Bridge Club Ideas

Topless Tommy

2011-05-31T10:38:00.000-07:00

Interesting article about a hand played with my partner recently (he remembers them all!)'

http://www.tomtit.pwp.blueyonder.co.uk/articles/artindex.html

Electronic Scoring

2011-05-29T10:03:00.001-07:00

Recently attended a club with electronic scoring. Seemed to work very well, members very experienced in using it.

Results available within seconds at the end.

Very impressive but not all said they liked it. They missed having travelling score sheets to see who had bid what. This was true even though they could find this on the electronic score pads.

Which is better? What do you think?

Psychic Bids-again!

2011-04-26T09:07:00.001-07:00

My club has just taken a big decision. Psychic bids are banned! I know, I know they are allowed by the laws of Bridge. But......we are not members of the English Bridge Union and so are making up our own rules.

The reason is that a minority of players are (we think), using them too often. I say "we think" because we can't really check on it. The EBU seems to think that players should report their own "psyches". They also think the Tournament Director should check to see if the psyche is "fielded". This is not realistic for a TD who, in a small club, is also playing.

So if the TD is called to a suspected psyche we will apply the rule of 19 to opening bids and the rule of 14 to pre-empts at the 2 level and above. If the test is failed the psycher will be penalized. Overcalls must have at least 3 cards overcalled (unless conventional).

So there it is. I will let you know how it works out (from the safety of my nuclear bunker).

2011-04-12T02:49:00.000-07:00

It's a long time since I posted here (for no particular reason). Lots of things have happened in the (Bridge) world.

Bridge holidays are my latest thing and it will be interesting to see what people think about them and what makes a good holiday?

Bridge Lessons -when is the best time?

2010-07-20T07:45:00.000-07:00

My club is planning to start a new session of beginners' lessons in September.

We have done this previously with some success on Wednesday afternoons. The sessions have been done by club members on a voluntary basis.

This time we are using a qualified teacher and have the option of afternoon or evening sessions.

Has anyone any opinions about which is likely to recruit more learners?

Start Here!

2007-07-28T04:16:00.000-07:00

Your input to the topics on the site is welcome.
Click on the links to take you to the topics:

Contact: Joe Ridyard by e-mail -see above
or phone 01925 767187

EBU Strategy document

2007-07-26T02:01:00.000-07:00

The EBU has published a new Strategy Document on which it invites comments.

It can be found here:

http://www.ebu.co.uk/publications/Official%20Documents/Shareholders%20Strategy%20Document.pdf

The first thing to say is that my club and almost all of its members do not subscribe to the EBU and have not done so for a number of years. They are not interested in Masterpoints and do not use any of the other EBU services. This does make me feel guilty as I recognise the EBU plays an important rule especially in respect of the rules of the game. We do, however, purchase their handbooks and so support them in that way.

The first key feature of the new strategy is to abolish annual subscriptions and replace them by a 'pay to play' scheme (P2P). This is likely to involve each player playing an additional 30p table money each time they play at their club.

Additionally, any club member who is not a current EBU member will pay a 'one-off' fee of £5 to join.

This will mean the following for my club. We play twice a week averaging around 5 tables. That means P2P will cost around £12 per week. This will give the EBU around £600 per year from us. The 'one off' subscription for around 50 members will give them a further £250. There will also be a minimum annual affiliation fee of £50 plus an extra £25 for each additional duplicate session, so, in our case, £75.

For an 'average' member playing around 4o times per year, the P2P cost will be £12 but this will obviously vary a lot from member to member.

What are we to receive for this?

Free rating software. Explained with a complete lack of clarity so can't say what it means.
Free scoring program (we already have paid a 'one-off' fee for our own).
Free web site hosting (we pay around £40 annually for this).
Free electronic newsletter (big deal!)
Free access to online club committee forum. (wow!)
Free exclusive on-line club night one night a week (well maybe)
Free club directors handbook
Free club managers handbook
Free services of club liaison officer
Free computer deals and hand records (possibly)
Free club constitution (already available)
Club insurance discounts (not needed)
Bridge Shop discount (buy from Mr Bridge)
Discounts on club director training (not likely to use)

Alan Chapman wrote on 11/04/08:

"Having been a vociferous opponent of the EBU's policy for change I feel I should record my change of view.I have to acknowledge the EBU's willingness to alter its proposals in the face of considerable opposition (some might say they had no choice!), in particular dropping the one-off £5 fee for new members.Appreciating a lot of Clubs are still uncomfortable and are considering dropping their EBU affiliation, may I urge them to reconsider.Yes, the EBU will still have to make strides to be more open and adopt a degree of democracy, but will the game of Bridge be better or worse off if we lose it altogether?As to the cost: it should be cheaper for existing EBU members. Non-members will have to pay 30-50p extra each time they play - hardly a fortune. Surely this would be a small price to pay for retaining an umbrella organisation and to have the chance to demand that it takes more notice of ordinary Club members in the future.Alan Chapman, Marlborough, Wiltshire."

EDU The English Domino Union

2007-03-05T09:54:00.000-08:00

When I used to occasionally frequent public houses, I was partial to the odd game of dominoes. It was always a friendly relaxed affair often played in a special room called the 'snug' , devoted to this and other games such as darts or cribbage.

One played with whoever might be in the room at the time and impromptu competitions were often organised. The rules were simple and everyone had a good time. Sometimes there were even competitions between different pubs and leagues were formed.

Imagine the scene in your local when the landlord approaches the players with the following. "Now lads I have some news for you! This pub is a member of the English Domino Union and we pay them an annual subscription for a whole range of services to benefit you and all domino players. For example part of the subscription sends the English Domino team on its world tour. Marvellous! I have really exciting news -the EDU needs more money so that funds can be made available for the development of the game. They have decided that all domino players should be members of the EDU so that new players can be attracted into the pubs. I know this will excite you all and you will be along soon to fill in your direct debits"

Questions

A Is the average social Bridge player very different from the average domino player in his/her attitude to an enjoyable pastime?

B Will the average Bridge player react to the EBUs latest policy statement in a similar way to that than can be envisaged for the average domino player!

C Has the EBU finally lost its collective marbles?

Bridge and the Law!

2007-01-25T10:45:00.000-08:00

Did you ever imagine that Bridge clubs could fall foul of the law on gambling?

With the nanny state anything is possible!

Here is an e-mail that arrived (unsolicited) today.

GAMBLING ACT 2005: GAMING IN CLUBS AND ON ALCOHOL-LICENSED PREMISES

This e-mail is to bring to your attention the above consultation covering proposals for regulations under the Gambling Act 2005, some of which have a bearing on the activities of bridge and whist clubs. The consultation document can be found via the link below, and I should be grateful if you could bring it to the attention of any organisations, publications or individuals who you consider may have an interest. If you are aware of any bridge clubs that operate on a commercial basis it would be particularly helpful if they could be made aware of this consultation.The closing date for responses is 20 April 2007, but in the meantime if any clarification is needed or you feel that I can otherwise be of assistance please feel free to contact me.

