HOT OFF THE PRESS!!!!    

Due to the face-to-face play hitting a few bumps,

The multiplier for Virtual Clubs remains @ +25% until further notice.   

       See you at the tables.    

Board of Directors' Message

The Board of Directors wishes to provide an update on several matters that have been addressed on behalf of the Membership.

First, the lease of the Club's current location expires in September and will not be renewed.  While Cathy, Phyllis and Directors, past and present, have been working on finding another permanent or temporary location, a suitable site has not yet been found.  Members, who are aware of a Church, Community Centre or other organization that may rent out a hall or room, are asked to email their suggestions for possible leads to epinto@starvoy.com.  Assuming our collective efforts are successful, the Board is striving for a late September or early October re-launch of face-to-face games.

Second, a club-reopening survey is being compiled and will be available soon.  The results will assist the Board in understanding the Membership's appetite for returning to in-person games and acceptable conditions for this return.  While the outcome of the survey cannot be projected at this time, the Board and the Membership may have to consider operating a hybrid club in which in-person games and on-line games are offered for a period of 6-12 months as the pandemic draws to an end.

Third, as permitted by the Club's By-law, the Board has appointed the following Officers:

Treasurer:   Marcia Baker
Vice Chair of the Board and Vice President:   Linda Planeta
Chair of the Board and President:   Dan Tomlinson

And finally, the Board ratified the Board size of seven Directors.

Yours in bridge,

Directors Marcia Baker, Joanne Gilmore, Jay Hamann, Peter Milligan, Eric Pinto, Linda Planeta, and Dan Tomlinson.

Our Next 30-Minute COFFEE CHAT!!!

Mark the Date!!! 

Monday, August 9th @ 6:15 pm

Click here to join zoom call

Join us ... see your old friends (and some new)!

                         Returning to Face-to-Face Games?                         

• ACBL is moving away from supporting on-line bridge to help clubs return to face-to-face games.  Many clubs south of the border have already started to re-open. 
• ACBL’s first step in that approach is to reduce its on-line MP uplift from 1.5 to 1.25 effective July 1, 2021.
• Your MObridge games will also be impacted by the reduced uplift on July 1 and don’t be surprised if that disappears altogether as we approach Fall and f2f games become more commonplace, at least in the US.
• While we, in Canada and certainly within the MObridge community, are not yet ready to return to face-to-face, we have certainly been working diligently on this and will be ready, when the time comes, in an instant.   

Want a game?  Don't have a Partner?  Register at our Partnership Desk.  If you don't get a game and we need subs, we will invite you to play.  For the 0-20/50/300/500 games it is difficult to find subs - if you're available to sub, please let the Director know (VACB207860) and we will invite you (if subs are needed).

$4 - Linked*

*Linked Games

Open games get credit for limited games that start within 30 minutes.  For example, if we have a 300 MP game with 12 tables and an Open game with 8 tables the Open game will be awarded MPs based on a (8+12) 20 table game.

More tables equals more potential points!

Please be careful to ensure you are registering for the correct game. 

Do not buy BBO Bucks on an app as there will be a 30% premium charged. Buy BBO Bucks directly from the BBO website.

       MObridge Mentoring Programme       

We have Mentors ready and willing to encourage and assist any Mentees (0-300 MPs) wishing to improve their game.

Calling all advancing Intermediate players wishing to add to your bridge arsenal, we have Open Players ready to help you achieve the next level of your game.  

Please go to the MObridge Website and click on the Mentoring Programme.  Fill out the Mentee form you find there to start on your journey to having more confidence in your games.  

All information to register is on the Website under The Mentoring Programme.

      MObridge Educational Resources      

 All Lessons & Seminars are on-going and can be booked at any time 

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          Lessons & Seminars with Pam Husband          

Refresh Your Basic Bidding Skills  Click Here.

The Play of the Hand: Improve Your Declarer Play  Click Here.

Defense: How to Defeat the Opponent's Contract  Click Here.

Takeout Doubles and Responses  Click Here.

Overcalls and Bids by the Advancer  Click Here.

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       Seminars with Danielle Gosselin       

 After Stayman and Transfers  Click here.

 Re-bids  Click here.

 Slam Bidding  Click here.

 Make A Plan (Part I)  Click here.

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You can also check out the details under the MObridge Educational Resources menu tab.

  ... John Rayner    www.johnraynerbridge.com 

 Visit John's site for updates on Seminars/Lessons.  

  ... Steve Overholt    www.etobicokebridge.com 

 Visit Steve's site for weekly lessons, coaching tables and lesson videos.  Also a very extensive collection of Steve's own   bridge articles (including quizzes with answers), with most for newer bridge players, which would be great for our learners.

