Anchor ads are not supported on this page.

4S Ranch Allied Gardens Alpine Baja Balboa Park Bankers Hill Barrio Logan Bay Ho Bay Park Black Mountain Ranch Blossom Valley Bonita Bonsall Borrego Springs Boulevard Campo Cardiff-by-the-Sea Carlsbad Carmel Mountain Carmel Valley Chollas View Chula Vista City College City Heights Clairemont College Area Coronado CSU San Marcos Cuyamaca College Del Cerro Del Mar Descanso Downtown San Diego Eastlake East Village El Cajon Emerald Hills Encanto Encinitas Escondido Fallbrook Fletcher Hills Golden Hill Grant Hill Grantville Grossmont College Guatay Harbor Island Hillcrest Imperial Beach Imperial Valley Jacumba Jamacha-Lomita Jamul Julian Kearny Mesa Kensington La Jolla Lakeside La Mesa Lemon Grove Leucadia Liberty Station Lincoln Acres Lincoln Park Linda Vista Little Italy Logan Heights Mesa College Midway District MiraCosta College Miramar Miramar College Mira Mesa Mission Beach Mission Hills Mission Valley Mountain View Mount Hope Mount Laguna National City Nestor Normal Heights North Park Oak Park Ocean Beach Oceanside Old Town Otay Mesa Pacific Beach Pala Palomar College Palomar Mountain Paradise Hills Pauma Valley Pine Valley Point Loma Point Loma Nazarene Potrero Poway Rainbow Ramona Rancho Bernardo Rancho Penasquitos Rancho San Diego Rancho Santa Fe Rolando San Carlos San Marcos San Onofre Santa Ysabel Santee San Ysidro Scripps Ranch SDSU Serra Mesa Shelltown Shelter Island Sherman Heights Skyline Solana Beach Sorrento Valley Southcrest South Park Southwestern College Spring Valley Stockton Talmadge Temecula Tierrasanta Tijuana UCSD University City University Heights USD Valencia Park Valley Center Vista Warner Springs

Didn't Missa Thing

— Here's the setup... I played duplicate bridge in Fairbanks, Alaska, in 1966. Games were played in the Tiki Cove, otherwise known as the basement of the Mecca Bar.

There were 20 to 30 regulars seething, drinking, lashing out at their partners. Picture a roomful of smart, middle-aged neurotics sitting around card tables, swilling booze, egos steadily inflating until they reached the size of a male peacock in rutting season. And then there was me and my partner, Todd Mehner, jellybean youths. I was there on the strength of Todd's enthusiasm; he was a killer bridge player and needed his fix. I played for a season, picked up 2.5 masterpoints, and went on to other things.

Forty-one years later, Todd and I are standing in the Yerba Buena Ballroom underneath the San Francisco Marriott. There are 14,000-plus bridge players here to compete in the North American Bridge Championships. We've been talking to a pair from San Diego County.

I should stop and say something about duplicate bridge. Ignoring exceptions, complications, and details, players sit at table with a bridge board in front of them. Players bid as per usual, but when playing a hand, players place their cards on the table directly in front of them. After the hand is played, every hand is returned to its bridge board. One pair of players is North-South, the other pair is East-West. Over the course of the session, pairs will move, but the bridge boards remain at the same table. In this way, the same hands are played by each North-South and East-West team, score is kept, best score wins. The idea is to reward skill and eliminate chance.

Meet Judy Last-Name-I-Can't-Spell from Santee and her partner, Marty Last-Name-Withheld, from La Mesa. Judy is 50, maybe a little older, wears a yellow sweater and brown slacks. Marty, a little younger, is wearing an orange bowling shirt, black slacks, and brown shoes.

They both play out of "Adventures in Bridge, down in San Diego off Mission Gorge. It's a huge group," Marty says.

I want to know how the game has changed. I say, "Back in the Tiki Cove, the first question asked of another player was, 'What convention do you play?' What's the first question now?"

Sponsored
Sponsored

Judy says, "'What do you play?'"

Marty adds, "Standard American with some toys, depending on who I'm playing with."

Standard American was the default back in the day. "The second question was, 'How many masterpoints do you have?'"

Marty: "I have 250ish."

Eight presidents, three wars, 13 foreign interventions later, and bridge conventions remain the same, as does lust for masterpoints. Reader, you mock out of ignorance. People have died for less. But, the real point, the only point that needs be dealt with, is, where in the hell are my masterpoints?

I must retrieve my 2.5 masterpoints fairly earned in the Tiki Cove. I'm discussing this with Jon Brewer of Chula Vista. He tells me, "If you're not a Life Master, your points get purged."

"WHAT!"

"You can reinstate yourself. You can get them out of hock by paying all of your past dues."

That's better. "How much are dues?"

"Thirty-five dollars each year."

I calculate $1400. "Seems reasonable."

