News, Upcoming Special Games & Events

Date	Time	Event
June 16-22	District 14 STAC Sectional Tournament at Clubs	District-wide Results CLICK HERE
June 24	Moving Update	We will move on July 28, there will be a Monday game on the 28th, the Tuesday game will be the first held in the new location on the 29th. The new facility is at 2603-05 6th Ave E in North Saint Paul. Here is a link to a Google map. CLICK HERE
Thursdays May 1 - July 10	11:00am-12:00	Intermediate Lessons on Defense Taught by Tom Hammond Thursdays from 11:00-12:00 before the game, May 1 through July 10 Cost $2 per lesson, all proceeds will be given to charity. Topics include: Visualize the Hand, 5 Defensive Strategies, Opening Leads, Defensive Signaling, Second-hand Play, Third-hand Play, Counting Tricks, Points and Distribution, Unblocking the Suit, Rule of Eleven, Hold-up Plays, Defensive Bidding, Doubling for Lead, Penalty Doubles, Trump Promotion, and more!
Tuesdays May 27-July 15	2:00-4:00pm	New to Duplicate Classes Taught by Marlene Stronge Tuesdays from 2:00-4:00pm May 27 through July 15 Topics for each week are: 1. rank, point count, bidding boxes, opening suit bids, 5-card majors, counting losers, responses to opener 2. no-trump opener, responses, Stayman, Jacoby 3. doubles: negative, lead directing, take out, penalty 4. weak 2 bids, 2 diamond bids: weak, Mexican, Flannery, 2 club opener, responses to 2 club opener 5. two-suited hands, Michaels, unusual no-trump and responses 6. Blackwood, Gerber, responses to ace asking bids, rule of 11, rule of 15, rule of 20 7. opening leads, signaling to partner, observing partner's carding 8. review, Q&A

 

Organization
Manager: Marlene Gipson
Asst. Manager: Kim Hayward
Board of Directors:
Jim Snyder, president
Doug Frost, vice president
Peter Solberg, secretary
Syble Pennings, board member
Dick Grimes, board member

Brief History & Mission
     Dick Baker began the St. Paul Bridge center and held games in various locations including Stillwater, Hastings, 3M, Century College and more. He would drag the boards and bridge supplies, coffee pot, and cups. Soon he sought a permanent location, however, he needed financial support and found doners in Bob Lakken, Bob Steinfeld, Dean & Mary Ann Cook, Marlene Kasmirski-Stronge, and Linda Delzell. With this funding, he bought tables and chairs that are still used. He rented the space at English & Hwy 36, designed the layout: office, cloakroom, kitchen, bathrooms, and smoker (back in the days when smoking indoors was still allowed).
     Dick did the directing, teaching, and preparing lunches and dinners with the help of volunteers.
When Dick had bad times, he always said Bridge cured him. He died in 1996, but the club continued. In the late 1990s the club incorporated and became a federally recognized not-for-profit organization, with the new name Bridge Center of St. Paul. The club is governed by an elected Board of Directors and promotes and offers Duplicate Bridge instruction, games for all levels (9-10 games per week), and tournaments in a friendly club atmosphere in the East Metro area.