Newlsetter - July 2026

NEW MEMBERS

CLUB NOTICES

The Willis MP Pairs Open Championship Tuesday 12.15pm This is a State Open Pairs Qualifier , and we encourage all Intermediate players to give it a go. It's a fantastic opportunity to experience a State-level event in a friendly club environment. As this is a State event, Red MasterPoints are awarded at double the normal rate. The qualifying series runs over four weeks:

To see the results of each event Click Here

To see the results of each event Click Here

To see the results of each event Click Here

To see the results of each event Click Here

To see the results of each event Click Here

To see the results of each event Click Here

FROM THE PRESIDENT - BRIDGE

What a mammoth month it has been!

As I reflect on everything that has happened over the past few weeks, I am reminded just how fortunate we are to belong to such a wonderful club, supported by an incredible team of volunteers and staff who quietly make the magic happen.

Our Festival was once again a tremendous success. A huge thank you to Mike for convening the event. The amount of planning and coordination required is far greater than most people realise, and we are very grateful for the countless hours that go into making it all run so smoothly.

Thank you also to Josh for dealing the boards, helping with lunches and being wherever he was needed throughout the event. To Ronnie for directing, and to our amazing Sue and her band of merry helpers — June, Felicity, Lyn, Janet and Robyn — thank you for keeping everyone fed, watered and smiling.

To all of our bakers, table tidiers, bar volunteers and everyone who lent a hand behind the scenes, thank you. Events like this simply do not happen without the generosity of people willing to give their time and energy for the benefit of others. You are the heart of our club.

Last month also saw Roger Parks retire from the Board.

Roger has served as Chairman of Lindfield Bowling Club for the past eight years and has been one of the key drivers behind the merger that has brought our two clubs together. Mergers are never simple, and Roger has devoted countless hours to meetings, negotiations, planning and problem-solving to help create the strong future we are now building together.

While Roger is not yet a bridge player, he has become a great friend and supporter of our Club. Throughout the merger process he has been generous with his time, practical in his approach and unwavering in his commitment to achieving the best outcome for both organisations.

On behalf of all North Shore Bridge Club members, I would like to sincerely thank Roger for everything he has done. His contribution has been significant, and the success of the merger owes much to his leadership, patience and willingness to tackle the many challenges along the way.

We wish Roger all the very best as he steps back from Board duties. After eight years as Chairman and the small matter of a merger, he has certainly earned some time to relax. And who knows—now that he has a little more free time on his hands, perhaps we can finally convince him to learn bridge. There is still hope!

Another milestone worth celebrating is the first birthday of the Education Hub.

Twelve months ago, we faced a significant challenge. When Anita Curtis retired from teaching after many years of service to our Club, she left some very big shoes to fill. Thankfully, Will Jenner-O'Shea came to the rescue. With Will's enthusiasm, a great software solution and the support of our members, what started as an idea quickly became something much bigger than any of us imagined.

Today, the Education Hub provides learning opportunities to bridge players across Australia and beyond. It also gives bridge clubs around the country a platform to offer lessons and generate commission income, creating benefits for the wider bridge community.

The numbers speak for themselves. More than 500 players have enjoyed lessons through the platform and thousands of lessons have been viewed. Most importantly, players are learning, improving and enjoying their bridge.

I have personally become part of the "Will Wave" and am thoroughly addicted to Will's tips, tools and practical insights. His teaching style makes bridge more accessible, more enjoyable and, dare I say it, occasionally makes me feel smarter than I really am. Every lesson helps us become better players, develop stronger partnerships and deepen our enjoyment of this wonderful game.

A New Era Begins

This month marks another important milestone in our journey together. As part of the merger process, North Shore Bridge Club Inc has now been formally dissolved and we now operate under the Lindfield Bowling & Bridge Club structure.

For our members, very little changes. We are still the North Shore Bridge Club that you know and love, but we now do so as a sub-club within a larger and stronger organisation that is well-positioned for the future.

New beginnings are always a good time for reflection.

When I think about what makes our Club special, it isn't the building, the tables, the cards or even the bridge. It is the people. Our Club has grown because of the friendships, encouragement and support that members show one another every day.

My wish for our Club as we enter this new era is simple: let's continue to choose kindness.