The next morning I telephone American Contract Bridge League headquarters in Memphis and, after being passed on just once, hear, "Yes, sir, this is Cindy. I understand you have a question about points."

"Yes, points earned in 1966. I want them."

"Well, sir, unless you were a member at that time..."

"I was."

"Your points would be in your total," Cindy says, "but we would not have a record of those particular points."

I explain that my total points would equal my Fairbanks points. Cindy says, "We might could find your total from back then. It would be by name and address. Is there a phone number where I can call you back in a few minutes?"

I give her my stats. Hang up and forget.

Fifteen minutes pass, the telephone rings. It's Cindy. She's out of breath. "Sorry for the delay. I kept getting people's voice mail," Cindy says. "I didn't find it. If I had and you wanted to rejoin, we would add those old points to your new records for a one-year renewal fee of $35."

A much, much better number than $1400. We chit. We chat. "Have you been there a long time?"

"Twenty-five years."

"Must be a good job." Are these people always this friendly? I can't remember the last time an organization treated me this well. "Tell me about the strangest call you've had."

"Well," Cindy says, "we did get a letter from a lady asking if she could come live with us. She didn't have anywhere to go. It was really sad."

The latest copy of the Reader

Please enjoy this clickable Reader flipbook. Linked text and ads are flash-highlighted in blue for your convenience. To enhance your viewing, please open full screen mode by clicking the icon on the far right of the black flipbook toolbar.

Here's something you might be interested in.
Submit a free classified
or view all
Previous article

Todd Gloria gets cash from McDonald's franchise owners

Phil's BBQ owner for Larry Turner

— Here's the setup... I played duplicate bridge in Fairbanks, Alaska, in 1966. Games were played in the Tiki Cove, otherwise known as the basement of the Mecca Bar.

There were 20 to 30 regulars seething, drinking, lashing out at their partners. Picture a roomful of smart, middle-aged neurotics sitting around card tables, swilling booze, egos steadily inflating until they reached the size of a male peacock in rutting season. And then there was me and my partner, Todd Mehner, jellybean youths. I was there on the strength of Todd's enthusiasm; he was a killer bridge player and needed his fix. I played for a season, picked up 2.5 masterpoints, and went on to other things.

Forty-one years later, Todd and I are standing in the Yerba Buena Ballroom underneath the San Francisco Marriott. There are 14,000-plus bridge players here to compete in the North American Bridge Championships. We've been talking to a pair from San Diego County.

I should stop and say something about duplicate bridge. Ignoring exceptions, complications, and details, players sit at table with a bridge board in front of them. Players bid as per usual, but when playing a hand, players place their cards on the table directly in front of them. After the hand is played, every hand is returned to its bridge board. One pair of players is North-South, the other pair is East-West. Over the course of the session, pairs will move, but the bridge boards remain at the same table. In this way, the same hands are played by each North-South and East-West team, score is kept, best score wins. The idea is to reward skill and eliminate chance.

Meet Judy Last-Name-I-Can't-Spell from Santee and her partner, Marty Last-Name-Withheld, from La Mesa. Judy is 50, maybe a little older, wears a yellow sweater and brown slacks. Marty, a little younger, is wearing an orange bowling shirt, black slacks, and brown shoes.

They both play out of "Adventures in Bridge, down in San Diego off Mission Gorge. It's a huge group," Marty says.

I want to know how the game has changed. I say, "Back in the Tiki Cove, the first question asked of another player was, 'What convention do you play?' What's the first question now?"

Sponsored
Sponsored

Judy says, "'What do you play?'"

Marty adds, "Standard American with some toys, depending on who I'm playing with."

Standard American was the default back in the day. "The second question was, 'How many masterpoints do you have?'"

Marty: "I have 250ish."

Eight presidents, three wars, 13 foreign interventions later, and bridge conventions remain the same, as does lust for masterpoints. Reader, you mock out of ignorance. People have died for less. But, the real point, the only point that needs be dealt with, is, where in the hell are my masterpoints?

I must retrieve my 2.5 masterpoints fairly earned in the Tiki Cove. I'm discussing this with Jon Brewer of Chula Vista. He tells me, "If you're not a Life Master, your points get purged."

"WHAT!"

"You can reinstate yourself. You can get them out of hock by paying all of your past dues."

That's better. "How much are dues?"

"Thirty-five dollars each year."

I calculate $1400. "Seems reasonable."

The next morning I telephone American Contract Bridge League headquarters in Memphis and, after being passed on just once, hear, "Yes, sir, this is Cindy. I understand you have a question about points."

"Yes, points earned in 1966. I want them."

"Well, sir, unless you were a member at that time..."

"I was."

"Your points would be in your total," Cindy says, "but we would not have a record of those particular points."

I explain that my total points would equal my Fairbanks points. Cindy says, "We might could find your total from back then. It would be by name and address. Is there a phone number where I can call you back in a few minutes?"

