Show Notes
The BZ Crew talk about • Upcoming bridge tournaments, including the TOPS Friday Fundraising Tournaments • North Island Pairs held at Remuera Bowls and Bridge Club scheduled for October 10–11
• Numbers for the Congress 2026 looking strong and talking to Bridget – Gatekeeper of Congress
• The mighty Jack – Mereana agrees with the new nickname
The Gambler Barry shares a technical tip from the International Coaching Session 67% or 90+% Playing Cupid
• Hello, anyone out there looking for a partner for Congress One of our listeners Deirdre from Tauranga Bridge Club is looking for a partner - Restricted Open grade Drop us a line, contact details below
Mr Jinn shares results from around the motu • The "Cathy Parker" hand 5-club X with a 20 count . • Player Pet Peeves Expressions of a dislike for players who hold cards vertically on the table and press them down, causing them to wobble
• B-Point Pursuit: Ross is currently at 162.48 B-points, trailing Jack James' record of 209 and he hit the podium twice over the weekend
The Bailiff joins us today • Purpose of Announcements and Information Accessibility
• Room Layout and Movements, some table arrangements are confusing, middle table logic and the primary goal is to help players find their tables particularly in Swiss Pairs
• Personal Anecdote: The Bailiff recalled navigating the long distance to the “Gandhi room” on crutches while recovering from an Achilles injury during a past New Zealand Pairs event, many moons ago Got some news or feedback, flick us an email [email protected] Plenty to listen to, just click and hear our discussions
See you at the tables The BZ Crew
More from The Bridge Zone
Hamilton Labour Weekend Congress is approaching with 28 pairs in the Shirley Waymouth open pairs, 23 teams in the team’s event, and 24 pairs in the Swiss pairs. Tournament history is estimated to be around 30 years, possibly starting in 1997, though Barry recalls playing there as an intermediate in the early 90s. Youth participation is highlighted with players like Calexico (Theodore) and Toby attending Congress for the first time. The new Masterpoint scheme will be in effect by the time of the Congress New Zealand Wide Pairs - Tournament field:had approximately 800 players (around 200 tables)
Head Director, Matthew McManus joins the Bridge Zone this He clarifies that simplified versions of the Polish Club system remain permitted for intermediate players, while overly complex relay-based systems are restricted The New Zealand Bridge Board is releasing a new document to resolve existing ambiguities in the regulations Additionally, the directing team for the upcoming Congress has expanded to include three new members, including a national director from Australia Regulations and System Clarifications • Polish Club: • Intermediate Restrictions • Regulation Updates: Director Perspectives and Training • Role Philosophy: Directors are viewed as "servants of the players" and should aim to assist rather than act as an overbearing presence • Law Application, Technology Impact, Information Display, Congress Directing • Staffing: The directing crew for Congress includes two trainees (Justine Hart and Mary Christensen) and Darryl Whitfield from Canberra Mr Jinn announces the results of the Jin Club tourneys • Tournament results were shared for several junior and intermediate events, including Napier, Te Awamutu, Croxford, Matamata, and Paraparaumu. • Rule clarification was provided: a dummy cannot initiate a call to the director for an infraction; another player must first bring it to the table's attention. • Upcoming events include the New Zealand-wide pairs on Friday and several tournaments over the weekend. Barry and Mereana talk about the North Island Pairs in Auckland had a quality field of 16 tables, won by Ashley Bart and Nick Jacob Got some news or feedback, flick us an email [email protected]
The BZ Crew talk about • Labour Weekend Congress is seeing strong registration with 27 pairs and 23 teams currently entered • New System Regulations effective October 1st have caused frustration among intermediate players, specifically those using the Polish Club system who are now ineligible for the intermediate section • Disciplinary Actions Any misconduct are being made public by the NZB Conduct, Discipline and Disputes Committee to ensure transparency
The BZ Crew talk CONGRESS 2026 with Bridget Hannaray • Sneak preview of events after end of play o Saturday – Election Day plenty of places to go to VOTE close by o Monday - The Jin Club and The Bridge Zone Crew meet and greet o Tuesday - Street Eats and music night o Wednesday - The D Word – Team Costume Parade o Thursday - Street market o Friday - Variety Show @ The Regent on Broadway - a fellow Bridgee may be performing o Saturday - Prizegiving
The BZ Crew talk about • Christchurch Congress, and the upcoming Labour Weekend Congress in Hamilton • Rankings Alan Grant and Rebecca Osborne • Interprovincials Survey • Key achievements Rebecca Osborne and Alan Grant