The Setting Trick: Conversations with World Class Bridge Players
Hi, my name is John McAllister. I have spent the past six years playing bridge all around the world. My goal is to win a world championship. Doing so requires getting into the minds of the world's best players. I can not think of a better, more fun way to do so, than to interview great bridge players and share their insights in podcast format.
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Episode 81: Owen Lien Does It All In Bridge
10/01/2024
Episode 81: Owen Lien Does It All In Bridge
John McAllister chats with 35-year-old Owen Lien of Oak Park MI about Junior Bridge, directing on BBO, playing professionally and reaching highs and lows in national events. Owen has won two limited NABC events: The 10K Swiss in 2016 and the 0–5000 Mini Spingold in 2009. He was second in those same events in 2014 and 2007. A Platinum Life Master with over 18,000 masterpoints – 10,000 of them gold and 2100 platinum – Owen is a hardworking player who loves the game and still plays for fun at the club.
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Ep 80 Matthew Granovetter: Bridge Mystic
09/18/2024
Ep 80 Matthew Granovetter: Bridge Mystic
Matthew Granovetter is a six-time NABC champion. He also won a world championship, the Mixed Pairs, in 2006. He is a popular author and teacher, along with his wife, Pamela. They are best known for their theories on bidding via their system GUS (Granovetter Unified System) and their books on defensive play. Matthew is Hasidic (a branch of Orthodox Judaism); his spirituality is woven throughout his life and bridge – the two are inseparable. His latest book on Method Bridge is his proudest contribution to the game.
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Episode 79: Boss Ladies of Bridge – Ladawna Parham and Bronia Jenkins
08/02/2024
Episode 79: Boss Ladies of Bridge – Ladawna Parham and Bronia Jenkins
Just before the Toronto NABC, John sat down with Ladawna Parham, executive director of the ACBL Educational Foundation, and Bronia Jenkins, executive director of the ACBL. Jenkins, “one year in,” still has the energy and vision she started with, if not more. Parham, who took the position in November, has had to start from the ground up, with no bridge experience (although she did do her own research prior to getting the job). She is amazed at the depth and vitality of the bridge world. Listen to how these two women are working together within their organizations to engage and empower those who want to bring bridge to the masses.
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Ep. 78 - Gavin Wolpert is committed to making you the best bridge player you can be!
06/30/2024
Ep. 78 - Gavin Wolpert is committed to making you the best bridge player you can be!
John welcomes back his first-ever guest, Gavin Wolpert, a seven-time NABC winner, including the 2021 Soloway Knockout and the 2005 Blue Ribbon Pairs with his wife, Jenny, and a two-time bronze medal winner in Open World Championships. Gavin is one of the internet's favorite Bridge teachers, using interactive problems to allow students to make mistakes and learn from them, emphasizing practice as an essential component in becoming a better bridge player, and implementing technology to provide opportunities for targeted practice. Gavin shares his thoughts on the need for more structured and accessible bridge programs for kids and families at national tournaments. He discusses the importance of enticing kids to play bridge and creating a fun environment for them, and that bridge can help kids develop respect for older people and learn how to interact with them better.
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Ep. 77 - You Want Aaron “Silversetin” to Be Your Bridge Mentor
06/17/2024
Ep. 77 - You Want Aaron “Silversetin” to Be Your Bridge Mentor
Today, my guest is in-demand tournament player, winner of one of Bridge’s crown jewels, the 2022 Vanderbilt, club owner, multiple club owner, and Junior Bridge mentor extraordinaire, Aaron Silverstein. Aaron played in the first ever Junior World Championships in 1987, and his daughter, Avery, playing on a team that he mentored, won a silver medal in the 2023 Junior World Championships. See just how much has changed when it comes to Junior Bridge. Getting Aaron’s perspective as a club owner was really insightful for me, and I think you’ll be surprised at who Aaron wants to partner when he plays in one of his own club games. Finally, Aaron is very candid about what it’s like to have his main tournament partner win a mixed world championship without him, and playing in tournaments at the highest level, and I think provides some great insight into how to think about your own partnership and teammates.
