Dave's blog

Lessons 2023


The

 one minute on bridge lessons......
 
  The Hamilton Club will be running lessons on "How to Play Bridge" this year - 2023
 These lessons are currently planned to start in late February or early March with the choice of an afternoon or evening lesson time.

The Club - which is all of us - really needs the lessons to be successful so we can keep the Club running as it does now !
In a typical year our membership falls by around 10%, so without lessons and the resulting new members our current membership of approx. 240 is going to in time become a smaller with increasing "subs". Covid is not helping maintain the membership with those with medical conditions no longer playing, members playing at night dramatically down and the splitting of membership between on-line and face to face bridge when the Club gets little benefit from the membership

So that the Club will survive for a long time into the future our membership needs to grow so encourage your family, friends, work colleagues etc. to come along to the next set of lessons session
So if you or someone you know are considering the lessons we would love you to come along and learn the "great game" then click this link to take you to the page with further info and where you can register either yourself or your friends

Wednesday Night Bridge to Stop Face to Face


Stop for Wednesday night bridge

  Wednesday night Bridge finishes......
 

Due to the very poor turnout for the spring pairs (2 1/2 tables) the decision has been made to run Wednesday night bridge online only until the end of the programme year. We understand that playing online is not everyone's preference, but the club cannot run a viable evening with 2 1/2 tables.
 

Details of the two events that will be run on RealBridge are below.
Let's make this a viable option for the club, but this can only be achieved with your support.
 

 Ella
 Match Committee
 
Message image

Compass Virtual



As Face to Face Bridge returns to be the normal format for Club bridge all those converts of RealBridge are now facing a lack of play in their favorite format. Good news that Bob Fearn, the developer of the Compass scoring program has now incorporated RealBridge and Compa$$ together to bring you CompassVirtual Bridge. So you can have the best of both with Face to Face at the Clubs and RealBridge at home - click on the image above or this link to find out a little more on Bob's modifications to RealBridge and see it it suits your future bridge plans.....

Inter-Provincial Trials

Bridge inter-provinical trials

Last weekend players from around the Waikato Bays Region took part in the trials to select our representatives for the New Zealand Inter-Provincials ( IP's ) for 2022. These are competed for in 4 flights - Open, Intermediate, Senior and Women with the actual IP's taking place on-line in November.
After 2 days competition the Hamilton Club is well represented in the overall team selected to represent the Waikato Bays Region later in the year -

Open: Barry Jones and Jenny Millington

Women: Jenna Gibbons and partner, Karen Harris and Cherie Barton

Senior: Ella Gray and Michael Neels

Well done all and good luck for the finals......

Welcome Back


No more Sunday Bridge with Phil

 
 Welcome Back Promotion......
 

I guess it’s fair to say that all Clubs across the motu are finding it difficult to rebuild and return to normal services. The whack of Covid has put not only our game but the entire basis of our normal daily grind into chaos as we try to find our true North again
We read NZ Bridge’s guidelines and are attempting to kick start Hamilton Bridge Club back into life and the very basis of this genesis comes back to... the members
 
 
The core of our programme simply needs you playing
As the Committee strives to get bums on seats, we just need a few things from you:
   Play bridge
   Become financial
   Tell a fellow bridge player to come back to play
Quite a simple but immensely effective plan

There’s even a little bonus gift/competition on offer to returning players – no cost to you, it’s just a little thanks as a coming back gesture from the Club so check out the link for the T & C’s.     Click here for the details

 Mereana
 Hamilton Club President

Phil's Sunday Bridge ends


No more Sunday Bridge with Phil

 
 Lazy Sunday afternoon Bridge finishes......
 

Last Sunday (24th April) was the end of this event. Insufficient interest makes unecomomic to carry on with a session at this time.
It's possible Sunday afternoon bridge may return in another form later in the year if there is demand but for now "Goodbye"

 Phil

Facemask Update

Image of facemask
Facemasks are now optional
 
To all club members -
 
With the change in traffic light setting from RED to ORANGE, the Club has done what many of you have been asking for re the wearing of facemasks - removed compulsory wearing.
From April 19th on-wards the wearing of facemasks at the Club for all bridge is now optional. Please now return to regular play as you said you would as your Club needs you !

Members can now bring visitors along to all sessions

RealBridge will continue to be offered as an alternative to those who don't feel comfortable with this change at the Club.

Hamilton Bridge
April 2022

Subscription payments and Covid

Hi all

Another Covid year rolls on and we have now changed from Red to Orange but to a lot of us we aren't sure if this is actually real improvement. The Club has noticed this also by the all time low speed that payments of members subscriptions have arrived so far this year.
In a "more normal" year this is not really an issue as the Table Money received helps even out our cash flow, but this year Table Money is also down meaning that managing our cash flow is becoming a challenge and a potential problem. Unfortunately the Club's piggy bank is not a bottomless pit and does require a "top up" from time to time !

So where to now? - we are planning on returning another session to face to face bridge as the current events finish which is what a lot of you are telling us you would like. If this return of bridge at the Club back to face to face is still leaving you uncertain about playing, come and talk to our secretary or the committee and arrange to have your current membership put "on hold" for a period. It will help us smooth our cash flow a little in that we will not need to pay the $23 NZ Bridge Levy we pay for each member yearly and we will still be able to include you in our future budget and planning.

Should you be in the group who are playing and haven't yet paid your subscription we ask you to pay it now as it is overdue. If you choose not to pay or contact us about being "on hold" for a period, please don't be offended if we contact you by email or phone to ask about payment intentions as this group is still rather large......

Thanks
Hamilton Bridge

Tuesday Night Bridge - return to Face to Face


The

 Tuesday Evening Bridge
 
 Return to "Face to Face" from April 12

The Match Committee has decided to return Tuesday Night bridge to Face to Face Bridge. This commences next Tuesday - 12th April which is the first week of the Alder Trophy Individual Pairs. When organising partners for this event remember to qualify in the event you need a different partner for each of the three nights
 

Ella

RealBridge v Face to Face

Back at the end of February the Club undertook a short survey to see what members' preferences were for playing bridge at the Club and Face to Face or on-line via RealBridge. The response to the survey was very good with around 130 replies which is approximately 50% of the current membership. The Club thru the committee is watching all the bridge being played currently and considering possible changes in play at the end of each of the current events ( i.e. every 3 weeks ). The other good news is that the majority of members seem likely to return to "bridge as it was" once the current Covid peak has passed
 

Bridge

 
( click Read More below to see the complete article )

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