By Shavonne Potts
Salisbury Post
Avid card players from across the United States gathered at Rufty-Holmes Senior Center Friday for the first sessions of the annual Dogwood Bridge Tournament.Partnership chairman Loyd Hill said participants came from New York, Georgia and Tennessee, as well as Winston-Salem, Morganton and other North Carolina towns.
“We felt like it was very successful,” he said.
Early Friday there were about 154 people. Last night, nearly 120 bridge players were participating.
Hill said players at Friday’s sessions said this year’s tournament was bigger. Players were excited and appreciative of the organizers’ work.
Participants work toward master points for their participation, he said.
“The master points raise their status as far as the bridge world is concerned,” Hill said.
It’s not too late to show up and play, he said.
The tournament continues at the Rufty-Holmes Senior Center through the rest of the weekend.
This morning’s session will begin at 10:30 a.m. and the afternoon session at 3:30 p.m.
On Sunday there will be Swiss teams, where teams of four players compete against each other. Play starts at 10:30 a.m.
“We anticipate 20 to 25 teams,” Hill said.
Hill recommends that anyone wanting to participate in the tournament arrive at least an hour early so teams can partner up.There is a charge to play. It costs $8 per session, per person. It costs $22 for Sunday’s team play.
Dick Euler is the local chairman for the event.