Richard Meffley began playing bridge when he was a student at Bullard High School. Nearly 40 years later, he has achieved one of the game's highest milestones -- grand life master.
The requirements to reach that status are pretty stiff. A bridge player must earn 10,000 master points in competitions and win a national tournament. Fewer than 1% of players in the American Contract Bridge League, the game's governing body, reach grand life master.
The Fresno Bridge Club will honor Meffley at a special lunch at noon Saturday. The lunch coincides with the club's fall tournament, where several hundred players will compete today and through Sunday at the group's clubhouse, 1320 E. Shaw Ave., Suite 100.
Bridge is a skilled card game for groups of four people who play in pairs.
"For us to have one of these grand life masters in Fresno is pretty spectacular," says a club member, Gwen Davey.
Fresno Bridge Club member Richard Meffley, who recently reached the milestone of grand life master in the game, shares a light moment with club members including Kitty Burden, left, during a round of cards.
Spectacular also for the American Contract Bridge League's District 21, based in San Francisco. The Fresno Bridge Club is affiliated with the district.
"Richard is a very fine player, one of the few grand life masters in our district," says the district's director, Bruce Blakely.
Meffley, 59, an IRS tax analyst, also becomes the first player to earn grand life master as a Fresno Bridge Club member. Fred Hamilton earned the rank of grand life master before he joined the Fresno Bridge Club about 10 years ago. He now lives in Las Vegas.
Meffley won the North American Championships for open pairs in Kansas City, Mo., in March 2001, playing with fellow Fresno Bridge Club member James Tritt. Meffley says Tritt is also capable of reaching the milestone except he doesn't play in as many tournaments.
"The club is excited we have a grand life master, but we have other players good enough to reach it," says Meffley, who racked up 130 points for his national tournament win -- and dozens more by placing in tournaments.
John Schnell, who coordinated a recent Fresno Bridge Club game, says many bridge players set a goal to earn 300 points, the requirement to earn the rank of life master.
"Richard has met that requirement -- and 35 times," Schnell says.
Meffley admits he is consumed by the game.
He organizes games held in Madera on Wednesday nights and at the Fresno Bridge Club on Friday nights. He also teaches classes at the Fresno Bridge Club and at Clovis Adult School.
"I'll spend more time with bridge than anything else," he says.
Mike Molinari, who is in charge of Fresno Bridge Club classes, says Meffley is an elite player for reasons other than just the time he puts into the game.
He says Meffley knows all the game's many conventions -- the words spoken between partners to communicate bidding strategies -- but usually plays only a few.
"If you have any question about bridge, he has the answer -- guaranteed," Molinari says. "Yet he keeps it simple. He wants to play with everyone."
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