Bill: Jay Stiefel needs little introduction in Connecticut. He has long been one of New England's top players, with four North American championships to his credit and eight second place finishes, including the 2023 Grand National Teams. His popular "Can't Cost" feature has been a fixture in The Kibitzer for more than 20 years and we're pleased to have him as a member of the Connecticut Bridge Association's Ask the Experts panel. Today we're pleased to welcome him on the occasion of reaching the remarkable milestone of 25,000 master-points. Thank you for joining us, Jay. Let me start by asking you how you got started playing bridge and what drew you to the game.

 

John: My father taught me how to play when I was in high school and I played a little in college and grad school, but I didn’t start playing seriously until after I started working. I loved the game because of its problem-solving aspects and the opportunity for social interaction with partner and opponents. I also liked chess, but I got tired of sitting at a table for hours without any social interaction.

 

Bill: Who were your other early influences or mentors as you were coming along?   

 

John: Shortly after I started playing, Steve Labins invited me to play in the weekly money-bridge games he hosted at his house. There I got to know Jim Bennett, who I badgered into playing with me – and he became my first mentor and serious partner – and I won my first National Championship with him in 1976 at age 31. Sadly, Jim died in 1992 at age 56 and 9,600 master points – so he didn’t get to be a Grand Master.

 

Bill: It's too bad that more of us didn't get the chance to know him and see what a great player he was. It's wonderful that you keep that memory alive with this. 

When you look back on your bridge career so far, what are some of the highlights that come to mind?  Any great stories for us?

 

John: The 1990 Spingold is the first thing that comes to mind. We had a 5-person Team of all New England friends – Arthur Moore, Bobby Barr, Bernie Miller, Lew Finkel and me. Bernie and I played all the boards and we each had 2 partners – Arthur and Lew in my case. We got all the way to the semi-finals before losing to Hamman, Wolff and company.

Another highlight for me was reaching two super-flight Grand National Team finals – in 2008 and 2023. Both times we lost to Jeff Meckstroth’s Team in the Finals. He's a pretty good player.

 

Bill: (laughs)

 

John: Another highlight is almost having a 3-peat in the Senior Swiss. My partner was Rich DeMartino and we played with Geof Brod, Pat McDevitt an Steve Earl. We won in 2006 and 2007 and were second in 2008.

 

Bill: You've partnered and teamed with a host of great Connecticut players. Any particular memories you'd like to share for those newer players who didn't have the chance to see them in action with you?

 

John: Besides Jim Bennett and Rich DeMartino (previously mentioned), I remember Russ Ekeblad, Marty Fleisher, Lloyd Arvedon, Vic King, Doug Doub and Allan Graves. My current partner is Geof Brod.

I will always appreciate Russ inviting me to join his New England Grand National Team with Charlie Coon and Richard Zeckhauser. We won New England twice – in 1988 and 1990 – and reached the National quarterfinals in 1988 (losing to Bart Bramley’s team – more on Bart later).

Marty was my partner in the late 1990s and early 2000s. We won several New England Grand National Team events together before he moved from Northampton, Massachusetts to New York City. Since then, I’m happy to see that he has been very successful in top National and World level events playing with Chip Martel.

Lloyd was so easy to play with and we seemed to think alike. We did well in New England Regionals for 30 years – and he was my partner for one of my second place Grand National Team finishes. Unfortunately, he’s having some health problems now and probably won’t be playing any more.

Vic and I did well, I think, because he was a little aggressive while I was (and still am) a little conservative. We finished second in the 2000 Grand National Pairs and the 2008 Grand National Teams, for instance. I remember being too critical sometimes and that upset him. Fortunately, I was able to get together with him and straighten everything out before his unfortunate death.

I remember playing with Doug in a 120-board match in the Senior Team Trials against Bart Bramley’s Team. The match ended in an exact tie, but we lost the tie breaker because they out-scored us in a short round-robin qualifying match.

 

Bill: Oh, that's heartbreaking!

