Website:
www.sunnybank.bridgeaustralia.org/
* * * * * * * ** * * * * * * * * * * * * * * **
PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE
Our recent Congress was very
successful and I wish to thank
members who contributed their
time and services in making this
so. In particular I want to thank
Heather Llewellyn, Margaret
Oakhill and Lou (her daughter), who toiled all day in the
kitchen, as well as Allan Stanton and Kevin Lethlean,
who caddied for the entire day. Their efforts were much
appreciated by all players and helped make the occasion
so enjoyable. Our Congress was oversubscribed by
visiting teams and this, plus the high standard of players
entering, is an endorsement of the high regard they have
for our tournament. In early July our club was broken into
and this has necessitated security improvements to
hopefully prevent further occurrences. An insurance
claim was lodged to cover our losses and was settled
promptly. It is pleasing to see the number of players
attending beginners’ lessons. On Mondays we now have
six full tables playing and also another table of beginners
learning on Tuesday nights. It is important to recognize
our teachers – Geoff Davey, Janet Loosmore, June Cross,
Margaret Dickerson, Bev Salter and Kim McDonald.
These members give much of their time to help others
and it is for the benefit of our club. The introduction of
new players is vital for the growth of the club and these
new members represent our future. It is intended to
conduct the next series of lessons early in the new year so
I urge you all to spread the good word and help recruit
new players. Recently, several members have expressed
interest in qualifying to become Directors. If there are
others who also would like to direct, please contact me.
Our club always needs new Directors and we would like
to hear from you.
Remember, it is your club and in the words of JFK –
“Think not of what your country can do for you but what
you can do for your country.”
Neville McDonnell. President.
***************************
SUNNYBANK CONGRESS
Once again Sunnybank held a successful Congress with
praises coming from all quarters. August 4th saw an event
of 30 teams with the first prize being shared between Andy
Braithwaite, Nadya Tuxworth, David McLeish (all of
Gold Coast) & Suzie Moses (Toowong), and Ralph Parker,
Sheila Parker, Michelle Radke & Ian Halford (all of
QCBC). The Plate was won by Sunnybank’s Fay Stanton,
John Blyth, Albina Smyth &Dennis Lee. With no Novices
team competing this year, a consolation prize was given to
the team seeded in the bottom three that finished the
highest and that went to Sunnybank’s Sue Holburt, Marie
Elkington, Mick Fawcett &Tracey Macbeth-Dunn, who
finished 20th. Gaining 8th place gave Ken Robinson, Di
Robinson, Anne Lovett &Lyn Cleary the prize for the best
performing Sunnybank team. As usual, accolades were
heard from everywhere about the sumptuous food that we
always provide. Thanks go to our kitchen helpers, Heather
Llewellyn. Margaret Oakhill, Margaret’s daughter, Lou,
and Jan Fawcett for working hard to serve up the delicacies
that our members generously provided. Thanks also must
go to our very efficient caddies, Allan Stanton and Kevin
Lethlean. As can be imagined, a lot of hard work goes on
leading up to such an event, with people setting up the
room, etc. and also dismantling everything at the end of the
day and we must thank Ken and Di Robinson, Anne
Lovett, David Utting, Narelle Close, Pam Pratt, Bernadette
O’Connell, Laurelle McDonnell, Fay Stanton, Pat Bos,
Bevan Parkes, Stuart Bell, Brian Fawcett and Dennis Lee.
Hopefully there isn’t anyone else that has been forgotten
but special thanks must go to our President, Neville
McDonnell. Not only is this his first year as President but
he also filled the position of Convenor of the tournament
(having taken over from our previous able Convenor, Anne
Lovett) and must be proud of the excellent job that he did.
Last, but not at all least, Jan Peach did her usual
marvellous job of directing the most important event on
our calendar.
********
ART IN PLAYING CARDS
WAS THIS A GAMBLE?
