May 2024 Highlights: Darling Pairs Tournament 3rd August / New Clubs / Bridge Schedule including BBO and new RealBridge Sessions / Club Results / Bridge Tips / BfA Club Administration

This is the second newsletter of Bridge for Africa (BfA) formed in April 2024 to assist bridge players in Africa to play more and better bridge.

During May two more clubs joined the BfA network. One is the Darling Bridge Club, which plays twice monthly and is the organiser of a one day pairs tournament at the Darling Golf Club starting at 09h30 on Saturday 3rd August. The entry fee of R 600 per couple includes teas and lunch. Contact Harm Jansie ([email protected]) to enter.

The other club is the new Village Bridge Club which plays at the Constantia Bowls Club at 13h30 on Mondays and at 09h15 on Thursdays and already draws more than 22 pairs to some of its keenly contested sessions. Contact Graham Spolander ([email protected]) to play or find you a partner.

BfA runs online pairs sessions via BBO on Mondays at 19h00 and on Tuesdays and Thursdays at 14h00. These are 21 board sessions costing only BB$ 1.50 per player. Contact Judy Wulf ([email protected]). To enter go to https://bridgebase.com/V3/login?cmd=tourneyList&style=hp:BFA.

In partnership with Rod Pienaar, BfA now offers weekly online pairs sessions on Saturdays at 14h00. The cost is R 25 per player. Contact Rod (079 673-5077) for more information or to enter.

Congratulations to the Bosenberg team on winning the St Francis Bay teams competition. Also to the following players for achieving the best average in 3+ sessions at their club in May: Andre Wagenaar (BBO), Vicky Falls (Constantina), Christine Gerber and Marie Robertson (Constantiaberg) and Paul Woods (Village).

The following bridge tip comes from top bridge teacher Jeff Sapire: when opponents have a pass preference auction such as 1D - 1S; 2C - Pass, then lead a trump. All other leads can go on the backburner.

In addition to helping players, BfA also assists bridge club administrators, not only by publicising their tournaments and results but also by using Internet technology to reduce time spent on administration. So clubs without BridgeMates are able to use the BriAn cell phone app to score their tournaments with results uploaded to Pianola and emailed to participants; no more illegible travelers to decipher!

Although it is early days, BfA is already seeing progress; in May our member clubs recorded the results of more than 314 tables of bridge on Pianola and this newsletter goes to more than 800 players, mostly on the mailing lists of BfA member clubs, to assist them to play more and better bridge.