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Ep. 76: Simon de Wijs – Bridge's Vault Keeps all Secrets
05/29/2024
Ep. 76: Simon de Wijs – Bridge's Vault Keeps all Secrets
My guest is Simon de Wijs from the Netherlands. Simon has a great bridge resume. He has won the Bermuda Bowl, the Olympiad, the mixed World Championship, and multiple European championships. He is a mainstay on the Dutch national team, always one of the favorites in open competition. At the recent Louisville NABC, Simon showed up with his twin 19-year-old daughters, who are budding experts. Find out how his relationship with them has changed since they got the bridge bug (by the way they made the Dutch mixed team for the upcoming European championships). Recently at the NABCs, Simon has been playing on the Goodman team. They are one of the hottest teams in the world, having made it to the semifinals of the last two Vanderbilts and the last Soloway.
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Ep. 75 - Brian Platnick - Can Tell You if You're a World Class Bridge Player
05/20/2024
Ep. 75 - Brian Platnick - Can Tell You if You're a World Class Bridge Player
Today my guest is Brian Platnick. He’s a world champion (1991 World Junior Teams and 2010 Rosenblum Cup) with six NABC+ titles, including two Spingold wins (2010, 2017) and a victory in the Blue Ribbon Pairs (2012). Brian is a perfect example of what inspires this podcast: the opportunity to have longer-form conversations with fascinating bridge players. The genesis for this episode was getting eliminated from the United States Bridge Championships, by Brian’s team, for the second year in a row. I had too much fun talking with Brian and wasn’t focused enough on winning! If you've ever wondered if you're a world-class player, Brian has a formula for deciding (Hint, I’m not.) He also speaks candidly about where he sees himself amongst some of the best in the game. We talk about EDGAR (Everyone Deserves a Game Above Reproach), the anti-cheating software that he and Franco Baseggio have created that is now in use, testing an incredible number of online deals. Anyone who likes hearing me laugh will greatly enjoy this episode. Brian kept cracking me up!
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Ep 74: Event Review with Sophia Baldysz
03/14/2024
Ep 74: Event Review with Sophia Baldysz
Today, we're debuting a new format called Event Review, where my partner and I get together and discuss some of the most amusing incidents and some of the best and worst plays from a recent event. It's going to be shorter than my typical long-form interview and also, hopefully, just kind of fun. I'm speaking with my partner for the District 6 Grand National Teams Qualifying sessions, Sophia Baldysz, a champion player from Poland with many medals in world events, and also my teammate from the 2023 NABC+ Mixed Swiss.
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Ep 73 Rise and Fly! Lamont Jones and The Gist of Bid Whist
03/09/2024
Ep 73 Rise and Fly! Lamont Jones and The Gist of Bid Whist
Episode 73: Rise and Fly! Lamont Jones and The Gist of Bid Whist Normally, this is a Bridge podcast, but today my guest is Bid Whist evangelist Lamont Jones. Lamont recently published the book called The Gist of Bid Whist culminating a project he began in earnest in 2012. He's on a mission to share his love for Bid Whist with a wider audience. If you've ever been curious about Bid Whist, as I have been recently, Lamont and I go through a lot of the differences as well as the similarities between Bid Whist and Bridge. One of the things we don't have in Bridge is trash talk, and that seems to be a huge part of the Bid Whist culture. Whether it's trash-talking about taking your opponents to Boston or telling them to rise and fly, I definitely think Bid Whist has Bridge beat when it comes to talking smack. I could not believe when I read in The Gist of Bid Whist that none other than Bob Hamman said, "Bid Whist is more complex than Bridge." My question to you as a listener, is that a good thing? Overall I've just found Lamont to be a super positive, delightful person, and I'll hope you enjoy engaging with him as I did.
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Ep 72: John Got Hired!
03/06/2024
Ep 72: John Got Hired!
John shares his experience of being hired to play bridge professionally for the first time. He talks about meeting and playing with a new partner and the challenges they faced. He also discusses the pressure and self-consciousness he felt as a bridge pro and how he overcame it to improve his performance and gain confidence.
