Newsletter 19 August 2022

 In this week’s newsletter...

  • Welcome to all our Beginners 
  • Competitive Bidding and Play training kicks off soon
  • Results GNOT winners
  • Upcoming Events 
  • Canberra in Bloom
  • Member Spotlight: Dorothy Jesner
  • Bidding with Joan Butt
  • Ian Morison strutting his stuff
  • Lighter Moments

From the President

As members would appreciate, the bridge club relies on our directors to offer both face-to-face and RealBridge sessions each week.  We are very happy with the contribution of our directors, and are especially grateful for their willingness to cover each other’s absences.  A few more would greatly help.

Have you considered becoming a director?  Directors are responsible for managing a bridge session so that players have a pleasant experience.  New directors initially work as an understudy with one of our experienced directors, generally starting with RealBridge and then face-to-face.   New directors undertake a one-day new directors course to learn about the bridge laws when it’s run.  Directors are also trained to use the software which supports each session.

If you would like to find out more about becoming a director, or have been a director in the past and are interested in returning to directing, please contact Bruce Crossman at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or 0431 828 020 to discuss.

I would also like to remind members of the AGM which is to be held at the Club on Wednesday 5 October 2022 at 5.30pm.

Stay safe and enjoy your bridge.

Margaret

 

Beginner's Classes in play!

Our next beginner’s classes have started.  We have two sets of classes -  Wednesday – 7pm to 9pm (generally for people who can't commit during the day) and Friday 10am to 12 noon.  The classes run for 6 weeks. If you spot any beginners around the club, smile and encourage them! Soon they will graduate and be playing with us!

 

Competitive Bidding and Play

If you are new to duplicate bridge and find competitive bidding a challenge this 4 week course is a must.  Over 4 weeks we will cover doubles, overcalls, leads and signals.  These sessions start on Tuesday 30 August and finish on Tuesday September 20.   The classes run from 10am to 12 noon. We start with a lesson and then play practice hands.

This course will be run face-to-face in the club rooms.  Cost is $15 per lesson or $55 for all 4 paid in advance. EFT to BSB 032730  Acct 355176.  In the Reference field please put "Compbidplay" and ABF number please

Sessions in the Club and on RealBridge are outlined below

Upcoming Sessions

Our weekly sessions are the same as last week:

  • Monday morning 10.00am at the club
  • Monday 2.00 pm (24 boards) RealBridge
  • Monday 7.00 pm RealBridge
  • Tuesday afternoon 1.00pm at the club
  • Tuesday 7.15pm event RealBridge - Swiss Pairs - 3 week competition commencing 2 August
  • Wednesday morning 10.00am at the club
  • Wednesday morning 10.15am RealBridge
  • Wednesday evening supervised at the club 7pm (18 boards following lesson) 
  • Wednesday evening 7.15pm at the club including GNOT finals 
  • Thursday morning 10.00am at the club - Butler and walk in duplicate
  • Thursday afternoon 2.00pm (24 boards) RealBridge
  • Friday morning supervised 9.30am at the club (18 boards following lesson) 
  • Friday morning walk-in session 9.30am
  • Friday afternoon 1.00pm at the club
  • Friday afternoon 1.15pm RealBridge
  • Saturday afternoon 1.15pm RealBridge

Watch the newsletters and website for advice on face-to-face sessions at the club, and RealBridge sessions as these are fluid, depending on COVID developments and demand.  At this stage it is intended that the Monday and Thursday afternoon RealBridge sessions will continue indefinitely.  

Member table money will be deducted from players CBCPay accounts. Visitors' fees will be paid for by their member-partner, or via prior arrangement by emailing the office.

Cost: face-to-face $10 members/ $13 visitors, concession $9.  RealBridge $8 members and $7 concession (including event) $10 visitors

Links to sessions are on our RealBridge page.

CBC pay low balance reminders went out yesterday.  If you did not receive one you are still in the black.  

 

August Supervised Sessions happening Wednesday nights and Friday Mornings at the Club

We run supervised duplicates on Wednesday evenings starting at 7.00pm and Friday mornings starting at 9.30 am.  

Each duplicate is preceded by a short lesson. 

  • Declarer play:  Planning and play points:  24 Aug and 26 Aug
  • Declarer play – Entries and order of play: 31 Aug and 2 September

If you are interested, please come along.  You don’t need a partner.   There is no need to book.  If you would like a copy of the notes, please contact Morag Lokan.  Morag’s email address is This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

 

Master the Basics

 Master the Basics virtual lessons are on Thursdays at 9.00am.  The topic on 25 August is Defence - To Cover or Not to Cover!. Please email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. if you want to be added to the Zoom class. $6 for members and $8 for non-members. The lessons run for 30 minutes.  

