We will hold our 10:30 Wellesley game on Monday, April 15, as usual. Please be aware that the Boston Marathon route runs through the middle of Wellesley on Central Street (Route 135) from Natick to Wellesley Square and on Washington Street (Route 16) from Wellesley Square to Newton. No problem reaching the club via Worcester Road (Route 9) from Route 128 or from other points to the east or west as usual. However, if you have to drive across the marathon route, there are only two places you’ll be able to do that: on Route 9 in Wellesley Hills and on Route 128 in Wellesley Lower Falls. Click here for a map.

Zach Grossack will host two lesson+game sessions on defensive signals. The lessons will be on Tuesdays, March 5 and 12, at 9:15 in Wellesley. They will be followed by open and 499er games at 10:30.

Please see our Classes page for full information.

Congratulations to Bay State Bridge players who advanced in masterpoint rank in September, October, November, and December including Life Master Sue Geer and Silver Life Masters (1,000 points) Terry Berenson, Paul Adler, Sharon Stanfill, and Judy Pollack.

For complete lists, please see Masterpoint Achievements on our site and Masterpoint Races and Member Rank Achievements on the ACBL site.

The District 25 Sectional Tournament at Clubs (STaC) is 2024 January 8-14, and all Bay State Bridge games this week award silver points. Scores are compared with other participating New England clubs, and there are lots of extra points for high-ranking pairs overall. Click here for overall awards.

What: all things double: penalty, takeout, and the many other uses of my favorite bridge bid
When: Wednesdays, 2024 January 3, 10, and 17 31, lesson 10:45-11:45, 999er game 12:00-14:15
The January 17 lesson+game was postponed until January 31.
Teacher: Zach Grossack
Fee: $35 per player for both the lesson and the game; $90 for all three lessons and games if you pay on January 3
Where: Italo American Educational Club, 75 Pleasant Street, Wellesley (How to Find Us)
No preregistration—just come!

Zach writes:

Hello Everyone!

I've just returned from visiting NYC only to quickly turn around onto a plane head to the Fall Nationals in Atlanta. Bridge life on the road.

Thank you if you came to the trial run of our Lesson/Game combo on November 14th! I hope you enjoyed the counting on defense lesson, which was probably new and exciting for most :)

Due to the popularity of the idea, we will be running it more frequently. To start, I will be doing a 3 part mini-lesson series on Wednesdays in January on all things double: penalty, takeout, and the many other uses of my favorite bridge bid. That will start at 10:45. Then we will have an 18 boards 999er game from 12-2:15. You will get hand records with little write ups for the boards we do in class, and of course regular hand records from the duplicate game. January 3, 10, and 17.

The price including the lesson and the entry for the game is $35 per person. If you buy all 3 at once, it's $90. We will collect at the door - no online reservations necessary. 

Come with a partner, or come solo and we will find you one. 

Tell your friends!

Happy Holidays,

ZG

Zach Grossack will be back on Wednesdays, January 3, 10, and 17 31, with combination lessons and games.

​​​The January 17 lesson+game was postponed until January 31.

Zach’s topic is "all things double: penalty, takeout, and the many other uses of my favorite bridge bid."

Please see our Classes page for full information.

The club is open as usual the week of November 27 (during the North American Bridge Championships in Atlanta). All games that week are special “Welcome Back” games that award mucho extra masterpoints—82% sectional rating—at our regular-game price.

• Monday, 10:30, Wellesley: open game—499ers pay $5 (see below)
• Tuesday, 10:00, Wellesley: pregame lesson with Stuart Whittle (free)
• ​Tuesday, 10:30, Wellesley: open and 499er games
• Tuesday, 12:15, Peabody: open game
• Wednesday, 12:00, Wellesley: open game
• Thursday, 10:00, Wellesley: supervised play with Stuart Whittle
• Thursday, 12:00, Wellesley: open game

David, Gary, and Tim will be at the NABC and look forward to seeing many of you in Atlanta.

If you’re a newcomer or advancing player, we understand that you may be more comfortable playing in limited games where all the players are at a similar level of experience, the games are shorter, and the pace is more relaxed. We will offer more limited games as interest warrants.

We also invite you to try our open games. Our directors and more experienced players promise to make this a pleasant experience for you! 

All of our games are “stratified.” If your masterpoint holding is in the low ⅓ of the field (the “C stratum”), then you are also ranked and awarded masterpoints as though you had played in a separate game with just the other C pairs. This is a win-win-win situation!

• If you score in the top 40% of the C stratum, you earn masterpoints—exactly as many masterpoints as you would earn by playing with the other C players in a separate flight.
• If you do particularly well, you earn a higher masterpoint award in the B or A stratum.
• You gain experience playing against players of all levels, from beginners to world champions. (In what other game can you play against, learn from, and occasionally beat some of the very best players for about the price of a movie ticket?)

When you play in an open game, we promise:

• More-experienced players will be nice to you!
• More-experienced players will not gloat!
• More-experienced players will not criticize your play!
• More-experienced players will not give you unrequested advice!
• More-experienced players will remember when they were in your shoes!
• If you ask, more-experienced players will be delighted to answer your questions and give you advice about the bidding or play of a board!
  • Please don’t hold up the seven-minute-a-board pace of the game. You might have time to ask (quietly) at the end of a round if you’ve finished early. Otherwise, ask at the end of the session.
  • Don’t ask too much.
  • Asking two experts a question may yield two or more different answers!
• Sometimes you’ll do better than an expert pair on a board, sometimes for a round, and occasionally over a whole session, and that’s exciting!

If a more-experienced player ever fails to live up to this promise, please tell a director. The director will take appropriate action.

Please join us Tuesdays, January 3–17, 10:00–12:30, for Win at Matchpoints: Lesson + Play sessions with Zach Grossack and Kim Gilman. Please see our Classes page for full information.

Tuesday, November 14, lesson 9:15–10:15, 999er game 10:30–13:00
Teacher: Zach Grossack
Fee: $30 per player for both the lesson and the game
Where: Italo American Educational Club, 75 Pleasant Street, Wellesley (How to Find Us)
No preregistration—just come!

Zach writes “If you'd like to see this type of lesson-game combo become a thing, please join us on the 14th (with or without a partner - we will match you up)!”

Zach Grossack will give a lesson on Tuesday, November, 14, from 9:15 to 10:15 preceding our 10:30 open and 999er games. Please see our Classes page for details.

WHERE: Bay State Bridge, 75 Pleasant St., Wellesley, MA—How to Find Us
WHEN: September 6, 13, 20, and October 4 (skipping September 27 during high holidays). The class begins at 10:15 and ends around 11:45. There is an open duplicate game and a limited duplicate game, both at noon, after the lesson finishes for those interested in testing out their slamming!
HOW: Easy booking at zgbridge.com. You are also welcomed to just show up—drop-ins are just fine.
WHO: All levels welcome, but intermediate and advanced players (and even experts) especially won’t want to miss this class!
HOW MUCH: This will be a 4 part class, the 4 classes together at $110. Per class drop-ins are welcome, with each individual class at $35

You’re invited to another special series of celebrity lessons on Wednesdays, September 6, 13, and 20 and October 4, from 10:15 to 11:45. Stay for our 12:00 game, which will have a 999er flight (18 boards, 2½ hours) as well as an open flight (24 boards, 3 hours).

Zach has won eight North American Bridge Championships and is the 2022 ACBL Player of the Year. He writes:

I am excited to return to the teaching circuit, this time with my favorite topic in history: Thinking Slam.

Remember when you were first taught that you need 33 combined points for a slam? We're going to throw that one by the wayside. I'm sure you've all taken 12 tricks with fewer points than that - and in this class, I will be showing you how and when to look for these slams. Why? Because those who bid slams win more at bridge, of course!

This class will cover both the technical side of slam discovery, as well as the conceptual side. We will go in depth on Roman Keycard Blackwood and control bidding, as well as look for key factors that determine when to start whiffing for slams. These concepts include double fits, an abundance of aces, “30 point decks” (if you don't know what that means, come to the class and learn!), knowing when shortness is useful (and also knowing when it might not be!), and much more. 

By the end you will start visualizing the number of tricks your side will take during the bidding. Trust me.

September 6: Roman Keycard and a few things you might not have known about it
September 13: The Key Factors—what exactly to look out for when exploring for slam
September 20: Control Bids and Cue Bids
October 4: The “30 Point Deck” and putting it all together.

Come as a partnership, or come as an individual and we will fix you up with a partner. And of course feel free to tell all of your bridge friends who might be interested!

Hope to see lots of you there.

Slams ahoy,
ZG

Congratulations to Bay State Bridge players:

• who advanced in masterpoint rank in June, July, and August, including Life Master Anne Farrington, Silver Life Masters (1,000 points) Tracy Burlock, Walter Driscoll, and Sam Gallo,  Gold Life Master (2,500 points) Harold Nordstrom, Emerald Life Master (7,500 points) Natalie Bassil, and Platinum Life Masters (10,000 points) Alan Watson and Rick Binder
• who rank high in 2023 masterpoint races through August, including district leaders Joe Lanzel, Cesare Verdi, Barbara Tarlin, Max Siline, Harrison Luba, Natalie Bassil, Joe Cappannelli, Alan Watson, Sheila Gabay, and Zach Grossack

For complete lists, please see Masterpoint Achievements on our site and Masterpoint Races and Member Rank Achievements on the ACBL site.

