If you are having one of those all too frequent afternoons when you never seem to get an opening hand read on. Our esteemed TD Nigel is seeking to cheer you up with a Points Schmoints article - a phrase I have unashamedly plagiarised from Andrew Robson, who probably himself borrowed it from somebody else.

Nigel draws the distinction between high card points and opening points. It's basically how to open with fewer than 12 high card points and a clear conscience on the basis of shape. Go for it say I, (and I generally do with disastrous outcomes for whichever poor soul is partnering me at the time). Still, timid players never win at bridge as the great Bobby Dinsdale always told us. A name familiar to thousands of Norfolk bridge players like me who took our first faltering steps under her guidance and that of her husband Dave.

The annals of Wendy Wensum will be well known to all fans of the late lamented paper Talking Bridge magazine, 

These gentle tales of bridge encounters  were available for all NCBA members to enjoy. The exciting news is that they have now found a new home here on the ABC website where their esteemed author Nigel Block is busy penning new adventures, starting with a double header, the reflective Bridging the Circle and the farcical Lucky Thirteen.

Click here to read our first two tales:

There's now one website where you can find all you need to know about playing bridge in Norfolk.

It's got info on everything from teaching in schools, U3A, fast track learning, individual tuition and clubs from easy starters to county level. Plus links to the EBU, NCBA and EBED and the low-down on the county's affiliated and non-affiliated clubs.

So, if you've just moved to Norfolk and are interested in learning bridge from scratch or improving or awakening your skills, you know where to go. PBIN's primary aim is to get more people playing in clubs - but their secondary objective is just encouraging more people to learn and play wherever! Tea and cake in the kitchen anyone?

Click here to find out all about it.