We never truly know what challenges another person may be facing. Sometimes a sharp word, a moment of impatience or a reaction that seems out of character may be the result of struggles we cannot see. Before jumping to conclusions, let's try to assume good intent. Before judging, let's offer understanding. Before responding, let's show a little grace.

Bridge is a game of partnerships, but our Club is a community. Communities thrive when people look out for one another, celebrate each other's successes and offer support when times are tough.

As we begin this next chapter, let's continue to be known not only for great bridge, but for being a club that is friendly, inclusive and caring. A club where people feel welcome, valued and respected.

Thank you to everyone who continues to support our Club, whether by volunteering, teaching, learning, playing or simply encouraging others. Together, we continue to build something very special.

That, more than anything else, is what will make this new era a success.

Happy bridging,

Shaz

OUR MEMBERS - OUR CLUB

In June we held our annual Festival of Bridge which contained numerous events and significant support from our sponsors. While we have further events occurring till the end of the year, June has certainly the most events in a short period of time and requiring so much input from our staff and volunteers. I'm sure all members who participated in the Festival would like to thank the Team members who made all of the arrangements. Special mention go to Mike Prescott, Sue Crompton, Gary Barwick, Ronnie Ng, Josh Ogle and volunteers June Straw, Felicity Wolf, Janet Crocker, Lyn Breeze and Robyn Rogers.

In addition, we should be very thankful for the support given by our Sponsors and so we can understand what they can do for us I invited all of our sponsors to tell us about themselves and what they can do for you.

Fixed Income Solutions (FIS) is a specialist fixed income broker providing wholesale investors with direct access to bond and income investment opportunities. With offices in Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane, we work with high-net-worth individuals, financial advisers, family offices, corporates, not- for-profit organisations and institutional investors across Australia.

Our experienced team offers access to a broad range of fixed income products, including Australian corporate and government bonds, foreign currency bonds, hybrids, term deposits and high-yield secured debt opportunities. We combine market expertise, credit research and personalised service to help clients achieve their investment objectives.

Please get in contact with Coban to learn more.

Coban Donegan Fixed Income Solutions T: 02 8222 8904 coban.donegan@fixedincomesolutions.com www.fixedincomesolutions.com

Hilary Finch Beauty and Nutrimetics is delighted to be able to share the benefits of her expertise with all NSBC members. My aim is to make your experience easy, enjoyable, and personalised — whether you’re looking for a new skincare routine, a makeup update, a little self-care, or simply advice on finding the right products for you. Nutrimetics has a proud and trusted heritage, combining years of expertise with the latest technology and innovative ingredients to create quality beauty and wellness products you can feel confident using. I’m always happy to have a chat, answer questions, or help you find something that works for you — no pressure, just friendly advice and support. I look forward to connecting with you and helping you enjoy a little more self-care in your day.

Hilary Finch

Hilary Finch Beauty 0412 164 528

hilaryfinch1@gmail.com

www.nutrimetics.com/hilaryfinch

Kieser Cammeray , believe that strength is the foundation to healthy ageing, independence, and quality of life. Our evidence-based strength training programs are designed to help people of all ages improve their mobility, reduce pain, and maintain the activities they enjoy most. For bridge players, maintaining physical health supports overall wellbeing, helping to keep both body and mind active and engaged. Whether you’re looking to manage a long-term condition, recover from injury, improve bone and joint health, or simply to stay strong as you age; our Exercise Scientists and Physiotherapists provide personalised guidance in a safe and supportive environment. We are proud to support the North Shore Bridge Club community and encourage members to invest in their health through strength training.

Kind regards, Tenaya Fairclough Exercise Scientist Kieser Cammeray Be Strong, Stay Strong Kieser Cammeray P: (02) 5133 7718 F: (02) 5133 7719 W: https://www.kieser.com.au/kieser-kingston

McGrath Lindfield, as proud locals, understands the importance of community, trust and long-term relationships; values that sit closely alongside the spirit of the North Shore Bridge Club. Much like the game of bridge, real estate requires strategy, timing, careful reading of the room and the ability to make the right move when the opportunity presents itself. With many NSBC members living across Lindfield, Roseville, Killara, Gordon, Chatswood and surrounding suburbs, our team offers genuine local knowledge, considered advice and access to a strong buyer network across the North Shore. Whether members are thinking about downsizing, selling the family home, exploring property options, or simply seeking an updated understanding of the market, McGrath Lindfield can provide calm, respectful and professional guidance when the time is right."

