On Wednesday, I experienced my first buddy session with my new buddy, Susan Jensen. I was fortunate in that Susan propagated the program.
The aim of the buddy program is to assist novice players who want to improve their bidding, playing and confidence by playing with a more experienced player over four normal bridge sessions. A novice player is defined for this program as having less than five masterpoints, and the experienced player has 30+ masterpoints.
At the end of each playing session (at a time mutual to both) the pair discuss the preceding session of play. This involves looking at specific boards and improving the bidding, seeing how to better play the cards as declarer and defender. Also, errors of bidding and play, and an assessment of weaknesses in the novice’s game overall.
If you missed Joan's workshop on Modern Competitive Bidding on Saturday 9 September, then you missed out. It was excellent and there was so much chatter afterwards with people saying how much they had enjoyed it and how much they had learnt.
Her morning workshop on “Modern Competitive Bidding” was well attended even though it clashed with compulsory voting for council elections. Those members present certainly got value for their $12 as well as justification for giving up a valuable Saturday morning. I spoke to several attendees and they were unanimous in saying it was very worthwhile.
Joan is a gifted teacher in bridge – no wonder she is the ABF Teaching Coordinator – as she can communicate to all levels of players. Her logical explanations, her empathy with the attendees, her anecdotes and quotes, reinforces the principles she is teaching. You can see a you-tube video version of her presentation.
Ray Hirst and Marieta Borthwick triumphed in the Swiss Pairs event on Tuesday 19 September.
They were 5 IMPs ahead of second placed Terry and Lois Rothwell who in turn edged out Michael and Margaret Draper. It appears mixed pairs do well at Swiss Pairs.
Our expert speaker on the night was Will Jenner-O'Shea who also played with his partner Vanessa Brown. Will spoke on bidding style and how to assess your own and your partner on the Adventurous to Cautious scale.
Pianola provides a valuable targeted messaging tool - it allows an event convener or similar authorized person to send an email message to a targeted group of members and others on our Pianola database. It also allows for the printing and posting of mail messages for those without an email address.
The club wants authorized event conveners and others with a suitable communication need to use this tool on a self-service basis. Authorization involves giving your Pianola user id access to this functionality.
This article provides channel guidelines that should be followed and endeavors to provide some guidance and support to less experienced users. You should start with the Pianola support for how to send a message.
Put a note in your diary for next Saturday, 9th September at 9.30 until 11.30. Joan Butts will be with us at Peninsula holding a workshop on: Modern competitive bidding.
The general trend in today's game is to be more aggressive, especially in competitive auctions. Put pressure on the opponents by getting in their way. Everyone plays a role: opener, responder, intervener and the advancer. This workshop will show you when to bid a lot and when not to. Check the event details and flier.
We look forward to seeing you there.
Anita and Jo, along with Terry and I, had fun on a bridge holiday in Thailand. We played among our group of 24 but also played in local bridge clubs. The venues were wildly diverse, from a grand and opulent Country Club to a hot and dingy room above a bar, making our own club at Peninsula seem wonderful.
The players were equally diverse, mainly expatriates and mainly men. Our own accommodations were splendid, the pick being this lovely villa on a cliff overlooking the sea at Phuket.
Anita and Jo are pictured with Greg Eustace and Gaye Allen who hosted the holiday, as well as Jenny from a Newcastle club. Back to earth now!
If you have a a little bit of time and a little bit of interest in helping with communication then we'd love to welcome you to the communications team to help you help the club! Email me at
- Story writers - both your own ideas and ones that are commissioned
- Photographers - taking suitable photos for stories
- Bridge question gurus - Answering how-to bridge questions that are emailed in
- Peninsula stationery organiser - refresh our stationery with the new club logo and font - guidance/support given
- Website support - update and maintain the website, helping others add their content - training/support given
Members are reminded that, with GST being recognised from the beginning of September:
- Table money will rise to $7 for members, and $12 for non-members
- Sets of 10 Prepaid Vouchers (PPVs) will cost $65
- Members will be able to use existing PPVs and yellow and pink vouchers at sessions and from 1 September at supervised sessions.
- From now until 1 September there is a purchase limit of 10 PPVs per member per day.
