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       Douglas's co-correspondent. Read on to find out more.

Well, the weather in Auckland might be pretty chilly at the moment, but the bridge is hot hot hot, with tournaments just about every weekend (and more) to satisfy even the most avid of master point chasers.

 Honours were spread more widely than usual, it seems to me. Back in April, the Waitemata 8B Open proved a happy hunting ground for Jerry Chen and James Yang, and the Mt. Albert Restricted event for Heather and Gerald Norman in the Intermediate category, and Lanell Monreal and Heather Robertson in the Juniors.

Following encouragement from the Regional Committee, the North Shore Club converted its annual Open Tournament to a Swiss Pairs format, and Mark Robertson and Sylvester Riddell were the inaugural winners there. One hand from the event caused some amusement at my table.

 

Sitting West, I contemplated this rather shapely collection, and was wondering whether to pass, open 1 or a not highly recommended 3. As it happens, none of these options was available to me, since I was not the dealer, and Bob Grover as South opened.... 3! Fortunately, after my smooth pass, my esteemed partner Steve Boughey balanced with 3, (fortunately for Bob, that is!) and I was not pushed to raise this to four. In fact, on the miracle fit and distribution, 7 has play, but no pairs managed to find this contract.

 At the Anzac Day Open Pairs at the Auckland Club, Intermediate pair Feitong Chen and Clair Miao trounced all their more highly rated competitors. Over to Howick, where Linda Cartner and Glenis Palmer won a family battle against Barry Palmer and Neil Stuckey to win the Open section, and Karen Smith and Candice Doyle took out the Intermediate.

Into May, and the Franklin Open Pairs was won (yet again!) by Grant Jarvis and Jan Cormack, with Terri-Ann Scorer and Alan Walpole victors in the Intermediate. Auckland's Thursday Pairs, sponsored by Hedgerow, was a win for George and Carol Wilkinson.

The Auckland Club was also the scene of the Trials for teams to represent us in the Interprovincial Championships. Congratulations to the following:

 Open: Steve Boughey-Andrew Tarbutt and Sylvester Riddell-Mark Robertson;

 Women: Linda Cartner-Steph Jacob and Jan Cormack-Viv Cornell;

 Senior: Barry Palmer-Neil Stuckey and Bev and Allan Morris;

 Intermediate: Mark Lynn-Bianca van Rangelrooy and Teresa Phillips-David Spencer.

Best wishes to all in Christchurch later in the year.

Auckland also hosted the Regional Club Championships. The overall winners were the Royle Epsom Club, while section winners were Franklin (both Open and Intermediate) and Royle Epsom (Junior).

"Club Spirit" or what the Clubs' competition is all about.  The Howick team enjoy their lunch during the event. If you cannot win at the table, you can certainly dine well at it!

 Finally, the Queen's Birthday bash at Auckland saw internationals Ashley Bach and Mike Cornell score a narrow win in the Open Pairs, while Dong Huang and Jeter Liu recorded a much more emphatic win in the Monday West End Pairs. Marlene Brown and James Thompson won the Intermediate Pairs. The Teams result was very close, with the overall winners being decided by a time penalty and a decimal place: well done to Grant Jarvis, Jonathan Westoby, Dave Dolbel and Denis Humphries.

Some other news from the region.

Peter and Angela's final Regional Conference

The Auckland-Northland Region's Regional Conference was held at the Orewa Club on the last Sunday of May. It was a significant meeting as it brings to an end the terms of Regional President, Peter Bowyer, and Regional Secretary, Angela Royle. They have filled these roles for 8 and 10 years respectively and have given wonderful service to the Region in those times. Peter pops up in so many ways as a most friendly and knowledgeable director at the regular monthly inter-club, as Past President of Howick Bridge Club, as moderator and initiator of the Region's website and the national Directors and Teachers forums (both now taken over by NZ Bridge) and, of course, the driver behind so much of what the Regional Committee has done. He has always been on hand to help wherever needed.

On the Regional Committee, he and Angela have formed a wonderful team. Angela is well known as the owner, "committee of one" behind the Royle Epsom Bridge Club, which is now the fourth largest affiliated club in the country, the second largest in this region. She was the guest speaker at the Conference giving attendees an insight into what makes a successful bridge club. If one message came through, it was the importance of knowing one's members. In Angela's case, this means over 400 of them. She has as well been a superbly efficient Regional Secretary. It is a cliche but must be said: "They will be badly missed". They have already said they will be there to give the new Committee advice where they can.

 

Fund- Raiser for Matthew and Michael

Late in May, the Auckland Club hosted a fundraiser to assist our newest young international pair, Matthew Brown and Michael Whibley in their trip to Poland to represent New Zealand in the World Bridge Games. This proved very successful, with raffles with prizes donated by generous sponsors, an auction to buy a session with the two players in a tournament, and many other donations. The session was run as an individual, which has the habit of throwing up some unlikely partnerships. Here we have your esteemed Editor Richard Solomon 

 

 partnering Anne Gelb against Denis Humphries and Rosemary Matskows. Congratulations to organiser Tracey Lewis on raising over $3,500 for the pair. And the bridge? Oh yes, that was won by Michael Ware in the Green section, Heather Salmons (Blue) and Suzanne Stevenson (Yellow). 

 

Meanwhile at the North Shore Club, June Rea celebrated her 95th birthday at the club with, of course, a game of bridge.

There were younger bridge players taking part in a schools’ Pairs competition at Auckland Grammar School on one Sunday morning in late May. There, 10 and a half tables mainly from the host school and Macleans College contesting the one session event with Macleans’ students winning in both directions.

Sunday morning at Auckland Grammar. Bridge to the fore.

Biritch the Russian Blue does not play club bridge very often, as he considers it somewhat beneath him, but I did manage to drag him out to play at the Akarana Club a few weeks ago. He was right in his element on this hand.

 

 

Playing Precision Club, our very competent opponents bid swiftly to 7, the auction featuring a number of asking bids which revealed that East held 5 spades to two of the top three honours and West the remaining three, and top controls in all the outside suits. Biritch therefore knew that this contract could not possibly make, but he simply took another sip of his Whiskas and Soda, groomed his ears and passed. And yes, 7NT does make, and yes, the opponents were good enough to run to that contract if warned about the bad trump break by an injudicious double.

And talking of Biritch, many of you out there in Biritch Fanland have asked to see a picture of himself. Well, Biritch hates having his photo taken, and my hands bear extensive scar evidence of his annoyance when I have attempted this. However, I did manage to catch him unawares when he was in the midst of berating his long-suffering partner for some misdemeanour or other. So, here he is, at his rightful place at the start of this article. Is he happy with his partner? I wonder?

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