Dave Bawden Gambling Act Implementation Team 5th Floor Department for Culture Media and Sport 2-4 Cockspur Street London SW1Y 5DH

http://www.culture.gov.uk/what_we_do/Gambling_racing/QuickLinks/Consultations

I have had a go at reading the 'consultation document' but soon had to go and lie down in a darkened room! While I think we are safe from the knock on the door in the early hours (for now) , I will try to read up on this and post more later.

Are you worried?!

Pyschic dilemma!

2007-01-12T11:25:00.000-08:00

What are the ethical limits of psychic bidding?

Here is a classic case of judgement about that issue from a hand I played on the internet. My partner was obviously a very new player graded at the lowest level of ability. The opponents were a regular partnership both graded at the highest level.

I picked up this hand:

AJ964
KQ72
A4
KQ

My right hand opponent opened 3 diamonds and I doubled for take out. Left hand opponent bid 4 spades which was passed round to me. Thinking he could have all the remaining spades I decided to pass.

The hand was played in 4S not doubled and not vulnerable and made 1 trick.

This is 9 down for -450.

This is the hand held by the four spade bidder!

10
A95
9753
96543

We can easily make a vulnerable six spades and get a very poor score.

My reaction to the 4 spade bid is a mixture of admiration and contempt!

I can see the bidder thought that six spades must be easily on as his partner bidding pre-emptively in diamonds would be unlikely to have either many points or many spades. Therefore he bids 4s himself to mislead the opposition.

This is indeed very clever and astute thinking. My question is whether or not it is ethical or in the spirit of the game for an experienced and able pair to bid in this way against a newcomer!

I think it would not encourage someone to continue playing if they meet this kind of thing in their early Bridge life.

I did report this as a psychic bid and the adjudicator said the 4 spade bid was probably a misclick! This was not true as the opponents said it was a psyche.

What is your opinion?

Bridge Parties

2006-12-23T10:16:00.000-08:00

Having just been to a couple of club Christmas parties, I wondered how others celebrated the season.

We tend to be rather conservative. A short buffet type meal, annual prize-giving, followed by a session of 'normal' Bridge.

When asked, our members seem to say this is what they want.

What they don't seem to want is:

A meal without any Bridge.
Anything that involves playing with a different partner from the usual.
Any 'joke' type competitions i.e. they only want a 'normal' duplicate session.

I am left with the feeling that, while this is ok, it can be a bit boring and repetitive year on year.

Anyone got any alternatives that they feel our members might vote for?

Terry Collier on the future of Bridge

2006-11-24T01:14:00.000-08:00

Below is the text of an e-mail sent by Terry Collier of PlayBridgeUK to those who have registered for his site. I have reproduced it here as I think it raises some important issues and will give the document a wider circulation. I will also in due course print my own responses to the issues raised and hope others will respond too. I think Terry has blown a breath of fresh air into the musty corners of 'EBU land' but is finding reform to be a frustrating task.

Terry's e-mail:

What is the future for Bridge?

I have struggled with this question for over five years, first as the manager of the EBU and more recently as the independent operator of PlayBridgeUK. I have found recent investigations into the current state of Bridge very alarming, with media based market research showing that in 2005/6 only 435,000 people played bridge on a regular basis and that 1,039,000 were interested in the game. Despite the fact that Mr Bridge has been referring to similar figures for some years, they still took me by surprise and certainly suggests that the problem that faces us is far more challenging than I had ever imagined.

What is to be done, if the game is to have a long term future? In the past I had seen this as being a task that involved clubs, teachers and players but I now realise that this may not be the case. We have to bear in mind that everyone is just too busy, either teaching, organising or playing and have just enough time to keep their activities afloat. Other sports are more fortunate than us, for they can call upon a vast band of relatively young retired players, whilst bridge players are only coming into their prime at this stage in their playing careers. So whose task is it and what might restrict our efforts?

I believe we need more people like myself who have an interest in the game, have an understanding of the it and a desire to get things done but no desire to get bogged down in playing the game, at present that is. What will restrict the development of the game, is simple, 435,000 players are happy with the existing set up and don’t want change! Therefore, is it possible to attract new people to the game, in significant numbers, if we expect them to be absorbed into the existing club structure? The answer is simply no, if we are going to accept the restriction that existing players don’t want change.

To proceed further, it is vitally important that we clearly identify who we wish to attract and what we can offer, failure to do this will only result in a disastrous waste of time and effort. In this regard we can learn from the Bridge for All scheme which was launched some years ago to generate new players to the game and membership of the EBU. Whilst the scheme produced a good but expensive and time consuming teaching programme, which has been used by over 10,000 people, less than 8% of these players have gone on to become active club playing members of the EBU. The simple mistake was a failure to appreciate that existing club structure could not absorb large numbers of new players, without major change and that change is not desirable. In their defence, I do appreciate that it was the intention to create new clubs or supervised play groups under the EBU’s banner and whilst many new groups were formed, many opted out of the EBU and its dated Master Point system and services. This leads us onto our next restriction which is a question of image and ongoing service delivery.

Bridge has a tremendous amount going for it but how do we portray this to new audiences who see it as dull and old fashioned. We need to re-brand the game as a bright, cheerful and fun image game that is stimulating, intellectual, challenging and an ideal way of prolonging an active life. This last point could be the key to success as most clubs have excellent role models and lets face it, if fear has driven so many to the solitary use of treadmills in an attempt to stay fit and healthy, just think what Bridge could offer.

What do we know?

participation in the game is declining but is still reasonably large and consequently likely to see most of us out
that clubs could accommodate more players but not in significant numbers if they are to remain unchanged and continue to serve the needs of existing players
that less than 6% of regular players support the dated and costly services of the national bridge organisations, to such a level that they are members
less than half of regular players play within the club structure
the vast majority of players play socially at home, with friends, on holiday, at charity events and in friendly organisations such as the U3A
that less than 8% of Bridge for All students go onto to play club bridge as active members of the EBU
that in these modern times image is everything
that in the past people either taught themselves to play or were introduced to play much sooner than they are at present

What are we going to do?

it is essential for us to push the traditional way of doing things to one side and think outside the box
provide fun ways of getting cards back onto the kitchen table - Poker has done it, why not Bridge
provide exciting games that allow players to introduce themselves to the game
provide opportunities for the self taught to develop their skills
encourage them to become competitive outside their family or friendly groups
provide teachers who can cater for player’s needs rather than just deliver traditional teaching programmes
provide weekend breaks and holidays that encourage development and competition, in relaxed and friendly atmospheres
provide competitions that are enjoyable rather than mere stepping stones to becoming a Grand Master.
move fast but in a well planned and structured manner
establish effective partnerships and open working relationships

Whilst the above may all seem a little far fetched, I can assure you that it is not and that it is already happening. The partnership between PlayBridgeUK and the playing card manufacturer Richard Edward has resulted in a new name of the bridge scene, The Bridge Room, which has developed a series of games that are designed to introduce bridge to family audiences, to develop their skills through to “on-line” and “face to face” play in small home based groups. Further games will be available for students, improvers and even advanced players, again to play wherever you want and a new network of “learn and play” centres is being established through PlayBridgeUK. Regarding the promotion of the game and creation of awareness, we are working in partnership with a promotional agency, ThoughtSport, who already have firm support from TV producers to create a new image and interest in the game – so it really is happening but rest assured we will protect the interest of existing players who we know don’t want change!

