Newsletter 3 April 2025
In our newsletter this week...
- President's Message
- April is Auction Awareness Month
- New Members
- Mentoring in May
- ANC OPEN Selection Trial
- Easter Raffle
- Results
- Upcoming Events
- Lighter Moments
President's Message
Last weekend the Clubrooms were again full of aspiring bridge players battling it out to represent the ACT, or become the next ACT/CBC Champions!
BFACT Seniors Trials were held on Saturday and Sunday with 10 pairs competing to represent the ACT at the Australian National Championship in Brisbane in July.
2025 ACT Seniors Team: Christopher Quail & Richard Brightling, Sean Mullamphy & Peter Reynolds, Malcolm Carter & Elizabeth Havas.
On Sunday the ACT Region Rookie and Novice Championships were held with 60 players competing.
2025 ACT Rookie Championship:
1st - Subhash Dang & Sneh Dang (Gungahlin Bridge Club)
2nd - Lyndall Kennedy & Kate Latimer
3rd - Caitlyn McKenzie & Julie North
2025 ACT Novice Championship:
1st - Josh Schwartz & Maxwell Ashurst
2nd - Susie Thearle & Jenny Bergin
= 3rd - David & Kathleen Kenny, and Nicola Meares & Sharon Michael
Congratulations to all who played, we hope you had a fun time and enjoyed your day/s.
There are a lot of people to thank who work tirelessly behind the scenes making these events successful! Special thanks go to Barbara Bialowas who again provided the players with a fabulous feast at the end of the event! Barbara is always doing these small things that quite often go unnoticed, so thank you again. Thanks to Jodi and the Managers for all their work encouraging players to enter the Rookie/Novice Championship. And to Sebastian Yuen who spent his weekend directing (including the Saturday afternoon bridge session). Thanks also to the “bartenders” Niek and Ian. Hopefully I haven’t forgotten anyone!
BFACT Open Teams Finals Event concluded this Wednesday and the winning team is:
- KOZAKOS (George Kozakos, Ian Thomson, Ian Robinson, David Appleton, Brad Coles)
Congratulations to the KOZAKOS Team and I would also like to congratulate the runners up: the HURST Team.
Well done everyone!
Good luck to all those travelling to Merimbula this weekend for the Sapphire Coast Congress. We hope you have success (and FUN).
~ Mary
April is Auction Awareness Month
I have been a club recorder, regular player and occasional director at the Canberra Bridge Club over the last few years. One of the issues that continually arises is a lack of understanding around correct bidding practice.
This sometimes causes tension at the table, so I thought that it would be worthwhile putting together a few articles. These will appear in the newsletter weekly during April. Articles will be…
1. When to announce, when to alert, when to say nothing.
2. After the bidding.
3. Questions during the bidding and unauthorised information
4. Role of the director and recorder.
If you have any questions or suggestions, please send me an email to
Please remember to be kind to your partner and to the opponents!
Rob Hurst
When to announce, when to alert, when to say nothing…
We announce 2 bids…
- An opening bid of 1C, we should either announce the minimum number of clubs held, eg “minimum of 3” or announce the bid as “strong” or “unusual” (the last 2 are rare in club play)
- An opening bid of 1NT, we announce the point range, eg “15 to 17" (or
again announce if it is unusual, although this is a lot rarer). Do not add any extra information such as “may contain a 5-card major”. Announcing is only for an opening bid, not a 1NT overcall, although of course you can always ask!
Do not “announce” any other bid, I often find players that give a running commentary of the auction. Opener will bid 2C and partner will announce “strong”, then responder will bid 2D and partner will announce “waiting”. This is not legal practice as it is providing unauthorised information to partner. The correct thing to say is “alert” and nothing more!
Which bids to alert…
In general terms, the only conventional bid that should not be alerted
is 2C in response to partner's opening 1NT (other exceptions below).
Bids such as 2D after partner opens 2C should always be alerted
(unless it actually means “diamonds” and nothing more). In addition,
any bid that carries additional information should be alerted. An
example of this is a 2H response to a 2C opening, the bid may actually
mean “hearts”, but if it promises 8+ points, alert it!
All conventional opening bids should be alerted at any level and any
other conventional bid up to and including 3NT. For example, an opening
bid of 4C showing a strong heart pre-empt should be alerted. However,
If partner opens 1NT and you bid a Texas transfer 4C meaning “hearts”,
this should not be alerted (it is higher than 3NT).
Bridge is a game of transparency. A good rule of thumb is that if your
bid carries any additional information that is not apparent to the
opponents, you should alert it. An example of this is a very weak 3S
response to partner’s 1S opening, you are bidding the suit you have, but
the bid conveys extra information, it should be alerted by partner.
When in doubt, alert!
Note that if you make a pass and it forces partner to take a particular action or has a special meaning that this should be alerted also. An example of this is a double of a 1NT opening bid, many players have an agreement that the pass forces partner to redouble. This pass should be alerted.
When to say nothing...
There are certain bids that are never alerted…
* Any double or redouble.
* Any non-opening bid beyond 3NT
* Any suit bid or implied by the opponents.
Next week’s article will be about correct procedure after the bidding is complete.
New Members
Canberra Bridge Club welcomes the following new and returning member to the club:
- Ian McArthur
Mentoring in May
The Mentoring in May program matches mentors and mentees for 2 games during May.
The mentor and mentee play for 2 sessions during May.
Mentees pay the table money for their mentors.
In general, the mentor plays the mentee’s system.
If you are interested in becoming a mentor or mentee (or both!), please email Rowan Corbett at
Please provide the following information in your email.
- Whether you are interested in being a mentor and / or a mentee.
- Your approximate skill level (beginner, intermediate, solid or advanced).
- In general terms, for which session(s) you would be available.
2025 ACT Open Team Selection Event
On weekend of 10/11 May an event to select the ACT Open team for 2025 will be held. Details and entry in MyABF (in Calendar view select State=ACT).
All pairs who are members of a BFACT affiliated club are encouraged to enter.
Easter Raffle
The club is holding another Easter raffle to be drawn on 11th April 2025.
Tickets are available from the table under the noticeboard and cost $2 each or 3 for $5.
The proceeds will be shared between the club and the club's charity for this year - the Arthritis Foundation.
Upcoming Events
The next Youthish Nights at the Canberra Bridge Club is on:
- Friday 18 April (Good Friday)
Each evening will have the following schedule:
• Session 1: 4:30 PM - 6:30 PM
• Dinner: 6:30 PM - 7:00 PM
• Session 2: 7:00 PM - 10:00 PM
Come to either or both!
Register your interest by completing the sign up sheet in the Barry Turner Room or emailing
Lighter Moments
An exercise for people who are out of shape:
Begin with a five-pound potato bag in each hand. Extend your arms straight out from your sides, hold them there for a full minute, and then relax. After a few weeks, move up to ten-pound potato bags. Then try 50-pound potato bags, and eventually try to get to where you can lift a 100-pound potato bag in each hand and hold your arms straight for more than a full minute. Once you feel confident at that level, put a potato in each bag
Thanks to everyone who came to the Kieser exercise class, it was a very informative and well organised session. We even got extra workout because at the end we moved all the tables and chairs back.
Don't forget that we are open as per usual during Easter and Anzac public holidays.
Have a great week everyone !
Elizabeth
