July 2008 - 19

oegel is
ing
L.A. youth is 2008 King of Bridge.

S

eventeen-year-old Jeremy
Koegel is a huge fan of bridge.
The Los Angeles youth not
only enjoys playing at clubs and
tournaments, but he also teaches the
game to students who are many years
older than he. For his enthusiasm,
the ACBL Educational Foundation
has named Koegel the 2008 King of
Bridge, an award given annually to a
graduating high school senior with an

outstanding tournament record and/
or commitment to the game. Koegel,
who will celebrate his 18th birthday
in early July, will receive a $1000
scholarship.
Koegel's uncle, Robert Bell of
Washington DC, taught his nephew
how to play bridge at age 6. Koegel
won his first masterpoints when he
was 9, and began a small club at his
school shortly thereafter.

Like father, like son
This deal, from the 1979 Fall
NABC in Cincinnati, might also
be titled "All in the family." It took
place during a Swiss teams match.
Declarer at one table was the great
Oswald Jacoby; at the other his
son, Jim. They matched each other
card for card.
Dlr: East
Vul: Both

K2
A982
K863
965
 J 10 9 8 3
A76
N
Q764
W E  10 5
-
AJ9754
S
QJ32
87
Q54
KJ3
 Q 10 2
 A K 10 4
West

North

Pass
Pass

2
3NT

July 2008

East
South
Pass
1NT
2
Pass
All Pass

West led the J, and the Jacobys
were at the first hurdle, which they
cleared by ducking in both hands. A
second spade went to the ace, and
East cleared the suit. Both declarers led a diamond from hand, going
up with dummy's king when West
showed out. East won and shifted
to a club, won by declarer with the
ace.
Declarer now needed four heart
tricks, but playing to dummy and
finessing the jack wouldn't work
because the long heart in dummy
would be inaccessible. Both declarers worked out the best solution,
playing the J from hand. West did
not cover, and when the jack held,
the K was next, dropping the 10
and allowing declarer to finesse the
9 for his ninth trick. It was a wellearned push for father and son.

With one of his classmates as a
partner, Koegel played in several
IN events at the Anaheim NABC
in 2000. Since that time, Koegel
has represented District 23 in the
North American Pairs and the Grand
National Teams. He became a Life
Master at age 15.
Why is Koegel attracted to bridge?
"I became fascinated by bridge
because I am a rational, analytical
person who welcomes strategic challenges and complex decisions that
have to be made quickly. In bridge,
every hand is different and there are
many possible solutions, but one has
to find the solution that has the highest probability of working - often
under pressure."
His love of the game extends to
teaching, as well.
"I have taught two bridge classes.
One was for a group of senior
citizens at a progressive Jewish organization called the Workmen's Circle,
which I taught for three years. The
other was for my mother and two of
her friends, which I have been teaching for the past four years."
Koegel explains why he loves
teaching.
"I'm proud of the fact that I have
earned the respect of the senior
citizens who attend the weekly bridge
class that I have taught since ninth
grade. Teaching has given me an
incredible perspective on my own
teachers (in school). Never before
had I realized how exciting it feels
when a struggling student finally gets
it. When I dance around the room
in my upbeat manner, high-five my
75-year-old students to celebrate their
accomplishments and make them
laugh, I appreciate how enthusiasm
and energy can affect the learning
experience."
Koegel, who graduated from
Alexander Hamilton High School in
Los Angeles, will attend Wesleyan
University in Connecticut this fall. r
19
Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of July 2008
