I grew up in Iowa in a card- and game-playing family. The game of choice was “500,” a trick-taking game with similarities to bridge, and I played in some of the monthly community 500 parties beginning around the age of 10. Fortunately the adults accepted me and I didn’t embarrass my parents. My aunt, a professor at Iowa State, introduced me to bridge when I was about 8 and tried (unsuccessfully) to convince the family to play bridge instead of 500. My first actual game of bridge was in high school when I played with classmates over at a teacher’s house. I played a lot in college where I met my wife Carol who was completely new to the game. In one of our first games, she trumped my good off-suit ace. I told her if she ever did that again our relationship would be over. Just to test me, she did it on the next hand. Despite that, our relationship survived and we have been married for more than 50 years. 

As a young, married couple without kids, Carol and I played a lot of bridge in graduate school. I first played duplicate with another graduate student, and we won the Iowa State college championship and went on to the district college competition. After that, I was hooked on duplicate, and Carol and I started playing in the local Ames duplicate club where I also became a club director and helped with the directing. We also went to local sectionals with another pair of graduate students. 

In 1973, we moved to Santa Clara, California. Because we had played on Thursday night in Ames, we played in San Jose’s Bascom Avenue Bridge Club on Thursday night. We were very much humbled at that club. After finishing near or at the bottom for a couple of weeks, one of the players pulled us over and said, “You play pretty well. Come join us after the game at the bar.” It turned out that Thursday night at Bascom Avenue had turned into “pro night” and few less-experienced players played in that game. Listening to the skilled players talk about the hands at the bar became a weekly bridge tutorial and where Carol and I really learned the game. In California, Carol and I developed several bridge friendships and played in the many sectionals and regionals available in the Bay Area, even winning a limited pairs event at a San Francisco Regional. In 1977, we moved to Corvallis, Oregon, and won the Grand National Pairs of the District, I made Life Master at the Oregon Trail Regional in the midnight Speedball Swiss. 

Here in Corvallis, we have enjoyed two bridge lives – before kids and after kids – and have been active members of the local bridge community.  In 2014, I helped the Corvallis Bridge Center develop its home in its current space. In 2020, I helped develop local online bridge during the pandemic,I served as area rep for a few years, and I continue to run the Mid-Valley Online Club. I currently serve as District 20 Treasurer and am just starting a role as District 20 Education Coordinator. 

Throughout my bridge career, I have been lucky to have good mentors and patient partners. I am especially lucky to have a spouse who supports bridge and is herself an accomplished bridge player.