Click here for overall results of the New England Royal Sectional Tournament at Clubs held the week of August 21.

Joe Cappannelli, Haven Sharaf, and Chuck Greenslit rank first, seventh, and eighth on the masterpoint list for this STaC.

September is International Fund Month, and all of our games are International Fund games. The ACBL’s International Fund supports North American participation in international competitions. All masterpoint awards are 64% sectional black points (about twice the awards for regular club games).

You’re invited to another special series of celebrity lessons on Wednesdays, September 6, 13, and 20 and October 4, from 10:15 to 11:45. Stay for our 12:00 game, which will have a 999er flight (18 boards, 2½ hours) as well as an open flight (24 boards, 3 hours).

Zach has won eight North American Bridge Championships and is the 2022 ACBL Player of the Year. He writes:

I am excited to return to the teaching circuit, this time with my favorite topic in history: Thinking Slam.

Remember when you were first taught that you need 33 combined points for a slam? We're going to throw that one by the wayside. I'm sure you've all taken 12 tricks with fewer points than that - and in this class, I will be showing you how and when to look for these slams. Why? Because those who bid slams win more at bridge, of course!

This class will cover both the technical side of slam discovery, as well as the conceptual side. We will go in depth on Roman Keycard Blackwood and control bidding, as well as look for key factors that determine when to start whiffing for slams. These concepts include double fits, an abundance of aces, “30 point decks” (if you don't know what that means, come to the class and learn!), knowing when shortness is useful (and also knowing when it might not be!), and much more. 

By the end you will start visualizing the number of tricks your side will take during the bidding. Trust me.

WHERE: Bay State Bridge, 75 Pleasant St., Wellesley, MA—How to Find Us
WHEN: September 6, 13, 20, and October 4 (skipping September 27 during high holidays). The class begins at 10:15 and ends around 11:45. There is an open duplicate game and a limited duplicate game, both at noon, after the lesson finishes for those interested in testing out their slamming!
HOW: Easy booking at zgbridge.com. You are also welcomed to just show up—drop-ins are just fine.
WHO: All levels welcome, but intermediate and advanced players (and even experts) especially won’t want to miss this class!
HOW MUCH: This will be a 4 part class, the 4 classes together at $110. Per class drop-ins are welcome, with each individual class at $35
September 6: Roman Keycard and a few things you might not have known about it
September 13: The Key Factors—what exactly to look out for when exploring for slam
September 20: Control Bids and Cue Bids
October 4: The “30 Point Deck” and putting it all together.

Come as a partnership, or come as an individual and we will fix you up with a partner. And of course feel free to tell all of your bridge friends who might be interested!

Hope to see lots of you there.

Slams ahoy,
ZG

Starting Labor Day week, we have two 999er games in Wellesley: Tuesdays at 10:30 and Wednesdays at 12:00. These games are 18 boards and last about 2½ hours.

On Tuesdays, come for a free pregame lesson at 10:00. On Wednesdays, come for Zach Grossack’s “Thinking Slam” classes at 10:15 (see below).

Congratulations to Bay State Bridge players:

• who advanced in masterpoint rank in June and July, including Life Master Anne Farrington, Silver Life Master (1,000 points) Tracy Burlock, Emerald Life Master (7,500 points) Natalie Bassil, and Platinum Life Master (10,000 points) Alan Watson
• who rank high in 2023 masterpoint races through July, including district leaders Joe Lanzel, Cesare Verdi, Marty Cohen, Harrison Luba, Natalie Bassil, Joe Cappannelli, Alan Watson, Sheila Gabay, and Zach Grossack

For complete lists, please see Masterpoint Achievements on our site and Masterpoint Races and Member Rank Achievements on the ACBL site.

Congratulations to Bay State Bridge players who won 2022 masterpoint races, including:

• unit Helen Shanbrom Ace of Clubs winners Sue Geer, Sam Gallo, Bob Gervis, Barbara Murphy, Carole Weinstein, and Haven Sharaf
  • Murphy also won her district race
• unit Mini McKenney winners Jeff Xiao, Dori Senerchia, Emma Kolesnik, Eric Xiao, Rita Vachani, Ethan Wood, Larry Lebowitz, Harrison Luba, Barbara Murphy, Carole Weinstein, and Adam Grossack
  • Jeff Xiao, Kolesnik, Eric Xiao, Wood, Lebowitz, Murphy, Weinstein, and Grossack also won their district races
  • Jeff Xiao and Wood also won their ACBL-wide races
• Harrison Luba, Eric Xiao, and Jeff Xiao were the top three youth (under 20) in our district and ranked second, third, and fourth ACBL-wide
• Zach Grossack, Ethan Wood, Harrison Luba, Jeff Xiao, Emma Kolesnik, and Eric Xiao were the top six juniors (under 26) in our district and ranked first, sixth, eighth, ninth, tenth, and eleventh ACBL-wide
• Adam and Zach Grossack, Larry Lebowitz, Sheila Gabay, Ethan Wood, and Stephen Gladyszak were the top six in our district in total masterpoints
  • Adam and Zach were sixth and eighth ACBL-wide
• Zach Grossack was the Player of the Year (most platinum points in NABC+ events at the three North American Bridge Championships). Adam Grossack ranked fifth and Larry Lebowitz tied for ninth.

For complete lists, please see Masterpoint Achievements on our site and Masterpoint Races and Member Rank Achievements on the ACBL site.

At the Spring North American Bridge Championships in New Orleans, Bay State Bridge players won two NABC+ championships and an NABC championship. Zach Grossack and Linda Robinson won the Baldwin North American Pairs. Sheila Gabay and Lew Gamerman won the Leventritt Silver Ribbon Pairs, making Lew a Grand Life Master. Vik Srimurthy and Venky Venkataramani won the 0-2500 Pairs.

Linda Robinson and Mark Aquino were third in the Leventritt Silver Ribbon Pairs. Sheila Gabay and Alan Watson were third and Selen Hotamisligil and Cenk Tunçok were fourth in the Rockwell Mixed Pairs. Ethan Wood and his teammates were second in the 0-10,000 Knockouts.

Emma Kolesnik, Marina Polestra, Rena Lieberman, Natalie Bassil, Larry Lebowitz, and Adam Grossack also ranked overall in NABC+ events. Carole Weinstein, Bob Gorsey, and Brenda and Neil Montague also ranked overall in NABC events.

Walter Driscoll, Barbara Blauer, Susan Lincoln, Muggsie Rocco, Elizabeth Wood, Ethan Wood, Bart Bussink, Juan Felipe Cuervo, Carolyn Bitetti, Ulla Winkler, Joanne Tulimieri, and Zach Grossack won regional events, flights, brackets, or strata. Walter won four times with three different partners.

Congratulations to all! Apologies if I missed anyone—please let me know.

New Orleans attendance was 7124 tables, 15% higher than last spring in Reno.

Congratulations to Bay State Bridge players:

• who advanced in masterpoint rank in April and May, including Life Masters Bill Finch and Emily Gordon and Diamond Life Master (5,000 points) Stuart Whittle
• who rank high in 2023 masterpoint races through May, including district leaders Saul Agranoff, Joe Cappannelli, Sheila Gabay, and Zach Grossack

For complete lists, please see Masterpoint Achievements on our site and Masterpoint Races and Member Rank Achievements on the ACBL site.

Congratulations to Bay State Bridge players:

• who advanced in masterpoint rank in April, including Life Masters Bill Finch and Emily Gordon and Diamond Life Master (5,000 points) Stuart Whittle
• who rank high in 2023 masterpoint races through April, including district leaders Saul Agranoff, Joe Cappannelli, Sheila Gabay, and Zach Grossack

For complete lists, please see Masterpoint Achievements on our site and Masterpoint Races and Member Rank Achievements on the ACBL site.

Click here for overall results of the New England Royal Sectional Tournament at Clubs held the week of May 22.

Haven Sharaf, Al Votolato, Joe Cappannelli, and Sheila Gabay rank first, second, fourth, and fifth on the masterpoint list for this STaC.

May is the ACBL’s annual Grass Roots Fund Month, and Bay State Bridge games this month (except for the New England Royal Sectional Tournament at Clubs May 22-25) will all benefit the Grass Roots Fund for our New England district.

Masterpoint awards are about 250% of regular games (64% sectional-rated).

Two annual North American Bridge Championship events have “grass roots” qualification. Players in four flights compete to represent each district in the North American Pairs and Grand National Teams finals at the Spring and Summer NABCs respectively. The Grass Roots Fund helps fund qualifying events and subsidize district winners’ travel to the NABCs.

Click here for New England's NAP representatives at the New Orleans NABC in March. Zach Grossack and Linda Robinson won the top flight.

