The Setting Trick: Conversations with World Class Bridge Players

The Setting Trick features conversations with world class bridge players, and lovers of the card game bridge from all over the world.

Ep. 91: Dennis Bilde – The Danish Ace 04/24/2025

Ep. 90: Adrienne Carter: Shifting Your Mindset 04/21/2025

Ep. 90: Adrienne Carter: Shifting Your Mindset My guest today is Adrienne Carter. She claims to be an aspiring bridge player. I know her from working with her as a performance coach and mindset specialist. She has worked across industries with everyone from CEOs to poker players, and has seen a recent uptick in interested golf players following her appearance on the Chasing Scratch podcast. I reached out to Adrienne’s company, Primed Mind, in September of 2022 at the recommendation of my friend and former Setting Trick guest Nabil Edgtton, who used Primed Mind’s hypnosis services to improve his performance. You can listen to my conversation with Nabil here: You can learn more about Adrienne’s work here: Here’s an affiliate link to Primed Mind for Setting Trick listeners: Subscribers to The Setting Trick email list check your email or to subscribe click here: Episode Highlights: 4:44 – Adrienne likes working with professionals across industries and getting a taste of her clients’ work. 7:47 – “The methodology matters, but less than you think.” 14:21 – Adrienne says that every board should be treated as practice for the next one, and to avoid ruminating on mistakes. 20:16 – Evolving alongside the game 21:09 – The path to the Bermuda Bowl 30:31 – How hypnosis helps you tune into the reactions in your body 36:23 – Setting your expectations and process 44:30 – Adrienne started her career as an occupational therapist, but fell in love with poker. 53:33 – Hypnosis deals with the part of your brain that processes feelings before you consciously notice them, making hypnosis a deeply emotional process. 57:04 – The difference between occupational therapy and hypnosis 1:05:59 – Adrienne’s mother is a bridge player. 1:10:21 – “I’m so grateful to have found poker when I did.” 1:13:29 – Adrienne says that regret happens when you make a decision out of obligation, and that decisiveness helps to prevent regret. 1:20:53 – The bar for success moves throughout a tournament as you advance and increase your expectations. 1:28:31 – Adrienne’s kids are also learning through sports and games. She sees both as an opportunity to teach them about decision making. /episode/index/show/thesettingtrick/id/36251510

Ep. 89 Stefan Scorchev: Getting IntoBridge 04/21/2025

Ep. 89 Stefan Scorchev: Getting IntoBridge My guest today is Stefan Scorchev, a bridge player, friend, and the creator of IntoBridge. For those who are unaware, IntoBridge is a free platform for online bridge games. In his childhood, Stefan learned the value of online bridge as he spent hours playing bridge every day, and found that playing bridge online encouraged him compete at in-person tournaments. Stefan is the first Bulgarian guest I’ve had on the show, and I fist met him in 2012 when he played on the Bulgarian team in the Junior Nationals. We talk about in-person and virtual bridge, the unique features of IntoBridge that borrow from modern gaming, and what it’s like to run a bridge startup. You can learn more about IntoBridge on its website: Subscribers to The Setting Trick email list check your email or to subscribe click here: Episode Highlights: 4:58 – Stefan played bridge online constantly in his childhood, and moved into in-person tournaments at seventeen. He says he played bridge as much as fifteen hours a day. 12:05 – Stefan says he is the strangest looking person at tournaments because he always wears his IntoBridge merchandise. 16:05 – “We focused on inventing something that has the potential that you close it immediately and continue whenever you can.” 17:35 0:54 – Ranked matchups on IntoBridge 24:17 – The Daily exists to give people a reason to return to IntoBridge every day. 28:47 – Stefan has a lot of ideas for new bridge formats unique to IntoBridge 32:45 – Some unfortunate mis-clicks 40:12 – Bridge marketing is difficult, so word of mouth has been the best marketing channel for IntoBridge 48:22 – Running a startup is difficult as investors and employees rely on the performance of the business 56:46 – Having access to a free bridge platform as a kid was game-changing for Stefan. 57:59 – One great aspect of online bridge is that it naturally leads people into in-person bridge, encouraging them to meet more people. 1:02:41 – Stefan’s Fiance, Desi, is coming to the US Nationals for the first time. /episode/index/show/thesettingtrick/id/36251465

