ISLANDSBC QUARTERLY NEWSLETTER – JANUARY 2026

ISLANDSBC QUARTERLY NEWSLETTER – JANUARY 2026

Readers mail….
From ISLANDSBC Bridge Club….

This quarter, we include an update on bridge activities and league tables, plus an article on a longstanding bridge player in the TRNC who has now retired to the UK but still comes back from time to time to visit old friends and play bridge.

BRIDGE ACTIVITIES IN 2026

For our beginners and learners, we aren’t quite ready to restart the supervised bridge sessions run by Susan Cahit at the Grease Monkey on Tuesdays, but watch out for notifications soon.

For those who attend the Chicago bridge in Alsancak with Tony Armstrong, these will restart on Wednesday, 21^st Jan 2026

From February 2026, the Korineum Monday Bridge Club (KMBC) is introducing a new feature in that on the first Monday of each month (starting Monday, 2^nd Feb 26) beginners and learners will be invited to join the weekly duplicate bridge tournaments. This is designed to expose participants to a more testing bridge environment. More time and less boards will be available to assist those new to duplicate bridge.

Our major tournament of the year – the Swiss Teams will be held on Wednesday, 13 May 2026 starting at 14:00. There will be trophies for two leagues, plus a special trophy for the team with the least number of points. Our aim this year is to encourage both social and learners to join in the fun.

Anyone seeking further information, please contact islandsbridgeclub@gmail.com or visit our web site https://www.bridgewebs.com/islands/

HALLS OF FAME

We now have 2 Halls of Fame to reflect the Online (BBO) and F2F (KMBC) tournaments.

ANN IVERSON

Background and Speech Learning Therapy

Ann was a mature student in her thirties with 3 children when she decided to become a Speech and Language Therapy (SLT) student. She was inspired to apply as both her youngest son needed therapy and her mother, who was a very successful businesswoman, had a stroke and was unable to speak. She realised how vital being able to communicate was and she was fortunate that there was a SLT School in Cardiff and applied. After writing an essay, having a hearing test and a stiff interview she was accepted.

Ann remembered that it was a tough 3 years, but she found that because she could only study once the youngest was in bed her essays were always on time and, of course, she knew all about normal childhood development.

On qualifying she treated both adults and children but eventually specialised in paediatrics and worked with swallowing problems in babies, stammering, autism and delayed language and articulation problems. She became a manager for the Vale of Glamorgan SLT’s and then did two clinical days and the rest managing the service, which could she acknowledged could be frustrating.

Coming to the TRNC

Ann and her husband Jeff who was a producer with the BBC were invited to stay in March 1991 for a free 1-week holiday at the Jasmine Court (then owned by the late Asil Nadir) on condition that Jeff wrote an article about the trip. This he duly did which was published in the Radio Times. In October 1991 Ann and her family were due to go on holiday together in France but it was cancelled at the last minute. Jasmine Court kindly agreed to stand in and following their trip they decided to buy an old Ottoman house in the Turkish quarters of Girne.

Both Ann and Jeff were struck by the very unspoilt nature of the TRNC and at that time very little traffic. They mostly returned as swallows (April and October) but after Ann’s retirement in 2000 did spend periods of up to a year in the country. Ann was also a big contributor to expat life in the TRNC becoming Chairman of the Anglo Turkish Association (ATA) for two years.

Finally, due to family circumstances they decided to sell up in 2017 and be based in the UK.

Starting Bridge later in Life

In her 50’s Ann decided to attend a night class run by Patrick Jourdain, a bridge columnist for the Telegraph, in a Cardiff school. She found him to be a very good teacher, and persuaded her husband, Jeff, to join in. They both became hooked and after many lessons they plucked up courage and joined their village Bridge Club. Patrick taught Acol but, in those days, you opened with 13 -15 for one no trump. They played regularly at the club and so when they came to Kyrenia they wanted to continue playing. Michael Raine had started the club at Sele after her son asked him if he could help his parents to find a game somewhere.

So, from October 2000 they played at various venues in Cyprus. Since returning to England Ann plays every week at Blewbury Village Club in Oxfordshire and also play regularly with friends but unfortunately Jeff is now totally blind and unable to play, Ann says that he really misses it.

A number of long-standing residents will remember the visit in the early 2000’s by The House of Lords Bridge Club who stayed at the Dome and invited the then Sele Club to play there one evening. Ann remembers Jeff and her hosting a drinks party with nibbles in the garden of their home. One of the more famous bridge playing guests was Lord Baker who had been prominent in the 90’s as Minister of Education.

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