The EBU report that "The Spring Fours is one of the great events in the English calendar. The principal event has become one of the toughest events in domestic bridge played for the Provost Cup. It is run on double-elimination lines over nine sessions each of 32 boards. A secondary event, the Punchbowl, will be open to teams eliminated before Saturday evening. It has a round-robin qualifier followed by a mini knockout. The Hamilton Cup is a more relaxed event for teams seeking a game on Monday (bank holiday in England)". Abbey will be playing with Martin Jones in Team Anoyrkatis, with Sally Anoyrkatis and her son Sam, who at 17 plays at International level and won Gold at the International Online Team Championships earlier this year. The Spring Foursomes is a face-to-face event taking place in Bristol, updates direct from Abbey will appear here over the weekend. The image is of Abbey and Sally when they played for England in Latvia late last year.

*Wednesday 17th June 2026 at 10am*

This is the second in a series of Master Classes by Abbey at the Abbey Smith Bridge Club, and will be about 'discarding', learn to discard to maximum effect. Abbey will provide an entertaining and informative mix of teaching, practical advice and exemplar hands, in her own inimitable style.

From 28th April 2026 booking is open for ASBC members at £20 pp. From 22nd May 2026 bookings will be open to other bridge clubs for £25pp. For non members that don't know Abbey, Abbey regularly plays for England and her style of teaching is relaxed, fun and the Abbey Smith Bridge Club has excellent accessible facilities in Buckinghamshire 8 miles from Milton Keynes. The ASBC is one of the fastest growing bridge clubs in England and is thriving with more than 250 members that play regularly.

*Wednesday 27th May 2026 at 10am*

This is the first in a series of Master Classes by Abbey at the Abbey Smith Bridge Club. The first will be 'counting', with new hands for those of you that attended the counting seminar a few years ago. Abbey will provide an entertaining and informative mix of teaching, practical advice and exemplar hands, in her own inimitable style.

From 19th April 2026 booking is open for ASBC members at £20 pp. From 1st May 2026 bookings will be open to other bridge clubs for £25pp. For non members that don't know Abbey, Abbey regularly plays for England and her style of teaching is relaxed, fun and the Abbey Smith Bridge Club has excellent accessible facilities in Buckinghamshire 8 miles from Milton Keynes. The ASBC is one of the fastest growing bridge clubs in England and is thriving with more than 250 members that play regularly.

Abbey is soon to start a series of regular Master Classes at the Abbey Smith Bridge Club. The first will be 'counting', with new hands for those of you that attended the counting seminar a few years ago. The second Master Class will be about 'discards' and the third will be 'pre-empting'. Abbey will provide an entertaining and informative mix of teaching, practical advice and exemplar hands. Priority booking will be for ASBC members and then for bridge players from other clubs. For non members that don't know Abbey, Abbey regularly plays for England and her style of teaching is relaxed, fun and the Abbey Smith Bridge Club has excellent accessible facilities in Buckinghamshire 8 miles from Milton Keynes. The ASBC is one of the fastest growing bridge clubs in England and is thriving with more than 250 members that play regularly.

*Booking will open on 19th April for the first Master Class that will be held on Wednesday 27th May at 10am *

*Booking will open on 28th April for the second Master Class that will be held on Wednesday 17th June at 10am *

The duplicate Weekly Winners at Abbey Smith Bridge Club W/c 20^th April 2026 Congratulations go to:

David and Ann Lynch (Monday online)

Barbara and John Brown (Wednesday)

N/S Marion Cross and Veronica Norris (Thursday am)

E/W Ken Wilson and Eric Cohen (Thursday am)

N/S Fiona Hilsden and Avril Bates (Thursday pm)

E/W Keith Rickson and Paul Garthwaite (Thursday pm)

N/S Michael Collins and David Gilmore (Friday)

E/W Simon Jones and Penny Bligh (Friday)

The duplicate Weekly Winners at Abbey Smith Bridge Club `W/c 13^th April 2026 Congratulations go to:

Allen Duff and Rob Timpson (Monday online)

N/S David and Ann Lynch (Wednesday)

EW Steve Viney and Martin Flynn (Wednesday)

N/S Mike Joy and Gill Brazier (Thursday am)

E/W Simon Jones and Penny Bligh (Thursday am)

N/S Chris Ive and Phil Matton (Thursday pm)

E/W Abbey Smith and Claire Moulson (Thursday pm)

N/S (Friday) Michael Collins and David Gilmore

E/W (Friday) Chris Quartly and Jackie Hopgood

The duplicate Weekly Winners at Abbey Smith Bridge Club W/c 6th April 2026 Congratulations go to:

Easter Monday – no duplicate

E/W Fiona Hilsden and Alan Leach (Wednesday)

N/S Rob Timpson and Allen Duff (Wednesday)

Carol Harris and Pete Rowling (Thursday am)

N/S (Thursday pm) Sarah Gregory and Peter Kiff

E/W (Thursday pm) Alan Leach and Richard Devas

N/S (Friday) Richard Devas and Mike Joy

E/W (Friday) Avril Bates and Alan Leach

The duplicate Weekly Winners at Abbey Smith Bridge Club W/c 30th March 2026 Congratulations go to:

Riverbee and Michi Ashikaga (Monday online)

