Bridge celebrities are sought for a new project that will raise money for organizations that support bridge. Hall of Famers, world champions, national champions and celebrities are asked to participate in the effort, which will contribute to the ACBL Educational Foundation, the U.S. Bridge Federation and the Foundation for the Advancement and Preservation of Bridge.
Renowned teacher Patty Tucker will have a film crew in Columbus recording 5-minute videos of the participants for a series of “Bridge Chats From the Masters.” The videos will be sold in bundles of 20 for $10 on Vimeo, a streaming platform.
“I thought, what if we created a page where we let people hear what the experts have to say?” Tucker said. That page is vimeo.com/ondemand/bridgechatsfrommasters.
More than 30 top players have already signed up, and Tucker expects to film twice that many in Columbus. Donna Rodwell is also recruiting players to the cause. The series could run as many as 100 videos.
Tucker has a list of topics participants can choose from, so all they have to do is show up and share their thoughts on the subject, whether it be upside-down carding, partnership harmony or a particular convention. “This is an easy way for them to give back to the game.”
Filming will take place between 9 a.m. and 1 p.m. beginning Friday, March 20, and run through Sunday, March 22, or Monday, March 23. Among those already signed up are Hemant Lall, Zach Grossack, Curtis Cheek, Anam Tebha, Jerry Helms, Gavin Wolpert and Jill Levin.
The film crew are students at Savannah College of Art and Design. After covering Tucker’s costs to bring them to Columbus, all of the proceeds will be split evenly between the three foundations. Tucker hopes to create an ongoing source of funding for the organizations.
The project is modeled on Tucker’s own “Bridge Chats,” a series of 50 lessons available on Vimeo.
High-profile players interested in participating are encouraged to contact Tucker at patty@bridgewithpatty.com. You can also sign up with Donna Rodwell if you see her.
