This is the first newsletter from just three week old Bridge for Africa (https://bridgefor.africa - don't you like that website address?) which uses Internet technology to get more people in Africa playing more and better bridge - and enjoying every moment of it! The same technology allows clubs to publicise their tournaments, simplify their bridge administration and participate in interclub bridge tournaments. But before we talk technology, let's discuss something much more important, bridge players such as yourself.

Congratulations to Ian Holdsworth and Sue Botha on winning the 2024 WCBU Hermanus pairs competition; they were followed by Diniar Minwallah and Botswanan partner Omphemetse Moedi with Imtiaz Kaprey and Jill Rabie in third position. The organisers and TDs are to be congratulated on pulling off a great event despite unexpected technical difficulties. And the players, who came from far and wide, are to be thanked for their friendly participation.

Now, while some of those names might be familiar to many, in these newsletters we don't want to just mention Africa's top players, we also want to give recognition to less prominent players who have consistently done well when playing against their peers; the first of these is Neil Armitage who leads the regulars playing in Constantiaberg Bridge Club's April competition and Andre Wagenaar who leads our April BBO competition. As more clubs join Bridge for Afica, there will obviously be more competitions of this type and between clubs and more winners to celebrate in our newsletters and on our website.

While we are on the subject of tournaments, from 17th to 19th May the ever popular St Francis Bay teams tournament takes place; there are still a few vacant spots (the flyer is attached). Later in the year the Darling Bridge Club is organising an intimate winter weekend of bridge and Bedford is again planning to hold their annual teams competition, my favourite tournament, boasting few if any of the big stars but still providing a high standard of bridge - and the very highest standard of hospitality. We will give you details in future newsletters.

If you go to our website Clubs page or our African bridge map page, you will see that Africa has at least seventy bridge clubs; our aim is to have all of them - as well as those that have not yet emerged from hiding - become formal members of the Bridge for Africa network before too long. Already three of the biggest clubs in South Africa's Western and Eastern Cape provinces are on board - St Francis Bay, Hermanus and Constantina. Though many might never have heard of it, that last club is probably Cape Town's largest with regular 15 table sessions and a waiting list to join. Smaller clubs are also among our initial members and you will see several of them mentioned in this newsletter. We are planning to start interclub competitions between them - and other clubs that join - in July. And on Thursday this week, in response to demand from local players, a brand new Bridge Club is holding its first session at 09h15 at the Constantia Bowling Club in Cape Town (interested players should contact Graham Spolander 065 893-6215 to book a slot).

Let me say a few words about some of the Internet technology we are using. Clubs that don't have Bridgemates are starting to use the cellphone BriAn app to score their tournaments. The BriAn results - along with BBO results and results from clubs with Bridgemates - are then uploaded to the Bridge for Africa Pianola database and an E-mail is sent to each player with a summary of their results, a couple of tips aimed at improving their bridge and a link back to their results on Pianola. This system is now being used by the Constantiaberg and Constantina bridge clubs, with plans to roll it out further afield. There are two other Internet technologies I should mention.

Starting on 7th May 2024, Bridge for Africa is organising 21 board BB$ 1.50 BBO pairs tournaments. There is no requirement for players to be members of a club, union or federation and 10% of the net income from these tournaments will be donated to players from African countries chosen to represent their nations at the World Bridge Championships later this year, provided they have played in at least ten of our BBO tournaments. Now, some of you might feel daunted by playing against international stars from across Africa, so I'll let you into a little secret - if you get a top against any of them, then you'll walk on air for the next week, and if you get a bottom then when the session is over go back and analyse how the experts got their tops. You should get in the habit of making bridge an ongoing learning experience.

The first weekly Bridge for Africa BBO sessions are scheduled for Tuesday 7th May and Thursday 9th May at 14h00 Cape Town / Harare / Cairo time and you can click here or on the link on our BBO page in order to enter. We will keep you updated about additional sessions as we start them.

Which brings me onto yet another Internet technology, Zoom, which we are going to use to deliver bridge lectures, mostly for intermediate players. We are just finalising the details which will be announced in our end May newsletter. In the meantime, you can mull on the implications of the latest bridge tip from top bridge teacher Jeff Sapire: When they open the bidding in my suit. You hold Ax xxx KQJ10xx Qx and your rho opens 1D. Don’t dither, pass smoothly. Next time, when it comes around to you again, you can bid 2D (natural) or perhaps 3D if necessary. To do this, requires a decent opening hand a good 6 card suit. If you want more in the way of learning materials, then go to our Learn Bridge web page and when you scroll down you will find a section with links to videos and web pages where intermediate players can learn about everything from fourth suit forcing to an introduction to 2/1.

Back on the Bridge for Africa website, we have created a Feedback page where you can subscribe to this newsletter if it was sent you by a friend (and we hope many recipients are forwarding it on to their bridge friends in Africa and even to the overseas swallows we welcome each summer); provide information on your favourite African bridge clubs; tell us about your preferred times for BBO sessions and the topics you would like to have covered in our Zoom teaching; or even give us your suggestions for improving our service. Although we dream of one day having all of Africa's clubs and players actively participating in our network, we want to use technology so we can respond immediately and personally to all your bridge needs.

Finally, I would like to thank the band of volunteers who rallied round to get Bridge for Africa up and running in such a short space of time - you have been truly amazing! For most of May they are likely to be even busier as I am going to be away exploring Central Asia and Internet access from the yurts of the camel herders who host me is likely to be limited so there are likely to be delays in my responding to any E-mail queries. One thing is for sure, the 2/1 system the herders use is purely to do with a preference for two humped Bactrian camels over one humped dromedaries!

We look forward both to your comments / feedback and to encountering you at Bridge for Africa face to face clubs and at our BBO sessions in the days ahead. In the meantime, stay safe and enjoy your bridge.