Newsletter 28 October 2022
In this week’s newsletter...
- President's Message
- Melbourne Cup Fever
- Results
- Upcoming Events
- RealBridge Annual Congress - Sunday 6 November
- Will Jenner O'Shea Workshop - Saturday 26 November
- Summer Festival of Bridge Program for January 2023
- Ian Morison
- Lighter Moments
From the President
We are now seeing the weather starting to warm up in between downpours. It is nearly time to plant the tomatoes. Thank you to those members who are using the suggestion box as requested a couple of weeks ago. One of these was to eliminate the cost of 40 cents for a packet of biscuits. I am pleased to announce that these are now free to have with your coffee or tea. (Isn’t it wonderful the extent to which we will go to entice players back to the club!)
We are also hoping to have a full house next Tuesday for the running of the Melbourne Cup. Please come along in all your finery and enjoy the excitement of “the race that stops a nation.” Further details below.
Below you will see details of a new Bridge competition between nations. South Africa, New Zealand and Australia are challenging the United Kingdom and Ireland with a three tier double 20 board round on Tuesday 6th December on Real Bridge. Have a look and see if this appeals to you.
On 19th November we are having a Working Bee to spruce up the clubhouse ready for Christmas. More details coming soon. Remember, this is your club, and anything you can do to help make it more enjoyable and fun to be around, makes it easier for everyone else.
In the meantime, please come and join us in the clubrooms and join the social activities.
Above all things, Trust your partner.
Tim Mather
“The Race that Stops a Nation"
This Tuesday afternoon’s Bridge Game will incorporate some Melbourne Cup Festivity.
We will have $5 and $2 dollar sweeps on arrival so try and remember to bring some small change
The club will supply all the refreshments, alcoholic, non-alcoholic and some light nibbles. Director Ian will adopt a session that allows us to stop, have a drink in hand and watch the race. And then some more interesting bridge.
Dress in style or not but there will be a prize for best hat or fascinator announced at the end of the session.
Sessions in the Club and on RealBridge are outlined below
Upcoming Sessions
Our weekly sessions are almost 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
- 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
- Thursday morning 10.00am at the club - Butler and walk in duplicate
- Thursday afternoon 2.00pm (now 27 boards with Rob Hurst) 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.
There have been two cases of possible COVID exposure at the Clubrooms over the past week. Please ensure that you are familiar with the Club's COVID-19 Safety Plan so that we can all work together to keep each other healthy.
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.
November 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 9.30am.
Each duplicate is preceded by a short lesson.
Here are the classes for November
- 2/4 November: declarer play – the ABC of planning
- 9/11 November: declarer play – finesse
- 16/18 November: Signals
- 23/25 November: Better minor, responses and rebids
- 30 Nov/2 Dec: Responses to NT and stayman
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 3 November is on Opening the Bidding - Hand Evaluation. 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
2022 Sydney Spring Nationals
Dick Cummings Open Pairs:
David Hoffman came second with Jenny Thompson
Spring Nationals Mixed Teams
The Hoffman team of Peter Grant, Pam Crichton, Chris Quail & Julia Hoffman came third
and Jodi Tutty was in the team that came fourth.
Congratulations all!
Upcoming Events
Director's training 12 & 13 November
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.
Parramatta RealBridge Annual Congress - 6 November 2022
DIrected by Matt McManus under the auspices of the NSWBA, enter via MyABF.
Will Jenner-O'Shea- 26 November
This is the first in a series of workshops to be presented by William Jenner-O’Shea suitable for all standards of players. For more details see the flier here. Partnership and singles bookings are welcome.
- Topic: Improve Your Overcalls and Competitive Bidding
- Date:Saturday 26 November, 10 am – 3 pm
- Cost:$45 for CBC & BFACT-affiliated Club members; $50 for visitors
- Bookings: Please fill out our online entry form
- Payment: Members pay via CBCPay; non-members via Direct Deposit to our account.
Will Jenner-O'Shea is a very experienced teacher and an Australian representative player. He has taught hundreds of Beginners, and thousands of Intermediate and Advanced players. He has represented Australia and won several National events. His last workshop in 2021 was very well received.
Enquiries: Patricia McDonald This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or Bruce Chapman This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
State Open Pairs
This 3 week face-to-face competition, is face-to-face at the club on Tuesdays - November 8, 15 & 22, with a7:15 pm start.