Kind Regards,

Richard Madden

Sales Agent

McGrath Lindfield

M 0401 225 055

W https://www.mcgrath.com.au/offices/lindfield-a0v5g000003JhTaAAK

Morgans (Chatswood) is part of Australia’s largest independent private client full-service investment advice firm. The eleven staff have a combined 250 years of experience in assisting clients with their investing, saving, financial planning, superannuation, retirement, aged care, estate planning and intergenerational wealth transfer matters.

In times of geopolitical uncertainty and volatile markets, it is never too late to seek financial advice. The most important decisions should be made early: superannuation will be the second largest asset owned by retirees. Ensuring you have sufficient income to enjoy retirement is critical, as is protecting your legacy for the next generation.

It costs nothing to meet with us. Pick up the phone today.

Danny Dreyfus OAM

Principal / Investment Adviser

Ph 02 8116 1717 E danny.dreyfus@morgans.com.au

(NSBC member for 40 years)

Tailored Journeys is a locally owned Belrose travel agency with 200+ years of combined expertise. We design seamless, personalised holidays, delivering exceptional service from first consultation to your return home.

Travel isn’t just a trip, its confidence, ease, and unforgettable moments. We remove the guesswork, manage every detail, and guide you every step of the way.

From flights and luxury stays to cruises, rail journeys, and touring, we work with trusted partners to create stress‑free, high‑quality travel. We are proudly ATIA accredited, so you can book with confidence.

Whether you’re heading off with fellow Bridge Club members or planning a getaway for two, we create journeys tailored to you, effortless, memorable, and uniquely yours.

Koby Brice Office Manager (Tue-Fri)

Shop 18 Glenrose Village Shopping Centre

56-58 Glen Street, Belrose, NSW 2085 Australia

p: +61 2 9451 7866

e: koby@tailoredjourneys.com.au

w: www.tailoredjourneys.com.au

TBIB - Tony Bemrose Insurance Brokers is a family owned, full service General Insurance Brokerage and has been in business for more than 45 years. TBIB has been working with the ABF for more than 15 years.

During this time TBIB has provided full broking services to critical insurance programmes for the ABF Australia Wide, as well many ABF Clubs and individual members of the ABF community. TBIB is also a regular sponsor and attendee of congresses right across Australia.

One of the most widely used and popular services TBIB provides to the bridge community is an exclusive travel insurance policy for ABF Members and their families and friends. This policy will cover travellers up to age 90 and can accommodate many pre-existing medical conditions. TBIB also looks after the full range of insurances including home, motor vehicle and landlords cover for members.

To talk to TBIB about travel insurance or indeed any type of insurance you can visit www.abfinsurance.com.au or phone them on 07 3252 5254 and let them know you’re an ABF member.

Lachlan Kennedy

BUSINESS MANAGER

P 07 3252 5254 M 0458 454 941 E

lachlankennedy@tbib.com.au W www.tbib.com.au

LVL 5, 757 ANN ST I PO Box 300 I FORTITUDE VALLEY Q. 4006

Teaminvest is a membership-based investment education and community organisation built for self- directed investors who'd rather think for themselves than hand their portfolio to someone else. As a North Shore Bridge Club member, you already know the value of strategy, discipline, and reading the table — the same skills make a great investor. Teaminvest brings together a community of like- minded individuals, structured education, and proven frameworks to help members make smarter, more confident investment decisions, without ever taking control of your money or telling you what to buy. Through regular sessions, in-depth analysis, and a network of fellow self-directed investors, members learn to spot opportunities and avoid common pitfalls. If you enjoy the mental challenge of bridge, you'll find a natural home in a community built on the same principle: you're sharper together than you are alone.

Kerry Fleming

Head of Marketing

TIP Group

+61 447 841 976

kerry.fleming@tipgroup.com.au

www.tipgroup.com.au

Ground Floor

23 Ryde Road

Pymble NSW 2073

TWO MEN AND A TRUCK ® are your local, family owned and operated relocations business that have been in operation for over 35 years, specialising in Making Moving Easy. We are a full full-service moving company that handles both residential and commercial relocations, specialising in local and interstate moves, catering to everything from small apartments to large corporate offices.

