This Wednesday we will open the Club at 4.45pm so we can watch the England vs Congo DR World Cup match starting at 5pm! The caveat to this is that it will be switched off at 6.59pm regardless of whether we're in extra time or worse (penalties), so lets hope England can dispatch DR Congo with some efficiency so we can all concentrate on bridge! (i'll attach my laptop to the projector and have it on the big screen like last time - Sarah.

Abbey will be playing for England in the Mixed Teams European Championships next week!

All matches are 16 board rounds and the first day's matches are against Spain, Germany, Netherlands and Belgium (ouch!). Information on how to watch the play online, when it becomes available, and updates direct from Abbey (including photos), and how the team are doing in this very high level competition, will be on the website and Facebook. Exciting times for Abbey! Abbey will fly to Riga on Monday and start playing on Wednesday. 

Abbey reports 'The flight from Gatwick was delayed 70 minutes because the aircraft was delayed getting to Heathrow to start with, but the pilot said he'd 'fly faster' to make up some time! So we arrived only 40 minutes late, and were met at the airport with our names on a sign, so no need to scramble for a taxi! And my hotel room is spacious and modern which is nice!'

The Abbey Smith Bridge Club has risen by 9 places to 38 out of 50 in the EBU ranking of clubs by player sessions between March 2025 and March 2026. This is fantastic news and a real indicator as to how the club is growing. Thank you to all the players that made this possible by supporting the club year on year! You can look at the full rank list here EBU Top 50 Clubs by Players

*Booking for12th August*

This is the fifth in a series of Master Classes by Abbey at the Abbey Smith Bridge Club and will be about 'hand shapes' - how to use the bidding to count the shape of a player's hand and use the information in card play. Abbey will provide an entertaining and informative mix of teaching, practical advice and exemplar hands, in her own inimitable style.

From 20th June until 28th June 2026 booking is open for ASBC members at £20 pp. From 29th June 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. **Please consider whether you are definitely able to attend before booking** Of course, things happen and you may not be able to make it, but please provide us with as much notice as you can to enable us to fill the place, it would be much appreciated!

The duplicate Weekly Winners at Abbey Smith Bridge Club W/c 22nd June 2026 Congratulations go to:

Allen Duff and Rob Timpson (Monday)

Steve Viney and Martin Flynn (Wednesday)

N/S David and Pat Wood (Thursday am)

E/W Sue Russell and Tricia Russell (Thursday am)

Keith Rickson and Paul Garthwaite (Thursday)

N/S Ralph Holliday and Richard Devas (Friday)

E/W Steve Viney and Stephen Kleppen (Friday)

In May 2026 at the Abbey Smith Bridge Club overall we had 164.5 tables across all sessions and there were 17 different winners! Richard Devas, Ralph Holliday and Stephen Kleppen are tied in first place with two wins each.  Congratulations also go to the following players, in alphabetical order, with a win each: Avril Bates, Eilis Kleppen, Hilary Derbyshire, Jane Milne, Judi Malpass, Keith Rickson, Max Walshe, Paul Garthwaite, Peter Malpass, Philip Derbyshire, Richard Lake, Steve Viney, Sue Russell and Tricia Russell. Well done everyone!