternoons, and "Office Hours"
was born.
Most large bridge clubs have some sort of "social/supervised play"
session. I've played social bridge at Honors in New York, and the Andrew
Robson club in London. They would give you a rubber bridge score card
and leave you to it. But there was always a host (or a few) who you
could call on when you were stuck on a hand.
It's arguably the most important service offered by a teaching bridge
club. Without it, there is no comfortable transition from classes to
full duplicate bridge games.
With Zachary stepping back, it's a good time for us to take a look at
what works and what doesn't for Office Hours. Let's give it a reboot.
One thing to realize is that there's an audience for players of some
experience who aren't interested in duplicate bridge games. This group
doesn't always mix well with newcomers who are learning the game. For
one thing, the Zero Tolerance policy provides for score penalties for
bad behavior, but in an unsanctioned game there is no structure for
that. Being kind to partner and other players may be the most important
skill to develop.
It's mandatory that we offer something for our new players who are
working out their "bridge muscles" for the first time. I don't believe
we're going to be in a position to offer purely social bridge. Everyone
who drops in needs to expect that they will be seated with players who
are just learning the game. (We'll leave that as self-defined.)
I know that we'll be looking for a small army of volunteer bridge
players who support this mission and want to provide our new players
with a safe and comfortable place to practice playing bridge.
Now is the time to speak, whether you're a player in Office Hours
bridge, or someone who has played a while and wants to support the
newcomers. Please drop me a note.
Office Hours will be closed for February, and we'll see what we can work
out in March.
Bridge Classes This Week
Each week I'll post the topics for the Wednesday and Thursday classes.
Anyone is welcome to join a single class for $25 without purchasing an
entire course.
*Mojo's pick for this week*: Wednesday "The Competitive Auction" really
puts together the language of competing for the contract and preemptive
bidding. ("Negative (or Responder's) Doubles" are part of this class.)
This week's classes:
* Wednesday, February 5, 7:00 PM /Bridge Basics 2 - Competitive
Bidding/ "The Competitive Auction"
* Thursday, January 23, 7:00 PM /Bridge Basics 4 - Play of the Deal/
"Play of the Deal in Trump Contracts"
In addition, every Saturday morning at 9:30 we offer a mini-workshop
featuring a fascinating bridge hand from Eddie Kantar's "Thinking
Bridge" series. In each hand you'll discover how all of the clues you
need to find the right contract, the best opening lead, successful play
or defense, are all right there when you notice them!
The Saturday morning workshops are free and open to all, whether or not
you stay to play in the novice/intermediate bridge game at 10:00.
The next /Bridge Basics 1 - Introduction/ class starts Thursday, April
3. It's open for registration at this link
<https://pasadena.augusoft.net/index.cfm?method=ClassInfo.ClassInformation&i…>.
If you get the PCC Extension catalog in your mailbox, you'll find our
class listed!
*Save the date* for our next *Robert Todd* seminar: Sunday, March 30,
all day.
Coming up ...
February 10-16 is going to be interesting! All club games will be
awarding "glitter points," part black part other colors. I'm sure you'll
be getting email from Bronia and ACBL about that!
Best regards,
Mojo, Jane, Zachary
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 heard this story from a bridge player the other day. He was talking to
another bridge player from our area who had lost his home.
"Is there anything I can do to help?" he asked.
"Play bridge with me," was his response.
We have had calls and emails from near and far from people offering
bridge club gear, or wanting contribute money for those in hardship. I'm
happy that our club is in fine condition, and we're really not equipped
to take and disburse donations. I recommend working with any of the
better established relief agencies to help.
While they're locking down the Eaton fire, we still occasionally get a
cloud of fire smoke that can be detected in the club, but usually it
vanishes as quickly as it appears.
Bridge has been so valuable for relief and connection. Our games this
past week were all very well attended.
In memoriam
Elliott Mazur passed away this past weekend after a very brief illness.
Elliott was a fixture at the games in Pasadena and Glendale. Our
thoughts go out to his family and friends.
Jane and I knew Elliott away from the bridge club as well. He was a
patron of the Pasadena Symphony, and we would always see and greet him
at his nearby seats.
Elliott was passionate about recycling, and he always kept me on my toes
to be sure cans, bottles and cardboard all made it into recycling bins.
He cared enough that he would take home whatever cardboard boxes I had,
and even contacted the property management to ask about their recycling.