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Ep 71 Morten Bilde: Introducing the Card Game Bridge to Young People
02/29/2024
Ep 71 Morten Bilde: Introducing the Card Game Bridge to Young People
Today’s guest is Denmark's Morten Bilde. In addition to being a world-class bridge player with a win and a second in the U.S. Vanderbilt, Morten left his day job in 2015 to focus on getting bridge in the schools in Denmark. Stay tuned to find out why Morten says that's the best job he's ever had, as well as what the challenges are in that undertaking. Morten and his wife, Dorte met through bridge and their son, Dennis, is a real bridge superstar. The three of them teamed up at the recent Icelandic Bridge Festival and won the team event for both the festival and the World Bridge Tour event, which preceded it. Those of you with children might be interested to learn how Morten approached teaching Dennis the game. If you've got a passion for introducing youth to bridge like I do, then Morten is your guy. He's happy to answer any of your questions, and he gives his email address towards the end of our conversation. Please enjoy my conversation with Morten Bilde.
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Ep 70 Matthew Brown: High Compatibility in the Card Game Bridge
02/14/2024
Ep 70 Matthew Brown: High Compatibility in the Card Game Bridge
My guest today is Matthew Brown. Matt has been my partner for the last two North American Bridge Championships and for the upcoming March NABC in Louisville. Matt’s partnership with Michael Whibley on team New Zealand has pulled off some big time wins and upsets. Stay tuned to hear how they went from zero to being one of the best pairs in the world. As his partner, I’m happy to put down the dummy for Matt to play. As his teammate, I’m delighted for him to be playing a difficult contract. See if you can see why I think our temperaments are quite different.
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69 John Solo - This is the Song About Bridge
01/18/2024
69 John Solo - This is the Song About Bridge
Ever wonder about the theme music that accompanies The Setting Trick and Double Dummy? Listen to this bonus episode, the first of John telling stories about the genesis of his bridge media.
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68 Game On – The Card Game Bridge Needs More People Like Steve Raine
01/06/2024
68 Game On – The Card Game Bridge Needs More People Like Steve Raine
The Setting Trick Episode 68 Game On – The Card Game Bridge Needs More People Like Steve Raine John McAllister talks with Steve Raine, a bridge player, vlogger and gaming café owner who lives in Nottingham, England. His video blogs about attending bridge tournaments and subsequent board review have earned him fans across the globe. You’re going to want to stick around to hear the new end-of-show question as suggested by Steve’s partner at the Atlanta NABC, Adam Hickman, aka Gizzy. We’re planning on making it a staple of the show going forward. Listen to Steve’s surprising and inspiring answer. Hint: it wasn’t about himself!
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67 Bonnie Gellas - The Beginners Bridge Teacher
12/15/2023
67 Bonnie Gellas - The Beginners Bridge Teacher
The North American Bridge Championships are truly an experience that brings people together. Walt Shafer, who runs an eponymous, invitation-only game online, hosted a party for the participants at the Atlanta NABC. John, who plays in the game, attended and met Bonnie Gellas, who was there because her partner, Erez Hendelman, plays in the game. The two hit it off and now Bonnie, who is a bridge teacher, is a guest on the show. Bonnie lives in NYC and is responsible for teaching bridge to hundreds of players.
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66 Alex Kolesnik: Bridge Dad +
12/12/2023
66 Alex Kolesnik: Bridge Dad +
Alex Kolesnik: Bridge Dad + Move over, Soccer Moms, there’s a new game in town. Alex Kolesnik and his wife, Sharon Beynon, are California-based professors who play bridge. Somehow, they got both of their children interested in playing bridge too. Now ages 25 and 19, Emma and Finn are top-ranked players. Alex, a Platinum Life Master, describes his journey as a husband, professor, player and father, encouraging his kids in all their endeavors, maintaining balance and keeping perspective.
