Bourne Club Bridge Section

                                                                                           Competition Rules, 2016-2017

Duplicate Pairs - Competitions

The Nancy Beament Trophy - Club Championship Pairs

The winners of the Club Championship Pairs competition will be the pair with the highest average percentage score between May 1^st and March 31^st. If there are less than 10 full tables at any of these sessions, the result for that session will not count. Should there be a tie, the winners who have the highest percentage score during the competition will become the Champions.

Each partnership pair must be full members of the Bridge Section and must play together at least eight times on Monday or Thursday duplicate evenings to qualify.

The winning pair will represent the Bourne Club in the Mary Edwards Cup which is the S.C.B.C. final  for Club Pairs winners. If the winning pair are not able to play on that day, the competition runners up will be invited represent the club.

The Hutton Trophy

The Hutton Shield is awarded to the pair who attain the highest percentage score on Monday or Thursday duplicate pairs evenings in the period 1^st May to 31^st March. Both players must be full members of the Bourne Club bridge section. In the event of a tie, the trophy will be shared by the winners for an equal period until next awarded.

50% Competition

This competition is open to all full members of the Bourne Club bridge section. Any member who competes in the Monday or Thursday Duplicates between 1^st May to 31^st. March and obtains a score of exactly 50% will be entered into a draw at the end of the season and the winner will receive a prize at the A.G.M.

Handicap Competition

This is a Pairs competition that will be run on the 2nd Thursday of each month. It commences on 12th May and finishes on 9th March so there are eleven opportunities to play. It is designed to give all Pairs a better chance of winning a Competition.

Based on their results, all pairs will receive a handicap using the National Grading System.

The competition runs concurrently with the main Pairs competition during that evening. Results are scored as usual and Master Points are awarded for the main competition, but a separate set of results are produced using the Pairs Handicap.

The Winners will be the Pair that achieves the highest average score - after their handicap has been applied - of their best five results out of the possible ten in the Handicap competition.

All handicap adjusted results will be shown while it is still possible for a pair to play the minimum qualifying number of times, i.e. five scores can still be posted.

Off Peak Members Competition

A prize is awarded to the individual who obtains the overall highest percentage score on Friday evenings between 1^st May to 31^st March. The individual must play at least 8 times in a Duplicate competition with at least 3 full tables.

Off Peak Members - 50% Competition

This competition is open to all off peak members of the Bourne Club bridge section. Any member who takes part in the Friday sessions between 1^st May to 31^st. March and obtains a score of exactly 50% will be entered into a draw at the end of the season and the winner will receive a prize at the A.G.M.

Team – Competitions

Chairman’s Cup for Championship Teams

The Club Championship Teams Competition is open to full members of the Bourne Club bridge section. Each team will consist of four players and the competition will be played over two rounds.

The first round is a qualifying round and is played in a multiple teams format to select four teams to go through to the Final. If more than sixteen teams compete, the qualifying round will be divided into two sections and two pairs from each section will go through to the final.

In the event of a tie for fourth place, the actual score between the two tied teams will decide who goes through. Should that also be a tie, they should arrange to have a 24-board match play-off. After the qualifying round, the four winning teams will go forward to a play-off in the bridge room.

In the case of illness or emergency, a reserve may replace one member of a team in the Final, but that person must also be a full member of the Bourne Club bridge section and may not have played previously for any other team in the qualifying round. If two members of a team are not able to play in the Final, they will be replaced by the next qualifying team.

Should there be a tie for first place in the final, the Championship winners will be decided by the result of the two winning team’s scores against each other. If both teams have also tied in that match, then they should arrange a further 24-board match play-off between themselves, as soon as possible.

The winning team will represent the Bourne Club in the Wanborough Cup which is the S.C.B.A final for Club Team winners. If the winning team is not able to play on that day, the runners up will invited to represent the Club.

Club Internal Winter League for Teams of Six

This is an informal, sociable competition with matches played mainly in players’ homes at mutually convenient times. It is open to both full and off-peak members and affords a good opportunity for the two groups to mix and get to know each other. Four members of a team take part in each match, so each team member is not required to play in every match. IMP scores are used in matches which are converted on a Victory Point scale. When the final results have been received, should there be a tie for first place, a play off will take place to determine the overall winner.

The Winter League will commence on 1 September and entries must be received by 15 August. All matches are played on average once a month and must be finished before the AGM in April.

All Trophies and Prizes for all events are presented at the Bridge Section AGM.

