PODCAST · leisure
The Setting Trick: Conversations with World Class Bridge Players
by John McAllister
The Setting Trick features conversations with world class bridge players, and lovers of the card game bridge from all over the world.
Episodes
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Ep. 112: Emma Kolesnik on Winning the World Mixed Teams
In this episode of The Setting Trick, I sit down with Emma Kolesnik, who just won the Mixed Teams at the 2026 World Bridge Series in Katowice, Poland. She partnered her husband Adam Grossack, and their teammates were prior Mixed champions Sabine Auken and Roy Welland. Emma takes me through their...
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Ep. 111: Alessandro Calmanovici Built Bridge Tricks to Make Bridge as Popular as Chess
In this episode of The Setting Trick, I sit down with Alessandro Calmanovici, the founder of Bridge Tricks, a site that became a big part of my own bridge learning. His name rang a bell the first time I found it. He appears in Double Dummy, the film I made at the 2012 World Junior Championships,...
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Ep. 110: Nabil Edgtton Taught AJ Antonios Bridge in Three Months and They Won the Gold Coast Teams
In this episode of The Setting Trick, I sit down with Nabil Edgtton, one of the best bridge players in the world, and AJ Antonios, a professional poker player who learned bridge from scratch then won the 2020 Gold Coast Open Teams three months later. Longtime friends from poker, Nabil and AJ were...
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Ep. 110: Nabil Edgtton Taught AJ Antonios Bridge in Three Months and They Won the Gold Coast
In this episode of The Setting Trick, I sit down with Nabil Edgtton, one of the best bridge players in the world, and AJ Antonios, a professional poker player who learned bridge from scratch and won the 2020 Gold Coast Open Teams three months later. Nabil talked AJ into moving in together, then...
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Ep. 109: Tim Verbeek on 28 Years of Bridge, Catching Cheaters, and Learning to Lose
In this episode of The Setting Trick, I sit down with Tim Verbeek, professional bridge player and Chairman of the Dutch Athletes Committee, for a wide-ranging conversation about competitive bridge in the Netherlands and beyond. We open by reminiscing about a dinner in Lyon at the 2017…
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Ep: 108: Luc Bellicaud on Building Lia, the Bridge Robot Beating Humans at Their Own Game
In this episode, I sit down with Luc Bellicaud - a three-time Junior World Champion from France and the developer of Lia, the AI bridge robot at IntoBridge. Why is Luc the first French bridge player I’ve interviewed? Because last month, IntoBridge, launched a powerful new AI coaching tool, named...
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Ep: 107: Adam Parrish on Leveling Up, Writing Bridge Books and What It Takes to Win at the Nationals
In this episode, I sit down with Adam Parrish, a two-time winner of the American Bridge Teachers Book of the Year Award, host of the Leveling Up podcast, and author of six bridge books. Adam spent all of 2025 on a self-improvement project, dedicating an entire year to getting better at bridge…
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Ep. 106: Avery Silverstein on Junior World Championships, Family Bridge Mentorship, and Chasing Gold
In this episode, I sit down with Avery Silverstein, a 17-year-old bridge prodigy who has fallen hard for the game. Despite her young age, Avery has already earned two medals at the Junior World Championships and reached the round of 16 in the Vanderbilt as my partner. We discuss her journey from...
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Ep. 105: Teaching Bridge to a New Generation with Maya Jonas-Silver
I was inspired to interview Maya Jonas-Silver, because of this post she made on Bridge Winners bemoaning the lack of playing opportunities for her recent bridge initiates. After winning the 2023 20-50 Mini McKenney award Maya hasn't stopped. She has become a passionate advocate for bringing young...
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Ep. 104: From Water Polo to World Championships with Ethan Derman
In this episode, I sit down with Ethan Derman, a remarkable young talent who just got accepted early decision to the University of Virginia. Ethan shares his journey from playing baseball and water polo to becoming a junior world championship medalist in bridge. We dive into our dramatic…
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Ep. 103: Antonio Palma Finally Breaks Through After Seven Straight Finals Losses
I'm thrilled to welcome Antonio Palma from Portugal to the show today. Antonio has had an incredible run of second-place finishes in recent years, including the Rosenblum, European Mixed Championships, Soloway Knockouts, and Spingold. Last year, he broke through by winning the pairs in Madeira,...
