I am so glad to be home!  Thomas and I spent 3 weeks in Ireland and Iceland playing bridge and touristing, but that is a long time to be away from home!  We attended the first ever joint ACBL and Irish Sectional Tournament.  There was a very good turn out from US and Canada, even someone else from Houston.  We won a medal for coming in first in our section the first day.  Unfortunately, that was not to be repeated.  But we had a great time and Dublin is a great city to explore.  I wrote an article to submit to the Bulletin so maybe... Enough about me, let's talk about the club.  It survived!!!  Of course it did because it doesn't hinge on my being there.  We have a great Board and wonderful volunteers.  And that is what it is all about, community.  On a sad note, Don Bowen, who we just celebrated his 100th birthday at the club, is now in hospice.  His body is just giving out but he is in good spirits and ready.  His daughter sent a message that I will be posting on the website.  When I spoke to him, he wanted me to convey how much the bridge community meant to him during his 10 years he was in Houston living with his daughter's family.  At our last board meeting this week, our treasurer shared that we are getting closer to breaking even.  And we are planning more great events to entice you into our club!  Watch our website and open our emails to keep in the know!   Until next month....Janice Rush

This month's Bridge Bulletin had a very interesting Q&A in the "Ruling the Game" column.  As a Director, I was surprised by the answer to the question about when does partner "see" the card played by defender.  It involved a blind partner.  In a nutshell, the  partner who could see changed their mind about playing a card before calling out the card he was playing.  Both the Declarer and the Dummy saw the card and called the Director.  While the ruling opinion of the columnist, Matt Knoltnow, was long and detailed, in a nutshell, if he had not called out the card then it was not played because Partner couldn't see it . It didn't matter if Declarer or Dummy saw it.  He based this on Law 45(C)(4)(a) which says a card is played if a player names it or otherwise designates it as the card they propose to play.  Isn't this a fun game!

   Reprinted article by Lynn Berg

   Click here for complete lessons and recordings from Lynn Berg including this one!
   

Helen Pruitt

Carol's Corner 
by Carol Wilson

This month's Featured Member is Helen Pruitt....

We want to honor and give a Great Big 'Thank You' to Helen Pruitt, a long-time BCOH member and player who has been very instrumental in getting new players for our beloved game! Long ago (does anybody know when?), Helen started a 0-5MP group for those wanting to learn. It became quite popular and grew to 0-20 when many progressed and earned MPs but didn't want to leave the group and play in the Open game! Helen accomplished her 'mission' very well, didn’t she? The group played every Tuesday until COVID hit in 2020 and shut everything down.

We don't know just how many of today's players can be credited to Helen, but she called them all her 'little babies.' Marsha Boyer directed the 0-20 group at BCOH for a while around 2012, Helen supervised the group 2013-18, and Carol McCord assumed those duties in 2018--after having started playing in the 0-5 group herself in January 2016! Marsha remembers a few times when she would arrive for the game and Helen would say to her, 'Now, don't be mean to my babies!' We all know how important it is that new players enjoy playing and don't feel intimidated while learning the game--most of all, Helen.

   Many of Helen’s former 'babies' are now Life Masters or working on it and have gone on to enrich the game themselves. And Helen is still playing, online and sometimes in Carol McCord's home, which is nearby. I asked Carol for a quote from Helen, and she remembered this very important one:  'If you’re gonna bid, make sure you know what you’re gonna bid NEXT!'  What great advice for ALL of us.

   On November 9th Helen will reach the age of 100 years! We will have lots to celebrate, won't we? Many Thanks, Helen Pruitt, for your strong work as a Bridge Ambassador and for helping so many to learn bridge! We even think you deserve TWO entries in the newsletter! So everybody send me your input, quotes, favorite quips, etc., about Helen, and we will continue this tribute to her next month! carolwilson@earthlinknet

Major or No Trump?
by Jeff Kroll

Sometimes it's better to play in notrump than in an 8 card major suit fit.

 

For Newer Players

Lessons, Lessons, Lesson & Practice, Practice, Practice

Beginning Bridge June 28th - October 23, 9:30-11:30 am. (online and in person) Click here for F2F Flyer

2 Over 1 Game Force System with Julie Halperin - September 24 - October 22 (Wednesdays), 2:30-4:30 pm,
cost $80 plus Audrey Grant book.  Information and registration call Julie at 713-857-8004. Click here for 2 over 1 Flyer

0-50 Bridge Game, every Sunday at 1:30 PM for $5
For more info:  BridgewithCarol@gmail.com, 936-650-8180

FREE Lessons with Susan Banks-Johnson every Tuesday at 9:30 AM

In Person at the club:

• Mentor Games:  2nd & 4th Tuesdays @ 10:30 AM
• 299er Games:   Every Saturday at Noon
• I/N Game less than 1000:   Fifth Tuesday of any month​​​

Check the BCOH website calendar for up-to-date information! 
Contact Kas Rangan at 539-210-1333 for info or a partner. 

Online at Choose Houston! (BBO)                                                                                                                                                                                                                                Looking for a pair for a team game?

• Mentor Games              1st & 3rd Mondays @ 7:00 PM
• Open Game                  Every Thursday @ 7:00 PM         
• 0-20 Game                   2nd Saturday @ 9:00 AM (usually)

BBO Virtual club games

When you play on BBO, we ask that you play in SE Carolina or Choose Houston games whenever possible.
The BCoH home page has a link to SE Carolina's website and a schedule for Choose Houston games.

Choose Houston has an open game every Thursday at 7 p.m. and a Mentor/Mentee game on the first and third Mondays at 7 p.m. To be a mentee, a player must have fewer than 300 masterpoints and must pay for their own entry as well as the entry of their mentor.  If you need a mentor or wish to mentor someone, please contact Mike Linkins via Email:  mlinkins@swbell.net.

And always check the BCOH Website for more!

 Regular Club Game Schedule                                                         

Special Events at BCOH in September

          Parties begin at 11:15 am unless otherwise noted with food - meat provided, please bring sides to share - games at noon.         

                  Turn in all treats for November by October 15!

More pictures available to view on the website!