I started playing bridge at University in Canada in my early twenties. After I moved to Australia in my mid-twenties, I did not play again for about five years. Therefore, in my early thirties, I was still very inexperienced. I was fortunate that the Sydney bridge scene was so strong in the late seventies and I learned a lot from watching and listening to the experienced players.
I was also lucky to meet and play with Avi Kanetkar at that time. We had a very successful partnership for about 18 months [our teammates were Terry Brown and John Newman for much of that time]. I then moved to Melbourne, but we have remained very good friends away from the table and it is always a pleasure to catch up with him at all the national events [usually to congratulate him on his successes].
My most interesting experience in bridge involves Avi Kanetkar. In that 18 month period, we played together on the winning team in the National Open Teams and the ANC for New South Wales. We did not play together again for 34 years. In 2013, Avi invited me to play with him on the senior team in 2013 that represented Australia in Hong Kong. We were lucky enough to win that event.
As for a lot of people, life and family commitments [not begrudgingly] got in the way of bridge for many years. I worked in the computer industry specializing in logistics’ applications. I am now retired with 2 grandchildren that keep me fit for my soccer refereeing which I still do each Saturday in winter.
I have been fortunate to be on the winning teams in several national events but my only 3 international experiences were a win in the 2013 APBF Seniors, a middle of the road finish in the 2015 ABPF Seniors with Bob Sebesfi [where our claim to fame was not getting a slam decision correct until half way through the event] and playing with Peter Buchen on a cruise ship where we finished below average in a weak field.
