Hyatt Sanctuary Cove Winter Bridge Holiday July 2012

Joan will be running her annual winter holiday again at the wonderful Hyatt Resort, Sanctuary Cove, on Queensland's Gold Coast. Come for the 5 days, or just the weekedn, or even per day. The best in lessons, games, and entertainment. Download the flyer NOW.

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Past Holidays

Langham Weekend 2010, and 2011

Some people wondered why we'd go from warm Brisbane to fly to Melbourne in June. It wasn't the weather I was thinking about when I planned it, but the atmosphere of the Langham Hotel itself. It's superb, on the Yarra, surrounded by restaurants and shops, looking out at Collins St Station, very buzzy. Nothing was too much for the staff as the two dozen of us checked in. The Langham rooms are beautifully appointed without being showy - that sums up the hotel - a place of understated elegance.

Our first bridge event was a drinks party for people to meet. It was in the Swanston Room, where our bridge was held. There were players from Western Australia, Victoria, and mainly Queensland. Some had played for years, but not others -it was their first try at duplicate. Holidays are good places to "have a go", as everyone is in the right mood. The Thursday night results were the start of a trend - May Heck and Beth Gutteridge won, and Walter & Anne Marie Hugentobler were second. In the other direction,Gayle Boddice and Isobel Furnival won, with Ellie Spiro and Marjorie Daviessecond.

There were seven tables for Friday's lesson and game. For dinner the group fund an Italian restaurant in the complex, and everyone was happy.
Friday's Winners were:
Lyn Lubransky & Nancy Heffernan, playing together for the very first time, and in the other direction, Beth & May stormed home with a serious 72%!

Everyone was ready on Saturday morning for Kooyong Tennis (Bridge) Club where we met 30 Melbourne players for a game. I gave a lesson on Major Suit Raises, and focused on Jacoby 2NT. This a a useful convention, essential if you want to show a strong responding hand with a four card fit for partner.
Here's an example:
Dlr N

The Jacoby 2NT bid asks partner to show shortage if they have it, so that slam may be reached if the hands fit well. Wasted values opposite a shortage is not good news, and on this hand, K and Q of diamonds opposite a singleton are not optimum. So it's 4H, not 6H.

It was a huge day at Kooyong, and was SO good to catch up with old Melbourne friends and bridge players who came along. Walter & Hilary Hall, from Western Australia, won NS.

The unbeatable champs, May & Beth completed a hat trick by winning EW. They won each session they played in!

We rushed back to the Langahm after a busy day, and donned our dinner gear for a memorable night in Melba's, followed by some impromptu dancing in the bar afterwards. I'm not sure if the hotel was used to people dancing around the bar, but.......oh well, you'll have to guess who did, from the pics that follow.