The Setting Trick: Conversations with World Class Bridge Players

Latest Episodes:

Ep. 92: Lynn Castoldi – Winning with Joy, Scarves & Spades May 01, 2025

Show notes

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 Karin Fuglestad, and how she went from getting kicked out of bridge lessons at a senior center to becoming a national champion. Along the way, we hear about bridge cruises, recruiting Egyptian pros on BBO, and the stylish team scarves that helped tie it all together.

Whether she's playing with a world-class junior or her long-time partner the "Minister of Defense," Lynn brings enthusiasm, optimism, and a love of the game that's totally contagious.

Key Takeaways from This Episode:

🥇 Lynn won two events at the Spring NABC — including her first 10K title after finishing second the year before
🧣 Her Women's Swiss team wore matching scarves — her signature touch as team captain
🎲 She met her mixed partner Aly by chance on Bridge Base during COVID
💥 One highlight of the Women's Swiss: a gutsy 4♠ bid leading to a +1100 against a pro
🌎 Lynn played international events like Four Jacks in Dubai, repping the US
🧠 She's constantly learning — like practicing hand patterns and soaking up insights from partners like Greg Hinze and Christian Lahrmann
😂 Her signature laugh is well-known, and she isn't afraid to bring humor and lightness to even the most competitive tables

Resources & Next Steps:

🎧 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.

Ep. 91: Dennis Bilde – The Danish Ace Apr 24, 2025

Show notes

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 discovering bridge. The conversation dives into partnership dynamics, life with two young kids, and how Danish coffee might be the bridge world's best-kept secret. From his time on the Lavazza team to his upcoming appearance at the Bermuda Bowl on home soil, Dennis reflects on what it means to grow, both as a player and a person.

Key Takeaways from This Episode:

🏆 Dennis won the 2008 Junior World Championship—after failing to qualify for the under-21 trials

🍷 Known for being a slow drinker, he's still a favorite drinking buddy of Zia's

🎲 He and Zia played 5NT in each of their first two tournaments together

🇩🇰 He'll represent Denmark at the 2025 Bermuda Bowl, alongside his longtime partner Martin Schaltz

🧸 Father of two, Dennis talks candidly about balancing bridge with family life

🧠 On his first try at Rubber Bridge in New York, he walked away with $3,500 after reluctantly agreeing to play $1 per point

☕️ What's a Danish coffee? Let's just say you might need a solo cup…

🎄 His time with the Lavazza team included Christmas dinners at Maria Teresa Lavazza's home

Resources & Next Steps:

🎧 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.

Andrew Robson describes Dennis as the best player in Denmark

Ep. 90: Adrienne Carter: Shifting Your Mindset Apr 21, 2025

Show notes

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 following her appearance on the Chasing Scratch podcast.

I reached out to Adrienne's company, Primed Mind, in September of 2022 at the recommendation of my friend and former Setting Trick guest Nabil Edgtton, who used Primed Mind's hypnosis services to improve his performance. You can listen to my conversation with Nabil here: https://www.thesettingtrick.com/episode-26-nabil-edgtton

You can learn more about Adrienne's work here: https://primedmind.com/adriennecarter/

Here's an affiliate link to Primed Mind for Setting Trick listeners: https://primedmind.com/thesettingtrick/

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Episode Highlights:

4:44 – Adrienne likes working with professionals across industries and getting a taste of her clients' work.

7:47 – "The methodology matters, but less than you think."

14:21 – Adrienne says that every board should be treated as practice for the next one, and to avoid ruminating on mistakes.

20:16 – Evolving alongside the game

21:09 – The path to the Bermuda Bowl

30:31 – How hypnosis helps you tune into the reactions in your body

36:23 – Setting your expectations and process

44:30 – Adrienne started her career as an occupational therapist, but fell in love with poker.

53:33 – Hypnosis deals with the part of your brain that processes feelings before you consciously notice them, making hypnosis a deeply emotional process.

57:04 – The difference between occupational therapy and hypnosis

1:05:59 – Adrienne's mother is a bridge player.

1:10:21 – "I'm so grateful to have found poker when I did."

1:13:29 – Adrienne says that regret happens when you make a decision out of obligation, and that decisiveness helps to prevent regret.

1:20:53 – The bar for success moves throughout a tournament as you advance and increase your expectations.

1:28:31 – Adrienne's kids are also learning through sports and games. She sees both as an opportunity to teach them about decision making.

Ep. 89 Stefan Scorchev: Getting IntoBridge Apr 21, 2025

Show notes

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 playing bridge online encouraged him compete at in-person tournaments.

Stefan is the first Bulgarian guest I've had on the show, and I fist met him in 2012 when he played on the Bulgarian team in the Junior Nationals. We talk about in-person and virtual bridge, the unique features of IntoBridge that borrow from modern gaming, and what it's like to run a bridge startup.