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Ep. 102: Ella & Julie – Denmark's Rising Stars in Women's Bridge
In this episode, John McAllister sits down with Julie Marina Sigsgaard and Ella Rosthøj, two young Danish players whose friendship, partnership, and love of bridge have taken them from neighborhood kids to representing Denmark on the world stage. Despite only playing bridge for a handful of…
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Ep. 101: Emanuel Unge – All in for Bridge, Building the Premier Bridge Practice Tool
In this episode, John McAllister sits down with Emanuel Unge, the creator of Cue Bids, the hottest app in bridge today. Emanuel shares how he discovered bridge at age 25. After years of poker and board games, and how that late start completely reshaped his life — leading him to meet his wife…
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Ep. 100: Christina Lund Madsen – Bridge's Master Mixer
In this episode, John McAllister sits down with Christina Lund Madsen, a writer, journalist, tournament organizer, and world-class competitor, coming off of winning her third European Mixed Team Championship. Known for her sharp wit and fearless bidding, Christina shares how she uses storytelling...
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Ep. 99: Eat Like Gold: David Gold on Bridge, Food, and Playing with Legends
This is a long anticipated conversation for our host John McAllister as he finally sits down with English star David Gold. David considers himself lucky to play with legends Zia Mahmood for the North American Bridge Championships and Andrew Robson for the English open team. Fresh off competing in...
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Ep. 98: From Control Room to Card Table: Tracy Brines' Unique Journey in Bridge and Nuclear Power
In this captivating episode, John McAllister welcomes Tracy Brines, whose extraordinary background spans naval service, nuclear power plant operations, and competitive bridge. Tracy reveals engaging stories from his Navy days, shares intense experiences from his time managing nuclear power plant...
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Ep. 97: From Hearts to Champion: John McAllister's Personal Bridge Odyssey
In a special solo episode, John McAllister shares 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…
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Ep. 96: From Underdogs to USA-1: Inside Adam Grossack's Epic Bridge Victory
In this unforgettable episode, John McAllister sits down with Adam Grossack, fresh off his team's stunning victory in the US Open Trials. Adam shares candid stories from the tournament, detailing how his four-handed team navigated intense matches, strategic pairings, and unexpected twists to…
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Ep. 95: Cheating, Convictions, and Compassion: Inside the American Contract Bridge League's Recorder's Office with Jeff Edelstein
Ever feel like you have been cheated playing bridge online? Have you taken the time to report the pair by filing a player memo? Join John McAllister as he sits down with Jeff Edelstein, the ACBL recorder and a Grand Life Master, for a revealing conversation about the nuances of cheating…
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Ep. 94: From Iceland to Delray: Svenni Eiriksson on Friendship, Risk, and Reinvention
What happens when a car rental mishap, a spur-of-the-moment bridge partnership, and a life-changing move from Iceland to Florida collide? You get Svenni Eiriksson, a bridge player whose story is equal parts hilarious, heartfelt, and deeply human. John McAllister sits down with his former partner...
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Ep. 92: Lynn Castoldi – Winning with Joy, Scarves & Spades
In this episode, John interviews Lynn Castoldi, fresh off two huge wins at the Spring NABC — the 10K Knockout Teams and the Women's Swiss Teams, the latter by a razor-thin margin of just 0.13 VPs. With her signature laugh, Lynn shares the stories behind her victories, her partnership with Ann…
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Ep. 91: Dennis Bilde – The Danish Ace
In this episode, John sits down with Dennis Bilde, one of Denmark's top bridge talents and a player with a reputation for being both formidable at the table and fun to be around. Dennis shares stories of missing flights, winning world championships, and his early card-playing days before...
