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State Online
The Jacaranda Online Teams on 25th October was the first online congress run on RealBridge. This is a browser-based platform supporting video and audio, which allows you to see and talk to partner and opponents. Feedback has been strongly positive. The NSWBA has now officially launched this new platform to run the upcoming state championship events for the rest of the year, with high hopes it will encourage more players to take part in these State events.  Playing on RealBridge is as close as you can get to F2F bridge: all alerting and explanation of partner's bidding is exactly as if you were at a physical bridge table. If you would like to familiarise yourself with the platform, we have some Taster sessions available for you – please note that booking is essential:
  • Saturday 14 November 10.30am and 2.30pm
  • Saturday 21 November 10.30am and 2.30pm
  • Saturday 28 November 10.30am and 2.30pm

The Sydney Spring Nationals Swiss Matchpoint Pairs will also be held on RealBridge from 12-13 December. There will be a separate field for Open, Restricted (<300MPs) and Novice (<100MPs). Please find all the details on the official website and enter online. 

Most of the upcoming local congresses will still be held online on BBO, with a few to return to F2F! The bridge world has now more to offer:

Congratulations to the winners of recent congresses and events:
NSWBA Online RealBridge Swiss Teams on 12 October:
Warren Lazer - Pauline Gumby - Ron Klinger - Avi Kanetkar

NSWBA Online RealBridge Swiss Pairs on 19 October:
Wayne Zhu - Wei Zhang

Coffs Harbour Bridge Club BBO Swiss (IMPs) Pairs on 24 October:
De Mitty - John Mottram (Open)
Dianne Strachan - Evelyn Colley (Intermediate)
Jean Isaacs - Sally Kreplins (Novice)

NSWBA Jacaranda Online RealBridge Teams on 25 October:
Nicoleta Giura - Nick Hughes - Wei Zhang - Wayne Zhu

NSWBA Online RealBridge 2 Session Teams from 26 October - 2 November:
Warren Lazer - Pauline Gumby - Ron Klinger - Avi Kanetkar

Mudgee Bridge Club BBO Congress from 31 October - 1 November:
Matchpoint Pairs
Pam Crichton - Ross Crichton (Open)
Jenette Rosetta - Bev Furner (Restricted)

Swiss Pairs
Louise Leibowitz - Tony Leibowitz (Open)
Mary Poynten - Tony White (Restricted)

Southern Highlands Bridge Club BBO Online Pairs Congress from 7-8 November:
Matchpoint Pairs
Frances Lyons - Helen Lowry (Open)
Noleen Cregan - Suzanne Cole (Restricted)

Swiss Pairs
Paul Weaver - Terry Bodycote (Open)
Cheryl Waters - Marie Pickering (Restricted)

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 note of NSWBA Insight for bridge during COVID-19.

Upcoming Events
NSW events from now to end of the year (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 RealBridge
Nov 15 & 22 (Sun) State Online Pairs
State Online Pairs Qualifying
State Online Open and Country Finals

Nov 22 (Sun) NSWBA
Online Spring Swiss Matchpoint Pairs

Nov 28 - Dec 6 (Sat-Sun) ABF
Online Teams - Qualifying, Finals and Consolation

Nov 29 (Sun) NSWBA
Online Under 100MP Pairs

Dec 7-21 (Mon) NSWBA
Schaufelberger Online Teams

Dec 12-13 (Sat-Sun) Sydney Spring Nationals
Online Pairs


ONLINE EVENTS ON BBO
Nov 14 (Sat) Griffith Ex-Servicemens Bridge Club
Online Swiss Pairs

Nov 29 (Sun) Wollstonecraft Bridge Club
IMPs Pairs

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)


F2F CONGRESSES IN NSW
Dec 26 - Jan 3 (Sat-Sun) Trumps Bridge Centre
Festival of Bridge
FEATURED ARTICLES
Online Congress Stories by
Rakesh Kumar

Online congresses continue to be well received. Recent local congresses are starting to return to a 2-day program – with a twist. Southern Highlands Bridge Club ran a Matchpoint Pairs congress on Saturday 7th November and a Swiss (IMPs) Pairs event on Sunday 8th November. Of course Rakesh played on both days to support his home club!

Southern Highlands Bridge Club Online Matchpoint Pairs
Aggressive bidding pays off

Southern Highlands Bridge Club Online IMP Pairs
Thoughtful defence required
Book Review
Symmetric Relay
by Nick Hughes

As a devotee of strong club and relay for many years the author has at last put pen to paper. Nick Hughes starts off with examples of why these type of systems are a big improvement on standard.

Click on the image for a full book review by Paul Lavings:


The Power of Pass
by Harold Schogger and Ron Klinger

In bridge pass is not a bid, only a call. Nevertheless many players have forged a successful bridge career by passing at the right time. 

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 established 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 reviewing newly published bridge books.

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>

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