NORTH:
♠ KJ7542
♥--♦ KT542
♣ T5
WEST:
♠ T8
♥ Q97643
♦ 97
♣ 984
EAST:
♠ AQ93
♥ T852
♦ A863
♣Q
SOUTH:
♠6
♥ AKJ
These cards come from a set titled “Cards Comiques”
♦ QJ
and were designed in Germany by Bernhard Dondorf
♣ AKJ7632
about 1875. The Ace of Spades depicts Cinderella and This hand could be classed as historical. It was played at
the King of Hearts is Puss-in-Boots. The whole deck
Hampstead Bridge Club in North London in the 1930’s
was adorned with burlesque characters.
and Hampstead Bridge Club is situated in Acol Road
and that’s where the Acol bidding system was devised.
♠ ♥ ♦ ♣
Contract Bridge was in its infancy so South may have
been excused for opening 3NT with his hand. Needless
SNIPPETS FROM THE PAST – X
to say everybody else passed. Acol has gone through
many changes since those days but at that time the
Throughout the 1930’s concern was expressed at the approach seemed to be just bid what you think you can
breakdown of family life seen as a direct consequence make. West led a Heart. Did he make his contract?
of bridge-playing by women. Nothing short of their
role as wives, mothers and housewives was threatened
by the bridge craze. That this was perceived as a
serious question was reflected in the following
quotation from an address by Dr Thomas, a South
Australian in 1934: ..... I hope that public opinion will be
stirred immediately about a matter upon which I feel very
uneasy. Bridge is a game of cards which has leapt into
popularity during the past few years. As a recreation there
is nothing to be said against it but when it becomes an
absorbing interest that work and home duties are
neglected, while the devotees of the bridge table turn what
should be a reasonable recreation into a mania, then it is
time a protest should be made. Some men stay up most of
the night playing bridge and I hear of women who spend
the greater part of the afternoon and evening at the same
occupation. It is not a question as to whether the playing of
cards is right or wrong. The point at issue is that to spend
an inordinate amount of time upon a game of cards, when
there are so many important things to be done, is decidedly
wrong because it is a waste of God’s gift of time.
(the above is from “The History of Australian Bridge” by
Cathy Chua).
♠ ♥ ♦ ♣
“Since the average person’s small supply of politeness must
last him all his life he can’t afford to waste it on a Bridge
partner.” - Alfred Scheinwold.
(turn to Page 6)
♠ ♥ ♦ ♣
PARTNERSHIP TIPS AND ETIQUETTE
PART III
Mentor a Novice: If you can’t find a good partner,
maybe you can make one! Start off slowly, try to play
their simple conventions, be patient. You won’t win as
often but you will be able to take credit for pulling your
novice player up from last place to maybe third or
fourth. Perhaps you can eventually teach them enough to
be a compatible and competitive partner. Meanwhile, it
can be quite an ego boost to have a regular partner who
respects your knowledge and experience and being a
mentor will only enhance your reputation for patience
and expertise.
♠ ♥ ♦ ♣
By now, those of you who visit our website regularly
will know that you can access our Newsletter there. For
those who haven’t yet done that, then go to the Home
Page of our website and click on to Newsletter under
Breaking News and read it online (in colour).
Page 2
DIRECTORS’ CORNER
ANAGRAMS
Law 65A says, “When four cards have been played to
a trick, each player turns his own card face down near
him on the table.” Law 66A says, “So long as his side
has not led or played to the next trick, declarer or
either defender may, until he has turned his own card
face down on the table, require that all cards just
played to the trick be faced.” Law 66A makes sure
that every player can sight the face of each card. It
must do players no good to be able to quickly flip over
important cards. 66A is not intended as a way for
cards to be kept faced while you do your thinking.
Law 66A doesn’t mention dummy yet Law 42A1 says
that dummy may keep count of tricks won and lost.
How can he do this if he does not sight all the cards
and can’t ask for them to be faced?
Who are these three members of the Sunnybank
Bridge Club?
♠ ♥ ♦ ♣
MYSTERY PERSONALITY
FAINT WET CRAB
A HUMANISING OX
TRY INHALE NOW
(Answer on Page 6)
♠ ♥ ♦ ♣
THE SUNNYBANK CLUB OPEN PAIRS
CHALLENGE
Fay and Allan Stanton are generously sponsoring this
competition, which will be held annually and the
inaugural event will be on Friday, 15th November. They
are donating cash prizes to a total value of $300 which
will be awarded as follows:
Winners: $120 per pair
Runners-up: $80 per pair
Third Place: $40 per pair
Best Handicap: $40 per pair
Handicap Runner-up: $20 per pair
This will be an Open Day but only Sunnybank members
will be eligible to win prize money. Many thanks to Fay
Who is this young lady? She and Allan. We appreciate this fine gesture and we are
is one of the group of women sure that many members will want to enter the event for
who came to us from the which there will be no entry fee.
