The Setting Trick: Conversations with World Class Bridge Players

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, leading Sjoert Brink to call him the best matchpoint player in the world, and then claiming the Club de Compiastre trophy at the South American Championships. But the real celebration came recently when he finally won the Reisinger at the Fall NABC, ending that streak of seven consecutive finals losses. It was a relief, Antonio says.

In our conversation, Antonio opens up about what those years of finishing second felt like, the moment he realized he'd won the Reisinger (he wasn't even playing the final set!), and his journey from professional poker player to bridge champion. We discuss how poker shaped his approach to pressure moments and reading cards, why defense is his favorite part of the game, his challenges with tilting at the table, and the soon to be legendary hand where he took 23 minutes to defend two hearts and made Bobby Levin want to quit bridge. This was a particularly enjoyable conversation with one of bridge's rising stars.

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🏆 Breaking the Curse: After seven consecutive finals losses, Antonio finally won the Reisinger and describes the overwhelming relief of no longer wondering if he was good enough to win the big one.

🍺 Watching from the Bar: Antonio didn't play the final set. Instead, he watched from the bar with Johan Upmark, drinking beer, watching football and hoping!

🃏 From Poker Pro to Bridge Champion: Antonio was previously a professional. He explains how those skills help him read cards, handle pressure, and control emotions during critical moments in bridge.

🛡️ Defense is Everything: Antonio reveals that defense is his favorite part of bridge, and miscommunication on defense is what tilts him the most, especially when signals get crossed.

😤 The Tilt is Real: Multiple teammates confirm that Antonio tilts easily at the table. He admits it's his South European blood and shares the story of a complex diamond lead that went wrong and cost them a critical board.

⏱️ The 23-Minute Defense: Antonio took 23 minutes to defend two hearts, eventually finding the only winning line. Bobby Levin responded in the chat saying he wanted to quit bridge, and Antonio's team still lost the match by forty-six IMPs.

🤝 Nystrom as Mentor: Antonio credits Fredrik Nystrom as his best teammate and mentor who takes every question seriously, helps him improve, and understands when he needs space after tilting.

🥈 European Mixed Silver Medal: Playing with Andrea Nilsson, Simon Holt, and Maya Lo Björk Heed, Antonio made it to the European Mixed Championships final in 2023, losing by just five IMPs.

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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 years, their dedication and countless hours at the table have already earned them national titles, international medals, and unforgettable experiences around the world.

Ella and Julie share how they grew from casual juniors to key members of Denmark's women's team, the story of their dramatic run at the Champions Cup, what it's like balancing bridge with school and gap years, and why having boyfriends who also play bridge is essential! With warmth and humor, they also open up about temper at the table, tears after tough losses, and the joy of winning B finals (again and again).

Key Highlights:

• 🌟 From Neighbors to Teammates: How growing up just 200 meters apart led to a lifelong friendship and eventual bridge partnership.

• 🏆 Venice Cup Debut: Their first appearance on Denmark's women's national team — finishing 5th in qualification and nearly upsetting China.

• 🎉 Champions Cup Drama: The heartbreak of an 88–88 tie decided on a technicality — and why they're determined to come back stronger.

• ❤️ Bridge & Boyfriends: Both partners found love through the game and share how bridge shapes their relationships.

• 😂 Badminton Battles & Bloopers: From live-streamed badminton matches against the Bilde brothers to funny tournament moments.

• 📸 Building Junior Bridge DK: How their Instagram page is helping grow the game — and how they're planning to secure a Pepsi Max sponsorship.

Resources & Next Steps:

• 📲 Follow Ella & Julie's journey on Junior Bridge DK Instagram

• 📰 Learn more about the Venice Cup and international women's bridge events

• 🎥 Watch the documentary Double Dummy featuring the USA junior team (with familiar faces from their opponents!)

• 🎤 Catch up on past episodes featuring Christina Lund Madsen and other Danish stars

• 🎧 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.

Episode Breakdown:

0:00 Start

6:33 Representing Denmark at the Venice Cup

7:36 Facing China in the knockout rounds

17:05 Champions Cup run and the controversial ending

21:38 Growing Junior Bridge DK Instagram and chasing sponsorships

23:16 Life as juniors, gap years, and constant bridge practice

31:18 Traveling the world for tournaments (Memphis, Iceland, Prague, Cyprus)

44:17 Denmark's Bermuda Bowl run and watching at Fox & Hounds bar

57:02 Fun stories: badminton matches and team camaraderie

1:08:22 Balancing relationships, studies, and bridge ambitions

1:22:39 Christina as a mentor and "guardian angel" for Danish juniors

1:26:29 Reflections on their journey and what's next

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, build lifelong friendships, and ultimately create a platform that has transformed how players practice bidding worldwide.