You can learn more about IntoBridge on its website: https://intobridge.com/

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Episode Highlights:

4:58 – Stefan played bridge online constantly in his childhood, and moved into in-person tournaments at seventeen. He says he played bridge as much as fifteen hours a day.

12:05 – Stefan says he is the strangest looking person at tournaments because he always wears his IntoBridge merchandise.

16:05 – "We focused on inventing something that has the potential that you close it immediately and continue whenever you can."

17:35 0:54 – Ranked matchups on IntoBridge

24:17 – The Daily exists to give people a reason to return to IntoBridge every day.

28:47 – Stefan has a lot of ideas for new bridge formats unique to IntoBridge

32:45 – Some unfortunate mis-clicks

40:12 – Bridge marketing is difficult, so word of mouth has been the best marketing channel for IntoBridge

48:22 – Running a startup is difficult as investors and employees rely on the performance of the business

56:46 – Having access to a free bridge platform as a kid was game-changing for Stefan.

57:59 – One great aspect of online bridge is that it naturally leads people into in-person bridge, encouraging them to meet more people.

1:02:41 – Stefan's Fiance, Desi, is coming to the US Nationals for the first time.

Ep 88: Ami Zamir – From Fishbein Glory to Fatherhood Apr 20, 2025

Show notes

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 hustle of life as a rising star in the world of competitive bridge.

Ami opens up about his journey from high school sweethearts to fatherhood, his chess obsession, and what it's like to chase glory across Europe and the U.S. with partner Oren Telodano. The two discuss how talking through hands (even off the clock) sharpens their game, the emotional rollercoaster of playing for national teams, and how coffee routines and NBA fandoms keep life on the road a little saner.

Plus, you'll hear what it was like to almost win ACBL Player of the Year—and why Ami is still laughing about it.

Key Takeaways from This Episode:

👶 Bridge Meets Baby – Ami skipped the Reisinger finals when his daughter was born early. The team understood, proving real partnership goes beyond the table.

🏆 From Platinum Pairs to the Fishbein Trophy – Ami and Oren's standout 2023 included back-to-back top finishes and winning the most masterpoints at the Summer NABC.

🔥 Fights Happen, Wins Follow – After their biggest argument as partners, a long dinner conversation led to a tournament victory. Communication is key.

🎯 Pressure Is a Privilege – Whether tied in a Bermuda Bowl quarter final or in contention for Player of the Year, Ami thrives under pressure—and prefers it that way.

🧠 Daily Debriefs - Practice – Ami and Oren's bridge "training" often centers around conversations—not drills. Talking through scenarios helps them stay aligned.

👟 Hoops, Habits, and Vegan Hacks – Ami shares his basketball battles with Adi, his vegan-at-home/freestyle-abroad food rule, and his partnership's coffee ritual.

Resources & Next Steps:

📅 Follow the European Open in Poznań – Ami and Oren will be competing with an English team in this major event.

🎧 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.

Ep. 87 Tuva Nilsmark: BridgeQueen Mar 06, 2025

Show notes

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 tutorials and weekly Funbridge Friday videos, hoping to inspire new players to hone their skills.

Bridge isn't just community for Tuva – it's a part of her family. Tuva's boyfriend is Simon Ekenberg, whom she met through bridge. She also picked up bridge as a teenager to play with her grandparents, whom she promptly abandoned for stronger players.

Boye Brogeland suggested I interview Tuva for this episode. You can listen to my conversation with Boye here: https://www.thesettingtrick.com/https/thesettingtricklibsyncom/ep-84-boye-brogeland-bridge-at-the-edge-and-in-person

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You can follow Tuva on Instagram here: https://www.instagram.com/bridge.queen/?hl=en

Tuva's YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/@bridgequeen

Episode Highlights:

2:00 – Tuva is in a fantasy football league with her boyfriend Simon Ekenberg other bridge players: "Really good bridge players; they suck at fantasy football though."

4:58 –Tuva started her YouTube channel recently, to a largely positive reception. You can watch her videos here: https://www.youtube.com/@bridgequeen

8:14 – How Tuva got started in bridge

11:19 – Tuva's father is the captain of the Swedish Open

12:48 – The first time Tuva saw Simon

15:14 – As if her bridge-playing family wasn't enough, you might also know of Tuva's mother, Catrin Nilsmark, who is a golfer and two-time captain of the European Solheim Cup Team.

22:15 – With her Funbridge Fridays series, Tuva hopes to show a different side of bridge. She wants to counter the overly serious image that bridge can have.

29:17 – Tuva and Simon played a bridge and golf event and beat Ola Rimstedt.