Your views, suggestions and contradictions would be greatly appreciated, please send them to me at terry@playbridgeuk.com and I promise to give them full consideration and keep you informed.

Here are some comments on the above from Terry Kelly:

My Club is Chancton Duplicate BC established 1988 when there was little or no provision ( and still is'nt!!) for the early learner and AE bridge student to practise and develop their skills at the bridge table with like minded people.

Interesting reading your comments about Terry Colliers latest newsletter about the EBU. I agree with you, he is a breath of fresh air with his views about the national organisation, which I believe has lost its way in trying to halt the exodus of many EBU members.

This latest attempt by the new General Manager to try and identify the problems to launch a survey is badly flawed on two accounts.,......firstly he is aiming the survey at existing members......what about people who are no longer are EBU members but possibly still members of their local EBU Clubs ? DONT THEIR VIEWS COUNT ?

Secondly, what a miserable offer... a £500 holiday voucher for just one person !! Is EBU that mean that they can't offer 25 participants free annual membership for the same sum of money ?

Double Trouble

2006-10-31T07:20:00.000-08:00

DOUBLE TROUBLE

I promised her I wouldn't shout,
I promised her I'd cut it out
And there were no discords.
We jogged along amicably
And had no cause to disagree
Until those last three boards.
Board twenty and board twenty-one
Were not for us a lot of fun
And I myself upbraid,
For twice they called and twice, untroubled,
Their rocky contract I soon doubled
And both were duly made.

"Be steady now..." but I ignored her.
Board nineteen now (played out of order:
When will the memory fade?)
"One Club" growled South, with wolfish grin.
My partner, West (was it the gin?)
Now overcalled One Spade.

Her spade suit, chaps, was one of those
Which, had it been a suit of clothes
From Oxfam might be bought.
Then North, whose awful heap of rubbish
Was yet indubitably Clubbish
With Two Clubs lent support.

Mine was the best hand of the four.
I bid Two Diamonds - nothing more.
If calling weak, then West
Could rebid Spades and with a smile
Like navvies from the Emerald Isle
On Two Spades we could rest.

Emboldened by his partner's call
South did not hesitate at all
"Three Clubs" - He licked his lips.
West passed. She thought she'd better can it.
Her Spades were like a pomegranate:
Unappetizing pips.

North passed. Thus did I cogitate:
My partner's count? At least an eight,
Unless her reason's fled.
Five or six spades at least there'll be,
So Three Spades seems the bid for me..:
"Three Spades" is what I said.
South thought a bit. I could foresee
A whacking great big penalty,
Five hundred like as not.
"Four Clubs..." He wants to sacrifice!
Well, I'll oblige him, slice by slice.
I doubled like a shot.
West made the lead of diamond King.
I chuckled then like anything
Their call, I thought, is bluffed.
Three Aces and a King is four,
The Ace and King of Spades, Two more....
The diamond Queen South ruffed.

A trump to dummy then he played.
West signalled strongly with a spade
"Well, here's a funny thing"
I thought, "She isn't very smart!
Why does she signal for a heart
With spades, the Ace and King?"

I took my trump. With cat-like grace
I played my spade Ten to West's Ace...
And North's Queen held the trick.
He took my last trump out, and back
To dummy then he played Spade Jack.
I started to feel sick.

He overtook in hand. Too bad!
He'd got the cards my partner had!
Defence now fell apart.
Yes, one can lose a lot of tricks
When caught up in an idee fixe.
Declarer threw a heart.

Said partner (who must be obeyed)
"Three contracts doubled, all three made!
You must be getting old!
Only a man bereft of sense
Would settle for a duff defence
When we have Four Hearts cold!"

Peter Rowlett

Card Tables

2006-09-22T07:50:00.000-07:00

An important part of the ambience of a club is the equipment provided.

We bought some Wilkinson card tables a little while ago and to say we have been disappointed with the quality would be an understatement.

Can any UK reader recommend a good quality and reasonably priced table?

The Gopher -is this your partner?

2006-08-27T02:34:00.000-07:00

THE GOPHER

The menagerie of Mollo is an act that’s hard to follow,

Unique and irreplaceable, his crew –

There’s the Hog and there’s the Rabbit, who’s a very useful habit

Of finding coups unknown to me and you.

Yet my own private hunch is this anthropomorphic bunch is

Incomplete, and lacking, so to speak;

There’s an unknown Griffin creature, one who really ought to feature:

I know it’s true: I play with him each week.

As defender or declarer you’ll find no-one who is squarer –

His card play never gives one cause for blame.

But bidding! Optimistic? Well, he’s far from realistic:

With twenty points he’ll always Gopher game.

His crazy calling antics would disgrace the Late Romantics –

He doesn’t know what moderation means.

As I sit, just quietly ‘damning', he is up there, blithely slamming

On hands that just ain’t worth a hill o’ beans.

As my poor brow is furrowing, the Gopher goes on burrowing:

"I thought I ought to Gopher it," he’ll smile.

"But for three unlucky guesses and those four offside finesses,

It would have been a top by half a mile!"

His charm is quite disarming, but our bridge results? Alarming!

I’ll never make Club Master (once my goal);

As sadly I unravel a most disappointing traveller

I know I’m with the Gopher, in a hole.