Ep 88: Ami Zamir – From Fishbein Glory to Fatherhood 04/20/2025

Ep 88: Ami Zamir – From Fishbein Glory to Fatherhood In this episode of The Setting Trick, John welcomes his friend and bridge phenom Ami Zamir—one half of the ACBL’s top-ranked pair of 2023. From winning major events to missing the final session of a national championship for the birth of his daughter, Ami shares the highs, the heart, and the hustle of life as a rising star in the world of competitive bridge. Ami opens up about his journey from high school sweethearts to fatherhood, his chess obsession, and what it’s like to chase glory across Europe and the U.S. with partner Oren Telodano. The two discuss how talking through hands (even off the clock) sharpens their game, the emotional rollercoaster of playing for national teams, and how coffee routines and NBA fandoms keep life on the road a little saner. Plus, you’ll hear what it was like to almost win ACBL Player of the Year—and why Ami is still laughing about it. Key Takeaways from This Episode: 👶 Bridge Meets Baby – Ami skipped the Reisinger finals when his daughter was born early. The team understood, proving real partnership goes beyond the table. 🏆 From Platinum Pairs to the Fishbein Trophy – Ami and Oren's standout 2023 included back-to-back top finishes and winning the most masterpoints at the Summer NABC. 🔥 Fights Happen, Wins Follow – After their biggest argument as partners, a long dinner conversation led to a tournament victory. Communication is key. 🎯 Pressure Is a Privilege – Whether tied in a Bermuda Bowl quarter final or in contention for Player of the Year, Ami thrives under pressure—and prefers it that way. 🧠 Daily Debriefs - Practice – Ami and Oren’s bridge “training” often centers around conversations—not drills. Talking through scenarios helps them stay aligned. 👟 Hoops, Habits, and Vegan Hacks – Ami shares his basketball battles with Adi, his vegan-at-home/freestyle-abroad food rule, and his partnership’s coffee ritual. Resources & Next Steps: 📅 Follow the European Open in Poznań – Ami and Oren will be competing with an English team in this major event. 🎧 More Stories Like This – wherever you listen to podcasts for more deep dives into the world of bridge. 📱 Follow @thesettingtrick – Stay connected on Instagram and for episode drops, tournament pics, and more. /episode/index/show/thesettingtrick/id/36235470

Ep. 87 Tuva Nilsmark: BridgeQueen 03/06/2025

Ep. 87 Tuva Nilsmark: BridgeQueen Ep. 87 Tuva Nilsmark: BridgeQueen Today’s guest is Tuva Nilsmark, who goes by BridgeQueen on YouTube. As a bridge lover and social media user, Tuva saw a gap in the YouTube landscape for bridge videos that are light, short, easy to understand, and fun to watch. She fills that gap with her tutorials and weekly Funbridge Friday videos, hoping to inspire new players to hone their skills. Bridge isn’t just community for Tuva – it’s a part of her family. Tuva’s boyfriend is Simon Ekenberg, whom she met through bridge. She also picked up bridge as a teenager to play with her grandparents, whom she promptly abandoned for stronger players. Boye Brogeland suggested I interview Tuva for this episode. You can listen to my conversation with Boye here: Subscribers to The Setting Trick email list check your email or to subscribe click here: You can follow Tuva on Instagram here: Tuva’s YouTube channel: Episode Highlights: 2:00 – Tuva is in a fantasy football league with her boyfriend Simon Ekenberg other bridge players: “Really good bridge players; they suck at fantasy football though.” 4:58 –Tuva started her YouTube channel recently, to a largely positive reception. You can watch her videos here: 8:14 – How Tuva got started in bridge 11:19 – Tuva’s father is the captain of the Swedish Open 12:48 – The first time Tuva saw Simon 15:14 – As if her bridge-playing family wasn’t enough, you might also know of Tuva’s mother, Catrin Nilsmark, who is a golfer and two-time captain of the European Solheim Cup Team. 22:15 – With her Funbridge Fridays series, Tuva hopes to show a different side of bridge. She wants to counter the overly serious image that bridge can have. 29:17 – Tuva and Simon played a bridge and golf event and beat Ola Rimstedt. 36:30 – Tuva’s first partner was her father 42:32 – The BridgeQueen YouTube channel has a video called “Learn Bridge in only Three Minutes:” 49:01 – The most pressure Tuva has felt playing bridge so far 55:04 – Tuva’s ultimate goal is to win the Venice cup 58:55 – Another long term goal of Tuva’s is beating Simon /episode/index/show/thesettingtrick/id/35553765