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Bridge players in the Northeast are in for a treat. In July the North American Bridge Championship is coming to Providence, RI!
This summer the ACBL's premier event of the year will be held at the Rhode Island Convention Center in downtown Providence. There will be eleven days of bridge of all kinds and at all levels—from single-session pairs games for beginners to multi-day championship matches for the international pros. There will be pairs games and team games and a few formats that you may have never encountered. Some games will be open to everyone. Many games will be limited by masterpoint levels.
Everybody who is anybody in bridge will be in Providence, some to play, some to teach, some to attend meetings, and some to sell bridge paraphernalia. Everyone who attends will almost certainly cross paths with at least one star player, expert teacher, or famous columnist.
The last NABC in New England was in the autumn of 2014. I was still wasting time at my job in the real world then, but I managed to attend on both weekends. I had a great time, bordering on the euphoric. The site was exceptional, the feeling of camaraderie was quite touching, and the bridge was great. However, one of my most vivid memories was of my time working at the partnership desk. After I successfully paired up a gentleman from Italy he grinned broadly when I said goodbye to him and his newly found partner with "In bocc' al lupo!" The phrase means "In the wolf's mouth." (It's like saying "Break a leg" to an actor.)
I also remember being very impressed by the WaterFire event, for which Providence is justly famous. Unfortunately my appreciation was somewhat limited by uncontrollable shivering in the very brisk air of late November. This year, however, I will not fret about the weather. The SWAG bag will not include the souvenir blankets that were distributed in 2014. This is how the website Travel Awaits described what we can expect:
The summer weather in Providence is usually perfect. The extreme heat that envelops much of the country just doesn’t touch this city near Narragansett Bay and the Atlantic Ocean. The average high temperature in July is 83 degrees. ... In the summer, the city experiences nearly 15 hours of daylight, so you’ll have plenty of time to explore everything Providence has to offer.
Many of the people in charge of the very successful 2014 event have been involved for over two years in the planning of this summer's tournament. Only fools still make predictions in 2022, but I know these people very well, and I expect the entire eleven-day event to be a really BIG DEAL.
Here is what you need to know:
• The tournament will be held July 14-24.
• All events will be in the Rhode Island Convention Center, the same location as in 2014.
• The best source for information is the website maintained by the tournament committee: ProvNABC.org. It will be timely, accurate, and comprehensive.
• Hotel reservations can now be made. Information about the hotels and the link for reservations is on the above website.
• Great food and a plethora of attractions can be found in and around Providence. You can find some ideas here.
• Newport, Cape Cod, Boston, and several casinos are within easy driving distance.
This would also be a great time to consider sponsoring some portion of the tournament. I can think of no better way to honor someone whom you have admired. Both sponsorships and memorials will be available. Detailed information has been provided at https://provnabc.org/en/sponsorships/.
THIS JUST IN: The ACBL has released the schedule for the 2022 Summer NABC in Providence. It is available at https://provnabc.org/en/schedule/.
Meanwhile, you still have a few months to bone up on your slam bidding to get ready for A BIG DEAL in Providence.
Mike Wavada
District 25 Webmaster and Communications Chairman