Annie and Dee

A few months ago, husband/partner and I were yakking with Annie and Dee, fellow 299ers, after a board.  We mentioned that we had reservations for the Nationals in San Diego.  The next thing we knew, husband/partner was teaching them about on line reservations and how to print a Southwest Airlines Boarding Pass for the same flights we were on.

We met Ann and Dee at Director Everette's Thursday night game for newcomers.  It became immediately apparent that Ann and Dee were not the usual run of the mill newbies.  Ann usually sat at table one north south and no matter how hard I tried to get her to smile or engage her in conversation, I was unsuccessful.   Ann played her hands really well and we rarely got a good board against her.   A few months later, Dee showed up; blonde, great figure, good spangley jeans to show off said figure and a tattoo on one leg.   She had the gravely voice of a smoker, the outgoing personality of Ethel Mermen and had a nice looking, tall lanky guy for a partner. 

Over my long lifetime, I should have learned by now that the very people I take an immediate dislike to turn out to be some of the best of friends.  I called Dee "card snapping woman" and inwardly groaned when she showed up.  After a lifetime of rubber bridge, Dee snapped cards louder than anyone I have ever played against.  It drove me nuts.  After a few Thursdays of this, I finally brought up the subject.  Husband/partner's mentor, club owner, Marilyn told him that snapping cards at the bridge table is akin to picking your nose at the dinner table.  He conveyed that to Dee that night and, to her credit, she has tried to curtail a very difficult habit to break.

The partnership of Dee and lanky guy broke up and Ann and Dee began playing together straffing the newcomer games.  They didn't know too many conventions but crushed everyone by playing the heck out of every hand.  They were a classic example of the theory that those who make the least playing mistakes win the game much of the time.  I kept encouraging them to come play in the regular club games but got the usual newbie responses of how mean the regular players can be to newcomers.  I kept telling them they could more than hold their own out there and how much the other players have helped to improve our game.

They emerged and started clobbering the C strat, then the B strat and have moved on to placing in the A strat.  In the process, I found out that Annie is an incredibly interesting, bright person with a great smile and Dee is so overtly who she is and secure in herself that you have to love her.  In San Diego, they won a KO with B players from San Antonio, rolling in a ton of gold points and laid waste to the 299er games where prizes for winning were coasters as well as red.  Half way through the week, they were begging for space in our suitcases to store coasters.  I think I know what my Christmas present will be.

It has been a fascinating experience to watch them pair up and develop so quickly as such a strong team.  I have grown to love them both and was genuinely delighted at their success at their first National.  Way to go, guys!!  On to the AX level.

While in San Diego, we ran into great player Ira who was playing in the AX strat.  I asked how it was going and he said, "Well, I was in first place but then I pulled a few 'Judys' and now I'm in 6th."  He must have misplayed some no trump slams.  Maybe the only way I will be famous in bridge annals is to have a particularly bad notrump play named after me.

Partner/husband and I had an intense, angst ridden, regret filled, sleepless week.  On the good side, we met wonderful people from everywhere, exchanged information and made plans to play as a team when we next meet.  We also found out where our bidding system is failing us and have made some adjustments.  We did get 1.66 gold and 4 red but have yet to win a KO.  We figure that's something for us to look forward to in the future.  Husband/partner is looking for flights to New Orleans in July.  Never give up.  Never say die.