Anna Kalma's blog

The Waikato Team of Lesley Chubb, Judy Butler, Brian Nicholson and Alan Dawkins have finally triumphed in the Quilty Trays after competing in every event since it was opened to visiting teams.

They had an emphatic win and could have gone home at supper with an unbeatable 32 point lead at supper time on the final night. It turned out that their last match against runner-ups (and last year's winners of Lesley Quilty, Sonia Crawford, Ann Ring and Heather Kneebone)was their closest with just a 1 IMP win but meant they retained their perfect record of 9 wins from 9 matches.

Third place was the Hamilton Team consisting of MAlcolm Smith, Alison Smith, Linda Lin, Richard Fletcher and Richard Hooper!

Well done to Ari and Tim Rigter for winning the 2015 Championship Pairs. Ari and Tim are long time members of the Te Aroha club and have paired up for this competition for many years without success until this year which makes their victory all the sweeter.

Ari and Tim

Their victory was aided with a timely 70% score in the penultimate week which left a bit of breathing space between them and the chasing pack.

The winners of the Mokena Handicap Trophy which is run alongside the event was Pamela Clydesdale and Laurie Belfield. A great result for Pamela who just learnt bridge in the past year.

A stunning home win for mother and daughter combo Barbara and Raewyn at the Matamata Junior Tournament. A stunning top of the room score of 63.64% in the morning session followed by a steady 54.17% in the afternoon saw them clinch the Matamata Junior Pairs title by just 1.5%. Well done to Barbara and Raewyn who have now taken the lead in the Waikato Bays Junior League at the half way point. Runners up from Rotorua were Colleen Allen and Maureen Carter. A notable third place for a beginner from lessons last year Michele Liddle playing with her "Buddy" Jan Wills.

Attached the latest newsletter from the Waikato Bays region.

Jane Stearns is offering the "Nesting Pairs" course at the Putaruru Bridge Club to all partnerships in the Waikato area that are interested as well as Rotorua and Taupo. Full details of the course content and registration details are available on the South Waikato website

http://www.south-waikato.bridge-club.org/

If interested, please let Jane know by Friday 17 April janelawrence50@hotmail.com

Jane will be running her Bridge-It Jane's Nesting Pairs Course at the Putaruru Club from April to July. A fortnightly, one-hour seminar, one-hour practice series of seven is designed to promote partnership understanding and tournament success.

Partnerships need to register their interest by FRIDAY 17 APRIL. The course is aimed at intermediates wishing to raise their game. Very keen juniors may enjoy Seminars 1, 2, 3 and 5 and 6. Open players that have not covered the topics on offer are welcome to register.

The Edie Schwarz Jug competition played over seven rounds has been completed. This competition is an individual scratch competition with six out of seven scores counting. It is one of the main Wednesday Bridge contests and the saying goes that “cream comes to the top.”

It certainly was the case in this competition. Sonia Crawford was the winner without even having to play the final round with all six of her scores counting. She was able to withstand a spirited challenge from Ann Ring and win by 1.1 point.

Best six scores were-
1. Sonia Crawford 367.00 av. 61.47
2.Ann Ring 365.99 av. 61.00
3.Anne Beetham 355.58 av. 59.26

Edie Schwarz: Edie Schwarz

It is fitting that one of the Matamata Bridge Club’s most revered past members is remembered with a keenly contested trophy. Edie played at the club for many many years and a number of the present bridge players were taught the game by Edie Schwarz.

The 2015 Lessons kick off next week - Tuesday 14th April at 7pm at the Matamata clubrooms.

For those who have learnt in the last couple of years, revisiting lessons is a great way to bed in your knowledge.

Or if you know of anybody that would like to learn - get in touch with the tutor Judith Howard or email the bridge club at matamatabridge@gmail.com

Monday night at Matamata saw the room facing some interesting/exciting boards. In total there was something like a staggering 12 slams available over the course of the night ... one board in particular was very unusual Board 2:

board 2

Interesting in that there was a slam available in both directions ... The discussion on facebook from people in other clubs who had played the same boards centred around whether those playing in the spades contract would have been likely to play for the drop in spades (hoping that the spades were distributed 1 each in defence) or whether to lead up to the 10D in your hand and finesse the k??

What would you have done? Playing in 7Sx against Sonia and Rita - I went for the drop in spades which meant I went two light. Unlike Joanne and Jim who obviously finessed for a top board of the night which was 6s making 7. Unfortunately my efforts brought a bottom board to me and my poor partner Heather.

Incidentally - for those with a mathematical bent - David Skipper (Christchurch Open player) advises "The drop has a 52% chance of success and the finesse has a 48% chance". Therefore those who used statistical analysis in the likely outcome would have gone for the drop going one light . . .that made me feel a bit better:)

Following on the success of Raewyn Richards and Barbara Keys who came second at the first regional Junior Tournament of the year a couple of weeks ago in Cambridge ... We had several Matamata pairings competing in the Te Awamutu Restricted tournament over the weekend.

Michelle Liddle and Beth Vosper had a great morning with a second place in the morning and 6th place overall - just ahead of Rita Van Den Einden and Judith Howard who picked up the pace in their second session to win a session prize and come 7th overall. A great result especially for Michelle who has only learnt Bridge in the past year.

Want to learn rubber bridge? Now is your chance to learn locally...

Christine & Jenna Gibbons (past winners of the National Rubber Bridge competition) are guest speakers before the first round of the regional Dan Gifford Rubber competition.

Where: Matamata Bridge Club
When: Sunday 12th April
Time: seminar starts at 10am, first round starts at 11am or immediately after lunch.
Cost: Free with lunch provided

You can come to the seminar and not take part in the competition or vice versa... although it would be well worth putting your learning into practice.

Entries close on 5th April. To enter the competition, please enter your partnership with Karen Martelletti (kiwiitie@gmail.com or text 027 496 5547). When you enter, please indicate the following:

1. If you are attending the seminar at 10am
2. If you want to play your first round in Matamata