Newsletter - 19 April 2018

From the President:

On Tuesday we had the delightful sight in the club of 20 (very) young people playing card games, including, of course, bridge.

Thank you to BFACT for its support of this initiative. Many thanks to the marginally less young people involved: Elainne Leach, whose enthusiasm is responsible for Bridge for Kids, and her band of helpers – Patricia McDonald, Margaret Kyburz, Bev Crossman, Bruce Crossman, Paul Haley and Susie Ryrie – and to the family members of the children.

To make the club a pleasant place for all, CBC has some dress standards; these are fairly simple and include wearing shoes, no thongs and no singlet tops.

The date is fast approaching for our Trash & Treasure Stall at Fyshwick, 28 April, ie Saturday week. Donations of slices, cakes, biscuits and jams for sale would be welcome on the day.

Please remember, as you sign up for Mentoring in May, to consider Friday morning as a possible session.

Best wishes,
Pam

Wednesday Night Fire

On Wednesday evening 2 April, Richard Hills’ bridge discussion before play was interrupted by a strong smell of gas emanating from the upstairs kitchen. After abandoning ship and leaving the building (Elvis was not sighted), our intrepid gang continued the discussion in the car park and waited for the fire brigade to declare "all safe and sound" before moving back inside for the normal session.

Name tags

The Committee has decided to make professional name tags available to interested Club members. The badges are magnetic (no pins), silver with the Club logo & Club name and your name. A must for those attending congresses and tournaments. Cost is $15 per badge.

If you would like one of these attractive, professional badges please pay the Managers who will place the orders.

Andrew Spooner and the Australian Youth Team

Andrew Spooner is currently playing in the Australian Youth team at the Australia Pacific Bridge Federation Championships in Indonesia.

The team finished 5th (out of 13 competitors), just missing qualification for the semi-finals.

We are very proud of Andrew’s achievements and hope he is enjoying his time there.

Tuesday and Thursday night players

Please note that from 1 May to 31 August those sessions will commence at 7.00pm. 

Working Bee

Advance notice that we plan to hold a working bee at the club on Saturday 26 May from 9.30.

Australian Bridge Magazine

Welcome to a new sponsor of the Club- The Australian Bridge Magazine.

The Magazine is sponsoring the upcoming Southern Tablelands Team event.

Upcoming Events

• Australian Bridge Magazine Southern Tablelands Teams – Sunday 20^th May
  Session commences at 10:00am, 2 Sessions
  • Red Masterpoints
  • Swiss Teams Congress Event
  • Open and Restricted/Novice sections
  • Lunch and After play nibbles
  • Pre-Entry Required - Entries close 1pm 17th May
  • $35 per player members & out of town visitors
    
  • $38 per player for ACT non-members
  • Half price for Youth Players

For all above events, entry lists are on the BT Noticeboard in the Club and on the Club Website.

Quiz Night – 12^th May

• $15 per person + optional donations & ‘joker’
• 7:00pm for quiz to commence at 7.30pm
• 5 categories, with 53 questions in total
• Fundraiser for MS Society
• Full details available on the website
• Sign up for the Quiz Night on the sheet on the wall in the BT Room, enter online, or by contacting the office.

Australian Mixed Team Survey

Ben Thompson is running a survey for the ABF on how the Australian Mixed Team should be selected. The WBF has added the mixed category to world championships in odd-numbered years (ie Bermuda Bowl years) starting from 2019; it was already on the list of categories for the Olympiad years (starting in 2016). Read the ABF article on the survey.

Mentoring in May

Mentor & mentee sign-up sheets are now available. Please find them located under the TV in the BT Room, and completed sheets should be placed in the labelled box there.

Applications close 27^th April.

Ballarat Visit

Some of our members visited Ballarat for the 3rd year between 11th and 14th April for 4 days of bridge at the Annual Ballarat Bridge Club Festival. As in previous years the Ballarat Club went out of their way to provide an extremely welcoming atmosphere and a very well run Festival with visitors from Canberra, Geelong, the Mornington Peninsula and Warrnambool amongst other places.   

Canberra members placed well with Lesley Gunson and Keith Mitchell placing 1st East/West in the Festival Matchpoint Pairs with 66.63%, and 4th in the Festival Swiss Pairs. Claire Hughes and Cathi Bywater placed 1st in the Restricted Festival Swiss Pairs. On both Wednesday and Friday a companionable and tasty light lunch was served with homemade cakes and biscuits available all day.

Richard Giles and his helpers made the Festival very efficient and friendly with a minimal cost and warm welcome. We recommend attending this Festival next year as well as welcoming the Ballarat members to Canberra in Bloom.

Bridge Lessons for Continuing Students

This is a 4 week basic course on Competitive Bidding and Defence designed for students who have completed the Beginners course.

Dates: Tuesday 1^st May 2018 to 22^nd May     Time:  10am to 12 noon

Costs:  $15 per week or $55 for the complete course.

Featured Topics:

• Week 1:  Doubles
• Week 2:  Overcalls
• Week 3:  Leads
• Week 4:  Signals

Skills Development Workshops – 28^th & 29^th April

Leading Melbourne teachers Pete Hollands & Laura Ginnan

Saturday, 9:45am

• Cost: $35
• Two (2) Workshops, followed by play & discussion  (To Compete Or Not To Compete, and Cue Raises)
• Refreshment: Bring your own lunch or order through the Club on Saturday morning (Cost: $5)

Sunday, 9:45am

• Cost: $25
• Two (2) Workshops only (Bidding Weak Hands in Difficult Situations, and Double Trouble)

Bookings: Please book Online or ring Managers.
More Information: Perelle Scales, M: 0450 961 935

Beginners' Bridge Lessons – May 2018

Lessons commence:

• Monday evenings 21^st May          7:00pm
• Friday mornings 25^th May          10:00am

The 6 week course costs $75, and includes a textbook, detailed notes and one free supervised play session.

Speak to the office managers to enrol (phone: 6282 2382).

Master the Basics – cement your Bridge skills

The next lesson will not be on Wednesday April 25, with Barb Toohey.

• ANZAC Day - No lesson

Supervised Session 2018 – all Beginners should attend

Supervised session topics	Mondays (starting at 7.00pm)	Thursdays & Fridays (starting at 9.30am)
Card play - Finesse		20th April (Friday)
Better Minor, responses & rebids	23rd April	26th April (Thursday)  27th April (Friday)
Doubles & Overcalls	30th April	3rd May (Thursday) 4th May (Friday)

Barb, Ann and Jeanette

Rank Promotions for March

Graduate –                Margaret Cox, Tom Flynn, Andrew Gibbs, Elizabeth Hannan

*Local –                     John Turner

**Local –                   Tamara Cutcliffe, Frank Hambly, Ann Howarth, Brett Yeats, Jennifer Yeats

Regional –                 Cathi Bywater, Kathryn Cole

*Regional –               Catherine Cregan

Bronze Life –             Jim Murray

Results

Congratulations to John Brockwell, Val Brockwell, Elizabeth Havas and Chris Stead, who won The Sapphire Coast Congress Teams event.

Fyshwick Trash & Treasure Stall

The Club will be holding a fundraising stall on Saturday 28^th April.

Donations from club members would be most appreciated. Relatively small portable and saleable items only are what we need – books, CDs, DVDs, jewellery, vases, kitchen items, collectables, toys, games, etc. etc.

If you have any questions or would like to help on the day please contact:

Janet Kahler – ph. 6239 7268 or Gwen Jamieson Gray – ph. 0405 193 584.