BRIDGE JANUARY BridgeFeed ACBL’s new online news site NEXT IN LINE Meet 2018 President Jay Whipple China Dolls U.S. Women’s team dominates Beijing Hua Yuan Cup MAJOR COUP Are you familiar with these techniques? Going Back to Cali Results from the Fall NABC BRIDGE BulletinVolume 84, Number 1 • January 2018 • acbl.org Cover design: Cindy Hill Cover art: Thinkstock.com Features 10 Cheesesteak Your Claim Philly hosts the Spring NABC. 14 He’s Next Jay Whipple is 2018 ACBL president. 16 Top Director Molnar Award recognizes TD Lynn Yokel. 18 SD Wrap Results from the Fall NABC – part 1. 22 Beijing Bucks U.S. women win money event in China. 26 Coup de Laughs Cocheme is coo-coo for bridge coups. 33 Map Quest Oregon pair plays in all 50 states. 10 14 16 4 Bridge Bulletin January 2018 COLUMNS INTERACTIVE FEATURES CONTRIBUTORS IN FIRST SEAT THE BIDDING BOX ADAM PARRISH Parrish the Thought FROM THE CEO IT’S YOUR CALL PHILLIP ALDER RULING THE GAME , WEST, EAST HANDS FOR Card Play 101 THE BIDDING BOX PAT HARRINGTON DEPARTMENTS CHALLENGE OF THE MONTH Play & Learn LETTERS TO THE EDITOR LYNN BERG A GAME FOR ALL AGES MASTERPOINTS Startup Bridge NEW LIFE MASTERS CLUB NEWS JERRY HELMS LIFE MASTER MILESTONES Ask Jerry BIG GAMES PERSONAL MP PROFILE , LARRY COHEN Bidding Basics, The Real Deal CALENDARS PASSINGS , MIKE LAWRENCE TOURNAMENT DIRECTORY Mike’s Bridge Lesson, Mike’s Advice , , OBITUARIES TEACHER, DIRECTOR COURSES MARK HORTON IN MEMORIAM Misplay These Hands with Me SCHEDULE OF EVENTS , EDDIE KANTAR Chalk Talk, Test Your Play 22 AUGUST BOEHM Boehm on Bridge MARTY BERGEN Better Bridge with Bergen KAREN WALKER Bidding Matters FRANK STEWART My Bridge and Yours BILLY MILLER Dear Billy DAVID BIRD Bridge with the Abbot GEORGE JACOBS George’s World Irina Levitina, Sylvia Shi, Pamela Granovetter, Kerri Sanborn, Lynn Deas (and in front), Janice Seamon-Molson 33 26 January 2018 Bridge Bulletin 5 IN FIRST SEAT Member Services: 1–800–264–2743 (U.S. only) 1–662–253–3193 (Other countries) Call and speak to a member services representative to: • Join the ACBL • Renew your membership Introducing BridgeFeed • Change your mailing address Our members have made it increasingly clear that they are hungry • Get questions about MPs answered for online bridge content in addition to their monthly Bridge Bulletin • Report Bridge Bulletin not received magazine. Last fall, a team at ACBL designed a special website to Available Monday–Friday tackle the project, and in late November, BridgeFeed was unveiled. 8 a.m.– 4:30 p.m. CST Located at acbl.org/bridgefeed, the site is filled with tips on how to play, player profiles, announcements for ACBL members, articles Email Customer Service: from past and current issues of the Bridge Bulletin, and lots of photos. [email protected] Additionally, visitors to the site will see extensive coverage of the Fall NABC in San Diego. More contact information The site has already attracted quite a few eyeballs, with almost on pg. 82. 81,000 hits in its first two weeks of existence. Much of this traffic was driven by folks looking for news from San Diego, but we hope that even more visitors will check out BridgeFeed soon to see the great BRIDGE material there, including some crossover content from newspaper columns: Frank Stewart’s Daily Bridge Club and Bob Jones’s Goren Bulletin Bridge are regularly featured on the site. Editor: Paul Linxwiler Even though BridgeFeed will entertain ACBL members, the site Managing Editor: Sue Munday is open to the public – membership is not required to view it – so Associate Editor: Chip Dombrowski fans of the game who aren’t necessarily duplicate enthusiasts can Graphic Design/Layout: Cindy Hill also enjoy the extensive content. With articles by regular Bridge Bulletin columnists such as Eddie Kantar, Mike Lawrence and Larry BRIDGE BULLETIN (ISSN ¡–¢£¤¢) is published monthly by the Amer i can Contract Bridge League, Inc., Cohen, there’s something available for players of all levels. Beginners, ¢¥¤¥ Windchase Blvd., Horn Lake MS £¢£¤–¥¦£, especially, will find fun pieces on how to improve their game. ¢¢¦–¦¥£–£. §¥ per copy, §¨¡ annually. Yearly sub- scrip tion paid with annual dues. Periodicals postage paid BridgeFeed is also an easy way to showcase the game to friends who at Horn Lake MS and at additional mail ing offices (USPS are curious about bridge, but who may not be ready to try duplicate. ¨–¨£). Printed in the USA. Because the Bridge Bulletin magazine has limited amounts of Canadian Publication rate paid at Windsor ON, Permit ©¨¨¡¥¥. CANADIAN return address: c/o space, we frequently have to turn down good contributions from Amer i can Contract Bridge League, P.