Ep. 97: From Hearts to Champion: John McAllister’s Personal Bridge Odyssey
The Setting Trick: Conversations with World Class Bridge Players
Release Date: 06/05/2025
Ep. 102: Emanuel Unge – All in for Bridge, Building the Premier Bridge Practice Tool
The Setting Trick: Conversations with World Class Bridge Players
In this episode, John McAllister sits down with Emanuel Unge, the creator of Cue Bids, the hottest app in bridge today. Emanuel shares how he discovered bridge at age 25. After years of poker and board games, and how that late start completely reshaped his life — leading him to meet his wife, build lifelong friendships, and ultimately create a platform that has transformed how players practice bidding worldwide. From his early simulations to today’s sleek app used by the world’s best, Emanuel opens up about the passion and persistence behind Cue Bids, why feedback drives innovation, and...
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Ep. 101: Christina Lund Madsen – Bridge’s Master Mixer
The Setting Trick: Conversations with World Class Bridge Players
In this episode, John McAllister sits down with Christina Lund Madsen, a writer, journalist, tournament organizer, and world-class competitor, coming off of winning her third European Mixed Team Championship. Known for her sharp wit and fearless bidding, Christina shares how she uses storytelling to connect people, celebrate the game, and show bridge as more than just cards on a table. From her unlikely appearance at a European junior camp to her eventually becoming a world champion, Christina opens up about balancing motherhood, career, and competition, and why laughter and vulnerability...
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Ep. 100: Eat Like Gold: David Gold on Bridge, Food, and Playing with Legends
The Setting Trick: Conversations with World Class Bridge Players
This is a long anticipated conversation for our host John McAllister as he finally sits down with English star David Gold. David considers himself lucky to play with legends Zia Mahmood for the North American Bridge Championships and Andrew Robson for the English open team. Fresh off competing in the European Bridge Championships in Poznań, Poland, David shares insights into his bridge journey, memorable stories, and his passion for food, highlighted by his new Instagram project, . Key Highlights: 🍽️ Food Adventures: The seeds for this episode took place between rounds of the European...
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Ep. 99: The Setting Trick podcast with Sartaj Hans
The Setting Trick: Conversations with World Class Bridge Players
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Ep. 98: From Control Room to Card Table: Tracy Brines' Unique Journey in Bridge and Nuclear Power
The Setting Trick: Conversations with World Class Bridge Players
In this captivating episode, John McAllister welcomes Tracy Brines, whose extraordinary background spans naval service, nuclear power plant operations, and competitive bridge. Tracy reveals engaging stories from his Navy days, shares intense experiences from his time managing nuclear power plant control rooms, and discusses how these high-stakes roles shaped his bridge-playing strategies. Tune in to explore Tracy's journey—from his introduction to bridge in college, navigating intense military deployments, to competing in national bridge tournaments alongside his wife. Key Highlights: ⚓...
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Ep. 97: From Hearts to Champion: John McAllister’s Personal Bridge Odyssey
The Setting Trick: Conversations with World Class Bridge Players
In a special solo episode, John McAllister shares his own personal journey into the world of bridge. John takes listeners from his first bridge game with Aunt Kathleen to major tournament wins, highlighting the mentors, friends, and unexpected encounters that shaped his bridge career. Listen in for heartfelt anecdotes, insights into learning bridge, and John’s reflections on pivotal moments and memorable players he met along the way. Key Highlights: 🎲 First Steps in Bridge: Discover how a casual game with family sparked John's lifelong passion for bridge. 🌉 Learning the...
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Ep. 96: From Underdogs to USA-1: Inside Adam Grossack’s Epic Bridge Victory
The Setting Trick: Conversations with World Class Bridge Players
In this unforgettable episode, John McAllister sits down with Adam Grossack, fresh off his team's stunning victory in the US Open Trials. Adam shares candid stories from the tournament, detailing how his four-handed team navigated intense matches, strategic pairings, and unexpected twists to claim the prestigious USA-1 spot in the Bermuda Bowl. Dive into behind-the-scenes insights on the team dynamics, preparation tactics, and pivotal hands that shaped their incredible run. Key Takeaways from This Episode: 🎯 Strategic Team Building: Adam reveals why pairing with veteran Eddie Wold and...
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Ep. 95: Cheating, Convictions, and Compassion: Inside the American Contract Bridge League’s Recorder's Office with Jeff Edelstein
The Setting Trick: Conversations with World Class Bridge Players
Ever feel like you have been cheated playing bridge online? Have you taken the time to report the pair by filing a player memo? Join John McAllister as he sits down with Jeff Edelstein, the ACBL recorder and a Grand Life Master, for a revealing conversation about the nuances of cheating detection, ethical prosecution, and the human stories behind bridge's biggest integrity challenges. From Edgar, the cutting-edge cheating detection software, to personal anecdotes and behind-the-scenes insights, this episode unpacks the complexities of keeping bridge fair, and human. Key Takeaways from This...
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Ep. 94: From Iceland to Delray: Svenni Eiriksson on Friendship, Risk, and Reinvention
The Setting Trick: Conversations with World Class Bridge Players
What happens when a car rental mishap, a spur-of-the-moment bridge partnership, and a life-changing move from Iceland to Florida collide? You get Svenni Eiriksson, a bridge player whose story is equal parts hilarious, heartfelt, and deeply human. John McAllister sits down with his former partner and friend to relive the many twists, laughs, and breakthroughs of Svenni’s journey from Icelandic tournaments to an NABC win in the U.S. More than just a fun loving, lover of laughing, Svenni impressed John, as his partner by pulling off a trump coup without breaking a sweat. Svenni shares how...
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Ep. 93: John’s Jumbled Auction |It’s Your Call!|
The Setting Trick: Conversations with World Class Bridge Players
info_outlineIn a special solo episode, John McAllister shares his own personal journey into the world of bridge. John takes listeners from his first bridge game with Aunt Kathleen to major tournament wins, highlighting the mentors, friends, and unexpected encounters that shaped his bridge career. Listen in for heartfelt anecdotes, insights into learning bridge, and John’s reflections on pivotal moments and memorable players he met along the way.
Key Highlights:
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🎲 First Steps in Bridge: Discover how a casual game with family sparked John's lifelong passion for bridge.
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🌉 Learning the Ropes: John recalls early mentorship from Chouky Neal and playing with promising talents like Jason Holderness.
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🏆 Breakthrough Moments: Relive John's first significant tournament victory at the NABC and his ambitious venture into international competition.
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🤝 Influential Connections: Hear stories about bridge legends and mentors like Gavin Wolpert, Jeff Hand, George Mittelman, and the late Eric Kokish.
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💰 Rubber Bridge Adventures: John humorously shares his first encounter playing rubber bridge in London, meeting Zia Mahmood, and the memorable experience of cash winnings.
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🌟 Major Wins: John reflects on his notable victories, including the Mitchell Board-a-Match, the Mixed Swiss, and the WBT Reykjavik Masters.
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🃏 Friendship and Growth: Learn how playing with friends like Lilly Justman helped sharpen John’s competitive edge and joy for bridge.
Resources & Next Steps:
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Follow John’s upcoming journey at the European Championships.
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Explore John’s documentary Double Dummy for deeper insights into bridge.
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🎧 More Stories Like This – Subscribe to The Setting Trick wherever you listen to podcasts for more deep dives into the world of bridge.
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📱 Follow @thesettingtrick – Stay connected on Instagram and for episode drops, tournament pics, and more.