Beyond transporting belongings, our core services include:

Full-Service Packing & Unpacking: Professional teams organize, wrap, and label items to prevent damage.

Boxes & Moving Supplies: We provide a wide selection of sturdy, recyclable boxes and protective packing materials.

Secure Storage Solutions: Flexible short-term and long-term storage facilities

Junk & Rubbish Removal: We assist with downsizing by safely hauling away unwanted items and furniture for disposal or charity.

Comprehensive Insurance: We offer comprehensive insurance to ensure peace of mind,

With over 5000 five star reviews, trust your next move with Two Men and a Truck

Catherine Kuipers CEO 0402 911 243

Email: truck@twomen.com.au

www.twomen.com.au

Watermark Residences Chatswood offers a new benchmark in luxury retirement living on Sydney’s North Shore. Designed for active seniors and downsizers seeking a vibrant, maintenance-free lifestyle, Watermark features spacious, oversized apartments with stunning views overlooking Chatswood Golf Club.

Residents enjoy an exceptional range of resort-style amenities, including a fully equipped gym, heated indoor swimming pool, restaurant, café, private cinema, and beautifully landscaped gardens. Our focus is on providing an independent lifestyle enriched by comfort, convenience, wellbeing, and a strong sense of community.

Whether you're looking to downsize without compromise or explore a premium retirement living option close to family, shopping, and transport, Watermark Residences Chatswood offers the perfect balance of luxury and lifestyle.

Nada Vescio Sales Manager

Mobile 0411 621 762

Email nada@watermarkresidences.com.au

Residences ‑ 130 Beaconsfield Road, Chatswood NSW 2067

Telephone 1800 520 168

The First Formal Social Get together in OUR Club Rooms is being held on Thursday 9th July starting at 5:30pm for both Rollers and Bridgies. See below for specifics

Watermark Residence – Resort Style • Retirement Elevated

Congratulations to NSBC members of the Australian contingent which won the Seniors Team Event in GOA India. NSBC members David Hudson, Peter, Gill and Michael Courtney were members of that Team - Well done guys - excellent outcome!

If you were still thinking about whether to join the NSBC/Celebrity Edge Bridge trip to Cairns then you need to make up your mind very quickly - we have over 50 people booked for the cruise but still have two places left for Bridge players - great time to travel north to Queensland, enjoy the warmth of the sun and play Bridge with the best teacher in Australia ( Will Jenner-O'Shea ) while at the same time able to play competitive Bridge

MAJOR RESULTS

During the Month there were a large number of tournaments carried out and included the Festival of Bridge

Morgans Financial Chatswood supported a Swiss Pairs Event Online early in the month. For the Open section this was a 5 week event while for the Intermediate/Restricted/Rookie Pairs it was a 3 week event

The Open Section was won by Peter Gill & Rob Ward

Second Place were George Bilski & Martin Bloom

Third Place were Cevat Emul & Catherine Zhang

The Intermediate Section was won by Peter Robinson & Barabara Abraham

Restricted Section was won by Jo Ampherlaw & Russell Spear

Rookie section was won by Aaron Minney & John Lawrence

Our sincere thanks go to Morgans Financial for supporting this Event and have been doing so for many years

In the third week of the month of June we began the Festival of Bridge, with a significant number of events held over one and a half weeks. While we had a lot of members enjoying the Festival, such is the repute of the NSBC Festival, that there were also a large number of non-members enjoying the atmosphere and competition.

The first Event of the Festival was the Two Men & Truck Intermediate, Restricted and Rookie Teams Event. There were 16 Teams of 4 players entered for this Event which was an increase on previous years. Praise to Two Men and a Truck as long-term supporters of the Festival of Bridge

1st Intermediate - Team Viner Tony White, Garry Viner, Selina Gibson, Mary Poynten

Second in Intermediate Team Rogers - Agnes Levine, Robyn Rogers, Meera Kudva, Lorna Davies

1st in Restricted Team Jensen - Lidy Seysener, Terrence Finnegan, Jeremy Trahair, Susan Jensen

1st Rookie Team - Yetts Andrew Roughan, Kali Lawrie, Catherine Yetts, Christine Craig

Second up in the Festival of Bridge was another event supported by Two Men and a Truck - the Roookie, Restricted and Intermediate Swiss Pairs with 44 Pairs playing in this event at East Lindfield, almost a full house - Thank You Two Men and a Truck.

