Bridge Club News

Ray Hirst and Marieta Borthwick triumphed in the Swiss Pairs event on Tuesday 19 September.

They were 5 IMPs ahead of second placed Terry and Lois Rothwell who in turn edged out Michael and Margaret Draper. It appears mixed pairs do well at Swiss Pairs.

Our expert speaker on the night was Will Jenner-O'Shea who also played with his partner Vanessa Brown. Will spoke on bidding style and how to assess your own and your partner on the Adventurous to Cautious scale.

Forty-eight intrepid bridge players of all skill levels braved the cold and blustery weather to pitch their wits against each other in the Peninsula Members-only Teams day under direction from John McIlrath.

The five session event was won by team the Small team (Anne Small, Vivien Eldridge, Michael Draper and Margaret Draper) with the Bailey team (Ian Bailey, Lynn Baker, John Rogers and Margaret Rogers) placed second. Check out the full results.

Anne was very welcoming to Patrick - her kibitzer from France. After hearing both Anne and John McIlrath’s attempts to impress Patrick with their french skills, I can safely say he was much more impressed with Anne's bridge skills and John’s directing skills!

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Join your friends in our members only teams day on Thursday 12 April. This one-day event comprises only five matches running from 10am to about 4pm. Come early with a savoury or sweet food offering and share morning tea before play starts.

Last year this Members' Teams was won by the Small team (Anne Small, Vivien Eldridge, Michael Draper and Margaret Draper) ahead of the Bailey team (Ian Bailey, Lynn Baker, John Rogers and Margaret Rogers). In 2018 the second prize will go to the best remaining team with a less than 100MP team average.

This is a fun and friendly teams event, with a competitive edge as is normal with bridge. Come and enjoy the day. Check all the event details, including how to enter on the Club Noticeboard. You can use the entry list to enter as a pair if you are looking for team mates.

If you missed Joan's workshop on Modern Competitive Bidding on Saturday 9 September, then you missed out. It was excellent and there was so much chatter afterwards with people saying how much they had enjoyed it and how much they had learnt.

Her morning workshop on “Modern Competitive Bidding” was well attended even though it clashed with compulsory voting for council elections. Those members present certainly got value for their $12 as well as justification for giving up a valuable Saturday morning. I spoke to several attendees and they were unanimous in saying it was very worthwhile.

Joan is a gifted teacher in bridge – no wonder she is the ABF Teaching Coordinator – as she can communicate to all levels of players. Her logical explanations, her empathy with the attendees, her anecdotes and quotes, reinforces the principles she is teaching. You can see a you-tube video version of her presentation.

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The Charity Day on Monday 4 September was well attended across the full range of members. Check the full results on our website. The restricted section winners, Sue Davies, Terry Mackin, Gil Elliot and Terry Herfort each took home a bottle of wine. Here are first hand reports first from Terry Herfort and secondly from Marg Cliffe:

Terry: "I was keen to attend my second charity day, as I so much enjoyed my first. Well, Monday certainly lived up to my expectation and in fact succeeded my expectations.

Why? Charity Day is a day of lots of talking, friendship, congeniality, bonhomie and bridge. And all for a good cause. The fact that the proceeds of the day were going to two honourable local charities made it worthwhile.

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Put a note in your diary for next Saturday, 9th September at 9.30 until 11.30. Joan Butts will be with us at Peninsula holding a workshop on: Modern competitive bidding.

The general trend in today's game is to be more aggressive, especially in competitive auctions. Put pressure on the opponents by getting in their way. Everyone plays a role: opener, responder, intervener and the advancer. This workshop will show you when to bid a lot and when not to. Check the event details and flier.

We look forward to seeing you there.

Anita and Jo, along with Terry and I, had fun on a bridge holiday in Thailand. We played among our group of 24 but also played in local bridge clubs. The venues were wildly diverse, from a grand and opulent Country Club to a hot and dingy room above a bar, making our own club at Peninsula seem wonderful.

The players were equally diverse, mainly expatriates and mainly men. Our own accommodations were splendid, the pick being this lovely villa on a cliff overlooking the sea at Phuket.

Anita and Jo are pictured with Greg Eustace and Gaye Allen who hosted the holiday, as well as Jenny from a Newcastle club. Back to earth now!

A congress level bridge player, who has lost the use of her legs, is looking for some good bridge competition. She is located in an aged care facility on the lower northern beaches and is comfortable with playing bridge online at Bridge Base Online.

We are looking for one or both of the following:

• A small number of bridge players who would be able to trial playing face to face with her at her (lovely) facility every now and again, and/or
• One or two bridge players who are happy to trial being her online partner on BBO.

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