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65 Nathan Gong - A Junior Ambassador for New Bridge Players
10/27/2023
65 Nathan Gong - A Junior Ambassador for New Bridge Players
The Setting Trick Episode 65: Nathan Gong – A Junior Ambassador for New Bridge Players Seattle-area teenager Nathan Gong has distinguished himself as an excellent bridge player at regionals, NABCs, and, this summer, his first World Youth Championships. He’s also getting noticed as a teacher, having started bridge clubs in middle and high school. With his family and the support of the bridge-playing community, Nathan has helped to teach and mentor a group of kids – and even get some of their parents to learn bridge.
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Amber Lin - Bridge's Wonder Woman Part 2
09/30/2023
Amber Lin - Bridge's Wonder Woman Part 2
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64 Amber Lin - Bridge's Wonder Woman
09/28/2023
64 Amber Lin - Bridge's Wonder Woman
Amber Lin has already achieved a lifetime of success at age 26. A national champion and two-time world champion medalist (including gold in Morocco just a few weeks ago), Amber has found the time to develop as a bridge player, mentor and coach others, intern with the ACBL Educational Foundation, and work full-time as an energy consultant at Bain & Company. Listen to Amber’s amazing trajectory via the USBF Junior Training Program and the benefits of mentorship and learning together with friends.
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63 Katie Sullivan is not pumping the brakes
09/14/2023
63 Katie Sullivan is not pumping the brakes
TST Episode 63: Katie Sullivan is not pumping the brakes Katie Sullivan, as a second-year student at the University of Virginia, has infused her love of bridge with her college experience, starting an officially recognized student organization and recruiting other college kids into competitive bridge. Hear about her meteoric rise in the game and her plans for UVA world domination. “Chalk it up” – how creative marketing got Katie needed contacts to create a bridge club. Obtaining CIO status and how the club fair was a game-changer. Trumpet players and bridge. Who knew? Hoos Playing Bridge on Instagram. Trying to teach the fundamentals, struggling with supplies. Creating slide presentations. A shout-out to any UVA alumni who might want to help. Many students have branched out to playing sanctioned events at clubs. Katie is proud. Katie, in her first year of college at Amherst, meets Michael Xu. Recovering from a painful misbid by partner. After success at the World Youth Teams Championships, Katie plans to get “seriously serious.” Loving the postmortem. Katie encourages all youth bridge players to plan on attending UVA when it’s time for college. Katie’s on Bridge Winners about starting a bridge club at college. Hoos Playing Bridge on . Katie’s first BW : a love letter. Katie in the New Orleans NABC .
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62 Patty Tucker: Youthful Enthusiast
08/21/2023
62 Patty Tucker: Youthful Enthusiast
The Setting Trick Episode 62: Patty Tucker, Youthful Enthusiast. Patty Tucker might be responsible for creating more new bridge players than anyone on the planet. From developing teaching materials and running a non-profit to her new endeavor - getting bridge to be part of the curriculum in schools - Patty channels her love of the game into energy to keep it alive. How bridge changed Patty’s life at age 11, finding her niche. The origin of Atlanta Junior Bridge, how the camps became the Youth NABC. The challenges of school systems and connecting with teachers. A teacher in Lebanon KY inspired Patty’s new endeavor, Jump Start Bridge, resulting in 40 kids learning bridge via an afterschool program. Patty’s amazement at the lack of knowledge of what bridge is; finding a way to spread the word via conferences, including the International Society for Technology and Education, which included tech giants like Microsoft and Google, reaching over 12,000 attendees and raising visibility. Patty keeps learning: What to do differently for future conferences. On feeling overwhelmed or “out of her element” with the enormity of the tasks of marketing her plan. Don’t tell Patty, “It can’t be done.” How bridge can connect people, creating lifelong friendships, even if you only see one another three times a year at NABCs. Kids deserve that too. Patty’s three wishes (OK, only two). How Patty learned to play bridge, and a story of a defining moment in her bridge life. Why John will never be Goodwill Member of the Year. Patty’s legacy. How not everyone is cut out to be a bridge teacher. Patty’s third wish. Patty’s pre-game ritual and advice. Links: Atlanta Junior Bridge Jump Start Bridge The Power of Bridge in Schools
