The NABC Summer Nationals – Dispatches From the Front

SCANDINAVIANS SCORE GOLD, SILVER  IN LIFE MASTER PAIRS

BRIAN GLUBOK

Brian is a highly accomplished American bridge player hailing from New York City. Glubok, an alumnus of Amherst College, has consistently excelled in North American Bridge Championships, securing numerous titles, including wins in the Jacoby Open Swiss Teams, Reisinger, and Spingold events. In addition to his domestic success, Glubok came close to victory in the World Mixed Pairs Championship in 2010, finishing as the runner-up.

Brian will be writing for IMP about the Summer NABC in Minneapolis. This is the fourth of the series.

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For details about the Summer NABC in Minneapolis, look here.

MINNEAPOLIS, July 13th

The 88th ACBL Summer Nationals pivots from pairs to teams today – the Spingold Team Championship begins and the marquee pair events have concluded.

Scandinavians Bakke and Abragi, playing together live for the first time, came away with the championship. Rimstedt and Thompson, of Sweden and Norway, came second.

Florida won the GNT’s.

Smith and Kriegel scooped first place in the two-day national pair game.

Zia promised some deals for our readers later this week.

Hamman played this hand magnificently, against this writer, in the first session of the LM Finals:

Board 15, Hamman declared 6 with AJxx, Ax, AJxx, Qxx opposite QTxxx, x, KTxxx, AJ – 

Hugh Kelsey couldn’t have designed a more perfect deal – Hamman won the heart lead, ruffed a heart in dummy, took the trump finesse and drew trumps in three rounds, then – ace of diamonds, diamond to the 10, and claim on the endplay, RHO must play a heart to give a ruff sluff or lead a club into dummy’s ace-jack.

That’s the same Bob Hamman who is the winningest player in the history of tournament bridge, with around a dozen world titles and perhaps 50 North American championships. 

I’ll be partnering him in the Spingold, beginning today, and Mahmood promised me a deal he played against Hamman where Bob excelled once more as declarer.

Those in attendance are having a marvellous time – competing in the final yesterday, I was struck by what an extraordinary experience all of this is – these championship pair games in particular, I find it quite amazing to be in such a demanding and enriching group experience with 150 or so friends, colleagues, and rivals from around the world.

As we were about to begin play for the final session, I remarked to partner Ed Zuckerberg (we were not unhappy with our 25th place finish, of the roughly 360 original entrants), “You know, someone recently asked me what I do for fun….”

I intended to flesh out the thought that I play these national bridge events for that, but – Ed was laughing so hard I didn’t really get to express the thought.

They are fun, but they’re intense and demanding, too.

*****

Smith and Kriegel won the two day national pair game.

New York City won the Flight B GNT’s.

The League hosted a marvellous “Beyond Bridge” night of fun and games.

For a marvellous and extensive account of going-ons here in Minnesota, with comprehensive results, click on this link for today’s Daily Bulletin:

That’s all for today, first round action, in the Spingold Round of 128 begins later this morning.

Thought for the Day: Play Bridge!

*****

Signed,

IMP’s Man in America,

Glubok