April 10, 2020

Thanks for the congrats. You want a story—here goes.

In the mid 70's I stopped playing when it became non smoking event. Thirty five + years later I attended a 90^th birthday party for our manager/ director of the Lincoln Duplicate Bridge Club. I had been playing socially over the years and was in the company of a woman who had also played at the bridge club. We decided to attend. We won E/W and our friends won N/S. we were asked why we didn't play more often and replied, "Maybe when it becomes a smoking event again." A year or so later, I was no longer living with her and ran into another ex-player who had recently been widowed. (She and I had known each other for 30+ years.) I asked her if she still played and when she said, "Yes," we began to play on a weekly basis. (She was 0.20 RED away from her Life Master status.) We were able to secure that by end of the year. I was well behind that total when I had quit playing but was able to get my points reinstated. (I was 150 total points behind her and remain so to date.) I taught her a version of Std. Amer. that we play today despite the occasional heckling to get "Modern." I made Life Master in 2010, Bronze in 2011 and Silver in 2015 playing in local and nearby sectionals and regionals. Our North American Pairs efforts in 2010 qualified us 2nd in our Dist.—Class C—and we got travel money to go to the Finals in Reno. (Guess I lost my amateur status.) In Reno for the North American Pairs, I made Life Master in a side game with Bob Hamman playing my direction.

We are currently awaiting our chance to continue play in the most marvelous of games. I have played since I was 16 and will be 75 this Sept. Congrats to the ACBL for the idea of hand records after a game—an outstanding teaching tool.

Thanks for letting me share.

Chuck Hoster