1. OUR CLUB COMMITTEE.

The Committee membership for this season, until the October 2003 AGM, is as follows :-

Chairperson: Jim Morris Secretary: Norman Killey

Treasurer: Steve Hoffman

Competition Secretary: Amanda Cohen

Committee members : Terry Wild, Barbara Taylor, Peter Dawson,

2. MANCHESTER COUNTY CONGRESS.

This yearly competition was held on the first Saturday and Sunday in January in the main hall of the Renaissance hotel on Deansgate. The numbers were considerably up on the previous two years, with about 51 tables each day. Quite a few of our members participated and I was invited to be one of the Directors.

3. THE TRUDY CANTOR COMPETITION.

This is a County competition and will be held at our Club on Sunday, 23rd March and I will be the Director. It is for novices and improvers who have at the most, only a few EBU Master points. Publicity notices will soon be on our notice board and all interested should book the date in their diaries. Last year, out of

4. CLUB NUMBERS.

You may like to know that we have just over 200 paid up members

5. BEGINNERS' COURSE

The course started on the 25th September with a maximum 20 beginners. At the time of writing this newsletter, the Class has finished the formal set of 12 lessons and are now attending five lots of supervised play. When this has finished, then hopefully we will welcome some of them into Club membership.

6. XMAS PARTY.

This was held on Tuesday, 7th January and 28 members enjoyed a night of eating followed by non-serious bridge with prizes. Originally, we had about 40 members who paid or promised to pay. It is the first time that we have had outside caterers and the event was so successful that a request has been made to have another party next year! Thanks need to be expressed to Lindsey Barnes who organised the Party and the bridge.

7. SIMULTANEOUS PAIRS ON A WEDNESDAY.

The simultaneous pairs event on Wednesday, 8th January failed to attract the minimum number of tables and did not run. It was a very cold night, but I am not sure that this was the reason for the dismal attendance. We have one more simultaneous pairs event to be held this season on a Wednesday ie. 9th April. If this fails to attract a reasonable number of tables, then our Club will probably drop all the Wednesday simultaneous pairs events. Perhaps all those who want these events could make a point of both coming on Wednesday 9th April and also trying to drum up some interest to others.

8. DIRECTOR'S CORNER.

In the last 6 months, we have had two occasions that I know of, where declarer sitting East or West has moved the boards from the centre of the table when the bidding has finished and the first card is being led. This lead to each of the two different Norths trying to explain why this was wrong – something not easily accepted by either of the East/Wests.

The Laws are quite clear on this and state that the boards are to be placed in the centre of the table until play is complete.

It will be North who has originally placed the boards in the centre & he will also be responsible for moving them on to the next table. It is also mentioned in the Laws that every player should follow correct procedure in playing and, in this instance, I would take that to mean that North should always be consulted first by East or West and asked if he minds the boards being moved from the centre of the table. I could imagine this happening, for example, if the Declarer has poor eyesight & I am sure that North would accommodate him.

I was given to understand that one Declarer sitting East just moved the boards without asking North and when North politely remonstrated, said that he came for a nice friendly game of bridge & not for aggro. I am sure that there would have been no need for any hint of aggro if this East (declarer) had had the courtesy to initially consult with North. For a happy, friendly game, it is essential that we all play our own part in maintaining a courteous attitude and a correct procedure in calling and playing.

9. FINDING A PARTNER.

I can only repeat what I wrote in the last newsletter, that if you find yourself without a partner only a day before a particular evening, then please phone Jean Dawson ( 282 1754 ) and she will offer your phone number to the next person phoning her.

10. FROM THE DIRECTOR.

Try and answer the following query (the answer is at the end of the newsletter) :-

(cont):

The boards are passed on to the next table and East/West arrive and sit down and bidding commences. Several bids are made and then a different East/West arrive (late in moving) & it turns out that they are the correct pair at this table. All bidding stops and the Director is called. How does he rule?

11. It is with regret that I have to report that since the last newsletter was published, two of our members have died. Olwyn Greaves, has been a regular attenders on a Monday and a Thursday for about the last five years and David Jones has only been a member for about five months & he also came on a Monday and a Thursday. We sent a letter expressing our condolences to their families.

Peter Dawson (15/1/2003)