It’s fair to say it was a competitive week for duplicate bridge players on the Island – and blue ribbons were well-deserved.
The overall winning team at the Thursday, August 16 Island Bridge Club (IBC) game ran away with the title. Barbara Besse and Jim Kaplan, playing north/south scored 67.82 percent average. Also playing north/south, Carol Whitmarsh and Sari Lipkin took second, and Gail Farrish and Charlie Harff took third.
The east/west team of Miles Jaffe and Ann Brown, with a 58.60 percent average, took first in their direction. Also playing east/west, Adele Waggaman and Laura Cutler took second, and Barbara McLagan and Bob Henry took third. Ten tables were in play.
On Saturday morning, August 18, at the Bridge Club of MV (BCMV) game, with 10 tables in play, the competition for top honors was fierce.
Sandy Smith and Lee Scott took first place overall with 63.89 percent average. Also playing east/west, Agnes and Phil Burch came in second overall (63.28 percent average) and Tillie Foster and Emily Robertson took third overall with a 62.76 percent average.
Playing north/south, Duncan Walton and Ken Judson came in first (56.60 percent average), Conrad Hipkins and Calvin Bass took second, and Joan Perrine and Patsy McCornack came in third.
And, on Tuesday, August 14, at the Martha’s Vineyard Bridge Club (MVBC) competition. Barbara Besse and Miles Jaffee came in first overall with a 65.74 percent average game. Also playing north/south, Gail Farrish and Charlie Harff took second, and David Donald and Michel Riel took third.
Across 10 ten tables in play, at east/west, Rich Alpert and Barbara McLagan took first (62.73 percent average) followed by Carol Whitmarsh and Sari Lipkin in second, and there was a tie for third between the teams of Mollie Whalen/Joe Ashcroft and Nancy Neil/Bea Phear.
Tip of the week
Life masters Mollie Whalen and Joe Ashcroft remind duplicate bridge players that, “When you and your partner have a four-four fit in one of the majors, it is usually best to play the hand in the major rather than in No Trump. The most you can ever win in that suit in NT is four tricks. But in a trump suit, you can win at least five tricks in that suit – if you can generate a ruff in either hand.”
The MVBC game (sanctioned by the American Contract Bridge League) is held on Tuesday evenings at 7:30 pm, at the Stone Church in Vineyard Haven. Admission is $4. Contact Sue at 508-693-9396 or posturepal@aol.com for help in finding an available partner.
The IBC game (also sanctioned by the American Contract Bridge League) is held Thursday evenings at 7 pm, at the Up-Island Council on Aging’s Howes House in West Tisbury. Players needing a partner are urged to contact Gerry at 508-693-2889 or gsaverill@gmail.com by noon on Wednesday for assistance. The cost is $5 a session.
The Saturday Bridge Club of MV game (sanctioned by the American Bridge Association) is held at the Tisbury Senior Center, with continental breakfast at 9 am and play starting at 9:30 am. Players without partners are welcome. The cost is $5. For more information contact Clara at 508-627-5463.
