Myth Busted
MythBusters is a popular TV program on the Discovery Channel, where the show’s hosts using elements of scientific methods to test the validity of myths, rumors, adages and news stories.
At the Vancouver November Roundup Sectional, the adage that married couples should not play bridge as partners was busted.
Two married couples Julie Smith-Peter Cooper, Katrin Litwin-Aidan Ballantyne paired up to win the Knockout Teams.
Peter Cooper & Julie Smith
In one of their early matches, Julie (East) and Peter (West) bid and make 6 ♦. Earned them a slam swing and the match, their opponents were in game.
Board 4. Dealer West. Both vulnerable.
Their auction playing Precision.
1♣ – strong. 1♦ – 0-7.
Katrin Litwin & Aidan Ballantyne
The Vancouver Unit Sectional Masterpoint races for the year was also decided on the weekend. It was a very exciting finish.
In the Open: The Phil Wood Trophy race. Aidan was in front after they won the KO. However Julie and Peter (played to-gather all year) won the Open Pairs the next day to retake the lead. When Aidan’s team won the Monday Swiss while the Smith team lost their last match to come in third, it looked like Aidan had won the Trophy, however the final win by McMullin over the Smith team gave McMullin enough to tie for first, halving the awards just enough to let Julie and Peter nosed out Aidan by .75 of a point. 76.69 to 75.94.
In the Woman’s: The Eddie Bonnell Trophy was won by Julie with 76.69 points. 2nd was Katrin with 59.47 points.
James Wu 18.73 won the under 200 race. 2nd was Richard Nelson with 14.46 points.
With one Unit game to go Ronald Kuiper 14.67 is leading the Rookie race. 2nd was George Franko with 13.52 points. (Thanks to McBruce for the info)
Congratulations to all.
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Well done Peter and Julie. This may have been the first time that the Phil Wood trophy was shared and won by a woman!
Hi M.Y.
Quick correction: the rookie race (non-LMs playing with other non-LMs), includes all Unit events and the final one in that race only is the Dec 8 Unit Game. But it is a longshot that anyone will catch Ron Kuiper.
It was refreshing to see credit given to two “couples” who captured the Knockout Teams you reported on. In my experience over many years (with few exceptions) of the many wedded twosomes I knew, the male in most instances was far superior to his respective female counterpart. Perhaps he had more natural ability, applied himself more, had greater motivation or just had superior bridge genes.
I always had a deal with my late husband, Norman Kay, that if there was something special in which I wanted to play (usually Mixed Pairs) he would avail himself. The few times we played, we fared well — winning the opening night Thursday National Pair game in Hawaii back in the Seventies (winning the same event in Atlanta with my present husband, Bobby Wolff, right after we were married in 2003), Guess I am just an “opening night player” although Norman and I did well in other events we played in over our thirty-nine year marriage. He had bigger fish to fry and I couldn’t (and wouldn’t) challenge his priorities as he had a marvelously successful partnership with Edgar Kaplan for about 43 years and I contented myself as a lucky kibitzer, gleaning so much knowledge over a long period of time.
As for Bobby, since we moved to Vegas in 2003, our dailiness has changed radically. It is a new way of life for both of us (with new friends and so many other activities and eateries) and bridge is no longer the major part of our existence. We play every Tuesday and Friday at the Las Vegas Bridge Club and in all the sectionals and regionals together. We haven’t been to a National in about five years but we are going to San Francisco for the last week, playing together in the Mixed Pairs and then we part ways when Bobby plays on a team on the weekend. It will be so nice to see our old friends after so many years. At eighty, his mind is still incredibly sharp and he hasn’t lost a beat. He devotes much time gratis to bridge panels in all parts of the world and is involved on a daily basis responding to the many serious, well conceived questions posed on his Aces on Bridge site right here on Bridgeblogging.com. We have much for which to be grateful.
And Michael, thanks for mentioning Phil Wood. I have been on the bridge scene for over fifty-five years and still have vivid recollections of some of the “old time directors.” Phil stood out — and was most everybody’s favorite. You brought back many memories of a very special gentleman!
Congrats to Peter and Julie winning the KO and the Phil Wood. Hope the Unit Board gives them both free plays to next year’s Sectionals. Some note should be made of their methods; they play a complicated strong club system based on “Meckwell” which has enjoyed some modest success in larger arenas. Score one up for having a lot of opportunity to discuss your methods. This is the first time that the contest has ended in a tie although Julie won’t be the first female name on the trophy which dates back to 1968. Marcia Christie was the winner in 1991.
Congratulations to Peter and Julie. Well done!
Congrats Peter and Julie!
Thanks for writing it up Michael!