  ... Barbara Seagram

 Go to the Barbara Segram tab under External Educational Resources for all info.  Click Here.

  ... Marty Bergen

 Do not forget about Marty’s Interactive Online Lessons - he is not just about Bergen Raises!   Go to the Marty Bergen tab under External   Educational Resources for all info. 

Rank Achievements for June, 2021

Our Honour Roll for June, 2021

This is a listing of players who played in MObridge Virtual Games @ 70+%

BARRY CRANE Top 500 Master Point Race for 2020

We have 5 of our Members on this list:

Mel Norton (#4)

Doug Andrews (#122)

John Rayner (#329)

Gary Westfall (#336)

Rod McLeod (#426)

The Directors’ Corner (Newer points hi-lited)

• Please fully explain your alerted bids.  For example:  4th Suit Forcing.  Explain this as, Artificial and forcing for 1 round or forcing to game (whatever your agreement is).  And some partnerships play systems a little differently.  Another example the Director was called to the table on recently:  An Inverted Minor Bid by Responder.  Responder simply alerted as  "Forcing".  It also denies a 4 cd. major and it promises 10 HCP min.  This information, the Opponents are entitled to.  Remember, not everyone plays/knows all systems. 

• Slow bidding and/or play --- Help the Directors, and help yourselves ... make sure you are watching the time.  Finish the board.  On-line is no different than at the Club whereby SLOW play affects others.  We get boards with only 1 trick played or 2 ... when we have to adjust these boards, if it's not clear cut, we have to make judgement calls.  The Directors' preference is certainly that all boards are completed.   If the auction is incomplete, averages will be assigned.

• If you're a "Pick-up" or "Substitute" pair (in other words, have no CC) and are unable to create a CC but have discussed what you will play (2/1, SA, etc.) and your cardiing, simpy post what you are playing at the beginning of each round, ie "Hi Opps .. we are subs and we are playing 2/1 and standard carding.  Any questions, please ask."  You can copy this when 1st typed and then just paste it in the "Chat to Table" line at the beginning of each round.
• We hear it all the time:  I GOT KICKED OFF!  The liklihood is that you lost connection or you were stuck (not bidding or playing, but sitting idle) and were replaced.  Once you are back/available, you will be re-seated at first opportunity.  If your Sub is still in the Auction or is the Dummy, the Director will try and re-seat you as a Sub.  So do watch when you are messaged asking you to "Sub" that it is your tournament (it most likely will be), and accept.
• If you have a question which you don't want to bring up during the game, or after the game, ask a Director ... simply send an e-mail to mail@mobridge.club, typing "Ask a Question" in the subject line and hit send.  It's as simple as that.  :)  Someone will get back to you as soon as time permits.
• We have issues with players pushing other players with "time".  This is not unique to MObridge.  It's a problem all over.  Please, if you have an issue with time, please call the Director (using the 3 bar option, as stated below).  We are leaving this one hi-lited for some time since it's a major issue on Virtual. 

• During the game, when calling the Director, make sure to use the 3 bar option, typing the reason for you call in the space provided, as opposed to private chat with the Director.  Director Calls using this option allows the Director to come right to your table (as opposed to having to find you, which is the case when you use chat) and it stays in the Director Call List until the Director can get to your call (They do sometimes get more than 1 Director Call at once).  Using this feature does save time with no chance of your “call” being lost in chat.

• The Directors can’t stress enough how important it is for you to be registered for your game at least 5 minutes ahead of start time (10 minutes would be ideal).  And if you do register earlier, make sure you are back at Registration at least 5 minutes before game start time (again, 10 minutes would be ideal).  Last minute entries quite often change the setup, and sometimes without enough time to do so.  There have also been situations where players have been removed from our listing ... time is needed before game start to help out in such situations.  Unlike at the Club, where the game setup can be entered after game start, on BBO it MUST be set before game start.  Hopefully, if you have an issue, the Director has enough time to help out.

• We also add that pairs have had to be removed when not back at registation at game time.  In our Virtual World, we have to realize that players have allotted their time accordingly and may not be able to afford any extra time to their game.  This goes hand-in-hand with adding time to the rounds as well, ergo when registering, one knows the maximum time required for that game and can plan his/her schedule accordingly.  We run our OPEN games @ 6 mins./board and our LIMITED games @ 7 mins./board.

• The Directors have also noted that it’s rare they find a pair playing in our Virtual Club without a completed Convention Card.  This is was not the case a while back.  Well done MObridge players.

You may have noticed that the Director is now listed in the game’s opening comments.

       To all our Volunteers:  Past, Present & Future       

We want you to know that you are appreciated. 

Volunteers are special & add value to everything they touch.

   Thanks for all you do and have done! 

Thank you for your time & expertise and for your amazing generosity & dedication.

Where would we be without you!

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