Anna Kalma's blog

Are any of you having Bridge withdrawals? Is one of your New Years Resolutions to play more bridge? Fear not, there are some summer options available to satisfy your urges...

1) Play at the annual NYE bridge tournament in Matamata. This is organised by Hermanna Hemmes and is a social event which you don't need a partner to enter . . . but you do need to let Hermanna know if you want to play so there are the right amount of players (phone 07 8873 781). Great way to see in 2014! Kick off at 7.30pm (be seated earlier)

2) Grab a partner and find out which clubs in the area play summer bridge during the day (Matamata starts weekly day bridge on Wednesday 7th January and Hamilton weekly on Friday 9th January.) Visitors are always welcomed to the summer events - but check times and details on the relevant website first.

3) Grab a partner and enter a tournament. All the big guns turn out at the Thames Festival which happens during 10 - 12 January. This year there will also be the inaugural Junior Tournament which starts at 1.30pm on Sunday 12th January and will be limited to 22 boards ... a new concept in New Zealand Bridge Tournaments and would be suitable for many of our new junior ranked players.

4) Start some house bridge ... ring Hermanna if you would like to play bridge around the coffee table ... she and Henk are always keen to set up a game and no doubt there will be a grandchild hanging around to make a foursome if required!

Another great night out at Te Aroha Bridge. Thanks to all the visitors and members that attended and enjoyed the good old Te Aroha hospitality. Some unedited photos are attached ... as usual I failed to capture images of those who were busy behind the scenes (thanks Anne Cummins for organising all the food and George Sherrell for directing!!)

Look forward to 2014 - have a merry Xmas everybody:)

xmas party
Xmas party
Xmas party

Working Bee: Many hands make light work at the Annual Spring Clean of the Te Aroha Bridge Club. Thanks to all those that turned out (and the cleaning fairies that came in during the weekend also).

Looking forward to seeing everybody on Tuesday Night 6pm for drinks and dinner followed by bridge at approximately 7.30pm.

First time playing together and they managed to come top of Xclub on Wednesday across 70 pairs from three different clubs. An honourable mention to Ari Rigter and Anne Cummins who were just behind in 2nd place.

http://www.compassmate.bridge-centre.org/results/weekly

Well done Te Aroha

Well nothing really startling happened at the AGM but we do have some new appointments with new blood on the committee:

President: Greg Saxon (nothing different there)
Secretary: Jacquie Loney
Treasurer: Victor Kooter
(and new committee member: Rochelle Van Heuven)

Some of the topics covered:

Subs & Table money: due to increases from NZ Bridge, Te Aroha will increase fees as per the following affective 2014:

Annual subs: $35
table money: $2.50
Affiliation/associate member: $15

Lessons: will start in March and run for 10 weeks on a Wednesday. Encourage all club members to sign up at least one person each. Word of mouth best promotion for the game.

Xmas dinner on the 10th December. Unsure if we are able to open the event up for partners due to space restrictions. But will firm up numbers and make a decision about this in the coming few weeks.

Working bee/annual spruce up: Monday 9.30am 9th December @ the clubrooms.

2014 Programme: some minor changes which will be firmed up and ratified after circulation at the club on Tuesday.

New Zealand Bridge are setting up an electronic enewsletter and are encouraging subscribers by offering the chance to win an ipad for those that sign up before 23 November.

Instructions as below ...

1. Please open: www.nzbridge.co.nz
2. Find the iPad symbol
3. Enter your email to receive news, views and information from NZ Bridge
4. Do it by November 23, 2013, and you will be in the draw to win a new, donated iPad

Not only will you be more well informed about the world of bridge ... but you may also be the lucky winner of a new electronic toy to distract you!

The final club competition for the 2013 starts next week on the 29th October.

This is the final opportunity for club members to get their name on the 2013 honours board. There are two individual competitions held in parallel:

The Auckland Cup which is an individual scratch competition and Te Aroha Cup for the best individual based on their handicap score.

The competition runs over 6 nights with one score allowed to be discounted or missed.

Remember to confirm your partner before each week and if you aren't sure who you are playing with or need a partner let Hermanna or Anna know.

Happy Bridging Everybody:)

I went into the clubrooms today to download last night results and work out the overall winner of the 4 night pairs and it appeared that not all the results had been captured last night.

Hence the reason for some altered scores (for those that hung around for the results last night).

The winners of both the scratch and handicap sections from last night were: Alison Cradock and Hermanna Hemmes

BUT ... the big winners for the 4 night competition were ... drum roll ...Jillian O'Neill and Greg Saxon.

Because they were the only pair who managed to play every week!

Although to make the ladder appear a bit more interesting - I allowed one score to be dropped and 3 sessions allowable. So on that basis Alison Cradock and Hermanna Hemmes were the unofficial winners (scratch and handicap.

Reminder that on SUNDAY 13 OCTOBER—MINI MOOS 4 AT TE AWAMUTU BRIDGE CLUB

Jane will be on holiday right up to that weekend so you need to register for the event with NICK. His email is morrbridge@xtra.co.nz $5 entry fee.

If you need help finding the Te Awamutu bridge club ... check out directions on their site: http://www.teawamutu.bridge-club.org

Congratulations to Henk and Hermanna Hemmes and Jacob Kalma.

Henk and Hermanna (along with John and Rona Driscoll from Taupo) competed at the week long congress and took home the prize for top team henk and hermanna playing at teamsless than 150 A points.

JAcob competed with the Waikato Youth Team and they came a creditable fourth. As Jacob said, we played pretty good but unfortunately got whupped by the eventual winners Auckland.

Congress is a pretty tough work with at least 60 boards played each day for a week ... The creme of New Zealand (and Australian) bridge compete fiercely. Not for the faint hearted.