By our resident poet: Peter Rowlett

alcohol and bridge

2006-08-03T12:18:00.000-07:00

Under the Influence?
What is the influence (sic) of alcohol on the experience of Bridge in your local club?I ask the question as it seems that it is difficult to open the paper or switch on TV without hearing about problems caused by alcohol in sport.Bridge clubs vary greatly in their environments, but few in the UK are lucky enough to have their own premises. This means a whole range of rented venues. The first club I joined (a long time ago) was in the upstairs room of a rather run down pub. The following will give you an idea of the atmosphere. I went to the bar and asked for a packet of crisps. The barmaid was very apologetic- "sorry we don't keep crisps as we suffer from mice.........you could have a pie if you like though!" Needless to say I declined. The pub did have a great atmosphere though and was patronised by an interesting social mix of players far removed from the conventional picture of a club in the 1970s.Bridge now often takes place in rooms in sports clubs which have their own bar and lounge as does Daten BC. The other club I attend has a bar in the actual Bridge room. Still another club I have been to is in a church hall with no alcohol at all.It seems to make a difference to the clientele. The club in the church hall is overwhelmingly female in its membership and very welcoming and friendly. The clubs where alcohol is served are more mixed in membership terms and perhaps a little more 'lively', though still having a good atmosphere. Alcohol seems to cause few behaviour problems though I suppose this is difficult to be certain about! Some players seem to play very well after consuming copious amounts. The main effect is that play is slowed down when there is a bar in the room as players queue to be served at the end of each round.What is your view on the topic. Have you any alcohol-related Bridge stories to tell

No Fear Bridge- The Website for Beginners

2006-07-11T01:28:00.000-07:00

We are all aware that it is increasingly difficult for beginners to find lessons to start them off or to upgrade to club duplicate standard.

A website that goes a long way to providing an internet based solution is:

www.nofearbridge.co.uk

Lessons are available via a link to a New Zealand based site called House of Cards at a modest cost. I tried out the lessons (there is a 30 day free trial). It was easy to register and obtain a user name and password.

On first logging on there is an excellent introduction at the most basic level. "What is a trick?"

There were tutorials and hands in progress which is was possible to join as well as hands to play against the computer. The players seemed to be from New Zealand but playing an Acol system. Played a couple of games-my partner opened 1NT-thought it might be weak and turned out to be strong (missed a slam). The whole site seemed excellent and could be recommended as a starting point for complete beginners.

The no-fear site is generally very good in its own right. Leigh Harding, the creator, has included quizzes, flash cards, a bidding book. There is information about Teams and duplicate pairs and an excellent section on learning bridge.

There is simply too much in this for me to describe it all. If you are a beginner and also if you teach bridge this simply should not be missed!

Announcements- more bureaucracy?

2006-06-05T10:20:00.000-07:00

A change to the rules of Bridge will come into force with the new edition of the Orange Book effective from the 1st August 2006.

The change is the introduction of 'announcements'. Instead of an alert some bids will require the partner of the bidder to make an announcement. For example if partner opens 1nt, you will be required to say '12-14', '15-17' or whatever range you use.

Only a small number of bids require announcements by partner:

they are:

natural opening 2 bids
Stayman
red suit transfers over a 1nt opener

If, for example, partner opens 2 spades you will be required to say, strong or weak and forcing or non-forcing. A full description is to be found in David Stephenson's article in the latest Bridge magazine.

My initial reaction was 'what is the point of this?'.

This was closely followed by a vivid mental picture of the reaction of the average member of my club. For example every pair plays a 12-14 no-trump and everyone else knows that. What a lot of unnecessary verbiage. It seems this might be necessary in a high-level tournament where players do not play each other on a regular basis. Is it just one more example of rules being designed for the elite in tournament at the cost of alienating the average club player?

Alan Chapman comments:

Absolutely right, designed for tournament elite, to the annoyance and confusion of Club players. We have tried these out in advance of the start date at a small Club that I run. We have concentrated on the Announcements initially, and even those are generally seen as unnecessary and without merit. If you look via the EBU's website, you will find a two-page "summary" of the changes, which I think is meant to simplify them!!!I AM GOING TO SUGGEST OUR CLUB IGNORES THEM. Anyone like to start a campaign of civil disobedience?

Joe writes:

It is interesting to get a reaction from 'real' bridge players. It confirms my worst suspicions about the 'announcements' change. I think there is a problem here though. If clubs ignore the change, will their members be disadvantaged if they attend another club which is using the new rules? I did see a suggestion that it should be possible for players at a table to 'turn off' announcements if they are fully aware what all the 'announced' bids made by opponents mean. The other problem is that these changes are made by a body that has lost the confidence of many 'local' clubs who don't wish to be members of it. Maybe we need a body to represent us which has our interests at heart (PlayBridge UK?).

Update 3rd Oct 2006

I thought it would be good to report on the 'success' of announcements! Simply, for the average club, it has been a nonsense. People simply forget to announce their partners no-trump range and, when someone reminds them, everyone just smiles. They are smiling at the irrelevance of it, since all in the room know what the range is anyway.

Some things seem a little better, such as the changed rules on when to alert a double. There is also the question of whose rules these are anyway. Do they apply in all countries? (Replies to this are welcome!). They certainly don't seem to apply to internet Bridge-there have been no changes that I can detect on Bridge Club Live.

PlayBridge UK an idea whose time has come?

2006-05-30T03:03:00.000-07:00

A new site to serve ordinary Bridge club players has opened. It is called PlayBridge Uk and is run by Terry Collier.

Born out of dissatisfaction with the perceived focus that the EBU has on the elite rather than the club member it aims to provide services for that market.

I can tell from the numher of people linking to this site from PlayBridgeUK that the site is generating a lot of interest.

Take a look at:

PlayBridgeUK

Anonymous commented on 6th Aug:

This scheme was first announced some 3 or more months ago. Since then little has happened and I fear the steam may be running out. We can but wait a little longer but too much longer I fear.

Handicaps or Gradings

2006-05-23T02:08:00.000-07:00

I imagine most clubs have a handicap system and run competitions using these handicaps. Nationally, there is no real equivalent. The EBU has master points and different gradings of master player. The snag, as I remember it, is that your grading largely depends on the amount you play.

The online club Bridge Club Live (see link in sidebar) has an unusual and interesting system. Players are classified as club, diamonds, hearts or spades according to their average percentage score (spades are highest). It isn't simply based on percentage score: their is an adjustment for the standard of competition i.e if a spade plays with a spade against a pair of clubs. The system does seem complicated and rather difficult to understand but it doesn't seem to matter.

It isn't perfect, it is admitted that regular partnerships have an advantage estimated to be about 2% over 'pick-up' pairs.

Having said all that I found it very interesting, especially when I was graded as a spade. Not quite so impressed to be now barely hanging on to heart status. Could this interesting system be used or adapted for clubs or for national gradings?

Czech Open Bridge Tournament

2006-05-07T09:14:00.000-07:00

I received the e-mail below advertising the Czech Bridge Festival. Please contact the organiser by e-mail if you are interested.

Dear Mr. Ridyard,

many greetings from the Czech Republic. We are organizers of CZECH OPEN 2006, 5th International Bridge Festival -
part of 17th International Festival of Chess, Bridge and Games which is held on 13.-16.7. 2006 in Pardubice.
I saw your interesting web-pages about bridge club ideas,so it is sure that you have many bridge-friends. I would like to kindly ask you to give them the information about our event or give it to your web-calendar. You will find all information in annex.
Thank you very much for your cooperation!

