Newsletter - 16 June 2023
In this week’s newsletter...
- President's Message
- Kings Birthday Honours
- Committee MInutes
- Upcoming Sessions and Events
- Will Jenner-O'Shea Workshop - Bidding Strong Hands and Slams - 1 July
- Interhemispheric RealBridge Challenge - 4 July at 6pm
- BFACT InterClub Teams -16 July - entries close 30 June
- Canberra In Bloom - including Special Novice event - 29 September to 2 October
- Competitive Bidding and Play - 4 week course with Barb Toohey from 8 August
- Directors Courses with Sebastian Yuen - save the dates!
- Results - Victor Champion Cup Festival of Bridge;
- Ian Morison: Shapely Hand
- Lighter Moments
President's Message
On Tuesday evening your committee met for their monthly meeting. Among the items discussed was the increased incidence of Covid and Influenza being seen in the ACT community. So, I think it is worth quoting the CBC Covid Safety Plan to remind everyone what we should do.
Infectious while at the clubrooms
If you are diagnosed with COVID and were at the clubrooms from 48 hours before symptoms started or you tested positive (whichever came first), please inform the CBC managers who can assist with advising others who were at the clubrooms at the same time.
COVID-smart behaviours
CBC players, staff and volunteers are asked to observe the COVID-smart behaviours that we are being asked to observe generally throughout the community, such as:
- Stay home if you are unwell, including if you have any COVID symptoms;
- Wear a face mask if you wish, e.g., if it is difficult to be 1.5 metres from others.
It has also come to my notice that some side tables are demonstrating instability indicating that they have been used as seats. They are not designed to carry excess weight, so should not be used as seating while chatting with fellow members. We are investigating construction of more side tables as we are receiving comment from members of the need for more so please use proper chairs at all times when chatting around the bridge table.
Tim Mather
Kings Birthday Honours
Congratulations to Belinda Moss on receiving a Medal of the Order of Australia for Service to Education in the Kings Brithday Honours
April Committee minutes are now available.
Our weekly sessions are almost the same as last week - see our homepage.
Supervised Lessons
- 21/23 June: Rule of 11
- 28/30 June: Preemptive openings
- 5/7 July: Weak 2D/2H/2S openings
- 12/14 July: Strong 2C opening
- 19/21 July: Slam bidding & Blackwood
- 26/28 July: Negative and other doubles
A full list of lessons scheduled in 2023 is here.
Calling experienced players
If you are an experienced player with some free time on a Wednesday evening, please consider volunteering to assist in our Wednesday evening supervised sessions. The commitment is a maximum of one night a month. Your role is to be available to answer questions during supervised play. Depending on numbers you may be asked to join a table. If interested, please send Morag Lokan an email
Master the Basics
Master the Basics virtual lessons are on Thursdays at 9.00am. Please email Barb Toohey if you want to be added to the Zoom class. It's $6 for members and $8 for non-members. The lessons run for 30 minutes.
Next Thursday the session is on Bidding - Responses and Rebids. A full list of MTB topics for 2023 is available here.
Roland Garros once said "Victory comes to those who are tenacious." We note that several of the regular attendees to Master the Basics have featured in the victory stakes including Nicola Meares, Judy Pejovic and Sylvia Corby.
Upcoming Events
Will Jenner O'Shea Workshop - Saturday 1 July 2023
Bidding Strong Hands and Slams (for all standards) 10am - 3pm
Topics include
- Practice your strong opening bids of 2C, 2NT and strong jump bids
- Decide when to look for slams and who should ask for aces
- Some skills to help you bid good slams and avoid bad ones
- Lots of high-level bidding practice
Play around 20 boards. Each hand has an interesting play and/or defence tip, and all hands will be discussed in detail, both bidding and playing. An excellent booklet of the lesson content is included.
Will Jenner-O’Shea has been teaching bridge for over 10 years. He has taught hundreds of Beginners, and thousands of Intermediate and Advanced players. He has taught at most of the largest Clubs in Sydney and around Australia, as well as presented bridge lessons at several National Events. He last taught at the Canberra Bridge Club in November and his lesson was very well received. Will has represented Australia and won several National events.
The event includes a delicious morning tea, a light lunch and a booklet of notes; let us know of dietary requirements on registration. Partnerships and singles are welcome. If coming as a partnership or table of four please indicate in your entry.
Cost: $50 per player
To make a booking please email Will and transfer funds via CBC pay with the reference your ABF number WJOW
Interhemispheric RealBridge Challenge - 4 July
You are invited to take part in in a huge contest, spanning vast expanses of land and sea. It all happens on Tuesday 4 July, at 6 pm.
