Bridge Club News

Thank you to the club for launching a tournament for all of us falling under 15 MPs, commemorating the fabulous Cath Whiddon.

Most of us have had lessons with Cath and have learned so much from her. Appreciating her kindness and sense of humour in the face of our sometimes difficult learning experience. Thing is we are all improving thanks to Cath and remember that if diamonds are not forever, and clubs are for cave people, we will always bid hearts or spades and hope for the best.

Congratulations to all the pairs who participated over three consecutive Mondays and to our inaugural winners Margaret Wayland and Peter Sate, and runners-up Doreen Heideman and Hazel Carroll!

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Sometimes the director might be busy with another call, and at other times it may take them anything up to 10 seconds to arrive. What do you do while you’re waiting? 

This article is not going to answer that – instead it will provide some advice on what NOT to do in various situations:

You’ve revoked (or so the opponents claim – as if!)

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On the weekend of 4-5 May, we competed in the Autumn Nationals Bridge Congress in Adelaide.

Trumps members Neil Williams and Rob Holgate invited us to join them to enter the Under Life Masters Teams.

To qualify for this category, three team members were required to be under Life Master rank (300MP) while one team member could be a Life Master, but below Bronze Life Master rank.

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April saw the Autumn Individual event fought over four Mondays, with the best three scores counting.

Players had to play with different partners each week for the scores to count.

Congratulations to Verl Lawrence who prevailed with excellent scores, ahead of Sue Riley and Hans van Weeren. Verl cleverly planned ahead and played with her closest rival, Sue Riley, in the last week.

This clinic is highly recommended - not to be missed!

We, on the Bridge Education committee, are constantly looking for ways to help you improve your game and hence your enjoyment of the game. This month we have invited Joan Butts to present two workshops on Sunday 19 May.

Joan is one of Australia’s best known bridge teachers, Joan Butts. The workshops are multi-level and suitable for players of all abilities.

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We had a great teams congress at Peninsula on Sunday 28 April with 37 tables. Thanks to director Ronnie Ng who coped well with the stress of a team not turning up.

Len, Gayle, Nerida and Sarah took second place in the restricted, with Jocelyn, Lyn, Vivien and myself the best Peninsula open team (but not great...). It was great to see Kate McCallum, current world champion, competing with us. Check the full results.

Thanks to all those who helped in any way especially Gayle King for organising all the food and Bill Fitzsimons who gave up his Sunday to caddy and Di Agostino and Terry Rothwell for the extra last minute dealing and especially Annegrete Kolding who was assistant convenor but on the day was too sick to attend.

Update your Diary. The Charity Day has moved from June to Monday 22 July, commencing at 11am.

Check all the Charity Day event details or talk with the conveners, Trish Berry and Sue Riley. 

Cost is $25 this includes lunch and afternoon tea - all monies raised will go to Rural Fire Service and the Palliative Care Unit at Mona Vale Hospital. Invite your friends.

I am pleased to announce the start of a new Honour Board pairs competition, the Cath Whiddon Cup, for our many "super novice" players. In 2019 this will be restricted to players with less than 15MP as at end March, but this level might vary in future years.

Entrants will play as a pair over three Mondays 20 and 27 May and 3 June. Check the event details.

In announcing this competition the Committee and Tournament Sub-Committee are responding to the fact that more than one third of Peninsula’s members have less than 15MP.

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