The one and only official
BRIDGE CLUB SOAP OPERA
From the beginning of July when the inauguration of the new Aces Academy takes place, there will be a report each month from a club in at least six different countries. Germany, France, England, Spain, Scotland and Thailand. Anyone else who wants to join in the fun – especially the Scandinavians – is welcome to contribute. By reporting, in their native language, any incident of special interest that occurred in a tournament where they played.
I have enough reports to fill a book on my own, but I will tell just one for now. To give contributors an idea of what we would like:
About thirty years ago I was partnering a lady on a bridge weekend at the Beach Hotel in Worthing. She was a few months older than my mother. I had taught her to play golf and she subsequently became Somerset (senior) ladies golf captain. To repay me for encouraging her to start a successful and fulfilling golf career as late in life as fifty, she understandably thought it a good idea to offer me bridge lessons that I didn`t need. I understandably was forced to agree to the offer to placate her.
As is often the case with my female partners, she gave me a lesson after every hand every time we played. Raised eyebrows from my partner were not uncommon either. Especially on the innumerable occasions where I had apparently asked her to play the wrong card from dummy.
Around the same time, I happened to play in an EBU simultaneous event at the Birchfield Hotel in Weston. With a different partner. But one who likewise tested all my virtues of patience, tact and subservience to the limit.
My couldn`t care less attitude on this occasion did at least enable us to end up somewhere in the middle of about 2000 pairs nationally. I was more than happy with that result. But my partner wasn`t. She wanted to do better next time. At this point, with the tournament over and me clearly being a much better player than my partner, I then made the mistake of suggesting to the lady that she should let someone with a modern approach to the game give her a lesson. This provoked such an outburst that nowadays it would merit at least a yellow card - if not a red card - for insulting behaviour on bridge club premises.
You`ve probably guessed already.
The lady in Worthing was my mother-in-law and the one in Weston super Mare was my mum.
End of part one of this soap. Episode two to follow early in July.
Note that all the reports will be in the respective languages of the contributing countries - English, Spanish, German, etc. - as well as in English.
Trevor 15/3/19
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