2025 JUNE NEWSLETTER
May was a busy month. The Gardening Gang was out and about - what a difference to the front of the building! Thank you Karen Moller, Richard Basham, Sue Bolto, Susan Dawson, Jan & Paul French, Jenifer French, Harry Nesbitt, Kate & Roger North, & Lindsay Shepherd.
There was also Charity Day, Mother’s Day, the Restricted Pairs Championship, and the start of the Winter Congress. Martin was away for two weeks in China looking after the Australian Mixed Team and Sheenagh was around to keep everything ticking over.
CHARITY DAY & CLOTHING DRIVE
Thank you everyone. Charity Day raised $7,800 and a mini-van full of clothing. The afternoon session was packed and some of the supervised players, who stayed on, ended up playing in the normal duplicate. Well done and hopefully not too traumatic. See the news item here..
YOUTH TEAM FUND RAISER
It was a surprise to walk into the club for the start of the Winter Congress and see another raffle running. This time in support of the WA Youth Team. Another excellent cause as "the youth" are our future.
The prizes have moved to the South Perth Bridge Club and the raffle will be drawn on Sunday 29 June – you can join in and play bridge there on the Sunday, but don’t forget to pre-enter. The raffle at WABC raised $1,920 in just four days, quite an amazing result.
PLANNING AHEAD
WABC GNOT Heat
Rescheduled but more teams needed. Three Tuesday afternoons: 17 June, 24 June & 1 July at 1:15pm. The GNOT is a better than normal opportunity to win some Gold Points. You can enter a team of 4, 5 or 6 players. There must be at least one WABC member in each team.
Novice Pairs Championship
Two Friday mornings: 20 & 27 June at 9:00am. Less than 100 Masterpoints at 31/3/2025. There will be normal duplicate running as well.
Super Saturday
Saturday 28 June. A short talk by Martin Doran to warm you up at 12:15. Bridge at 13:15 with preset hands that have a story, require good technique, or perhaps a dose of good luck will help! All this followed by fun including a quiz in the social area afterwards. Normal table money.
Red Point Week
From Monday 7 July to Saturday 12 July. Banish those winter blues with red points at WABC.
DUTY PARTNER – FRIDAY AFTERNOONS - TRIAL
The Members Committee is looking for players willing to be a duty partner on Friday afternoons during July & August. This will work the same way as on Saturdays: if the duty partner plays then it is a free game; if the duty partner is not required then they get a free token.
If you are willing to be a Duty Partner on a Friday afternoon during July or August then please contact Tessa Mayall (mayallt@bigpond.com).
WINNERS – RESTRICTED PAIRS CHAMPIONSHIP
Congratulations to Mira Erskine & Veronica Ntoumenopoulos who tied with Shirley Lavarack & Ziggy Morawiec after two sessions, and there was quite a gap to the rest of the field.
WINNERS – WINTER CONGRESS
The Winter Congress has come and gone but it seems that winter is here for a little longer. Many thanks to West to West for moving the fencing for the Congress weekend as the extra parking was appreciated, especially on Saturday and Monday.
The winners of the various events are listed below and there are more details and pictures coming on the website under Results and in the News Section.
Friday
Restricted Pairs: Penni Fletcher-Hughes & Trevor Smith
Welcome Pairs: Ron Cooper & Chris Ingham
Saturday
President’s Pairs: Mira Erskine & Ziggy Morewiec
Swiss Pairs: Gerry Daly & Viv Wood
Sunday
Swiss Pairs: Gwyneira Brahma & David Munro
Overall Swiss: Gerry Daly & Vi Wood
Monday
Novice Pairs: Marlene Robinson & Lynette van Proctor
Swiss Teams: Gerry Daly; Trevor Fuller, Marnie Leybourne & Viv Wood
Farewell Pairs: John Aquino & Richard Illingworth
WINNERS - ELSEWHERE
Undercroft Congress Swiss Pairs:
Won by Fran Holman playing with Sue Grenside; 3rd were Denise Baker & Eve Clarkson.
Undercroft Congress Swiss Teams:
Won by Viv Wood, Gerry Daly; Marnie Leybourne & Tom Lemann.
Western Over 60s: Won by Tom Lemann & Ron Cooper.
Fremantle Swiss Pairs: Won by Gwyneira Brahma & David Munro
A NEW GRANDMASTER
David Burn has finally collected the remaining red and gold points he needed to become a Grand Master. Well done!
NEW MEMBERS
Welcome to the following new and returning members: Hazel & Jeff Carr; Alan & Gillian Knight; Robert Nichevich; Warwick Potter; Paula Sinclair; & Meg Warner.
FAREWELL
Jocelyn Parry passed away on Tuesday 6 May 2025. Jocelyn was a member of WABC for many years and played almost very day of the week. She won the Mabs McCulloch Patrons Cup six times. Read more about Jocelyn here.
LESSONS
Beginners Part 2 – Starts this coming Monday 9 June with Jodie Basham. Morning or evening classes.
Rookies Card Play – Four weeks, Thursday mornings, July 24 & 31, August 7 & 14. Keep an eye out for more information.
Intermediate: Saturday July 12 & 19 from 10:30 to 12:30. Stand alone lessons. Defence will certainly be one topic. Come along and find out why Martin Doran loves to defend.
Friday Supervised Topics
6th: Transfers
13th: Responder’s Rebid
20th: Doubling
27th: Hand of the Month
THE 54th ASIA PACIFIC BRIDGE FEDERATION CHAMPIONSHIPS
Australia sent four teams to this event in Hefei, China. As reported in the latest ABF Newsletter the Seniors team won, the Open Team came third, the Women's Team came fourth and the Mixed Team came 8th in their respective fields.
Two WABC members, Jonathan Free & Mimi Packer were appended to the Mixed Team when one pair couldn’t go and Martin Doran was the non playing captain. Martin has been playing competitive bridge for more than forty years and this was one of the best run congresses that he has attended. The opening ceremony was spectacular, the main competition ran for seven solid days, followed by a 64 board match against New Zealand, and then a one day Pairs event for those still wanting to play. It was fun working alongside the other captains, meeting other players, and the bridge was tough. Fortunately the non playing captain doesn’t make many mistakes.
The Mixed Team played a triple round robin against nine other teams from China; Hong Kong China; Japan; Chinese Taipei; New Zealand; Singapore; Indonesia; Thailand and the Philippines.
The highlight, from a bridge perspective, was being the first team to beat China. This didn’t happen until half way through the second round robin and even then it was only by one IMP!
Poor results, oh well, there was always a potato smiley face at breakfast.
