The Setting Trick: Conversations with World Class Bridge Players

John McAllister
  • 4.1 (33)
  • GAMES
The Setting Trick: Conversations with World Class Bridge Players

The Setting Trick features conversations with world class bridge players, and lovers of the card game bridge from all over the world.

  1. FEB 14

    Ep. 85 Jason Hackett AKA Prime Mutton

    Today’s guest is bridge player turned burgeoning social media star Jason Hackett, also known as Prime Mutton. A frequent traveler, guinness reviewer, and 2019 Eurotransnational winner, Hackett and I had much to discuss. We talk about the strangest food he’s tried during his travels, how he broke out on YouTube and Instagram, and his favorite bridge formats.  Jason’s mother Olivia introduced him and his twin brother to bridge at eleven years old. Though Jason does not discuss bridge much on his social media channels, he is a formidable opponent. He beat Boye Brogeland and Geir Helgemo in the Euro Juniors in 1994 and has represented England in the European Championships many times. Of bridge, he said “I just enjoy playing, it does not matter with whom.” You can read more about Jason in his recent Esquire feature. Subscribers to The Setting Trick email list check your email or to subscribe click here. Episode Highlights: 4:59 – Eating brains, grasshoppers, and more 6:25 – Jason’s travel stats, and the types of places he likes to visit 8:51 – Where did the name come from? You can read more about the origins of Prime Mutton in this article 9:50 – Is Guinness better if it's flowing more? 12:10 – Hackett’s longest tenured partnerships in bridge even though they support opposite Manchester football clubs 16:41 – You need to watch some of Jason’s cameos. The products on his website are also fantastic, especially this pillow on his website - “you never get wet in the pub!” 21:15 – Jason explains how his YouTube channel took off 30:30 – Why Jason’s preferred bridge format is pairs 40:46 – The types of places where Prime Mutton gets recognized 48:41 – How Jason edits his videos 55:27 – Jason’s love for bridge started in his teens 57:40 – Rubber bridge 1:03:30 – You can keep up with Prime Mutton on his website 1:06:22 – How Jason learned to tell a good pint from a bad one

    1h 10m

  2. FEB 6

    Ep. 84 Boye Brogeland: Bridge at the Edge and In Person

    Boye Brogeland is a force to be reckoned with. He holds the World Grand Master title, with three European Open Championship wins under his belt, as well as several North American championships. He also played a prominent role in uncovering the Fisher and Schwartz cheating scandal when he noticed that his opponents were taking risks that would not make sense unless they knew the cards his team held. We discuss how he got into bridge, some of his most memorable competitions, and his role in the scandal. In preparation for this conversation, Boye asked me to get on the World Bridge Tour App. I was reluctant at first, but when you get to interview someone like Boye, you follow orders. I played a couple virtual tournaments on the app before the events started in Iceland, and I highly recommend it. You get to play against Simon Holt, Sartaj Hans, and many more players, and compare your results. Check out the app here: https://www.wbtbridge.com/ Subscribers to The Setting Trick email list check your email or to subscribe click here. Episode Highlights: 2:12 – Boye’s first event on the Open team 8:46 – Boye’s grandparents taught him bridge 11:04 – Writing bridge books, which Boye says is the most work he’s ever done for the least pay 12:07 – The most memorable hand of Boye’s career 17:54 – The unique method that Boye used to memorize the best plays 21:32 – How Boye won Vanderbilt in 2022 32:55 – Boye doesn’t like the sheriff label he was given during the Fisher and Schwartz cheating scandal; he thinks of himself as more of a concerned citizen. You can read more about the scandal here: https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2021/may/05/lotan-fisher-bridge-cheating-scandal-2015-documentary  42:53 – The backlash Boye faced during the scandal, and how he got away from it 46:15 – “They stole our name!”

