Newsletter - 31 July 2020

In this week’s newsletter...

  • Exit COVID - Stage Left
  • Next week at the Clubrooms
  • Next week on BBO
  • ABF Sunday Events
  • Lighter moments (jokes)
  • July Eclectics

From the President:

I am always in awe of the job all our directors do. In the last week there have been two major technological problems, one in the club and one on BBO. I am sure all the players in those two sessions were very grateful to Bruce and Jodi for their ability to solve the issues, keep smiling and carry on.

Best wishes,

Pam

Exit Covid – Stage Left

The month of July has seen the restart of face to face bridge at the clubrooms. We presently have three daytime sessions running with about 30 Tables attending each week. We also have six BBO tournaments with about 50 tables each week, a weekly total of 80 tables compared to the 150 tables a week before the “troubles” began.

Under the circumstances, the financial position of the club is reasonable (mainly because the club’s finances have been very well managed over the last 5 years - with significant surpluses), but we now need to focus on preparing for the long road to recovery over the next two or three years.

We need to determine the next step.

So far we do not have any face to face evening sessions at the club. Winter and our ageing demographic had already resulted in a slow demise of the evening sessions. In this Covid environment, some of us (but not everyone) have been content to switch to BBO.

However, Spring is coming and there is a suggestion that we should recommence the Monday evening session in the next month or so (assuming Covid does not raise its ugly head). That session would be multipurpose, including;

  • A walk-in session for normal duplicate players (as prior to Covid).
  • A three-month period of competitive bridge with major events requiring pre-entry (as per the pre-Covid Tuesday night)
  • A novice and beginners group to coincide with the beginners classes which end in mid-September.

Combining these three will maximize the club’s income and minimise the expenses.

We cannot guarantee that this initiative will work. We would love your feedback on the proposal, so please contact the club by email (This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.) to express an opinion or a suggestion.

Next week at the Clubrooms

For the week commencing Monday 3 August we have three sessions scheduled at the clubrooms

  • Tuesday afternoon 1:15pm                                           Sally Barber
  • Wednesday morning 10.00am                                      John Donovan
  • Friday afternoon 1.15pm                                               Bruce Crossman

Occasional notes

We have not yet achieved military precision in the process of entering the clubrooms. Please make sure your voucher is at the ready after completing the temperature check. If you need to buy vouchers, we much prefer that they be paid for by direct debit and picked up when you come to the club. If on the other hand, you purchase them at the club, please have the correct change at the ready.

Vouchers: Must be purchased five vouchers at a time, preferably by direct deposit into CBC bank account BSB 032 730 Account no. 355176, in advance. Then remember to deposit one voucher in the container in the foyer each time that you play.

We are very grateful that all members are enthusiastically embracing the cleaning up procedure at the end of play and quite a few members have observed that the clubroom sessions have a relaxed and friendly feel despite (or maybe because of) our Covid challenges.

Next week on BBO

For the week commencing Monday 3 August, we have scheduled 6 tourneys on BBO.

Tournament Session Director
Monday morning 10:00am  Bruce Crossman
Tuesday evening 7:15pm (imps)  Stephen Fisher
Wednesday morning Novice 10:15am  Barb Toohey
Wednesday evening 7:15pm  Christy Geromboux
Thursday morning 9:55am (imps)  Jodi Tutty
Thursday morning 10:00am (matchpoint)  Jodi Tutty 
   

Occasional notes

Members can register on the partnership desk if they want an occasional game with another member. If there is a half table at the start of play, an unmatched member can play with a robot if they wish. The club also uses a pair of robots to avoid sit-outs.

If there is a problem at the virtual table, simply call the director and explain the situation. Access to the director is via the "Hamburger” top left of the BBO screen.

More information is available on our BBO pages:

ABF Sunday Events 2:30pm AEST

Open, Restricted and Novice sections.

Further details can be found on the ABF's Nationwide Online Pairs webpage: https://www.abf.com.au/abf-nationwide-online-pairs/

If you have not played before in an online ABF event, please follow all the instructions on this page well in advance of the session.

Lighter Moments

TEACHER: George Washington not only chopped down his father’s cherry tree, but also admitted it. Louis, do you know why his father didn’t punish him?
LOUIS: Because George still had the axe in his hand.

WEDDING DRESS For Sale
Worn once by mistake
Call Stephanie

Due to current economic conditions, the light at the end of the tunnel has been turned off.

July Eclectics (in-club only)

Session Winners
Tuesday Afternooon Margaret Kyburz & Dorothy Jesner
Wednesday Morning John Donovan & Sue Doyle
Friday Afternoon Elspeth Saxby & Brian Thorp