BABICH NZ WIDE PAIRS

Starts on FRIDAY 30 October @ 7.15pm

∎  Scored across the whole field and at each club
    with NZ Wide results expected within 24 hours
∎  Prizes awarded for top scores nationwide
∎  "A" points awarded per region and per club
∎  The same hands played at all competing clubs
∎  Booklet containing commentary on each hand
    to all players after play
∎  Intermediate level systems only
∎  Scored by the X Club Team with across
    the field results within 24 hours

Entry Fee - $12
($10 directly supports the New Zealand Bridge Foundation and Youth Bridge)

NZ bridge has advised that Bridge clubs can reopen for play at Lockdown Level 2 if they choose with certain safety standards. Several clubs in our region and many in other parts of the country have re-opened or are preparing to reopen next week

Your committee has discussed the way forward for our club with the decision being made to reopen the club starting this coming Monday of next week - 14 September, with sessions on Monday evening, Tuesday afternoon, Tuesday evening, Thursday evening and Friday morning

Obviously, it is an individual decision whether you wish to play in Level 2 and the committee understands that

At the current Level 2 our safety precautions are the following:
•    If you come to bridge you must be well and have no symptoms of any illness
•   The use of face masks is mandatory. The club has a limited number of disposal ones available
•   The kitchen will be closed
•   You bring your own pen that travels with you
•   Only South will handle the Bridge Mate. East will verbally agree to the score

If we find that insufficient numbers decide to play at the current Level 2, we will close again until Lockdown Level 1

There will be further communication from us on the club website after the next Government announcements

Ella - on behalf of the committee

The Committee has discussed the latest Government announcement leaving us at Level 2 and has made the decision that the club will remain closed for play. We understand members are keen to recommence club play, but with this dreadful virus in and around the Hamilton area, we have concluded the need to be mindful of our member's health is paramount.

The committee does review the status of play at the Club after both Government and NZ Bridge announcements and we will restart regular bridge as soon as conditions and recommendations suggest all is safe to allow bridge to restart

Updated – Saturday 15th
The NZ Government has extended the Level 2 lockdown till Wednesday 26th with a review mid next week

As a result of this change there will be NO Hamilton Club Bridge for the whole of next week (17th - 21st ) and very likely for the first half of the following week. The committee will review this decision after the government’s mid-week update with any changes posted here, but Club bridge is unlikely to restart until at least Thursday August 27th.

Bridge is available online ( BDO) from Monday of next week - timetable below, plus Waikato clubs are currently organising sessions with details being posted on the Waikato-Bays website when times are finalised

Take care and keep in touch with other members who may not know these details.

Ella

After a little bit of the on again / off again action both the location and time of NZ's National Bridge Congress has been confirmed. For the 35th Congress in 2020 it comes with a new venue of the Sir Don Rowlands Event Centre which is located in the grounds of the Karapiro Domain

This year with potentially fewer competitors and very likely without all those competitive Australians helping you leave early it could be your year for a best ever finish !
Congress this year runs from Saturday 26th September to Saturday 3rd October and introduces a new feature of no night bridge emulating the format followed at the "Gold Coast" Congress. This years programme for Congress can be found here

For all those local Waikato & Bay of Plenty players who have never been to Congress this is your year - less crowded with anticipated lower numbers this year and possibly it's the end of an era for Congress being held in this part of the country
Travel may also turn out to be a winner for "us locals" as with all the disruptions Covid-19 has brought to New Zealand and the world will the organisers listen to those murmuring just under the surface and relocate to one of the main centers in the future......