First in Intermediate were John Simmonds and Trish Berry

Second in Intermediate were Tony White and Mary Poyton

Third in Intermediate were Selina Gibson and Jeetha Withana

First in Restricted were Chen Huang and Zhan Wan

First in Rookie were brother and sister pairing of Natalie Newman and Hamish Newman - Daughter and Son of Peter Newman a champion player with over 2000 Gold Points - keeping winning in the famil y

And the Events kept rolling on. Next up was the Fixed Income Solutions Swiss Pairs. Fixed Income Solutions is another long- term supporter of our Club and sponsored two Events in this Festival of Bridge. This event was Online on Real Bridge. In the Open Section we had 32 Pairs and in Intermediate 22 pairs - a great result

First in the Open Section of this Event were two stalwarts of the club Anthony Burke and Phil Gue

Second in the Open Section were Wei Zhang and William Zhang

Third in the Open Section were George Bilski and Martin Bloom

First in Intermediate were Ralph Edwards and Jean Hydleman

Second In Intermediate were Kathryn Brien and Mary Carter

First in Restricted were Brian Osborne and Meera Kudva

First in Rookie were Mark Lakota and Chris Gaskell

We're getting towards the end of the Events - or are we? Well, there were a further three events and the numbers playing aren't dropping off as yet. The next event was the Watermark Residences Swiss Pairs involving some 58 pairs at our tables. With many prizes to be awarded, we had the pleasure of Nada Vescio from Watermark come along to be involved in the presentations, great to have one of our Sponsors come to present the prizes - very many thanks to Nada and Watermark

The Winners of the Open Section the event were Kevin Davies and Steven Bock

Second in the Open Section were Elliott Kaplan and Nigel Rosendorff

Third in the Open section were Leo Goorevich and Gary Lane

First in The Intermediate section were John Ackerman and Janet Crocker

Second in Intermediate were Shannon Queree and Lucy D'Ambrosio

Third in the Intermediate were Susan Feeney and Felix Shteyman

First in Restricted were Denzil Seldon and Peter Trebeck

Second in Restricted were Anthony Smuts and Heather Olsen

First in Rookie were Martin Curtis and David Rieser

Second in Rookie were Bryanna Whitaker and Geraldine Halley

The second last event was a Swiss Teams Event run online. I imagine this type of event is a little more complex compared to the same type of event when F2F - a little more difficult to discuss between players when online. This event attracted some of the foremost Bridge players in Australia. Our very sincere thanks to Fixed Income Solutions for sponsoring this event

First in this event were Team Foster: Jenna Gibbons - Julian Foster - Warren Lazer - Pauline Gumby . This was certainly a very high pointed group with Pauline Gumby and Warren Lazer having between over 30,000 Masterpoints (yes, you are reading correctly, 30,000 MP's)- and it would be very difficult to get another foursome in Australia with more combined points

The Team which came second was also very highly rated - points wise with over 14000 combined Masterpoints - Team Quail, the Team was comprised of - Christopher Quail - Richard Brightling - Jodi Tutty - Wendy Boxall

Third in the tournament was a Team of players from NSBC and while their total combined points was not as high as the first and second place-getters, they are a very talented group of players - Team Goorevich - comprised of Gary Lane - Leo Goorevich - Liz Wilkinson - Patrick Neary

The Final Event in the Festival of Bridge was a Swiss Teams Event attracting another very strong field once again. A fantastic way to end the Festival. Supported by TBIB this event has traditionally always attracted a strong field, and this year was certainly no different

The winners of this event were the NSW Seniors Team with WARREN LAZER - PAULINE GUMBY - MIKE HUGHES - TED GRIFFIN - Wow what a lot of Masterpoints is attributed to this Team!