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61 Sartaj Hans Keeps Getting Better at Bridge
08/15/2023
61 Sartaj Hans Keeps Getting Better at Bridge
The Setting Trick Episode 61: Sartaj Hans Keeps Getting Better This week's guest is many-time Australian national champion Sartaj Hans. Originally from India, Sartaj has several high finishes in NABC events, including making the semifinal of the recent Spingold Knockout Teams in Chicago, where he played four-handed with partner Andy Hung and teammates Nabil Edgtton and Michael Whibley. John had his first big knockout match win in the 2014 Spingold teaming with Sartaj to beat the then 7th- seeded Cayne team. Sartaj’s book, Battling the Best, won the 2107 IBPA Book of the Year award. He also won the declarer play of the year in 2019. On top of all that, he has a successful career and is married to fellow tournament bridge player Sophie Ashton; they have two young daughters. Sartaj discusses the psychology of bridge and how belief can make you a better player. The need for developing a way to categorize bridge mistakes because bridge problems have so much variance. Why postmortems are “rubbish.” Sartaj hits upon a hot-button issue: playing top-level events on computers. A couple of book recommendations from Sartaj. Sartaj’s belief that focusing too much on system in a casual partnership is not effective. In bridge, everyone has a chance to win. Working on improving and how even experts have coaches and mentors. Finally, Sartaj philosophizes on enjoying the process. Read Sartaj’s post on Bridge Winners about playing on tablets: Sartaj Hans’ book, Battling the Best: Sartaj Hans wins Declarer Play of the Year:
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60 The-Setting-Trick---Tom-Hanlon---Irish-Swordsman---MIXED
06/26/2023
60 The-Setting-Trick---Tom-Hanlon---Irish-Swordsman---MIXED
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59 Tracey Bauer - In Support of Junior Bridge
06/26/2023
59 Tracey Bauer - In Support of Junior Bridge
Play in the with and against your favorite Setting Trick guests.
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Episode 58: Olivia Schireson - Next Gen
06/24/2023
Episode 58: Olivia Schireson - Next Gen
The Setting Trick Episode 58 Olivia Schireson - Next Gen Olivia and John talk about how they met and the opportunity to play on a last-minute team together at the Providence NABC. Olivia’s mantra, “the two C’s,” confidence (and competence) – “never play bridge scared.” The Cinderella Mixed Team at the US Team Trials. Bay Area Junior Bridge, the Rosenbergs, Will Watson, rooting for friends. Getting the best out of oneself. John and Olivia discuss having their plays written up on Bridge Winners. Playing “What Are The Odds” at the World Championships in Poland. Can you guess Olivia’s favorite dance move? Plans for the future. Starbucks? More US Trials. The best dad ever. Olivia’s brother and the case of the mistaken identity.
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57. Selena Pepić is addicted - Part 2
05/11/2023
57. Selena Pepić is addicted - Part 2
Today, my guest is Selena Pepić. She is a computer science graduate from ETH Zurich, a rates trader at JP Morgan in Paris, and a member of the Serbian national mixed, women's, and junior teams. She won the gold medal at the World Youth Open Championship in Opatija 2015 (girls U26), the bronze medal at the World University Championship in Lodz in 2016, and also won an event at the Junior World Championship in 2016. Join us as we talk about Selena’s background, playing bridge in Paris, her thoughts on the American bridge community, winning women’s events, and more. [04.11] Missing bridge – Selena shares the reason behind quitting bridge for 2 years at university. [21.03] Problems – Selena shares why she loves talking about bidding problems in bridge playing. [25.10] First partner – We talk about the relationship between Selena and her first partner Giovanni. [47.19] Playing blackjack – Selena dives into the story of playing blackjack for the first time. [1:01.19] Novi Sad Bridge Festival – We talk about the Novi Sad Bridge festival happening between April 28th to May 2nd of 2023. Resources Connect with Selena LinkedIn -
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56. Selena Pepić is addicted - Part 1
05/11/2023
56. Selena Pepić is addicted - Part 1
