The Bridge Deck

While eating lunch one day in 1996, I was asked if I played Bridge.  When I answered yes, that evening I found myself at a bridge table in Erie, PA. wondering what I had got myself into.  My knowledge of conventions consisted of Stayman, Blackwood and Gerber.  Still used strong two’s, knew nothing of transfers, negative doubles or any alerts.  But at the end of the evening, my partner and I finished second overall in a club championship and I had earned my first masterpoints and my enjoyment of duplicate bridge had begun.   When I got home from the game, I called Millie and told her of my experiences that evening and that I had been invited back for another game.  When Millie arrived in Erie, our first evening out was at the bridge club.  She played in the Novice game and won.  She was now hooked.

It was in Erie that Millie became a club director  and I was transferred once again in my job as a hospital administrator.  Off to Washington, D.C. we went and settled in Silver Spring , MD.  Unbeknownst to us, we settled five minutes away from the Washington Bridge Center and became regulars there.  At Millie’s urging, I also became a club director there under the tutelage of Edith McMullin, who recommended us to Michael Carroad for directing at the Washington Bridge League’s weekly Unit Game.  This game is normally between 40 - 60 tables and draws many of the areas best players.  We learned all aspects of directing and running a game very quickly. Millie started directing several games a week at the Bridge Center and soon became the Club Manager and I was her employee.  I retired in 2002 and became a part time ACBL tournament director in July of 2003.

In September of 2003, we relocated to St. Cloud where we built our retirement home.  Millie was offered and took over the Friday game at the Bridge Center  which has flourished under her leadership. 

And that is how one couple got into duplicate bridge…