Newsletter 26 August 2022
In this week’s newsletter...
- Announcing the BFACT Gala Pairs - Saturday 17 September
- Competitive Bidding and Play training kicks off next Tuesday!
- Results
- Upcoming Events
- Canberra in Bloom
- Ian Morison Card Play
- Lighter Moments
From the President
In last week’s newsletter, I mentioned the Club’s need for more directors.
For those who may not know, our directors are paid CBC employees.
BFACT has advised that its next workshop for new directors is scheduled to be held on the weekend of 12-13 November 2022, so now is a good time to express interest in being a director.
If you would like to find out more, 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.
Please remember to remove all lipstick from cups and glasses before you place them in the dishwasher. The dishwasher does not remove lipstick.
Stay safe and enjoy your bridge.
Margaret
AGMs
CBC AGM
The CBC AGM will be held on Wednesday 5 October 2022 commencing 5.30pm. Further details will be provided in early September.
BFACT AGM
The BFACT AGM will be held on Saturday 17 September 2022 commencing 5.00pm (or as soon as practicable after completion of the GALA Pairs). Further details are available from the BFACT website Notices section.
Spring is in the Air!
There's a lengthening of daylight and buds and blossoms everywhere! Our sponsors Travel Associates have dropped off plenty of travel inspiration with Spring magazines and ideas for any intrepid travellers. Find the "Virtuoso Life" mags on the Congress and Travel Table up the stairs. Please feel free to take one.
BFACT Gala 'Gold' Pairs - Saturday 17 September
This one day Butler Pairs event will have open, restricted and novice sections and 6 x 8 board rounds is open to all players in the ACT region. Entries should be submitted by 10am on Thursday 15 September to https://www.myabf.com.au/view or by email to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.. For more info, see the flier in the foyer, email Niek or call on 0422 471 649
Competitive Bidding and Play - Starting next Week!
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.
Sadly there has been a deposit made recently without identification. Please check all your deposits have an ABF number on them in the reference field so they make it to your account. There will be a member surprised with their monthly statement early next month when their deposit has not landed!
August and September Supervised Sessions 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 – Entries and order of play: 31 Aug and 2 September
7/9 Sep: Transfers - majors
14-16 Sep: Same bid – different message
21-23 Sep: System card
28-30 Sep: Etiquette, Duplicate play, bridgemates & scoring
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 1 September is Defence - What Card Do I Keep? 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.
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Results
In the Swiss Butler Pairs Ian Robinson and Neil Ewart took out the event (with Simon Henbest substituting in week 2) from John Kelly and David Clarkson.
The Ted Crichton Mixed Pairs 2022 was won by Brian Thorp and Tamara Cutcliffe.
Rowan Bergin and Jon Pike took out the Novice Pairs at the Wagga Wagga Congress on the weekend. The Kahler team (Janet Kahler, Peter Quach, Adrienne Stephens & Peter Kahler) came third in the Open Teams
George Kozakos and partner took out the Darwin Congress over the weekend.
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.
Nationwide Pairs
South Canberra Bridge Club is hosting a session of the Australia-Wide Open Pairs (AWOP) next Wednesday night 31 August (7pm for a 7.15pm start) in the Community Room at the Canberra Southern Cross Club in Woden.
The event is run by Australian Bridge Magazine and is open to all, irrespective of ABF registration.
Table money for the night is $5 for South Canberra members, $10 for non-members.
As space may be limited, pairs need to register online on our website calendar, Wed evening 31 Aug - Australia-Wide Open Pairs (bridge-club.org). Places will be allocated in order of registration.
Free car parking is available at the Club (have ticket validated at the desk by stating attendance at a community group event) and in nearby public carparks.
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..
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.
Ian Morison: When Things go Wrong
Here is an interesting hand to show how things can go wrong, very wrong
It was printed in the SMH a few years back by Ron Klinger. He and Paul Marsden are great writers about bridge, as they contain useful tips for us ordinary players. This one is a fun hand
Dealer N, Both Vul
8632
8653
742
K5
AKQ7 J109
KJ AQ1072
KJ10 AQ853
10983 -
54
94
96
AQJ7642
The Bidding
- North passed. East bid 1H. South decided to bid 1S (Yes!, but he can always revert to Clubs….] *Editorial note: how can this happen? Not recommended to try at home.
- West Doubled (that meant penalties in their system), North Passed, East Passed
- South bid 2C, West passed and North bid 2S, picking the better of his 2 suits bid by Partner
- East can smell blood. He lets it go around to West who doubles, and the hand is passed out (3C by South might have been better, but maybe South thought he had said enough, and a bottom score is coming no matter what?)
- Note that EW can make 7D (+2140) or 7H (+2210)
The Play
- If West underleads AKQ of Spades, then EW can take 13 tricks – down 7, that’s +2300, a tiny pick up over either slam
- But West played AKQ of Spades, then sat back. He feared leading away from his KJ in each red suit, so he led C10
- South’s eyes lit up. A top is coming. He played CK, then S8 to draw the last trump, then he crossed to hand and played 6 more Clubs, making his doubled contract = + 670
Moral of the Story
- I think West lost sight of his partner’s bid – 1H. West has 17 Points so East must have something for his opening bid, so I would lead HK
- Leading Clubs, when that is South’s second suit was not wise (South is likely to have a 2-suiter in the black cards based on the bidding, and given he has no values in Spades, it must be in Clubs)
But that’s what makes bridge such fun...
Lighter Moments
Why are waterbeds so bouncy?
- they are filled with spring water
What did the tree say at the start of spring?
- well this is a releaf
Did you see all that snow and ice are melting?
- yes, I thaw!
What has 13 hearts but no lungs or stomach?
- a deck of cards!
Why did the dinosaur cross the road?
- because chickens didn't exist yet
Why did the scarecrow win an award?
- because he was outstanding in his field
What's brown and sticky?
- A stick
Why shouldn't you write with a broken pencil?
- Because it's pointless
What's double indemnity in bridge terms?
- removing all the redouble cards from your opponent's bidding boxes
A elderly woman and an elderly man were at a retirement home The man was shuffling a deck of cards for a card game The man asks "Is it your first time?" The woman replies “It’s been a while since a man has asked me that.”
Be kind to each other. It is impeccable manners to help clean the tables after play when at the club please.
Tamara (for Kerry and Tamara)