On March 13th Walt Schafer began organizing bridge games on BridgeBase in response to the global shutdown. Walt continues to organize what has become known as “The Schafer Game,” selflessly out of his love for bridge. I got to play with the legendary for Bob Hamman for the first time in Walt’s game and we went on to win. Beating Episode 23 guests Finn Kolesnik and Jacob Freeman among others.
A friendship has developed between the two of us thanks to this podcast conversation and I am delighted to share this conversation with a fine player and fellow bridge lover.
Episode highlights:
2:55- Previously organized bridge games at the exchange
7:35- How Walt’s directed tournament came to be what it is now
14:45- Walt’s Bob Hamman story of a great declarer play which to this day, Walt still does not understand why it was necessary
19:55- Another Bob Hamman declarer play story
22:20- a Tom Fox story
28:40- Baby Levin
31:50- A Spingold story involving Kit Woolsey
39:00- Sometimes getting knocked out on the first day of the Spingold is a blessing in disguise
43:45- D22 GNT Qualifiers story
45:55- Junior star Finn Kolesnik
47:45- How Walt learned bridge
51:40- Walt’s mentors: John and Bart Bramley
55:25- Bridge players succeed in trading options
1:13:05- Walt’s first compound squeeze and how Bart just deflated him
1:15:05- Walt’s greatest/favorite played hand where he uses the delayed duck squeeze
1:26:05- Walt’s role in the history of the Helgemo hand
1:30:30- Walt’s physic abilities
1:35:50- Walt is a bridge player at heart
1:45:30- Walt’s invented conventions
1:50:55- Hamman still got it in bridge
1:52:00- Junior bridge
1:59:55- Instant classics
