REBECCA ROOD'S MAILBAG...................................................................

• Dear Rebecca, Club members never ask me to partner them......the onus it seems is always on me to do the asking. And I'm a lady ! What is it with bridge players these days that make them so damn picky and choosey.......... and so unwilling to make any departure from their rigid long-term arrangements and routines. Yours feeling sorry for myself .......Mona Lott

• Dear M, Club players fall into 2 groups. Group one players, motivated by the desire to maintain their success, tend to look for partners who they know wont damage their game, results, standing and reputation in the club. However, in order to achieve this goal they need to find reasonably good players, who can be trusted to deliver and perform. Group two players are much more orientated to finding partners of their own calibre and ability. This way they can never be over-awed or made to feel inferior. For them, asking and accepting invitations carry no risks. Therefore, I can only surmise that you are of such low ability, invitations from group one players are completely out of the question. Moreover, your ability level much be unique in its hopelessness for you not to receive invitations from the multitude of players, that play their "social" bridge at a very basic level. Sad as the reality appears to be.....you must forever forge a bridge life completely around the club's stand-by system. Yours never one to mince words .....Rood