    51 min

  3. JAN 27

    Ep. 83 Brian Reynolds - Fancies himself as a Bridge Outlier

    Brian Reynolds is an LA-based bridge teacher who, with his wife, Samantha, runs an educational website, The Bridge Teachers. They specialize in teaching people who’ve “never touched a deck of cards.” That’s how they got recommended to the production team for the bridge documentary film, “The Kids Table.” That initial meeting dramatically altered the film’s storyline. One player quit on the spot! As a bridge pro, Brian is refreshingly candid about his bridge ability. This conversation covers a broad range of topics.

    1h 41m

  4. 10/27/2024

    Ep. 82 Richard Zeckhauser: Making Better Decisions in the Card Game Bridge

    Today on The Setting Trick, we’re thrilled to welcome Richard Zeckhauser, a towering figure whose expertise spans both economics and competitive bridge. A professor at Harvard Kennedy School, Richard has spent decades exploring the complexities of decision-making, risk, and strategic behavior. His groundbreaking work has shaped the fields of economics and public policy, offering insights into how we assess uncertainty in everything from health to finance. But his talents extend beyond the classroom—he’s also a highly accomplished bridge player, with two North American Bridge Championships to his name, including the prestigious Kaplan Blue Ribbon Pairs. Join us as we dive into Richard’s unique perspectives on strategy, risk, and the fascinating intersections between his professional work and his passion for bridge.

    1h 16m

  5. 10/01/2024

    Episode 81: Owen Lien Does It All In Bridge

    John McAllister chats with 35-year-old Owen Lien of Oak Park MI about Junior Bridge, directing on BBO, playing professionally and reaching highs and lows in national events. Owen has won two limited NABC events: The 10K Swiss in 2016 and the 0–5000 Mini Spingold in 2009. He was second in those same events in 2014 and 2007.  A Platinum Life Master with over 18,000 masterpoints – 10,000 of them gold and 2100 platinum – Owen is a hardworking player who loves the game and still plays for fun at the club.

    1h 15m

  6. 09/18/2024

    Ep 80 Matthew Granovetter: Bridge Mystic

    Matthew Granovetter is a six-time NABC champion. He also won a world championship, the Mixed Pairs, in 2006. He is a popular author and teacher, along with his wife, Pamela. They are best known for their theories on bidding via their system GUS (Granovetter Unified System) and their books on defensive play.  Matthew is Hasidic (a branch of Orthodox Judaism); his spirituality is woven throughout his life and bridge – the two are inseparable. His latest book on Method Bridge is his proudest contribution to the game.

    1h 50m

  7. 08/02/2024

    Episode 79: Boss Ladies of Bridge – Ladawna Parham and Bronia Jenkins

    Just before the Toronto NABC, John sat down with Ladawna Parham, executive director of the ACBL Educational Foundation, and Bronia Jenkins, executive director of the ACBL. Jenkins, “one year in,” still has the energy and vision she started with, if not more. Parham, who took the position in November, has had to start from the ground up, with no bridge experience (although she did do her own research prior to getting the job). She is amazed at the depth and vitality of the bridge world. Listen to how these two women are working together within their organizations to engage and empower those who want to bring bridge to the masses.

    54 min

  8. 06/30/2024

    Ep. 78 - Gavin Wolpert is committed to making you the best bridge player you can be!

    John welcomes back his first-ever guest, Gavin Wolpert, a seven-time NABC winner, including the 2021 Soloway Knockout and the 2005 Blue Ribbon Pairs with his wife, Jenny, and a two-time bronze medal winner in Open World Championships. Gavin is one of the internet's favorite Bridge teachers, using interactive problems to allow students to make mistakes and learn from them, emphasizing practice as an essential component in becoming a better bridge player, and implementing technology to provide opportunities for targeted practice. Gavin shares his thoughts on the need for more structured and accessible bridge programs for kids and families at national tournaments. He discusses the importance of enticing kids to play bridge and creating a fun environment for them, and that bridge can help kids develop respect for older people and learn how to interact with them better.

    1h 14m
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4.1
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33 Ratings

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The Setting Trick features conversations with world class bridge players, and lovers of the card game bridge from all over the world.

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