.  

Results

 

The Grand National Open Teams Selection finished on 17 August with the Waters Team (comprising Bruce Crossman, Niek Van Vucht, Bernie Waters and Michael Cullen) narrowly defeating the Kozakos Team (George Kozakos, David Appleton, Stephen Fischer, Khokan Bagchi and David Lilley).  This enables participation in the Canberra 1 team at the GNOT finals in Brisbane in November.  

 Congratulations to all!  

 

Upcoming Events

  

Upcoming Tuesday Evening RealBridge Tournaments

There are a range of other RealBridge tournaments coming up in August, September and October:

Swiss Match Point Pairs on 23 and 30 August

Butler Pairs on 6,13 and 20 September

Teams on 27 September and 4 October and 

Butler Pairs on 10 and 17 October.  

  

 

 

Ballarat Annual Congress

 Ballarat Bridge Club has extended an invitation to us to play at their Annual Congress, Saturday 10th September and Sunday 11th September at the Ballarat Bridge Club 1001 Eyre Street, Ballarat Central .

The Congress Director is Martin Wilcox. Entries on Bridge Unlimited   www.bridgeunlimited.com .

Convenor Bruce Morley This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

$25.00 cash, per person per day, payable at Ballarat Bridge Club on the day.

BYO lunch, morning and afternoon tea will be provided. Drinks and nibbles at presentation at the end of each day.

Saturday Swiss Pairs (9.30 am registration) 10.00 am start - SWISS PAIRS

Sunday (9.30 am registration) 10.00 am start – TEAMS

 

Memorial for Sally Barber Bridge Day - Thursday 29 September 

This event to commemorate Sally Barber is being run by Jeanette Harper and the Commonwealth Club.  For details and bookings please contact Jeanette Harper This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or see the noticeboard in the foyer.  

 

Canberra in Bloom 30 September to 3 October

 BFACT is holding Canberra in Bloom from Friday 30 September to Monday 3 October inclusive at our club rooms.  The program:

10am Friday 30 September                                                                Royal Bluebell Open MP Swiss Pairs

                                                                                                           Spider Orchid Novice and Restricted MP Swiss Pairs 

10am Saturday 1st and Sunday 2nd October                                   Golden Wattle Open Teams 

                                                                                                          Val & John Brockwell Mixed Teams 

 2.30pm Sunday 2nd October and 10am Monday 3rd October.       Canberra Bells Swiss Pairs

                                                                                                          Federation Rose Novice and Restricted Swiss Pairs 

                                                                                                          Final Mixed Teams

All enquiries to Justine Beaumont This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Entry is $120 per pair on Friday, $360 per Team on Saturday and Sunday, $140 per pair on Sunday pm and Monday.  

Entries close Tuesday 27 September 2022.  Online entries via MyABF 

 

The Supervised session will run as per normal.  

 

Member Spotlight:  Dorothy Jesner

 Dorothy is a long time member and together with husband George who passed away in 2010 have long been part of the backbone of the club - both formally recognised as life members.  

How long have you been a player/member? 

  • I have been a member of Canberra Bridge Club since coming to Australia in August 1964. In those days, bridge sessions were held in the Burns Club under the very capable direction of Olive Lott. Our playing room is named in her honour. I had the pleasure of partnering Olive on many occasions and learned a great deal about bridge under her tutorage. In those days we were lucky to get 8 tables!

Most memorable occasion at the Club

  • There have been many memorable occasions but the one that stands out was the first time I qualified for the Canberra team to play in the Australian National Championships. It was the 2nd time that Canberra had entered teams and I have to admit that we didn’t have many competitors to choose. In fact we had to co opt a visiting player from Scotland, Mrs. Lamberton to be the 6th member of our team.

What do you do when you're not at the club? (Golf, Gardening, Grandchildren, All the above, or Other...)

  • When I am not playing or teaching I love walking, reading, cooking and socialising, at coffee and chat mornings, with other inmates of our lovely retirement village which is perched on the side of Lake Ginninderra. I am the meet and greet person for new residents to our village.

What's your  favourite travel destination pre COVID?

  • My favourite travel destination will always be Amsterdam, my very first venture to foreign lands, I love the relaxed pace of life, the outdoor cafes, the canals, bicycles, tulips and diamonds

What's your  favourite travel destination now?

  • Before covid curtailed our travelling I was planning a trip on the Ghan. That hasn”t come about but is still 1st on my bucket list 

What’s the best thing about Canberra Bridge Club?

