May 13th, 2012 ~ Judy Kay-Wolff ~
14 Comments 
For weeks I have been following ludicrous discussions on Bridge Winners about accusations, warnings, charges, appeals, AWMWs and various other ugly altercations between players, committees, directors and management.
No one knows better than Yours Truly the furor and frustration of not being in control — especially when you have done nothing wrong. I won’t bore you with all the details as they are known by hundreds — from an incident that occurred about five years ago when my partner and I lost a preposterous appeal (unappealable by the bridge gods) and followed by an Award without Merit Warning. I believe they bless you with three of them before any serious action is taken — like shooting, bludgeoning, hanging, etc..
My partner and I fought it but our arguments fell upon deaf ears. All we wanted was to have the AWMW removed. We had a meeting with Jay Baum (then CEO), Harriet Buckman (then ACBL President) and Legal Counsel for the League — Peter Rank — all to no avail. It was at that point (about fourteen months after the debacle) that I told them candidly we had hired an attorney and were going to take legal action. It was then AND NOT BEFORE WE WERE ADVISED WE COULD DO NOTHING UNTIL WE CAME BEFORE SOME KIND OF CONDUCT AND ETHICS COMMITTEE (THEN HEADED BY GEORGIA HETH). Why did it take so long to learn our rights????? We had decided to go to the ends of the earth and if that meant COURT, so be it. It took Bobby a few moments to represent our viewpoint (about the taking advantage of a 20 second huddle by our opponent whose partner balanced with 5 points) until they removed the AWMW.
With all the different viewpoints (forever involving politics — and now with Professionalism and money on the horizon), the ACBL better get their act in shape and do some serious thinking of how to handle these disputes. I have less than no respect for the manner in which matters are being handled at the present .. and hard to imagine them getting any better until some practical person finds himself or herself in charge and initiates a better policy . We need an individual — one who really loves the game of bridge, has the time to devote to it and does not want to see it go down the drain!!!
May 12th, 2012 ~ Judy Kay-Wolff ~
1 Comment
While I was returning my Keystone Follies folder to my storeroom, I actually tripped upon a sheet of paper which had fallen between the crevice of two memorabilia boxes. It brought a smile to my lips and I wanted to share with you something written thirty-six years earlier.
The background: Charlie Solomon was teaching bridge at the Philadelphia Country Clubs and when he passed away in 1976, they were in need of a replacement. Norman was unwilling to give up his Merrill-Lynch Vice Presidency so in desperation the group sought out some well known women players. The long and short of it: My friend Joan Weinrott owned a bridge school/duplicate and I had the ‘right’ last name (Mrs. Norman Kay at the time). So, shockingly, we got hired as a pair. Uniquely, Phillly had a woman’s team bridge league (consisting of about 25-30 country clubs with 25-100 members each). Most clubs consisted of six teams so Joan taught numbers 3-6 and I had 1 and 2. We taught one day at each club every two weeks and the alternate week was when the match was held and we marked and critiqued the bid, play and defense (to the best of our ability). We were far from experts, but had the jump on them. All was going quite well until one night I received a call from a friend who played on one of the counterpart men’s country club teams asking me to teach at night. Four afternoons and one evening was too much for me so I countered with a suggestion of not teaching, just going over and marking their bridge results with comments and explanations. A DONE DEAL – until the first match when a friend delivered that evening’s match papers.
Here was my reaction — wearily written in the wee hours of the morning:
EAST WAS EAST AND WEST WAS WEST – WHEN RUDYARD KIPLING WAS LAID TO REST BUT TIMES HAVE CHANGED (DIRECTIONS, TOO) – GEOGRAPHY HAS GONE ASKEW
FOR NORTH AND SHOULD SHOULD PLAY AS ONE – A STANDARD BRIDGE PHENOMENON EAST AND WEST SHOULD DO THE SAME – A BASIC PREMISE – OF THIS GAME
BUT SOMETHING HAPPENED WEDNESDAY EVE – HOW OR WHY I CAN’T CONCEIVE THEIR MOVEMENT SWITCHED TO MUSICAL CHAIRS – MIXING UP BOTH SEATS AND PAIRS
MARKING BOARDS IS ALWAYS FUN – ESPECIALLY WHEN A TEAM HAS WON BUT THIS EXPERIENCE WAS THE WORST – A LOSING MATCH WITH HANDS REVERSED
IF ALL FOUR POCKETS HAD BEEN CROSSED – I WOULD NOT BE SO FULLY LOST BUT YOU TOOK SOUTH AND MADE HIM EAST – THEN THE REST SAT DOWN WHERE YOU PLEASED
THE ENIGMA BEGAN ON THE VERY FIRST DEAL – UPSET AND FRUSTRATION I CANNOT CONCEAL BUT PATIENCE EARNED ITS OWN REWARD – YOU FINALLY SENT ME A “PASSED OUT BOARD”!
