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Nice breaks for a nice occasion: Sybil turns 100.

Congratulations to Sybil Cornell who last Tuesday turned 100. Sybil is of course the mother of Michael, one of our top players for the last 50+ years. No-one would be prouder of Michael’s bridge achievements than his mother and Sybil’s bridge story is very much wrapped up with that of Michael in his early years.

Like in many Jewish families, all manner of card games were played. Michael was about 10 when the family moved out to New Zealand from England and settled in Auckland. Sybil and Joseph (Michael’s father) learnt the game and had regular home games, each Sunday, a men’s and a women’s game. Michael and his sister Linda learnt bridge initially from kibitzing these games.

Then, Sybil and Linda went to lessons run by Stanley Abrahams “to learn proper bridge”. They came back with books like “Card Play Technique” and Michael, then aged about 18, soon became hooked.

Soon after the formation of Akarana in the late 1960’s, Linda and Michael finished 8^th out of 68 pairs in a tournament…and Michael’s bridge career was launched. Stanley Abrahams was Michael’s first international partner. Michael said in his speech to celebrate his mother’s 100^th that he owes it to her that bridge became rather more than just another card game.

Michael says his parents did not play together that often and he thought overall that his mother was the better player. Though never rising to great heights, they were both capable players. Joseph died at the bridge table at the Auckland Bridge Club in 1991.

Sybil also had a few words to say of her own at the bridge celebration commenting on how wonderful the game of bridge had been for her. Previously, Auckland Club President, Neil Stuckey, had commented on how radio was in its infancy in the early 1920’s when Sybil was born. Here, 100 years later, she is playing regular on-line bridge and loving it.

One story that neither Michael nor Sybil initially owned up to was the following. Michael was just a few weeks old and his mother decided to go shopping at Woolworths, her first outing. There were no issues in those days about leaving babies in their prams outside shops while mothers “spent” inside. Indeed, the pram was rather too big to take inside. So, Michael and the pram remained outside while Sybil shopped… and just a bit longer because they were both still there while Sybil was sitting on the bus on her way home! Oops! Safe and soon reunited with his mother. 
  Proud mother and son

  
a lovely cake for a lovely lady

Michael commented that his mother still was very alert and as her partner for the session this day hoped she would be successful in the following 3NT contract.

 

Sybil opened a 15-17 1NT and was soon in 3NT after a Stayman auction. She won the 7 lead in hand and played a club to the ace and then a heart to the jack. Next came AK and after that piece of good news played a daring spade to dummy’s king. Then, she cashed her high heart and played a club to the jack before K and A took her total tricks to a very satisfactory 10 and 77% of the match-points with some declarers failing in the same contract.

It seems you can expect a few well-placed honours when you are declarer on your 100^th birthday. Nevertheless, very well played. 

Michael said that living long is very much part of his family with a second cousin dying only recently aged 101 while one of his grandmothers died aged 99. Sybil has already surpassed that  latter age and seems likely to be taking more successful (and maybe a few unsuccessful) finesses in the years to come.

Congratulations, Sybil.

Richard Solomon

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