“Dark Continent”
♠ ♥ ♦ ♣
FROM THE ALMONER
(Answer on Page 4)
It’s good to see Merle Lindfield, Jan Parker, Kathy
Wooler and Max Worthington back at the Club. Shizue
Kanaya is recovering from a knee replacement and is
♠ ♥ ♦ ♣
expected back soon. However, Basil Bellamy and Bill
Scheikowski are both ill and David Utting is still
MICHAEL HOWARD: as many of us knew,
recovering from recent surgery. Our thoughts are with
Michael had been seriously ill for over a year but he them, as they are with any other members of whom we
fought bravely over his cancer. He passed away on are not aware are having health problems.
th
Friday, 20 September. He joined the Club with wife,
Kerry, at the start of 2005 and a year later both were
elected to the Committee, serving for four years. They
were both successful in business and retired early with
plans to travel the world. Sadly, their dreams never
eventuated.
♠ ♥ ♦ ♣
VARIABLE NO TRUMPS: this is the practice of
BRIDGE TIP: when signalling encouragement with equal
spot cards, signal with the higher equal. With A987, signal
with the 9. If you signal with the 8, you deny the 9!
♠ ♥ ♦ ♣
♠ ♥ ♦ ♣
varying the point range of a 1NT opener. A
common method is to play Strong No Trumps (1518) when vulnerable and Weak No Trumps (12-14)
when not vulnerable.
Page 3
NEW MEMBERS: We would like to welcome Bob
Johnson, Gerard Poynting, Laurie Slatter, Tom McDonald,
Christel Korn, Bev Salter, Anne Marshall, David Green,
Julie Salter, Shirley Kirk, Les Watts, Carole Fullerton,
Karen Brown, Rita Lovekin and Yvonne Cook to the
Sunnybank Bridge Club and hope their stay will be a long
happy one. Membership now stands at 232.
♠ ♥ ♦ ♣
CARD PLAYERS IN ART – NO. 21
FAMOUS PLAYERS – IX
Dorothy Hayden Truscott was
born in 1925 and was the topranked woman in bridge for
many years and authored and coauthored books on the game. She
was born Dorothy Johnson in
New York City and graduated
from the famous Smith College
and briefly taught mathematics. In 1972 she married
Alan Truscott, who wrote a column on bridge in the
New York Times. Her parents taught her how to play
bridge when she was seven and she would watch
her mother play but her father allowed her to bid
and play the hand for him when he poured drinks.
As a player she won four world titles and captained
the USA team in 1965. She is the only female to
win a medal in the World Open Pairs when she won
a bronze in 1966. She died of Parkinson’s Disease
in 2006.
♠ ♥ ♦ ♣
OPENING 1NT v ONE OF A MAJOR
This work is entitled “The Cardsharps and Fortune
Teller” and was painted by French artist Nicolas
Regnier in the early 1620’s. He is depicting two young
dupes falling victim to a swarm of crooks, con men
and cheats. While one dupe (front right) counts the last
of his money, his partner (rear right) is getting ripped
off by a fortune teller (who might have been in the
process of being asked what the chances of the dupes
were of winning). The picture hangs in the
Szépmũvészeti Mǘzeum in Budapest.
♠ ♥ ♦♣
MYSTERY
PERSONALITY
Opening 1NT with a five card major is a matter of
style, system and partnership. With some people it
is just NOT done. With some then hearts are OK,
but NEVER with five spades; still others say only
with a weak major and a strong doubleton, and so
on. Some top players open 1NT holding a five card
major any time they feel that they will be poorly
placed to proceed in the auction if they open 1♥ or
1♠. They are more prone to open 1NT with “slow”
cards and one of a major with quick tricks;
however, some of their partners say that if the hand
has 5332 distribution and 15-18 HCP, it is a NT
opener. In addition, you sometimes have a hand that
you know needs to be played from your side of the
table because of finessing situations.
