Recollections from Sarah Sentman
Easy Aces started, I believe, in the 1950’s maybe even in the 40’s as a genteel bridge club exclusively for ladies. (I would say gloves and hat wearing ladies.). Eventually the dire need for a fourth (artistic license here) or possibly because bridge playing husbands were retiring, the club opened up to men. For a long-time playing bridge was a formal affair – men in suits and hats, women in their Sunday best.
Easy Aces met most Wednesdays to play bridge and have lunch. At some point Easy Aces decided to join ACBL and become a sanctioned duplicate club awarding masterpoints. Easy Aces continued to break for lunch and get to know their fellow enthusiasts.
As time passed, there were at least two daytime duplicate clubs in Charleston. Easy Aces met on Wednesdays and the other privately owned club met on Mondays. The Monday club routinely had 18 – 20 tables (72 or 80 people) and Easy Aces had 15 tables meet every week to play bridge. Sadly, Rita the owner of the Monday club died late 1990’s at which point Easy Aces added the Monday club to their sanction. Today, the Club has only a Monday game.
If anyone else has fond memories or recollections of our Club, please reach out to us at wveasyaces@gmail.com.
