Residents start McKinney's 1st sanctioned bridge club

Slams. Tricks. Trumps. They're household words for many.

And for too many in McKinney, they were words that didn't mean enough. Until now.

The McKinney Duplicate Bridge Club (MDBC) is set to open Sept. 13 at The Salvation Army, and become the city's only competitive bridge game.

"Almost all of the surrounding towns have one," said Melba Lancaster, club president. "We've tried to get one here for a long time."

Games will be played at 10 a.m. every Thursday in the gym at The Salvation Army off Wilson Creek Parkway in McKinney. Pairs will face off, scores will be tallied, and the American Contract Bridge League (ACBL) will know about it.

Duplicate bridge, a popular variation of contract bridge in club and tournament play, is widespread around the D-FW area, including in Collin County. Players gather for competitive games twice a week at a Plano recreation center, and games are held almost daily in Dallas, Richardson and Denton.

In duplicate bridge, the same deal (a specific arrangement of 52 cards into four hands) is played at each table, and scoring is based on a pair's relative performance. Skill trumps chance.

And sanctioned bridge - skill that matters - has stayed on the outskirts. Competitive bridge players aim for Life-Master status, and attain it only by accumulating points through the ACBL, one of the world's largest bridge governing bodies.

The ACBL charters more than 300 Units associated with exclusive territories, independent organizations that operate tournaments and promote bridge locally, according to the ACBL.

With game-winning scores often close to 0.13 points, Life Masters must have at least 350 - a mixture of red, gold, silver and black.

Players can earn red and gold at only certain places.

For ACBL-sanctioned competition, local bridge players like Melba were forced to Dallas or Fort Worth, the latter which recently held a tournament of more than 1,000 players.

"We never did get connected with the right people at the right time," said Melba, whose husband Bill is also one of about 60 MDBC members. "We went to hotels, churches, restaurants, any place that was big enough."

Most wanted $80 to $120 for four hours of play, just a tint of the club's costs. Bridge boards, bidding boxes and an oft-expensive director - the game's officiator - are also expenses.

Maj. Robert Winters, corps officer for the McKinney Salvation Army, thought of opportunity, not dollar signs.

"What I realized really soon is we'll certainly get some rental fees to help pay for utilities, but I told them let's not let that slow down what you're doing here," said Winters, who mans a center that's often vacant until evening. "I see potential volunteers."

And in the center's gym, bridge players see an arena. They'll hold five-hour games there every week, and renowned bridge professional Dorsey Shaw will teach classes Wednesdays and Fridays.

Coming from players used to driving around the Metroplex for their trump fix, the new club could bring with it more than cards and crinkled brows.

"When people think of McKinney sanctioned bridge, we want them to think of The Salvation Army," said MDBC member Patsy Rainwater-Maddux. "We're raising awareness about bridge but also what they do."

Bridge players of all levels are allowed through a $5 fee, which helps pay operational and supply costs and signs them up for email updates on upcoming tournaments and charity games.

"Some people are just afraid of it," Karen Roland, club manager, said, alluding to bridge competition when players are downright mean. "This is going to be a friendly, fun group. We want anybody to come."

And by anybody, she and MDBC members mean anybody. Bridge isn't a dying sport, just for old-timers and country clubbers.

"This is men and women of all ages, not just little old ladies," Melba said.

Billionaires Bill Gates and Warren Buffet agree. Both are known avid bridge players, and have invested millions in promoting bridge at the junior-high level, as reported in 2005 in USA Today.

The average age of ACBL members is 67, which several years ago prompted the league to launch the website, www.bridgeiscool.com, according to the report. Donna Compton, a lifelong bridge player and owner of Bridge Academy of North Dallas, gained international fame by age 12, said MDBC members.

"Hopefully, as we get going, we can get into the schools and teach it," Melba said. "It's a wonderful mental sport. A lot of kids don't play physical sports and they feel left out. This is a way for them to compete and learn."

Until bridge bids its way into area schools, it should at least stay alive at The Salvation Army. Corporate sponsors would help, club members said, as would greater membership.

The lingo will likely spread. And with meaning.

"It's really created quite a stir," Rainwater-Maddux said. "There are people who will drive in from all over to play sanctioned bridge."

McKinney Duplicate Bridge Club will play 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. every Thursday at The Salvation Army at 600 Wilson Creek Pkwy. in McKinney.

For more information, visit www.mckinneyduplicatebridge.net.

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