Bridge lessons on board/Carlos Pueblo

Bridge lessons on board/Carlos Pueblo

The cruise activity department arranged bridge lessons on Los Lobos Restaurant

on Deck 8 for all the at sea days starting at 9:00 am for the beginners , 10:00 am

for the intermediate and a real game at 1:00 pm. The instructor is a fellow passenger

from the big Island of Hawaii, Patrick Kalaus and his wife. There were two group of

attendants and various players worldwide attended. After the first lessons for both

classes, I decided to continue for the rest of 7 lessons on both. He handed out several

pages during the entire lessons and were very helpful. I did play some bridge during

my life yet I only learned few trick to the required number 4 player. I have never got

into counting point for the game and mostly never know how to properly open a bit

or respond to a bit.

We must open a bid to inform our partner how good is at our hands. AKQJ cards

represent 4321 points count. He emphasizes heart and spade for the more game

points. 12-19 points to open the bid from 1H/1S according to 5+ major cards while

1C/1D represent 3+ minor cards. 1 non trump means we have 20+ points at hands.

There are total 40 points on all hands and he counts distribution points and dummy

points with suit while he points it out like the Peso value  to the US Dollar. If you have

6-9 points at hands, you must respond, the sheet showed you how according to the

points count for various low, medium, and high points. This will show everyone what

you have and inform your partner a better picture. It is all very logical. I keep all his

handout and make a folder to join and practice at home with players at the community

center. I didn’t participate the games in the afternoon due to a conflict with my language

lessons at the Atrium and the Japanese Go lessons at 2:00 pm at the Observation lounge.

One night at a sharing table at the Manhattan Restaurant, I ran into the couple and had had

a very nice dinner. I mentioned an unique flower in Hawaii to them yet I forgot the name.

When I came home and checked the Google and sent him the name, the Protea, for his

consideration to grow such beautiful flower at his economic farm. They have a coffee farm

and a named brand coffee, Kolena Coffee, for the sale on internet. They also have had rooms

rental business. He is the head person of the bridge on the big Island and traveling to Oahu

Island for the bridge contest. He knows what I am talking of the Matsumoto icy desert.

This bridge lessons bring me back my found memory of my childhood. When I was 10 years

old, my eldest sister Mary and I moved to Huwei with my Dad for his new transferred job

assignment. We stayed at a big house hosted 4 young engineers. I watched them playing

bridges at night and I shuffled the finished cards for them. I still remember their names and

one of them, Mr. Yang Ching Lai, is still keeping the correspondence with me. He is retired

and residing at Antioch, California.