Page 19 - Giv'er Miramichi Magazine - Spring Giver 2023

Fifty Years of Playing their Cards Right:

Newcastle Duplicate Bridge Club By Graham Wade

The Newcastle Duplicate Bridge players are usually allowed to change
Club (NDBC) was formed nearly partner within their team at any point
fifty years ago with the assistance of if they wish).
directors and players from CFB Individual tournaments also exist,
Chatham and St. Margarets. Over the in which players change partnerships
years the club has continued to regularly during the tournament and
provide entertainment to many are ranked on their personal
resident players and visitors alike. performance.
Duplicate bridge clubs are found in Points are awarded at the club,
every country of the world and an unit, zone, and national levels. The
avid player will be certain to find a points are designated colours
club where ever he or she might be depending on which level they were
travelling. won: black, red, or gold. When you
Duplicate bridge is a variation of hear of someone becoming a Life
contract bridge where the same set of Master it means he/she has
bridge deals (i.e., the distribution of the 52 cards among accumulated 300 black, 25 red, and 25 gold points. It
the four hands) are played by different competitors, and might take a lifetime to achieve and it might be never,
scoring is based on relative performance. In this way, but the lure to compete is compelling.
every hand, whether strong or weak, is played in The NDBC is part of the Canadian Bridge
competition with others playing identical cards, and the Federation, Zone 1, which in turn is part of the
element of skill is heightened while that of chance is worldwide organization, The American Contract Bridge
reduced. This stands in contrast to bridge played without League, headquartered in Mississippi, USA. The ACBL
duplication, where each hand is freshly dealt and where is the governing body for all bridge clubs in North
scores may be more affected by chance in the short run. America and Bermuda.
Four-way card holders known as bridge boards are The NDBC has three regular sanctioned games at
used to enable each player's hand to be preserved from the Nelson Ski Club on Monday afternoon at 12:30 pm,
table to table, and final scores are calculated by Wednesday evening at 6:30 pm and Thursday afternoon
comparing each pair's result with others who played the at 12:30 pm.
same hand. Lessons for beginners are being currently held on
In duplicate bridge, players normally play all the Sunday afternoon, also at the Ski Club facilities.
hands with the same partner and compete either as a For further information on any games, partnerships,
partnership (in a 'Pairs tournament') or on a team with or training sessions, please call our Club Manager Diane
one or more other partnerships ('Teams tournament' - Donovan at 506-627-8488.

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