BRIDGE IN THE OUTBACK

To say it was a hot day in Alice Springs is something of an understatement. It was 42 degrees.

Alice Springs Bridge Club

Unseasonably warm they told me (I think the phrase used was “Struth, this is blardy redeculus”). My mother told me ladies do not perspire, they glow. She was wrong. I was dripping with sweat and literally melting during my day in Alice. As Dave and I tried to see the sights, we kept moving into shop doorways to get the benefit of some down draft from aircon. It was therefore with some relief that the delightful Eileen Boocock from the Alice Springs Bridge Club texted me to tell me a member of their club would pick me up from my hotel for my evening of bridge. It was a kilometre away and I was hoping to arrive a bouncy Bridge Babe rather than a limp wet rag. The club is at the over-50s club in Alice. Yes they let me in (no I am NOT 50!!) and made me very welcome.

Alice Springs Bridge Club sign

A small but enthusiastic club (just like Te Aroha in that respect) they had four tables for the night I was there. First shock – AUD$8 to play!!! EIGHT BUCKS!! AUSSIE DOLLARS!! I tried not to show my jaw was dropping. I had only brought AUD$10 with me … Dave can be very restrictive at times! Second shock – wine on sale at AUD$3 a glass. Yes, you canny bridge players have done the arithmetic – your regular inebriate was unable to purchase a glass of wine through insufficient funds! In fact, for once in my life, I was not going to have an alcoholic drink – I was avoiding anything that might dehydrate me and pouring water down to stop becoming woozy. I am certain without doubt the friendly club members would have rescued me and donated a dollar to my cause had I wanted a glass. I was given a very fine pen as a visitor to the club.

Prestigious Pen

In the break they had lovely cheeses with biscuits.
They use bidding boxes, which I had still not really learned to drive by the end of the evening – could not get the etiquette right of when to pick the bidding cards up and where to put them – on the board or back in the box. I was alerting when I should have been stopping – it is a lesson in itself to use them! My partner Diane Hood and I went for a basic Standard American system and barring one complete disaster where I asked for half a hold looking for NTs and my partner left me in that suit for the contract (entirely my fault I should add – that’ll teach me to attempt something totally undiscussed with a partner beforehand) we found ourselves pretty much on the same page for the night and finished above halfway. Eileen, who had facilitated me coming to their club and gone out of her way both before and indeed on the night to be helpful, friendly and a fine ambassador for her club, told me about a new initiative they are running there. They have lessons once a year, sometimes twice, but instead of turning any new enquiries away they now have a separate night of bridge where anyone can come along for help and encouragement in the game. So new members from lessons, combined with others as and when they enquire, are coming on a Tuesday night to the club and this formula is working well for them. Striking while the iron is hot with enquiries has reaped benefits rather than telling people to come back in several months’ time when lessons begin again but interest may have waned. My taxi for the night was Debbie Pepper, from lessons the previous year. She told me how she was enjoying the relaxed Tuesday sessions where she was gaining confidence and learning more about the game.

I had arrived on the amazing Ghan train, overnight from Darwin to Alice Springs. The Ghan
Being in the middle of the outback makes it hard for tournament play. The Northern Territory does have a major event annually and it is shared between Darwin (dripping Darwin – yes more sweat) and Alice Springs. It had been the turn of Alice Springs this year and Eileen told me how they had just held their competition in their town. A 5 day congress at their convention centre. Darwin next year. The top Australian players all attend.
Grandmaster arrives for tournament circa 1880!
I had a great night in Alice Springs Bridge Club. It was a pleasure to meet them all and a privilege to play with them. Back to reality now here in NZ, a blustery, rainy 18 degrees – do you know what? It feels just great.