With the rapid developments of Corona Virus pandemic, Bridge in the Garden 2020 scheduled for April has been postponed indefinitely.
The Bridge community, like any other community, should be distanced from Covid19 as much as possible.
Do enjoy playing our favourite card game but please practise a strict hygiene regime each time you play at NBC, or anywhere else.
In fact, let us all play it safe at all times.
Thank you for your kind attention.
The 2019 NBC Champions are the long standing and formidable partnership of Pat Hanley & Ofa Starmans.
Both Pat & Ofa are from Seymour and are amongst the strongest supporters of NBC.
Dedication and commitment to improve their game is quite evident as both Pat & Ofa would consistently attend lessons conducted at NBC. (Pat also shows her strong love for the game by running a social bridge group that plays at the Seymour Club every fortnight).
Nagambie Bridge Club once again held the very popular and brilliantly fun
Bridge in the Garden - "BIG" 2019.
Date: Thursday April 4
Venue: The Gatehouse, Nagambie (adjacent to Tahbilk Winery).
Active, fun and popular Nagambie Bridge Club held its third annual Bridge in the Garden “BIG 2019” on Thursday 4th April, 2019 at the Gatehouse, on Nook Road, Nagambie.
Without doubt, this is a Garden Party/Bridge event with a difference!
Traditionally this popular card game is played indoors, but innovative NBC pushed boundaries by having the game played al fresco!
Clare Purbrick, a popular member of NBC, together with husband Tim and NBC principal Michael Goh, played host to 72 enthusiastic bridge players.
News about this unique event had spread near and far, and was quickly booked out.
In addition to players from NBC, there were also players from Shepparton Bridge Club, Bendigo Bridge Club, and a contingent of 21 members from Wodonga Bridge Club, who had hired a bus to drive to BIG 2019; making it a very special outing!
The success of this event is 100% contributed by the very friendly, warm and hard- working NBC members; exemplary of what a good Bridge Club should be!
The following are some remarks from people who attended BIG 2019:
· “We all very much enjoyed the day and please pass our thanks to our hosts, and all those helpers. The homemade food was divine. Kudos to you (Michael Goh). A breath of fresh air in the bridge world for those who meet you”- Di Barrow, President of Wodonga BC
· “Thank you yesterday was fantastic. Felt proud to be a member of NBC” – Sue Verge, NBC member
· “I did enjoy my day playing with Lyn. Her dry sense of humour and sense of fun was refreshing” – Jenny Tehan from Euroa and NBC member.
Some cloud cover and cool weather in the morning greeted everyone at the start. With each round played, the skies cleared and the sun smiled down on this happy group.
To add to the festivities on the day, Tahbilk Winery donated a lucky door prize. The lucky winner of a Double Magnum bottle of Tahbilk’s delicious 2015 Grenache Shiraz Mourvedre was Pat Hanley, NBC member from Seymour.
L to R: Tim Purbrick, Pat Hanley, Michael Goh, Clare Purbrick
Tahbilk also extended its generosity with a discount for any wine purchased from its cellar door by those who had attended BIG 2019. The bus from Wodonga was certainly spotted there!
Riding on this successful formula of making Bridge fun and accessible to players of all levels, BIG 2020 will certainly be on the cards next year!
For full bridge results of both the Red and Blue Sections of BIG 2019, please visit the "Results" section on this wesite.
More photograhs of BIG 2019 can be seen at the "Photographs" section on the website.
Nagambie Bridge: Brilliantly Fun
If you would like to find out when the next Beginners Bridge class will commence, or more about NBC, please contact Michael on 0434 195 570 or
Email michael@nagambiebridgeclub.com.au
Over 3 duplicate Thursday sessions in late November and early December, players competed to be NBC Champions for 2018.
The criteria was:
- Players must be current members of NBC
- Same partnership must play at least two qualifying sessions
- Only the best two scores of the same partnership count towards overall championship results.
After the first two qualifying sessions, leaders were Irene Davey and Dale Stuart, with Clare Purbrick and Robbie Little snapping on their heals.
On the third and final session, there was immense pressure on the leaders to maintain their lead.
Bridge is fun, but challenging as we know. Mistakes can be costly.
So, after a much contested session where slams were bid and made or not bid, or where partnerships got themselves into the wrong contract, coupled by brilliant defense from opposition, a pair who was lurking in the shadows emerged triumphant!
The ultimate winning pair of Marjorie Phillips and George Wagner played valiantly to garner a commandable score in the final session; thereby allowing them to proudly clinch the title as Club Champions of 2018.
Alas, no blood was spilled and the official final results are as follows:
1st & NBC Champions: Marjorie Phillips & George Wagner
2nd place: Irene Davey & Dale Stuart
3rd place: Clare Purbrick and Robbie little.
2018 NBC Champions: Marjorie Phillips & George Wagner with Michael Goh.
1st Runner -Ups: Irene Davey & Dale Stuart
3rd place winners: Clare Purbrick & Robbie Little (absent on the day)
The prizes were handed out on 13 December which was also the Club's last session for the year and Christmas party.
Everyone who came to play on the day were paired up by Bridge Santa who drew out the partnership names randomly from a Christmas stocking!
