Newsletter - 18 December 2020

From the President:

Christmas is fast approaching, and I would like to thank the organisers of the Christmas Celebrations at the Club, Mary Tough and Michele Grant, for their wonderful idea and the carry through. I think we all enjoyed the cake and drink. Also included in this thankyou is John Hempenstall who worked tireless to help deliver the cake and drinks.

As I have noted before volunteers play a major role in the operation of the Club. In this regard, I would like to thank Allen Scerri for his  help with some heavy 2-person lifting. The other person lifting was John Hempenstall who does so much around the Club, and for bridge generally. 

I would also like to thank the many volunteers for helping with Supervised Play during the holiday period. 

As well as Christmas so also is the end of the year. I think most of us will be pleased to see the end of 2020, and hope that next year is better, with no smoke, no fires and no COVID. A very Happy Christmas and a New Year to all.

Margaret

Christmas & New Year Arrangements at the Club

Over the Christmas / New Year period (24 December to 4 January) bridge sessions at CBC will be as follows:

Face-to-face sessions

All current face-to-face sessions will occur except not on 24, 25 & 31 December (so no face-to-face bridge on the two Thursdays and Christmas Day).

Online sessions

All online sessions will be available, including BBO at 10.15am on 24, 28 & 31 December and 4 January. So the BBO Monday and Thursday morning sessions will be available as per usual.

The Wednesday 7.15pm online session on 30 December will proceed also. We will advise the format (BBO or RealBridge) via the website on 24 December. Please look for this advice.  Due to absences etc after Christmas, the results of the survey of RealBridge trial participants will not be known until the New Year, and the longer-term arrangements will be advised then.

We hope the above arrangements will mean that all members who wish to play bridge over the holiday season will be able to do so.

Office Opening over Christmas & New Year

The office will be closed completely on Christmas Day. Kerry and Emily plan to be in the office as normal where daytime sessions are occuring. However on days where there is no daytime session, they will not be available at the Club. Thus, on 24 December please contact the office by email - the phone will not be answered. 

Merry Christmas everyone.

Help wanted

The Canberra Bridge Club holds certain significant financial assets in the Barry Turner Fund. The fund is managed internally by a group of four members chaired by our Treasurer Lyn Turner. We presently have a vacancy and are seeking some help from a member who has an interest in and understanding of investments in the share market and associated cash accounts. The group meets briefly about four times a year. If you would like to help the club, please contact our Treasurer Lyn Turner.

Committee Meeting Minutes

The Committee Meeting minutes from 9 November 2020 are now available to download on the Committee page, or view on the Committee Noticeboard at the Club.

Beginners Lessons - February 2021

Our next Beginners Lessons are being held in February 2021. For full times and dates please view our Beginners Lessons webpage.

Places are filling up fast, with lots of interest in the lessons, so if you or someone you know is interested please contact either the office (This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.) or Lesley Gunson quickly to avoid missing out.

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.

The raffle is being drawn this coming Monday (21 December) - if you wish to purchase last-minute tickets, please make your payment via Bank Transfer and email a copy of the transaction to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. so we are aware (if not attending on Monday). You will still be able to buy tickets at the Monday morning session before it is drawn.

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)

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 21 December:

• Monday morning 10:00am                                                     Sally Barber
• Monday evening 7:00pm (walk-in)                                         Christy Geromboux
• Tuesday afternoon 1:15pm                                                    Sally Barber
• Wednesday morning 10:00am                                               Ian Robinson
• Thursday morning 10:00am (MP and Imps)                          CLOSED - Christmas Eve - BBO Only
• Friday afternoon 1:15pm                                                       CLOSED - Christmas Day

Reminders for in-Club sessions:

• 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.
• 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.
• One person ONLY in the kitchen at a time, after start of play. You are welcome to gently remind others if you see they have forgotten.

Next week on BBO

For the week commencing Monday 21 December, we have scheduled on BBO:

• Monday Morning 10:15am                           Jodi Tutty
• Thursday Morning 10:15am (matchpoint)    Jodi Tutty

Next week on RealBridge Online

• Wednesday Evening Matchpoint/Duplicate 7:15pm - No registration required. Link to session will be posted on the RealBridge information page at 5pm Wednesday.
  Directed by John Donovan

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

BFACT InterClub Teams 2020

Do you want to represent your club? The BFACT interclub teams event to be held on Sunday 17 January 2021 is looking for entries.

Categories are:

• Novice: <100MP at Jan 17 2021
• Restricted: <300MP at Jan 17 2021
• Intermediate: <750MP at Jan 17 2021
• Senior: Born before 01/01/1960

Put together a team of 4 people and nominate (state representatives not eligible to enter) for the event.

Enter via our Online Entry Form. Please note the location has not been decided yet - could be live at the club or on realbridge. When nominating please indicate which location you would play at (or 'either'). Don't forget to state your category too!

Full details available on the BFACT InterClub Teams event page. 

Results

Correction: Swiss Pairs on Real Bridge

Our aplogies the results listed in last week's newsletters were the first night's results, and did not have the updated results from the Finals. Here are the correct results.

1. Neil Ewart & Ian Robinson
2. Chris Quail & Julia Hoffman
3. Elizabeth Havas & Malcolm Carter

Correction: Alan McArthur Pairs

Our appologies, somehow we inverted the 3rd & 4th placements in last week's newsletter. The correct result was:

3rd - Stephen Carter, Emlyn Williams, Roy Nixon, Margaret Kyburz, Bob Cox, Sue La Peyre=
4th - Chris Quail, Julia Hoffman, Pam Crichton, Ross Crichton

Lighter Moments - Christmas edition

What did the stamp say to the Christmas card?
Stick with me and we’ll go places

What do Santa’s little helpers learn at school?
The elf-abet

What do they sing at a snowman’s birthday party?
Freeze a jolly good fellow

Did you hear that production was down at Santa’s workshop?
Many of his workers have had to elf isolate