Atlanta Labor Day Regional Attracts Nearly 200 Social Bridge Players

Nearly two hundred social bridge players participated in a Social Duplicate Game during the Atlanta Labor Day Regional held August 30 at the Crowne Plaza Ravinia. The game was designed to provide a stress-free introduction to duplicate bridge and all the mechanics involved in playing for the first time.

Advertised on the grass roots level by local clubs, teachers, students and players, the response was 196 participants. Additionally, local players volunteered their time and sacrificed a day of bridge play in order to make the event a success. There was one helper for every two tables to step the social players through the mechanics of their first game including bidding box introduction, scoring, and help moving from table to table.

“The volunteers were critical in the success of the event because no participant felt nervous that they didn’t know what to do,” said Patty Tucker, organizer of the event. “In this game, the more experienced players were the odd-man-out instead!”

Tucker feels confident that the game was a success in attracting social players to the world of duplicate bridge and recruiting new members to the ACBL. Several participants joined the ACBL after the game and all were excited to have won their first masterpoints.

District 7 held a social duplicate game seven years ago in conjunction with the Atlanta Labor Day Regional and were successful in recruiting 78 new ACBL members. The district is eager to track the success of this year’s event. They plan to hold another social duplicate game before Atlanta hosts the NABC in August 2013 so they may draw even more players to the I/N games.