Newsletter 13 September 2024
In our newsletter this week..
- Message from the Committee
- BFACT AGM
- New Members
- Wednesday Night Pizzas
- Volunteers Party
- John Brockwell's Column
- Canberra in Bloom
- Express Name Tag Order
- Upcoming Events
- Results
- Ian Morison
- Message from the Office
- Lighter Moments
Message from the Committee
Message from the Committee - CBC Constitution
The Committee hopes that as many members as possible are planning to attend the information session about the proposed new Constitution on Tuesday 17 September at 5.30pm at the Club. We want to hear members’ views about any aspect of the Constitution which was emailed to members on Tuesday. For example, did you see the two options in section 61 about the auditor? Please do join us on 17 September.
- Please note that the date for the Club AGM has been moved to 29 October 2024
Message from the Directors
A reminder that the director is in charge of the session and players are obligated to follow their instructions. The director has responsibility for running the session and this may include moving players between directions and sections. Clearly directors should, and hopefully always do, consider players preferences and try to accommodate them. But this won't always be possible. For example:
- In movements where more players wish to play NS than EW, the director will ask one or more NS pairs to switch directions. For practical reasons this is often a pair that comes late but it need not be. In small sessions, it may be fairer and more practicable to share it among all the able NS pairs.
- Pairs may be asked to move sections to prevent half tables or to facilitate movements. For example, even though a pair normally plays in section B you may be asked to move to section A for one week. When this becomes necessary the director will likely rotate between a group of players.
In these circumstances pairs do need to move when asked. If pairs have issues, please do discuss it with the director after the session. But remember that at the start of the session, the director is trying to organise up to a 100 players to start the session on time; it really isn't the time to have a discussion. Directors rely on the goodwill of players and we greatly appreciate that the majority of you unfailingly exhibit both understanding and goodwill.
George Riszko's Funeral Service Video
To view the funeral video, you can access it here:
https://vimeo.com/1008243794/60fb603c63?share=copy
BFACT AGM
The Bridge Federation of the ACT (BFACT) AGM will be held this year at CBC, Wed 25th September at 6pm, and you are all invited!
Here are the links for:
- The Agenda
- The Nomination Form - please consider putting your hand up.
- The Appointment of Proxy Form - for those that can’t make it
- Contacts to talk to about the roles in BFACT - if you need more information.
The meeting will be a combination of face-to-face and electronic - see the following Zoom link for those that can’t be there in person:
Cathy Nichols is inviting you to a scheduled Zoom meeting. Wednesday 25th September, 6pm.
Join BFACT Zoom AGM Meeting
Meeting ID: 351 180 5528
Passcode: BFACTAGM24
Complementary pizzas, juice and soft drink will be provided for all, especially for the regular Wednesday night players. It is envisaged that the meeting will not go past 40min, to enable people to attend to other commitments (mainly bridge!).
New Members
Canberra Bridge Club welcomes the following new members to our club!
- Lisa Towning
- Olivia Humphreys
Wednesday Night Pizzas
The next Wednesday night pizza will be on 25th September 2024. The Bridge Federation of the ACT will be holding their Annual General Meeting at 6:00pm on that night and have generously offered to provide the pizzas.
For those unfamiliar with the activity, the Wednesday night pizzas provide the opportunity for social interaction while enjoying a pizza sampling. It provides a great opportunity to talk to and socialise with your fellow players, which is not always the case when engaged in playing bridge. The pizzas will be available from 6:30, which provides ample time to enjoy your pizzas before supervised and walk-in play begins.
A variety of toppings will be available and participants can pick and choose. Vegan pizzas can be made available for those who want them. No drinks are provided, so if you want liquid refreshment you will need to bring your own.
Attendance is voluntary and those wishing to partake should place their name on a list on the noticeboard or contact Jon Pike directly. His email is
Volunteers Party
Do you volunteer at the Canberra Bridge Club in any capacity?
The CBC's success is supported largely by the wonderful members who volunteer their time and expertise for all manner of tasks in running the club.
The President and Committee wish to acknowledge this valuable contribution and say thank you,
The Club will hold a Volunteers Party on Friday 27 September 2024 at the end of the afternoon session for all members who have helped the club in 2023-2024.
RSVP by Monday 21 September for catering purposes to
John Brockwell's Column
Green/Blue/Red Yellow (2)
Last Friday, we began a 3- to 4-week series on colour coding of systems. Let’s briefly recap. There are four colours, GREEN, BLUE, RED and YELLOW, indicating increasing complexity. We have already dealt with GREEN. Now for BLUE. (I did say that this week’s column would be on BLUE and RED but, on reconsideration, I think that BLUE is enough.)