Click here for New England’s GNT representatives in flights A and C at the Chicago NABC in July. Our representatives in the Championship and B flights will be determined June 17-18.

The 2023 United States Bridge Championships are May 1–25 in the Chicago area. Those vying to represent the US in the 46th World Bridge Teams Championships August 20–September 2 in Marrakech included Larry Lebowitz, Adam Grossack, Zach Grossack, Ethan Wood, Tom Breur, Sheila Gabay, Emma Kolesnik, Chris Parker, Stew Rubenstein, Yiji Brennan, Mark Aquino, and Pat McDevitt. Click here for results.

The New England Royal Sectional Tournament at Clubs is the week of May 22. All Bay State Bridge games that week will award extra masterpoints with equal parts  gold ,  red ,  silver , and  black . All of our games that week will be scored with other in-person clubs throughout New England.

Please join us for free pregame lessons every Tuesday before our 10:30 open and 999er games. The lessons usually start at 10:00.

Zach Grossack will teach on May 23. The lesson that day will start at 9:45.

Tuesdays, 2022 December 6–December 20 and 2023 January 3–17, 10:00–12:30
Each session will be a 40-minute lesson followed by a 12-board game.
Teachers: Zach Grossack and Kim Gilman
Fee: $20 per session or $50 per three-week series (click here to book online)
Where: Italo American Educational Club, 75 Pleasant Street, Wellesley (How to Find Us)

We want to invite you to our bridge club, Bay State Bridge in Wellesley, MA, for a special celebrity lesson series and bridge game starting Tuesday, December 6th. We have booked Zach Grossack to teach you some incredible bridge tips, and play in a duplicate game just for the students. One lucky player each week will win a drawing to partner with Zach!

Zach has won seven North American Bridge Championships and is the 2022 ACBL Player of the Year.

If you’d enjoy some insight into how the experts get top scores in duplicate bridge, learning from Zach is both enlightening and fun! Bring your partner if available; singles are welcome and will be paired in class. If you win the drawing to play with Zach, your partner will get another good partner for the game!

The cost is $20 per session or $50 for three. You can register here online with your credit card, or pay by cash/check/Venmo at the door. Join us at least once and also receive a “free play” coupon for any future game at Bay State Bridge.

Questions? Contact our bridge teacher Kim Gilman at kgilman11@gmail.com or call 978-254-5008. We look forward to seeing you on Tuesday mornings!

Zach Grossack has won seven national bridge titles, including the prestigious Platinum Pairs last March. He reached the highest bridge ranking, Grand Life Master, at age 22, breaking the record for being the youngest player to achieve this elite bridge milestone. Zach not only excels in bridge play, but is also a pro at teaching the game to those who are learning and improving. Zach engages students with succinct and memorable bridge tips, combined with fascinating real-life examples and lots of humor. His website is www.zgbridge.com.

Register here for the December or January lesson series in Wellesley.

Congratulations to Bay State Bridge players:

• who advanced in masterpoint rank in the first quarter, including Life Masters Kathryn Conway and Rob Russell, Gold Life Master (2500 points) Carolyn Krebs, and Grand Life Master (10,000 points plus an NABC+ championship) Lew Gamerman
• who rank high in 2023 masterpoint races through March, including district leaders Cesare Verdi, Saul Agranoff, Natalie Bassil, Joe Cappannelli, Sheila Gabay, and Zach Grossack

For complete lists, please see Masterpoint Achievements on our site and Masterpoint Races and Member Rank Achievements on the ACBL site.

On Wednesday, April 26, we’ll honor Lew Gamerman for achieving the ACBL’s highest rank. Lew became a Grand Life Master when he and Sheila Gabay won the Leventritt Silver Ribbon Pairs in New Orleans.

We’ll have a pot-luck brunch at 11:00 preceding the ACBL-wide Charity Game at noon. Please bring something to share.

Please join us for free pregame lessons every Tuesday before our 10:30 open and 999er games. The lessons usually start at 10:00.

Zach Grossack will teach on April 25. The lesson that day will start at 9:45. The topic is “Going After the Opponents.”

We will hold our 10:30 Wellesley game on Monday, April 17, as usual. Please be aware that the Boston Marathon route runs through the middle of Wellesley on Central Street (Route 135) from Natick to Wellesley Square and on Washington Street (Route 16) from Wellesley Square to Newton. No problem reaching the club via Worcester Road (Route 9) from Route 128 or from other points to the east or west as usual. However, if you have to drive across the marathon route, there are only two places you’ll be able to do that: on Route 9 in Wellesley Hills and on Route 128 in Wellesley Lower Falls. Click here for a map.

We're delighted to add an Intermediate/Newcomer game to our weekly schedule. Please join us and tell your friends!

All Bay State Bridge games in March award extra masterpoints (64% or 82% of sectional tournament rating). Most are the same price as regular club games. Please see Calendar Month.

Congratulations to Bay State Bridge players:

• who advanced in masterpoint rank in February, including Life Masters Kathryn Conway and Rob Russell
• who rank high in 2023 masterpoint races, including district leaders John Mahoney, Joe Cappannelli, Sheila Gabay, and Zach Grossack

For complete lists, please see Masterpoint Achievements on our site and Masterpoint Races and Member Rank Achievements on the ACBL site.

Congratulations to Bay State Bridge players:

• who advanced in masterpoint rank in January, including Gold Life Master (2500 points) Carolyn Krebs
• who rank high in 2023 masterpoint races, including district leaders Barbara Tarlin, Marina Polestra, Stewart Rubenstein, Sheila Gabay, and Zach Grossack

For complete lists, please see Masterpoint Achievements on our site and Masterpoint Races and Member Rank Achievements on the ACBL site.

Bay State Bridge players are at the top of the Spring North American Bridge Championships in New Orleans, after winning both NABC+ events that concluded in the first four days! Zach Grossack and Linda Robinson won the Baldwin North American Pairs Wednesday and Thursday (Friday Daily Bulletin). Sheila Gabay and Lew Gamerman won the Leventritt Silver Ribbon Pairs Friday and Saturday (Sunday Daily Bulletin). Mark Aquino and Robinson were third in the Silver Ribbons, and Alan Watson was sixth.

Robinson tops the masterpoint list with 156 points (all platinum) followed by Grossack at 106 and Gabay and Gamerman both at 100.

These were the first NABC+ victories for Gamerman and Robinson. The win makes Gamerman a Grand Life Master. Gabay now has four NABC+ wins and Grossack nine.

Zach “Cover Boy” Grossack will teach the pre-game lesson on Tuesday, March 7, at 10:00. The subject is lead-directing doubles. Please join us for Zach’s lesson and for the 999er and open Unit Championship games that follow at 10:30.

At the North American Bridge Championships in Phoenix, the team including Adam and Zach Grossack and Larry Lebowitz reached the quarter finals of the Soloway Knockout Teams and finished third in the Reisinger Board-a-Match Teams. Zach garnered “Player of the Year” honors [Daily Bulletin, December 3, p. 1] by winning a total of 852 platinum points in “NABC+” events at this year’s three NABCs. All five of Zach’s teammates were also in the top ten [Daily Bulletin, December 5, p. 4].

Other Massachusetts players who ranked overall in NABC+ and NABC events: Mark Aquino, Emma Kolesnik, Ethan Wood, Stephen Gladyszak, Dean Panagopoulos, Michael Schrage, Sheila Gabay, John Manopoli, Peter Clay, Paul Harris, Dan Jablonski, Al Muggia, Natalie Bassil, Bill Irvine, Kamla Chawla, and Jiang Chen.

Massachusetts players who won other events, strata, and brackets: Eric, Jeff, and Victor Xiao, Barbara Blauer, Rob Russell, Yumi Hough, Grace Charron, Al Votolato, Barry Margolin, Nathan Glasser, Paul Harris, Peter Clay, Katie Love, Don Smith, Rena Lieberman, Marina Polestra, Tom Breur, Peter Weiden, and Jill and Joe Sackett.

Congratulations to all! Sorry if I missed anyone—please let me know.

Congratulations to Bay State Bridge players who advanced in masterpoint rank in May through December, including Life Masters Jayson Rhuda, Sam Gallo, and Barbara Liskov; Silver Life Masters (1000 points) Roberta Francis, Monte Jaffe, Stan Piltch, Rita Vachani, Carolyn Bitetti, and Marilyn Ogden; Gold Life Masters (2500 points) Rene Frayman, Danny Krebs, Marianne Bechet, and Larry Lebowitz; Diamond Life Masters (5000 points) Kim Gilman, Ken Bloom, and Stewart Rubenstein; Emerald Life Master (7500 points) Amnon Gabay; and Platinum Life Master (10,000 points) Sandra Drum. Grand Life Masters Stephen Gladyszak and Pat McDevitt passed the 20,000-point mark.

Charlie and Sandra Drum are the first couple in the New England district with 10,000 masterpoints each.