Second was Team ZHANG: WILLIAM ZHANG - WEI ZHANG - CATHERINE ZHANG - YUMIN LI - well done against such a strong team above

Third was Team KAPLAN: MATHEW VADAS - GEORGE FLEISCHER - ELLIOTT KAPLAN - NIGEL ROSENDORFF

Best of the Intermediate was BLAME TEAMIES Team: JAMES PALMER - NATALIE NEWMAN - IDA ANDERSEN - DAMON FLICKER

UPCOMING EVENTS

NSBC Matchpointed Pairs Championships Over 3 weeks for Open & Intermediate Online Thursday, 30 July, 6th August, 20th August 7:00pm till 9:30pm NSBC Thursday | Pairs | Online | Red Masterpoints Click here to enter via MyABF

Matchpointed Pairs Open Championship Over 4 weeks at The Willis 4 Tuesdays in July 7th, 14th, 21st, 28th July 12:15 - 03:30pm each day NSBC Tuesday | Pairs | F2F | Red Masterpoints Turn up to Play at the Willis

Team Invest Gold Point Swiss Pairs John McIlrath Trophy at East Lindfield 9th August 10:00am till 4:45pm NSBC Sunday | Pairs | F2F | Gold Masterpoints Click here to enter via MyABF

NSBC Club Teams Championship Over 4 Thursday nights Online (State Qualifier) 27th Aug, 3rd Sept, 10th Sept, & 17th Sept 7:00pm till 9:30pm NSBC Thursday | Teams | Online | Red Masterpoints Click here to enter via MyABF

Peter Pan Plumbing Swiss Pairs Open and Intermediate (Rookie, Restricted, Open less than 750 MP's) at East Lindfield Sunday, 30 August starting 10:00 till 4:45pm NSBC Sunday | Pairs | F2F | Red Masterpoints Click here to enter via MyABF

LESSONS

Will Jenner O'Shea - Online Sessions, July - August

What's Included in Will's Online Sessions

Recorded Video Lesson

2 hours of recorded video lesson, firstly covering the theory. Then Wills shows us the theory with real hands. Lastly Will gets Students to play the hands.

Downloadable Notes

The Presentation, Hand Notes, plus PBN and LIN files for you to upload to BBO for practice with friends or practice with Robots.

Practice Hands The choice of two tools to practice what you have learned. You can practice on your own, with Will's guidance throughout.

Wills Lessons in July - August

Reverses - part 1

Postponed until Sunday 5th July 2026 9:30am AEST Online Apologies but postponed until Sunday as Will missed a connecting flight

What is a Reverse, and what to do next. Bidding the best game and possibly finding a slam when the Opener has a good hand.

Reverses - part 2 Thursday 9th July 2026 9:30am AEST Online What if you have a Reversing shaped hand, but you don't have 16+ points. How to stay low and find the best part score. Click Here to Book this Lesson

Which Card To Play As Defender

Thursday 23rd July 2026 9:30am AEST

Which card to play when your partner leads. Working out what it is going on in the suit. Placing the missing honours.

Support Doubles

Thursday 6th August 2026 9:30am AEST Finding your 5-3 fits more easily in a competitive auction. A simple and useful convention to play to find fits after the opponent's overcall. Click Here to Book this Lesson Will's Workshops - Face to Face Improve Your Defence Friday, 24th July at East Lindfield - starting at 10:00 - 3:30pm Better Leads, Signals & Counting in Defence. All of the hands have opportunities for good defence to have an effect on the outcome. Improve Your Leads. When To Lead Singletons / Doubletons, And When Not To. Improve Your Signals. Know Which Suit Your Partner Wants Or Doesn’t Want Counting. Count Declarer’s Points and Tricks. Click Here to Register for this Lesson Rebids and Decision Making Friday, 28th August at East Lindfield starting at 10:00 - 3:30

Showing Your Hand Better, Weak and Strong Rebids. Each hand has an interesting Play or Defence Tip. Rebidding to Show Balanced or Unbalanced Hands. Showing Your Points More Accurately. Reverses, Strong Jump Shifts and Game/Slam Decisions Click Here to Register for this Lesson

DEAR DIRECTOR - GARRY VINER

Finding a fit with partner relies on knowing how many cards they have in the suits you bid. You can generally discover a fit quickly when opener starts with a major - for most players that shows 5 cards and we can support their suit with only 3 cards.

It’s a bit more difficult when after you open a minor, responder introduces a major. As we all know, this only promises 4. She could have more, but she may not, and if you are sitting there with 3 cards in her suit, then it would be great to know if there’s a sneaky 5th card in her hand to guarantee your fit.

