Bridge Medalist Karen Allison
Las Vegas Resident Talks About Her Bridge Championships
When national bridge champion Karen Allison took up the game in high school, she never dreamed of how far it would take her. Now retired, the 67-year-old Allison has traveled the workd to participate in bridge tournaments. She has met actor Omar Sharif, who belonged to her bridge club when she lived in Paris. And, she has learned bridge from the top players in the world.
A Social Game
It all started when Allison's mother suggested she play bridge for social reasons. "I walked into a bridge club in high school, and they told me about it. An Ace was four points; a King was three. I stunk up the joint, but it was fun," Allison says. "I bought a BridgeMate - a metal holder that you put prepared cards into. I tore up my fingers on the metal sliders."
But Allison kept playing. She says she found friends in college (Brookly College) who played. "Some were very bright people who never graduated because they were playing bridge."
After college, she continued playing the game. "It became a passion for me. I knew some very good players, and they nurtured me," she recalls. "I never took any bridge lessons, but I read voraciously and sitll do."
Allison has since donated all of her books to UNLV's Gaming Department. She has also donated one medal from her championship play. "There's a big tournament here in Las Vegas," (in July), she says.
She says that UNLV has the beginnings of a bridge library, but that she "fleshed it out for them. What I gave them is a really marvelous collection for anyone who wants to learn the game well."
Competitive Play
In 1961, after graduating college, Allison went to a bridge club on a date, beginning her competitive play. "First there are sectionals - local tournaments," she explains. "Then, there are regionals, and the nationals. The Nationals are sponsored by the American Contract Bridge League, comprised of the U.S., Canada, Mexico and Bermuda. The Nationals are usually held in the U.S., with a few in Canada.":
"Once, at a regional in New York City, we won. This was my first win at a regional. It qualified me to play at a national, called Blue Ribbon, Pairs. There was a player called Paul Heitner. He has since died. I knew him when I was in college. He played at a level I hadn't yet aspired to. When I won, I contacted him and asked him to play with me. It was unusual in that a lot of the top people won't do that. He and I started to play together. This introduced me to a crowd of much better players."
Life in Paris
Allison moved to Paris in 1963 for work (she is in computer programming). It was here that she met Omar Sharif. "I knew him from the bridge club., not as an actor," she says. "My mother came to visit me, and we went to see a movie he was in. When I saw him on the screen, I sort of went into shock. I hadn't realized what a big star he was."
It was about this time, also, that she married her first husband, Frank Allison. "I went to Paris and kept in touch with him. We were married in late 1964, but soon parted."
An Accomplished Player
By then, Allison, by her own account, was getting to be a pretty good bridge player. "We played mostly rubber bridge. We'd go out afterwards and have a drink with France's top bridge players. I was learning bridge through the 1960s - we would talk bridge. I was totally in love with the game, and was playing it at every opportunity."
In 1969, Allison played with Gladys Collier. "She and I were second in Life Master Women's Paris. This gave us the right to go to Stockholm and play in a world championship. We finished thirteenth in the women's division, which is quite respectable. I met women at the championship level. Some are still friends."
Among Allison's accomplishments are, playing world championship bridge in Stockholm, Sweden; being captain of the team that went to Bermuda, and representing the United States in a tournament in the Canary Islands. She has also played in Falkenberg, Netherlands, representing Canada. Her most cherished tournament was in Monte Carlo, where she was the first woman ever to represent Canada on an Open Team.
Her awards include an ACBL Life Master, and a Gold Life Master. She is also a World Life Master in the World Bridge Federation.
Las Vegas: A Bridge Hot Spot
Allison says that Las Vegas is a favorite site for bridge players. "There are a lot of players living here. A tournament started here July 18." She adds that there are two online bridge clubs, for anyone interested in playing. "One is free, one charges. I've quit the one that charges. Any time of day, you can pop in the one I do play at, www.bridgebase.com, and find people playing bridge."
Why does she enjoy bridge? "It's a constant challenge. It's a mental challenge. How to play your thirteen cards to best advantage. It's a fabulous game. It has mathematics. It's a microcosm of life."
"It's an amazing game and continues to teach me lessons. I enjoy watching it. I spent as much time watching as playing at first."
