Newsletter - 4 December 2020

From the President:

I would like to thank the volunteers, last Saturday, who decorated the club house for Christmas. I would also like to thank the gardeners working in the Club’s gardens, spraying, mulching and mowing the grass. The volunteers, Pam Crichton, Keith Mitchell, Michele Grant, Lesley Gunson, John Hempenstall, Janet Kahler, David Thompson, Meurine Thomas, and Liz Van Der Hor. The Club surrounds look neat and tidy and inside looks bright and cheery. After a terrible year, I hope that you all have a very happy and safe Christmas.

However, we still need volunteers to wash the cleaning cloths and tidy the kitchen after each session of play. Each job doesn’t take long, and if several people volunteer, the work load is easy for all.

As we have many new members playing at the Club, don’t forget to welcome them to the Club. Remember to be friendly and polite to your partner and to the opposition.

Margaret

Christmas Celebrations at the Club

This year CBC is planning to celebrate Christmas and farewell 2020, truly an annus horribilis, at all Clubroom sessions from Tuesday afternoon 8 December to Monday evening 14 December.  

At each session there will be a short break in play for a small COVID-compliant celebration. Members will be offered a glass of champagne/OJ/mineral water and a slice of Christmas cake courtesy of the Club. A gluten-free option will be available. Note that the session may finish a few minutes later than normal.

The Christmas tree and decorations will be up. To add even more cheer, members are encouraged to wear something festive.

We hope you can join one of these sessions to help celebrate Christmas at the Clubrooms!

Christmas Raffle

Our annual Christmas Raffle is now available for purchasing raffle tickets at the club, and on display for your drool-worthy pleasure. Please bring your own pen to write your raffle tickets and exact change, due to our COVID-19 Safety Plan we cannot share pens or give change.

Tickets are $2 each, or 3 for $5.

50% of profits go to Canberra Bridge Club, and 50% to our Club charity Beyond Blue.

Prizes:

1. Hamper
2. Christmas Cake
3. Christmas Crackers (Bon-Bons)

Barnardos Christmas Gifts for Kids

CBC has a tradition of present giving at Christmas.This year we would like to direct these gifts to Barnardos. If you wish to help, please bring:

• presents for teenage boys aged 14-18 (e.g. Gift vouchers for movies, bowling,  jb hifi, Westfield, clothing or sports stores, lynx or other hygiene or pamper packs, clothes) would be very welcome unwrapped. 
• Food such as Christmas puddings and chocolates & more standard items such as tinned, food, spaghetti, jam, cereal, Milo will also help. 

We need the donations by Friday 11 December.

Volunteers Needed for Supervised Bridge Sessions over the Holiday Period

Our teachers work tirelessly through the year looking after our up-and-coming Bridge players. Over Christmas and January is their (much needed!) rest period.

We really need volunteers to help between 21st December to 29th January to supervise their Monday Evening 7pm-10pm and Friday Morning 10am-12:30pm sessions. You do not need to 'teach', just supervise their playing and possibly even sit in to play if required to make up a table (of course, this is FREE). 

No experience required! You will be given full instructions!
You don't need to be available every week either - we aim to have a roster to be able to share the load. For this we need as many volunteers as possible (even if you can only do 1 day!).

Please help us show appreciation to our teaching team through supporting their students throughout the holiday period.

Next week at the Clubrooms

Have you read the new versions of the CBC COVID-19 Safety Plan and Checklist for Members & Kitchen?

• COVID-19 Safety Plan & Checklist & Checklist (including how to buy vouchers and payment details)
• At the end of all sessions, all players (not just east and west) are responsible for cleaning the tables, bidding boxes etc.

