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News about a Central Districts’ player now on the NZ Bridge Board, another who has become a father and one who has been showing his club members how a top player thinks, news of Hawkes' Bay Congress and all the recent Tournament Winners.

Well done, Noel

Havelock North’s Noel Woodhall has been recently elected to the Board of New Zealand bridge.  Congratulations Noel. Noel has been a member of the NZ Bridge Management Committee before the Board structure was created and has also more recently served as National Recorder. We hope your association with the Board is enjoyable and satisfying.

 

Good on you, Scott

A neat innovation took place at the Hastings Bridge Club recently. Scott Smith played a match on Bridge Base Online at the club in front of an audience of about 40 club members. His partner, Debs Smith, played from home and their opponents, Evelyn and Bob Hurley, were in Palmerston North. Both pairs played Acol so that the audience could understand the bidding and could hear from Scott the thought process he uses in making his bids and plays. Well done, Scott.

 

Tournament Winners

In  early March, the  Taranaki Congress proved to be very successful. Blair Fisher and Michael Curry won the Open Pairs and Barbara Powell- Sue De Jong the Intermediate/Junior Pairs. The Swiss Pairs proved that Allan Joseph can play as well as direct as he won playing with Rosa Mishkin.

Ian Clayton, Noel Woodhall, Murray Wood and Rachelle Pelkman won the Open Teams and Margot Bourke, Teresa Roberts, Judith Schumacher and Patricia Chivers the Intermediate-Junior Teams.

 Some teams’ members were surprised to receive $50.00 each for winning the prize for being top team with less than 1000 rating points. What a pleasant surprise. That sort of encouragement makes the Congress exciting even for middle level open players. Such prizes have not happened in Central Districts before and were most welcomed.

 April has been a busy month in the Central Districts region with tournaments at Waipukurau, Wanganui and Dannevirke. 

 At Dannevirke a good field of 16 tables turned up, many having travelled. Russell Wilson and Alister Stuck won from Mairi Fitzsimons and Scott Smith followed by Carol Dickson and Marnie Norris.

 

                      Dannevirke winners,  Russell Wilson and Alister Stuck

The Wanganui Bridge Club held a combined Intermediate-Junior tournament which attracted 13 tables. Levin pair Jim Heald-Mark Kuijten stamped their authority on the field with an impressive first session of 68.96 and followed it up with a 62.66. They won by 13%. Second were Hawera pair, Sue De Jong-Jill Burroughs followed by Paul Orsborn-Barbara Robinson, also out-of-towners. Thanks for coming folks!

      

Intermediate Winners at Wanganui                   Top all Junior pair at Wanganui who finished 8th overall

Mark Kuijten and Jim Heald                               Liz McLay and Shirley Cvitanovich

At Waipukurau, another 16 tables fronted up and Caroline Wiggins did an excellent job of marshalling the players trying to navigate through the Howell movement!  

John Pitts-Tony Hacking averaged 61% per session and were comfortable winners from Janet and Charles Nairn followed by Jan Davis-Hayden Seal.

 

             Waipukurau winners, Tony Hacking and John Pitts

 

Queens Birthday in Napier

The Central Districts Mini Congress will be held in Hawkes Bay on Queen's Birthday Weekend, 3rd - 6th June.  This is the 24th Congress. The venue this year is new.  The 2016 Congress will be held at the East Pier Hotel which is on the Napier waterfront at Ahuriri.  East Pier is close to all the best restaurants and motels in Napier and offers first class accommodation at a special rate for Congress participants.  

Early registration is recommended as this Congress is popular and could be a "sell out." An innovation this year is the introduction of match- pointed Swiss Pairs (10A), the first event of its type in New Zealand. The programme caters for Open, Intermediate, Junior and Novice players.  Full details and entry forms will be in your club rooms and you can enter directly via the website:  www.bridgehawkesby.org.nz.

 Lunch is provided each day. The contact number for East Pier is 06 8340035.  The website is   www.eastpierhotel.co.nz. All enquiries to:  Judith Boxall, 30 McNaughton Place, Napier 4110.  Phone 06 842-0955.

and the new father

oh...and the new father, that's George Masters, the proud father of a brand new baby girl, Matilda. Congratulations to all.

 George MacLachlan, Wanganui

 

 

 

 

 

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