With best regards

Petr Pisk
AVE-KONTAKT Pardubice
http://www.czechopen.net

Answers to Quiz

2006-05-01T13:25:00.000-07:00

In the first sequence the simple rebid of the openers major at the three level by responder is forcing and generally shows three card support.

In the second sequence the simple rebid of responders first suit over 2NT is non-forcing and shows a six card or longer suit.

Light openers and passed hands

2006-04-23T13:17:00.001-07:00

This contribution was sent in by Roy Strange.

I would like other peoples thoughts and comments on a problem that existed at two bridge clubs I belong to and the method we used to overcome them.
A minority of members opened the bidding with less than 12 high card points adding points for shortages etc.

We then, at subsequent tables got a high proportion of ' pass outs'. In fact at my table one evening with three boards to play, the last two I recorded as 'pass outs' so had to sit there in silence, twiddling our thumbs, whilst the tables about us played the other boards.

I then discovered that some other tables were breaking the 'pass out ' rule and going around again in secret to stop a 'pass out' being recorded. This annoyed some members including me, so this practice was brought up at one of our committee meetings. We had no definite proof of how many members were doing this, as quite obviously nobody wanted to even talk about it. The only common comment being 'Oh well, it probably goes on at many friendly clubs.' We are not members of the EBU so at the AGM we then put a proposal to our members to adapt a club rule as follows: ''The bidding of the boards at the first table can only be opened if it contains 12 high card points minimum or a pre-emp. No points can be added for voids or shortages etc.'' This proposal was passed with a 20% majority at both clubs, and over the last 12 months has been quite successful, only having five accidental 'pass outs' being recorded and scored in the correct manner of course. I remind members at the beginning of each session to remember this club rule. We could if required add that if this rule is shown to be broken on any board, it could be eliminated and not taken into the score of that session. We have not had to do this as if it happens, it does not take a super detective to discover the table it started at. Subsequent tables can play as normal as there will always be one hand at least with 12 points. We go to a bridge session wanting to play all boards I believe, not twiddling our thumbs.
I do not think we are in isolation about this club rule, as I have read comments about it in the monthly Bridge magazine. Nevertheless I would welcome other peoples comments to see if this is known on a national basis.

Here are my comments on this letter. Firstly, it isn't the usual problem of boards being passed out at the beginning and then re-dealt. In this case light openings are causing others to pass out and produce a higher number of boards played by only a few people. This may be a problem in these particular clubs but not generally, I think. I do think light openers are a basic part of Acol and can include pre-empts and weak two bids. I note that pre-empts are allowed but these can vary greatly and seem to me to add a lot to the game. Obviously, if the club is not in the EBU it can to some extent make its own rules though it could be argued that the game being played is not Bridge if any rule can be changed by the club. I do have some sympathy with the practice of re-dealing a hand which is passed out at the beginning though, strictly, this is also against the rules of Bridge.

What do you think?

National Associations -are they any use?

2006-04-08T09:07:00.000-07:00

I would like to talk about the role of national associations in promoting the game. In England, the English Bridge Union seems to have a very bad image among many players.

Certainly, in my club, members seem to have little or no interest in it. We are not affiliated to the EBU and have not been for many years. In the past when we were affiliated the main function seemed to be issuing Master Points. Players in the club showed little or no interest in this and resented the money expended on it. They also seemed to not be interested in any competitions organised by the EBU and wished to play mostly only in local clubs. Because we could see no benefit from the EBU and hardly anyone was a member our affiliation ceased.

I know that the EBU has important functions. It promotes MiniBridge in schools and colleges and has an important function in prescribing the laws of the game.

Recently one member, who is member of the EBU, expressed an interest in Master Points as he plays on the on-line EBU site. I said that I would contact EBU to see if we might re-affiliate. I e-mailed them but received no reply!

It does seem wrong that members of a typical English club should feel this way and see no value to themselves or their club in being connected to their national association. Is this a situation that is repeated in other countries? What is your view?

Teams of Four-is it a good thing?

2006-03-27T13:31:00.000-08:00

This week is one of our weeks in the year devoted to a Teams of Four competition.We play this only on our Wednesday sessions when there are 5 Wednesdays in the month. We never play 'teams' on Sunday. It occured to me to ask the question as to whether this is a good format or not? I can think of some advantages and disadvantages:

Advantages
1. Many would argue that this is true Bridge where what is necessary to win is to make the contract. Overtricks are relatively unimportant.

2. There is more of an incentive to bid a variety of games and slams. The necessity to bid 3 no-trumps regardless is much reduced.

3. Feedback is instant. Each team scores up at the end and the winner is usually known on the night.

Disadvantages

1. Organisation is more difficult. People forget that it is teams we and turn up without another pair (one local club reverts to 'pairs' if this happens-we don't).

2. Movements can be more complicated, especially with an even number of teams.

3. Players are unfamilar with the format and scoring and this can slow things down.

How does your club organise 'teams' events? Are they popular or unpopular. Should they be a frequent occurrence or an occasional treat? Submit your opinion!

This comment received from Tony M

Teams of 4 is the most popular event at the Yeovil Bridge Club. We play teams every 4th Thursday of the month and we get between 10 - 13 tables.
We have produced movement cards so that players can see which table they should move to but the Director still calls the move on each round.
We ask teams to agree scores with the opposition at the halfway point and again at the end. We have found that this reduces any scoring errors.
So yes - we at Yeovil in Somerset think Teams of 4 is a good event.

I suspect that most people will agree with this as Teams events in Somerset are very well supported.

Slow Play

2006-03-17T12:35:00.000-08:00

One reason for a club losing members or for low attendance is slow play. This can be a major cause of disaffection in clubs.

Clicking on the link will take you to a list of suggestions for making improvements.

Slow Play by Bruce McIntyre

I think all the suggestions made by Bruce McIntyre are excellent and will do much to improve the situation, but there are others. Sometimes there are factors that are difficult to do anything about. I play in two clubs and there is a large overlap in the memberships. One is much slower than the other. No, it isn't really the Tournament Director it is mainly the fact that one club has a bar in the playing room and at the end of each round players queue up to buy drinks!

I think though that if we are honest the main problems are none of the above. The real difficulty lies with one or two individuals in each club that are always much slower than everyone else.

David Stevenson addresses the issue in this month's Bridge Magazine (UK). He states that players do not have the right to upset others by slow play and considers it to be a 'breach of proprieties' (law 74B). He suggests that it is easy to deal with! Players affected should keep on at the TD to deal with it and if that is not effective approach the club committee.

He says that often no action is taken because it is believed that tackling the offender might cause them to leave. He suggests that those upset by the offending player should band together and threaten to leave the club as a group if no action is taken.

