BRIDGE - DLGC CLUB ON FRIDAY EVENINGS FROM 25th SEPTEMBER TO APRIL

The Bridge year for 2020/2021 commenced on 25th September. Due to  Covid-19 government restrictions  we cannot play normal face-to-face bridge,  fortunately we can play bridge online using https://www.bridgebase.com. DLGC Bridge Club meets online on Friday evenings with Declan Doyle as tournament director.  This will continue until we are able to play bridge in DLGC again. We will keep you updated and as soon as it is safe to do so, we will resume normal bridge.

Bridge starts at 7.30.

Please ensure that you register two hours beforehand and that you are still on BBO at 7.15 p.m.

Any members of DLGC who would like to join us for Friday evening online bridge contact the committee:  dlgcbridge@gmail.com. New members welcome!

Under the stewardship of President Moya Murphy (2018), DLGC Bridge Club became affiliated to Contract Bridge Association of Ireland (CBAI) Eastern Region in 2018 (http://cbai.ie). 

Benefits of Affiliation: 

• Qualified bridge teachers
• CBAI provides Tournament Directors (TDs) for major competitions
• Players are ranked in a similar handicap system to golf, for example, novices, intermediates etc., 
• Affiliate clubs can play in Massey Bros. League
• Great value €12.50 per year (10 euros if paid before end of November)
• Providers of bridge lessons
• Opportunities to play in Bridge Congress'

Dear Bridge Players,

Unfortunately President Marion's year was cut short by the pandemic. We were deprived of our last few weeks of bridge playing. However, the most important thing is that our members are safe and are socially isolating. We are extremely grateful to Declan Doyle who ran an online Round Robin competition during the summer. This generated great interest and kept the bridge club going. Declan also ran a Friday evening competition on BBO which gave our members an opportunity to get used to playing online. 

We were not able to have an AGM at the end of the year, so instead we have done a 'hand over' to a new committee, and this will be ratified as soon as the virus passes and the government allows us to hold face to face meetings again. It is envisaged that the AGM will be held in the new year. We have to wait and see when restrictions for meetings will be lifted and we can resume normal bridge competitions again. 

I feel very privileged to be your president for the coming year (2020-2021). Bridge has been played in DLGC for over 100 years and continues to give great pleasure to people. We have players of all abilities from novices to master players. We are also competitive. In recent years, we won the Rose Bowl (an inter club competition) and we compete in the Massey League. We continue to promote the game of bridge for novices.

It takes many people to run a bridge club. I would like to thank my new committee, Tournament Directors, Scorers, for all their support in ensuring the competitions run smoothly. I would also like to thank past President Marion Fox, Ruth Shiel and Pam Cooper for organising the Massey Brothers League and Moya Murphy for liaising with CBAI. Thanks to all participants and wishing you good health and safety from Covid-19. We're hoping that neither you or your loved ones will be affected.  ♥ ♦ ♣ ♠ 

Sincere thanks to Declan Doyle for organising and running DLGC BC Friday evening bridge on Bridge Base Online.  We count ourselves lucky to have him in our club. Luckily, Declan was already a qualified bridge teacher and tournament director. Initially, he set up a Round Robin competition in the summer which was a great success and generated lots of excitement. He then volunteered to run the Friday night competitions on Friday nights. This is also proving to be great fun and most members have signed up and play in it.  

Declan has established an Interclub Bridge League, which has an A and B section. There are 9 teams in the A section and 18 in the B section. Team matches will continue in December and January. 

Helen Gaynor of Headway was delighted to receive a cheque for 3,550 euro from the Charity night in DLGC Bridge Club. Here is a list of the Winners

Section A (12 Tables): North South  (1) Eoin and Mary Hodkinson, (2) Piers Seagrave-Daly and Daphne Kaye, (3) Carmel Furlong & Fedelma Martin. East West (1) Katherine Verso & Margaret O’Neill, (2) Gay & Fitz Cunningham (3) Helen Waters & Cora Ryan

Section B (12 Tables): North South (1) Anne O’Reilly & Ida Murphy, (2) Eamon Hearndon & Annette Johnson,(3) Pat Burke & Marie Hamill. East-West: (1) Tom & Catherine O’Sullivan, (2) Joan O’Donnell & Margaret Fogarty, (3)  Michael & Elaine Cunningham

Novice Section: (1) Maeve Cassidy & Annemarie Ward, (2) Bridget Whelan, Louise Rafferty. E/W: (1) Clair Nason, Mercedes Shelly, (3) Barbara Dillon, Julie Rayel.

