Additional Tournament Grades & Ranks effective 1st January 2027

Please see the following notice from NZBridge for important information regarding forthcoming changes:

Membership Satisfaction Survey Results: Part 2

This report provides additional feedback from the membership survey conducted earlier this year.

Overall, the text responses reflect a highly positive sentiment toward the management and the social atmosphere of the Club, mirroring the responses previously summarised in Part 1.

“JUNIORS ONLY” COMPETITION

Based on the survey results, there was a high degree of support for trialling a "Juniors and Novices Only" session, with many respondents expressing enthusiasm for the idea. Unsurprisingly, support was strongest among the Novice and Junior grades.

It is right to note that a minority did not support the trial. These members generally believe that the best way for juniors to improve is by playing with and against more experienced players who can offer advice and demonstrate higher standards of play.

Approximately 70% of those who answered the question were in favour.

OTHER ISSUES

Beyond the proposal for a juniors-only competition, members suggested several key areas for improvement ranging from facilities and session management to education and social integration.  Suggestions included:

Facilities and Logistics

• a kitchen upgrade, including the installation of a dishwasher
• improvements to heating and ventilation
• better organising the noticeboards to make information easier to find.

Session Management

• ensuring that sessions start on time
• consistent use of the timer clock
• firmer management of noise levels and "slow play"
• a focus on etiquette and ethics for learners
• moving Tuesday evening sessions to the afternoon

Partnering and Membership Support

• better systems for finding partners, such as a "matchmaker" who knows players' levels, a dedicated noticeboard, or a mechanism to see who is seeking a partner for an upcoming series
• displaying a list of members with grades on the notice board [this has been done]
• a "photo board" defining roles and responsibilities of the committee and volunteers

Education and Competitive Play

• a winter series of improver sessions on Saturday afternoons
• 1-1 coaching for those unable to attend evening lessons, and more "repeated lessons" on how to improve
• more teams events
• an expansion of local interclub competitions
• the introduction of an annual Club Championship [under action]
• "refresher for directors" sessions

Administration and Finance

• direct debit for session charges
• clearer explanations regarding membership cost increases rather than just annual adjustments
• listing members' first names before their surnames in the programme book

NZ-Wide Pairs

The NZ-Wide Pairs were contested on the evening of Friday 16th October in 53 clubs around the country (4 more clubs than last year). A total of 795 pairs took part. The event raises money for New Zealand Bridge Foundation in its support for bridge in New Zealand, especially in the development of young players.

The final results nationwide show Waikanae's Graeme Norman and Carol Hogan in 12th place overall and 1st in the Open/Intermediate category, and John Donbavand and Pryor Rowland in 20th position - two great results: congratulations!

The Waikanae-only results were:

N/S 

1st - Graeme Norman and Carol Hogan

2nd - Ann Edwards and Vicky Young

3rd - Jeanne Wardill and Graham Cheater

E/W 

1st - John Donbavand and Pryor Rowland

2nd - Miriam Lewin and Rae Lutman

3rd - Murray Lobb and Viv Gray

A very generous finger food supper was well attended before play - thank you to everyone who contributed. Many thanks also to Chris Farrow who not only organised the evening for us, but also directed.  

NZBridge - Complaints Officer

 

Farewell to Jeanne Wardill

As many of you will already know, Jeanne Wardill is leaving the club and moving to Tauranga to be nearer to her family.

We're planning a farewell gathering for Jeanne, which will take place on Thursday 29th October, commencing at 4.30pm following play.  In keeping with Jeanne's wishes, this will be a "low key" event, with a free glass of bubbles, and speech making kept to a minimum.

All members of the club are warmly invited to come along to say goodbye to not only one of our very best and most successful players but also one of the nicest people any of us could have ever hoped to know.

31 Years

Before play began on the evening of  Tuesday 13th October we marked 31 years of the bridge partnership of Jeanne Wardill and Graham Cheater.  

As a pair, Jeanne and Graham have won the Tuesday Pairs alone on more than 18 occasions, plus countless other events, and have been perhaps the dominant partnership in the club over many years - a remarkable achievement, not least because they’re still speaking to each other!

Many congratulations to them both on a great milestone.

Tournament Regulations

Graham Cheater has kindly contributed the following synopsis of practical guidelines from the new Tournament Regulations, which as of 1st October have superseded the NZBridge Manual published in 2022.

The Regulations are not available in written form but may be found on the NZBridge website here.

Graham writes:

There have not been any significant changes that will impact regular club bridge sessions and most tournaments.

It is however an opportunity to identify a number of issues of which players can be reminded.

1.  A call is not complete until the full bid has been written.  If, for example, a player wishes to make a bid at the 1 level they must write ‘1’ immediately followed by the appropriate symbol viz :

11.3 Players must decide their call before commencing to write (on the bidding pad). Any vacillation among calls may convey unauthorised information and restrict partner’s actions according to Laws 16B1 and 73C.1

2.  If a player holds a hand of undisclosed strength ( i.e. not a passed hand ) and makes a bid that is non-forcing but would, in most natural systems, be considered forcing then that bid must be alerted viz :

11.3.2 Alertable calls over an opponent’s takeout double:

(a) Any bid in a new suit which is non-forcing (except by a passed hand)

(b) Conventional fit-showing jumps

11.3.3 Alertable calls over an opponent’s suit overcall:

(a) Any bid in a new suit which is non-forcing (except by a passed hand)

b) Any natural NT bid which does not promise a stopper in the opponent’s suit

(c) Lebensohl type responses after interference over your 1NT

Slow play

Players are reminded that slow play can adversely affect the concentration and enjoyment for players. Directors, in the interest of harmony, are reluctant to impose penalties but if necessary the recommended procedure dealing with slow play is as follows:

• 1st infringement: a warning is given
• 2nd and all subsequent infringements: a penalty of 25% of the available matchpoints for that board can be applied.

Multi 2 diamonds

This convention is not permitted to be used in tournaments restricted to Novice and Junior players.