Today, my guest is Selena Pepić. She is a computer science graduate from ETH Zurich, a rates trader at JP Morgan in Paris, and a member of the Serbian national mixed, women's, and junior teams. She won the gold medal at the World Youth Open Championship in Opatija 2015 (girls U26), the bronze medal at the World University Championship in Lodz in 2016, and also won an event at the Junior World Championship in 2016. Join us as we talk about Selena’s background, playing bridge in Paris, her thoughts on the American bridge community, winning women’s events, and more. [04.08] Selena’s background – We start the conversation with a brief bio about Selena and her first junior world bridge championship in 2016. [10.27] Bridge in Paris – Selena talks about playing bridge in Paris and how the division system works. [20.51] American Sponsor – Selena shares the story of how she met Steve, her American sponsor. [23.37] Expectations – Selena’s thoughts on the American bridge community as national champions [31.55] Women’s Event – We talk about Selena’s thoughts on winning a women’s event in New Orleans. [35.20] Professional Events – Selena talks about the professional bridge events & culture in Europe before the USA [41.13] Playing with Family & Friends – Selena talks about how she played card games with her grandparents and later with high school friends. [50.09] Catan – A multiplayer board game Resources Connect with Selena LinkedIn -
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55. Greg Humphreys - Charlottesville’s Best - Part 2
04/20/2023
55. Greg Humphreys - Charlottesville’s Best - Part 2
Greg Humphreys, a talented software engineer and accomplished bridge player features in this episode of The Setting Trick. He is the winner of the Mott-Smith Trophy at the recent spring North American Bridge championships, a three-time North American champion, and the best bridge player in Charlottesville, Virginia. He got hooked on Bridge in 1998 and quickly joined a local club, where he found success playing with Walter Miller's 49er club. Greg studied computer science at Princeton and Stanford before moving to Charlottesville, VA, to teach at the University of Virginia. Also, Greg has since left academia and worked for several startups and major tech companies like Nvidia, Google, and Twitch. [07:00] Improving Your Bridge Game - Greg emphasizes the importance of immersing oneself in Bridge and discussing hands with better players. [12:48] Recursive Diamond - Advantages of playing a solid diamond system and the benefits of opening with one club instead of one diamond. [18:50] Streaming Bridge on Twitch – Greg mentions his experience of streaming himself playing Bridge on Twitch. [28:16] Partner Support in Bridge - Importance of supporting your partner in Bridge and dealing with bad results. [32:54] Competitive Bridge Strategies and Performance – Greg outlines his experience playing Bridge in a competitive event, including strategies, gameplay, and the desire to perform well and achieve a high ranking. [57:04] Teaching beginners in Bridge - Frustrations and challenges Resources: Connect with Greg: LinkedIn: Twitter: Mentioned in the episode: Physically Based Rendering: From Theory to Implementation:
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54. Greg Humphreys - Charlottesville’s Best - Part 1
04/13/2023
54. Greg Humphreys - Charlottesville’s Best - Part 1
Greg Humphreys, a talented software engineer and accomplished bridge player is featured in this episode of The Setting Trick. He is the winner of the Mott-Smith Trophy at the recent spring North American Bridge Championships, a three-time North American champion, and the best bridge player in Charlottesville, Virginia. He got hooked on bridge in 1998 and quickly joined a local club, where he found success playing with Walter Miller's 49er club. Greg studied computer science at Princeton and Stanford before moving to Charlottesville, VA, to teach at the University of Virginia. Also, Greg has since left academia and worked for several startups and major tech companies like Nvidia, Google, and Twitch. In addition to his impressive career in computer science, Greg has also made a name for himself in the world of bridge. He has succeeded in various tournaments, including the Mixed Pairs, Platinum Pairs, Mixed BAM, and Fast Pairs. Greg and Jenni Carmichael typically play together once a year in the Mixed Pairs, which they won in 2016 and have also finished second, third, fourth, and fifth. In 2018 they made it to the finals of the World Open Pairs. This spring in Reno, they finished second in the Mixed Pairs. Greg also finished 11th in the Silodor Pairs and won the Fast Pairs, playing with Adam Parrish. On the other hand, when not playing bridge, Greg enjoys spending time in his woodshop, playing video games, and traveling. He also enjoys watching RuPaul's Drag Race. Also, Greg streams his bridge games on Twitch, where he plays against friends and robots on BBO. In this conversation, Greg shares a wealth of insights and experiences about his journey in the world of Bridge. He discusses his best-ever result