I KNOW YOU YEARN TO STRENGTHEN YOUR GAME – OUTBID THE OPPONENTS – PUT THEM TO SHAME STOP IN A PARTIAL, UNBLOCK, OVERTAKE – I’D LOVE TO HELP YOU — BUT GIVE ME A BREAK!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
FIND YOUR SEATS AT ALTERNATE TABLES – CAREFULLY READ THE GUIDE CARDS AND LABELS DO NOT REVOKE – OR LEAD OUT OF TURN – AND REMEMBER – FINESSES SOMETIMES YOU MUST SPURN
NOW HERE’S A REQUEST YOU MAY THINK ABSURD; RECORD THE HANDS – AS THEY REALLY OCCURRED THEN I WILL KNOW WHICH CARDS WENT WHERE – COME ON FELLAS – FAIR-IS-FAIR!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
May 12th, 2012 ~ Judy Kay-Wolff ~
3 Comments
Reminiscing through my hoards of bridge memorabilia of fifty-five years, I came upon a file entitled “Keystone Follies, 1972.” That will be coming up upon forty years on November 10th, I can remember it as if it were yesterday. The primary event was the Fall Nationals held in Lancaster, PA by District 4 of the ACBL from the 10th to the 19th. The attractive leaflet displayed opening greetings from the Governor of PA and Mayor of Lancaster and ACBL bridge officials. It listed greetings from co-chairman Bill Gross and Charlie Gray who did bang-up jobs as well as the ACBL officers (Chairman Carl Rubin, President Percy X. Bean, Treasurer Jerome R. SIlverman, Honorary Member, Mrs. Stanley Smith and League Counsel, Lee Hazen (who put the league on their feet when their funds were insufficient to keep it going the first few years in the mid thirties). It also listed the ACBL Executive Staff: Richard L. Goldberg (Executive Secretary; Ralph Cohen, Ass’t. Exec. Secretary; Terry Smith, Executive Assistant; and Robert H. Wilkins, Secretary to the ACBL BOD. You veteran players will remember most of the wonderful National Tournament Directors listed …. Bill Adams, Maury Braunstein, Bob Dischner, Harry Goldwater, John Hamilton, Jack Hudgins, Karl Johnson, Jerry Machlin, Phil Merry, Ken Stone, John Wiser and Phil Wood. What a remarkable and lovable group of directors!!!
And now to the unique and topical plans of the Lancaster Red Rose Bridge Club … Schedule of bus tours:The National Wax Museum; The Amish Village, Inc; Quaint towns such as Bird-in-Hand and Intercourse; a Pennsylvania Dutch Market; an Amish Farm and House; Wheatland (the historic home of Pennsylvania’s only President, James Buchanan); a Pennsylvania Dutch Market and Mill Bridge Craft Village with interesting exhibits and buildings.
But – that was hardly enough. Beside the fun and games (actual tournament), we featured a Challenge Vu-graph Match. The World Champion ACES of Dallas had accepted an invitation from District 4 to play a 60 board head-to-head match. It was scheduled Wednesday, November 8 in the evening and Thursday November 9th in the afternoon and evening. Representing the ACES were Robert Goldman, Robert Hamman, James Jacoby, Michael Lawrence, Paul Soloway and Robert Wolff (a fella I got to know in later years). District 4 fielded a strong team of players with national and international reputations, including: Mark Blumenthal, Robert Jordan, Harlow Lewis, Luis Pietri and Arthur Robinson. Famed players Skippy Becker and Charlie Solomon were the non-playing co-captains.
