COME TO THE PARTY
INTRODUCING
Jude Goodwin
In the little town of Rossland, British
Columbia, tucked in the Monashee
Mountains with more than seven
months of snow a year, was where
Jude Goodwin learned to play
bridge. One day, a friend suggested
they play bridge in the evening. They
found two more willing participants
and, with a convention card in hand,
they played all night. As they learned
more, they were hooked on the game.
Soon, Jude found herself becoming
more active in organizing bridge
events. The Gold Rush Sectional
in Rossland was one of the ACBL’s
most popular tournaments. To
attract players, Jude and others on
the tournament committee offered
an all-inclusive deal – one price that
included a room at the host hotel
(the Uplander), entry fees, free pizza
Friday night, a free Sunday breakfast,
and gold rush perks and events.
Players enjoyed it so much they
came from all over British Columbia
as well as Alberta, Washington,
10
and Oregon. To encourage newer
players to experience tournament
bridge with their peers, Jude and
others organized a new event called
Future Stars for those under 100
masterpoints.
Jude also became an accomplished
bridge player. Together on a team
with June Pocock and Julie Smith,
Jude’s first bridge partner, they won
a Silver Medal in the 1992 Canadian
Women’s Teams Championship.
Away from the bridge table, Jude
made an equally impressive mark
on Canadian bridge, serving as
Unit 430 President, and editor of
various unit and Canadian Bridge
Federation newsletters, publications,
and website.
“I enjoyed watching bridge players
at the table. I found humor and fun
in how they approached the game
and interacted with one another, as
partners and opponents,” explained
Jude. “In my spare time after putting
my kids to bed, I recreated the bridge
vignettes into cartoons. I sent them to
Henry Francis at the ACBL’s Bridge
Bulletin. The positive reception led
to two published cartoon books.”
Many of these cartoons were a regular
feature of the Better Bridge magazine
some twenty-five years ago.
Next came a series of books that Jude
authored for beginners. The focus is
kids who want to learn the game.
Jude also launched her own website
consulting firm, Goodwin Creative.
In addition, she is the owner of one
of the most comprehensive bridge
websites called Great Bridge Links
(www.greatbridgelinks.com).
A udrey G rant ’ s B etter B ridge | S eptember -O ctober 2019
Jude, the Gold Medal winner, in the Test
of Metal race in 2008.
Outside of bridge, Jude is just as
active and engaged. She spent 8 years
competing in off-road mountain bike
races, medaling in many grueling
competitions including the BC
Championship and Test of Metal.
She now sings with a competitive
women’s a cappella chorus, and is a
successful poet, having just published
her first poetry book, "The Night
Before Snow".
Jude is enthusiastic about continuing
to promote bridge. “It’s great to see
players returning to bridge after
retirement. Bridge provides a social
connection and playing on the
internet is a good option in addition
to local club games. However, to
expand and grow the game, it's
important to recruit younger players
and nurture them.”
Bridge is a game that Jude loves and
it shows.