Newsletter - 1 September 2023
In our newsletter this week...
- President's Message
- Welcome New Members
- Upcoming Sessions and Events
- Will Jenner-O'Shea Upcoming Workshops - September to November
- BFACT Gala Pairs - 16 September - Entry via MyABF
- Canberra In Bloom - 29 September to 2 October - Entry via MyABF
- Golden Canola Spring Congress - Cootamundra 23/24 September
- Women's Training Camp Repechage - 15 October
- Ian Morison: Aggressive Bidding
President's Message
Thank you to everyone for providing feedback on the new side tables. You will be pleased to know we will not be purchasing any more but will continue to work on finding more suitable ones at the right price. If anyone knows of any designs or products which would be right for our Club, please contact me, any other member of the Committee or one of our Managers.
Training last Sunday to increase the number of ladies willing to compete at the highest level of Bridge by all reports was very successful. Perhaps the same sort of programme could be rolled out for our male members (or do we think we are all good enough already?!)
The Will Jenner-O’Shea training days (there is one tomorrow) are really good for expanding our knowledge of bidding so I would really recommend attendance if you have the time.
I am receiving reports that some members are having trouble placing funds into CBC Pay which is affecting their desire to play face-to-face bridge in the Club. Please do not be concerned about this. Come into the Club and talk to one of our very helpful Managers and they will organise it all for you. As the Australian Taxation Office has always said “ we are here to help” – especially if we are accepting money from you!
Tim Mather
Farewell Kerry Butcher
Members are invited to join us to bid Kerry farewell following the morning session of bridge on Wednesday 13 September. Light refreshments and cake will be provided. For catering purposes please email Michele Grant or Mary Tough if you can come.
New Members
During the last month we welcomed the following new members:
- Josephine Kelly
- Val Lennan
- Margot Tesch
- Rachael Thomas
- Caitlin Sweeney
- Liana Wilsmore
- Peter Wilsmore
Please welcome them at the table or online.
Supervised Lessons
These happen on Wednesdays from 7pm, or Fridays from 9.30am.
- 6/8 September: transition to duplicate
- 13/15 September: Etiquette, duplicate play, bridgemates and scoring. : [new beginners join supervised]
- 20/22 September: doubles and overcalls
- 27/29 September: Opening leads and signals
- 4/6 October: Declarer Play: Making your plan
- 11/13 October: Declarer Play: Using side suit winners to discard losers
- 18/20 October: Declarer Play: Taking a finesse
- 25/27 October: Better minor responses and rebids
The new beginner graduates join supervised in the week of 13/15 September.
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 Competitive Bidding: Negative and Other Doubles
Upcoming Events
Support your Clubs and their Committees
BFACT AGM - Saturday 16 September, immediately following the Gala Pairs.
CBC AGM - Thursday 5 October, 5.30pm
Women's Training Camp - next on 15 October 2023
Thank you to everyone who participated in the Women's Training Camp orchestrated by Jodi Tutty and team on Sunday. It was attended by over 70 people and we all learned a lot. The next training session is planned for Sunday 15 October from 11am to 3pm with Will Jenner-O'Shea. More details to follow in due course.
Will Jenner-O'Shea Youth Training Days
Will is intending on holding some more Youth Days in the coming months of 2023.
The focus for the first week - Sunday 3 September is a “learn to play day” for newer players. But ALL Youth players are invited, and bring along as many of your young friends as possible so they can also enjoy the FUN!
The idea is to continue the format from previous Youth days starting at 11am (with a lunch break) and finishing around 3pm.
These sessions are available to anyone under 30 for free. If there are “Youth” who are not too far on the other side of 30, they will also be very welcome!
Please email Mary Tough if you are attending so we have an idea on numbers.
The dates are:
Sunday - 3 September - “learn to play day”.
Sunday - 15 October.
Sunday - 26 November.
Venue: Canberra Bridge Club, 5-7 Duff Place, Deakin.
Time: 11am-3pm
~Youth Bridge is Bridge’s future~
Will Jenner-O'Shea Workshops
Will is excited to announce 3 more workshops in 2023:
The Main Rules of Bridge - When to Follow Them, When to Break Them - Tomorrow 10am to 3pm
Topics include
- A New Suit by Responder is Forcing
- Cover an Honour With An Honour
- Second Player, Play Low, Third Player, Play High
How Do Competitive Bids Change at Different Levels - Saturday 14 October 10am to 3pm
Topics include
- Doubles at the One-Level and the Two-Level
- Overcalls at the One-Level and the Two-Level
- No-Trumps at the One-Level and the Two-Level
- Responding to All of Those Things
End of Year Summary - Saturday 25 November 10am to 3pm
Topics include
- Practice a Variety of Topics and Revise 2023
- Revise Bidding, Play and Defence Topics from Throughout The Year
- Replay Many of the Interesting Hands From All The Workshops This Year
President's Teams - Thursday nights
The President’s Teams is on 14 and 21 September so start sounding out any potential team-mates. And we are happy to help with team-mates, especially if you are a newer player.
Both events will suit any up and coming players looking to challenge themselves on a Thursday night.
BFACT GALA "GOLD" Pairs - 16 September
The Bridge Federation of the ACT is holding a Gala "Gold" Pairs Day on Saturday 16 September 2023 at the CBC starting at 9.45am.
The top two placed contending pairs will form the ACT 2 Team at the GNOT.
The ACT Provincial Team will be the top 2 contending pairs that qualify with ACT Provincial status, i.e. those from provincial areas or those with less than 300 masterpoints per person.
Entries should be submitted by 10.00am on 14 September. The cost is $15 for full-time students and pension concession card holders and $40 for all others.
Entry by MyABF. If you need help accessing MyABF please chat with the Directors.
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:)
If there is no room in your Inn and you have friends or relatives coming to town for Canberra in Bloom (CiB) (or for other events held at CBC) make sure you mention Forrest Hotel and Apartments, 30 National Circuit. They are a proud sponsor of CiB this year, just a short drive or you can get your steps up with a leisurely half-hour walk to Deakin.
Visitors can quote “Canberra Bridge Club” to receive the member discount rate. Alternatively people can go to the website https://www.forresthotel.com. On their website you then can go to Book Now and sign up to be a member to get the same member discount.
For any further enquiries/assistance ask to speak to Yvonne Sun, Front Office Manager, directly.
Canberra In Bloom - Volunteers needed!
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!)
Thank you to everyone who has already volunteered to help out at our very own congress Canberra in Bloom from Friday 29 September to Monday 2 October. Thank you particularly to the rookies who’ve already put their hands up!
We need players at all levels available for one or more sessions. You might be playing in a particular event, say the Spider Orchid Pairs on Friday, but you might be available to substitute on Saturday, Sunday or Monday. Substitutes might be asked to play just a few hands, a session, or a whole event, depending on whether the person they are subbing for is delayed in traffic, or has fallen ill, for example. And, bonus, substitutes play for free!
If you can help out, please contact Bricet Klören. Don’t forget to include your best phone contact number, and which sessions you are or are not available.
Cootamundra 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
Jenny Bell and Belinda Moss need some teammates for the Sunday, if anyone is interested please email
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 knowledge and learning.
Saturday/Sunday 18 & 19 November - for aspiring new or in-training directors.
Ian Morison: Aggressive Bidding
To read Ian's column please press here.
Be kind in all things
Tamara (for Kerry and Tamara)
