Newsletter - 21 July 2023
In this week’s newsletter...
- President's Message
- Upcoming Sessions and Events
- Will Jenner-O'Shea Workshop on Weak Hands - Sunday 30 July
- Canberra In Bloom - 29 September to 2 October - BFACT Early bird discounts
- Competitive Bidding and Play - 4 week course with Barb Toohey from 8 August
- Golden Canola Spring Congress - Cootamundra 23/24 September
- Results
- Member Spotlight - Steve Geddes
- Ian Morison: Patience in Defence
- Lighter Moments
President's Message
A big thank you to all the generous members who supplied a wonderful repast to the competitors in the BFACT inter club event held in the clubrooms on Sunday. The results are on the webpage for those interested.
In the next few weeks you may be seeing some new faces around the club. We have another beginners class commencing the week starting 31st July. Please make them feel welcome and at home. It is only by encouraging new players, making them feel welcome, and enjoying their bridge that our club will grow and provide the wonderful community service we are already supplying into the future.
There are a couple of spots left - particularly on the Wednesday night. Encourage your family and friends and they can still learn!
Don’t forget to pick up your membership cards from the table in front of the office in the lobby.
Tim Mather
Committee minutes from the 15 June meeting are available here, online or on the Committee noticeboard.
Our weekly sessions are the same as last week.
Supervised Lessons
These happen on Wednesdays from 7pm, or Fridays from 9.30am.
- 26/28 July: Negative and other doubles
- 2/4 August - Reverses
- 9/11 August - Declarer play: Planning and Play points
- 16/18 August: Declarer play: Entries and Play order
- 23/25 August: Same bid - different message
- 30 August/1 Sept: System Card
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 $8 for members and $10 for non-members. The lessons run for 30 minutes.
Next Thursday the session is on Declarer Play: Planning and Play points
Upcoming Events
Will Jenner O'Shea - Workshop: Making the Most of Weak Hands
Will's next workshop is on Sunday 30 July and will cover:
- Weak Two Openings and Responding
- Weak Jump Overcalls and Pre-empts
- Responding With Minimum Hands
- Staying Low and Finding The Best Contract When There Is No Game.
Click HERE to enter.
This event has a maximum number of entries of 144. We hope to see you there.
Winter Butler Pairs
Thursday 7.15pm July 27 and August 3. Pre-entry required.
Link here
Forward Planning
Gala Pairs - Saturday 16 September
BFACT AGM - Saturday 16 September, immediately following the Gala Pairs.
CBC AGM - Thursday 5 October
Canberra In Bloom - including Special Novice Event
Starting Friday 29 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:)
Beginners Lessons - Coming soon
The next beginners lessons start on Wednesday 7pm on 2 August or Friday 10am on 4 August. There are 53 registered already so plenty of room for more takers. 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.
Cootmundra Bridge Club - Golden Canola Spring Congress 23/24 September
Swiss pairs on the Saturday and Swiss Teams on the Sunday. Details here. Enter https://www.bridgewebs.com/cootamundra/home.html
BFACT Upcoming Director's Courses
Interested in becoming a bridge director? Or just want to improve your knowledge of the rules? In either case, Sebastian Yuen is an international director who will transport you to new levels of learning.
Saturday/Sunday 18 & 19 November - for aspiring new or in-training directors.
Results
ANC Perth
Interstate Teams final - Open
Sebastian Yuen, Christy Geromboux, Brad Coles, David Appleton, Bernard Waters and Malcom Carter wre runners up in the finals playoff.
BFACT InterClub Teams
Last Sunday, CBC hosted the BFACT Interclub teams event, with over 100 people playing from right across the Capital region. Ten teams represented CBC, with our teams finishing 2nd and 3rd in the Novice category and 2nd in the Senior category. Feedback on the event has been very positive, with people enjoying themselves. A highlight was the food supplied by CBC members – thank you to all who contributed. And thank you to all who helped on the day, particularly Jennifer and Brett Yeats, and Tamara Cutcliffe. Thanks also to John Donovan as Director and Roger Brake as Convenor.
Results are here.
Member Spotlight - Steve Geddes
Steve has been with us for less than a year and has been a wonderful helper since day 1, filling in play and now directing Friday mornings. Here's his bridge story:
How long have you been a player/member?
- I learned to play bridge at university back in 1998 and played every chance I could get from then until around 2010/2011. During that time I directed at and managed the South Australian Bridge Association.
- We stopped playing bridge for a good ten-plus years, but when my wife and I moved to Canberra last December, decided to rekindle our involvement and joined the club last December.
Most memorable occasion at the club?
I think the most memorable experience for me, remains week one of our return to bridge after a ten year absence. Elaine and I hadn’t played for years and had the exciting auction 2C:7NT. Once she put dummy down, I saw that I had once more allowed enthusiasm to guide my bidding rather than good judgement. From the opening lead, it was clear that we needed quite a lot, but somehow in the dim recesses of my brain, bridge memories were still lurking and I managed to ponderously work my way through a double squeeze! That experience went a long way towards reminding me of what I love about the game.
What do you do when you're not at the club? (Golf, Gardening, Grandchildren, All the above, or Other...)
Life in Canberra is very good for me – it’s proving a wonderful place to live and explore. My work remains based in Adelaide and we have elderly relatives there, so each fortnight I spend three or four days back in Adelaide. When here, I would say I’m about 50/50 between various coffee shops/cafes and working from home!
What's your favourite travel destination pre COVID?
Probably England. We used to have semi-regular trips to the US as well, but the lustre of America wore off more due to political choices they made rather than due to the pandemic.
What's your favourite travel destination now?
I think still the UK, although we haven’t been in some years. Fingers crossed we can make another journey over there 2024 or 2025.
What’s the best thing about Canberra Bridge Club?
- I very much enjoy the pleasant, welcoming nature I’ve experienced at every session I’ve played in. Wednesday nights is our regular game and it is a wonderful group of people – plus the director Christie always gives us chocolates!
- Having played at many clubs over the years, I can say that Canberra Bridge Club is one of the friendliest, most welcoming I’ve experienced. The competitive side of bridge can bring out the worst in some people and I’m glad that at our club the perspective remains – this is something we do for fun and in the end, it’s just a game of cards!
Ian Morison: Patience in Defence
Ian is filing his story from Mooloolaba. To read his story press here. To see how high the waves are at Mooloolaba press here. Can't see Ian at the beach at the moment!
Lighter Moments
Last night I ordered a glass of wine with my dinner and the waiter asked my ID. I replied, “do I look that young?”. The waiter said, No. I just wanted to see if you qualified for the Senior’s Discount.
My wife sent me a text, “your great”. So, naturally, I wrote back “ No, you’re great”. She has been walking around all happy and smiling.
Should I tell her I was just correcting her grammar or leave it?.
Marymead is running its annual charity day of cards and games on Monday 14 August at the Royal Canberra Golf Club at $50 for the day. There will be a raffle as well as quality craft and preserves for sale on the day. Bookings email
Sending healing vibes to Bruce Chapman who has a very sore back.
Be kind in all things
Kerry (for Kerry and Tamara)
