About the club
Welcome to Quicktricks Bridge Club
Quicktricks Bridge Club is affiliated with the American Contract Bridge League and offers games and classes open to all. The club meets in Ellard Hall, entered through the gate alongside Most Holy Redeemer Roman Catholic Church at Diamond and 18th Streets in San Francisco.
Monday evenings at 6:45 p.m., with separate Open, 0-499, and 0-20 games. The 0-20 game is held on first and third Mondays when attendance permits.
Quicktricks offers duplicate bridge games and lessons to the general public and is associated with the American Contract Bridge League as ACBL Club No. 235408. The member-owned and operated club was founded in 1978 and has been operating for more than 45 years.
Game details and club policies
All games are Mondays at 6:45 p.m. Open and stratified 499er games run as separate sections. A separate 0-20 section is offered on first and third Mondays when attendance permits.
- Table fees
- Table fees are $10 per player, with an additional charge for some special events.
- Students
- Elementary school, high school, and full-time undergraduate college students play free.
Live cell phones are not allowed during games. If a cell phone rings, the player is penalized one-quarter board without warning.
The club observes the ACBL Zero Tolerance Policy.
History and governance
The three-member Board of Directors is elected to a two-year term ending in September of even years. The current Board is Diane Hidy, Cindy Icke, and Fred Chasalow, with terms ending September 2026. The Board appoints the Club Manager; Kim Fanady has served in that role since 2002. The club supplies an ACBL-certified director for every game, and members volunteer throughout club operations.
The regular schedule includes Open pairs, intermediate/novice 499er pairs, and a beginner 0-20 game. The club participates in ACBL special events and usually holds a team event in the Open game on the last Monday of the month.
Tadd Waggoner founded Quicktricks in 1978 to provide games primarily for San Francisco’s gay community. The first location was the Gay Pride Center at 330 Grove Street. The growing duplicate group became an ACBL-affiliated club and moved to the Castro. In the 1980s the club offered community and mental stimulation to people with AIDS and lost many members, including Waggoner in 1993. The club honors him with the annual Tadd Waggoner Memorial dinner and game and a memorial brick in the Yellow Brick Road of LGBT history at its former Metropolitan Community Church location. Quicktricks adopted its current bylaws and form in October 1994. Richard Bellerose, David Budd, and Eric Groves served on the first Board; Budd was the first Club Manager, and Dianne Barton-Paine became lead game director. The club has offered beginner lessons since 2004 and welcomes everyone with an interest in bridge and a friendly, cordial attitude.