However, I left for last (at least to my way of thinking) the highlight of the National – an original show I penned and staged (under the direction of Carole Moscotti, production of Joan Weinrott and Chorographical direction of Ceal Sokoloff) which brought the roof down on Saturday, November 11th and Friday the 17th (with free pretzels and beer to follow the Opening Show and free cider and doughnuts for the concluding performance). Such incentives!!!!
Oh, yes, between the above features, they held the 1972 Fall Nationals. I recall it as if it were yesterday. So much for memories as opposed to pips, dummy reversals and endplays.
April 19th, 2012 ~ Judy Kay-Wolff ~
3 Comments
My real exposure to serious bridge came about the time I met and married Norman Kay in the early sixties. Norman was playing with Sidney Silodor until Sidney’s death in 1963 and he floundered for a year or so afterwards. It was then he reunited with his former partner Edgar Kaplan who (in about 1960) released Norman to play on the “big team” when asked to join an impressive group by his Philadelphia partner Silodor — on teams with Johnny Crawford, Tobias Stone and Alvin Roth. Young Norman had reached the big time and held his own well with the likes of Schenken, Becker, Rapee, Lazard, Gerber, Mathe, Hodge, etc. who (together with scads of others) were the creme de la creme. The top thirty players read likes a Who’s Who (including great Canadians Eric Murray and Sammy Kehela). Until Edgar’s death in ‘97, Norman and he played with Jordan, Robinson, Roth, Root, Kehela, Murray, Pavlicek, Hamman, Wolff, Bramley, Lazard and then it came to a screeching halt with Edgar’s death from cancer in September. Though he lingered for a couple of years after its discovery, he never gave up the game he loved and won his last big event – The Open Swiss Teams (formerly The North American Men’s Swiss Teams) in Dallas with a last minute potpourri of Norman, Geir Helgimo, Brian Glubok, Walter Schafer and Bart Bramley a couple months before his death. Knowing Edgar was on borrowed time, there was not a dry eye in the room when the results became final.
In fact, Edgar, when Norman complimented his brilliance that day, retorted with, “I have abdominal cancer, not cancer of the brain.” He never failed to produce a witty reply in all the years I knew him. It is now fifteen years since he passed away and I still think of him every day (and not because I used to be a disciplined KS devotee – now converted to the more adventuresome Wolff System) – but because Edgar was eloquent, articulate, brilliant, funny, clever, original, etc. and he was so very patient and kind to me. How lucky can a gal get? First Norman (with Edgar thrown in gratis) – then Bobby – and to think some females never get it right once.
However, of all the phenomenal lines and thoughts that his incredible mind produced, I remember him most for his appall that it was harder and harder to get a team of truly top experts who were interested in preserving the beauty and majesty of the game of bridge without turning it into a business. His prediction unfortunately became a realization as I cannot spot a team today where a lesser player is not picking up the tab one way or another. Edgar was light years ahead of his time.
Let me add – I am not against professionalism in itself (locally or nationally) but when it hits the big time and infiltrates the three best pairs who are suppose to represent their homeland, they should earn it on their own and be the best that our country has to offer. Already it is taking its toll as seen by the ascendancy of the other foreign teams’ success in recent times.
April 11th, 2012 ~ Judy Kay-Wolff ~
11 Comments
If you have a few idle hours for a ludicrous scenario on ethics, rules, laws, strictures, impressions, point count, directors’ viewpoints, administrators’ decisions and intent, et al., go to PROCEDURE AND/OR ETHICS on Bridge Winners and enjoy the various heartfelt views on forcing 1C or strong 2 bids and their qualifications (apparently according to the potpourri, laws, rules, directors, players and whomever else wants to get into the fray). If the rules are correct (and I doubt it), with game in your own hand (—KQJ109XX – KQJXXX) the “god-fearing law” bars you from opening 2C despite the fact you have a game in your own hand because you MUST have 15 HCP TO QUALIFY FOR A STRONG OPENER. B.S.!!!!!!!!! Of course, there are reasons for it, but that seems of less importance and most unrealistic. AND WHAT OF THE JUST ABOUT IMPOSSIBILITY OF BEING DEALT THIRTEEN CARDS OF ONE SUIT, YOU CANNOT OPEN A STRONG HAND BECAUSE YOU ONLY HAVE 10 HCP. I think the Rules and Laws Commission better go back to the drawing board to get this one right.