From his early simulations to today's sleek app used by the world's best, Emanuel opens up about the passion and persistence behind Cue Bids, why feedback drives innovation, and how features like Leak Finder are helping players spot weaknesses and grow. Along the way, he talks about competing in Sweden, balancing tech with family, his surprising victories at the table, and even what he'd say to Bill Gates if the two crossed paths at a tournament.

Key Highlights:

• 🃏 From Poker to Bridge: Emanuel's journey from card games and Settlers of Catan to finding bridge at 25 and never looking back.
  
  

• 💡 The Birth of Cue Bids: How a simple coding project grew into a global app used daily by pros to sharpen their bidding.
  
  

• 📊 Leak Finder: The newest feature that compares your bidding accuracy to the field — and why it's become Emanuel's favorite tool.
  
  

• 🤝 Bridge & Community: Stories of making friends, teaming up with Swedish stars, and even meeting his wife through the game.
  
  

• 🌍 The Underdog Upset: Emanuel's favorite bridge memory — knocking out a top seed at the Spingold in Toronto.
  
  

• 🔮 Dream Features: From teaching beginners to building world-class robots, Emanuel imagines what unlimited resources could bring to bridge tech.

Resources & Next Steps:

• 📲 Try Cue Bids for yourself: cuebids.com
  
  

• 🎤 Join the Cue Bids Discord to share feedback and connect with other players
  
  

• 📰 Read Kaplan Upsets Struul: A Tale from an Underdog on Bridge Winners (co-written by Emanuel's wife, Erika)
  
  

• 👀 Follow Emanuel's updates and Cue Bids features on Bridge Winners and social media

Episode Breakdown:

• 0:00 Start

• 0:00 Emanuel's late start in bridge at 25 and how it changed his life

• 0:01 Meeting his wife through bridge and creating Cue Bids

• 1:25 Why many pros practice on Cue Bids daily

• 1:38 Emanuel's background: family, math, computers, and games

• 2:26 First bridge lesson and early enthusiasm from other players

• 4:10 Friendships and first partners in bridge (Erica, Clara, Simon Beck, Fredrik Alfredson)

• 7:28 Playing with Erica, moving to London, and eventually marrying her

• 8:07 Career as a developer and passion for board games (Settlers of Catan)

• 9:54 Moving to London for consulting work and balancing bridge & relationships

• 12:08 How Cue Bids began as a coding side project and proof of concept

• 13:59 Partnering with Daniel Goldberg to build Cue Bids into a real product

• 17:37 Launching features like Leak Finder and how it works

• 20:54 Community feedback and feature growth (Discord, events, pro challenges)

• 23:18 How top players use Cue Bids in practice and events

• 25:16 Fixing scoring quirks and improving simulation accuracy

• 27:54 Ranked challenges, Jack/Queen/King/Ace system, and ELO scoring

• 33:01 Working full-time on Cue Bids and why Emanuel turned down big tech jobs

• 37:02 His dream feature: beginner bidding courses & stronger robots

• 45:52 Cue Bids growth to 25,000+ users and partnerships (Lea robot, InBridge)

• 52:57 Emanuel's greatest bridge memory: the Toronto upset vs. Strul

• 1:27:07 Closing thoughts, Bill Gates hopes, and plans for San Francisco

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 to connect people, celebrate the game, and show bridge as more than just cards on a table.

From her unlikely appearance at a European junior camp to her eventually becoming a world champion, Christina opens up about balancing motherhood, career, and competition, and why laughter and vulnerability matter as much as trophies.

Key Highlights:

• ✍️ Stories That Stick: In her writing, Christina aims to uncover the humor, heartbreak, and humanity of bridge. Here she captures the essence of bridge icon Zia Mahmood.
  
  

• 🌍 On the World Stage: Memorable moments from competing internationally and what those experiences taught her.
  
  

• 🎭 Behind the Curtain: The pressures and rewards of finding students/sponsors to play in top-level tournaments around the globe.
  
  

• 👩‍👧 Life Off the Table: How motherhood and divorce reshaped her identity and her approach to competition.
  
  

• ❤️ The Real Wins: Why Christina believes friendships, stories, and joy outlast medals and rankings.

Resources & Next Steps:

• 🌟 Support women in 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.

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 the European Bridge Championships in Poznań, Poland, David shares insights into his bridge journey, memorable stories, and his passion for food, highlighted by his new Instagram project, Eat Like Gold.

Key Highlights:

• 🍽️ Food Adventures: The seeds for this episode took place between rounds of the European championships. David had just launched his Instagram account, sharing behind-the-scenes footage from kitchens and his unique experiences trying new cuisines while traveling for bridge tournaments.

