Congratulations to Pete van Praag & John Treble, winners of this year's Pepys Trophy, our annual Butler scoring competition, held at Bath BC on Tuesday 9th July. Pete & John scored +58 IMPS, just 2 IMPS ahead of runners-up Frances Ind & Jo Seddon.

Congratulations to Ken Littlewood & David Quine, winners of the Aveyard Trophy held at Bath BC on Wednesday 5th June 2019. 

Congratulations to Elaine Taylor, David Jacklin, Vic Holden & Prabir Nandi, winners of the Chairman's Trophy held at Bath BC on 30 May 2019.

A group of 15 old friends from Braunschweig returned to Bath last week on a second Bridge twinning exchange. The previous visit was in 2016. The programme was pretty full and included:
Thursday: reception and game at Bath BC (top)        
Friday: Mayor's reception and sightseeing
Saturday: Swiss Pairs at Bath University
Sunday: Anglo/German Swiss Teams at Bath University (below)
Monday: Game at Queen Square followed by a farewell drinks at the Gin Bar (below) and fish & chips.

We look forward to a return visit to Braunschweig in 2021.

Christine MacFarlane

At last week's AGM, Paul Cooper and Marion Loudoun were made honorary life members of Bath Bridge Club in recognition of the outstanding contributions they have made during their time on the committee. Paul stood down after 4 years as Chairman and Marion after 6 years as secretary. Both played key roles in the successful relocation of the Club from Twerton to Shaft Road, and under their guidance the club has flourished: in addition to our original three evening sessions, we now have two popular morning sessions, an evening education slot and a membership that has expanded to over 300. 

Only two members have previously been made honorary life members: Jim Swan and Pat Davies.

Paul and Marion would like to thank you all for your generosity and support, and now look forward to focusing more on their bridge – and giving you a rotten score at their respective tables.

Chris Jones

Many congratulations to Bath B - Valerie Austwick, James Dunlop, Susie Gall, Trevor Purches, Marianne Lewin, John Perry, Richard Moore and John Treble - who proved the club's selectors wrong by winning the Wiltshire heat of the national teams-of-8 Garden Cities competition. They beat Bath A by 1 VP after a scoring error was discovered.

We wish them luck in the South-west Regional Final on 27th April.

Richard Samter

That was always going to be the headline, as it was an all-Bath BC final. In the event, after a fiercely fought and very enjoyable contest, with the scores neck and neck all the way, the Jones team just edged it over the Bridge team by 9 IMPs. 

Congratulations to the winning team (Pat Davies, James Dunlop, James Green, Ambrose Holmes-Mackie, Chris Jones & John Treble) and commiserations to the runners-up (Stuart Bridge, Susie Gall, Roger Karn & Trevor Purches).

Maureen Mobley

Members will be saddened to learn that Maureen Mobley, a club stalwart for over 50 years, died in her sleep at the weekend. Maureen's bridge heyday was playing the Vienna club system (brought to this country by refugees back in the 30s and still licensed by the EBU) with her great friend Trish Holland and together they won many events, including the Avon pairs and the Wiltshire-Avon Congress pairs. Central to the system was that all hands over 17 points were opened 1NT irrespective of shape: opponents could never cope with that aspect.

Members will fondly recall Maureen's habit of looking at their convention card – this was in wistful memory of the Vienna system and opponents' regular failure to study her convention card.

After Trish's death Maureen played with several partners and enjoyed club success on a regular basis - indeed her last club outing was the day before she died, partnering Angela Gunning.

Maureen was a widow and a retired teacher and leaves three sons to whom we extend our heartfelt condolences.

Roger Karn

Postscript

Maureen's family kindly timed her funeral so that bridge players could toddle off from the wake at Combe Grove direct to the club and that is exactly what a large number of us did. The sons gave heartfelt eulogies to their mother and a granddaughter baked a fitting cake, as you can all see (right). RK

Congratulations to Diane Bishop & John Treble, winners of the Mixed Pairs for the 2018 Swan Trophy held at Bath BC on Thursday 18 October. John Perry & Marianne Lewin were in 2nd place, ahead of Angela Gunning & Keith Harris, who finished 3rd.

Congratulations to Alan Treadway & Liz Roberts, winners of the 2018 Aveyard Trophy, held on Wednesday 6 June, with a score of 62.8% Alastair Spence & Mike Smith came second with 61.3% and Graeme Dalrymple & Barry Morris were in 3rd place with 60.3%.

Congratulations to Prabir Nandi, Vic Holden, David Jacklin & Elaine Taylor, winners of the 2018 Chairman's Trophy teams event held on Thursday 31st May with +84 IMPs.

Congratulations to Marion Loudoun and Rose Rogers, who won the Chairman's Shield on Thursday 22 February following the AGM. Marion and Rose scored 60.5%, finishing just 0.03% ahead of Pat Davies & Taf Anthias in 2nd place and 0.29% above Roger Karn & Stuart Bridge in 3rd.

... where she also won the Seniors Teams with teammates Taf Anthias, Richard Samter and Warner Solomon.

Again, many congratulations!

Many congratulations to Pat Davies, who has received a Diamond Award in recognition of her contribution to International Bridge.

She was presented with the award by EBU Chair Jeremy Dhondy at this year's EBU Seniors Congress in Reading ...