The defining characteristic of a BLUE system is that an opening bid of 1 Club or 1 Diamond is strong (at least 15 high-card points) and forcing. PRECISION is by far the most common Strong Club system. (A Strong Diamond System is very rare indeed, and you may never ever to encounter one.) A response of 1 Heart, 1 Spade or 1 No-Trump to a strong 1 Club opening is usually natural ─ otherwise it should be alerted. A response of 1 Diamond to a strong 1 Club opening may be artificial ─ and must always be alerted.
Before we leave strong 1 Club openings, let’s think about a defenders’ counter measures. Opening bids of a strong 1 No-Trump and a strong 1 Club have much in common, and similar defensive strategies can be used. So, let’s simplify things by discussing a defence to an opponent’s opening bid of 1 No-Trump (15-17 or 15-18).
DONT (Disturbing Opponent’s No-Trump) is popular. It goes like this:
(1NT) ─ 2C shows clubs & a higher-ranking suit
(1NT) ─ 2D shows diamonds & a higher-ranking suit
(1NT) ─ 2H shows the major suits
(1NT) ─ 2S shows spades, but a weakish hand
(1NT) ─ X shows a single-suited hand
(1NT) ─ X ─ ?? ─ 2S shows spades, and a strongish hand
Note that the use of DONT foregoes the use of a penalty double.
A modification of DONT can be used as a defence against an opponent’s opening bid of a strong 1 Club.
A word of warning. Before you adopt any new convention, always have an in-depth conversation with your partner to make sure that you are both on the same page.
- John Brockwell
Canberra in Bloom
Canberra in Bloom is being held on 4-7 October with events catering for all levels. It is being played at Canberra Bridge Club, with morning and afternoon tea provided and prizes to win.
There are only a few spots left on the Friday pairs and Saturday teams, so if you want to play those events you will need to enter now.
For further information, contact Roger Brake at rbrakebridge.com.au or 0466009426
Canberra in Bloom - Help Needed
House reserves
Are you able to reserve for any of the events at Canberra in Bloom? We are looking for players at all levels to fill in if needed. If you are called on at short notice, you will play for free! If you can help out as a reserve please email
Volunteers
We also need volunteers to assist with a range of tasks during the Congress (eg, with setting up for the day, assisting with morning and afternoon teas). Some of these tasks can be done by people who are playing the events (eg work needed to be done following completion of play). If you can help out, even for just an hour or two, please email
CBC Sessions change October 4-7
Due to Canberra in Bloom being run in our club rooms during October 4-7, the following sessions have been cancelled:
- Friday (4 October) morning - OFF
- Friday (4 October) afternoon - OFF
- Saturday (5 October) afternoon - OFF
- Monday (7 October) morning - OFF
We encourage all our members to play in as many CIB competitions as possible but if you are not playing in the events please note that our RealBridge sessions will still be running as per schedule.
The Supervised Session on Friday 4 October will also be on as a special event from the Olive Lott Room.
- Supervised session on Friday morning - ON
- RealBridge sessions for Saturday and the two sessions for Monday - ON
Express Name Tag Order
For all those people needing a name tag in time for Canberra in Bloom, we will be submitting a new order next week.
Please put in your order by emailing the office by COB Wednesday 18 September.
The cost is $20 and it will be charged through myABF. Email your full name and abf number to
Upcoming Events
Mentored Play Session for Advanced Bridge Series
Don't forget there will be a mentored play session this Sunday to practice what you've learnt in last week's Advanced Bridge Series. Even if you haven't come to the lesson there's much to gain by playing in the mentored play session, to be hosted by Pam Crichton and Julia Hoffman.
- Mentored Play Session - Sunday 15 September 2024
- Time: 1:30pm
- Click here to Enter
Egon Larsen Butler Pairs
Next Tuesday night competition is a three weeks Butler Scoring event in either a Round Robin or Swiss Movement.
- 1 October - 15 October
- Click here to Enter
Introduction to Teams - CANCELLED
Unfortunately due to low numbers the Introduction to Teams event has been cancelled. Apologies for the inconvenience, please join us again when this event is rescheduled in the future.
RESULTS
Congratulations to the winners of the Cowra and District Bridge Club Congress in the Pairs event:
- JOHN DONOVAN and BRIAN THORP
Ian Morison
Message from the Office
- On 16th, 17th, 18th of September the top half of the carpark will be closed due to work done to replace the plumbing pipes.
Lighter Moments
An MIT linguistics professor was lecturing his class the other day. "In English," he said, "A double negative forms a positive. However, in some languages, such as Russian, a double negative remains a negative. But there isn't a single language, not one, in which a double positive can express a negative."
A voice from the back of the room said, "Yeah, right."
Have a great weekend everyone!
Elizabeth