In the meantime, if you want to get a few laughs and have nothing better to do with your time, go to PROCEDURE AND/OR ETHICS on Bridge Winners. It’s hard to beat on contradictions and amusement – and unalterable egos flare in their full glory.
April 9th, 2012 ~ Judy Kay-Wolff ~
2 Comments
In the good old days (before Bobby, bridge blogging and LV Blackjack came into my life) much of my leisure time (besides playing bridge and raising my children) was spent designing invitations and planning and throwing soirees to commemorate special occasions for family and friends (birthdays, anniversaries, etc.) and keeping me out of trouble (forgetting the expenses involved as the economy then was quite tolerable ). Being a pack-rat, I never discarded anything and unfortunately still suffer the addiction. You should see my storage room. I have literally boxes and boxes of albums, poems, invitations, letters, decorations, signs, news clippings, etc. – but my favorite pastime was appealing in advance to various celebrities of stage, screen and government and humbly requesting a brief note of congratulations addressed to the subject celebrant of an event I was planning to present – and display the replies in an album on a decorated table near the entrance. I just came across one almost twenty-five years young – recognizing my late husband, Norman Kay’s, 60th birthday in August of 1987.
Messages sent from hoards of gracious responders were the following …… “Red” Auerbach (legendary coach of the Boston Celtics); Donald T. Regan (Norman’s Philadelphia Merrill Lynch Manager) and later Secretary of Treasury and President Reagan’s Chief of Staff; Nancy and Ronald Reagan (who need no introduction); Pennsylvania Governor Robert B. Casey; then Vice President George Bush; New Jersey Governor Thomas H. Kean; Pennsylvania U. S. Senator John Heinz; Steve and Edyie (as in Lawrence and Gorme); good friend and bridge playing admirer, Phillies Catcher Tim McCarver and presently TV commentator; TV celebrity Barbara Walters; New Jersey Senator Bill Bradley; Massachusetts Senator Edward M. Kennedy; Pennsylvania Senator Arlen Specter; New York Mayor Edward I. Koch; Philadelphia Mayor W. Wilson Goode; former Philadelphia Mayor Frank Rizzo; popular Phillies sports figure Larry Bowa (who by that time had moved and was coaching the Padres); and another favorite — Phillies bridge lover, Richie Ashburn.
Dozens of personalized notes from celebrity bridge players were also sent – but the two best (IMHO), I felt compelled to relay:
OH! CANADA?
Surprise, surprise, I got a card – well in advance, not en retard
Like those I get from many a friend – who hope and pray I won’t attend
But this was for old Norman Kay – to join him on his natal day
I thought, well, for this special guy – I’ll give it the old college try
And if I can but save the dough – it’s off to Narberth I shall go
I’ll start by saving every penny – by August 8th I’ll have so many
But only if I start to-day – Ah, best laid plans aft aglay
The return card just caught my eye – on which my tears flowed low and high
For there affixed amid the damp – a gawdam U. S. postage stamp!
P.S. I know it said gifts were taboo, but here’s the stamp – it’s all for you
/signed/ E. RUTHERFORD (MURRAY) et ux.
…… and my other favorite ….
Sixty years of going good – Would that I had Norman’s mood!
When you come to Omar’s tent – Tempers usually get bent.
Forty years of playing well – Forty minutes is my spell.
So Vale Norman, roll along – Happy Birthday ends my song
Just herd the gnus!
/s/ Omar Sharif
April 2nd, 2012 ~ Judy Kay-Wolff ~
8 Comments
Despite the fact that we have not received our April ACBL Monthly Bulletin, I learned from a friend who already had hers delivered that the final 13 of the original 52 MOST INFLUENTIAL BRIDGE PERSONALITIES of the last 75 years have been revealed. Brent started posting them, beginning with the JANUARY, FEBRUARY, MARCH and finally the current APRIL ISSUE unraveled all the suspense. You have probably all read the first three issues but those of you (like us) who were waiting with baited breath for the top 13 will probably be receiving them in tomorrow’s or Tuesday’s mail.