There will be a service for Elliott Thursday at 1:30 PM. The location is
Mount Sinai, 5950 Forest Lawn Dr., Los Angeles.
The *Thursday morning game will begin at 9:30 AM instead of 11:00 *this
week to allow everyone who wishes to attend the service. *Office Hours
for Thursday will not be held this week*.
Bridge Classes This Week
Each week I'll post the topics for the Wednesday and Thursday classes.
Anyone is welcome to join a single class for $25 without purchasing an
entire course.
This week's classes:
* Wednesday, January 22, 7:00 PM /Bridge Basics 2 - Competitive
Bidding/ "Simple Overcalls and Responses"
* Thursday, January 23, 7:00 PM /Bridge Basics 4 - Play of the Deal/
"Play of the Deal in Trump Contracts"
In addition, every Saturday morning at 9:30 we offer a mini-workshop
featuring a fascinating bridge hand from Eddie Kantar's "Thinking
Bridge" series. In each hand you'll discover how all of the clues you
need to find the right contract, the best opening lead, successful play
or defense, are all right there when you notice them!
The Saturday morning workshops are free and open to all, whether or not
you stay to play in the novice/intermediate bridge game at 10:00.
The next /Bridge Basics 1 - Introduction/ class starts Thursday, April
3. It's open for registration at this link
<https://pasadena.augusoft.net/index.cfm?method=ClassInfo.ClassInformation&i…>.
If you get the PCC Extension catalog in your mailbox, you'll find our
class listed!
*Save the date* for our next *Robert Todd* seminar: Sunday, March 30,
all day.
Best regards,
Mojo, Jane, Zachary
Dear friends,
I'm delighted that we'll be open for business on Monday, and saddened by
the loss we've all shared this past week. Several of our players lost
their homes, and some suffered injury.
As we prepare to open for a new week, my friend and partner Zachary
asked to send this open letter:
------------------------------------------------------------------------
My dear friends,
As the smoke fills the air, as the ash imitates rain, as we all stare
out the window wondering what will befall us next, I want to take a
moment and share something with you.
A year and a half ago my life fell apart. Nothing as dramatic as fire,
but to me, just as devastating. When these things happen, the future
seems impossible, and the past feels like a cruel joke.
Not knowing what to do, I just tried to move forward. For me, that was
the Bridge Club. It was a place where I could greet you and we could do
a silly thing and treat it seriously, we could laugh and gossip and get
angry at each other and then forgive each other...because without each
other we don't have a game.
I also invested myself into the "social" bridge program we created. The
new players who are just discovering how wonderful and maddening each
hand of bridge is...that feeling of excitement when arranging...dread
when we misplay...relief when the finesse holds. On and on and on. For
hours and hours we would go through the hands and talk about what we
could have done better and how we will NEXT time.
Somehow, in this repetition, a new structure in me was made. One that
enabled me to move a bit further, and a bit more forthrightly, into a
very uncertain future.
Forgive my self-indulgence. I say all that merely to say this: when it
is safe again please come to the bridge club. Please be around friends
and get away from turmoil (if only for a moment). Please structure your
way forward around a community who cares for you and needs you. Please
think of mentoring a new player. Please think of bringing a
friend along. Please think of the happy days ahead and please think of
the miserable ones too - I assure you those days will be made better by
being in a room, playing cards, surrounded by family.
------------------------------------------------------------------------
This week at the club:
* All Open games will be Club Championships
* Our two Wednesday and Thursday evening classes will be pushed one
week on the calendar, and start this week
My wife Jane and I are taking a few days to be together for our 25th
wedding anniversary. I'll be at my regular game on Wednesday. Zachary
can't wait to open the bridge club on Monday morning.
Come play and we'll start healing together.
Very best regards,
Mojo
--
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Morris "Mojo" Jones
mojo(a)PasadenaBridgeClub.com
https://PasadenaBridgeClub.com <https://pasadenabridgeclub.com>
Pasadena Bridge Club <https://pasadenabridgeclub.com>
Zachary, Jane and I feel that it would be best to keep the bridge club
closed for the remainder of this week. We'll consider opening for the
Monday game if the air quality and overall safety has improved.
Here is a photo that Zach took yesterday. (He said it looks about the
same today.)
Jane and I haven't had power at our home in Monrovia since Tuesday
afternoon. We're safe at home for the time being, though it'd be good to
have a hot shower and some laundry. :) Our place is outside any of the
evacuation zones.
