June 2023 newsletter highlights: New WCBU Committee and Safeguarding Officer / Western Cape Pairs and Teams /  Charity Bridge in aid of Souper Troopers / Berkowitz and Medwin Trials / Buccaneer League

As always, there's a lot of bridge activities coming up. More information on many of the topics in this newsletter can be found in the attachments to this E-mail; by clicking on the links in the text below; or by visiting the Western Cape Bridge Union (WCBU) website.

Our thanks to all of you who attended the Annual General Meeting (AGM) of the WCBU on 10th June. At that meeting the following members were elected to the WCBU Committee for 2023/2024: Mark Kenyon, Michele Alexander, Beverley Hargrove, Ian Holdsworth, Hilary Nick, Shirley Phillips and Brian Paxton. Michele Alexander will also be taking on the role of Safeguarding Officer: anyone who feels they have been bullied or sexually harrassed can report the incident in confidence to Michele who will follow up.

As I hope you remember from our earlier E-mail, from today the WCBU's BBO sessions on Mondays, Wednesdays, Thursdays and Fridays will start at 10h00, with the price, including for Saturdays, reduced to BB$ 2.0 - and don't wait for everyone else to enter; enter the minute you log on to BBO and others will follow suit. Starting in July, there will be monthly best 3 results of the month competitions for each of the BBO sessions on Mondays, Wednesdays, Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays - the prizes have still to be finalised but the winners are assured of seeing their names in lights on the WCBU website and in these newsletters. 

Our next First Friday charity BBO tournament takes place at 10h00 on Friday 7th July in aid of Souper Troopers, who work with and advocate for Cape Town's most marginalised residents, those living on the streets - just logon to BBO, select Virtual Clubs - South Africa and you will see our sessions listed. We look forward to seeing you at some or, better still, all of these events!  

The Western Cape's Berkowitz and Medwin trials take place on Sunday 16th July; details are attached.

The Buccaneer League runs every month on the 2nd and 3rd Wednesday evening (not July and December) starting at 19h00 and has 4 Leagues with 6 Teams per League. We currently have 21 Teams and ideally need at least 24 to fill each League. Any group of 4 players (and perhaps a spare or two in case of unavailability) that would be interested in participating please contact Mark Kenyon ([email protected]). Full details of the Buccaneer League can be obtained from Jan Chrobok ([email protected]).

Turning to major, mostly red-point, tournaments coming up, the Western Cape Pairs is scheduled to take place on 19th and 20th August, the Western Cape Teams on 30th September and 1st October and the rescheduled SAWBA online from 24th to 29th October. You can enter these tournaments via the SABF Online website. For avid golfing lady bridge players there is also the opportunity to play in Plett's Trump to Tee bridge and golf competition on 14th and 15th August (email entries to [email protected]).

Moving on to some numbers, in the past two months the results from more than 523 tables of face to face and online bridge have been recorded in the Pianola database on the WCBU website where players can compare and analyse their performance while also giving them the opportunity to compare their results in the two formats.