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The Hokowhitu club now has a fifth Life Member. Graeme Donaldson joins Mary Scott, husband and wife Chris and Trish Abbey and Pauline Brown.  Graeme's contribution began in earnest when he represented the club on the Caccia Birch House board for 8 years.  Over the past five years, in addition to being Secretary,  he has brought the club into the electronic age with computerised dealing and scoring methods. Congratulations, Graeme,  a  well-deserved honour.

 Graeme Donaldson

As usual, the tournament scene started with West Coast Picnic Tournaments.

At New Plymouth, the winners were Anne Putt and Diane Waite who also came second to Margaret and Ray Guy at Hawera. Margaret and Ray were visitors from Mt Maunganui. They are Junior players playing only their second tournament. They earned their win with a fine 62% session in the morning, the best of the round. They are keen to return to the very friendly Hawera Club next year.

At Wanganui, Alister Stuck- Alan Doddridge had the best raw score of the day, 66.3% but like the other Picnic events, the event is decided on handicap, with the winners being Judith and Barry Smith, by 0.10% from Margie Jones and Sandie Pryor.

   

 Anne Putt and Diane Waite                       Barry and Judith Smith                           Margaret and Ray Guy

New Plymouth winners                               Wanganui winners                                   Hawera winners

 

Barry Marsh and Lou Stolte, overall winners. Several years ago, Hawera Club stalwarts Alan and Kevin

Upson made available a handsome cup to be awarded to the highest scoring pair over the three Picnic

Tournaments at New Plymouth, Hawera and Wanganui. This is not the first time that Barry and Lou's names

appear on the trophy.

Meanwhile, Mairi Fitzsimons and Debbi Smith won the Napier Port Multi-grade Pairs with a fine 61.5% average.  

The following exciting hand came from the opening day of summer bridge at the Palmerston North club...

 

 

Well, you might open the South hand 2 , a weak two, or you might not. West’s action over 2 is not clear, either, with double hardly ideal if partner passes. You could try 5 though at least one West went for gold and found it when he bid 6 (7 is not platinum…as like 7, the grand cannot make.)

If South does pass, West could open a quiet 1. 1 from North would rather excite South even if East emerged with a negative double. At some point the bidding would escalate and if West does get to try for slam, the 6 (or even 6) sacrifice is only two down.

The Wanganui Club will be joining the ranks of the electronic scoring brigade some time this year.  A vote for Bridge Tabs was carried recently and an application for funding is now in progress.

Up-coming Events

TARANAKI BRIDGE CONGRESS:

The New Plymouth club is hosting the popular Taranaki Congress from Saturday 11th -  Monday 13th March 2017.

The programme starts at 9.45am on the Saturday with a 10A Open Pairs event and a 5B Intermediate/Junior pairs.

Teams play occupies the Sunday.  Monday is for the Open teams final and a 3A Swiss Pairs event for those not involved with Teams play.

For Open players the whole weekend entry cost is only $100 .. much less for the Intermediate/Junior players.

Entries close Monday 6th March.  Numbers are limited .. So don't dilly dally.

Enter at www.new-plymouth.bridge-club.org  or email to lynmuller@xtra.co.

 

Other Up - Coming Central Districts Tournaments:

Taradale Intermediate Pairs  -  Saturday March 4th

Taradale Lawson Jugs. -  Saturday March 18th. (8B)

 

Has this happened to you? 

A Very Good Partner.

When playing at the Palmerston North Club in early February, I did not play one hand out of the 26 in play, the first time this has happened in 22 years of playing. Our opponents played 9 and my partner, Anita Thirtle, the other 17!

Jokingly, I requested some of my table money back though there was adequate compensation when we scored 69%. Good work, Anita.

 

 

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