Please advise Malcolm Channing (01372 811949) as early as possible if you have to cancel your duty date for any reason. Sylvia Timberlake (020 8642 8012) keeps the list for Fridays on which the Committee have guaranteed to act as hosts with voluntary help from other Friday regulars.

TELEPHONE LISTS

Please check your number and let Sylvia know if it is incorrect.

E-MAIL ADDRESSES

Please let Sylvia know if the Committee are unaware of your e-mail address. At present this is only for the information of the Committee and is used to send out the Annual General Meeting notice and subscription form and to know for whom to print Newsletters. If your Newsletter is in an envelope and you are on the net it means that your address is unknown to the Committee. The Committee is considering making the list available to all members as it could be quite useful for fixing partner play dates and matches. However, if any member would prefer their address not to be on this list, please let Sylvia know by Christmas.

LIZ PHILLIPS

Liz got a write-up in the EBU magazine for her achievements in the National Ladies Pairs pre-empting our own intention to heap praise on her. She has won this event no less than 4 times, been second twice and this year she was third. Well done Liz!. Pam Southon shares part of this achievement as she has partnered Liz for at least the last 12 years and has 1 win, 2 seconds and a third to her credit. Well done to you too Pam!

WHO'S MY PARTNER?

Malcolm Channing relates an amusing incident that he heard of:

David Burn was playing in a high-level teams competition, which meant that screens were placed diagonally across the table so that a player could only see one opponent, and was hidden from the other opponent and his own partner.

A competitive bidding sequence led to David Burn's partner bidding 2NT, not a problem you might think but David thought for a while then summoned the Tournament Director. He inquired whether he was allowed to ask who he was partnering as he had forgotten and with one partner 2NT was a conventional bid and with another it was natural.

The Tournament Director consulted the Laws and surprisingly it was not covered, so he ruled that David Burn didn't have the right to ask who he was partnering, but suggested he refer the case to the EBU's Laws and Ethics Committee, the Chairman of which was ……… David Burn!

BORROWING BIDDING BOXES AND BOARDS

Since the last Newsletter a notebook has been purchased in which to note when members borrow either or both of these items. The Committee are very happy for members to borrow them but realise that they cannot trace them if members inadvertently forget to return them. Just ask a Committee member for the book to sign for them out and in. Thank you.

COFFEE LADY

It would be appreciated if, on a Tuesday night, members do not make their own refreshment. Kirsty is a very competent young lady and if you require your refreshment made in a particular way she is only too willing to do it for you.

THANX 4 HAVNG ME!

One Friday in early July it was delightful to see a young girl of 12½ turn up and kibitz. She was Natalie, the granddaughter of Peter and Pam Southon who was staying with them for the night and was interested to come and see a club duplicate session. Not only was it great to see a younger person at the Club but she then gave Pam and Peter an unsolicited card which she had designed, which is now displayed on the board and which I will describe to you.

The front cover reads 'THANX 4 HAVING ME!' and is adorned with the 4 card symbols together with the words King, Queen, Jack and a clown. On the inside front cover she has designed a new playing card with BC in each corner, BRIDGE CLUB diagonally across the centre and a male and female face either side of this. (They bear a distinct likeness to Grandma and Grandpa!). The opposite middle page reads:

To all the bridge club on Fridays

Thanx 4 having me, I really enjoyed it,
I hope I can come back one day and actually play!

Lots of

©

Natalie (Pam and Peter's granddaughter)

Now wasn't that just super. Thanx Natalie we'd © to see U any time.

I'VE GOT A MOTTO

With apologies to that well known author, broadcaster, wit and reciter of monologues whose name is on the tip of my tongue.

A few days ago, I was leafing through the 'Dictionary of Quotations' as one does - I trust that impresses those of you who, like my son-in-law, are convinced that the only books I ever look at are bridge books - I was in said son-in-law's library - well bookshelf actually - strange no bridge books, but then he doesn't play, even though he's very intelligent - hasn't got the time, I suppose, too busy making money. Where was I? Oh yes, deep into the 1000 page tome, I can recommend it, ideal companion for your Horlicks, OK with brandy too, if a trifle heavy for reading in bed - dammit! I've lost the thread again! Ah, I remember, I was thinking, we play in a church hall, St John's, you know maybe He said something which would serve as a CLUB MOTTO - not that He played bridge, of course, it hadn't been invented 2000 years ago, their bad luck - no doubt He would have done if it had been - after all, He did have a ready made four, didn't He? Sure enough, there it was, John VIII verse 7, made to order! Inspired, I dug a bit deeper, and found Matthew VII verse 3, same idea, really, if a bit wordy, so I'm certain he, too, would have played, given half a chance. Best of all, brief and to the point is Matthew VII verse 1, so that gets my vote for the CLUB MOTTO.