I have several problems with this approach. Firstly, there are degrees of slow play. While everyone knows who the slowest players are there are often others who are only marginally quicker. After all, there must always be a slowest player in every session by definition. If the whole evening finishes on tiem should we say we have a problem. I think that maybe we should have some give and take on the matter but we really need a better system, Chess has got it sorted with time clocks for each player. Can someone please invent the equivalent for Bridge?

PS I thought of one! How about the TD or his assistant keeps a record of which pairs finish last on each round? If a pair finishes last on (say) half the rounds then they would be penalised by a certain percentage!

Perhaps the last word on the subject is this brilliant verse submitted by Peter Rowlett:

SLOW PLAY

"Won't you play a little faster?" the Director said to me -
"It's a Congress, not a funeral - I was standing here to see
You trance all through the bidding; now you're trancing as you play...
Though it's Hesitation Mitchell, you can't hesitate all day!
Your playing rate would not disgrace the average three-toed sloth:
Don't think you're Tony Forrester or Raymond Brock, or both!"

But I was working out the hand (one can't afford to rush);
The speaker was distracting me. I shook my head for hush.
Now was that lead fourth-highest? No, I dare not play a card
Until I'd planned my strategy, a task I find quite hard.
Could it be third and fifth, perhaps? I stared out into space.
The wisest course, it seemed to me, was not to force the pace.

"You're holding up the movement!" The Director had returned:
His dewlaps danced with dudgeon and his eye with ire burned.
"Unless you start to play this hand, and play it like a shot
I'll send your name to Aylesbury - they'll give it to you hot!
They'll know just what to do with you, who sit and think for ages:
It's in the Laws and Ethics Book, or else the Yellow Pages!

But I was working out the hand (I've read a lot of books
By Kelsey, Reese and Mollo) so I just ignored his looks.
My gaze was fixed on dummy, and I viewed it with unease:
What entry problems would there be if I essayed a squeeze?
An injudicious card from me would quite destroy the play...
So as I fell once more to thought I murmured "Go away..."

"Get on with it!" he yelled at me. "What are you trying to prove?
Like Earth, pre-Galileo, sir, we simply do not move!
All these good folk have gathered here at twenty quid a head:
Most think you're cataleptic; the remainder think you're dead!
I just don't need this aggro: a Director's life is hard,
So will you, won't you, will you, won't you play a ruddy card?"

The experts all advise a chap impulsive play to curb.
I waved a hand dismissively and muttered: "Don't disturb,

One cannot rush these matters..." The Director struck his brow
And staggered and fell sideways, looking mad as any cow.
Well this was bad! His rude display had quite derailed my train
Of thought. There was no help for it: I'd have to start again.

He reached into his jacket then, and expertly withdrew
A standard Aylesbury Magnum (issued by the EBU).

"On fines or penalties," he growled, "I will not waste my breath!
For slow play on this scale, my friend, the penalty is DEATH!"
He fired the gun; and through the head (the hole was very neat)
He plugged my patient partner, who'd been dozing in his seat!
"You'll want an explanation," the Director calmly said.
"You'll want to know just why I shot your partner through the head
When you were the offender. Well, the whole thing is to do
With legal complications, for your family might sue!
I thought about it just in time - I had you in my sights -
Then luckily remembered that a dummy has no rights!"

Peter Rowlett

Do Movements Matter?

2006-03-12T03:10:00.000-08:00

Does the movement used make a difference to the popularity of a duplicate pairs events?

My impression is that it does. There are various pressures on a Tournament Director when a movement is being chosen.

The first is obviously the number of tables. If there are 5, 6 or 7 full tables the obvious answer is a Mitchell Movement. This seems to me to be popular because it is so simple. Some pairs like to play N/S when possible -maybe as a result of a disabiity. The movement of the E/W pairs and of the boards is simple and predictable, cutting down the chance of mistakes. There is more of a problem with an even number of tables when we generally use a 'share and relay' rather than a 'skip' movement.

The real problem arises when there is a half-table. For example five and a half tables is awkward and seems to happen quite often. One solution is to use a Howell but all pairs play only 20 boards and these movements are generlly unpopular because of all the moving around and they can be quite slow. Another option is the Mitchell. This gives a four board sit-out (too much), although 20 boards are still played. We do have our own alternative movement with a three board sit-out but this enables 21 boards to be played. It also requires everyone to move around quite a lot.

When we have a competition that requires one winner, we tend to use our own movements rather than the simpler Mitchell. These have large numbers of 'arrow switches' since the theory is that the more of these there are, the fairer the result. I am not sure if this is true and I think the likelihood of mistakes is much greater.

What seems to be true is ' the simpler the better!'.

What is your experience?

Bridge -A popular game?

2006-03-06T12:35:00.001-08:00

Below are a few dates from the history of Contract Bridge. They are taken from BRIDGE HISTORY AND FACTS on

http://www.baronbarclay.com/HISTORY.html

1925 - Harold S. Vanderbilt, American multi-millionaire and three-time America's Cup winner, changed the course of bridge while on a cruise. He suggested that only tricks bid and made count toward game, with extra tricks counted as bonuses. These revised rules turned auction bridge into contract bridge.

1931 - The Culbertson Summary and Culbertson's Blue Book topped all book sales for the year, outselling such popular titles as Believe It or Not and Crossword Puzzles! "The Battle of the Century" was held in New York City. The team captained by Ely Culbertson won by 8980 points.

1953 - President Eisenhower played bridge regularly on Saturday night with top experts. He attended national bridge tournaments when possible. He enjoyed bridge as much as golf and he was considered an excellent player.

1958 - Charles Goren appeared on the cover of Time magazine and was dubbed "The King of Aces." The inside story explained the basic rules of bridge and proclaimed it the "United States' No. 1 card game."

I mention them because they seem to recall a golden age for the game. What has changed?

Firstly, Bridge seems to have been played by people with time on their hands. They had money and they didn't work 24/7 or anything like it. There were few alternatives for indoor entertainment. No television, computers etc. The rule change was obviously important and made the game more challenging. Is Bridge dying because of alternative attractions? There is certainly a perception that it is mostly played by older people who have more time on their hands and that, even now, they are from one sector of society. What is your view?

Attracting New Members

2006-02-14T03:16:00.000-08:00

What is the answer? I have been reading some of the many articles on the subject by Ken Latty. You can see one of these by clicking on the link below.

Ken Latty's article

One of his very strong points is that only a very small percentage of those who have Bridge lessons and learn the basics of the game go on to play duplicate and become members of a club. He feels that clubs often seem unwelcoming and intimidating and even refuse to admit beginners. His answer is to allow only 'simple systems' and to operate a zero tolerance policy for rude or impolite behaviour (see previous post) .

He seems to have received a great deal of criticism for this approach as many feel it is too draconian and limiting. I have to say that I agree with a lot of his ideas but wonder if there are alternative approaches to attracting and keeping players while still allowing scope for more conventions than allowed in 'simple systems'.