For the week commencing Monday 7 December we have six sessions scheduled at the clubrooms

• Monday morning 10:00am                                                     Bruce Crossman
• Monday evening 7:00pm (walk-in) & 7:15pm (event)            Christy Geromboux
• Tuesday afternoon 1:15pm                                                    Sally Barber
• Wednesday morning 10:00am                                               Jodi Tutty
• Thursday morning 10:00am (MP and Imps)                          Ian Robinson
• Friday afternoon 1:15pm                                                        Bruce Crossman

Reminders for in-Club sessions:

• Please make Vouchers & Membership payments made via Table Money envelope, unless this is a volunteer at the entrance door.
• BYO Pen (table money envelope, raffle, etc). If you do need to borrow a pen, please sanitise it at the end of the session/use.
• Kitchen opens at start of play – not before. If there is no volunteer, the kitchen will be closed.
• One person ONLY in the kitchen at a time. You are welcome to gently remind others if you see they have forgotten.
• Payment of vouchers ($50/$45) by online bank transfer is greatly preferred, to reduce cash handling and processing time. For those unable to pay by bank transfer, please have the exact cash amount to prevent needing change given.

Next week on BBO

For the week commencing Monday 7 December, we have scheduled 2 tourneys on BBO. Please note the move of Wednesday Evening to be on RealBridge (below).

• Monday Morning 10:15am                           Bruce Crossman
• Thursday Morning 10:15am (matchpoint)    Ian Robinson

Next week on RealBridge Online

• Week 2 of Swiss Pairs - Wednesday Evening 7:25pm - 2nd & 9th December
  View the current entry list
• Wednesday Evening Matchpoint/Duplicate 7:15pm - No registration required. Link to session will be posted on the RealBridge information page at 5pm Wednesday 9 December.

Thursday Covering the Basics

Thursday Covering the Basics lessons are now being conducted in a dual-mode, i.e. at the Club and streamed live on Zoom.

We would love to see you at the Club on Thursdays at 9:15am sharp, or via Zoom. Please contact Barb Toohey for details of the Zoom link.

Cost: $6 for members or $8 for non-members.

Update your details and permission to list

As the club will not be producing a 2021 calendar/member list it is more important than ever that your personal details as recorded in Pianola are correct.

You are able to update your details in Pianola yourself - see instructions in previous newsletters. Whilst we encourage members to update their details themselves to reduce the office administration burdons, we understand that for some members this is not possible. If you are unable to update your details yourself please send an email to the office (This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or "reply" to the email newsletter) to confirm your current details and advise of permission for your phone and/or email to be listed in Pianola for other members to view. 

Upcoming Events

Sydney Spring Nationals Online Pairs

• Saturday 12 & Sunday 13 December
• Cost $A90.00 per pair
• Conducted on RealBridge
• Register through the SSNOP webpage

3 Events:

• Open Swiss Matchpoint Pairs
  System allowed Green, Blue, and Red (plus Brown Sticker). No Yellow.
• Restricted Swiss Matchpoint Pairs (<300 MP as at 30 June, 2020)
  System allowed Green and Blue.
• Novice Swiss Matchpoint Pairs (<100 MP as at 30 June, 2020)
  System allowed Green and Blue.

Saturday 12 December - Sunday 13 December

• 10.00am 2 x 10 board matches
• 12.30pm Lunch break
• 1.15pm 3 x 10 board matches

RealBridge

The Sydney Spring Nationals Online Pairs 2020 will be held on RealBridge, an online platform with access to your camera and microphone allowing you to see and talk to the people at your table. It is essential that you perform a Camera and Microphone test in advance.

It is possible to play on RealBridge without a microphone and camera but the system works best with sound and vision.

Details of RealBridge practice mini-sessions will be posted on the Results page

Enquiries Contact
Mike Prescott 0435 528 872 This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Results

November Eclectics

Monday Morning: Denis Grahame & Bob Cox

Morning Evening: Tamara Cutcliff & Gill Tidey

Tuesday Afternoon: Margaret Kyburz & Dorothy Jesner

Wednesday Morning: Bruce Crossman & Niek Van Vucht

Thursday Morning - Matchpoint/Blue: George McLean & Tim Mather
Thursday Morning - Butler/Red: Peter Grant & Ross Crichton

Friday Afternoon: 

Promotions

*Local

• Michele Grant
• Jim Lawrence

ABF NWP Online

29th November
N/S 2nd - Allen & Susan Scerri

Lighter Moments

Continuous improvement is better than delayed perfection.
- Mark Twain

The secret of getting ahead is getting started.
- Mark Twain