This event is normal table fees in the usual manner.
There will be three pools of players. The top 20 tables will comprise the expert pool. Club players will be in the middle pool. Newcomers to the game and learners (having played more than 6 months) will be in their own pool. In the newcomers pool we will play 2 fewer boards, so that we all end at the same time.
Jennifer Yeats, our Treasurer said "I played in the last one and it was a lot of fun."
Please enter by online form and the earlier the better so the organisers can balance teams. There will a limit to the number of pairs and early entry will mean you won't be disappointed.
BFACT InterClub Teams - 16 July
CBC Is hosting the InterClub Teams here at CBC on 16 July.
There are Novice, Restricted, Intermediate and Senior categories. There is no limit on the number of teams playing.
To enter as a pair or team please use the online booking form or email the office before 30 June 2023.
We are looking for players willing to reserve for the Interclub Team events on 16 July, in case players are sick or otherwise unable to play on the day. Players of any standard are welcome, and if you are needed, you play for free. We are also looking for players who might be able to make up a fourth player for some of the regional teams. If you are available, please email the tournament convener, Roger Brake.
Canberra In Bloom - including Special Novice Event
Starting Friday 29th September, right here at Canberra Bridge Club! A national Gold point event with Pairs & Teams events for players of all abilities! See MyABF for more detail (or entries) and direct enquiries to
Note this year has the inaugural Butterfly Orchid Novice Pairs event on the Friday afternoon for beginners with less than 5 masterpoints - it lets you put your toe in the water to see what a congress is like:)
Interstaters Jean Hydleman and Ralph Edwards are looking for team mates to play Saturday and Sunday in the Open Teams. Please email Jean if interested.
Beginners Lessons - Coming soon
The next beginners lessons start on Wednesday 7pm on 2 August or Friday 10am on 4 August. If you have family or friends that would like to learn, get them to register online here.
Competitive Bidding and Play
Competitive Bidding and Play Training with Barb Toohey is coming soon on 8 August. The course will run for 4-weeks from 10am to noon. This is the next step after the beginners lessons, and suitable for Novice & Supervised Players. Topics covered include
- Week 1: Doubles
- Week 2: Overcalls
- Week 3: Leads
- Week 4: Signals
Please register using the online form. The cost is $55 for four weeks or $15 per week.
BFACT Upcoming Director's Courses - save the dates
Saturday 24th June focused on existing directors - covering judgment rulings
Saturday/Sunday 18 & 19 November - for aspiring new or in-training directors.
Results
Some CBC members featured in the winners circle at the Victor Champion Cup. In order of event:
- Josh Tomlin and partner came second and Malcolm Carter and Bernie Waters third in the Wally Scott Open Swiss Pairs
- Vanessa Brown/ Will Jenner-O'Shea were second, Christy Geromboux /Sebastian Yuen third in the Jim and Norma Borin Mixed Swiss Pairs
- Andrew Spooner and Ian Thomson and partners were first in the Victor Champion Cup Swiss Teams
Congratulations to all - particularly Andrew Spooner and Matt Mullamphy who had the highest pair datums.
Full details from the event available here.
Interclub Teams
This week, the first of the three qualifying sessions was held for the ABF Knockout Club Teams. The CBC teams are all well placed with the top 8 qualifying
Open: won 4 of their 5 matches to be sitting a comfortable 5th
Under 750: won 3, drew 1, lost 1 to be sitting an even more comfortable 4th
Under 100: had 3 wins and 2 losses to be sitting a more precarious 5th
Under 50: had two draws and a small loss to be sitting 7th
We wish them luck in the next 2 rounds of qualifying
Ian Morison: Shapely Hand
To read Ian's column please press here.
Lighter Moments
Dear Committee
Recently at the club there was a meeting of various directors. This caused me to wonder, what is the collective noun for an assembly of directors?
There must be one. We have a pod of whales, a parliament of owls, a mrder of crows, to mention but a few.
Years ago, I recall seeing a competition to name a gathering of, um, ladies of the night. I don't recall the winning entry, but the one I liked the best was An Anthology of Pros. But I digress.
At our table, one suggestion was A Penalty of Directors. Another suggested a (lower case) board of Directors, referencing the boards of hands as well as distinguishing it from a company Board of Directors. (And certainly not a Bored of Directors).
Could I humbly suggest, Dear Committee, that you call for suggestions to resolve this linguistic difficulty, and award a fitting prize such as a cup of coffee to the best suggestion.
Yours truly
I.M. Noone
Be kind in all things
Tamara (for Kerry and Tamara)