I give her my stats. Hang up and forget.

Fifteen minutes pass, the telephone rings. It's Cindy. She's out of breath. "Sorry for the delay. I kept getting people's voice mail," Cindy says. "I didn't find it. If I had and you wanted to rejoin, we would add those old points to your new records for a one-year renewal fee of $35."

A much, much better number than $1400. We chit. We chat. "Have you been there a long time?"

"Twenty-five years."

"Must be a good job." Are these people always this friendly? I can't remember the last time an organization treated me this well. "Tell me about the strangest call you've had."

"Well," Cindy says, "we did get a letter from a lady asking if she could come live with us. She didn't have anywhere to go. It was really sad."

Comments
Sponsored

The latest copy of the Reader

Please enjoy this clickable Reader flipbook. Linked text and ads are flash-highlighted in blue for your convenience. To enhance your viewing, please open full screen mode by clicking the icon on the far right of the black flipbook toolbar.

Here's something you might be interested in.
Submit a free classified
or view all
Previous article

Big swordfish, big marlin, and big money

Trout opener at Santee Lakes
Next Article

Jayson Napolitano’s Scarlet Moon releases third Halloween album

Latest effort has the most local vibe
Comments
Ask a Hipster — Advice you didn't know you needed Big Screen — Movie commentary Blurt — Music's inside track Booze News — San Diego spirits Classical Music — Immortal beauty Classifieds — Free and easy Cover Stories — Front-page features Drinks All Around — Bartenders' drink recipes Excerpts — Literary and spiritual excerpts Feast! — Food & drink reviews Feature Stories — Local news & stories Fishing Report — What’s getting hooked from ship and shore From the Archives — Spotlight on the past Golden Dreams — Talk of the town The Gonzo Report — Making the musical scene, or at least reporting from it Letters — Our inbox Movies@Home — Local movie buffs share favorites Movie Reviews — Our critics' picks and pans Musician Interviews — Up close with local artists Neighborhood News from Stringers — Hyperlocal news News Ticker — News & politics Obermeyer — San Diego politics illustrated Outdoors — Weekly changes in flora and fauna Overheard in San Diego — Eavesdropping illustrated Poetry — The old and the new Reader Travel — Travel section built by travelers Reading — The hunt for intellectuals Roam-O-Rama — SoCal's best hiking/biking trails San Diego Beer — Inside San Diego suds SD on the QT — Almost factual news Sheep and Goats — Places of worship Special Issues — The best of Street Style — San Diego streets have style Surf Diego — Real stories from those braving the waves Theater — On stage in San Diego this week Tin Fork — Silver spoon alternative Under the Radar — Matt Potter's undercover work Unforgettable — Long-ago San Diego Unreal Estate — San Diego's priciest pads Your Week — Daily event picks
4S Ranch Allied Gardens Alpine Baja Balboa Park Bankers Hill Barrio Logan Bay Ho Bay Park Black Mountain Ranch Blossom Valley Bonita Bonsall Borrego Springs Boulevard Campo Cardiff-by-the-Sea Carlsbad Carmel Mountain Carmel Valley Chollas View Chula Vista City College City Heights Clairemont College Area Coronado CSU San Marcos Cuyamaca College Del Cerro Del Mar Descanso Downtown San Diego Eastlake East Village El Cajon Emerald Hills Encanto Encinitas Escondido Fallbrook Fletcher Hills Golden Hill Grant Hill Grantville Grossmont College Guatay Harbor Island Hillcrest Imperial Beach Imperial Valley Jacumba Jamacha-Lomita Jamul Julian Kearny Mesa Kensington La Jolla Lakeside La Mesa Lemon Grove Leucadia Liberty Station Lincoln Acres Lincoln Park Linda Vista Little Italy Logan Heights Mesa College Midway District MiraCosta College Miramar Miramar College Mira Mesa Mission Beach Mission Hills Mission Valley Mountain View Mount Hope Mount Laguna National City Nestor Normal Heights North Park Oak Park Ocean Beach Oceanside Old Town Otay Mesa Pacific Beach Pala Palomar College Palomar Mountain Paradise Hills Pauma Valley Pine Valley Point Loma Point Loma Nazarene Potrero Poway Rainbow Ramona Rancho Bernardo Rancho Penasquitos Rancho San Diego Rancho Santa Fe Rolando San Carlos San Marcos San Onofre Santa Ysabel Santee San Ysidro Scripps Ranch SDSU Serra Mesa Shelltown Shelter Island Sherman Heights Skyline Solana Beach Sorrento Valley Southcrest South Park Southwestern College Spring Valley Stockton Talmadge Temecula Tierrasanta Tijuana UCSD University City University Heights USD Valencia Park Valley Center Vista Warner Springs
Close

Anchor ads are not supported on this page.

This Week’s Reader This Week’s Reader