Ep. 97: From Hearts to Champion: John McAllister’s Personal Bridge Odyssey

The Setting Trick: Conversations with World Class Bridge Players

In a special solo episode, John McAllister opens up about his own personal journey into the world of bridge. John takes listeners from his first bridge game with Aunt Kathleen to major tournament wins, highlighting the mentors, friends, and unexpected encounters that shaped his bridge career. Listen in for heartfelt anecdotes, insights into learning bridge, and John’s reflections on pivotal moments and memorable players he met along the way.

Key Highlights:

• 🎲 First Steps in Bridge: Discover how a casual game with family sparked John's lifelong passion for bridge.

• 🌉 Learning the Ropes: John recalls early mentorship from Shooky Neal and playing with promising talents like Jason Holderness.

• 🏆 Breakthrough Moments: Relive John's first significant tournament victory at the NABC and his ambitious venture into international competition.

• 🤝 Influential Connections: Hear stories about bridge legends and mentors like Gavin Wolpert, Jeff Hand, George Mittelman, and the late Eric Kokish.

• 💰 Rubber Bridge Adventures: John humorously shares his first encounter playing rubber bridge in London, meeting Zia Mahmood, and the memorable experience of cash winnings.

• 🌟 Major Wins: John reflects on his notable victories, including the Mitchell Board-a-Match, the Mixed Pairs, and the RecuVec Masters.

• 🃏 Friendship and Growth: Learn how playing with friends like Lily Justman helped sharpen John’s competitive edge and joy for bridge.

Resources & Next Steps:

• Follow John’s upcoming journey at the European Championships.

• Explore John’s documentary Double Dummy for deeper insights into bridge.

• 🎧 More Stories Like This – Subscribe to The Setting Trick wherever you listen to podcasts for more deep dives into the world of bridge.

• 📱 Follow @thesettingtrick – Stay connected on Instagram and for episode drops, tournament pics, and more.