in a tournament, the pressure of leading, and the impact of small mistakes. He recalls an unusual game where the opposing team doubled their bid and made a strange opening lead. Greg explains how miscommunication about a bridge bidding system leads to confusion and the importance of immersing oneself in bridge and discussing hands with better players. He also talks about his accidental discovery of bridge on Yahoo and how he fell in love with the game through books and local clubs. Additionally, Greg discusses his unique relay precision system with Jenni and the advantages of playing a solid diamond system. He mentions his experience of streaming himself playing Bridge on Twitch and the importance of supporting your partner in Bridge and dealing with bad results. Lastly, he shares his experience playing Bridge in a competitive event, including strategies, gameplay, the desire to perform well and achieve a high ranking, and the frustrations and challenges of teaching beginners in Bridge. [06:37] Best Result Ever – Greg discusses what he considers to be his best-ever result. [10:11] Pressure: The pressure of leading in bridge tournaments and the impact of small mistakes. [19:53] Unusual Tactics – Greg recalls a bridge game where the opposing team doubled their bid and made a strange opening lead. [23:27] Bidding Confusion and Resolution – Greg explains how miscommunication about a bridge bidding system leads to confusion. [25:50] Discovering Bridge – Greg tells how he accidentally discovered Bridge on Yahoo and fell in love with the game through books and local clubs. [34:03] Non-Standard Homebrew System- Bizarre Bridge System Leads to Unforeseen Victory [43:43] UVA - Reasons for choosing UVA for an academic career [52.48] Partnership with Jenny – Greg talks about playing Bridge with Jenny and the frequency of playing together. He also discusses their effort to practice online before a tournament and their unique relay precision system, which requires some study. Resources: Connect with Greg: LinkedIn: Twitter: Mentioned in the episode: Physically Based Rendering: From Theory to Implementation:
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53. Olin Hubert - Not Just a Director!
03/09/2023
53. Olin Hubert - Not Just a Director!
In this episode of The Setting Trick, you are in for a treat as you get to hear from Olin Hubert, an exceptional American bridge player who has made a mark in the world of bridge. He has achieved the coveted title of American Contract Bridge League Grand Life Master owing to his impressive achievements in the game. Olin's exceptional skills as a North American champion bridge player have earned him accolades and recognition from the bridge community worldwide. His extensive experience in the game has led to some remarkable accomplishments, including winning the Grand National Teams in 2022 and the North American Bridge Championships. Additionally, Olin has been a runner-up in the Nail Life Master Open Pairs competition in 2021, proving his mettle as a consistent and formidable player. Apart from his impressive career in the bridge, Olin has also served as a retired tournament director for the American Contract Bridge League. He currently resides in the vibrant city of Atlanta, where he continues to inspire and influence the bridge community through his expertise and passion for the game. As Olin shares his story, you will learn about his journey to becoming a professional bridge player. Although he faced financial challenges along the way, his dedication and passion ultimately paid off, and he is now a highly sought-after pro. Olin shares his experience, learnings, thinking, and tips throughout the discussion. Also, Olin recalls his triumph at the North American Bridge Championship, hosted by the American Contract Bridge League last summer, and his achievement of Grand Life Master ranking by winning the GNT Championship Flight. In a nutshell, you will be inspired by Olin's story and impressed by his accomplishments and experience in the world of bridge. Hence, he will surely be a memorable guest on this episode of The Setting Trick. [08:39] Olin's Story – Olin shares how he started learning to play bridge. [16:26] Tournament Director – We discuss how Olin became a tournament director. Moreover, we explore what the tournament environment was like back then. [26:36] Keep the Skill – Olin explains how he maintains his skill when not playing. [28:30] GNT – Winning Grand National Teams and receiving the "Grand Life Master" ACBL ranking. [45:47] Bridge – Olin's favorite thing about bridge. [01:00:30] Tips – Use Olin's insights and playing expertise to raise your bridge game. Resources: Connect with Olin: Website: LinkedIn:
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