Brian and Sheilagh Fahy (Wednesday)

Abbey Smith and Ken Wilson (Thursday am)

N/S Robert Last and Richard Devas (Thursday pm)

E/W = Ian Wilson and Alan Leach (Thursday pm)

E/W = Abbey Smith and Claire Moulson (Thursday pm)

The duplicate Weekly Winners at Abbey Smith Bridge Club: W/c 23rd March 2026 Congratulations go to:

David and Ann Lynch (Monday online)

N/S David and Ann Lynch (Wednesday)

E/W Alan Leach and Sheilagh Fahy (Wednesday)

Andy Gradwell and Carole Marriot (Thursday am)

N/S (Thursday pm) Robert Last and Richard Devas

E/W (Thursday pm) Andrew Mason and Ian Wilson

N/S (Friday) Ralph Holliday and Richard Devas

E/W (Friday) Anne and Phil Savage

The duplicate Weekly Winners at Abbey Smith Bridge Club: W/c 16^th March 2026 Congratulations go to:

Allen Duff and Rob Timpson (Monday online)

N/S David and Ann Lynch (Wednesday)

E/W Alan Leach and Richard Devas (Wednesday)

N/S Philip and Hilary Derbyshire (Thursday am)

E/W Eric Cohen and David Minister (Thursday am)

Tracey Reimer and Fiona Hilsden (Thursday pm)

Sarah Haughey and Abbey Smith (Friday)

Abbey is proud and delighted to congratulate members on their EBU promotions for March 2026

Star Premier Master: Robert Last

Area Master: Mandy Chandler

Area Master: Richard Dolman

Club Master: Sarah Haughey

Local Master: Max Walshe

Abbey and her team-mates won the EBU Easter Swiss Teams event by a significant margin not seen since David Gold and Andrew Robson's team won quite a long time ago. Along with Abbey is her partner Martin Jones (next to Abbey) and they played with team members Sally Anoyrkatis and Sally's partner John Athey. This win stands them in good spirits for the forthcoming European National Team Championships event in early Summer for which they qualified in first place earlier this year.

In April 2026 at the Abbey Smith Bridge Club overall we had 142 tables across all sessions and there were 38 different winners! Alan Leach should be congratulated on winning 4 times, with Richard Devas in second place with 3 wins. Third place is tied with 12 players on 2 wins each: in alphabetical order – Abbey, Allen Duff, Ann Lynch, Avril Bates, Claire Moulson, David Gilmore, David Lynch, Fiona Hilsden, Michael Collins, Mike Joy, Penny Bligh, Rob Timpson and Simon Jones. Well done everyone!

In March 2026 at the Abbey Smith Bridge Club overall we had 179.5 tables across all sessions. Contrast this with March 2025 where we had 158 tables across all sessions, and going back to 2024 there were 146 – so we’re growing year on year!

Returning to March 2026, there were 52 different winners! Richard Devas should be congratulated on winning no less than 6 times and David Lynch with 4 wins. Third place is tied with Alan Leach, Anne Lynch, Robert Last and Abbey Smith on 3 wins each. Well done everyone!

2026 has started well! Two beginner's courses with a combined total of 50 learners, and the club saw 149 tables of four in January duplicates! Friday afternoons are becoming the place to be, with one player commenting that it's 'the happiest place to be on a Friday'! This post originally appeared on Facebook on the 26th February, follow Abbey Smith Bridge Club on Facebook for regular updates and 'Abbey's Anecdotes' (coming soon!).

Weekly timetable at the Club

Duplicates - Held all year round, just a short break at Christmas. All Face to Face duplicates are £5 per session for members starting September 2025. Online duplicate is £4.50 for members. 

MONDAY 2PM ON BBO - 18 Boards, finishes approximately 4pm. 

WEDNESDAY 7PM  Face to Face session at Drayton Parslow Sports and Social Club, 18 boards, finishes at 9.30pm. Bar is open, please email or use the WhatsApp group if you'd like to partner for this session. 

THURSDAY 10AM Face to Face session at Drayton Parslow Sports and Social Club,  finishes at 12.30pm. You can turn up without a partner for this session as a host is provided.

THURSDAY 7PM  Face to Face session at Drayton Parslow Sports and Social Club, 24 boards, finishes 10pm. No host, but do email or text if you need a partner. Bar is open.  

FRIDAY 2PM Face to Face session at Drayton Parslow Sports and Social Club, 18 boards,  finishes 4.30pm You can turn up without a partner for this session as a host is provided. Bar is Open. 

Lessons - Held Term time only.

SUNDAY 7PM - 8.30PM BEGINNERS

MONDAY 7PM - IMPROVERS level 1.

TUESDAY 11.30AM - 1PM IMPROVERS level 3.

TUESDAYS 1.30PM - 3PM IMPROVERS level 2.

WEDNESDAYS 12NOON - 1.30PM IMPROVERS level 4+

WEDNESDAYS 1.45PM - 3.15PM IMPROVERS level 3

THURSDAYS 1.15PM  -2.45PM BEGINNERS

If you are interested in starting lessons then please email abbeybridgelessons@hotmail.co.ukor call/text 07891 586 410, to find out which group is the best option for you. All lessons are £12.50 if you pay for the whole term of lessons or £15 if you wish to pay as you go.