This is the website for inter-club duplicate tournaments, held with a 6.35pm prompt start on the 3rd Tuesday of most months at the Athenaeum Club in London's Pall Mall. Dinner is held at around 8.30pm, shortly after the mid-point for the evening's hands.
Members of a St James's or other kindred club wishing to play in these sessions should contact Christina Hemmett at Christina@hellenist.org.uk. Players are requested not to invite professionals as partners.
The Sir Basil Hall Challenge Trophy is awarded to the player with the highest average percentage score over their best five appearances during the season, not more than three of which are with the same partner and subject to a minimum of five appearances. The winner must be a current member of a St James's or kindred club.
The Trophy was keenly contested during the 2022-2023 season with Athenaeum members occupying the top three positions. Geoff Lloyd won by a small margin from Bill Shanahan with John Neilson in third position. The photograph above shows the Trophy being presented to Geoff Lloyd by John Neilson, chairman of the Athenaeum bridge circle, at the annual Christmas Dinner. The latest round in the 2023-2024 competition was won by Tim Smith and Jeremy Willans of the Savile Club with Howard Salter and Colin Freeman of the RAC in second place. Tim has now gone into the lead in this year's race for the Trophy. The next event is scheduled for 21 May.
The pivot teams event, a popular fixture in the Club's bridge calendar, was held on 12 December and won by the home quartet of Rosie Gosling, Jane Plumptre, Charles King-Farlow and Andrew Harris. Getting off to a fast start they held off a strong challenge from the RAC team of Howard Salter, Colin Freeman and Paul and Sally Found to win by three Victory Points and to come away with the champagne prizes. The tournament was directed by Paul Thornton with considerable skill, humour and patience.
|