 

John: Because of the COVID epidemic which forced everyone to play on-line, I was lucky enough to be able to play with Allan Graves a few times in the New England Grand National Teams. He was my partner for my other second place Grand National Teams finish. He is a super player and a super-duper partner. We didn’t have that many bad boards, but I was impressed at how he always tried to take the blame when we did - even when it wasn’t his fault. It’s easy to see why he’s a very successful bridge pro. Interestingly enough, he moved from Canada to Vermont to start a Meditation Center.

 

Bill: How has the game changed in the time you've been playing?

 

John: The game has changed mainly in three ways.

First, bidding has changed– constructive bidding has gotten a lot better and competition has gotten a lot more frequent. For example, in 1968, I used to gain a lot of matchpoints or IMPs playing splinter bids. Now practically everyone plays them. Also, I expected back then to have the auction to myself when my partner and I had most of the points. Not anymore. Everyone seems to have learned that “it’s a bidder’s game.”

Second, there are a lot more foreign players playing at ACBL Regional and National Tournaments. Many of them play at a very high level. I think this is a favorable development, as bridge should be a world-wide game like soccer or basketball.

Third, there are a lot more opportunities available for bright young players to get good quickly. When I started, I felt like I was mostly on my own if I wanted to improve. Now there are “bridge camps” and other ACBL initiatives to attract young players. I think this is because the ACBL has a desperate need to attract young players now if it wants to survive.

 

Bill: What advice would you give to developing players who aspire to be competitive tournament players?

 

John: I would say “Have fun (don’t play if you’re not), be a good partner and don’t measure too much of your self-esteem based on bridge success or lack thereof.”

 

Bill: That sounds like great life advice as well as great bridge advice.

Favorite convention?

 

John: I call this “Getout 1/reverses.” After a reverse:

• 2NT is game forcing and shows 8-11 and the fourth suit stopped. So 3NT = 12-14 with no great fit for opener.
• A simple preference to opener’s first suit also shows enough for game.
• To stop short of game, bid the fourth suit (if available below 3 of opener’s first suit). This warns partner that I might pass his return to 3 of his suit.
• The fourth suit is not available below 3 of opener’s first suit in only one auction; i.e. 1C – 1S – 2H. Here it’s necessary to use 3C as the “get-out” bid, so you have to bid 3D to show a forcing preference in clubs.

Bill: So where did this come from? And when was it developed? It's not widely known.

 

John: It should be. It's probably the best way to play it. Marty Fleisher and I developed it about twenty years ago when we were talking about our system.

 

Bill: It makes a ton of sense.

Least favorite convention? I think I know a few of your candidates for this!

 

John: Least favorite conventions:

• ROPI (redouble with zero, pass with 1 key card) – I asked you a question – just answer it. Don’t complicate things.
• 1430 – thirty years ago, at the Open Team Trials, my teammates reached 7H off two cashing aces. They said the reason was that they were playing 1430. I never forgot this and – to this day – I won’t play 1430.
• Michaels or unusual NT for good or bad hands but not for intermediate hands - If you have 5-5 in the majors and overcall 1S, don’t be surprised if the auction is at 5 of a minor by the time you get another turn.

 

Bill: A lot of your peers are full-time professional players but you've carried on a career throughout your playing time and are still professionally active as actuary, right?  How have navigated balancing various aspects of your life and do you see a relationship between your career as an actuary and as a bridge player?

 

John: Yes, I’m still a qualified actuary. I think I’ve always been able to work efficiently and thereby leave time first for my family and then for bridge. Bridge and actuarial work have in common that success depends not only on talent, but also on the ability to develop relationships with people in higher positions.

 

Bill: Anything else it might be interesting for me to ask about?  Anyone in particular you'd like to thank?

That’s all I can think of to ask me.  As to people I’d like to thank, I thank mostly my family – particularly my wife Joyce who’s supported me all the way including coming with me to many bridge tournaments and staying home to watch the kids while I played in many others. I also appreciated my children John, Kristen and Bill accompanying me to many bridge tournaments and often caddying.

 

Bill: Thanks again, Jay. It's been great talking with you. I look forward to seeing you at the tables!