Copy
View this email in your browser

Online Congresses

We are very sad to advise that the 2020 Spring Nationals and the 2021 Gold Coast Congress have now been cancelled.

This was not an easy decision for the NSWBA and ABF. It is disappointing news for our players too. 

While it's important to cancel these events, it's also important to allow ourselves to mourn them. We would like to say to our players, hang in there, stay safe, keep healthy, continue playing on BBO to support your home club - our considerate action today is helping the country and the bridge community to survive.

Meanwhile, the ABF has approved the running of online congresses. Clubs can run online congresses using BBO and award masterpoints at level B4. NSWBA is currently finalising its regulations. We suggest all players using BBO should read the rules for online bridge.

Congratulations to the winners of the State Veterans Online Pairs Paul Lavings - Roberts Krochmalik. Runners up Dennis Watkins - Roger Conway and 2nd Runners up Tony Bond - Susie Berger.

The State Veterans Online Pairs was successfully held on BBO from 24-26 July 2020. Congratulations to the winners Robert Krochmalik - Paul Lavings (Sydney Bridge Centre and Illawarra Bridge Association), runners up Dennis Watkins - Roger Conway (North Shore Bridge Club) and 2nd runners up Susie Berger - Tony Bond (Harbourview Bridge Club)! Full results can be viewed at this BBO hyperlink.

We have invited Paul Lavings (the winner) and Ian MacLaren (participant) to share their stories with you:

The Online Youth Tournament from 26 June - 26 July was won by SA defeating QLD in the final 162-110.644 IMPS. Please view the full results from the official website.
The ABF is now running the National Online Pairs on BBO every Friday evening starting at 7.30pm and every Sunday starting at 2.30pm. There is a separate field for Restricted players (fewer than 300 masterpoints) and Novice players (fewer than 100 masterpoints). Details about how to enter etc can be found on the ABF website.

Coronavirus Update

About the NSW-Victoria border areas 

NSW has temporarily shut its border with Victoria to contain the spread of COVID-19.

Under the Public Health (COVID-19 Border Control) Order 2020, anyone who has been in Victoria in the past 14 days must not enter NSW unless:

Special arrangements are in place for
  • border zone residents (the border zone means the area shown in the border zone map approved by the Minister for Health)
  • critical service workers in the border region (the border region means the area made up of suburbs with certain postcodes).

What you can and can't do in NSW under the rules

The Australian Government is monitoring the spread of COVID-19 (Coronavirus) and restrictions are currently in place regarding travel and public gatherings.
For the latest information about restrictions in NSW, please refer to the NSW Government COVID-19 website.
Please also take reference to the NSWBA friendly reminder for bridge during COVID-19.

What has changed

Under the amended public health order for gatherings and movement

Find out how many people can

Read more Visiting family and friends at home
  • Up to 20 visitors may visit another household at any one time. The total number of visitors includes adults and children.
  • There is no daily limit to visitors to your home, so long as you don’t have more than 20 visitors at any one time.
  • If you are over 70 or have a pre-existing medical condition, you should limit the number of visitors and take care at all times.  
  • You can have guests from any household so long as it does not exceed 20 visitors in total. 
  • An overnight stay as part of a visit to someone’s house is allowed.
  • Some people who need to attend your home will not be counted as visitors if they are at your home to 
    • provide a service, care or assistance or for compassionate reasons 

    • fulfil contact arrangements between parents and children under the age of 18 or between siblings 

    • help a member of the household to move in or out of the home 

    • avoid an injury or illness or to escape a risk of harm 

    • assist in an emergency situation.  

  • As the home is a high transmission area, the NSW Chief Health Officer strongly recommends a COVID-Safe precautionary approach of having no more than 10 visitors at a time. 

    People who are at higher risk of COVID-19 infection include:

  • people aged 70 years and over
  • people aged 65 years and over with chronic medical conditions
  • people with a compromised immune system
  • Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples 50 years and older with one or more chronic medical conditions.
  • If you are in one of these groups, follow the guidance for vulnerable people.

Upcoming Events

NSW events from now to 27 September (events that were planned for the coming year and have not yet been cancelled are shown HERE).

For face-to-face events, please double-check with the host to confirm whether it is proceeding as planned.

ONLINE EVENTS ON BBO
Aug 23 (Sun) Master Bridge Online
August Teams Championship

Aug 30 (Sun) Master Bridge Online
August Pairs Championship

Sep 5-6 (Sat-Sun) Blue Mountains Bridge Club Inc
Bygone Beautys Online Congress Pairs and Teams

Every Friday, 7.30pm start. ABF
National Online Pairs (Open, Restricted and Novice)

Every Sunday, 2.30pm start. ABF
National Online Pairs (Open, Restricted and Novice)



IN-CLUB CONGRESSES IN NSW
Sep 27 (Sun) Illawarra Bridge Association
Swiss Pairs
FEATURED ARTICLES
BBO Stories by
Rakesh Kumar

Bergen raises are a convention bridge players commonly use to explore game (or beyond) when there is a fit. Rakesh continues to have fun with online games:

Having fun with bridge on line #3
Bergen-ing around

Having fun with bridge on line #4
Missing the IMPs game...
Book Review
Bridge Bachelor
by David Bird & Simon Cochemé


The 2020 reprint is an enhanced version with a few extra deals for good measure. Paul Lavings found himself laughing out loud while reading. 

Click on the image for a full book review by Paul Lavings:
Be a Director
The Director's Courses have been put on hold for the moment. However our service of marking exam papers is still available. If you would like to make use of this unexpected free time to complete your examination, please feel free to email the paper to office@nswba.com.au.

We will keep you informed about when we will be able to resume the Director's Courses. In the meantime, please express your interest in hosting Director's Courses (if you represent a club) or in taking the Director's Course (if you're a player).

To better understand situations that arise when a director is called, Matthew McManus has explained several of them in detail, together with the reasons behind the rulings. His articles are written from the perspective of players – you may find them helpful in your quest to be a better congress player. Review his columns here >
CONGRESS PSYCHE REGISTER
The NSWBA has decided to establish a central psyche register for all congresses held in NSW.

The laws permit players to deviate from their systemic agreements so long as the partner of the player who does so has no greater reason to be aware of this deviation than the opponents. Once your partnership has a history of deviating from its agreements in a certain situation you are required to inform your opponents of this tendency.

If you feel that your opponents have psyched against you, please email details of the hand to the psyche register – no action will be taken against players who are reported to the psyche register but once a pair has multiple entries in the psyche register, congress directors will be informed so that they are aware of this history when making their rulings.

A form which can be used for submissions is available HERE.
ABOUT eCONGRESS
The eCongress News is a monthly newsletter published by the NSW Bridge Association. It updates you with the latest congress info, interesting hands and analysis from events, and tips regarding bridge laws.

Subscribe now >
NSW Bridge Association
+61 2 9264 8111
office@nswba.com.au
www.nswba.com.au
Level 1, 162 Goulburn Street,
East Sydney 2010
SEND US YOUR STORIES
Do you have a story to tell or a photo to share after playing in a congress? Let us know, we will be pleased to publish it. 
Submit your stories / photos>

Thanks for Subscribing

Facebook
Website
Email
Share Share
Forward Forward
Copyright © 2020 The NSW Bridge Association, All rights reserved.


You're receiving this newsletter as a service from the New South Wales Bridge Association.
Want to change how you receive these emails?
You can update your preferences or unsubscribe from this list.

Email Marketing Powered by Mailchimp