36:30 – Tuva's first partner was her father

42:32 – The BridgeQueen YouTube channel has a video called "Learn Bridge in only Three Minutes:" https://youtu.be/MxWO8EFujbw?feature=shared

49:01 – The most pressure Tuva has felt playing bridge so far

55:04 – Tuva's ultimate goal is to win the Venice cup

58:55 – Another long term goal of Tuva's is beating Simon

Ep. 86 Drew Cavalier: From Nervous to National Bridge Champ Feb 28, 2025

Show notes

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, and some of Drew's most memorable hands.

Drew played in an online speedball with Owen Lien, another podcast guest, and had an extremely impressive score. You can listen to that episode here: https://www.thesettingtrick.com/https/thesettingtricklibsyncom/episode-81-owen-lien-does-it-all-in-bridge

Subscribers to The Setting Trick email list check your email or to subscribe click here: https://www.thesettingtrick.com/

Episode Highlights:

4:00 – How Drew ended up playing with Disa Eythorsdottir at sectionals

9:09 – Drew has been lucky with mentors

19:02 – Drew's disaster Imp Pairs hand. Learn more about the Imp Pairs format: https://www.bridgewebs.com/wncunit171/ImpPairs.pdf

23:10 – "This is the most important moment of my bridge career."

30:10 – Dan Lev and Drew Cavalier played in Vegas recently. They led on Blue Ribbons on their first day, but they did not make it to day three. Drew speaks highly of Dan as a partner.

36:32 – Drew's long term goal is winning a long-form knockout.

38:40 – The first time Drew and Christian Jolly played together, and "the only thing" Drew ever taught Jolly.

42:33 – One of Drew's favorite bridge hands

45:44 – "When we won the Wernher, we discussed the system for fifteen minutes beforehand."

46:55 – Drew's experience at The Gold Coast Congress, and why he loves Australia.

50:55 – Bridge overseas and language barriers

56:49 – Why it's important to have a growth mindset in bridge

Ep. 85 Jason Hackett AKA Prime Mutton Feb 14, 2025

Show notes

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 out on YouTube and Instagram, and his favorite bridge formats.

Jason's mother Olivia introduced him and his twin brother to bridge at eleven years old. Though Jason does not discuss bridge much on his social media channels, he is a formidable opponent. He beat Boye Brogeland and Geir Helgemo in the Euro Juniors in 1994 and has represented England in the European Championships many times. Of bridge, he said "I just enjoy playing, it does not matter with whom." You can read more about Jason in his recent Esquire feature.

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Episode Highlights:

4:59 – Eating brains, grasshoppers, and more

6:25 – Jason's travel stats, and the types of places he likes to visit

8:51 – Where did the name come from? You can read more about the origins of Prime Mutton in this article

9:50 – Is Guinness better if it's flowing more?

12:10 – Hackett's longest tenured partnerships in bridge even though they support opposite Manchester football clubs

16:41 – You need to watch some of Jason's cameos. The products on his website are also fantastic, especially this pillow on his website - "you never get wet in the pub!"

21:15 – Jason explains how his YouTube channel took off

30:30 – Why Jason's preferred bridge format is pairs

40:46 – The types of places where Prime Mutton gets recognized

48:41 – How Jason edits his videos

55:27 – Jason's love for bridge started in his teens

57:40 – Rubber bridge

1:03:30 – You can keep up with Prime Mutton on his website

1:06:22 – How Jason learned to tell a good pint from a bad one

Ep. 84 Boye Brogeland: Bridge at the Edge and In Person Feb 06, 2025

Show notes

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 that his opponents were taking risks that would not make sense unless they knew the cards his team held. We discuss how he got into bridge, some of his most memorable competitions, and his role in the scandal.

In preparation for this conversation, Boye asked me to get on the World Bridge Tour App. I was reluctant at first, but when you get to interview someone like Boye, you follow orders. I played a couple virtual tournaments on the app before the events started in Iceland, and I highly recommend it. You get to play against Simon Holt, Sartaj Hans, and many more players, and compare your results. Check out the app here: https://www.wbtbridge.com/

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Episode Highlights:

2:12 – Boye's first event on the Open team

8:46 – Boye's grandparents taught him bridge

11:04 – Writing bridge books, which Boye says is the most work he's ever done for the least pay

12:07 – The most memorable hand of Boye's career

17:54 – The unique method that Boye used to memorize the best plays

21:32 – How Boye won Vanderbilt in 2022

32:55 – Boye doesn't like the sheriff label he was given during the Fisher and Schwartz cheating scandal; he thinks of himself as more of a concerned citizen. You can read more about the scandal here: https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2021/may/05/lotan-fisher-bridge-cheating-scandal-2015-documentary

42:53 – The backlash Boye faced during the scandal, and how he got away from it

46:15 – "They stole our name!"

Ep. 83 Brian Reynolds - Fancies himself as a Bridge Outlier Jan 27, 2025

Show notes

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 Table." That initial meeting dramatically altered the film's storyline. One player quit on the spot!

As a bridge pro, Brian is refreshingly candid about his bridge ability. This conversation covers a broad range of topics.