Congratulations also to Bay State Bridge players who rank high in 2022 masterpoint races, including district leaders Larry Lebowitz, Barbara Murphy, and Adam Grossack. Harrison Luba is the top youth (under 20) in our district and second ACBL-wide. Zach Grossack, Ethan Wood, Harrison Luba, and Emma Kolesnik are the top four juniors (under 26) in our district and rank first, sixth, eighth, and ninth ACBL-wide. Adam and Zach Grossack lead our district in total masterpoints this year and are sixth and eighth ACBL-wide.

The Player of the Year (most platinum points in NABC+ events at the three North American Bridge Championships) is Zach Grossack. Adam Grossack ranks fifth and Larry Lebowitz is tied for ninth.

For complete lists, please see Masterpoint Achievements on our site and Masterpoint Races and Member Rank Achievements on the ACBL site.

February is the ACBL’s annual Educational Foundation Month, and all Bay State games award extra masterpoints (64%-sectional-rated black points).

Please join us for Lesson + Play sessions with Zach Grossack and Kim Gilman Tuesdays, January 3–17, 10:00–12:30 and for Supervised play with Stuart Whittle Thursdays 10:00–12:00.

We will add masterpoint-limited flights to our schedule as soon as your interest warrants. You are always most welcome at our open games! These games are “stratified,” so if your masterpoint holding is in the low ⅓ of the field, you’ll earn at least as many masterpoints as you would earn if the low ⅓ played in a separate flight. Rest assured that the veteran players will make you welcome and will be delighted to give you tips and answer your questions if you ask.

Please click here for more information.

The week of February 6, we will hold our Monday Wellesley game, our Tuesday Peabody game, and our Thursday Wellesley Supervised Play. We will not hold games in Wellesley Tuesday-Thursday. The New England Bridge Conference’s Presidential Regional Tournament is Tuesday-Saturday, February 7-11, in Southbridge.

January is the ACBL’s annual Junior Fund Month. All Bay State games will benefit the ACBL’s Junior Fund and award extra masterpoints (64%-sectional-rated black points).

You’re invited to another special series of celebrity lessons and bridge games on Tuesday mornings, January 3–17. We have booked Zach Grossack to give you some incredible bridge tips, and play in a duplicate game just for the students. One lucky player each week will win a drawing to partner with Zach!

Zach has won seven North American Bridge Championships and is the 2022 ACBL Player of the Year.

If you’d enjoy some insight into how the experts get top scores in duplicate bridge, learning from Zach is both enlightening and fun!

For more information, please see our Classes page, or Zach's web page, or Kim Gilman’s web page. Click here to register.

Wednesdays, 2022 September 21–November 9, except October 5*, 10:00–12:00
Teacher: Kim Gilman
Fee: $20 per session or $110 for all seven sessions (click here to book online)
Level: Newer Players through Intermediate
Where: Italo American Educational Club, 75 Pleasant Street, Wellesley (How to Find Us)

Join me at Bay State Bridge in Wellesley, MA, for a one-hour lesson on Wednesday mornings, followed by an hour of just playing for fun! (I will be there to answer your questions as you play.) Come alone or with your partner—a partner is guaranteed.
 
We require COVID vaccination, including a booster if eligible. Please note that “up to date” vaccination now includes a new updated bivalent booster, and we urge you to get one as soon as practical. Mask-wearing strongly encouraged for Bidding Brush-up.

Drop into any single session for $20 or enroll in all 7 for $110. (Click here to book in advance, or just show up.)

Dates and Topics:

*There will be no class on Wednesday, October 5, due to Yom Kippur. However there will be a free 90-minute online class that morning from 10:00 to 11:30 for those who are available. I will send you a Zoom link the day before, and feel free to invite your partner/friends. It will be a Declarer play class and for those who haven’t tried it yet, you will enjoy my online “bridge classroom” where you get to declare every hand.

We’re delighted to welcome back Kim Gilman for a seven-week series of “Lesson + Play” sessions Wednesdays, September 21 through November 9, from 10:00 (note time change) to 12:00 at our Wellesley site. Please see our Classes page for full information.

Please join us Wednesdays at noon in Wellesley for a friendly game. First time playing bridge in-person? Ready to get back to bridge with real cards? Come have fun, meet new friends at your level, earn masterpoints, and enjoy a relaxed game of bridge.

This game is for newer players, or anyone who feels they are still learning the game. It is officially designated a “99er Game” which means you must have fewer than 100 bridge masterpoints to participate. Many of the players are online students who are starting with no masterpoints and playing their first face-to-face bridge!

These are duplicate bridge games where you just play (no lesson). We hope you will come have fun, meet new friends at your level, perhaps earn some bridge masterpoints, and enjoy a relaxed game of bridge.

The games are at Bay State Bridge’s venue in Wellesley: the Italo American Educational Club, 75 Pleasant Street (click here for directions). There is plenty of free parking. The cost is $10 per person (cash or check).

No partner necessary. We guarantee all single players a partner! And tell your friends—all are welcome!

This will be a duplicate bridge game where you will just play (no lesson). But I hope you will come have fun, meet new friends at your level, perhaps earn some bridge masterpoints, and enjoy a relaxed game of bridge.

If you have questions, please contact Bay State Bridge or Kim Gilman (<kgilman11@gmail.com>, 617-372-6376, www.bridgewithkim.com).

Masks are now optional at Bay State Bridge games. Many of us still choose to wear masks. If someone asks you to wear a mask while you’re sharing a table with them, please do so graciously without question.

We require COVID vaccination, including a booster if eligible. Please note that “up to date” vaccination now includes a new updated bivalent booster, and we urge you to get one as soon as practical.

Thank you for doing your part so we can all feel safe and comfortable playing bridge in-person!

Congratulations to Bay State Bridge players who advanced in masterpoint rank in March and April, including Life Masters Walter Driscoll, Dori Senerchia, and Joanne Tulimieri and Silver Life Master (1000 points) Chuck Rossi.

Congratulations also to Bay State Bridge players who rank high in 2022 masterpoint races, including district leaders Leo Troy, Barbara Murphy, Carole Weinstein, and Zach Grossack. Zach Grossack and Ethan Wood are the top two Juniors (under 26) in our district and rank first and sixth ACBL-wide.

For complete lists, please see Masterpoint Achievements on our site and Masterpoint Races on the ACBL site.

Many thanks to Kim Gilman for instigating Wednesday Newcomer Games at our club. All players with less than 100 masterpoints are welcome. Kim wrote:

Newcomer Games start Wednesday, May 18! Join us at noon for a friendly game. First time playing bridge in-person? Ready to get back to bridge with real cards? Come have fun, meet new friends at your level, earn masterpoints, and enjoy a relaxed game of bridge.

This game is for newer players, or anyone who feels they are still learning the game. It is officially designated a “99er Game” which means you must have fewer than 100 bridge masterpoints to participate. But, I expect the vast majority will have 0 masterpoints—because this is to provide many of my online students a chance for face-to-face bridge!

The games will be at Bay State Bridge’s venue in Wellesley: the Italo American Educational Club, 75 Pleasant Street (click here for directions). There is plenty of free parking. The cost is $10 per person (cash or check). Those joining us on the 18th will also receive a coupon for a free game on any future Wednesday.

No partner necessary. We guarantee all single players a partner! And tell your friends—all are welcome!

For our kickoff event, bring your own drinks or enjoy the club’s free coffee and iced tea. Fresh baked goods from the wonderful Quebrada Bakery in Wellesley are on me 🍪.

To play at Bay State Bridge, you must show proof of up-to-date COVID vaccination, including a booster if eligible. Masks are optional. I will be wearing one.

This will be a duplicate bridge game where you will just play (no lesson). But I hope you will come have fun, meet new friends at your level, perhaps earn some bridge masterpoints, and enjoy a relaxed game of bridge.

No RSVP is necessary; feel free to just show up on May 18th! (But if you want to tell me you’re coming, that would be great to help with the planning.) Please arrive a few minutes before noon so we can get everyone seated with a partner and start the game on time. Once play commences, you are expected to finish all the bridge hands until the game is over, which will be about 2:30 p.m.

I can’t wait to meet some of you in person! I’m really excited to start playing “live bridge” again myself, and for you to join in the fun.

Will you let me know if you have questions?

All the best,

Kim Gilman <kgilman11@gmail.com>
617-372-6376
www.bridgewithkim.com

In June, July, and August, about half of our games are club-level qualifying games for the North American Pairs, including all games June 2–15. NAP games award half-red, half-black masterpoints at about triple the level of regular games (82% sectional rating).

Players who qualify in at least one of these games (look for a “Q” next to your name on the results) may play in the New England District Finals*. The top three or four pairs in each flight will qualify for the North American Finals at the 2023 Spring North American Bridge Championships in New Orleans and receive subsidies to help with their travel expenses.

Note that most of our non-NAP games in June, July, and August are also special games, awarding masterpoints at 64% or 82% sectional rating—about 2½ or 3 times the level of regular games.

Please click here for more information about club special games.