What is your opinion -let us know if you have found ways of overcoming the 'fear' factor in attracting new members.

Ken Latty replied:

I was interested to read that there are those who feel my approach to bridge is too draconian, and yes, I am aware of that, but make no apology for it.

I know, you know, everyone knows, this game of duplicate bridge is spoilt for many by the appalling attitude and behaviour of a few. We all know that there are countless numbers who have been put off duplicate bridge by that egotistical and inconsiderate few, so why tolerate them?

It is not quite true to say the East Sussex Bridge Club plays only Simple System. We do allow a fair number of conventions - see our Policy Page at East Sussex Bridge Club. In truth it was pretty arbitrary as to what conventions we would allow but experience and player reaction would suggest we have it about right.

Interestingly, I reckon some thirty per cent of our membership would not be playing duplicate if they were not able to come to the East Sussex Bridge Club. Multiply that by the number of clubs in the country, add on the number who have been so frightened away they will not even come to the East Sussex and you have hugh number of those who should be playing duplicate but do not.

Creating the right atmosphere

2006-02-06T12:38:00.000-08:00

What is the best way to create a good atmosphere for Bridge that will provide competition for good players but a good social occasion for those whose first priority is not necessarily to win everything?

There seem to be lots of different approaches. Some clubs allow only very simple systems of bidding either in all competitions or on certain evenings only.

See a Simple Systems Approach

In other clubs a Zero Tolerance approach to rude and unpleasant behaviour is the norm.

See an American Zero Tolerance Policy

See a British Zero Tolerance Policy

One aspect of this that is slightly scary but rather amusing is the bit in the policy that bans opposition with dodgy personal hygiene. I really can't see the Tournament Director being called to complain that the opposition are smelly! I supose it gives a new meaning to the phrase "Creating the Right Atmosphere"

I suspect in most clubs a kind of uneasy compromise exists where the atmosphere is set by the personality of the Tournament Director who tries to please all the people all the time.

In my own case this seems to involve helping to foster a friendly atmosphere generally by being as respectful as possible to everyone and encouraging others to do the same. So outright rude behaviour is unusual but other things which might fall foul of zero tolerance happen quite a lot. Perhaps the most common is unasked for criticism of others bidding and play. We have no restrictions on bidding systems and, personally, I wouldn't want there to be since I think even those players who generally keep things simple do like to learn from others.

Another example is whether to re-deal passed out hands. Strictly this should not happen but does! Only if someone objects because they passed with a 'bad 12 points' does the hand not get re-dealt.

Is this 'play it by ear' approach really best or should we have a much more 'up-front' policy decided after proper debate and discussion?

What works for you? Tell us your experiences.

The Price of Bridge

2006-02-05T14:56:00.000-08:00

How much do you pay to play?

This must vary a lot according to the type of club. I think clubs which have their own premises and maintenance costs must need to charge quite a lot to keep the club going. I know that some hire out their rooms to make ends meet.

Most clubs pay rent on their rooms or, like mine, are part of a bigger club. At Daten Bridge Club we charge £1 per session which is not much. I think their would be a riot if we tried to charge more. This covers our expensese but prize money has had to be reduced recently.

Is there a case for increasing the session fee to get better prize money or better equipment. What happens in your club. Is Bridge run on a shoestring budget?

Bridge Scoring Programs

2006-02-03T06:13:00.000-08:00

Most clubs seem to score using computer programs these days.

What are the advantages and disadvantages of the ones on offer?

The ECATs site lists several programs that can be used to submit scores for simultaneous contests. Clicking on the link will take you to the ECATs description of the program.

They are

The ECatsBridge Program & Manual
ScoreBridge (Web site) - Stephen Bligh's Program.

CASS (the EBU Club scoring program)

Tony Haworth's Program

David Harrison's Program

Fin-S (Web site) - Chris Stapleford's Program

Ruth Edmondson's Program

Stephen Brown's Program

BridScore (Web site) - Bob Anderson's Program

ACBL Score (Web site) - the ACBL scoring program

Jeff Smith's program - Pairs score.

Keith Sheppard's Pairs Scoring Program

Mike Rothwell's Scorer

CASS (the EBU Club scoring program)

At Daten Bridge Club we use the Jeff Smith program. This is free and we are quite happy with it. It is possible to score a 7 table event in around 10 minutes and print out the results. The main time consuming bit is entering player names. This is done by 'clicking and dropping' from a list of members. It may be better if each person had a 'default partner' to speed this up a little. Navigating the site can be a bit slow, but, these are minor criticisms. A major plus is that it is easy to contact Jeff by e-mail if problems arise. Also, we have some movements that seem unique to us which it has been very easy to add to those provided.

Which program do you use? Tell us about its advantages or disadvantages. I'd be really interested to hear from anyone using Bridgemate or similar for instant scoring. E-mail or put your comments at the end of this post.

Peter Burgin posted the information below

At Stamford Bridge Club we use Stephen Bligh's Scorebridge. We find it excellent and very user friendly. After evaluating several programs about five years ago, I recommended Scorebridge to the Club and we have never regretted it. It has been enhanced considerably in that time and Stephen has been most helpful as things have developed.

We purchased Bridgemates in November last year and no longer use travellers. We have results out in minutes after the last board is finished, and on a number of occasions have been the first to post results on the Ecats site in simultaneous events.

Using Scorebridge we can post our results on our own website about five minutes after the last board is completed. The web pages are prepared automatically by Scorebridge. You can see them on our website stamfordbridgeclub.co.uk.

Improve your Website

2006-01-27T02:39:00.000-08:00

I just had a frustrating experience! In trying to publicize this website I decided to e-mail clubs via their websites using the links at ECAts Bridge.

Many websites were excellent and clear. A lot were not! Some (quite a percentage) simply did not exist. Others had e-mail addresses that were very difficult to find on the site or the e-mail simply 'bounced back'.

I know people will say that the main purpose is to inform their own members of results and news but surely we are trying to attract new members via the website.

It can be a time-consuming (though absorbing) task to maintain a site and I'm sure that I'm setting myself up for criticism about my own sites but I would welcome feedback.

If you think your site is a good example of what we should aspire to, let me know and I'll place a link to it on here.

Response from Leigh Harding

Have just found your blog via Playbridgeuk site. It's full of interstingstuff and I might have some contributions on a couple of the topics when I'mmore awake. Meanwhile... in response to the 'Improve Your Website'article I'd like to put forward my club websites as good examples (aftersome considerable trial and error developing them)!

www.nofearbridge.co.uk/club

www.cobhambridgeclub.co.uk

You might also like to have a look at www.nofearbridge.co.ukHaving gained the experience I am currently offering to create free websitesfor bridge teachers and would be happy to extend this to anyone who wants awebsite for a NOVICE bridge club.See wwww.bridgeteacher.co.uk I'll put a link to your site on the club websites as I'm sure the memberswill find it interesting.