                                         Bourne Club Bridge Section

                                       Competition Rules, 2015-2016

Duplicate Pairs - Competitions

The Nancy Beament Trophy - Club Championship Pairs

The winners of the Club Championship Pairs competition is decided by a pair’s average percentage score between May 1^st and March 31^st. If there are less than 10 full tables at any of these sessions, the result for that session will not count. In the event of a tie the winners will be decided by their highest average positions over the period. Each partnership pair must be full members of the Bridge Section and must play together at least eight times on Monday or Thursday duplicate evenings to qualify. Off-peak members or pairings are not eligible.

The winning pair will represent the Bourne Club at the SCBA event for Club Championship Pairs, the Mary Edwards Cup, normally held in May. If that pair is unavailable to play on the day, the SCBA rules will be applied in selecting a reserve pair.

The Hutton Trophy

The Hutton Shield is awarded to the pair who attain the highest percentage score on Monday or Thursday duplicate pairs evenings in the period 1^st May to 31^st March. Both players must be full members of the Bourne Club bridge section; off peak members and guests are not eligible. In the event of a tie, the trophy will be shared by the winners for an equal period until next awarded.

50% Competition

This is a new competition open to all full members of the Bourne Club bridge section. Any member who competes in the Monday or Thursday Duplicates between 1^st May to 31^st. March and obtains a score of exactly 50% will be entered into a draw at the end of the season and the winner will receive a prize at the A.G.M.

Handicap Competition

This is a new competition for pairs, designed to level the playing field and give players of all abilities a chance to win. It commenced in June and will be run on the 3^rd Thursday of each month until the AGM in March. As this is a pairs event, chances of winning overall will be enhanced by having a regular partnership for the third evening of each month.

The usual pairs competition for that evening will take place with normal scoring and Master Points awarded, but in addition, a separate result will be produced using handicaps calculated using the NGS rating system. The NGS rating system has been in operation for 3 years, is mathematically sound and details can be seen on the EBU website.

This year there will be ten opportunities to play up to March and the best five results will count towards the final. The winner will receive a prize at the AGM.

Off Peak Members

A prize is awarded to the individual who obtains the overall highest percentage score on Friday evenings between 1^st May to 31^st March. The individual must play at least 8 times in a Duplicate competition with at least 3 full tables.

Off Peak Members - 50% Competition

This is a new competition for all off peak members of the Bourne Club bridge section. Any member who takes part in the Friday sessions between 1^st May to 31^st. March and obtains a score of exactly 50% will be entered into a draw at the end of the season and the winner will receive a prize at the A.G.M.

Team – Competitions

Chairman’s Cup for Championship Teams

The Club Championship Teams Competition will be played on a multiple teams format with a Qualifying round to select four teams to go forward to a Final round.

All players must be full members of the Bourne Club bridge section. Off-peak members are not eligible. Each team should consist of four players. If 17 or more teams compete, the qualifying round will be divided into two sections.

In the event of a tie for fourth place, the team that won the individual match against the team with whom it tied will go through to the final. If both teams also tied in that match, or have not played each other, they should arrange to have a 24-board match play-off on a mutually convenient date.

After the qualifying round, the top four teams will go forward, (or the top two from each section, if divided) to a play-off in the bridge room.

A reserve may replace one member of a team in the Final, in the case of illness or other emergency, but that person must also be a full member of the Bourne Club bridge section and must not have played previously in any other team in the qualifying round. If two members of a team are unavailable to play in the Final, that team will be replaced by the fifth team from the qualifying round, and so on.

In the event of a tie, the team that won the individual match against the team with whom it tied will be declared the winner. If both teams also tied in that match, then they should arrange a further 24-board match play-off between themselves, as soon as possible, on a mutually convenient date.

The winning team will represent the Bourne Club at the SCBA event for club championship teams, the Wanborough Cup, normally held in June. If that team is unavailable to play on the day, the second placed team will represent the Club in accordance with the SCBA  rules.

Club Internal Winter League for Teams of Six

This is an informal, sociable competition with matches played mainly in players’ homes at mutually convenient times. It is open to both full and off-peak members and affords a good opportunity for the two groups to mix and get to know each other. Four members of a team take part in each match, so each team member is not required to play in every match. IMP scores are used in matches which are converted on a Victory Point scale. When the final results have been received, should there be a tie for first place, a play off will take place to determine the overall winner.

The Winter League will commence on 1 September and entries must be received by 15 August. All matches are played on average once a month and must be finished before the AGM in April.

All Trophies and Prizes for all events are presented at the Bridge Section AGM.