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The following was read out on the last day’s play at this year’s National Congress. By popular demand (well, no-one has objected!), it now has a place on the New Zealand Bridge website.

Our National Congress started in Rotorua in 1986. In 1998, it moved to Hamilton and was there until Covid struck. There was no National Congress in 2020, an on-line Congress in 2021 and for the last 3 years, it has been held at Bay Park, Mt Maunganui. In November 2025, it breaks new ground in Palmerston North.

 

Heading South

With Congress shifting to its most southerly home, away from Waikato Bays

It’s an opportune time to reflect how it has changed in so many ways.

Since 86 some changes for the better: others maybe less so.

Don’t totally ignore the yesterdays in planning for tomorrow.

 

Iron Man, a coveted Congress title sought by one and all

They stayed and played and drunk and played at the Saturday Midnight Speedball.

That was after Session 3 of the day’s play concluded at 10.30 pm

And the tiny smoke- filled bar was packed with the roar of feisty post mortems!

Those were the days…and nights!

 

Apart  from waiting to get a drink  at the hotel’s crowded bar

The late night queue of Appeals to be heard was the longest queue by far!

For some the night did never end. Nor did the bar shut down

When the likes of Pete Benham, Brian Cleaver and Jimmi, the honorary bar-leaning Kiwi,  were always to be found.

 

The loft upstairs above the playing room where directors and scorers did stay

And where the Bulletin Editor was stuck near 24 hours ne’re seeing the light of day.  

The reward for those players who sessions were not that good at all

Was a walk through the mud and the rain and the slush to the neighbouring Ghandi Hall!

 

Most arrived on the Friday before NZ Pairs, when the final of the Ips was in play

Vu- graph took place as the commentators  entertained, with the audience supporting both way

And despite the roars from the Vugraph crowd, Freddie’s high 8  is still in dummy uncashed

Somehow that’s an atmosphere On-line kibitzers can never ever match.    

 

Unlike today’s cashless society when our prize money goes to a bank on a later day

There was Lionel Wright’s little money bag which disbursed cash winnings straightaway

Mavis on front door desk cigarillo in mouth, both ferocious and utterly kind

In early days, the smoking habit, few really seemed to mind.

 

The Homers! Our experts no longer fools of themselves do they now seem to make

Like Andy Braithwaite on lead to 7NT undoubled with an ace in hand to take!

Or Tom Jacob who pulled  5 x by his partner, to 5, which had no play

And after more doubles hit the table, Tom retreated to 6X, one away!

 

Anne-Marie Russell, who made the opening lead unusual as in the declarer seat was she found.

At least she knew the rules enough to make the lead face down!

Then Barry Jones the declarer in 3NT after the opening lead with 12 top tricks to take

But through the sin of greed tried for all 13 …and 8 tricks was all he then could make!                

 

Those were the days, different days, though some things do stay the same.

The camaraderie, post mortems, the fun we all get from our just so wonderful game.

The former young guns, like the Mayers, Newells and Cornells, there from the very beginning

A few more wrinkles than then but what is the same is that they keep on winning.

 

So, maybe the verse is no worse, perhaps though like pre-empts becoming a little less long.

We’ve now got dress ups and a quiz night for light relief even if Ironman and night play have gone.

 
The new "National Congress" home

So Palmy, here we come, in November we come, to rekindle our successful Congress way.

Let’s play and enjoy in the modern way but don’t forget the good of yesterday.

Richard Solomon

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