Yorkshire Contract Bridge Association

Chairs Blog May 2023

16th May 2023

Chair’s Blog Spring/Summer 2023

As we approach the summer months you may think that would be a slow down in the bridge world, but oh no.

As you will be aware the summer online league will continue and the Sundays set aside for this are 21stMay, 18^th June and 2^nd July.

The annual YCBA congress will again be held at York Bridge Club over the weekend of 10^th and 11^th June. Details for entry are on the website.

The AGM of the YCBA will also be held at York Bridge club starting at 11am on the Saturday. This will again be a ‘hybrid’ meeting with members able to ‘attend’ on line by virtue of a zoom link that will be made available. I urge you to try and be at the meeting (one way or another), if nothing else so that we will be quorate! Any questions you may have for the board can be given to the secretary before the meeting.

Other events for your diary are the following:

Affiliated Teams, 22^nd June, Doncaster BC. Details will be going up shortly on the website but this is traditionally an event for which clubs enter a team(s) as a thankyou to members who have volunteered within the club throughout the year. Always a nice event.

Castle Swiss Pairs, 25^th June, Huddersfield BC. Again, details will be confirmed very shortly but this event has always been a fixture on the calendar and is of course named after one of long serving chairman, Hubert Castle.

Waddington Cup Final, 9^th July, York BC. This will again be at York, as last year and is for teams from clubs. We would like to better the 7 teams that attended last year and again the final details for entry will be on the website.

Scarborough Congress, 13^th-16^th July, Crown Spa Hotel. This popular congress is an EBU event and details can be found on the EBU website. It will be run by Oliver Cowan on their behalf.

If you are interested in learning how to become a TD (even at your local club), then the YCBA will be running a popular course in September over three Saturdays (9^th, 16^th, 23^rd). This course will be run by Barrie Partridge and full details of how to apply are on the website but be quick as there are only limited places available!

Finally, I would like to draw your attention to our grants scheme. This is available to all clubs, who provided they meet the criteria for the grant, can apply for said grant. All the details of how to apply are on the website under the news section.

Can I wish you a safe and happy summer and continued success at the bridge table.

Nick Woolven (YCBA Chair)

Yorkshire Mixed Pairs 2023 Winners

14th May 2023

1st: Stuart Shalom & Barbara Eastabrook
2nd: Alan Jarvis & Georgina Wooler
3rd: Clive Owen & Nichola Cockerill-Smith

Full results

Yorkshire Congress 2023

10th May 2023

Yorkshire Congress 2023

Waddington Shield Winners 2023

5th May 2023

Congratulations to the team of Paul Brereton, Frank Dixon, Richard Pike and David Waxman who have won the counties premier knockout team event, the Waddington Shield. They beat the team of Gisborne, Davies, Pomfrey, Banks, Robinson and Sowter in the final and so will represent Yorkshire in the Pachabo in June.

Release of YCBA Clubs Grant 2023

4th May 2023

Following our successful YCBA grant schemes in 2019 and 2021, we are now releasing our new clubs’ support grant for 2023.

All Club Chairs and Secretaries should receive correspondence detailing this grant scheme in the coming week. Anyone not in receipt of this by 12 May should contact guildbridge2@gmail.com  for information. 

AGM 2023

29th April 2023

2023 AGM will be held in person and online at York Bridge Club and Zoom on Saturday 10 June 2023 at 11.00am.

Joining details will be published along with the agenda no later than Friday 26 May 2023. Anyone wishing to include an item on the agenda for a resolution must provide details to the secretary no later than Friday 19 May 2023 and must be supported by another member. A nomination form for the Management Board is available here and needs to be returned by Friday 19 May 2023. The draft minutes from last year’s meeting are available on the Official Documents page.

Advanced Seminars

24th April 2023

New series of Monthly Advanced Bridge Seminars

Starting Saturday 27^th May 2023

Seminar 1: Partnership Bridge

With Michael Byrne

Come and take part in our NEW, INTERACTIVE bridge workshops, aimed at those playing at a higher level within clubs but can be enjoyed and appreciated by anyone wishing to meet and learn more from nationally renowned players.

This first session is being run by England international Michael Byrne, a professional teacher and coach and current member of the England open team. He will be looking at all aspects of partnership bridge, including ways to improve your partnership defence, slam bidding, competitive bidding and constructive bidding. 

You will learn why international players get tricky situations right at times when normal players often get them wrong and learn techniques not covered in the normal textbooks.

VENUE:                           The York Bridge Club, The Green, Acomb YO26 5FG

(Use google maps or what three words (///editor.bunch.shave) to find the entrance just off The Green, Acomb.)

                                       

10.30 am	Arrival and registration.
11.00 am to 1.00 pm	Session 1
1.00 pm to 2.00 pm	Light lunch provided
2.00 pm to 3.30 pm	Sessions 2 & 3
3.30 pm to 4.30 pm	Playing hands
4.30 pm to 5.00 pm	Post mortem

    

COSTS:                           £30 inc VAT per person including refreshments and a light lunch

Please pay by bank transfer to:  

The York Bridge Club, Barclays Bank plc, 20-99-56.  Account number 70633186

Please quote your Surname, Initial and ADV1 as a reference.

Read more about Michael’s bridge career on his EBU profile:  Michael Byrne | English Bridge Union (ebu.co.uk) He is a Bermuda Bowl Quarter Finalist and England’s number 1 ranked player.

BOOKING:                     To reserve your place, please email sgregory@theyorkbridgeclub.com including any dietary requirements (e.g. vegan/GF) where appropriate.

Please include advanced seminar in the subject line.

Last date for bookings Thursday 25^th May.

click here for the flyer

Yorkshire Mixed Pairs 2023

23rd April 2023

Peter Littlewood 2023 Winners

23rd April 2023

1st: Tom Gisborne & Sandy Davies
2nd: Roman Gembicki & Bazil Caygill
3rd: Glyn Foley & Peter Camm

Full results

Peter Littlewood

20th April 2023

Sheffield Bridge Club
Will be hosting on behalf of the YCBA

Peter Littlewood Trophy

Pairs Event
Sunday 23rd April