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Ep. 90: Adrienne Carter: Shifting Your Mindset
My guest today is Adrienne Carter. She claims to be an aspiring bridge player. I know her from working with her as a performance coach and mindset specialist. She has worked across industries with everyone from CEOs to poker players, and has seen a recent uptick in interested golf players…
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Ep. 89 Stefan Scorchev: Getting IntoBridge
My guest today is Stefan Scorchev, a bridge player, friend, and the creator of IntoBridge. For those who are unaware, IntoBridge is a free platform for online bridge games. In his childhood, Stefan learned the value of online bridge as he spent hours playing bridge every day, and found that…
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Ep 88: Ami Zamir – From Fishbein Glory to Fatherhood
In this episode of The Setting Trick, John welcomes his friend and bridge phenom Ami Zamir—one half of the ACBL's top-ranked pair of 2023. From winning major events to missing the final session of a national championship for the birth of his daughter, Ami shares the highs, the heart, and the…
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Ep. 87 Tuva Nilsmark: BridgeQueen
Ep. 87 Tuva Nilsmark: BridgeQueen Today's guest is Tuva Nilsmark, who goes by BridgeQueen on YouTube. As a bridge lover and social media user, Tuva saw a gap in the YouTube landscape for bridge videos that are light, short, easy to understand, and fun to watch. She fills that gap with her…
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Ep. 86 Drew Cavalier: From Nervous to National Bridge Champ
Today's guest is Drew Cavalier, a bridge player who lives in Huntsville, Alabama. In 2022, Drew won the Wernher Open Paris with Christian Jolly, who Drew describes as one of the smartest people he's ever met. We discuss his bridge mentors and partners, the highs and lows of competitive bridge…
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Ep. 85 Jason Hackett AKA Prime Mutton
Today's guest is bridge player turned burgeoning social media star Jason Hackett, also known as Prime Mutton. A frequent traveler, guinness reviewer, and 2019 Eurotransnational winner, Hackett and I had much to discuss. We talk about the strangest food he's tried during his travels, how he broke...
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Ep. 84 Boye Brogeland: Bridge at the Edge and In Person
Boye Brogeland is a force to be reckoned with. He holds the World Grand Master title, with three European Open Championship wins under his belt, as well as several North American championships. He also played a prominent role in uncovering the Fisher and Schwartz cheating scandal when he noticed...
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Ep. 83 Brian Reynolds - Fancies himself as a Bridge Outlier
Brian Reynolds is an LA-based bridge teacher who, with his wife, Samantha, runs an educational website, The Bridge Teachers. They specialize in teaching people who've "never touched a deck of cards." That's how they got recommended to the production team for the bridge documentary film, "The Kids...
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Ep. 82 Richard Zeckhauser: Making Better Decisions in the Card Game Bridge
Today on The Setting Trick, we're thrilled to welcome Richard Zeckhauser, a towering figure whose expertise spans both economics and competitive bridge. A professor at Harvard Kennedy School, Richard has spent decades exploring the complexities of decision-making, risk, and strategic behavior.…
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Episode 81: Owen Lien Does It All In Bridge
John McAllister chats with 35-year-old Owen Lien of Oak Park MI about Junior Bridge, directing on BBO, playing professionally and reaching highs and lows in national events. Owen has won two limited NABC events: The 10K Swiss in 2016 and the 0–5000 Mini Spingold in 2009. He was second in those…
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Ep 80 Matthew Granovetter: Bridge Mystic
Matthew Granovetter is a six-time NABC champion. He also won a world championship, the Mixed Pairs, in 2006. He is a popular author and teacher, along with his wife, Pamela. They are best known for their theories on bidding via their system GUS (Granovetter Unified System) and their books on...
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Episode 79: Boss Ladies of Bridge – Ladawna Parham and Bronia Jenkins
Just before the Toronto NABC, John sat down with Ladawna Parham, executive director of the ACBL Educational Foundation, and Bronia Jenkins, executive director of the ACBL. Jenkins, "one year in," still has the energy and vision she started with, if not more. Parham, who took the position in...
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Ep. 78 - Gavin Wolpert is committed to making you the best bridge player you can be!
John welcomes back his first-ever guest, Gavin Wolpert, a seven-time NABC winner, including the 2021 Soloway Knockout and the 2005 Blue Ribbon Pairs with his wife, Jenny, and a two-time bronze medal winner in Open World Championships. Gavin is one of the internet's favorite Bridge teachers, using...
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Ep. 77 - You Want Aaron "Silversetin" to Be Your Bridge Mentor
Today, my guest is in-demand tournament player, winner of one of Bridge's crown jewels, the 2022 Vanderbilt, club owner, multiple club owner, and Junior Bridge mentor extraordinaire, Aaron Silverstein. Aaron played in the first ever Junior World Championships in 1987, and his daughter, Avery,...
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Ep. 76: Simon de Wijs – Bridge's Vault Keeps all Secrets
My guest is Simon de Wijs from the Netherlands. Simon has a great bridge resume. He has won the Bermuda Bowl, the Olympiad, the mixed World Championship, and multiple European championships. He is a mainstay on the Dutch national team, always one of the favorites in open competition. At the…
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Ep. 75 - Brian Platnick - Can Tell You if You're a World Class Bridge Player
Today my guest is Brian Platnick. He's a world champion (1991 World Junior Teams and 2010 Rosenblum Cup) with six NABC+ titles, including two Spingold wins (2010, 2017) and a victory in the Blue Ribbon Pairs (2012). Brian is a perfect example of what inspires this podcast: the opportunity to have...
