Bridge Bitch

Is that a noun or a verb? Take your pick. Today was bridge day - our first time back since before we left on our trip in early April.

We play in a group that is an "open" group, i.e., anybody who shows up gets to play. When we don't have full tables, the odd players are worked in by a standard formula. We play six rounds of approximately 30 minutes each - regular rubber scoring, with extra points awarded for left-over games or part-scores. Today, we were one player short of 5 full tables, which means that someone who is dummy at another table comes to bid the orphan hand, and then the dummy at the orphan's table, plays the orphan hand. It slows things down a bit, but it works. Based on scores and drawn cards, players are shuffled around after each round. That's the framework.

Some of the players today were the good and the great players, the ones that are fun to play with, and really nice folks. Some of the others are nice folks that you'd really rather not be at the table with. Some were the groaners - Oh, not - not so-and-so. And then there were a couple of new ones. And they were awful. Not necessarily bad players, but one talked all the time, and did things like move the dummy's cards around, when he wasn't the declarer. One lady was obviously very unsure of herself, and took forever to bid and play. She'd be the 4th bidder, and when the other three players had all bid, she was still sorting her cards - and every time said - You are all so fast. I had to play with her twice and at the table with her two other times. One guy is the one who learned to play on the computer and had never played with "real" people until the first time he played with this group about two months ago.

On top of this, the cards were terrible! In the first four rounds, I had a total of about 1100 points (including one zero). Amazingly in the fifth round, I had 1130 points, and actually had my first opening hands of the day. Then the last round ended with the opponents bidding and making a vulnerable grand slam. To add insult to injury, during the afternoon, I had TWO Yarborough hands. It was a LONG afternoon.

Will we go back? Of course - it's bound to be better next week........

Today's picture is of the Wet Mountains, across the Wet Mountain Valley, CO.