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:
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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
--
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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
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>
Welcome to 2025! It's going to be a great year for playing bridge and
leveling-up your game.
Our class sessions are on Wednesday and Thursday evenings, featuring
another course from our eight course catalog
<https://pasadenabridgeclub.com/available_courses> every six weeks or so.
We also have our weekly Tuesday evening duplicate game for novice
players, as well as our popular Saturday morning game with a free bridge
workshop at 9:30. Office Hours feature casual bridge every Monday -
Thursday from 3:00-5:00 PM.
Bridge Basics 2 - Competitive Bidding
Bridge Basics 1 focuses on what we call the "constructive" auction —
when one side opens the bidding, the other side is silent. This allows a
partnership to focus on HOW HIGH and WHERE to play a contract.
But in most bridge auctions, both sides get involved. When the other
side makes a bid, you also have the goal of interfering with their
auction, as well as finding the best contract for your side. A
competitive auction offers new opportunities to add to our bidding
vocabulary.
Of course it wouldn't be one of our courses without also having tips for
winning extra tips as declarer or defender!
* Six Wednesday evenings, starting January 8, 7:00 - 9:00 PM
* See the full course description
<https://pasadenabridgeclub.com/course/competitive-bidding>
* $120 includes textbook by Audrey Grant
* Click here to enroll
<https://pasadenabridgeclub.com/contact/course_enrollment>
Bridge Basics 4 - Play of the Deal
/Play of the Deal/ was just released in 2024 by Audrey Grant and David
Lindop. This will be our first presentation of the course at the
Pasadena Bridge Club!
While bidding language evolves over time (like all languages!), the
principles of card play as declarer are timeless. The techniques and
puzzle-solving skills of declarer play are also much deeper than they
seem at first! Like all puzzles, skill is achieved through study and
practice to recognize common situations and possibilities.
* Six Thursday evenings, starting Januray 9, 7:00 - 9:00 PM
* Full course description
<https://pasadenabridgeclub.com/course/play-of-the-deal>
* $120 includes textbook by Audrey Grant
* Click here to enroll
<https://pasadenabridgeclub.com/contact/course_enrollment>
Last year and this year ...
At the end of the year, the Pasadena Bridge Club was #99 in North
America, with 2,357 tables played in ACBL-sanctioned bridge games. In
the US alone, we're #79. In LA County (District 23) we're #3 behind the
Long Beach Bridge Center and the Agile Bridge Club.
Next on the course calendar will be /Improving Your Judgment - Opening
the Bidding/ starting on February 19, and /Introduction to Defense/
starting February 20.
This coming year we'll have a special full-day seminar event featuring
Robert Todd. If you're saving events on your calendar, keep Sunday March
30 open for that.
Our next session of /Bridge Basics 1 - Introduction /will be on Thursday
evenings, starting April 3. Watch for the listing in the PCC Extension
catalog!
Mojo, Jane and Zachary
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
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>
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
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>
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
