| Bridge Scene - 9 October 2026 |
Westport falls short in Howorth Cup attempt
Contributed
The Westport team failed to live up to its own expectations in last Sunday’s Howorth Cup
event held in Takaka. The Howorth Cup is the premiere inter-club bridge competition in the
Top of the South (TOPS) region. Westport has won the cup just three times in tis 70 year
history and went into the day with hopes of making it number four.
It wasn’t to be. Westport finished fifth of the eight competing clubs behind Nelson,
Marlborough, Richmond and Motueka.
Two Westport pairs performed creditably in the Golden Bay open pairs held the day before.
Phil Rutherford and Vicki Russell finiahed eighth, one place ahead of Jo Gear and Wendy
Coburn.
In club play this week Pip Fairbrass and Garry Howard pulled off a “come from behind”
performance on Monday to take out the Okari Pairs. They were coming third going into this
week’s session but scored just enough to overtake the other contenders. Vicki Russell and
Diane Groom were the winners on the night with 59.5 percent. Fairbrass and Howard were
second equal with Val Mundy and Cherie Hooper on 54.5.
Not many turned up last night due to the clash with the candidates’ meeting. Jo Gear and
Jude Woods won the session with 65.0 followed by Bevan Russell and Lucy Wratten on 55.0.
Cherie Hooper and Val Mundy were third on 48.0.
Some reminders
Ellen Curnow is the convenor for Thursday nights. She can be contacted by email on
ellencurnow1@gmail.com or by text on 021 052 2580.
Glenys Tyler is the Monday night convenor. She can be contacted by email on
glenarttyler@gmail.com or by phone or text on 021 265 5627.
The contact for Friday social bridge is Val Mundy on 027 252 2445.
And, don’t forget to tune in to Coast FM on Saturday morning at 9.20am to hear a review of
the past week in bridge world.
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| Introduction to Bridge |
Bridge: A game for the mind and a bridge to friendship
If you think bridge is just a card game, think again. This timeless classic is much more than a pastime—it's a brain-boosting, friendship-forging adventure.
Bridge is renowned for its intellectual challenges, combining strategy, memory, and teamwork in a way that stimulates the brain like no other game. Studies have shown that regularly playing bridge can improve cognitive function and keep your mind sharp. But it’s not just about keeping your brain active; it’s also about making connections. Whether you’re an experienced player or a curious newcomer, bridge offers a unique chance to bond with people who share your interests.
Bridge is a “tricks and trumps” game. It’s most similar to other card games like 500, euchre, 45s, hearts and whist. But, we’ve had people in Westport who have become good bridge players without ever having played any other card game.
Each lesson is about 90 minutes long. The lessons go for 10 weeks. By then, you will be starting to fit into regular club play on Monday and/or Thursday evenings. From there, you might aim to play in tournaments further afield.
And, one of the features of modern day bridge is that it can be played online with and against other players from around New Zealand and the world.
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| Things to do when visiting Westport |
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| Session Details |
Monday evening 7pm
Tuesday afternoon (improvers lessons) 1pm
Wednesday afternoon 1pm 45's
Thursday evening 7pm
Friday afternoon (Social)
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