*The New England District Finals will be played on BBO in October. Flight A: Saturday & Sunday, October 22 & 23, 10:00 & TBA. Flight B (<2500): Saturday & Sunday, October 15 & 16, 10:00 & TBA. Flight C (<500): Saturday, October 22, 10:00 & TBA.

Our open and 99er games on Wednesday, June 1, are canceled (because the Italo American Club is hosting a gathering after a member’s funeral). Wednesday noon open and 99er games resume June 8.

May is the ACBL’s annual Grass Roots Fund Month, and all Bay State Bridge games this month benefit the Grass Roots Fund for our New England district.

Masterpoint awards are about 250% of regular games (64% sectional-rated).

Two annual North American Bridge Championship events have “grass roots” qualification. Players in four flights compete to represent each district in the North American Pairs and Grand National Teams finals at the Spring and Summer NABCs respectively. The Grass Roots Fund helps subsidize district winners’ travel to the NABCs.

New England’s GNT representatives at the Providence NABC in July are:

• Championship flight (open): qualifying tournament June 11–12 and 25–26 (online)—see NEBridge.org
• Flight A (<6000): Jiang Chen - Qinqin Wang Lexington, MA; Meiyan Duan - Shen Duan Andover, MA
• Flight B (<2500): qualifying tournament April 30–May 1 (online)—see NEBridge.org
• Flight C (<500 non-life master): Moses Liskov Lexington, MA; Barbara Liskov Waltham, MA; Christina Ahrens Arlington, MA; Walter Driscoll Cambridge, MA and
  Jack Miller Wilton, CT; Sue Geer Manchester, MA; May Persson Wellesley, MA; Ann Peterson Natick, MA

Move "mouse" over thumbnail to change

Thank you for the wonderful turnout for our Grand Reopening Day! At 24 tables, our game was, we believe, the largest ACBL club game this year to date, which is a tribute to your eagerness to resume “normal” duplicate bridge and to Massachusetts’ success in taming COVID-19 (click here for current statistics from CovidActNow—Massachusetts is among the best four states in infection rate, positive test rate, and vaccination rate).

Congratulations to Sheila Gabay and Lew Gamerman (first in A), Bill Gay and Ed Aron (first in B), and Charles Green and Chiyoko Alvarez (first in C).

We appreciate your comments and suggestions, including:

• “So, so happy with the turnout you had today. Congratulations.”
• “Thanks for a nice game yesterday!”
• “What an amazing event today at your new facility. Congratulations on a job well done setting it up for us. Thank you for all the backround work you and your team did to make this happen. … Great to see so many familiar faces again.”
• “Thanks for a great new club opening.”
• “I am so glad you're back!!”
• “Always enjoyable in your game.”

Congratulations to Bay State Bridge players who advanced in masterpoint rank in January and February, including Life Master and Silver Life Master (1000 points) David Cohen and Gold Life Master (2500 points) Anita Taylor.

Congratulations also to Bay State Bridge players who rank high in 2022 masterpoint races, including district leaders Barbara Murphy, Carole Weinstein, and Adam Grossack.

For complete lists, please see Masterpoint Achievements on our site and Masterpoint Races on the ACBL site.

April is a great time to come back to in-person bridge! All our games award extra masterpoints, starting with New England’s first Royal STaC and continuing with charity games for the rest of the month. We’re adding a Wednesday morning game in Peabody. COVID Community Levels remain Low throughout Massachusetts.

Royal STaC April 4–8

Click here for overall rankings across all participating New England clubs and final masterpoint awards. All masterpoint awards for the “Royal STaC” are equal parts  gold ,  red ,  silver , and  black .

April is Charity Month

All in-person games for the rest of the month award extra masterpoints. Most of your donations ($1 per player per session) will go for Ukraine food relief.

Patriots Day, Monday, April 18

Our 10:30 game is on. The Boston Marathon runs on Routes 135 and 16 half a mile south of the club. It’ll be easy to reach the club from Route 9 as usual, but be aware that the only nearby place to drive across the marathon route will be on Route 9 where it passes under Route 16 at Wellesley Hills Square. Click here for a map.

Zach Grossack won his fifth and sixth NABC+ titles and Adam Grossack won his fourth NABC+ title at the Spring North American Bridge Championships in Reno. Zach shared the Mott-Smith Trophy for most masterpoints earned at the Spring NABC with his partner, Michael Rosenberg.

Michael and Zach won the Kay Platinum Pairs. Larry Lebowitz’s team, including Adam, Michael, and Zach, won the Jacoby Open Swiss. The Lebowitz team also reached the quarter-finals of the Vanderbilt Knockout Teams, losing to Vinita Gupta’s team on the last of 60 boards by 3 IMPs.

Our friends from Central Massachusetts, Sarik Goyal and Eric, Guanghao, and Jeff Xiao, teamed with Kyle Rockoff to win the NABC 0-10k Knockouts. Our friend who moved to NYC, Adam Parrish, won the NABC+ Fast Pairs.

Other Bay State players ranked overall in NABC+ events:

• Leventritt Silver Ribbon Pairs: Lloyd Arvedon and Pat McDevitt, ninth; Alan Watson and Rick Binder, 17th
• Rockwell Mixed Pairs: Mark Aquino, 27th; Natalie Bassil and Bill Irvine, 58th
• Silodor Open Pairs: Eric Schwartz, 21st

and an NABC event:

• President’s Cup North American Pairs Flight C: John Tully and John Frantz, fourth

Peter Clay, Walter Driscoll, Sheila Gabay, Paul Harris, Tim Hill, Robin Hillyard, Gerry Hitt, Dan Jablonski, Barry Margolin, Pat McDevitt, Cenk Tuncok, and Ethan Wood won other events/brackets/strata. (Apologies if I missed anyone.)

Congratulations to all!

April is a great time to come back to in-person bridge! All our games award extra masterpoints, starting with New England’s first Royal STaC and continuing with charity games for the rest of the month. We’re adding a Wednesday morning game in Peabody. COVID Community Levels remain Low throughout Massachusetts.

Royal STaC April 4–8

This new kind of Sectional Tournament at Clubs awards extra masterpoints with equal parts  gold ,  red ,  silver , and  black . All of our games this week will be scored with other in-person clubs throughout New England.

Our Royal STaC schedule is:

*This week only our Tuesday Wellesley game is rescheduled to Friday (conflict at the Italo American Club).
†New Wednesday Peabody game starts April 6.

April is Charity Month

All in-person games for the rest of the month award extra masterpoints. Most of your donations ($1 per player per session) will go for Ukraine food relief.

Patriots Day, Monday, April 18

Our 10:30 game is on. The Boston Marathon runs on Routes 135 and 16 half a mile south of the club. It’ll be easy to reach the club from Route 9 as usual, but be aware that the only nearby place to cross the marathon route in a car will be where Route 9 passes under Route 16 at Wellesley Hills Square.

Bay State Bridge was well represented at the first North American Bridge Championships in two years, led by two NABC+ victories: A J Stephani, Margot Hennings, Carole Weinstein, and Bob Gorsey won the 0-10,000 Swiss Teams, and Dick Budd and John Hrones won the Super Senior Pairs.

19 more Bay State players ranked overall in NABC+ events:

• In the premier Soloway Knockout Teams, Larry Lebowitz’s team, including Adam and Zach Grossack, ranked third/fourth. Spector beat Lebowitz in the semi-finals en route to winning the event.
• Whitehead Women’s Pairs: Sheila Gabay and Linda Robinson, third
• Mixed Swiss: Stephen Gladyszak, Sheila Gabay, Max Siline, and Carrie Liu, fourth
• Nail Life Master Pairs: Pat McDevitt and Mark Aquino, fifth
• 0-10,000 Swiss Teams: Barry Margolin, Nathan Glasser, Ethan Wood, and Bart Bussink, fifth
• Keohane North American Swiss: Alan Watson and Rick Binder, 15th
• Kaplan Blue Ribbon Pairs: Harrison Luba, 17th; John McLaughlin, 29th
• 0-6,000 Mini-Blue Ribbon Pairs: Harold Nordstrom and Ashok Rao, 27th

Carolyn Bitetti, Nathan Glasser, Paul Hattis, Ann Jenkins, Harrison Luba, Barry Margolin, Linda Robinson, Jill and Joe Sackett, Eric Schwartz, Joanne Tulimieri, and Ulla Winkler won other events/strata.

Congratulations to all!

The tournament in Austin, Texas, November 25–December 5 drew 5,256 tables. That was half of the last NABC in beforetimes (10,373.5 tables in the fall of 2019 in San Francisco), but not bad under the circumstances.

Congratulations to Bay State Bridge players who advanced in masterpoint rank in December, including Life Master Charlotte Bailey, Silver Life Master (1000 points) Tom Breur, and Gold Life Masters (2500 points) Barbara Glazerman and Judith Inker.

