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The Setting Trick: Conversations with World Class Bridge PlayersAuthor: John McAllister
The Setting Trick features conversations with world class bridge players, and lovers of the card game bridge from all over the world. Language: en Genres: Games, Hobbies, Leisure Contact email: Get it Feed URL: Get it iTunes ID: Get it |
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Ep. 106: Avery Silverstein on Junior World Championships, Family Bridge Mentorship, and Chasing Gold
Episode 106
Friday, 13 February, 2026
In this episode, I sit down with Avery Silverstein, a 17-year-old bridge prodigy who has fallen hard for the game. Despite her young age, Avery has already earned two medals at the Junior World Championships and reached the round of 16 in the Vanderbilt as my partner. We discuss her journey from family bridge club kid to international competitor, including having her father, professional player Aaron Silverstein, as her primary mentor. Avery talks candidly about balancing her senior year of high school with competitive bridge, her training regimen, and how she manages the pressure of representing her country on the world stage. From our dramatic 62-IMP comeback victory against the seventh seed to her heartbreaking silver medal finish at the U16 World Championships, Avery shares the emotional highs and lows of being deeply invested in the game. We explore her multifaceted life, which includes being close to a black belt in mixed martial arts and playing on her school's rugby team. Avery also discusses the college admissions process, her 26 college applications, and the possibility of taking a gap year to focus on professional bridge. With warmth and maturity beyond her years, she reflects on mentorship, the importance of being a great teammate, and her mission to help grow the next generation of junior players. Key Highlights: 🏆 Silver Medal Journey: Avery recounts her team's incredible comeback from being the bottom three or four teams after two days to reaching the final and earning silver at the U16 World Championships. 🎯 Epic Vanderbilt Comeback: The story of our partnership defeating the seventh seed in the Vanderbilt after being down 62 IMPs at halftime, including the dramatic final quarter where our opponents took a 10-minute break and we closed with three consecutive double-digit wins. 👨👧 Father-Daughter Mentorship: Avery discusses the unique dynamics of having Aaron Silverstein as both her dad and primary bridge mentor, including managing nepotism concerns, disagreeing with his advice 15-20% of the time, and how their system evolves differently from his professional partnerships. 📚 System Evolution: How Avery and her partner Jack Boge have built an 80-90 page system document by borrowing from top professionals, playing transfer club, constructive two-bids, and constantly refining their approach through weekly practice sessions. 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 for episode drops, tournament pics, and more. Chapter Timestamps: 0:00 Start 0:00 Introduction to Avery Silverstein 1:30 Growing up with professional bridge player parents 2:10 Becoming better than mom at bridge 3:10 Life at the family bridge club 4:20 What friends think about bridge 6:30 Previous podcast appearances and media coverage 7:20 Managing school absences for tournaments 8:10 The beautiful Madeira tournament experience 15:00 Partnership dynamics and playing with different people 24:00 Competing at World Junior Championships 35:00 The intense preparation and practice routine 45:00 Memorable hands and tournament moments 55:00 International bridge community and friendships 1:03:00 Norwegian competitor Nikolai Berg Evans 1:05:00 The pressure of must-win matches 1:06:00 Silver medal heartbreak and "chasing gold" 1:07:30 Weekend plans and upcoming tournaments 1:08:10 MMA training and competition record 1:09:00 Four gold medals and three silver medals in MMA 1:10:00 Looking ahead to St. Louis and future competitions
