Parent - Child Duplicate
June 21, 2015
Our special Father's Day game was different than usual. Unlike our normal Parent-Child games where a youth is paired with a parent or grandparent, we invited parents or grandparents and children of any age to play in this game.
It was the largest turnout for a parent-child duplicate game to date. There were seven tables in the A section and five tables in the B section. Will Watson directed superbly with high energy as usual.
We are pleased that not only are grandparents and parents interested in getting their kids to play bridge, but that the new generation of bridge kids want their parents to play, too! When Olivia and Britt D’Arezzo learned of this event about two months ago they started teaching their dad, Tom, to play bridge and convinced him to play in this special event. Olivia played with her dad in the B section (see picture, below) and they were first in the NS direction. Britt played in the A section with her grandmother. Bravo for getting dad involved and for winning!
Colin Tivol our youngest player by far (age 5), playing with his grandfather Lewis Levey, tied with Olivia and Tom for first place. Colin's older sister Violet Tivol (see picture, below), playing with her grandmother Cheryl Levey, was first in the B strata of the B section. Excellent showing for the two youngest players in the Bay Area (and probably in the US). Watch out Meckstroth and Rodwell, the Tivols are coming.
There were also several first-time players. Tad Yoshikawa, a veteran on the duplicate circuit, coaxed and trained his grandson Jonathon Youngquist to play. They were first in the EW direction of the B Section. Jonathan signed up to become an ACBL member right away. Tad’s wife, Flo Yoshikaw, partnered her daughter Stephanie Yoshikawa in Section B.
In the EW direction of the A Section, Bo and Rory Xiao handily beat out everyone for first position. Well done.
In the A section, not surprisingly, Kevin and Michael Rosenberg swept the field but were ineligible for masterpoints because both are Life Masters.
<----- As for our 'older' children.
Young players play with a parent or grandparent as partner, trying to win American Contract Bridge League (ACBL) masterpoints and enjoying each other's company. Director Will Watson plans the game so that each pair would be able to meet and play against almost all the others.
Duplicate bridge is one of the few competitive activities in which people of all ages can participate as equals. Participants in the Parent-Child duplicate range from youth to seniors, but each pair has to work together to score well. Bridge is also one of the few games in which new players have the opportunity to compete against and learn from established stars.
Participants in our events range from duplicate bridge novices to experienced ACBL Life Masters to a world champion--all enjoying the company as well as the challenge of the game itself. A typical reaction was one youth's first words as he and his father left, "Can we do that again?"
Grandparents and parents looking for ways to connect with their young family members and entice them away from their iPods and their Game Boys should consider taking up bridge as a family activity. The youngsters may end up teaching them a few things, and that's a great feeling for everyone.
Bridge games at our events are American Contract Bridge League (ACBL) sanctioned awarding masterpoints (MP) to high scorers. ACBL membership is not required for our games but is strongly suggested. You can join online or at the Bridge Center on the night of an event. Adult membership is $29 for the first year and junior membership only $15 per year. Both include a monthly print magazine and registration of masterpoints (start earning towards becoming a Life Master!).
As for our 'older' children
Bette and Jana Cushman played bridge together as partners after decades. Their joy of mother and daughter playing as partners was evident to all those who happened to be lucky enough to sit across from them for a few boards.
Carol Schwerer convinced her son-in-law, Kingston Duffie, to take a break from social bridge and join in for a game of duplicate bridge. This was Kingston’s first duplicate game and he enjoyed it (even though there was no wine as is often the case during social bridge). We hope to see him on our duplicate circuit and at more parent child events. Kingston’s son Cornelius played with his grandmother Gertrude Duffie.
Judy Zuckerberg played with her daughter Debbie Rosenberg for the first time in a duplicate event. They won the A section. On one board, when Judy made an excellent trump-promotion defensive play, Debbie’s face lit up with excitement and, probably for the first time ever (and possibly the last time), Debbie lost her poker face at the table.