Sometimes the auction allows responder to rebid her major, promising that extra card, but that’s not always possible. Fortunately we have other tools at our disposal, and one of these is the support double. Here is a good example of its value. This comes from board 17 of the Two Men and a Truck Intermediate and Restricted Swiss Pairs - Session 2 on Sunday June 21. North opened 1D and South responded 1S. West overcalled 2H and N decided to show his second suit, bidding 3C. From South’s point of view there was clearly a fit in clubs, and with 11 total points, game would likely be on. But game in a minor is not straightforward, so he invited with 4C and that’s where it stayed.

The lead was 3H which Declarer won with the A. There were two ways to play the hand, one involving cross-ruffing, and one involving capitalising on that nice spade suit. Declarer did a good job to choose the latter. He drew two rounds of trumps and then started on the spades. West was able to take their winning club when they chose, but other than that and the A of spades, there were no other tricks for the defense. In total Declarer made 11 tricks, being 4 spades, 1 heart, 1 diamond, 3 clubs in the N hand and 2 diamond ruffs.

Eagle-eyed observers will have observed that 4S was also cold and an easier contract, but how to find it? The answer is that after the 2H overcall, N should have made a support double. This type of double is made by opener, and promises exactly 3 cards for responders major, which would have

been great news for S who would have known about the fit in spades. He could show his invitational hand by jumping to 3S, and then N would accept it and they would all live happily ever after.

You can forgive N for forgetting about this gadget. He has a nice two-suited hand, has shown the first one, and by introducing the clubs, he gets to communicate 9 cards - as well as the 4 clubs, he is now marked with at least 5 diamonds in our system. But the most important cards were the 3 spades, and those stayed hidden, leading to the wrong contract.

The best auction thereforewould look like this: 1D - 1S (2H) X - 3S - 4S. You can see the obvious value of the support double, but of course it does rely on the opponents interfering. Despite what one of my partner’s tried to do to me a week ago, you are not actually allowed to double your partner.

For the second hand this month I thought I’d share this amusing experience I had playing in the Two Men and a Truck Intermediate and Restricted Teams event. This was the second hand of the day, board 2 of Session 1 I’m sitting South, and EW bid their way to a contract of 6S. I might be doing the bidding a disservice, as my memory is not what it was, but I have a feeling that it went as follows: E opened 1H, W bid 1S and E jumped to 4NT, W showed 2 keycards, and E happily bid the slam. In the E position, a better option might be 4C after the 1S - this would be a splinter, agreeing spades as trumps and showing a strong hand with a shortage in clubs. W could then cue bid 4D to show a first or second round control in that suit and more than a minimum hand, and E could then bid 4NT with more confidence

Either way, 6S is a fine contract. Declarer can draw trumps in three rounds and then move on to diamonds, hoping they split 3-2. But even though they don’t, 12 tricks can be made - Declarer can simply ruff the fourth round of diamonds to set up his little diamond. He should make 4S, 2H, 4D, 1C and 1 D ruff.

That’s all very well, but it’s not how it was played at our table. Here, after winning the opening lead of the K of clubs, Declarer led the 9 of H and partner followed with the 2. That’s very risky, I thought, given that I had 5 Hearts in my hand, and could see another 5 in Dummy. But not half as risky as what happened next - he took the finesse, playing low from dummy and allowing me to win the Q! Now there was only one heart outstanding, the 6, and if partner had it she would have played it on the first round (we play standard count). So Declarer had the 6 and partner was now out of the suit. This slam was going off. Accordingly I led back another H, Declarer played that 6, and partner … threw a small club.

Needless to say, at that point Declarer swept up the remaining tricks and made his slam. At the end of the hand, he apologised to his partner, saying he had thought they were actually playing in Hearts, after which my partner apologised to me, saying she had ALSO thought they were playing in Hearts! I’ve been at the table when a player has misplayed a slam, thinking they were playing in another contract. I may even have been that player. But I think that’s the first time I’ve seen a slam make when half the table thought they were playing something else.

So EW made the slam they should always have made, the natural order of things was restored, and one person at the table felt a lot sillier for making exactly the same mistake as another. And when I introduced this hand as an “amusing experience”, I can assure you all that it seemed a lot more amusing a short time later than it did at the time, being as it was the second hand of the day, and against a wily old foe.

I should also say that partner went on to redeem herself with some sparkling Declarer play later in the event, and she ended up having a very successful weekend, finishing highly in the two events she played in.

