Questionnaire responses report

Thank you to all members who took the time to respond to thequestionnaire. A total of 33 responses from 73 members were received but some did not answer all the questions.

The committee has now had time to consider what you said

1. Competitions

The overwhelming majority (26) are happy with the competitions as they are so we will not be making any major changes.

Several people said that they would like to see some small prizes awarded during the course of the year so we are going to award a quarterly ladder (= average score) prize based on Friday scores. No trophy but a small prize to reward consistently good bridge. The ladder score is the average of all your results. A new one is started once the previous ladder prize is given. Only those who have played more than half of the available times are included. The reason for this is so somebody who plays just once and happens to get a good score doesn’t win. This will start at the beginning of October.

2. Simultaneous pairs

Opinion is divided about sims. The largest vote is for participating only in charity sims (14) but substantial minorities would also like to play in EBU sims (9) or all the sims available (8). Having looked closely at the results, it is mainly Wednesday night players who wish to playin sims other than charity events. The committee has decided that henceforth we will only participate in charity sims on Fridays. On Wednesdays we will also participate in a selection of other simultaneous pairs competitions including some, though not all, of those offered by the EBU and some world-wide sims. The next one of these is the world-wide sims on Wednesday 24 October for which there will be an increase in table money of £1 per player.

3a Teams at the club

The largest vote was for leaving the teams arrangements as they are – the first Wednesday of the month once a quarter. It is clear from the answers that at least some of the regular Wednesday players enjoy teams play. However, this is difficult while numbers on Wednesday are so low.Therefore, we have decided to play regular Butler scored pairs once a month on Wednesday until Wednesday numbers recover, as we trust they will. This will allow people to get practice at teams play without relying on the right numbers of people turning up.

(Butlerscored pairs is organised like the ordinary pairs that we play every Wednesdayand Friday but it is scored in a different way. In ordinary pairs your score is compared with everyone else's who played the same hands as you. You get two match points for each pair you beat whether that is by just 10 points (3NT+1for 430 beats 4for 420) or by hundreds of points: a top is a top. This means overtricks are very valuable and playing in NT whenever possible is rewarded. Butler scored pairs is scored more like teams when such small differences have no effect on the score and what really matters is making your contract safely and not missing games and slams. This can have a profound effect on your tactics in both bidding and play and people who play teams need the opportunity to practice this.)

3b Matches

There is considerable enthusiasm from all sectors of the membership for a more wide-ranging programme of matches against other clubs. We already have a match against Kendal on 5 October and will try to arrange one against Grange in the near future and perhaps against other clubs such as Keswick, Lancaster or Arnside.

4. Social events

The majority of the membership is not interested in more social events, though a substantial minority see value in this. Various suggestions were made and the committee has decided to try and arrange a different and interesting bridge event four times a year, when there is a fifth Friday in the month. Please click here to see the 'Fifth Friday' programme

In addition, we are arranging a mini-seminar before bridge every third Friday. Click here for more details..

5. Weekends away

There is no real interest in club weekends away (only 6 in favour) so the committee will not be pursuing this.

6. Numbers on Wednesday evening

It is clear from the many interesting responses that the main reason for the decline in Wednesday is seen as the style of direction in the recent past and the atmosphere this generated. It is also obvious that people recognise that this may have begun to change by the introduction of a rota of directors who all understand the players' enjoyment of their bridge, within the framework of the laws of the game, is paramount. The committee intends to do all it can to promote a friendly and welcoming atmosphere and hopes that this will encourage more members to come along and play.

Thank you once again for taking the trouble to complete the questionnaire and please contact me, Mike Patefield, if you wish to know in more detail about any of the responses.