  • The Canberra Bridge Club has always been a friendly place and I am pleased to see so many new players being welcomed into our club. Many coming from the recently closed Grand Slam club. I am especially impressed by the dedicated group of people who give their time freely to teach and develop players who are new to the game of bridge. I enjoy the choice of face to face and Real Bridge which  enables me to have an occasional game with my sister (Alison Farthing) in Victoria.

Thanks for sharing Dorothy!

 

 Joan Butts: Responders Rebid

In a Nutshell:

How far to bid depends on whether opener and responder are minimum, medium or maximum, and if the first bid were forcing or not
Responding ranges are 6 - 10 = minimum, 11,12 = medium 13+ = maximum (if preferred, 6 - 9, 10 - 12, 13+. Not a big deal!)

  • If opener and responder are both minimum (O = 13,14, R = 6 -10), stop bidding or bid old suit, when opener has limited their hand. There are not enough points for game (25+).
  • If responder is medium, 11,12, invite game by bidding again, without quite getting there  because game is possible. (There may be enough points for game (25+).

If responder is maximum, 13+,  insist on game by bidding it, or forcing with a new suit. (There are enough points for game (25+). 

 

Ian Morison: A bold or a silly bid?

Here is an interesting hand for bidding and play

 

Dealer W, Both Vul

                                    7

                                    Q87

                                   Q6432

                                    8743

KJ5                                                                           8432

AJ1062                                                                   K9543

A75                                                                            KJ98

                                                                                   J9                                                            -

 

                                AQ1096

                                            -

                                        10

                              AKQ10652

The Bidding

  1.  1. West opens 1H, North passes. East bids 4H. Perfect bidding so far
  2. What does South do? It is only a 2-loser hand, but it looks like West has more of the missing points than East. Partner did not even overcall, so probably has under 6 points
  1. What are your options? You must bid with this hand – you could bid 4S, 5C or even 6C…..
  1. At the very least, I would bid 4S or 5C
  1. But East now bids 5H
  1. What now for South? I would bid 6C. [Partner can convert to 6S if you bid 4S first and he has longer Spades. As it turns out, Partner is happy to lay down his 4 Clubs as Dummy]
  1. West doubles (who can blame him, but if 6C goes down doubled, the pick-up is not much more than if not doubled)

The Play

  1. West leads HA. Those 4 little Clubs and single Spade in Dummy look helpful for South. You ruff in hand and take stock. A Diamond loser is certain, so it turns on the Spades
  1. You could draw trumps and finesse the SQ, hoping East has SK. But as West is most likely to have more points, this is against the odds
  1. You must draw trumps early, so you test the water by playing CA. Darn, they do not break 1-1. What now? Playing and ruffing spades could be risky as, when West is out of Spades, he can ruff with the winning CJ
  1. You play SA, all following low, and then a small Spade. West puts the SJ on this. If West has the SK, it will fall under the next ruff and you will be home and hosed
  1. Do you draw the last Trump now, then ruff the next Spade with Dummy’s last Trump, expecting SK to fall? Or do you ruff again?
  1. As the cards lie, you could do either and it would work. I would have ruffed another Spade first, rather than draw the last Trump in case West false carded by throwing SJ whilst holding 2 more Spades (a brave play). Also, you always need West to hold SK to make, unless East has Kx or Kxx of Spades and they simply fall
  1. Another way to make this is the ruffing finesse against West. It requires West to have both SK and maybe SJ (except where East has SJxx) , so it is not as preferred

 Moral of the Story

  1. As I wrote last week, shapely hands make for lively bidding. 6C is a bold bid, relying on help from Partner, and other good card breaks to make
  1. The key thing to look for when planning how you will play the cards, is where the SK might be – as it is more likely to be with West, the best line of play is not to finesse, but to ruff out the SK

 

Lighter Moments

 Recently, I went in to get new glasses made and was in the waiting room for quite a while….so I started chatting up the receptionist and asked her if anyone had ever come in and “made a spectacle of themselves…” She looked at me for a long moment, then said “You went there….”

I told my boss three companies were interested in me and I needed a pay rise.  He asked me which three were interested.  I answered the electricity, gas and cable.  

I've just bought a Humpty Dumpty toy from Aldi. It's brilliant!  It comes with Aldi king's horses and Aldi king's men.  

My mother-in-law is 96 and still doesn't need glasses.  She drinks straight from the bottle.  

 

Be kind to each other and thanks to Sebastian Yuen for sorting old news posts unasked!

 

Tamara (for Kerry and Tamara)