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Ep 74: Event Review with Sophia Baldysz
Today, we're debuting a new format called Event Review, where my partner and I get together and discuss some of the most amusing incidents and some of the best and worst plays from a recent event. It's going to be shorter than my typical long-form interview and also, hopefully, just kind of fun....
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Ep 73 Rise and Fly! Lamont Jones and The Gist of Bid Whist
Episode 73: Rise and Fly! Lamont Jones and The Gist of Bid Whist Normally, this is a Bridge podcast, but today my guest is Bid Whist evangelist Lamont Jones. Lamont recently published the book called The Gist of Bid Whist culminating a project he began in earnest in 2012. He's on a mission to…
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Ep 72: John Got Hired!
John shares his experience of being hired to play bridge professionally for the first time. He talks about meeting and playing with a new partner and the challenges they faced. He also discusses the pressure and self-consciousness he felt as a bridge pro and how he overcame it to improve his...
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Ep 71 Morten Bilde: Introducing the Card Game Bridge to Young People
Today's guest is Denmark's Morten Bilde. In addition to being a world-class bridge player with a win and a second in the U.S. Vanderbilt, Morten left his day job in 2015 to focus on getting bridge in the schools in Denmark. Stay tuned to find out why Morten says that's the best job he's ever had,...
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Ep 70 Matthew Brown: High Compatibility in the Card Game Bridge
My guest today is Matthew Brown. Matt has been my partner for the last two North American Bridge Championships and for the upcoming March NABC in Louisville. Matt's partnership with Michael Whibley on team New Zealand has pulled off some big time wins and upsets. Stay tuned to hear how they went...
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69 John Solo - This is the Song About Bridge
Ever wonder about the theme music that accompanies The Setting Trick and Double Dummy? Listen to this bonus episode, the first of John telling stories about the genesis of his bridge media.
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68 Game On – The Card Game Bridge Needs More People Like Steve Raine
The Setting Trick Episode 68 Game On – The Card Game Bridge Needs More People Like Steve Raine John McAllister talks with Steve Raine, a bridge player, vlogger and gaming café owner who lives in Nottingham, England. His video blogs about attending bridge tournaments and subsequent board review…
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67 Bonnie Gellas - The Beginners Bridge Teacher
The North American Bridge Championships are truly an experience that brings people together. Walt Shafer, who runs an eponymous, invitation-only game online, hosted a party for the participants at the Atlanta NABC. John, who plays in the game, attended and met Bonnie Gellas, who was there because...
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66 Alex Kolesnik: Bridge Dad +
Alex Kolesnik: Bridge Dad + Move over, Soccer Moms, there's a new game in town. Alex Kolesnik and his wife, Sharon Beynon, are California-based professors who play bridge. Somehow, they got both of their children interested in playing bridge too. Now ages 25 and 19, Emma and Finn are top-ranked...
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65 Nathan Gong - A Junior Ambassador for New Bridge Players
The Setting Trick Episode 65: Nathan Gong – A Junior Ambassador for New Bridge Players Seattle-area teenager Nathan Gong has distinguished himself as an excellent bridge player at regionals, NABCs, and, this summer, his first World Youth Championships. He's also getting noticed as a teacher…
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ABOUT THIS SHOW
The Setting Trick features conversations with world class bridge players, and lovers of the card game bridge from all over the world.
HOSTED BY
John McAllister
CATEGORIES
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Frequently Asked Questions
How many episodes does The Setting Trick: Conversations with World Class Bridge Players have?
The Setting Trick: Conversations with World Class Bridge Players currently has 113 episodes available on PodParley. New episodes are automatically indexed when they're published to the podcast feed.
What is The Setting Trick: Conversations with World Class Bridge Players about?
The Setting Trick features conversations with world class bridge players, and lovers of the card game bridge from all over the world.
How often does The Setting Trick: Conversations with World Class Bridge Players release new episodes?
The Setting Trick: Conversations with World Class Bridge Players publishes regularly with 113 episodes available. Check the episode list for the typical release schedule.
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Who hosts The Setting Trick: Conversations with World Class Bridge Players?
The Setting Trick: Conversations with World Class Bridge Players is created and hosted by John McAllister.
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