Congratulations to the following Club Members on gaining promotions in their ABF Rankings

Promotions for month of November 2023

• Jacob Eapen  - promoted to Graduate Master with 2.06 Masterpoints
• Veronica Parker  - promoted to Club Master with 5.38 Masterpoints
• Rosemary Phelps  - promoted to Local Master with 15.09 Masterpoints
• David Smith - promoted to Bronze Local Master with 25.56 Masterpoints
• Glenis Roberts - promoted to State Master with 62.6 Masterpoints
• Vicki Banko - promoted to National Master with 219.99 Masterpoints
• Faye Searle - promoted to Bronze National Master with 277.12 Masterpoints
• Barb Evans - promoted to Bronze Life Master with 523.79 Masterpoints

Well done all - with special congratulations to Barb on her outstanding achievement!

Back home from Veldhoven in the Netherlands, after competing in the 18^th World Youth Championships for the Australian U26 team. So, how did we do?

Well, after a long, challenging round-robin competition, we finished with 8/23 wins which landed us in 19^th place.

The teams we managed to win against (the matches I played in are marked with an asterisk) were:

• England* - they finished 18^th 
• Greece* - they finished 6^th but got knocked out in the Quarterfinals 
• Canada* - they finished 17^th  
• Germany* - they finished 14^th 
• Barbados - Finished 24^th 
• Estonia - Finished 22^nd 
• Croatia* - they finished 11^th  
• Chinese Taipei* - they finished 15^th 

But we also lost narrowly to the two top teams: by -9 Imps to USA1 and by -8 Imps to the Netherlands, which was a great effort.

So, overall, we think we played well and did better than expected.

My favourite board from the event? Well, there were rather too many to choose from but I think I've got two, both listed below. If you open the link and then hover over the contract you will be able to see the auction.

• Aus vs Chinese Taipei: http://db.worldbridge.org/repository/tourn/veldhoven.23/microsite/Asp/BoardAcross.asp?qboard=015.18..2340
• Aus vs Netherlands: http://db.worldbridge.org/repository/tourn/veldhoven.23/microsite/Asp/BoardAcross.asp?qboard=011.15..2340

We played our match against the Netherlands (the home team and eventual winners of the final) on Vugraph. It was recorded and streamed by v8mama (Vanessa Brown) with commentary from the renowned Australian teacher, Will Jenner O'shea and the great Ron Klinger. Here is a link to the stream: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Nv138h6OaII

Our 2023 Congress took place at the All Seasons Resort's Conservatory over the weekend of 27-28 May. We had 50 entries for the Pairs event and 16 entries for the Teams - slightly up on last year.

Leo Saoud & Bob Geyer from Moonee Valley BC won the Pairs event. Leo and Bob (along with teammates Ben Kingham & Sylvia Gluck) backed that up with a win in the Teams event.

Best Bendigo Pair, in a very creditable 10th place, were Graeme (El Presidente) Hegarty and (a credit to his mother) Scott Jackman. The Best Bendigo Pair under 50 MP prize was taken out by Glenda Burt & Wendy Bodey, and the Encouragement Award for Best Placed pair with less than 10 MP went to Veronica Parker and Tania Angove.

The Best Bendigo Team award was won by Kaye Parker, Yvonne Forrest, Rosemary Monotti & Janet Rogers.

Congratulations to all!

Full results can be found on the Bridge Unlimited website (click on the link in our 'Useful Links' menu, then Results > Victorian Congress Events).

At the invitation of our President, the Mayor of Greater Bendigo, Cr Andrea Metcalf popped in to see for herself how our congress benefits not just the players but also businesses in the Greater Bendigo area.

The congress doesn't just magically happen - many people contribute their talents and energies to bring it all together. Big thanks are due to...

Barb Evans - for venue wrangling, volunteer recruitment and coordination, and for organising the Saturday dinner at the Reservoir Hotel - which proved to be very (almost, too) popular.

Laureen Jinks and Glenis Roberts:- financial affairs, player registration and fee collection (and for filling in for a no-show pair).

David Smith - haulage; and our 'roadies' - David Conley, Eamon Dempsey, et al.

Rosemary Monotti and Janet Rogers - Logistical support

Merlyn Pritchard - Prize wrangling

Seb Wright - Congress Recorder.

Martin Willcox, who directed in his usual inimitable and entertaining style.

The management and staff of All Seasons Resort, for the excellent food and their quietly efficient service.

And to all our members who came along to play. We hope you enjoyed yourselves, regardless of results!

The ABF has launched a new service to members.

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