♠ ♥ ♦♣
Answer:
one
of
Zimbabwean ladies,
Frewin.
our
Jan
♠ ♥ ♦♣
Will all members who borrow from
our library please remember to return
books after a fortnight. There is now
a new system concerning the
borrowing and returning of books
and there is a notice on the library
cabinet explaining this.
AUSTRALIA WIDE NOVICE PAIRS: this event
was held towards the end of May and there were two
♠ ♥ ♦♣
Sunnybank pairs who finished in the top one hundred.
Congratulations to Laurelle & Neville McDonnell, who
“Too bad, partner, that was an unlucky Grand Slam.
finished a creditable 29th (64.09%) and Jan Frewin &
The A♣ was offside” – Anon.
Tomasina De Luca who came 93rd (59.70%). Quite an
Page 4
effort when you consider it covers the whole of Australia.
TOP SCORES OF THE MONTH:
PRINT YOUR OWN SYSTEM CARD
JULY: 69.40% – Terry & Louise Collins – Thursday,
18th July.
AUGUST: 67.30% - Louisa Kwok & Andrew Chan–
Sunday, 18th August.
SEPTEMBER: 68.40% - June Cross & John Howie –
Wednesday, 25th September.
There is now an easier way to print your own System
Card, courtesy of the Australian Bridge Federation:
♠ ♥ ♦ ♣
CONGRATULATIONS TO THESE PLAYERS WHO
HAVE GAINED RANKING PROMOTIONS:
Graduate Master: Andrea Arkadieff, Lyn Rodgers,
Michelle Thorne, Vicki Sharratt
Local Master: Gary Volz
Local Master**: Colleen Williams
Regional*: Val Parkes
National*: Sarah Strickland
National**: Lyn Cleary
Life Master: Fay Stanton
♠ ♥ ♦ ♣
FORTHCOMING EVENTS
Go to the Sunnybank Bridge Club’s website Home Page
– click on to CONTACT at the top right – go to the foot
of the page and click on the Australian Bridge
Federation – click on to Membership Services - half way
down this page under System Cards click on to ABF
Convention Card PDF (to be able to access the PDF you
will require to have Adobe Reader on your computer. If
you don’t, then click on to the icon at the bottom left of
this page to install it – there is no danger and doesn’t
take long to load). Once you have Adobe Reader click
“the form” which is down the bottom left of the page (in
red). A System Card will now show on your screen. You
can now type in all your personal details as appropriate
to your system but before typing, click on to
“Classification” down the left and keep clicking until it
changes to “Cycle Class Colour” and until the correct
colour of your personal system shows in the circle at the
top right of the card. Now you can go ahead and type in
your details. When you have completed the card, click
on to the Save icon (5th on the left at the top) on the
toolbar. By saving you can return at a later date and edit
it. Now click on to the Printer icon at the top (on the
right of the Save icon) and you’re in business
Friday, 4th October – Friday Eclectics* commence.
Saturdays, 12th & 19th October – Championship
Teams**. Tuesday, 15th October – Sunnybank
Pairs**.
Sunday, 3rd November – Birthday
Trophy** (and BBQ). Tuesday, 5th November –
Melbourne Cup Day*. Thursday & Friday, 28th &
29th November – Queensland Wide Pairs** (players
may only enter one of these sessions). Sunday, 8th
December – Club Christmas Party*.
♠ ♥ ♦ ♣
CONGRATULATIONS
to Fay Stanton on being
promoted to the rank of
Life Master.
♠ ♥ ♦ ♣
* = green points ** = red points
*** = gold points
HANDICAPS:
since we have been using the
Compscore program (that synchronises with the
Bridgemates) we have been awarding prizes to the best
♠ ♥ ♦ ♣
performing novices in our competition events, whereas
in the days before Bridgemates those prizes went to the
YVONNE HENRY
best handicap finishers. Our Secretary, Anne Lovett, has
now managed to load every player’s handicap on to the
Although expected, it was very
system and in future the best handicap performers in
saddening to hear that Yvonne competitions will be awarded a prize rather than the best
had passed away on September novices.
13th. She had suffered with
various blood disorders over
recent
years
and
finally
succumbed to leukaemia. Yvonne joined our Club in
May 2003 and had made many friends whilst with us.
