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A round of bridge, for the uninitiated, is a card game where you and your partner play a couple dozen hands, give or take, over the course of about three hours. Other partnerships play the same hands, and your final score, expressed as a percentage, is a measure of whether you bid and played the hands more efficiently than your opponents.

Anything above 50 percent, and it’s a decent day. A score of 60 percent or above is exhilarating, and usually enough for first or second place in the standings. A score of 70 percent or better is rare. In 2023, that mark was reached only 12 times in 1,400-plus rounds at the Foothills Duplicate Bridge Club of Tryon.

Linda Sherer and Sally Jo Carter earned the highest score of the year — 74.75 percent on Nov. 17. 

Sally Jo was also involved in the second-highest score, partnering with Deanie Wynn for 74.31 percent on Dec. 7. Fiona Armson and John Kennedy notched the third highest, 73.61 percent, on Feb. 2.

Other partnerships to break the 70s include Bill Norteman and Chip Boyle, Linda Sherer and Helen Clement; Elaine Cole and Tom Adkins; Doug Southard and Chip Boyle; Flora van Dijck and Bill McCartha, and Kathryn Ard and Nancy Ernst. 

Last year at the Saluda Mountain Bridge Club, the 70-plus mark was hit by James and Darcy Parker, Bill Norteman and Tollie Ross, Linda Sherer and Chip Boyle, and Sally Jo Carter and Lee Ellis.

Duplicate bridge games are offered on Mondays, Thursdays and Fridays in the Tryon area. For more information, contact Laura Spinks at ldspinks2243@gmail.com. 

 

Submitted by Bill McCartha