Leigh HardingBridge Teacher

Try Butler Scoring

2006-01-23T09:03:00.000-08:00

I think any serious bridge club should try the Butler scoring method 1 week a month say. The Butler scoring method rewards the accurate bidding of slams, its a bit in between pairs and teams. It doesn't give people undeserved tops because they play in 3nt as opposed to 5c or 5d or 4 of a major. The score reflects the actual gain in points over the other pairs or the DATUM for the board. Would think computer scoring would be essential for this method but it definitely has its merits and I would be quite keen to try it.

This post contributed by Tom Evans of Leigh Bridge Club

Reply from Jeff Smith

Butler scoring method is named after Geoffrey Butler, a former president of the now-defunct British Bridge League who devised the method as a means of scoring British international trials.

Your score on any particular board is compared to a 'datum',usually established by discarding the top two and bottom two scores achieved across the field on the board, and averaging the remaining scores. The difference between your score and the datum is converted to IMPs plus or minus according to the normal scale.Discarding the two extreme scores is not essential but it does avoid including any wild scores in the comparison.The effect of this scoring is that you should be using team rather than pairs tactics throughout the competition, eg securing your contract rather than worrying about overtricks. There will usually be quite a lot of correlation in the Pairs v Butler results.

The advantage of the method is that it is a much fairer comparison and reduces the random effects in Pairs Scoring.

Brian Aspinall said...

The Butler scoring method is fine for a straight Mitchell with two winners. I see a problem however with arrowswitches for one winner.Imagine a night with say three relatively easy slams around. It is possible that you could "miss out" on all three on the arrowswitch and consequently have no chance of winning against another pair that luckily got to play all three slams. Same principle applies to games versus part scores.Of course there is no perfect way of scoring a pairs competition and there is an element of luck in any game or sport. Over a period of time luck balances out. We all have good nights and bad nights. I would be in favour of giving it a try( at Daten) say the fourth Wednesday in the month Why not put it on the agenda for the next committee meeting.

The Jeff Smith scoring program that we use at Daten BC allowed me to score this week's competition using the Butler scoring method after previously scoring it using the 'normal' method.

The two sets of scores are shown

Butler Scoring
Score(IMPs)
1 Sue Eckersley John Lockett 43
2 Chris Burdekin George Charleston 34
3 Peggy Hancock Mary Woodcock 30
4 Hazel Evans Joan Wright 18
5 Enid Beddall Joe Ridyard 12
6 Clive Goodwin Ken Mcdowall 6
8 Bev Friar Doris Friar -5
9 Margaret Nicholls Marion Speakman -8
10 Pru Dowson Tony Farmer -11
11 Steve Geoghegan Ralph Procter -12
12 George Morgan Pat Morgan -20
13 Brian Aspinall Joyce Timms -28
14 Maurice Norman Alfred Watts -59

'Normal Scoring'
1 Chris Burdekin George Charleston 66.19%
2 Sue Eckersley John Lockett 61.90%
3= Hazel Evans Joan Wright 55.00%
3= Clive Goodwin Ken Mcdowall 55.00%
5 Margaret Nicholls Marion Speakman 51.90%
6 Peggy Hancock Mary Woodcock 50.83%
7 Enid Beddall Joe Ridyard 49.17%
8 Bev Friar Doris Friar 48.57%
9 Steve Geoghegan Ralph Procter 47.50%
10 Pru Dowson Tony Farmer 45.71%
11 Brian Aspinall Joyce Timms 42.38%
12 George Morgan Pat Morgan 39.05%
13 Maurice Norman Alfred Watts 35.71%

It was immediately obvious to me that the Butler method is superior as I would have finished two places higher in the competition! Seriously, there are obvious, significant differences in the placings using the two methods. One problem that I can see is that of educating players as to what the Butler method is and how tactics should differ.

Tom Evans made this further contribution:

After doing further research into the subject i.e. scoring several events both ways I've come to the conclusion that
Butler scoring is a complete lottery and adds even more luck to the game.

For example in one week we conceded a slam to the opposition that no other pair bid. Most pairs made 12 tricks in the main but only 1 pait lost 11 imps. Playing Teams that's fair enough because your team mates can rescue the position by also bidding the slam. In pairs this is not possible and you have to bid and make a game or slam that others are not bidding to catch up. Chasing bottoms usually causes further bottoms as anyone knows who has played any length of time.

In PAIRS one only needs to make 1 more trick than anyone else to recover the bottom but with Butler scoring all you get is 0-1 imps gain, thus never recovering your bad luck on the hand. Everyone MUST play the same hands in the same direction also as that would further compound the problems, thus limiting the movement to a 2-winner movement North-Souths and East-Wests.

Thus whilst pairs scoring isn't perfect and distorts the bidding and the play, it is much FAIRER than Butler scoring.

Daten Bridge Club

2006-01-07T03:02:00.000-08:00

I thought it might be useful to describe my own club and what we do.

Daten BC is a section of Culcheth Sports and Social Club (see link opposite for website) near Warrington. This gives us access to good facilities including separate bar and lounge.

We meet twice a week on Wednesday and Sunday. The club is over 40 years old and was originally the BNFL social club (Daten) and many members were 'boffins' from BNFL. Now we have just under 60 members but a high proportion are in their 80s now and recruitment is a concern.

Originally the Wednesday session held the main competitions and Sunday was a smaller 'social' occasion. Now we have competitions on both nights.

On the first Wed and Sunday we have our main competitions (Championship Pairs) which run through the year and members must play 7 times to qualify. On the second Wed and third Sunday we run similar but handicapped competitions.

We run various trophy events during the year including a Mixed Pairs and we have recently competed in the Children in Need Simultaneous Pairs. Finally we run Teams of 4 whenever there is a fifth Wednesday in the month.

I suppose this is a typical 'average' local club structure. We used to be members of the EBU but the membership saw little value from it and voted to scrap it!

We have tried some alternatives such as a competition, held monthly, where you had to play with a different partner each month but this was not popular.

Why not describe your club here? Especially, any differences and suggestions would be welcome!

Joe

Try Chicago Leagues

2006-01-06T20:30:00.000-08:00

Have you ever considered a Chicago League? The idea is that each "match" consists of four hands with normal scoring with a simple (soccer style) three points for a win and one for a draw.

As we all know luck comes into play with Chicago but this is ideal for the "lower" players who can sometimes grab a win over those more expert because they get all the cards. It is an ideal alternative to a handicapped event.

Leagues can be formed to suit a club's requirements with promotion and relegation included as well as well. Normally six "matches" can be played in an evening -- 24 hands -- but this can be adjusted to suit. Give it a try, it's good fun.

This idea submitted by John Bowness.