• 🃏 Legendary Partnerships: Dive into David's experiences playing with bridge legends Zia Mahmood and Andrew Robson, including arguably one of the better bid hands of all-time, an unforgettable seven-diamond contract.

• 🏅 Bridge Career Reflections: David reflects on significant milestones, such as finishing second in the 2008 Olympiad, emphasizing how rare these opportunities can be.

• 👨‍👧‍👦 Family Life: David shares the joys and humor of parenting two young children and how family life balances with the competitive bridge scene.

• 🎬 Creating Content: Hear about David's journey into social media content creation, his philosophy of storytelling through food, and his inspirations, including the legendary Anthony Bourdain.

Resources & Next Steps:

• Stay tuned for his upcoming bridge competitions, including the Bermuda Bowl and North American Bridge Championships.

• Explore David's recommended eateries and hidden food gems around the globe.

• 🎧 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.

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 control rooms, and discusses how these high-stakes roles shaped his bridge-playing strategies. Tune in to explore Tracy's journey—from his introduction to bridge in college, navigating intense military deployments, to competing in national bridge tournaments alongside his wife.

Key Highlights:

• ⚓ From Navy to Nuclear: Tracy explains how rigorous Navy training prepared him for high-pressure roles in nuclear plant operations, where critical thinking and error prevention are paramount.

• 🔥 Critical Moments: Discover Tracy's most intense experiences in nuclear operations, including emergency reactor shutdowns and managing complex safety protocols.

• 🃏 Bridge & Life Lessons: Tracy draws insightful parallels between nuclear safety protocols and bridge strategies, highlighting error prevention, risk assessment, and maintaining composure.

• 🏆 Competitive Drive: Listen to Tracy's experiences at national bridge events, including memorable matches against elite players, and his continuous pursuit of improvement.

• ❤️ Family and Bridge: Tracy shares humorous anecdotes about teaching bridge to his wife Maureen, their competitive dynamics, and their successes at tournaments.

Resources & Next Steps:

• Follow Tracy's bridge journey at upcoming national events, including the prestigious Spingold.

• Explore Tracy's recommended readings, such as Mike Lawrence's bridge strategy books.

• 🎧 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.

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 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 Chouky 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 Swiss, and the WBT Reykjavik Masters.

• 🃏 Friendship and Growth: Learn how playing with friends like Lilly 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.

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 claim the prestigious USA-1 spot in the Bermuda Bowl. Dive into behind-the-scenes insights on the team dynamics, preparation tactics, and pivotal hands that shaped their incredible run.

• 🎯 Strategic Team Building: Adam reveals why pairing with veteran Eddie Wold and allowing younger teammates Adam Kaplan and Finn to sort out their partnership proved crucial.

• 🔥 Tension and Triumph: Relive intense matches against top teams like Nickel and Wolfson, and discover how Adam and his teammates maintained focus even during massive leads.

• 👏 Celebrating Comebacks: Learn how Adam Kaplan's return to competitive bridge after a five-year hiatus helped propel the team to victory.

• 😂 Behind the Scenes Humor: Adam shares hilarious anecdotes involving bridge legends, including humorous interactions with Jeff Meckstroth and Zia Mahmood.

• 💍 Personal Milestones: Beyond bridge, Adam discusses wedding preparations, playing bridge with his fiancée, and the balancing act between professional and personal life.

• Follow the team's journey at the upcoming Bermuda Bowl in Denmark.

• USBF Credentials Committee 

• 🎧 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.

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 detection, ethical prosecution, and the human stories behind bridge's biggest integrity challenges. From Edgar, the cutting-edge cheating detection software, to personal anecdotes and behind-the-scenes insights, this episode unpacks the complexities of keeping bridge fair, and human.

• 🎖️ Grand Life Master: Jeff Edelstein shares his journey, including winning the North American Pairs with Matthew Weingarten.

• 🧑‍⚖️ What Does a Recorder Do? – Edelstein explains his role in investigating player memos, and what happens once a complaint is filed.

• 📊 Edgar's Precision – Learn about Edgar, a powerful detection software designed by Franco Baseggio and Brian Platnick, which analyzes bridge hands for cheating patterns.

• 🕵️ Manual Investigation vs. Edgar – Edelstein describes the painstaking manual review process compared to Edgar's lightning-fast analysis.

• ⚠️ Real-life Consequences – Jeff shares the story of John's misconduct, highlighting how disciplinary processes affect players.

• ❤️ Compassion in Discipline – Edelstein discusses shifting from a strict disciplinary perspective to embracing compassion and rehabilitation.

• 🗣️ Proper Conduct – What constitutes ethical breaches and how to appropriately address suspected cheating or misconduct at the table.

• 🚨 Changes in ACBL Discipline – How Edgar has transformed disciplinary processes from handling a few cases monthly to managing hundreds.

• 🎧 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.