Intermediate Tournament 2025

Our annual Intermediate tournament took place on Sunday 28th September, and was a resounding success, with 19 tables and players ranging in grade from senior intermediate to novice.

I would like to thank everybody who contributed to a great day, but in particular:

• Anne Ricketts for her splendid organisation
• Isobel Ross for her patient and skilled directing
• Maureen Pratchett for scoring
• Roz King for the catering
• Derek Snelling for setting up and running the bar

together with a host of helpers involved in setting up before, and cleaning up afterwards, dealing, running the raffle (organised by Steve Ricketts and won by Lorraine Gaffaney) and especially in the kitchen (Mehegan Goodman, Shelley Ross , Di Andrews, Chris Carlyon and several others), and behind the bar (Richie Rama).

The event was won by the Paraparaumu pairing of Jane Bradbury and Dale Wills.  Julian Kissock and Maxine Keay from Palmerston North were second, and our own Eileen Queree and Lorraine Gaffaney placed third.  

Additional session prizes went to Brian O'Sullivan and Janet Dobbie (Wellington) for the morning, and Linda Couch and Lyn Dash (Paraparaumu) for the afternoon.

Many congratulations to all.

Quadrangular Match

Kapiti/Horowhenua Quadrangular Tournament

This year's Quadrangular match between Otaki, Levin, Paraparaumu and Waikanae took place on Sunday 21st September at Otaki.  

I am pleased to report that Waikanae retained the shield.  

Our Open quartet (Derek Snelling and Isobel Ross, Helen Walker and Angela Gattsche) and our Junior team (Craig Jackson and Murray Lobb, Hugh Wolfensohn and Gillian van Raalte) both won their respective grades and our Intermediate team (Lorraine Gaffaney and Vicky Young, Rezea Morgan and Karen Hutchins) placed 2nd in their group, giving us the overall win by a substantial margin.

A big shout out to the Otaki Club for their generous hospitality.

Next year's event will be hosted by Waikanae on Saturday 19th September 2026.

Disabled Carparks

With thanks to Kapiti Coast District Council - and to Viv Gray for her organisational skills - we now have two new carparks for persons with disabilities adjacent to the new access ramp.  

Spaces for the Director, Duty Officer and Committee will be moved to the North end of the building.

Jocelyn Brooke

I regret to announce that Jocelyn Brooke passed away peacefully on Tuesday 16th September, 4 days after her 91st birthday.

We send our sincere condolences to Jocelyn's family and friends.

A celebration of Jocelyn’s life will be held at Cedarwood, 17 Parata Street, Waikanae on Friday 19th September at 3:00pm. The service will also be live streamed here.

XG Handicapping Trial

As previously advised, at its meeting on 12th May the Committee agreed a proposal to trial a change to the Club's handicapping system. 

Based on advice from the Bridge Advisory Group (BAG), a three-month trial of the Compass XG Rating system was introduced on 1st July. The system has been used for Monday sessions and in the recent Parkwood Teams event.

The trial is due to complete on 30th September and, as agreed, will be reviewed by BAG in October.  BAG in turn will make recommendations to the Committee before any decision is made on whether to revert to the previous system or to adopt the XG Rating system on a permanent basis. 

To assist BAG in its review, the Committee is now inviting all Club members to provide feedback on the XG Rating system.  

BAG has asked that feedback should indicate your preference for handicapping as follows:

1. I prefer the XG method (used from July to September)
2. I prefer the previous method
3. I have no preference

Further comments may be added if you wish.

Feedback is requested in writing by Wednesday 1st October - email responses are preferred and should be addressed to Pryor Rowland (pryorrowland@gmail.com), copy to the Club Secretary (waikanaebridge@gmail.com).

While the review process is undertaken, the previous handicapping system will be reinstated with effect 1st October.

"Mind the Gap"

It has been brought to the attention of the Committee of another club that there is potential for unauthorised information to be gained by playing opposite a player using a card holder.

There may be a tendency to separate each suit in the card holder and when a card is played from a particular holding leaving say just one or two cards then that has the potential to give information to that player's partner.

Note that any such information can be used by the opposition quite legally as such information in their hands is not unauthorised.

While our Committee is unaware of any such issues in our own club, players using card holders are reminded to keep ALL cards closely adjacent to one another at all times.

(My thanks to Graham Cheater for this advice)

Wellington Sixes 7th September

Great result for the "Waikanae Wizards" winning today's Wellington Sixes:

• Murray Lobb and Craig Jackson - 1st Junior
• Pryor Rowland and Graham "Gandalf" Cheater - 2nd Open
• Nicky Bradley and Vicky Young - 8th Intermediate

The team also - deservedly - won the "best dressed" prize!

Many congratulations also to Helen and Kevin Walker, winners of  the Open category.

Improvers' Lessons

I’m delighted to announce that Vivienne Cannell has kindly agreed to deliver a series of three Improvers’ Lessons. 

The lessons will be on 15th, 22nd and 29th September.

The topics are:

1. Slam bidding including Roman Keycard Blackwood, splinters and cue bidding.
2. Multi twos, including defence.
3. Pre-emptive bidding, sacrifices, defensive strategies and scoring.

These lessons are aimed at "senior Junior" level players, but needless to say all are welcome.

If you would like to attend these lessons please put your name on the sheet which will be available shortly at the top table and pay $20.00 into the Club bank account.

Separately, NZBridge are running three further on-line lessons aimed at intermediate players. These run from September 29 to October 12 and cover: 

1. transfer responses to 1NT
2. Keycard Blackwood and splinters
3. Michaels cue-bids & unusual 2NT.

Further information may be found here.

Waikanae Intermediate Pairs

Our Intermediate Pairs event will take place on Sunday 28th September.

All Intermediate and Junior players are welcome.  

Please register on the NZBridge website.

Thanks to our sponsors, Parkwood Retirement Village.