Anna Kalma's blog

Following on from the Matamata Intermediate tournament where the director, Ed Roggeveen, was queried by a player regarding their opponents deviating from their system card. Ed has written a fine account on when deviants are allowed ... and when it isn't kosher at the bridge table.

The article can be accessed via the following link http://www.teawamutu.bridge-club.org/blogs/ed15oct

Well done Malcolm Kirkby and Peter Daffurn the only locals [well sort of] on show at the Waikato Bays Novice Tournament in Matamata.

They pulled off two consistent sessions to win by 2% average overall from Putaruru Pair of Rodney Vercoe & Dexter Morgan with Cariss Oliver and Karen Harper rounding off the podium.

Novice winners

The tournament was ably controlled by Rona Driscoll. And it got off to a great start with the ability to watch the World Cup rugby match between All Black's versus France. The timing was perfect - 15 minutes after the whistle (in the rugby) we were able to kick off the bridge:)

Reminder that the Waikato Bays Novice tournament is being held on October 18th 2015.

Cost - $10 (or $5 if they played at the Novice at Congress in Hamilton recently)

time - start at 10am sharp (morning tea from 9.30am) and will end around 4pm

BYO lunch.

Enter as a partnership via http://www.waikatobays.bridge-club.org/entries

NB Latest entries can be seen at the website above ... not on this site.

The Thames and Te Aroha bridge clubs enjoyed the final night of the four night pairs event which was played at the "away" venue of Thames.

Winners of the Gilligan Barclay Trophy: Jennifer and Josie being awarded the cup by Denise Barclay in 2014

The winning duo from 2014 Josie McKenzie and Jennifer Watts, repeated the feat from last year putting in an solid final performance to win from Sheryl McKay and Estelle Cashmore.

The top Te Aroha/Matamata pair were Laurie Belfield and Nelson Hodgetts in 4th place however the majority of the Te Aroha contingent appeared to be more set on enjoying the social ambience of the occasion!

A great day was had by 26 pairs last Sunday at the Matamata Intermediate - and penultimate round on the Waikato Bays Intermediate League. Nice to see Ed Roggeveen back from overseas with his affable directing style.

Eventual winners Rosalind Phillips (Tauranga) and Garth Robinson (Taupo) were late entries but proved that their trip to Matamata was worthwhile, after they put in two excellent sessions to win honours on the day with an average score of 59%. Cambridge duo Margaret Fitzgerald and Ayako Imahashi were second and Bunny Cox and Richard Knight from Te Awamutu took the third place slot.

Top Matamata pair Laurie Belfield and George Sherrell just missed out on a podium place finishing in 4th place.

The win has cemented Rosalind as the leader of the Intermediate league this year with just one Intermediate Tournament to come in Cambridge on the 1st November. However, there are a few close behind. The league can be accessed on the http://www.waikatobays.bridge-club.org website.

Te Aroha club hosted their annual team events and some pictures of the final night of the teams are below (theme was the letter L). We were supported by the Matamata club who sent two teams to compete and who not only got in the spirit on the final night dressing up but also were the winning two teams at the end of the three night competition.

Te Aroha Teams

Te Aroha Teams: lumberjacks

Te Aroha Teams: Lords and Ladies from Matamata

Te Aroha Teams: lollipop men (poor effort guys!)

Te Aroha Teams: Matamata selection

Te Aroha Teams: lightning

Te Aroha Teams: Learners

Te Aroha Teams: Lemonheads

Te Aroha Teams: Lab technicians

Te Aroha Teams: Local lovelies

The Waikato Bays region has a new website and it is well worth a browse and bookmarking on your computer so you can regularly access information about what is happening in your region.

http://www.waikatobays.bridge-club.org/

Michael Neels from Cambridge has been busy developing the site which has replaced the old website.

While the site is an evolving project, it currently hosts all local tournament information, regional results, commentary and club contacts for the region.

We look forward to feedback and ideas from all those in our bridge community.

Club members have had some success at tournaments played over the past week.

Lynette Morgan and Lesley Quilty combined at the Tauranga Ladies tournament on Wednesday to put in two great performances to take home second overall with an average of 61% across two sessions.

And at the 5A Open Tournament in Hamilton on Saturday against a field of crack shot bridge players, local players featured in each of the three sessions. Session prizes were won by Lesley Quilty and Heather Kneebone in the first session, followed by Hermanna Hemmes and Anna Kalma in the second session and Lynette Morgan and Ian Bond in the final session meaning all the Matamata players went home with an envelope:)

Richard Solomon and Christine Richardson from Auckland were overall winners of the Open, while Graeme Saunders and John Little from Waikato won the Intermediate section.

AND then to top the weekend off Michelle Liddle & Beth Vosper competed at the junior restricted tournament in Cambridge on Sunday afternoon and came first North/South with a very impressive score of 66%. This tournament was well attended with 15 tables of afternoon bridge.

The Citizens Advice Bureau will receive a nice donation thanks to the generosity of the visitors and locals who supported the raffle and “White Elephant” auction on Benefit Night.

Unfortunately the set up for scoring didn't quite go to plan so competitive bridge became social bridge and winning a prize depended entirely on luck. Many thanks must go to the visitors from Morrinsville, Putaruru and TeAroha who took the situation in good humour and enjoyed the delicious supper and willingly supported the auction.

The Waihou Shield is the coveted trophy for the interclub teams competition between Matamata and Putaruru. Putaruru have dominated the competition in the past but this year Matamata were convincing winners. Four junior/intermediate teams from each club competes in this afternoon of bridge which has become an annual event.

The Putaruru pairing of Eileen Barker and Ann Berben were the top pair on the day but the more consistent scoring by the Matamata teams gave them enough points to take the trophy.

The highest scoring team for Matamata were June Thomson, Jim Anelay, Tony Pearson and Stella Macilquham.

Waihou Trophy victors: Stella proudly displays the Waihou Shield in front of some of the Matamata contingent.