There was much fun and also some anxiety on the day as players were playing sans their regular partner. In the end, winners on the day were: Don Heggie & Fred Cowie.
(For full results, please go to results on menu section).
Lots of other prizes were also given out on the day, and everyone enjoyed a delicious lunch. Thank you to everyone for bringingt a good selection of savoury food, desserts and wine.
Thank you also to those who stayed back to assist with the clean-up.
Lastly, I would like to remind everyone that NBC will reopen on Thursday 10/1/2019. So, if you are having bridge withdrawal symptoms now, pencil in your diary to come and play in the new year's first duplicate session. Hang in there, it's not long to go!
Meanwhile, believe in the magic of this festive season.
Above :NBC Players and Punters / Hopefuls
Players drew their bridge partners for the Red Masterpoints event. All partnerships were 'newly' formed on the day. Winners of the Bridge Session were Clare Purbrick and Helen Woodward.
Sweepstakes winners were Bill Ryley, Helen Kennedy, Fred Cowie and Carolyn Braun.
Everyone voted for the best dressed. There was a 3-horse race for second place, but pipping them by a beautiful ensemble was Helen Kennedy (pictured below). Helen won a bottle of bubbly.
The Trawool Trojan horse was born and bred by Carolyn. She carefully brought it to brighten up the occassion and to add some cheer to the day's festivities. Wine was flowing whilst everyone enjoyed delicious food contributed by all who came.
NBC members know how to have a good time. Nagambie Bridge Brilliantly Fun.
Above: Fashion in Bridge Winner Helen Kennedy, with the Trawool Trojan horse.
Don Heggie returns to win the title for the 2nd consecutive year but this time partnering Jenny. Congratulations to both Don & Jenny, who are both from Euroa!
L to R: Bruce Minchinton, Michael Goh, Derek Poulton & Nick Walsh
Victorian Northern Region Grand National Open Teams 2017 Bridge Victory
- Nagambie /Shepparton Team did not crack under pressure!
Following on from winning a major bridge tournament earlier this year in Canberra, Principal of Nagambie Bridge Club (NBC), Michael Goh together with his partner, Bruce Minchinton have again emerged victorious in a state qualifying Bridge tournament. This time Bruce & Michael teamed up with Derek Poulton and Nick Walsh from Shepparton BC (who are associate members of NBC) to win the Victorian Northern Region Grand National Open Teams event held at Shepparton on Sunday August 27.
Winning this tournament earned Michael, Bruce, Derek and Nick the right to represent Victoria in the final of the Australian Grand National Open Teams competition to be held at Tweed Heads QLD in November.
At Shepparton, teams from all over Northern Victoria competed. Teams/ players came from Bendigo, Benalla , Shepparton, Wangarratta, Echuca Macedon, Albury, Wodonga, Yarrawonga and Nagambie. Bendigo had the largest contingent of players, followed by Nagambie, Benalla and Shepparton.
Ranked 8th in the event, Michael’s Team showed their bridge prowess by winning all matches! Meeting the highest ranked team in the tournament in Round 1 did not faze them. With their thinking caps on, Michael and his team rose to the challenge and defeated them. With the toughest opposition out of the way, they held their composure and steadily played every other match; winning one after another. Although undefeated going into the sixth and final match, the team knew that they had to play their best to clinch the victory, as the leader after Round 5 still held a comfortable victory points margin. Undeterred, the Team continued to play brilliant bridge to railroad the leader by an enormous margin to claim the title of Victoria’s Northern Region GNOT Champions!
In November, Michael, Bruce, Derek and Nick will face 59 other teams from all over Australia. It is an honour for two Nagambie residents to take their place there and we wish all four of them the best of luck.
NBC held its inugural Bridge in the Garden at beautiful Roscrea B & B in Nagambie, the residence of one of its popular members, Helen Kennedy.
This was a highly successful Red Masterpoints event with a green outlook! 44 people played under shade of beautiful mature trees (See "Photographs") and soaked up the wondeful atmosphere on the day.
The event was extremely popular as some players travelled from Melbourne to not only play their favourite card game, but also to enjoy the good food and award winning Tahbilk wines.
The President of the VBA showered accolades to Michael Goh, Principal of NBC for being innovative in promoting enjoyment of the game outside four walls. (Could this be the first time any Bridge Club had ran a Bridge event outdoors in Australia,..... or even the World?) More on the President's article of NBC's B.I.G. can be found in the May edition of the VBA Bulletin.
Bridge in the Garden 2018 is definitely on the cards. So, stay in touch with NBC!
Nagambie Bridge Club Director and Teacher Michael Goh teamed up with partner Bruce Minchinton and friends John Green and Gordon Coss from Sydney to win the Pianola Non-Life Masters bridge event at Canberra’s Summer Festival of Bridge. Held over three days (Jan 11 - 13, 2017) and some 20 hours of competition time, the event is a test of stamina and concentration as well as skill.
Seen here are the four winners with James Ward from Pianola: the Sponsor.
Graduation party for beginners who completed the course this Winter.
After 6 weeks of learning the basics of Bridge (and a little bit more), these budding players will next progress to some supervised sessions.
There is much potential in these players as they have an aptitude for the game. So, watch out Bridge World, here come NBC's rising stars!
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