We have had a few of our beloved players totally lose their homes in the
Eaton fire. Our thoughts and prayers are with them and everyone affected
by the fire, along with our hopes for a seamless and productive recovery
in the months and years ahead.
Best regards,
Mojo, Jane, Zachary, Lisa, Melanie
--
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Morris "Mojo" Jones
mojo(a)PasadenaBridgeClub.com
https://PasadenaBridgeClub.com <https://pasadenabridgeclub.com>
Pasadena Bridge Club <https://pasadenabridgeclub.com>
Our bridge club remains in a "prepare to evacuate" zone, and (as you
know) the air quality is unhealthy. We're going to remain closed all day
Thursday.
This is a cancellation of the 11:00 game, 3:00 Office Hours, and the
7:00 PM class for Thursday. You'll also probably receive a notice from
RSVPBridge.
Jane and I are safe in Monrovia, not in an evacuation zone, but we've
been without power for quite some time. Our internet is somewhat
unreliable using cell phones only.
We can think about Friday when the time comes.
I know many of you are already away to a safe location. We hope you'll
stay safe!
Best regards,
Mojo
--
build message
Morris "Mojo" Jones
mojo(a)PasadenaBridgeClub.com
https://PasadenaBridgeClub.com <https://pasadenabridgeclub.com>
Pasadena Bridge Club <https://pasadenabridgeclub.com>
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>
Have you noticed the sharp looking Pasadena Bridge Club name badges
around the club? You can order one of your own. I don't send in an order
until I have at least four to make, and it takes about ten days to arrive.
If you'd like a badge, drop me a note and I'll add you to the list! Give
me your name and home city as you'd like it spelled on the badge. When
it arrives, you can pick it up and pay $15.
Online/F2F Hybrid Game Jan 12
Tom Reynolds has been working with Realbridge and the ACBL to test the
feasibility of having a large distributed bridge event by having players
bring their laptops or tablets (and headphones) to the bridge club and
play the event online.
The first test of the event is this Sunday at 1:00 PM, with four clubs
in the LA area participating, including the Pasadena Bridge Club. The
game won't award masterpoints, but winners will get an opportunity to
play a game online with an expert partner.
If you'd like to be added to the event, drop me a note! There are
several sessions between now and Sunday where you can test your
connection to Realbridge and practice using the platform.
New Year's Eve Recap
Our New Year's Eve "Eight is Enough" game doubled in size this year vs.
last year, filling the club with 16 tables. My apologies to a few that
we had to turn away! We had a huge mix of visitors, old pros, and new
players. Many were playing a team tournament for the first time.
The competition was tougher than last year with several well-planned
teams. Winning the event was the team of Roy Wilson, Gloria Rommel, Jon
Fuhrman and Susan Kane.
Bridge Classes This Week
We have a strong calendar of courses at the club, with eight different
six-week courses to level-up your bridge game. Classes are held on
Wednesday and Thursday evenings at 7:00 PM, and we'll cycle through the
catalog during the year. See the full list here.
<https://pasadenabridgeclub.com/available_courses>
Each week I'll post the topics for the Wednesday and Thursday classes.
Anyone is welcome to join a single class for $25 without purchasing an
entire course.
This week's classes:
* Wednesday, January 8, 7:00 PM /Bridge Basics 2 - Competitive
Bidding/ "Preemptive Opening Bids"
* Thursday, January 9, 7:00 PM /Bridge Basics 4 - Play of the Deal/
"Play of the Deal in Notrump"
In addition, every Saturday morning at 9:30 we offer a mini-workshop
featuring a fascinating bridge hand from Eddie Kantar's "Thinking
Bridge" series. In each hand you'll discover how all of the clues you
need to find the right contract, the best opening lead, successful play
or defense, are all right there when you notice them!
The Saturday morning workshops are free and open to all, whether or not
you stay to play in the novice/intermediate bridge game at 10:00.
The next /Bridge Basics 1 - Introduction/ class starts Thursday, April 3.
Coming up ...
Let's have a week of Club Championship games January 13-18. All of the
Open Pairs games will pay significantly extra masterpoints, and no extra
charge. The ACBL grants us this type of game a few times a year.
I haven't yet seen a schedule of new Sectional Tournament at Clubs
games, but I'll add them to our schedule as soon as I hear.
Best regards,
Mojo, Jane, Zachary
