August 14, 2022

Hi Deana,

Thanks for your nice email informing me of my "Junior Master" status. I’ve played bridge since I was in high school, learning the game from my mom and her girl friend who was the mother of my best friend. I played casually with friends through the years. I had never really tried to learn the new conventions and rules of ACBL until the pandemic. My job disappeared, which was OK, since I was past 70. I definitely had the time to concentrate on bridge. Thank goodness, BBO came into my life. I had several foursomes who would sign into BBO together, connect with a conference call, play bridge and discuss the hands. I heard about the Bridge Center of St. Paul’s Zoom sessions on Thursday. Each foursome was put in a "room" with an instructor. The instructors were great, very knowledgeable and fun. When the world started playing "live" bridge again, Plymouth Bridge Club started a Tuesday afternoon session, starting with a half hour lesson and then dividing into two rooms. One room had a regular duplicate tournament while the other room played "Chat" bridge. There were always several instructors in chat bridge to help and instruct with each hand. John Schlundt runs the chat room and has been so helpful and enthusiastic. I’m still playing on Tuesdays with the Plymouth Bridge Club, but have now graduated to the "big room". I played in the Twin Cities bridge tournament at the Crowne Plaza in May with my Tuesday partner, Mary Mead, and we earned about half a master point. In July I played in the North St. Paul tournament with that same childhood friend, Merrikay Bailey (who’s mom and my mom taught us to play) and we earned a few more points.

This is a game that I can play for the rest of my life and I’m so grateful to have found it again, thank you, Carol Lord