Congratulations also to Bay State Bridge players who ranked high in 2021 masterpoint races, including:

• New England district winners Venky Venkataramani, Harrison Luba, Barbara Murphy, and Stephen Gladyszak
• Eastern Massachusetts unit winners Katherine Sears, Sam Gallo, Carolyn Bitetti, Ethan Wood, Roger Li, Steven Diamond, Natalie Bassil, and Carole Weinstein
• the top three juniors (under 26) in our district, Zachary Grossack, Harrison Luba, and Ethan Wood, who ranked first, third, and eighth ACBL-wide
• the top two youths (under 20) in our district, Harrison Luba and Ethan Wood, who ranked second and third ACBL-wide

For complete lists, please see Masterpoint Achievements on our site and Masterpoint Races on the ACBL site.

All our games this week (March 28–31) will be charity games benefitting the people of Ukraine via the United Nations World Food Program. Entry fees will be just $10 per player plus whatever you’d like to contibute for Ukraine food relief (minimum contribution $3 per player).

To help us keep enjoying duplicate bridge in person, starting January 24 we’re requiring “up to date” COVID vaccination, including a booster if it’s been six five months since your second Pfizer or Moderna shot or two months since your Johnson & Johnson shot.

Click here for more information on boosters, including how to get one in Massachusetts quickly, conveniently, and free.

The next time you play at the club, please show us your COVID vax record, including a booster if you’re eligible. Thank you!

Our Wellesley games resume Monday, January 17.

During our week off, reported COVID cases in Massachusetts peaked on Wednesday and dropped steeply Thursday and Friday. These reports lag the spread of infection, and a more timely indicator, coronavirus in our wastewater, has dropped steeply since January 5 to pre-Christmas levels.

As we return to the club, please do your part to help us all enjoy our pastime in reasonable safety:

• Stay home if you’re sick.
• Wear a good mask snugly covering your mouth and nose.
• Get a booster when you’re eligible.
  • Click here for Massachusetts booster info.
  • Starting a week from Monday, on January 24, we’ll require proof that your COVID vaccination is “up to date,” including a booster if you’re eligible.

Looking forward to seeing you back at the club!

—Tim Hill and David Metcalf

The Deer Island Treatment Plant monitors the level of coronavirus in our wastewater—a more timely indicator of COVID spread than case rates. The level climbed steeply in late December, but now it’s falling steeply, and the January 11 levels were lower than December 23. Click here for the data from the Massachusetts Water Resources Authority. Click here for a Boston.com article.

We are pausing our Wellesley games for a week, so NO GAMES IN WELLESLEY JANUARY 10-14. With the omicron surge, the case numbers are still setting new records daily, and an asymptomatic player who played January 3-6 had a positive result on a routine test January 8.

We hope to resume Wellesley games on Monday, January 17. 🤞🏻

The PEABODY GAMES JANUARY 10-11 ARE ON.

The heating system at the Peabody Temple has been fixed, so games resumed Tuesday, December 7.

In addition, a new weekly game started Monday, December 13, so we have games in Peabody on Mondays and Tuesdays at 12:15 at Temple Ner Tamid of the North Shore, 368 Lowell Street. Please click here for directions.

Congratulations to Bay State players who advanced in masterpoint rank in November.

Congratulations also to Bay State players who rank high in district masterpoint races through November, including race leaders Venky Venkataramani, Barbara Murphy, and Stephen Gladyszak.

For complete lists, please see Masterpoint Achievements.

Click here for a summary of the new alert procedure that came into effect this year.

Mark Aquino’s new book, Shark’s Pointers, is available in paperback through bookstores (including Wellesley Books) and as an eBook. It’s based on the online talks that Mark gave for the Westwood Duplicate Bridge Club during the COVID closure.

“The original ‘Shark’s Pointers’ article appeared in 1975 in a small Boston-area newspaper. Thirty years later, the idea re-emerged as a series of bridge columns and lectures in Massachusetts. Then during the pandemic Shark’s Pointers went online, and it is these latter talks and the advice they contain that have now been collected into this book.

“Written in an over-the-shoulder style, this book can be read for fun or profit or both: you will learn more about bridge if you care to, or you can just enjoy the anecdotes and the great deals.

“MARK AQUINO (Boston, MA) is a Grand Life Master and a retired Engineering Manager from Procter and Gamble. An avid bridge player, teacher and administrator, he has served on the boards of the USBF and the ACBL. He is married and has two sons, one daughter, two granddaughters, and one grandson.”

Congratulations to Bay State players who advanced in masterpoint rank in October, including Gold Life Master (2500 points) Tsuneko Eustace and Diamond Life Masters (5000) Henry Daley and John Hrones.

Congratulations also to Bay State players who rank high in district masterpoint races through October, including race leaders Venky Venkataramani, Barbara Murphy, and Stephen Gladyszak.

For complete lists, please see Masterpoint Achievements.

Sunday afternoon, 2021 September 12, 1:00–3:30
Teacher: Kim Gilman
Level: beginner and intermediate
Where: Wellesley (How to Find Us)

Save the date! Kim Gilman is hosting a “Welcome to In-Person Bridge” event for newer players on Sunday, September 12, 1:00–3:30 p.m.

Did you learn to play online during the pandemic, and now look forward to meeting your fellow players? Are you ready to play face-to-face with fellow bridge enthusiasts? Kim can’t wait to meet her online students. Everyone is welcome if you are a relative newcomer, so join the party!

Here is the schedule for the afternoon:

1:00–1:20 — Social Time & Light Refreshments
1:20–1:40 — How to Play in Person — Logistics etc. (Those who already know — please come to help show the newbies how it works!)
*1:40–3:10 — Friendly Duplicate Bridge Game 
3:10–3:30 — Optional Q & A with Kim on the hands you played

*Please arrive no later than 1:30 if you wish to play in the bridge game. Late arrivals can observe, but may not be able to play.

Proof of COVID-19 vaccination is required to attend this event. There is no charge, but a $10 donation is requested to help cover facility rental and costs.

Please RSVP by e-mail to kgilman11@gmail.com.

On July 27 the CDC advised people who are fully vaccinated “To maximize protection from the Delta variant and prevent possibly spreading it to others, wear a mask indoors in public if you are in an area of substantial or high transmission.”

Cases in Norfolk County were very low in June, bottomed out at 2 new cases per 100,000 people in the week ending July 5, surged to a peak of 126 in the week ending September 5, and then decreased to 99 in the week ending September 26. The six adjoining counties are between 123 and 255.

Following CDC guidance, we are temporarily requiring everyone to wear masks. 🙁 😷

Bring your own or use a disposable mask available at the club.

Thank you for helping keep us all safe while we continue enjoying in-person bridge!

Bay State Bridge COVID policies:

• Proof of full vaccination required.
• Masks are temporarily required. (Your mask must snugly cover your nose and mouth to be effective. Please step away from others before taking your mask off briefly to eat or drink.)

New CDC Guidance for People Fully Vaccinated issued 2021 July 27: “To maximize protection from the Delta variant and prevent possibly spreading it to others, wear a mask indoors in public if you are in an area of substantial or high transmission.” Norfolk County now has “substantial transmission” (50-100 new cases per week per 100,000 population). The six adjoining counties have “high transmission” (100+),  as do 95% of counties nationwide.

New Massachusetts Department of Public Health Guidance issued 2021 July 30: “Fully vaccinated individuals are advised to wear a mask or face covering when indoors (and not in your own home) if you have a weakened immune system, or if you are at increased risk for severe disease because of your age or an underlying medical condition, or if someone in your household has a weakened immune system, is at increased risk for severe disease, or is an unvaccinated adult.”

We have to cancel our Wellesley game on Monday, December 13, due to a conflict at the Italo American Club. Sorry!

Temple Ner Tamid of the North Shore still has no heat, but we have found an alternate site for the Peabody game on Tuesday, November 23, at 12:15:

Peabody Knights of Columbus, 96 Main Street (downstairs)

Directions from route 128: take exit 40A to MA-114 E / Andover St, in 1.0 mile turn left on Walnut Street, in 0.4 mile turn right on Caller Street, and in 0.2 mile turn right on Main Street. The K of C is 0.1 mile on the right.

No Peabody game on Tuesday, November 30.

Peabody games return to Temple Ner Tamid on December 7. 🤞🏻

Congratulations to Bay State players who advanced in masterpoint rank in July, August, and September, including Silver Life Masters (1000 points) Ed Astrachan, Barbara Blauer, and Yumi Hough; Gold Life Masters (2500) Michael Lindheimer and Jean Shaffer; Diamond Life Master (5000) Barbara Murphy; and Emerald Life Master (7500) Charlie Polay.

Congratulations also to Bay State players who rank high in district masterpoint races through September, including race leaders Venky Venkataramani, Barbara Murphy, and Stephen Gladyszak.

For complete lists, please see Masterpoint Achievements.

With the addition of Monday games our schedule is:

Our Peabody game on November 9 is canceled (no heat). Peabody games resume November 16 on Tuesdays at 12:15.

In June, July, and August, about half of our games are club-level qualifying games for the North American Pairs, including all games the week of June 16. NAP games award half-red, half-black masterpoints at about triple the level of regular games (82% sectional rating).

