The VB Pairs Ladder is inspired by the kind of ladder played in squash clubs. It is generally aimed at Wednesday afternoons. Pairs join the ladder for one "round" at a time.

The pairs will play one “match” a week. A match will consist of 16 boards against another pair in a single session. This should take up to two hours; there will be no moving. You will record your results by hand on a manual form. Each side completes a form, checks it with the other, initials it, and then gives it to the scorer. In each week all pairs play the same board, and when all players have played that week the week is scored. It will be scored using a “cross IMP” method. This means you should think “team” tactics when bidding.  Each time you play, it will be against a different pair and “with” a different pair as "team mates".

Each round will take place over up to six weeks. The number of weeks depends on the number of pairs who enter. The pilot was played in a single division of five, known as Round 0. There have been four further rounds with between six (one division) and eight (two divisions of four).

The charge for playing each weekl be a VB ticket or the current members session fee.

If you would like to play in the next session to be announced, please let me know as soon as possible.

Before the start of the next session of matches, if we have an odd number of pairs in a division there will be a “sit out” week for each pair, and I will try to schedule your pair to sit out if you let me know you can’t make that week.

What happens if you can’t make some of the dates in the session?

For the ladder to work, you do need to play all your matches.

Where you cannot play a match on the Wednesday afternoon, you contact your opponents to arrange another day and/or time to play.

Although the 16 board matches are planned to be played on Wednesday afternoons, the boards area available for at least three weeks from that date (locked in a cupboard!). 

You can play at any other time eg. Monday morning or Afternoon; Wednesday morning, Tuesday morning, Thursday Morning acceptable to your opponents.  You may need other pairs to be flexible and please help them if they need to reschedule.