Your annual subscription is now due (€20). Contract Bridge Association of Ireland (CBAI) has entered an agreement with Bridge Base Online (BBO) to facilitate Irish Clubs to play online competitions using BBO (https://www.bridgebase.com). Consequently, to continue playing Friday night bridge, all our members must also become members of CBAI.  The annual fee is normally €12.50 but this year CBAI has reduced the fee to €10 if payment is made by November 23^rd.  This €10 must be paid in respect of each bridge club membership that you might hold. We have also reduced our own annual bridge club sub from €15 to €10 which brings your total sub to €20. It is our intention to use this money for competition prizes in the future.
All our members from now on must be also members of CBAI.  

If you are a member of another Bridge Club, please send your CBAI number asap to the bridge committee:DLGC Bridge <dlgcbridge@gmail.com>.

The present circumstances makes it difficult to collect annual subscriptions, therefore, Assistant General Manager Jo Peacock has kindly agreed to collect the fee by deducting €20 from the BRS competition purseof each member.   This is the simplest and most efficient way to collect subs. Hence you need to check that there are sufficient funds in your purse. Pavilion members need to contact Jo (jo@dlgc.ie) regarding the best method of payment (credit/debit card or cheque).

If you do not wish to continue your membership of DLGC Bridge Club, please let us know ASAP so that Jo will not deduct the money from your competition purse.

We’re very much looking forward to the resumption of normal bridge, but in the meantime, keep safe and well.

We are very proud of our players who have learnt how to register for BBO (www.bridgebase.com) and who have mastered the online environment. Here are some answers to frequently asked questions: 

1. How do I log in and register?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=knhrI8zweaw

2. Do I need to tell Declan that I will be playing on Friday evening?

If you have a partner who is a member of DLGC Bridge Club you do not need to tell Declan but he does need to know how many people are playing so please register 2 hours beforehand, anytime after 5.30 and make sure that you are still registered  at least 15 minutes before the tournament starts. Make sure that your partner is also logged in.  Simply log in to Bridge base online https://www.bridgebase.com .  Click on

• Competitive
• All tournaments,
• Then in search box (top right) type in cbai125533 (this will bring up DLGCBC Friday evening competition). 
• When you register, it will ask for the partner’s name so enter your partner’s username. Make sure the user names are absolutely correct using upper or lower cases. 
• At 7.15 check that you are still registered.
• Make sure that your computer or electronic device stays alive until the competition starts at 7.30.
• Do not go into any other places on BBO, stay in competitive.

3. How do I set up my profile and include a basic system of play?

Click on account tab, click other or Convention Card, type in your basic system e.g. ACOl, weakNT, 4CM, Staymen, Weak take out or Transfers.

Make sure you have your real name in https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ynx1FM_IARI

4. How do I add my real name to my profile?

Go to right, on account tab, type in your name, skill level (novice, intermediate, advanced). Save changes.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=di6RODtGIpI

5. How do I add comments or send a message?

Go to chat manager, to use chats that are used frequently, you can store a list of chats such as: Hi opps, we play ACOL and w/Nt, or Well done (WDO, or HLO (hard luck opposition), (TY, thank you,)  (tyvm – thank you very much), good try, great defence, enjoy game etc.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_QxipNlxPNc

Or simply click chat and type in your message but make sure it is directed at table and not at tournament or lobby.

6. How do I get results?

At the end of the game, wait a few minutes and the results will come up. Otherwise, click on History tab, you will be able to see all the results and the hands as they were played. Select the one you are interested in. Or go to the results section of this website. Declan uploads results after the competition. 

7. What happens if my computer gets stuck during a game?

Simply log out of BBO and log in again and you will get back into your game.

 Once again, sincere thanks to Declan for for his infinitive patience, helping players to register and manage BBO and for acting as tournament director. 

 ♠ ♥ ♦ ♣ 

President Marie & Committee

♠ ♥ ♦ ♣ 

Winners President's Prize 2020 - Katherine Verso & Declan Doyle

Congratulations to all the prize winners and to those who participated. 

2nd Margaret Leonard and Marie Igoe

2nd Niamh Hogan and Sue Daly

3rd Marian Grimes & Pat Dunne

4th Theresa Murphy & Deirdre Baneham

5th Piers S. Daly and Helen Waters

6th Peg O'Mahoney and Alison Polley

Player of the Year 2019/20

Congratulations to Piers Segrave-Daly for winning Player of the Year (2019-2020). Unfortunately, we were not able to have an AGM this year, but as soon as it is safe to do so, we will have a prize giving night in Dun Laoghaire Bridge Club in the Kingston room, where Piers will be presented with the Player of the year cup.