70+% GAMES

Stan Ramsey, Elkhart, Eleanor Miller, Elkhart, Florence Retek, South Bend and Paul Silberman, Mishawaka— 499er Swiss Team — 79%  April 29

James Feinstein, South Bend and Michael Slaven, Elkhart — 73.61%  May 5

Elaine Delaney, South Bend, Frank Yoder, Goshen, Phil Slatt, South Bend, and Don Wertheimer, South Bend — Swiss Team — 99%  May 16

Julie Nelson, Granger and Judy Grossnickle, Granger (199er game) — 72.5%  May 31

Steve Watson, Munster and Joe Chin, Highland — 70.83%  June 2

Elnora Washington, Gary and Delphine Slater, Gary (novice game) — 74.08%  June 5

James Feinstein, South Bend and Richard Hastings, Bristol — 75%  June 6

Dave Bigler, Hobart, Jim Beiriger, Merrillville, Lou Nimnicht, Crown Point and Tony Gillian

Calumet City — Swiss Team  — 96.67%  June 6

Al Fenton, Plymouth, John Chmielowiec, Michigan City, Richard Mao, Mishawaka and Howard

Piltch, South Bend — Swiss Team — 75%  June 13

Elaine Delaney, South Bend and Frank Yoder, Goshen — 71.75%  June 15

Bill and Linda Odell, Sturgis, MI (199er game) — 76.98%  June 21

Joe Chin, Highland and Mary Schumm, Munster — 75.69%  June 19

Jim O’Connell, Valparaiso and John Chmielowiec, Michigan City — 70.14%  June 22

Duane Saylor, Hobart (novice game) —73.81%  June 26

Steve Watson, Munster and Lou Nimnicht, Crown Point — 80.56%  June 29  WOW!

Bob Knoblock, South Bend and Maureen Trubac, Granger (499er game) — 72%  July 1

Bob Kellstrom, Chesterton and Lou Nimnicht, Crown Point — 71.11%  July 3

Ren Singleton, South Bend and Lee Boser, Elkhart — 71%  July 7

Maureen and Ed Trubac. Granger (499er game) — 72%  July 15

Jim O’Connell, Valparaiso and Tom Hallum, Chicago — 71.42%  July 19

Tom Hallum, Chicago and Mike Slaven, Elkhart — 73%  July 20

Elaine Delaney, South Bend and Jimmy Cordas, South Bend — 73%  July 26

Thomas Carpenter, Fort Wayne and Kimberly Grant, Fort Wayne — 74.94%  July 27

Elaine Delaney, South Bend and Frank Yoder, Goshen — 72%  July 28

RISING IN THE RANKINGS

Junior Masters:  JoEllen DePaepe, South Bend; Myra Anthony, Granger; Kathryn Tyler, Granger

Club Masters:  Conrad Adams, South Bend; Dolores Horgash, Highland; John Fremeau, South

Bend; George Laflin, Kokomo

Sectional Masters:  Evelyn Grubb, Marion; Howard Chapman, Fort Wayne; Samuel McInturff, Fort Wayne; Lynn Miller, South Bend

Regional Masters:  Kimberly Grant, Fort Wayne; Karen Drain, South Bend

Silver Life Masters:  Richard Mao, Mishawaka; Richard Scheibelhut, Grange

PLAYING BRIDGE WITH YOUR SPOUSE

Bridge with Barbara has always been special for me — especially since our romance began when she showed up as my partner (a surprise substitute) at a bridge game in the Delta Gamma sorority house at Northwestern University in 1943. There she was — a lovely smile, beautiful blonde hair, blue angora sweater, and saddle shoes and I was lucky to remember there were four suits with thirteen cards in each — my heart was gone by the end of the 1st hand.

We played duplicate bridge in “couples clubs” for many years, but I started playing serious duplicate bridge in 1998. Barbara had been playing in duplicate clubs for many years and helped me in my study and early play, although she had a regular partner. I played with many different partners for several years. We now play together much of the time so I have some comparison of what it is like to play with your spouse as opposed to playing with other partners.

I enjoy being with Barbara more than anyone else in the world, so another four hours of bridge is just a pleasant way to spend the time. Sometimes we do well and sometimes we don’t, but the company is always good. I enjoy a game with most partners — but “love” a game with Barbara.

 -- Gordon Medlock, Granger

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What's it like to play bridge with your spouse? While many have told us they could never play with their husband or wife, we have found that it works well for us. Bridge is a great way for us to spend time together, it gives us something fun to do when we travel, and through it we have made some wonderful friendships. 

We enjoy playing with each other because we feel like we understand our bidding system more completely this way and that we are usually on the same wave length. John has been a great teacher, and I've become a much better player than I ever thought I could be. He is a kind, patient, and thoughtful partner at the table and always willing to help me try to improve my game. John is far more adventuresome, so I try always to "have my bid" so that he can let his creative juices flow.

 -- Trish Killeen, Mishawaka

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I met my wife at a bridge game at the Hammond American Legion. She was playing with her mother, whom I knew, and I was sitting in the opposite direction. Our first date thereafter was a bridge date at the Dorchester Club, and we won. This had to have been a good omen. Forty-eight years later and forty-seven anniversaries later, we are still playing partners. We are both competitive, and bridge is the perfect activity for us in that regard.

When we have misunderstandings or when one of us makes a mistake at the bridge table, we discuss the misunderstanding or mistake and move on without rancor or remorse. On a relative basis our bridge convention card is not elaborate. This is by design. In spite of a forty-eight year bridge partnership experience, one of us will occasionally forget a convention that we had been regularly playing. Over the years we have experimented with a wide variety of systems and conventions. The marginal advantages of employing some of these esoteric conventions have so far more than been outweighed by several bidding misunderstandings that we have experienced. As a consequence we are happy to display a card with many important basic conventions, but with very few frills.

Barb and I enjoy our bridge partnership. We would certainly miss the game if it were to disappear. Younger players just don’t seem to be interested. It’s a shame. The younger generation doesn’t know what it is missing.

 -- Paul K. Graegin, Dyer

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Ed and I started playing duplicate bridge together about six years ago when he retired from Notre Dame. Elaine Delaney was offering evening classes at the Bridge Center which fit in nicely with our schedules. We still make it a priority to be part of this group on Thursday evenings. Jo Ann Steigmeyer's class at Forever Learning Institute gave us another opportunity to learn together and discuss the lessons.

It's not always easy to accept your partner's mistakes and make comments on their play. But we have managed to overcome some of those hurdles and can sit down with a glass of wine to discuss what we could have done differently.

Time has shown us that the more we play together, the better we communicate.

 -- Maureen Trubac, Granger

80.56% GAME

Steve Watson of Munster and Lou Nimnicht of Schererville had a phenomenal 80.56% game on June 29th in Portage! They said they never before played a game where they didn’t make a mistake that cost a board or any matchpoints. Their feeling throughout the game was, “I can’t believe this!”

“It was a perfect kind of day,” they agreed. Out of 24 boards, Steve and Lou had 13 absolute tops and 4 ties for top. Amazing is an understatement! We don’t think we’ll see the likes of this again. It’s a once-in-a-lifetime happening, and both players are thrilled that it happened in their lifetime.