This past weekend, Reno Middle School Bridge Teams competed in the RYB–WCSD Team Game Duplicate 
Bridge Championships in pursuit of winning the RYB “Silver Cup”. Possession of the Cup, a perpetual trophy is given to the winning team’s school for display in their trophy case until a competitor wins the same championships in 2014. Zachary Foster, Team Captain of Shaw #2 is shown here receiving the Silver Cup from Tournament Chairman Bud Brewer, Managing Director of Reno Youth Bridge. Other members of the team are Davis Troyer, Andrew Wishcher and Joseph Logan. Shaw #2 opened up a lead of 14 victory points by the end of the second of four rounds, but Sparks #2 came roaring back in the 3rd quarter to close the gap to only 2 Victory Points. The fourth and final match would indeed determine who was going to win the Silver Cup. 
Sparks Team # 2 was made up by Yash Shah, Smit Shah, Trace Turner and Suzy Davenport. The pressure was intense as both teams missed opportunities to put the victory away. Upon totaling up the final score it was determined that both teams had won their matches by the identical score of two victory points. The Shaw #2 team thus prevailed and became the second Washoe County middle school whose team member’s names are engraved on a plate attached to the Silver Cup Trophy. Finishing in third place was the always competitive team of High Desert Montessori Charter School whose members were Harley DeGuzman, Alex Woods, Kat Kallas and Kolton Kallas.
2013 Washoe County Middle School Duplicate Bridge Teams
Reno Youth Bridge is in its fifth year of teaching bridge at Washoe County Middle Schools. Last autumn, middle school student alumni from Cold Springs and Sparks Middle Schools’ class of 2012 launched a Bridge Club after school activity at AACT High School. The Club has three teachers on its roster as well as 12 other alumni of the RYB program among Reno-Sparks Middle Schools. One of the other schools participating in the Reno Youth Bridge after school activity program is Davidson Academy, at which ninth and tenth grades are taught in addition to Middle School levels.
Preston Latham, Gionanney Zuniga, Joseph Managa, Erin Walsh
This year AACT and Davidson High School Students competed against each other at both the Mid-Winter RYB Pairs Tournament in December and the2013 Spring Team Game Challenges in April. Played as an International Match Point head to head Challenge event (IMP scoring), once again AACT defeated the Davidson Academy this time by 15 IMPS. Led by Captain Giovanney Zuniga, the team got off to a fast start and led by 11 IMPS at the Half and finished strong adding 4 more IMPS during the remainder of the game to win by 15 IMPS. The AACT team’s partnerships were made up of Giovanney Zuniga and Joseph Magana, Preston Latham and Erin Walsh. Davidson Academy’s High School Team members were, Sarah Macharg, Shashank Addagarla, Elliott Glazer and Molly Rakestraw. Observers were somewhat surprised but delighted to see that Erin Walsh, a ninth grade student at AACT was a strong member of the AACT team notwithstanding the fact that since last fall she has been totally blind caused by a mysterious malady. Not to be impeded in her love for the game of bridge, Erin plays with the assistance of a monitor who whispers into her ear what the cards are in her hand and the dummy so that when a card is played and announced she remembers all 26 visible cards and calls out the one she wishes played at her turn.
Reno Youth Bridge, a 501(c)(3) non profit Nevada Corporation, is funded by the generous contributions from individuals, families and charitable foundations here in the Reno Community. None of the RYB Directors or Officers receive compensation for their services. WCSD Certified teachers at each of the participating schools do receive a stipend for their volunteer efforts to teach the game of Bridge to WCSD Middle School Students. If you would like to help us fund our program we have provided the convenience of Pay Pal Credit card services. Just click on the Donate Button on any page or call Bud Brewer at 775-849-4113. Thank You!