Not surprisingly CHARLES H. GOREN WAS named NO. 1 as his name is synonymous with bridge as the primary promoter. NO. 2, ELY CULBERTSON, was accredited as the foremost authority of contract bridge, known for making the game an international popular pastime! No 3, WILLIAM E. McKENNEY was a famous bridge columnist, philanthropist and administrator. No. 4, of much more recent vintage (and one of my most favorite persons in the whole world) was, my late husband Norman Kay’s partner, EDGAR KAPLAN, who contributed in dozens of territories (writing, publishing, playing, lecturing, administrating, co-inventing The Kaplan-Sheinwold System and far too many more achievements to name at this time).
NOS. 1-4 (GOREN, CULBERTSON, McKENNEY and KAPLAN) are all deceased. NO. 5 (of the original thirteen) begins with the FIRST LIVING BRIDGE MORTAL and ends with no 52 (a combo of both living and dead). You can read all about them when your Bulletin arrives but I beam with pride when I tell you in advance the top one of the most influential LIVING PLAYERS (NO. 5) is none other than my husband, BOBBY WOLFF, who has made a career of many fields for the last sixty years in just about every capacity – probably most well known for organizing The Dallas Aces with Ira Corn and Dorothy Moore and winning eleven world championships (one in each of five different categories), and much more.
The April Issue is gonna be a real hoot and I can’t wait to read about all the other incredible eight superstars who have given so much of themselves in varying capacities to bring the game to where it stands in 2012. READ ALL ABOUT IT!!!!!
March 27th, 2012 ~ Judy Kay-Wolff ~
6 Comments
The Glitter Gulch Las Vegas Sectional is being held from the 26th to the 30th of March at the glamorous Bally’s (connected by a fascinating hallway to the famed Paris Hotel) with tons of shops and restaurants – not that Bally’s would not have sufficed in itself. The rooms are enormous with all the amenities (and a spot for my computer)! The games began on Monday at 9:00 a.m. 1:15 p.m. and will continue to 7:00 (last ditch), ending Friday at 10 a.m. with Stratfied Swiss Teams and FastPairs. They are a mixture of Pairs, Knockouts and Swiss events (bracketed and knockout). Something for everyone!
The gambling tables are plentiful and they feature Bobby’s and my favorite .. Blackjack Switch. For those who enjoy venturing the twenty-one variety love BJ Switch as it is hard to find in Vegas. Most of the casinos do not feature them. Everyone loves winning and moving forward in the tournament but being relegated to relaxing dinners and BJS could be worse. Today we start another knockout and hopefully this time we will will win more master points than money – but that ain’t bad either.
March 26th, 2012 ~ Judy Kay-Wolff ~
13 Comments
For those who have been following the Meckwell story on Bridge Winners (a site I always have a problem logging in) about the opponents not having written defenses on a routine convention, I find it nauseating to see so many blind a#!%-kissers and the backing up of the intimidation of opponents which went on all too often in bygone days. Fortunately, that practice has lessened in the last numbers of years, since back then it caused lesser experienced players to lose their concentration and become even easier prey to their famous opponents.
However, in this recent case, occurring during the Vanderbilt, where the heavily favored team was losing (and BTW went on to lose by 70+ IMPs), it was again attempted and while the offense was not what could be considered grounds for severe discipline, the aforementioned blind supporters came out of the woodwork to back up their well-known heroes. Finally. when two unimpeachable live kibitzers related and confirmed that the famous partnership, after causing an unwarranted commotion demanding written defenses to which the TD jumped tall buildings to get them, the ACBL defenses (which their opponents were supposed to provide) then instead pulled out their own defenses they had been using for years and went on from there.
To those fantasy hero followers, “There are none so blind as those who refuse to see” and without their unjust support may someday convince the intimidators that perhaps what they are doing is a long way from they should be representing because of their stature — “ACTIVE ETHICS”, not the opposite.
March 21st, 2012 ~ Judy Kay-Wolff ~
3 Comments
who have done an amazing job with their site as far as easy readable information – but far more impressive is the lightning fast publication of the Vanderbilt current scores from Memphis. They are clear, easy to decipher and contain all the team players’ names as well as team scores. If I am not mistaken this is the undertaking of Gavin Wolpert and Jason Feldman at the helm. You have my admiration and appreciation! It is quite a conscientious undertaking and appreciated by all interested parties.
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