Lawson Bridge Studio’s major historical events include:
2023
♦ A memorial game was held on November 1, 2023, for Philip Lapalio, co-director, bridge teacher, and mentor of newer players, who passed in September, 2023, with contributions going to the ACBL Education Foundation.
♦ A memorial game was held on October 30, 2023, for Gerald Landy, the founder of the club, who passed during the pandemic, with contributions going to the ACBL Education Foundation.
♦ Lawson Co-Director Phil Lapalio passed on September 12, 2023.
♦ Lawson Studio Gold Rush Pairs event held at 10 a.m. and 3 p.m. on Wednesday, July 19, 2023 at the Chicago 2023 Summer NABC.
♦ Friday, July 14, 2023 is Gerry Landy Memorial Day at the Chicago 2023 Summer NABC.
Gerry Landy Tribute 2023 Chicago NABC
2022
♦ In-person games resumed in February, 2022 after they were put on hold due to a spike in the Coronavirus Omicron variant.
2021
♦ In-person games were again put on hold in mid-December due to a spike in COVID-19 Omicron variant cases.
♦ First in-person game since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic held on May 3, 2021.
♦ Gerry Landy, Lawson Bridge Club co-finder and retired Club Manager with the ACBL, passed away on January 10, 2021, transferring the ownership of the club to Jerry Scholle.
♦ Club Management: Jerry Scholle, ACBL Club Manager; Phil Lapalio, Assistant Director; and Erika Meller, webmaster.
2020
♦ Gerry Landy retired as Club Manager with the ACBL and Jerry Scholle became Club Manager with the ACBL.
♦ No games were held from March 11, 2020 to the end of the year because of the COVID-19 pandemic.
2018
♦ The Wednesday players opted for just an Open section and the Invitational section was placed in reserve.
2017
♦ Changed the format of the Wednesday game to an Invitational section with all players being non-life masters with less than 500 masterpoints, and an Open section for all other players.
2015
♦ Pearl Gordon retired as financial officer due to failing health; Jerry Scholle assumed these duties.
♦ Jerry Scholle returned as primary director upon the passing of his partner.
2013
♦ Jerry retired as primary director. Patt Quinn becomes Director for the Monday game and Phil Lapalio becomes Director for the Wednesday game.
♦ Lawson Bridge Studio launched its own website at www.lawsonbridgestudio.org with Jerry being webmaster, which he continued upon retiring as primary director.
2012
♦ Lawson Bridge Studio was featured in the May-June 2012 Issue of the Chicago Contract Bridge Association’s Kibitzer.
Read the whole article: Spotlight on Clubs: Lawson Bridge Studio
♦ The club invested in electronic scoring units to reduce traveler errors and to be able to provide results immediately after the last board is finished.
♦ Wednesday evening Intermediate/Newcomer game restriction changed to one player must be a non-life master with less than 500 masterpoints, which is in line with the change of masterpoints for life master by the ACBL.
2011
♦ The club started using a bridge clock for timing the rounds in June.
2010
♦ Started an Intermediate/Newcomer game on Wednesday evening in January as an invitational game with the restriction that one player must be a non-life master with less than 300 masterpoints.
♦ Club invested in a dealing machine to reduce the time to make boards for both games from about 4 hours to about 30 minutes.
2009
♦ Club had grown to averaging 10+ tables/week, so Jerry Scholle began directing only in July and not playing, as he wasn’t doing justice to either.
♦ Invested in Deal Master Pro for generating the bridge hands, which had been made up manually prior to the game, allowing the club to supply the printed hand records with makeable contracts after the games in September.
♦ Started holding Swiss team games every two months beginning in August.
♦ Started the envelope system for collecting the player fees in February.
2008
♦ First Club Appreciation Dinner held annually during October, which is Club Appreciation Month.
♦ Club game time changed to 6:20 p.m. to accommodate 27-28 boards played to finish by 9:30 p.m. This led to more players attending because they liked the game and particularly that we finished at 9:30 p.m.
2007
♦ A group of 1.5 tables came to play bridge on a cold, wintery February night because there weren’t enough players in their regular group.
♦ Started an email listserv for informing players of club activities.
♦ First issue of Lawson Bridge Studio Newsletter was written in March.
♦ Added special Club Championships, Sectional Tournament at the Club, and North American Pair Club-Level Qualifying games.
♦ First welcome letter to newcomers at the game was created.
♦ First hand records after the game were distributed for players.
♦ First yearly schedule of games was completed in February.
♦ Ann Sather Restaurant moved to 909 W. Belmont in November.
2006
♦ Game moved downstairs, as the 929 W. Belmont upstairs was sold to the Comedy Club.
♦ All bridge supplies were hand carried for each game, as we no longer had any storage space.
♦ Start to pre-deal boards to save time at start-up of game.
♦ Jerry Scholle updated his directing skills through “Ruling the Game Course.”
2005
♦ Jerry Scholle started to share directing duties with Rodger Campbell, the primary director.
♦ Jerry Scholle became primary director when Rodger Campbell started going to cooking school.
2004
♦ Jerry Scholle returned to the bridge tables after a hiatus of about 20 years.
♦ Jerry Scholle renewed membership in ACBL and was informed that he was still listed as a director from the 1970’s in December, so he returned to directing.
2003
♦ Gerry Landy was Club Manager per American Contract Bridge League. At this time or shortly prior, he and Pearl Gordon formed Lawson Bridge Studio. Comments later recorded in early 2021 reflected that Gerry saved a dying club.