Players who qualify in at least one of these games (look for a “Q” next to your name on the results) may play in the New England District Finals November 6–7 in Mansfield. The top three or four pairs in each flight will qualify for the North American Finals at the 2022 Spring North American Bridge Championships in Reno and receive subsidies to help with their travel expenses.

(Note that most of our non-NAP games in June, July, and August are Club Championship or Special Fund games, which award masterpoints at 64% sectional rating—about 2½ times the level of regular games.)

Please click here for more information about club special games.

Congratulations to Bay State and Westwood players who advanced in masterpoint rank in June, including Life Master Katherine Sears and Gold Life Master (2500 points) Peter Clay.

Congratulations also to Bay State and Westwood players who rank high in district masterpoint races through June, including race leaders Venky Venkataramani, Barbara Murphy, Terry Byrne, and Stephen Gladyszak.

The ACBL has canceled all open regional and sectional tournaments that were scheduled to start in August, including the Ocean State Regional in Warwick, RI.

This ACBL announcement does not affect club games. The Bay State Bridge schedule is unchanged.

Although Tropical Storm Henri will likely strike a major blow on Long Island and the south coast of New England Sunday, it’s unlikely to affect our Monday noon game. 🤞🏻

Wellesley may get tropical-storm-force winds (≥ 39 mph) and an inch or two of rain Sunday, but the Monday forecast is “A chance of showers, with thunderstorms also possible after 1pm. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 83. South wind 9 to 13 mph. Chance of precipitation is 50%. New rainfall amounts between a tenth and quarter of an inch, except higher amounts possible in thunderstorms.”

Please join us for a special “Pro-Am” game on Monday, July 26, at noon. Every partnership has one player with 500 or more masterpoints (a “Pro”) and one player with less than 500 masterpoints (an “Am”). (Two “Ams” may play together.)

“Ams”: This is an opportunity to play with a “Pro” for the price of a regular game.

“Pros”: This is an opportunity to give back to the game and the club, and you play for FREE.

Masterpoint awards are 65% of an open event in a sectional tournament (slightly higher than an open club championship).

Need a partner? We can help you find one. Sign up below or at the club if you need a partner. (No need to sign up in advance if you have a partner.)

Saturday morning update: We have more “Pros” available. “Ams,” please use the form below to request a partner. We’ll pair you up right away.

Congratulations to Bay State Bridge players who advanced in masterpoint rank in May, including diamond life master (5000 points) David Metcalf.

Congratulations also to Bay State Bridge players who rank high in district masterpoint races through May, including race leaders Venky Venkataramani, Barbara Murphy, Carole Weinstein, and Stephen Gladyszak.

• Wednesday 12:00 299er games in Westwood start July 14
  • free pre-game talks by Dean Panagopoulos at 11:15
  • July 14 game is FREE!
• Thursday 10:00 Supervised Play with Stuart Whittle starts July 15—see Classes for more information

Please join us for our 499er games Wednesdays at noon starting June 16!

We will add more masterpoint-limited flights to our schedule as soon as your interest warrants. The best way to let us know you’re interested is by playing in our Wednesday 499er games!

You are also most welcome at our open games. These games are “stratified,” so if your masterpoint holding is in the low ⅓ of the field, you’ll earn at least as many masterpoints as you would earn if the low ⅓ played in a separate flight.

Please click here for more information.

On June 1 Newton Bridge Club and Westwood Duplicate Bridge Club joined forces and resumed in-person duplicate bridge. We have a new name

Bay State Bridge

two new venues

Italo American Educational Club
75 Pleasant Street, Wellesley*

Temple Ner Tamid of the North Shore
368 Lowell Street, Peabody*

and a new schedule

Please join us!

We’ll continue to expand our schedule as interest warrants. The best way to vote for more bridge is by showing up!

We require proof of vaccination.†

— Tim Hill and David Metcalf

* Both venues are minutes from route 128. For directions, please see How to Find Us.

† For everyone’s safety and peace of mind, you must have received the recommended one or two doses of a COVID-19 vaccine 14 days before playing. So we can assure you that everyone is fully vaccinated, please show us your CDC COVID-19 Vaccination Record Card or some other proof of vaccination. (We’ll keep a list—we’ll only ask to see your card the first time.)

We’ve added two Tuesday games to our schedule, one in Wellesley, and one at a second venue in Peabody:

• 10:30 in Wellesley (Italo American Educational Club, 75 Pleasant Street) starting June 29
• 12:15 in Peabody (Temple Ner Tamid of the North Shore, 368 Lowell Street) starting July 13

Our full in-person schedule is now

Please see How to Find Us for directions to both venues.

On June 1 Newton Bridge Club and Westwood Duplicate Bridge Club joined forces and resumed in-person duplicate bridge. We have a new name

Bay State Bridge

a new venue

Italo American Educational Club
75 Pleasant Street, Wellesley*

and, effective June 11, a new schedule

Please join us!

Thank you for putting up with our early schedule experiments and telling us your thoughts. Now you can count on the games listed above happening every week, and we’ll expand the schedule as interest warrants. The best way to vote for more bridge is by showing up!

We require proof of vaccination.†

— Tim Hill and David Metcalf

* The Italo American Educational Club, 75 Pleasant Street, Wellesley, is just off route 9, six minutes from route 128. For driving and public transit directions, please see How to Find Us.

† For everyone’s safety and peace of mind, you must have received the recommended one or two doses of a COVID-19 vaccine 14 days before playing. So we can assure you that everyone is fully vaccinated, please show us your CDC COVID-19 Vaccination Record Card or some other proof of vaccination. (We’ll keep a list—we’ll only ask to see your card the first time.)

Many thanks to Sol Hartman for hanging several of his paintings at the club!

For information, please see Sol’s web site.

The photo above shows Richard Burns sitting next to Sol’s “Richard.”

Please join us for our second week of in-person bridge! We’ve scheduled three games this week.

• When:
  • Monday, June 7, 10:30
  • Wednesday, June 9, 12:00
  • Friday, June 11, 10:30
• Where: Italo American Educational Club, 75 Pleasant Street, Wellesley*
• What: Club Championship pairs (extra masterpoints), 24 boards
• Required: Proof of vaccination†

Thank you for your patience while our schedule remains a work in progress. We hope to announce a longer-term schedule by this Friday, June 11. We’ll offer more games, morning and afternoon start times, multiple flights, supervised play, classes, etc., as soon as interest warrants, but we want to learn when and how often you are ready to participate. The best way to vote for expanded offerings is by showing up!

* The Italo American Educational Club, 75 Pleasant Street, Wellesley, is just off route 9, six minutes from route 128. For driving and public transit directions, please see How to Find Us.

† For everyone’s safety and peace of mind, you must have received the recommended one or two doses of a COVID-19 vaccine 14 days before playing. So we can assure you that everyone is fully vaccinated, please show us your CDC COVID-19 Vaccination Record Card or some other proof of vaccination. (We’ll keep a list—we’ll only ask to see your card the first time.)

Every Thursday, 14:30–16:30
Teacher: Marty Cohen
Fee: $15/player

Supervised Play is the ideal setting to consolidate learnings, increase confidence, and improve your understanding and expertise.  It is suitable for all levels and essential for beginners.  Like any activity, bridge requires practice of learned conventions.  This is a real-time game experience without the real-time game pressure.  Play random pre-dealt hands with an ACBL certified bridge instructor and tournament expert supervising and discussing how to perfect the bidding, declare play, defense between partnership, and learning the way of “bridge thinking”.

Come with or without a partner and you will be placed with players of similar levels.  Walk-ins are alwayswelcome.  Please email the club at Marty if you have special interests you would like to cover during supervised play.

If you are new to the game and have fewer than 20 MPs, join us for our Newcomer Game every Monday evening at 7:15 P.M. 
The Newcomer game on Mondays consists of the play of 12 boards in about 2 hours (10 minutes per board). Players can have access to their cheat sheet. At the end of the game, the director can answer questions regarding the boards played. Come and try it!

If you are new to the club and buy an entry to the Newcomer game, we’ll give you a free play to be used at another time!

Tuesdays, 14:30–16:30
The class will start in October if there is enough interest, please contact Lisa ASAP if you are interested
Teacher: Lisa Procter
Course fee: $175 for seven classes, payable at the first class (book is an additional $10)
Please register by emailing lprocter@verizon.net

This course is the perfect introduction to the game of bridge. It’s based on the Basics 1 book by Audrey Grant. In the first lesson, we will learn about the basics and provide you with all the essential information about the fundamental mechanics of the game, and is intended for people who have never encountered bridge. The following lessons have information that will also be of value to people who may know the basic mechanics but have not learned the principles of modern bidding. We will cover notrump opening bids and responses, major suit opening bids and responses, and minor suit opening bids and responses. This class provides everything you need to establish a solid foundation. The approach is hands-on, you will start playing hands at the first class.

Everyone is welcome! Our emphasis is on having a good time while learning the most fascinating card game in the world! Come and try it!

