Newsletter - 28 July 2023
In this week’s newsletter...
- President's Message
- Upcoming Sessions and Events
- Canberra In Bloom - 29 September to 2 October - Substitutes and Partner Desk Open for Matching!
- Competitive Bidding and Play - 4 week course with Barb Toohey from 8 August
- Golden Canola Spring Congress - Cootamundra 23/24 September
- Member Spotlight - David Wawn
- Ian Morison: The Impossible Can Happen!
- Lighter Moments
President's Message
Those members who walk across to the shops will notice our garden gurus John Kelly and Nick Vonthehoff have been toiling away again and have strategically placed paving steps through the mulch on the northern side of the parking area to create a walkway through the garden there. Thank you, John and Nick.
They also set up some horizontal wires on the southern wall and planted jasmine which in the future we hope will cover up the graffiti.
Don’t forget the Will Jenner O’Shea workshop this Sunday which will improve everyone’s play techniques - especially when you lack high card points.
Next week new Beginners Lessons finally kick off. Please welcome any newcomers you see on Wednesday night and Friday morning. Thanks to Barbara, Morag and volunteers for supporting this continuation of lifeblood to the club.
I am wondering if anyone else is feeling the change in atmosphere in the playing room in recent months. When I move to a different table or when pairs come to mine there is a definite move to a friendly greeting, and I hear animated conversations happening around the room. I do hope everyone is enjoying their bridge more, even when the results do not turn out to your own satisfaction.
Tim Mather
Our weekly sessions are the same as last week.
Supervised Lessons
These happen on Wednesdays from 7pm, or Fridays from 9.30am.
- 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: Entries, Order of Play
Upcoming Events
CBC August Butler Pairs
The next Thursday night competition is for 3 weeks commencing 10 August. Please enter on line by noon on Wednesday 9 August
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:)
Canberra In Bloom - Partnership / Substitute Desk
Canberra in Bloom Needs You! You can help our very own congress to run smoothly and be a terrific success by making yourself available as a partner for players wanting to enter an event or as a substitute.
Regular partner/s may not be available to play in the event for a variety of reasons, so the Partnership Desk tries to match up players of similar skill levels.
Substitutes play for free, and are usually called in at short notice, because someone registered to play can no longer play in a particular session or event. Substitutes may be asked to play for a session, or for an entire event, depending on circumstances, including the substitute’s availability and preferences.
The events are:
- Friday, 29 September - Pairs, morning and afternoon sessions - Novices (U100MP), Intermediate (U750MP), Open (anyone can play!) Pairs, afternoon session - Rookies (U5MP)
- Saturday, 30 September and Sunday, 1 October: Teams, Saturday morning and afternoon, and Sunday morning - Mixed and Open (any number of Masterpoints)
- Sunday, 1 October and Monday, 2 October: Swiss Pairs, Sunday afternoon, and Monday morning and afternoon - Novices (U100MP), Intermediate (U750MP), Open (anyone can play!)
We need volunteers of all skill levels from rookies, to novices, to intermediate, to open players to be potential partners or to act as substitutes. If you can help, please contact: Bricet Klören.
Please contact Bricet if you have any questions, and/or to let her know your contact details (name, phone number, email address); which sessions you are or are not available for; and whether you’d like to be considered as a potential partner or substitute or both.
Beginners Lessons - Coming soon
The next beginners lessons start on Wednesday 7pm on 2 August or Friday 10am on 4 August. There are almost 60 registered. 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.
Member Spotlight - David Wawn
David Wawn has recently accepted the role of Tournament Secretary. Many people may have played opposite him at the table. Here's his bridge story.
How long have you been a player/member?
- I’ve been playing bridge since the late 1980s when there was a bridge club at ANU.
Most memorable occasion at the club?
- 2004 was a great year for me - I made the ACT Open Team for the first time, and we won the ANC that year.
- My least proud moment was as a young player. I turned around to the table next to us and loudly asked, what's the correct score for making 7NT? Given we were passing our boards to this table, they weren’t impressed.
What do you do when you're not at the club? (Golf, Gardening, Grandchildren, All the above, or Other...)
- 2 teenagers and a Staffie keep me busy, otherwise I enjoy riding my bikes and playing touch football
What's your favourite travel destination pre COVID?
- Anywhere with mountain bike trails
What's your favourite travel destination now?
- Still the same
What’s the best thing about Canberra Bridge Club?
- The friendships and a good game of bridge
Ian Morison:
This week Ian is filing his story from Hamilton Island. His story this week echoes Audrey Hepburn's quote "Nothing's impossible. The word itself says I'm possible." To read his story press here.
Lighter Moments
What's the best thing about getting old?
- it doesn't last very long
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
The flowering purple bearded iris, daphne and hellebores are all telling us Spring is in the offing!
Be kind in all things
Tamara (for Kerry and Tamara)