ASK GARY - GARY BARWICK - OUR ONLINE MANAGER

Many people have commented on my significant weight loss and wondered whether I had been unwell or had the jab (Ozempic). I’m very happy to say it was intentional, achieved through good old- fashioned diet and exercise, and that I now feel as healthy as I did in my 20s (I am 57 now). I decided to apply the same focus I bring to the mental challenge of bridge to my physical health, with the aim of enjoying a long, happy life playing the game. For those interested, I cut out alcohol, junk food, take-away, eating between meals, and soft drinks, including diet versions. I also adopted a low-carb approach, intermittent fasting, modest calorie restriction, walking, cycling, weights, and—most importantly—gave the process time to work. In just over 10 months, I have lost 35 kg, reached my target weight, acquired a new wardrobe, and feel amazing. My health is 100%

Bridge for Super Seniors Bridge is certainly a competitive game, but at its heart it is also a deeply social one. It keeps our minds active, gives us a reason to stay connected, and helps preserve a sense of community— something that can become harder as the years go by. For many of us, there may come a time when our strongest bridge-playing days are behind us and we return to a simpler style of game, much like the system we first learned. Even so, I believe it is so important to keep playing for as long as we can. Online bridge has helped remove many of the barriers that once made this difficult, such as getting to the club or moving around during play. It has allowed people who might otherwise have given up the game to stay involved and continue enjoying one of life’s great pleasures. From time to time, people contact me looking for ways to keep playing. Some are in care homes, some are facing health challenges, and many are simply hoping to improve their quality of life through connection and companionship. At the moment, I know a gentleman who plays a steady casual game and would love to find a partner for Tuesday nights. If you are looking for a relaxed, social game with no pressure, please let me know —you can have a game and see how you go. Our bridge community is wonderfully diverse, and I would like to think there is still a place in it for everyone who can and wants to play.

MONTHLY WINNERS

Congratulations to the following players who were the overall Monthly Winners for their session.

MASTERPOINT PROMOTIONS

Congratulations to the following members on their promotions.

Anne Bates to Silver Life Master Neil Williams to Life Master Peta Drake to Life Master Mark Moskow to Silver National Master Stella Jansen to National Master Michael Green to Bronze State Master Denise Reilly to State Master Helen Arnold to Bronze Regional Master Sue Koschade to Regional Master Donna Linnegar to Silver Local Master Dianne Simpson to Silver Local Master Tony Ramage to Silver Local Master Ian Caddy to Bronze Local Master Martin Curtis to Local Master Tina Hillary to Local Master Alice Simpson to Local Master Alison Briscoe to Club Master Andrew Briscoe to Club Master Kali Lawrie to Club Master Jim Rich to Graduate Master Avril Shear to Graduate Master Patricia Evans to Graduate Master Meera Kudva to National Master Merle Payne to National Master

Garry Viner to National Master Kevin Wu to Bronze Regional Master Jake Lin to Bronze Regional Master Haitao Chen to Silver Local Master Steve Murphy to Bronze Local Master Tony Sheehan to Bronze Local Master Nina Menzies to Bronze Local Master Jason Searle to Local Master Jackie Procter to Local Master Anne Fletcher to Local Master Nick Curtis to Club Master Tim North to Club Master Sarah Hunter to Club Master Lesley North to Graduate Master Lisa Crocker to Graduate Master Judith Lade to Graduate Master

NEW MEMBERS

A warm welcome to our new members this month.

Corine Alter Pymble Rosemary Athineos Kirribilli Julie Barker Port Macquarie Angela Bean Pymble Helen Benari Hornsby Bill Boulton Pennant Hills Belinda Curline Davidson Anne Duggan Sydney Therese Duggan St Ives Barbara Fawcett North Willoughby John Garrett Willoughby Christine Henchman Greenwich Christine Hollis Cromer Krystyna Homik Gold Coast Sue Mcentee Bicton Kelly Mourgues Rose Bay Jill Patterson Point Lookout Diana Pearson Mosman Richard Pearson Mosman Frank Pieterse Roseville Marian Plaude Lane Cove North Jane Rich St Ives Hamid Sadigh Macquarie Park Sue Spurway Gold Coast Helen Thwaites Waverley Frank Windeyer Roseville