The Nambucca Valley Bridge Club cannot lay claim to vanquishing the scourge of the novel coronavirus from our society - though what a story it would be if they could!
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But in their own unique way they can perhaps claim to have beaten it in round one.
When all other clubs trembled at the idea of gathering in numbers, the bridge club committee - masters of strategy that they are - deciphered a game plan to allow them to continue.
The clubhouse can accomodate over 90 players during the club's annual Congress - an event which attracts players from all over Australia. But to comply with COVID-safe protocols, they now restrict numbers to 28 players in weekly tournaments.
Tables have been supersized for adequate social distancing, and the cards are quarantined between tournaments, with a total of 196 boards dealt in advance prior to each tournament.
Members are "interrogated" on arrival, their details are recorded and their temperatures taken. And each table has its own personal cleaning station.
Preparation for tournaments has become a lot more labour-intensive, but it's been a labour of love, with many members keen to take on the extra work if it means they can continue to play.
Club president John Slade said they had lost up to 20 members, but there'd been "about 80 members each week that have had the benefit of getting together for some social interaction".
"So we've had a fantastic response from our members," he said.
It's been a war against the COVID-19 virus as far as our club is concerned, and we think we've beaten it.
"I think we've actually set a bit of a standard in Nambucca Heads," he said, explaining that other clubs had started to follow suit.
Obviously there is a very active online community of bridge players, which has helped regular players around the world fill in the void during lockdown.
But John said there would be a decent contingent of Nambucca Valley players without access to online games. And staring at a screen certainly lacks the same social atmosphere.
"Bridge can be a serious business, but friendships are often struck in between games," he said.
"I think if people can continue to gather in groups safely, then we'll be better in the long run as a community."
He goes on to explain the many health benefits of mentally stimulating games like bridge, backgammon and crosswords. For example, a 2000 University of California study found strong evidence that an area in the brain used in playing bridge stimulates the immune system by exercising memory, visualisation and sequencing.
The Nambucca Valley Bridge Club is hosting an Introduction to Bridge course which comprises nine lessons over three weeks from February 5. The cost is $100 for the lessons and text book. Anyone interested in participating can contact presenter Mike Siford on 0432 203-184 to register.