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SEPTEMBER 2011

Since the average person's small supply of politeness must last him all his life, he can't afford to waste it on bridge partners. / Alfred Sheinwold

GENERAL NEWS

Beginners’ Lessons: We have a great class of approximately 15 beginners currently undertaking the lessons. The next stage is practice on “real”hands on Monday nights, and we will be calling for volunteers to help mentor them through the difficult first stages.

Refresher Lessons: Robyn Michelson is going to start these in the near future – keep an eye out for notices to appear on the board.

Improvers’ Lessons:

  1. Classes run by Graham Cheater are to begin on 3 October at the Waikanae Bridge Clubrooms. A notice has been posted on the noticeboard.
  2. Richard Solomon, New Zealand’s Bridge Development Officer, has agreed to visit us next year to conduct improvers’ lessons – details to follow at a later date.

New Directors: Following the recent course run by Dale Wills, new directors are beginning to undertake directing duties. Please try to make them comfortable during these early stages, and remember not to bid or lead out of turn!

Charity Begins At Home: An application has been made to register the Club as a charitable entity. If successful, donations to the Club will be liable to a one-third tax deduction. Unfortunately it doesn’t apply to subscriptions!

EVENTS NEWS

In-House Fun Day: A successful in-house tournament was held on 14 August, sponsored by The Law Connection. Because we charged an entry fee, and also had a great raffle we were able to record a surplus of $625.92which will be included in the refurbishment fund. Section winners on the day were:

Section One:

1st:Leon Hunia and Stafford Marshall

2nd:Bev Ferrier and Irene Galloway

Section Two:

1st:Tris Officer and Ellie Garden

2nd:Liz Steinbauer and Dorothy Franks

Section Three:

1st:Ann Pearce and Tony Perkins

2nd:Pat Prendeville and Margaret Powell

Section Four:

1st:Ada Kattenberg and Doreen O’Neill

2nd:Sara Enoka and Pat McArthur

Many thanks to themany helpers for helping on the day to make it a success, and to our scorer Helen Edwards.

Waikanae Intermediate/Junior: The Paraparaumu Club covered itself in glory at this tournament, with many members collecting major prizes! Congratulations to the following:

1st Overall and Jnr/Int Winners: Lou Macdonald and Judith Macdonald (Waikanae mamber)

2nd Overall and Int/Int Winners: Jean Crafts and Robyn Michelson

3rd Overall and 2nd Int/Int: Leon Hunia and Dale Wills.

Babich Wines New Zealand Wide Pairs: This popular tournament will be held on Friday 4 November, in the evening. Details will be posted on the noticeboard shortly, but make sure you organize a partner early to ensure you can play.

There are lots of events coming up over the next few months. Here are some of the ones scheduled during September and October. Put your names in and enjoy good bridge in different surroundings.

  • 11 September Hutt Intermediate
  • 17 SeptemberParaparaumu Wine & Chocolate Fun Day
  • 18 SeptemberOtaki Intermediate

Masterton Multigrade

  • 2 OctoberUpper Hutt Open/Junior
  • 9 OctoberKarori Multigrade
  • 16 OctoberHorowhenua-Kapiti Interclub at Paraparaumu
  • 15/16 OctoberWellington Regional Main Centre Pairs
  • 28/29 OctoberWellington Mini Congress

COMMITTEE NEWS

  1. Committee Minutes: You are all interested to know what the Committee have been up to – read all about their activities in the minutes of the meetings which are posted on the noticeboard in the supper room after each meeting.

Club Renovation: $5,000 has been very gratefully received from the Pelorus Trust, but as $7,500 had been budgeted, further efforts to make up the short-fall will be needed.

The big raffle is underway, and we are extremely grateful to members who have contributed by either selling the tickets, or by buying them. However, more effort is required to make sure the remaining 100 books are sold. Stalls are being manned in key points throughout the community in order to sell as many as possible before the closing date of 24 September, and everyone is encouraged to sell or buy as many as possible..

  1. Among other fund-raising efforts is the Wine and Chocolate Fun Day to be held on 17 September. This promises to be a great day with many spot prizes, and a great raffle to be drawn on the day, so make sure you grab a partner and come along to support the Club!

PLAY & ETIQUETTE TIPS

More helpful bridge terms, this time from E to J (please don’t take all of these seriously!):

Experienced Player / Someone who simply knows that 4 major, made but not bid, is +170 without even looking at the back of the bidding card.
Finesse (1) / A female bridge player from Finland .
Finesse (2) / A specific type of card play used by declarer to secure an overtrick or to avoid blame in a contract doomed to failure. Should a game or slam contract go off, a declarer who took at least one finesse during play is entitled to claim it to be a Good Contract (qv).
Finesse (3) / A refined gesture or articulation incorporating a delicacy of manipulation. If one doesn't understand that, under no attempt have it explained by bridge players
Finesse (4) / A finesse usually consists of playing a small card towards a tenace (although a jackace or queenace are equally suitable).
Fit / That rare occurrence when partner has more than a singleton in your good suit. Also, colloquially, what you have if you discover he has raised you with a singleton.
Forcing for one round. / The term used for a bid (such as a reverse or a forcing 1NT) that is not forcing for one round, but just for one bid.
Free Bid / All of them, once you pay your entry fee.
Game Plan (1) / In bridge books, puzzles etc. a strategy, devised by declarer at trick one, to secure the one additional trick (over and above his off-the-top winners) necessary to make the contract.
Game Plan (2) / In actual play, a strategy, devised by declarer at trick one, to secure the five additional tricks (over and above his off-the-top winners) necessary to make the contract.
Gerber / A convention used to justify bidding no-trump slams with an insufficient point count.
Gerber Convention / Annual meeting of baby-food manufacturers.
Ghestem / A system of two suited overcalls designed to exercise partner's memory to breaking point and, frequently, beyond. The name is actually a corruption of the original, rather unwieldy, title of the convention: "I've got two suits now you've got to guess dem."
GoodContract / A contract which went off, but might not have had it been played better or the distribution been more favourable. Also, occasionally, a game contract where the slam which is bid and made by the rest of the room could have been defeated given some obscure and unlikely distribution of the defenders' cards.
GoodDouble / A double of any defeated contract, or of a contract which might have been defeated had you been able to play it double dummy.
Jack denies / Headlines about Marilyn Monroe's relationship with J.F.K