It's all in the cards for Jim Rubenstein, the Southwestfreelance correspondent for Credit Union Times. Reubenstein, ofScottsdale, Ariz. and who has been writing for Credit Union Timessince 1992, is an avid duplicate bridge player. “Playing cards andcard games runs in the family since my grandfather used to play ginrummy and pinochle with me as a kid on a Saturday night while myparents were out playing bridge,” says Rubenstein, who is now aSilver Life Master in bridge. The Silver Life ranking, accorded bythe American Contract Bridge League in Memphis, indicates he hasaccumulated more than 1,000 masterpoints (he actually has 1,250)and plays four or five times a week (when he isn't on a writingassignment.) “Sometimes I can play hooky to sneak off and play at alocal Scottsdale bridge club,” says Jim. Duplicate bridge, in whicheach playing hands are contained in metal boards and are moved fromtable to table, is a lot more competitive than regular “party” orsocial bridge, he says. “There are lots of special rules to live byand you have to push for the ultimate contact to score high. I havea long way to go to understand this game but it can be absorbingand very relaxing.” He started playing serious duplicate about 15years ago during off time when he moved to Scottsdale to take careof his parents. Rubenstein, a Chicago native, is the former ChicagoBureau Chief for the American Banker newspaper and later was amagazine editor at the old Bank Marketing Association, which mergedinto the American Bankers Association. “It's a lot more funcovering credit union executives who certainly don't get paid theway bankers do or have the power in local communities, but they arecertainly a lot more down to earth and share their stories.” –[email protected]