«O. Box ¤¥, Stn A, talented authors – there’s just no room. With BridgeFeed, however, Windsor ON, Canada N¡A ¢P¦. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to BRIDGE the editors can publish articles from these writers online. Got a BULLETIN, P.®O. Box ¦¡, Horn Lake MS £¢£¤-¦¡ great story? Let us know. Good photos and videos are a plus if they’re relevant to the piece. We hope that members and non-members alike will check out American Contract Bridge League BridgeFeed soon. We welcome your feedback on the new site, too. 6575 Windchase Blvd. Horn Lake MS 38637–1523 Paul Linxwiler, [email protected] Website: acbl.org 6 Bridge Bulletin January 2018 »InBox Letters to the Editor Handicaps as ratings I personally know several casual/ can be asked, etc. Even when Houston I noted with interest the letters from social bridge players who have not is hosting large tournaments (such as Barry Elberg and Marty Deneroff in the joined a duplicate bridge club, but do the Lone Star Regional), Dave makes October issue concerning an effective enjoy playing the game at home with sure the Sunday lab is held. rating system for ACBL players. friends or family. What would it take This type of activity promotes the That very subject has concerned me for them to make the move to join a game to new players such that many of for some time. Using maximum total club? those players are now regulars during accumulated masterpoints (MPs) as a Research on this issue would be ACBL-sanctioned games. It works! player’s handicap is a bizarre system. helpful in developing a social bridge EVVIE GILBERT What it says is that no matter what, strategy that local clubs could employ Seabrook TX you will forever be rated at your abso- to entice new members to join. Your lute maximum total point MPs. The suggestions about hosting bridge Praising the Partnership Desk analogy that I like to use is that I once parties is a cool idea. I also think that In the November Bulletin, Amanda had a golf handicap of 9, but today it is local clubs could do more to encour- Stewart’s interview with the CEO 17 and creeping higher. If golf were to age social bridge players to come out of needs to be addressed. The experiences use the ACBL system, I would always their bridge closet and join with others that I’ve had from being “fixed up” at have a 9 handicap. There wouldn’t be at the club. Perhaps clubs could offer the partnership desk are the direct much enjoyment for me today playing social bridge in their schedule of regu- opposite of Amanda’s dreadful game. in local club and group tournaments lar games, or hold social bridge events Many people have found excellent trying to carry a 9 handicap. I would in combination with potluck dinners. partners and formed lasting friend- have no chance. No matter how much Let’s hear from ACBL members on ships with the people they were paired people profess about the fun of playing their ideas! with at tournaments. against the stars of the game, I believe Branding is a big deal, but bridge has I just returned from the Ventura everyone likes to have a chance. a bad brand image (only for elderly, Regional, where I was paired for a The matter of a fair and balanced rat- slow play, too difficult, etc.). Bridge was Gold Rush game at the last minute. My ing system likely would not matter to big 50 years ago. Perhaps social bridge partner had 28 points, and there was the professionals, but I believe it does could be branded as Retro Bridge to only a few minutes for us to review our matter to the paying public. help bring millennials into the game. convention card. We had two 50-plus I suggest that an ACBL personal The bottom line is that we need a percent games, and we plan to play handicap could be devised by some constant infusion of fresh blood to again at regional tournaments. Not combination of lifetime accumulated keep this game alive for the future. only did I leave with masterpoints, MPs and those earned in the last 12 Investment in this area is critical and but I found a wonderful new bridge or 24 months. Given the powerful necessary. partner and a fresh perspective on how computers of today and the skilled CAROLE COPLEA important it is to be respectful of your programmers available to ACBL, a Nepean ON partner and other players at the table. member’s handicap could be updated In addition to my latest experience, monthly or even daily. In the November 2017 issue, Michel I met my regular partner three years WESLEY W. ANDERSON Bellefeuille wrote a letter about ago at the partnership desk and played Kelowna BC promoting the casual game of bridge to at the San Diego NABC with someone increase interest among new players.