Lisa is a silver life master and has been playing bridge for 10 years. She is an ACBL certified teacher. Currently, she is the membership chair of the Eastern Massachusetts Bridge Association (EMBA). She conceived of and manages the "Introduction to Bridge" programs sponsored by EMBA. These programs have become a very important way to introduce newcomers to bridge and attract new members to EMBA.

Most Fridays, September–June, 9:45–10:15
Teacher: Mark “Shark” Aquino

Please join us for the Shark’s excellent free talks before most Friday games. Everyone is welcome, adapted to all levels of play.

Mark is a Grand Life Master. He won the 2015 North American Pairs (with Shome Mukherjee), finished second in the 2004 Nail Life Master Pairs (with Jonathan Green), and won numerous regional events. He’s served as District Director (representing the New England Bridge Conference on the ACBL’s Board of Directors), President of the New England Bridge Conference, and President of the Eastern Massachusetts Bridge Association.

Every Thursday, 14:30–16:30
Teacher: Marty Cohen
Fee: $15/player

Supervised Play is the ideal setting to consolidate learnings, increase confidence, and improve your understanding and expertise.  It is suitable for all levels and essential for beginners.  Like any activity, bridge requires practice of learned conventions.  This is a real-time game experience without the real-time game pressure.  Play random pre-dealt hands with an ACBL certified bridge instructor and tournament expert supervising and discussing how to perfect the bidding, declare play, defense between partnership, and learning the way of “bridge thinking”.

Come with or without a partner and you will be placed with players of similar levels.  Walk-ins are welcome but it is very helpful to plan the tables ahead if we know you are coming.  Please email the club at Marty if you have special interests you would like to cover during supervised play.

Email Nathalie at baystatebridgeclub@gmail.com to register.

Tuesdays, July 7, 14, and 21, 15:00–17:00 (3 classes)
Teachers: Zach Grossack & Kim Gilman
Course fee: $45 for all three classes + $5 on BBO for each game
Level: Intermediate players and up

Click here for the flyer.

Multi-time national champion Zach Grossack is known as one of the best declarers in the bridge world. Would you like to know how he plans his strategy for making 90% of his contracts…with overtricks?

Zach & Kim will use a special BBO tournament option to conduct a “Learning Game.” You’ll hear Zach present useful bridge techniques on Zoom, then you will play hands to practice the lesson. Between rounds, Zach will comment on how he would form a plan for the play. You’ll have a chance to ask questions, and receive his write-ups after class.

Partners are needed for the Learning Games; you can bring your own, or find one at the Partnership Desk. We guarantee a partner! These lessons are best for intermediate players & up.

Zach Grossack became a Life Master at age 12 and has won gold and silver medals in world youth bridge competitions. He has won multiple national championships, including the 2017 open Pairs in Kansas City, MO. He and his brother Adam are fast becoming one of the most formidable pairs in the U.S.  Zach graduated from Tufts University last year and teaches and plays bridge professionally.

Kim Gilman has been playing tournament bridge for 17 years and has won several sectional and regional championships. She is a Gold Life Master and an ACBL certified instructor whose students love her interactive and easy-to-understand lessons.

If interested in Zach & Kim’s Learning Games, please e-mail ZKbridge52@gmail.com to receive registration and payment info.

What do I put in the ID number field?

Your email address.

Are ACBL masterpoints awarded?

Short answer: No 😤. (We can award cash prizes.)

Long answer: Early in the covid era, the ACBL contracted exclusively with BBO to run Virtual Club Games, Support Your Club Games, and Online “Regional” and “North American” Tournaments. That contract prohibits awarding ACBL masterpoints for play on any other online platform (except for the grandfathered “unpigmented” masterpoint games on Funbridge, OKbridge, and Swan).

(If you don’t like this policy, you might write to your representatives on the ACBL Board of Directors and Board of Governors.)

Even without masterpoints, we think RealBridge has so many advantages over BBO that many of us will want to play on RealBridge, at least occasionally!

How do I use convention cards?

RealBridge doesn’t support convention cards at present. It’s courteous to give your opponents a one-sentence system summary at the start of a round, and of course you should make the normal alerts and announcements (see the next question).

How do I alert?

That depends on the alert mode chosen by the director.

Normal mode: Alert (or announce) as you do in face-to-face play: when your partner makes an alertable (or announceable) call, click ALERT and either say “Alert” or make the appropriate announcement.

Self-alert mode: As on BBO, silently click ALERT and, if asked, silently type an explanation. (Alerts and explanations are visible to both your opponents but not to your partner.)

Screen mode: Imagine a sound-proof screen placed diagonally across the table so that North and East can see and hear each other but can’t see or hear South or West (and vice-versa). Alert both your own bids and your partner’s. Only your screenmate sees and hears your alerts.

Screen mode with self-alerts: You can only see and hear your screenmate, but you alert your own bids and type explanations as in self-alert mode.

Can I kibitz?

Not yet. (RealBridge does now support delayed kibitzing for major events.)

What if my device stops displaying what it should or stops responding to clicks?

First, try leaving the table and returning (by clicking Leave and then clicking the appropriate Sit button).

If that doesn’t work, try reloading or closing your browser window (or quitting your browser altogether) and then logging back into our RealBridge room (via the link you used in the first place).

How do I find a partner?

Meet others looking for partners at high-numbered tables. Log in at least 15 minutes before game time. Click a Sit button at a high-numbered table and talk with the others at that table. To move to a different table, click Leave, and then Sit. When you’ve found a partner, Leave the high-numbered table and Sit opposite each other at a low-numbered table.

(Players in the “lobby” can communicate by typing “chat,” but you can actually see and speak to each other if you Sit at a table together.)

Do I have to be a Westwood, Puritan, Midcape, or Dennis-Yarmouth member to play? Do I need permission to bring a guest?

No and no. Our club-organized RealBridge games are open to anyone. Our player-organized invitational games are open to any invited players.

I thought STOP cards were banned. Why do I see STOP cards on RealBridge?

The ACBL gave up on STOP cards because they were often abused and ignored. On RealBridge, players can’t abuse STOP cards because they’re automatically shown for ten seconds with every skip bid, and players can’t ignore STOP cards because they can’t call while the STOP card is showing. It’s all good!

What do you charge for RealBridge sessions?

Typically $5 without cash prizes or $6 with cash prizes. (We charge $6 on BBO. RealBridge charges us less than BBO, and the ACBL doesn’t get table fees for games without masterpoints, so when we charge $6 we return our cost savings to players as prizes.)

How do you collect table fees?

We bill you monthly by email. You can pay with a check or via an electronic payment system.

I’m having audio and/or video problems.

Click the “redial” icon to the right of your name to restart your embedded audio and video (see “Audio and video controls” in the RealBridge Player Guide).

Why am I hearing voices or noise?

Probably because a player’s microphone is picking up background conversation, radio, television, or other noise. You can figure out which player’s microphone it’s coming from by selectively turning down their volume—click the speaker icon to the left of a player’s name (see “Audio and video controls” in the RealBridge Player Guide).

Why am I hearing echos?

Probably because a player’s microphone isn’t suppressing echos from his speaker. You can figure out which player the echos are coming from by selectively turning down their volume—click the speaker icon to the left of a player’s name (see “Audio and video controls” in the RealBridge Player Guide). A player whose system isn’t suppressing echos should use a headset or adjust the volume and placement of microphone and speakers.

Preliminaries: Please take a few minutes to check your setup before your first RealBridge session.

• Use almost any computer or large-screen tablet with camera, microphone, and speaker(s).
  • Phones don’t work well.
  • iPads that are more than five years old don’t work.
  • Don’t have a camera? Click here. If you want to use your phone or tablet as a web camera while playing on your computer, see this article. (While you can play without a camera and microphone, we’d rather you didn’t—the experience is much better for you and other players if you do have them.)
• Use a modern browser that supports camera and microphone input, such as Chrome, Edge, Firefox, or Safari. A couple restrictions:
  • Internet Explorer doesn’t work. Use Chrome, Edge, or Firefox
  • On iPads, only Safari works.
  • (Up-to-date macOS version 11—“Big Sur”—and Safari now work. The “issues” reported earlier have been resolved.)
• Be sure your browser is up-to-date:
  • Chrome on macOS: On the Chrome menu, choose About Google Chrome
  • Chrome on Windows: In the upper-right corner, click ︙, choose Settings, and click About Chrome; or go to chrome://settings/help
  • Edge on Windows: In the upper-right corner, click ⋯, choose Settings, and click About Microsoft Edge; or go to edge://settings/help
  • Firefox on macOS: On the Firefox menu, choose About Firefox
  • Firefox on Windows: In the upper-right corner, click ☰, choose Help, and choose About Firefox
  • Safari on macOS: On the Apple menu, choose System Preferences, and click Software Update
• Test your camera and microphone:
  • Quit other applications that use them (e.g., FaceTime, Skype, Zoom).
  • Click here for RealBridge’s camera and microphone tests. (If it doesn’t work, please contact support@realbridge.online, and tell them what device and browser you’re trying to use.)
• Please use a headset if other players hear echos or background noise from your system.