2012 - Blog #1

A Happy New Year to you all!

During the last week in January each year ECatsBridge organises a Worldwide Sims to raise funds for charity for UNICEF and this event was played over the past 6 days. It seems that this event was not very well supported in South Africa but I want to congratulate six (!) Natal clubs as well as Benoni Bridge Club for taking part. Perhaps next year more clubs across the country will participate. I do hope so.

We have just concluded the 2012 Trials and I have great pleasure in announcing the successful teams -
Open Team: Alon Apteker, Craig Gower, Neville Eber, Chris Bosenberg, Larry Chemaly and Rob Stephens.
Ladies Team: Charmaine Lipshitz, Renee Kenny, Roz Factor and Marina Breytenbach won the trials and invited Maureen Narunsky and Joy Swiel from Cape Town to join them as the 3rd Pair.

Congratulations to you all and every success at the World Mind Sports Games to be held in August of this year.


The Senior’ Trials will take place a the end of March and entries close on the 10 February. This will follow the same format of teams as was just held. The entry is R1,100 per person and players from provinces that will entail air travel, do not have to pay an entry fee for this event.


The entry form for Congress to be held in Cape Town from the 11th till 18th May, is now up on the SABF website. Please get your entries in as soon as possible. The entry form is very user friendly and you should have no problem at all.


The A.G.M will take place as usual during congress and I urge you to look to your committees for nominations for all the executive positions and we will be sending out nomination forms as per our new constitution that states that all nominations must be received prior to the meeting as no nominations will be taken from the floor.

I believe that it is time to have a new president, as I have been in the chair for the past three years and it is time for new blood (not to be spilled of course). Our new constitution provides for a 2-year term of office with an option of a further term. I will, however, continue as the secretary of the African Bridge Federation.

I am please to announce that the Kenyan issue is now at an end and the rightful NBO is the Kenyan Bridge Association. This feud has been in existence for the past 10 years and I wish Mrs Kala Shah every success.

Warm Wishes

Helen