Newsletter 16 December 2022
In this week’s newsletter...
- President's Message
- Christmas Party - 21 December
- Summer Festival of Bridge Program for January 2023
- Results
- Bold Bidding with Ian Morison
- Sagittarian Horrorscope - compiled by Winsome Lossum
- Lighter Moments
President's Message
The beginners’ classes and now supervised sessions have enjoyed their last lessons this week. Supervised sessions will continue throughout the rest of December and January but without any formal lesson beforehand. This means you will probably be seeing some new faces at the bridge table who seem a little nervous at joining you in the next few months. Please be patient with them and welcome them generously. Remember there was a time when you were just beginning your bridge journey, and were unsure of what to bid, how to play, and made more errors than you wished. These new members are our future. They are often younger than we are and will be playing for many years after we are gone. Be helpful, tolerant, and respectful, just like how you were treated when you were learning.
In February we are proposing to have a Valentines Teams competition on Saturday 11th February. If it is to go ahead, we need someone to put their hand up to act as Convenor. Decisions need to be made about what food, if any, is to be supplied, how many boards to deal, and who will Direct? If you have interests of becoming more involved in the club as a director, committee member, or convenor this is a real opportunity to start off with a small competition which will be easily organised. We promise you assistance from experienced helpers. If interested, please contact me on 0412299093 or This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. and I will help.
Only 9 days till Christmas so enjoy your shopping experiences or even give a gift of Canberra Bridge Club membership to new playing partners.
Bridge is a game, it is also competitive, please keep both considerations in balance.
Tim Mather
Club Christmas Party - Wednesday 21 December - straight after Bridge
You're invited to a buffet style Christmas lunch with drinks - please advise if you have any dietary requirements.
Price $30 for lunch and sparkling, wine, beer or non-alcoholic beverages.
Non-members welcome!
Email to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. - please help out catering by RSVPing asaps with the cut off noon on Monday 19 December.
A Word on Governance
The CBC Committee Meeting minutes from 17 November are available here and on the noticeboard in the club.
Upcoming Sessions
Our weekly sessions are the same as last week - see our homepage. The Butler is back running on Thursday mornings assuming we have a viable number of tables.
Links to online sessions are on our RealBridge page. The Club is open every day except Christmas Day so please come in for a game over the Christmas New Year period.
CBC Pay low balance reminders were forwarded by email on Thursday. If you didn't get one you are in the black!
December and January Supervised Sessions Wednesday nights and Friday mornings at the Club
The supervised program for next year will restart in the first week in February. In the remainder of December and January we will run supervised duplicates as follows: Wednesday (commences 7pm); Friday (commences 9.30am). An experienced player will be available to provide advice. There will be no supervised lesson.
If you are interested, please come along. You don’t need a partner. There is no need to book.
The teaching team wishes everyone a safe and happy Christmas break! The Club will be open every day except Christmas Day so supervised sessions will occur (no lesson) on 28 and 30 December, 4 and 6 January, 11 and 13 January, 18 and 20 January and 25 and 27 January.
Master the Basics
Barb wishes everyone a safe and happy Christmas break! The Club will be open every day except Christmas Day.
Master the Basics virtual lessons will resume on 2 February 2023 on Thursdays at 9.00am. Please email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. if you want to be added to the Zoom class. It's $6 for members and $8 for non-members. The lessons run for 30 minutes.
Upcoming Events
Canberra Summer Festival of Bridge 10-22 January 2023
The Summer Festival of Bridge is on at the Rex Hotel Northbourne Ave. This is the first F2F event since 2020.
The Festival offers events for players of all levels. There are events for players with fewer than 100 masterpoints, to under 300, 500, 750, 1000 and many open events.
There are single day and multi day events with all events providing Gold Masterpoints.
A full program is on on the notice board at the Canberra Bridge Club, and also available on MYABF or at https://www.myabf.com.au/media/Congress-downloads/2022/10/31/sfob2023.1pdf
Summer Festival of Bridge - Help Wanted and Free Entry!
We are looking for volunteers to help set up and pack up the Summer Festival of Bridge. Set up is on Monday afternoon, 9 January and pack up is Friday 20 January. If you are a novice player, you can enter the Festival for free (up to 32 players). If you volunteer and enter as a new non-life master team, you get 50% off the entry fee (up to 8 players). These events cannot run without volunteers so please help out if you can. No skills are needed. Please contact Roger Brake if you wish to volunteer or have any questions (This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or 0466 009 426).
We also need volunteers to play as last minute substitutes. Please contact Perelle on This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or 0450 961 935 if you can help. This is also free entry and the opportunity to win GOLD masterpoints.
Canberra Summer of Bridge - Pair wanted
Two players from the Sunshine Coast Bridge Club Queensland are looking for a pair to enter the Under 750 teams competition on 16, 17 and 18 January.
They are travelling to Canberra to compete in the Summer Festival of Bridge in January 2023 in the Under 750 team event .
Both their rankings are Silver Life.
Fay Stanton ABF 88455
Gabrielle Elich ABF 837881
They ask for an early response if possible so they can complete their entries, as well as travel and accommodation plans. Please email alicefaystanton@gmail.com if you are interested.
Results
Peter Grant and Pam Crichton took out the 3 week Butler and Mixed Pairs from Sebastian Yuen and Christy Geromboux. Congratulations to all!
Looking for a Christmas Gift that keeps on Giving?
If you know someone that is interested in learning to play bridge, consider giving them a gift certificate for a set of beginner classes. It costs $69. For this they receive 6 x 2 hour lessons with notes and hand records and 3 free supervised lessons. The next beginners classes start in February.
Bold Bidding with Ian Morison
If you want to read Ian Morison's article on bidding a long weak major hand please open here.
Sagittarian Horrorscope
This week it will be all systems go in that area of your life you love to hate - bridge. You may well ask how you will bid if all your systems go? Don't despair - George Jesner was a champion for years without a system! Fall back on your spectacular card play as he did. With Jupiter dominating, devote yourself to declarer technique. Remember the most scientific auction won't help if you keep going off in those gin games.
(Editors note gin = cold)
Lighter Moments
Why don't elephants like playing cards in the jungle?
- Because of all the cheetahs!
Loving see all the new rose shoots on the pruned rose as you walk into the club. Thanks again Wes and Brett for your efforts during the working bee.
Loving see all the presents under the Christmas tree for Barnardo's. Well done contributors!
Cafe Delish closes next Friday 23 December and will reopen 9 January 2023.
Be kind to each other
Tamara (for Kerry and Tamara)