歪歪漫画

Before the game begins, I visit with as many of the bridge players as possible. Often our conversations end with a referral to another player to talk to.

鈥淵ou really have to talk to Dick,鈥� George says. And later Liz tells me, 鈥淵ou鈥檝e got to talk to Ev,鈥� and points me in his direction.

I鈥檓 greeted as a welcome guest. They think I鈥檓 here to play duplicate bridge.

鈥淣o,鈥� I apologize, 鈥渂ut my husband is. I鈥檓 here to write a story.鈥�

Gary learned to play during Navy boot camp and honed his skills below the flight deck on an aircraft carrier during two deployments to Vietnam.

Years ago, he played duplicate bridge with some of Bemidji鈥檚 originals who had started playing in the 1960s at the Elks Club: Jim Smalley, Ron Studer, Edna Nei, Evelyn Ashley, Shelly Schwartz, Elwin Rakke. All of these names and a few more were familiar to me.

In the early days, the Bemidji group had as many as 50 members. Gary often shared details about the people he played with or brought home recipes from Edna, who regularly hosted the group at her home for special get-togethers. I鈥檇 been included in some of those events and was always in awe of Edna鈥檚 appetizers and desserts.

Today the group plays at the Eagles, where there is convenient parking, a nice space and good food available. Some come early for lunch before play begins at 12:30.

鈥淭hey have great soups here,鈥� Carol Zenk tells me.

Most of today鈥檚 players are retired, from a variety of professions: doctor, teacher, nurse, contractor, accountant, etc. I learn that, like Liz Neff, they鈥檙e busy with other hobbies and sports outside of bridge: woodworking, quilting, golf, tennis, pickleball, traveling, gardening. Many of them are summer residents in Minnesota and winter in California, Arizona, Texas or elsewhere.

Carol and George Zenk live on Lake Havasu in Arizona most of the year and play bridge there until they come to their summer place on Lake Kitchi and play in Bemidji and Park Rapids from May through September.

George is the director of the Bemidji duplicate group; he sets up the boards, tabulates the scores, ranks the teams and communicates the results.

Courtesy / Sue Bruns

To have enough bridge players, the Bemidji group coordinates with the Park Rapids group.

鈥淲e鈥檙e a two-city bridge community,鈥� George says. Six or seven players come each Tuesday from Park Rapids to play in Bemidji at the Eagles; six Bemidji players usually play in Park Rapids on Thursdays at the Sr. Center. Sheila Tuhy is their director. Between the two groups, each event usually has four or five tables.

Today there are 18 players 鈥� nine teams 鈥� at four tables. Because there are not enough players for five tables, one team sits out each round. They rotate until each team has played every other team.

At the start of the game, George reads off the teams and the east/west or north/south designations, the positioning of players at the tables. Duplicate bridge is played differently than party bridge in that the hands are 鈥渄uplicated鈥� and players at different tables play the same hands which are dealt out ahead of time in sets of three 鈥渂oards.鈥�

Unlike party bridge, where the object is to rack up points for winning hands, duplicate bridge takes things a giant step further, scoring how well each team played the hands compared to the other teams.

Dick Robbins says some people are afraid to try duplicate: 鈥淪ome refuse to play it, but they鈥檇 enjoy it so much more if they did. It鈥檚 a learning process.鈥�

When play starts, the room is quiet. I move about, inconspicuously (I hope) to take a few pictures. It feels like an intrusion 鈥� as if I鈥檓 taking unsolicited pictures in a church during a service. Everyone is concentrating. Mental energy fills thought bubbles above the players鈥� heads.

Music from the kitchen provides a distraction and one bridge player requests that it be shut off.

There is bidding going on at the tables and, after a hand, some analysis and questioning. I see Gary listening to Dick and Loren after one board as they discuss other ways the hands could have been played. This is also a learning experience.

Gary鈥檚 partner is Loren Baumann, a bridge Silver Master. Gary had played with him several years ago at the American Legion. Loren has often played with Dick, a fourth-level Ruby Master who says he鈥檚 been playing bridge for 81 years.

He started playing as a kid with his family. In the 鈥渙ff-season,鈥� Dick will live and play in Laguna Woods, California, at a club that has over 600 members including top players in California, like No. 1 professional bridge player Mark Itabaschi. (Liz swears Dick can read minds, and whenever she struggles with a play has adopted the mantra, 鈥淲hat would Dick do?鈥�)

Courtesy / Sue Bruns

After the second round, Liz brings out treats, the players grab snacks, and the teams rotate again. I visit with Ev Duthoy, a 93-year-old retired urologist who lives in Park Rapids.

He鈥檚 been playing duplicate bridge for 30 years. After retiring in 1988, he did volunteer surgery around the world and has played all across the globe: Dubai, Greece, Italy, Australia, Haiti and Vietnam.

I catch Gary for a brief question. He says he鈥檚 definitely feeling rusty, but Dick says Gary just made two really good bids against him 鈥� high praise from the Ruby Master. I鈥檓 guessing Gary wishes he鈥檇 joined the group before the end of the season.

He and Loren have now rotated to the table closest to me (with Liz and Pat Roth). After one hand, I hear Gary ask Loren, 鈥淲hat would you have rather had me bid?鈥� Loren, who also teaches bridge, uses the question as a teaching moment, not just for his partner but for Liz and Pat, too, recounting the play and how it could have gone.

鈥淭here鈥檚 always something you could鈥檝e played differently,鈥� Loren says.

And maybe that鈥檚 the lesson here 鈥� for bridge and for life.