A Service of Thanksgiving was held on September
19th and drew a large congregation, including fifteen
members from the Club. Yvonne would have been
seventy nine in December.
♠ ♥ ♦ ♣
American General Douglas McArthur once said, “Old
Bridge players never die. They just lose their finesse.”
♠ ♥ ♦ ♣
Page 5
DID HE MAKE NO TRUMPS?
CONGRATULATIONS TO THESE RECENT
COMPETITION WINNERS:
Wednesday, 3rd July: Four Week Eclectics* - Ros
Purchase.
Thursdays,
4th
&
11th
July:
Championship Pairs** - Mike Bryzak & Chas
Bagley. Wednesday, 7th August: Exhibition Pairs**
- Sue Holburt & Sue Barnes. Monday, 19th August:
August Pairs**- Andrew Chan & Louisa Kwok.
Tuesday Evening, 3rd September: Beginners’
Twilight Teams* - Derek Morris, Wendy Morris,
Karen Moss & Xiaomin Zhuang. Fridays, 13th &
20th September: Friday Spring Pairs** - Sue Barnes
& Shirley Larkin. Tuesday, 24th September,
Tuesday Spring Pairs** - John & Rita Moore and
Chas Bagley & Priya Jayawickrama (joint winners).
* = Green Point Event. ** = Red Point Event.
*** = Gold Point Event.
♠ ♥ ♦ ♣
NORTH:
♠ KJ7542
♥--♦ KT542
♣ T5
WEST:
♠ T8
♥ Q97643
♦ 97
♣ 984
EAST:
♠ AQ93
♥ T852
♦ A863
♣Q
SOUTH:
♠6
♥ AKJ
♦ QJ
♣ AKJ7632
After West led a Heart, Declarer won the Jack then
cashed the A♣, felling East’s Queen. He then tabled
all his Clubs and Hearts and ended up with ten
tricks.
♠ ♥ ♦♣
LOOKING BACK – TEN YEARS AGO: the
Championship Teams was won by Sue Holburt, Kim
BRIDGE JARGON - One-over-One (1/1): A oneMcDonald, May Moffat and Bill Moffat. Ros Purchase
level suit bid in response to partner's opening onewas promoted to Regional Master and Pat Jenkinson to
level suit bid.
State Master. Our total membership stood at 179.
Complaints were registered in the Newsletter concerning a
♠ ♥ ♦♣
gremlin, who appears to be fiddling around with the
temperature control on the urn in the kitchen. You will be
COURT CARDS are sointerested to learn that that gremlin is still with us today!
called because of their
♠ ♥ ♦♣
WOMEN’S CANCER DAY: On Friday, 6th September,
the Club held a special day to raise funds to sponsor Club
Member Margaret Low’s daughter, Amanda, who had
committed to walking 60 kms in an event to be held on
Women’s Cancer Day in October. Many thanks must go to
Margaret Oakhill, who visited many businesses to gather
donated items for raffle prizes, and for the large amount of
time that she spent selling raffle tickets. The raffle raised
$530 and the Club donated a further $200. The Club also
donated an extra large cake, which members shared at the
bridge session on the day, which attracted 15 full tables.
♠ ♥ ♦♣
ANAGRAMS (Answer):
BRIAN FAWCETT
XIAOMIN ZHUANG
HILARY NEWTON
♠ ♥ ♦♣
heraldic
devices.
K♣
originally represented the
arms of the Pope; K♠ the
King of France; K♦ the
King of Spain; K♥ the King
of England. The French
Kings (in cards) are called
David (spades); Alexander
(clubs); Cæsar (diamonds);
Charles
(hearts)
representing the Jewish, Greek, Roman and
Frankish empires. The Queens are Juno (hearts);
Judith (clubs); Rachel (diamonds); Pallas (spades) –
representing royalty, fortitude, piety and wisdom.
They were likenesses of Marie d’Anjou (the Queen
of Charles VII; Isabeau (the Queen Mother); Joan
of Arc (the Q♠ or war); Agnes Sorel (the King’s
mistress) – it was a nice gesture for the King to
recognise his mistress.
♠ ♥ ♦♣
Page 6