The Bridge Zone

The BZ Crew talk about
• Labour Weekend Congress is seeing strong registration with 27 pairs and 23 teams currently entered
• New System Regulations effective October 1st have caused frustration among intermediate players, specifically those using the Polish Club system who are now ineligible for the intermediate section
• Disciplinary Actions Any misconduct are being made public by the NZB Conduct, Discipline and Disputes Committee to ensure transparency

Judge Julie clears up some things - Director Rulings and Etiquette
• Wrong Hand Procedure: If a player plays from the wrong hand, a director must be called Defenders may accept a lead, but they cannot consult each other before doing so
• Simultaneous Actions: When multiple actions occur at once, the laws prioritize the person who is next to act
• Player Etiquette: Stronger players are encouraged to call the director for errors (even their own) to remove pressure from inexperienced players and ensure correct information is provided
• Hesitations: Acknowledging a partner's long bidding time can reduce table stress, though it does not preclude a director's ruling

Mr Jinn shares results from around the motu
• Intermediate players are now prohibited from playing Polish Club, a regulation change effective from October 1, 2026
• Mr. Jinn currently holds the first-place position on the Local Master ranking list
• The JIN Club and The Bridge Zone will host a get-together at the convention center's upstairs bar during the upcoming Congress

Got some news or feedback, flick us an email bridgezoneshuffle@gmail.com

Plenty to listen to, just click and hear our discussions
See you at the tables
The BZ Crew

The BZ Crew talk CONGRESS 2026 with Bridget Hannaray
• Sneak preview of events after end of play
o Saturday – Election Day plenty of places to go to VOTE close by
o Monday - The Jin Club and The Bridge Zone Crew meet and greet
o Tuesday - Street Eats and music night
o Wednesday - The D Word – Team Costume Parade
o Thursday - Street market
o Friday - Variety Show @ The Regent on Broadway - a fellow Bridgee may be performing
o Saturday - Prizegiving

• PNCC - Council Support they rock and we cover parking
• Transportation: Apex Rentals is recommended for vehicle hire, with discount codes available on the New Zealand Bridge website
• Cupid Bridget is back to matchmaking for this year
• Junior Entries Numbers are way up from last year
• Congress: 850 entries have been received so far, with one month remaining
• PAY YOUR ENTRY FEE by September 30th – go into the draw to get your money back
• Congress 40th Anniversary – Get your tee shirt now and we have new pens

Mr Jinn shares results from around the motu
• Notable Youth/Intermediate Performances: Highlighting Youth Player success – this week Ellie Molloy, Corbin Titter and Alex Shan takeout tournaments
• The Jin Club A "cocktail/mocktail" evening has been officially scheduled for Sunday 8th November after play finishes upstairs
• Proposed Incentive: Ross suggested raffling off a Grand Master from each region
• Poppy Roberts Pairs: The team is seeking information regarding the history and nature of this monthly Wellington-based event

Got some news or feedback, flick us an email
bridgezoneshuffle@gmail.com

Plenty to listen to, just click and hear our discussions

See you at the tables

The BZ Crew talk about
• Christchurch Congress, and the upcoming Labour Weekend Congress in Hamilton
• Rankings Alan Grant and Rebecca Osborne
• Interprovincials Survey
• Key achievements Rebecca Osborne and Alan Grant


Mr Jinn shares results from around the motu
• The Alex Baker and Thompson Gin Club Circuit
• Upcoming Tournaments and the B Point Race
• Westport Fundraising:

• The Judge rules today
• Clarification that a declarer is not cheating when they take advantage of a major penalty card resulting from an opponent's revoke
• Penalty Cards: It is ethical and legal for a declarer to take advantage of a penalty card on the table
• Player Responsibility Players are not responsible for allowing opponents to continue making mistakes; they are entitled to play optimally despite an opponent's infraction
• Director Involvement: To avoid disputes, especially when strong players face weaker ones, the director should be called back to the table to make official rulings rather than players deciding the rules themselves
Got some news or feedback, flick us an email
bridgezoneshuffle@gmail.com
Plenty to listen to, just click and hear our discussions
See you at the tables
The BZ Crew

The BZ Crew talk about
• Upcoming bridge tournaments, including the TOPS Friday Fundraising Tournaments
• North Island Pairs held at Remuera Bowls and Bridge Club scheduled for October 10–11

• Numbers for the Congress 2026 looking strong and talking to Bridget – Gatekeeper of Congress

• The mighty Jack – Mereana agrees with the new nickname

The Gambler
Barry shares a technical tip from the International Coaching Session 67% or 90+%
Playing Cupid

• Hello, anyone out there looking for a partner for Congress One of our listeners Deirdre from Tauranga Bridge Club is looking for a partner - Restricted Open grade Drop us a line, contact details below

Mr Jinn shares results from around the motu
• The "Cathy Parker" hand 5-club X with a 20 count
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• Player Pet Peeves Expressions of a dislike for players who hold cards vertically on the table and press them down, causing them to wobble

• B-Point Pursuit: Ross is currently at 162.48 B-points, trailing Jack James' record of 209 and he hit the podium twice over the weekend

The Bailiff joins us today
• Purpose of Announcements and Information Accessibility

• Room Layout and Movements, some table arrangements are confusing, middle table logic and the primary goal is to help players find their tables particularly in Swiss Pairs

• Personal Anecdote: The Bailiff recalled navigating the long distance to the “Gandhi room” on crutches while recovering from an Achilles injury during a past New Zealand Pairs event, many moons ago
Got some news or feedback, flick us an email bridgezoneshuffle@gmail.com
Plenty to listen to, just click and hear our discussions

See you at the tables
The BZ Crew

The BZ Crew talk about
• Cranmer Bridge Club an update and a theory Photos Before and After
• A successful youth camp in Christchurch and a well-attended tournament in Hamilton

• Waikato Bays 10A Swiss Pairs at Hamilton – 27 tables (108 players) and sponsored by AFT Pharmaceuticals
• Prizes: Nearly $2,000 in prize money and approximately 200 A points were awarded.

Mr Jinn shares results from around the motu
• Levin Multigrade, Thames Restricted, Whangarei Ashbury Heights, Picton Intermediate and Papakura Intermediate (Alex Baker League)
• Mr Jinn heads to Howick and Matamata this weekend

The Bailiff joins us today and we discuss a specific bridge scenario
• A player made an opening bid in the wrong suit and stopped momentarily before their partner responded
• What can they do?
Director Guidelines for Corrections – how they get to a decision
• Eligibility for Change, Criteria for "Clear Error", Evidence of Mistake, Impartiality:

The Gambler tips today
Second player, plays low
Got some news or feedback, flick us an email
bridgezoneshuffle@gmail.com
Plenty to listen to, just click and hear our discussions

See you at the tables
The BZ Crew