NZ bridge has advised that Bridge clubs can reopen for play at Lock-down Level 2 if they choose, with certain safety standards. Several clubs in our region and many in other parts of the country have partially reopened or are preparing to reopen shortly

Your committee has met and the decision was made to reopen the club starting the coming Tuesday of next week - 28 September, with sessions on Tuesday afternoon, Tuesday evening, Thursday evening and Friday morning ( Friday numbers are capped at 100 due to the Lock-down rules )

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 disposable ones available but please bring your own
•   The kitchen will be closed
•   Members of the Hamilton Club only - NO VISITORS
•   You bring your own pen that travels with you
•   Only South will handle the BridgeMate. East will verbally agree to the score
•   Hand sanitiser to be used will be provided at the entrance to the playing rooms and selected locations in both rooms
•   Contact details will be recorded as per the government Covid requirements
•   Friday Day Bridge - dependent on numbers as to room allocation. TBC on the day but in one room if possible

Should we find that insufficient numbers decide to play at Lock-down Level 2, we will again stop bridge until Lock-down Level 1 is achieved

There will be a further update on the club website after the next Government announcement should change be required

Nigel - President

Tuesday 7th September -

All bridge remains currently remains suspended at the Hamilton Club

The change in the rules applying to the current level of Lock-down announced by the government yesterday likely allows for the playing of bridge at this lock-down level. However it certainly doesn't make it easy ( see the government rules here ) for the Club to apply all

The latest update from NZ Bridge helps with the levels / rules that need to be met / apply but some further confirmation is required first. The Clubs Committee will meet Thursday and will provide an indication to the membership as to when bridge will resume.

Take care and keep you and your bubbles safe

Nigel
Nigel Gresson, President

The NZ Bridge advisory can be opened by clicking this link
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To all club members:

With the extension of the Level 4 Lock-down by the government on 23 August ALL bridge is suspended at the Hamilton Club for the foreseeable future

The Club will review this suspension and update members when the Waikato Region leaves Lock-down Level 4

Until that change takes place we hope and trust members stay well and safe, and very much look forward to seeing you all at the bridge table soon. Please keep in contact with our elderly members and offer any assistance they may need if things drag on or get worse

Any queries or concerns can be emailed to the club’s email address (secretary@hamiltonbridge.co.nz)

Nigel

The Club was organising the next in Barry's Improver Lessons which along with the lessons incorporated an Irish themed dinner to start our member Hugh McGann off in style playing bridge for the Irish Team in games against other European Countries.
This planning may have all been for nought as one of the world's smallest organisms was able to put all 5 million who call NZ home into lock-down to finish this week off !
So, depending on how the lock-down progresses, this event may be cancelled but if you see our posters out there you now know what they are all about........
Should you be curious and would like to know more, then click here to view the poster

18 Teams in the Open and 10 Teams in the Restricted event made up the fields in the 2021 Hamilton Open Events. The winners of the Hamilton Open Teams was the Fisher Team - Blair Fisher, Liz Fisher, Michael Curry, Kenneth Yule with the Berrington Team - Ian Berrington, Fuxia Wen, Jonathan Westoby and Grant Jarvis in second.
The Hamilton Restricted Teams was taken out convincingly by the Te Aroha's Eccles Team - Eunice Eccles, Malcolm Kirkby, Tim Rigter, Rochelle Van Heuven followed in second place by a Hamilton Team of Jena Robinson, Joan Egger, Rachelle Meijer and Donna Prentice

Congratulations to the winners and all who took part.....

1st place 2021 Hamilton Open Teams

2nd place 2021 Hamilton Open Teams

1st place 2021 Hamilton Restricted Teams

2nd place 2021 Hamilton Restricted Teams