Membership

Sincethe last newsletter there have been three more new members and so the club now has 107 members.  One of our members, Margery Hopkinson, has very recently left the area to live with her daughter.  I am pleased to report that, in view of her many years of support for the club, the committee has awarded her an Honorary Life Membership of the club. We hope that she will be able to follow the progress of the club with these newsletters.  We wish her well in her new home.

Congratulations are due to one of our members, John Wilcox, who has been elected Chairman of the Leicestershire Contract Bridge Association. We wish him well in his new role.

Competitions

Winners of the club competitions so far this season are as follows:

Criddle Cup                             John Wilcox and Malcolm Dawson 

Christmas Bridge Drive          Andy Brown and Joan Benton

Jubilee Bowl                            Bill Ball and Dean Benton

RBL Cup                                 Bill Ball

Captain's Cup                         Robert Missenden and George Strang

Charlie Hall Trophy                 Pat Dunham, Gavan Mitchell, Betty Vos (three-way tie)

Knockout Plate                       Robert Missenden and George Strang

The leading scores in this season's Stanley Trophy to the middle of June (with only five duplicate sessions before the end of the season) are:

Joan Benton                            44 points

Malcolm Dawson                    41

Geoff Haywood                      41

Don James                             40

Pat Dunham                            39

There was a simultaneous pairs event on 6 June organised by County Bridge Clubs to celebrate its 50th anniversary.  Derek Steeple and Shelagh Rumbelow were fourth overall.

The Knockout Plate has been won by Robert Missenden and George Strang who beat Phil Holdsworth and Malcolm Dawson in the final.

Teams

Since the last newsletter the results for the Ateam have been:

Loughborough University A    lost 10-2

Westcotes                               lost11-1

Loughborough A                     lost8-4

The A team, with a record of won 3, drew 1 and lost 8, finished the season in bottom place in Division 2 of the Leicestershire leagues.

Since the last newsletter the results for the B team have been:

Glenfield C                              won 10-2

Loughborough B                     lost8-4

The B team, with a record of won 4, drew 1 and lost 5, finished the season in third place in Division 5 of the Leicestershireleagues.

Our thanks are due to the A team captain, Malcolm Dawson, and the B team captain, Colin Dobson, for their work during the season.  A total of 26 players have played team bridge this season.

County Events

Colin Dobson and Richard Shadrack were 4th in the Buckby Cup and won the non-expert prize.  Ann Potterton and Margaret Shadrack were 11th in the Olga Cup.   

John Wilcox and Malcolm Dawson represented the club in the Hyman Crammer Trophy.  They came 10th against very strong opposition.

We have three teams of four in the Samani Salver handicapped knockout tournament, which is aimed at players who have played in the Leicestershire leagues during the season. The team representing the A team has won its first round match.  The other two teams, representing the B team, having lost their first round matches, are now playing in the Samani Plate.

Website

The club has a new website that can be found at:

https://www.bridgewebs.com/ashby/.    

Playing Cards

We will be buying new playing cards on a mor eregular basis in the future.  An order for 60 new packs of playing cards has been placed.  If you want any of the old sets of cards (at no cost to you) please speak to Pat Dunham. 

Average Age

A poll of 55 club members showed an average age of 68 years and 9 months.  The results will be published in Mr Bridge's magazine in August. Richard Shadrack has received a prize from Mr Bridge for being the club member closest to the average.

Bridgemate

Four of our members, Colin Dobson, Dean Benton, Malcolm Dawson and Phil Holdsworth visited Belper Bridge Club to take part in one of their normal duplicate bridge sessions. They went there to look at the Bridgemate scoring system whereby the scores are entered into a computer system at the tables and so the evening's results are known immediately after the last board has been played.  They reported that the system is very good but felt that it was too expensive for Ashby Bridge Club and there would be issues regarding the storage of computer equipment in the Cottage.

AGM

The date for the AGM is Monday 11 July at 7pm.  The AGM will be followed by duplicate bridge (no partner required). Members are reminded that subscriptions are due from the date of the AGM.  To help the Treasurer could members pay by cheque or, alternatively, put a five pound note in an envelope marked with their name.  The committee is recommending no change in the subscription rate. 

Annual Dinner

The annual dinner and presentation evening will take place on Friday 23 September at Willesley Park Golf Club.  The provisional cost of the dinner will be £13.  Members may bring partners or spouses with them.  Those who have attended the club dinners at the golf club will know that we are looked after very well there and it is always a good night.   

Reflections From The Table

Four issues of Reflections From The Table have been emailed to members since the last newsletter. The subjects have been - Richard Gets His Top (a hand bid and played well), Be Nice to your Partner (murder at the bridge table), Careless Play Costs Match Points (don't play too quickly) and It Pays to be Deceptive (think about fooling your opponents into the wrong play).

Help the Scorer

You can make the Scorer's job easier by making yourentry on the traveller as neat and clear as possible.

Common errors include:

1.  No entry for the EW pair number or the wrong number.

2.  Writing the score on the wrong line ie the wrong NS pair number.

3.  Calculating the wrong score or not matching the result (+1, -1 etc) with the score entered.

4.  Writing N or W so they look alike or omitting the declarer altogether.

5.  Putting the score on the wrong side ie EW instead of NS

6.  Forgetting the x for double in the contract box.

7.  Crossings out which make the score illegible.

8.  Forgetting to put pair number and names on the back of the first traveller.

In addition to avoiding these errors, you should just enter the lead as S, H, D or C (no need for x as it usually looks like a K), unless the lead is an honour, which can be shown as AS, KH, QD, JC, etc.  In the tricks column insert -1 or +1, etc or a tick, rather than the number of tricks taken. 

If you can do this, it will avoid the Scorer having to guess the relevant score, or worse, invent one!

Master Point Promotions

Since the last newsletter the following Master Point Promotions have been announced by the EBU:

Geoff Haywood          Advanced Master

Don James                 Advanced Master

Derek Steeple             Area Master

Mike Coke                  Club Master

James Crotty              Club Master

Ann Potterton              Club Master

Gavan Mitchell            Local Master

Shelagh Rumbelow    Local Master

Robert Stokes             Local Master

Our congratulations go to all of the above.

George Strang