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News Bulletin

Christmas & New Year

on the
Costa del Sol
Over the festive period I will be directing daily evening bridge commpetitions at the Barcelo Hotel in Fuengirola
Sample charges for the 7 and 14 night accommodation packages on half board  - inclusive of Christmas lunch and NYE party - at the Barcelo starting 21 December are as follows:

E1035 pp Double/Twin shared

E1380 pp Double Sole Use 14 nights

E625 pp Double/Twin shared 7 nights

£805 pp Double Sole Use 7 nights

Tel (34) 6 32 76 04 98 for full details

Trevor 5th November 2022

 

SKI & BRIDGE April 2023
SKI & BRIDGE April 2023

A six night holiday starting 18 April staying at the Mirasol Hotel in Pradellano

Non skiers can enjoy the walks and views in the warm Spring sunshine. 

Ski and lift passes FREE for over 70´s

(Pictures below and above both taken on the same day - 21 April 2022)

Beautiful views above Granada
Beautiful views above Granada

.

Christmas lunch at Barcelo
Christmas lunch at Barcelo
Welcome to ACES Bridge & Chess Academy
FUENGIROLA and TENERIFE
FUENGIROLA and TENERIFE

On other pages you can read about exciting developments in the Academy`s related projects in Tenerife and Fuengirola. Both venues are simultaneously promoting bridge for the elderly and handicapped - as well as the very young. Like those champions aged 6 to 11 pictured above outside the first ACES Academy on Koh Samui in Thailand.

Several of the kiddies in that photo had already broken records for the youngest players to play tournaments alongside senior international players. Each time under the watchful eye of the President of the Asia Pacific zone of the World Bridge federation, Esther Sophonpanich. Let`s see if this second ACES Academy in Europe can bring similar success and happiness to Spanish youngsters and their families. At a time when they need a boost to their morale.

A message from the Academy`s founder

This is a bridge website with a difference. In the same way that the ACES Academy is a club with a difference.

All the articles on this site are relevant to bridge players. Whatever their standard. I like to think they will improve the enjoyment of bridge for everyone - and encourage the young and old as well as the poorly and handicapped to want to play the game. That is not an impossible dream. 

No doubt there will be one or two cynical bridge champions reading this message who disagree with me. But two bridge champions who will agree with me 100% are Philippe Soulet and Franck Multon. The former was twice World Champion. The latter won the Bermuda Bowl in 1997,  and was runner up as recently as 2015.

I sat at the same table as Philippe and Franck on many occasions between 2006 and 2010. But it was not to play bridge with them. It wasn`t for a bridge lesson either.

Our chats at the table would always involve a discussion on how we could bring young people into the game. And at the other end of the age scale, ways of improving the enjoyment of bridge for the infirm. Both felt as passionately as me on those matters.

Both champions are excellent teachers as well. Whilst I have to admit that my best level of bridge was never anywhere near the national standard that Philippe had already achieved at the tender age of just sixteen, I am possibly able to trump his and Franck`s bridge achievements in one respect: In the past two years, the average age of my bridge students is around nine. During the same period, the average age of my partners in club tournaments has been close to seventy nine. 

Trevor 28th February 2019

NICKNAMES

For your amusement, a humorous look at some of the members`pet names

Starting with the nicknames of the admired youmgsters the first ACES bridge Academy

Rueful Rabbit

Colin the Corgi

Oscar the Owl

Peregrine the Penguin

Molly the Mule

Timothy the Toucan

A few words now about the less desirable and most notorious members of the adult section of the club 

Hideous Hog

is by far the club's best player.

But also an insufferable shark who seeks to humiliate** opponents for their mistakes

Charlie the Chimp

would rather post mortem the last hand than play the next.  

Once famously produced a remarkable (and impossible) quadruple

squeeze against himself by retaining a small card to conceal his own revoke.

Walter the Walrus

whose expertise in - and devotion to - the point count

are matched only by the utter mess he makes of bidding and playing

 

** Here is a sample of those humiliating quotes attributed to Hideous Hog:

"I know no one whom I would rather see in charge of the dummy"

"I do not doubt your luck, and I know no one who needs it more than you"

"Of course I always hold much better cards than you do. Being declarer is part of my system"

"I am such a fine player, no one can deny my right to be rude"

"How dare you bid no trumps and become declarer".

"My point count system? Extra for long suit, extra for short suit and 3 points for my superb play"

Playing is always

GREAT FUN at ACES

A humbling experience
A humbling experience

Two of our intrepid ladies with Mikael - one of the highest ranked bridge players in the world - at the end of their simultanent tournament played at the Gala Hotel in Las Americas.

And below is yours truly playing in the same tournament with Madame IRIS DOLEK. A remarkable lady born in 1925. Partnering me, she bid and made six spades. She has invited me to Paris for her 98th birthday celbration on 8th September and I am definitely going..  

97 years young
97 years young

A photo of our ACES ambassadors with their prizes will appear next week. 

Trevor 19/6/22

The French Connexion

ACES is primarily a teaching Academy for youngsters and the not so young. Complete beginners are especially welcome. Because one of the advantages of getting people started is that they can be taught to play for fun and to be nice to partner and opponents at all times. Being courteous has, of course, always been a requirement at any bridge tournament. But one that is rarely strictly enforced. 

Here at ACES we have a zero tolerance policy. We are now reaping the rewards. The impeccable behaviour of our players – and the bidding and playing skills they acquire - has given our Academy such a good reputation that we are invited to play at locally held bridge extravaganzas.

One such tournament has been taking place this week in Ls Americas and two of our ladies took up the challenge. One was a student who only started playing bridge 12 months ago.

The morning seminars and evening comps were organised by a very amiable Frenchman, Michael Courrias, who was Champion of France 2019-20. In addition to getting excellent advice from a national champion, our members made such an impression on Michael and all the other French players that the group chose to give two of their lovely prizes to our ladies.   

The even better news is that ALL our STUDENTS will be invited to play when the bridge champion returns with his faithful French fans to the Gala hotel next January.   

Stunning sights in Tenerife
Stunning sights in Tenerife

The specatacular (gigantic) cliffs after which Los Gigantes was named. Overlooking a beautiful beach

ALL PART of the SERVICE

We are not just a social club here at ACES. We can also...

-Find good, reasonably priced accommodation

-Arrange pick-ups from the airport

-Help solve your mobility problems

-Advise what to do – and not do – on the island

-Offer recommendations re places of interest

-Give guidance on Brexit related problems

That`s what friends are for

Under 16`s bridge

Junior

BRIDGE RYDER CUP

EUROPE v  CHINA

Inaugural tournament for youngsters aged 9 to 16

Further details on the GOOD NEWS page

Trevor 23/1/22

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Results
Friday Pairs
Director: Trevor
Scorer: Trevor
Friday Pairs
Director: Trevor
Scorer: Trevor
Tuesday Pairs
Director: Trevor
Scorer: Trevor