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National Congress Update August 2022
Five Weeks to the National Bridge Congress
It really is time to put in those entries and if you want to take advantage of the 10% cash discount:
Pay by 31st August
No excuses that your cheque’s in the mail! Use NZB payment system or pay directly into NZ Bridge BNZ bank account: 02 0466 0268199 002 with your name as reference.
Staying the full week?
We encourage players to enter and pay for the events they would play should they not make the last 16 of New Zealand Open Teams. We will withdraw pairs/ teams from those events should they make the relevant knock-out stages.
Note that the cost of Wednesday afternoon/Thursday events is the same whether you are in NZ Teams or not ($80 per player before discount). The same is the cost of the Friday/Saturday (October 8th) events..also $80.
Always needed at the National Congress
Teams of 5/6 people in New Zealand Open/Restricted Open Teams
You pay pre discount a maximum of 4 x $160 or $640 for the qualifying stage. I will ensure your team does not pay more than this. This may require some settling amounts between players. Please contact me if you are unsure of the procedure.
However, the amount you pay for the knock-out stage is per player.
Two Clashes
Fitting all the events into 8 days of the National Congress is not easy and there are two partial clashes which we would like to highlight:
Intermediate Swiss Pairs – all day Wednesday
NZ Restricted Open Teams – Monday afternoon until Wednesday lunchtime.
You cannot play in both events…affects Intermediate/Junior players
NZ Senior Pairs – all day Thursday
NZ Open/Restricted Open Swiss Pairs – Wednesday afternoon/ all day Thursday
Here, Open/Restricted Open players cannot play in both
However, players eliminated after Round of 16 Stage of NZ Open Teams can join NZ Open Swiss Pairs as long as their partner for the Swiss was eliminated from the same stage of that event.
Need a rental car during Congress?
One may well be handy. Then Apex Car Rentals are offering 15% discount if you are going to the Congress. You can pick up the car in Tauranga or maybe Auckland too. Access here using the code APXBRIDGE https://www.apexrentals.co.nz/
Lunches at Bay Park
The caterers at Bay Park are offering two choices for you: lunch boxes with a sandwich, slice and a piece of fruit or a barbecue option of meats/salads etc.
These options will be cheaper if you pre-order in advance of Congress. We will be sending the daily menus to all players who have entered the Congress by email approximately 2 weeks in advance of the Congress. Lunch boxes will be $12 per day if ordered in advance of Congress and $15 if ordered at the Congress up to 24 hours in advance.
Daily buffet will be $17 if ordered in advance and $20 if purchased on the day of the event.
Food will be available at the canteen on the day though ordering in advance will save you the players time and make the serving of lunches much easier for a large group of bridge players.
Bay Park do allow players to bring home made lunches into the venue but you are not allowed to bring in food purchased from other food outlets into the Bay Park venue.
Bridge Seminars at the National Congress
We are delighted to be able to announce that there will be three seminars during the National Bridge Congress given by top teachers and players. They are particularly aimed at Intermediate and Junior players and are scheduled on days when they will be at the Congress.
Each will start at 8.30am and will last between 30 and 40 minutes, enabling all to be able to start play at 9.30 am.
They will all take place in a seminar room upstairs above the main playing area at Bay Park.
Wednesday October 5th Malcolm Mayer “When to be aggressive: when to be passive”
Thursday October 6th GeO Tislevoll “How to improve your game with common-sense”
Friday October 7th Barry Jones “The penalty double has died and gone to heaven" When and why to double.
They are all well -worth the early start and are interesting and entertaining speakers. There is no charge.
Novice Pairs
A reminder to our new players (and for you to remind them) that the Novice Pairs will be on Sunday October 2nd at 2.30pm, a one session $10 per player event. Enter in advance or just turn up on the day.
So, it’s time to enter and to pay and prepare for the first live National Congress for three years. Bring it on.
Richard Solomon
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