This is an Honour Board event and the winning pair will be the 2022 ACT Open Pairs Champions!
Canberra Summer Festival of Bridge January 10-22 January 2023
10-14 January
Senior and Women's Teams
Senior and Women's Playoffs
Non Life and Life Masters' Teams
Chris DIment Swiss Pairs
One Day Novice Teams and Two Day Novice MP Pairs
Penline Swiss Pairs
Weekend 15-16 January
TBIB OPen, <100 and Mixed (new with PQPs) and Penline<500 Swiss Pairs
Week 2 17-22 January
17-22 January
South West Pacific Teans
<750/300 MPs Teams
Neura Swiss Pairs
Pack up and go Home Pairs
NOT Quarter-Finals, Semi-Finals and Finals
All enquiries: Ian Thomson
Enter via MyABF
Further Analysis with Ian Morison
On 7 Oct I wrote about this hand I picked up. I like it as it raises so many issues to think about to make the Grand Slam:
Dealer North, E-W Vul
My Hand (sitting South)
AKQ4
AK
KQ
AQJ96
I had 28 Points, a rare hand indeed. Just 2 losers (DA and CK)
The Bidding
Partner opened 3D (pre-emptive, weak with 7Ds), and after asking for Aces and Partner replying with 1, I bid 7NT – it looked like I had 7D winners, plus my 6 top cards in Spades, Hearts and Clubs
The Play
West led D7. I noted West did not lead a Spade, a Heart or a Club, perhaps indicating something held in those suits
Partner put down Dummy. He had opened 3D with only 6 Diamonds. So, I now had only 12 top tricks. Unfortunately, he also did not have SJ, HQ or CK, to make life easy, nor did West lead a Club giving me a free finesse
Dummy (North)
1093
J108
AJ9863
4
? ?
? ?
D7 (lead) ?
? ?
Me (South)
AKQ4
AK
KQ
AQJ96
Looking at both Hands carefully – where will Trick 13 come from?
I quickly see that Trick 13 could come from finessing the CK or the SJ, leading from Dummy. These are both 50:50 chances. I could also hope the Spades break 3:3 (about 38% chance, or if they break 4:2, then the SJ is Doubleton raising the odds of both to about 50:50 – I can win the S10 in Dummy, then cross back to the SQ as my 13th Trick)
You also see that I only had 1 entry to Dummy, so after winning the Diamond lead in hand (say, with DQ), (East following), when I play DK, I must overtake it with DA. As a result, Diamonds must break 3-2, or if they break 4-1, the D10 must be singleton [OR if I played SA and SK and SJ falls Doubleton, then I have another entry to the Dummy, so no need to overtake DK with DA – this caters for a 4-1 Diamond break without the D10 being Singleton]
The full Hands
1093
J108
AJ9863
4
J8752 6
3 Q976542
1074 52
K852 1073
AKQ4
AK
KQ
AQJ96
The problem with playing SA and SK as the cards lie is this telegraphs to West to hang on to the last 2 Spades (as East shows out on the second round)
In the end, probably the best line is to enter Dummy with your second Diamond (as above) and run the remaining Diamonds. That puts incredible pressure on the Defenders – what do they keep?
When I played it, I had discarded all my Clubs except CA on the Diamonds. I watched as the Defenders discarded 3 Spades on the Diamonds. With the 7 Spades held by NS, I now knew the S4 would be Trick 13
Even if they had not discarded enough Spades, my final hope after running the Diamonds, entering my hand and playing HA, HK and CA, would have been to run the Spades hoping for the remaining ones to fall, or the SJ to fall after 2 rounds (promoting S10 in Dummy) – very likely. But an alter Defender sitting West could have prevailed
Moral of the Story
Consider the odds of all chances, and count the cards carefully, as Declarer or as Defender. In a slam contract, it usually comes down to the last few cards to make or fail
Lighter Moments
What do you call a witch who lives on the beach?
- A sandwitch
Why did the horses eat with their mouths open?
- They had bad stable manners
What TV show do horses watch?
- Neigh-bours
You know we don't have to pretend we like horse racing to drink heavily and wear silly hats!
Giddy up, it's the Melbourne Cup!
Tamara (for Kerry and Tamara)