Congratulations to Frances Dewar & Grant Ferrie, winners of this year's Swan Trophy Mixed Pairs with 62.9%. In second place, just 0.8% behind the winners, were Elaine Taylor & Trevor Purches and Judy & Paul Yorke came third with 57.7%.

Table money from the Swan Trophy goes to Dorothy House (not to the British Heart Foundation, as stated in the advance publicity – apologies for the misinformation!) and they will receive the £206 raised at the event. Thanks to all who attended for their support.

Bath BC players put up a good showing at last week's West of England Congress Pairs event. Roger Bendall & Richard Moore were joint 3rd, while Keith Radmall & Barry Shephard finished 7th and Norman Botton & Richard Samter joint 8th.

In Sunday's Teams event, we didn't figure so prominently. Alexander Harding, whose team finished 26th, was our best-placed individual member and our top-ranked all-Bath-BC team, consisting of Stuart Bridge, Roger Karn, Trevor Purches & James Dunlop, finished joint 27th.

Congratulations to John Treble & Richard Moore, winners of this year's Pepys Trophy, which took place at the club on Tuesday 11 July.

The format for the competition is Duplicate Pairs with Butler Scoring, and the winning pair scored +51 IMPS. Keith Radmall & Gavin Bailey in came second with +33 and Anne Hitchin & Rose Rogers were in 3rd place with +20.

Thanks to all who supported this nationwide event on Thursday 13 July. We raised just over £140 for Kidney Research UK.

Congratulations too to Diane Bishop and John Treble, who just beat Trevor Purches & Susie Gall to the top spot with 62.4%.

Eleven bridge players from Bath went on a twinning exchange with Brunswick for four days. The players presented a Bath blue glass bowl, which was well received (above: Judy Spencer presenting bowl to Michael Seiffert, Chairman of Brunswick Bridge & Art Club).

Our group was graciously received by the Mayor in the Nieuw Rathaus (below) and were given a tour of the city. We played at two venues and used Bridgemates, very recently purchased for the twinning visit. There was a problem with scoring during the farewell game so the winner was decided by drawing lots; this was a practice that everyone approved of. The lucky winners were Andrew Clarke and Stephen Moss.

Christine MacFarlane

We're delighted to discover that Bath BC is now one of the top 50 EBU clubs. The 2017 table, which is based on the number of player sessions per year, lists us in 39th place, 18 places higher than we were in 2016 - a bigger jump than any other club in the table. This is clearly related to the new daytime sessions we've been able to add since our move to our new premises, but it also means that our traditional evening sessions are continuing to thrive. 

Well done, everyone!

This year's Portland Bowl has been won by Cambridge B. Bath University's James Green, Oscar Hui, Daniel Kelsall and Soozy Nesom finished in fourth place, having lost in the semifinal to Oxford A and in the 3rd place play-off to Cambridge A.

Commiserations on the loss, but congratulations on getting so far and our best wishes for next year's competition.

Congratulations to the Turner team (Richard Turner, Graeme Dalrymple, Jackie Miller, Heather Spalding, Jan Bailey, Steve Bailey) who have won League 2 with a score of 113 VPs, an average per match of just over 14/20.

Well played!

Many congratulations to Bath BC member Ambrose Holmes-Mackie, who together with partner Shahzaad Natt has won the National section of the Ranked Masters Pairs. Ambrose and Shahzaad scored +138 IMPs, 75 IMPs ahead of the pair in 2nd place.

Also to Keith Harris & Stuart Bridge in coming 4th out of 99 in the Master Pairs.

Congratulations to Bath BC members ...

  Richard Samter and Taf Anthias, winners of the WCBA Championship Pairs final on Sunday 19th Feb with 64.5%

  Pete van Praag, Davor Vukanovic, Terry Butler, Liz Butler, Steve Elliott and May Morgan-Jones, who have won the WCBA League 1 with a game in hand and thus secured promotion to the Premier League next season.

  Richard Samter, Andrew Parkes, Roger Karn, Norman Botton, Roger Bendall and Richard Moore, who have reached the last 16 of the Gerald Faulkner Salver Seniors' event for the 2nd year running. This year they followed up convincing wins in the first two rounds with a close win over a seeded Bristol team, so are now seeded!

  Valerie Austwick and James Dunlop, winners of the AGM Chairman's Cup on Tuesday 7th Feb with 60.5%, just 0.02% ahead of runners-up Pat Davies and Taf Anthias.

The minutes of this year's AGM, which was held on Tuesday 7th February, are now available in the members' section of the website. The main highlights:

♦  A steward is to be appointed to relieve directors and other volunteers of extra duties that are proving burdensome: this will include closing up the premises after evening sessions, provision of refreshments and duplimating. This will entail a rise in table money of £1, which will come into effect from 1st May.

♦  Members also voted to amend Club rule 2.2, to simplify the procedure of applying for club membership. New members can now join immediately on payment of the annual membership fee, subject to the approval of the Committee.

♦  Pat Davies was unanimously voted a Life Member of Bath BC. Many congratulations to her and our thanks for her tireless service to the club over many years.

Congratulations to Hugh Gross and Anne Hitchin, who won the Mixed Pairs for the Swan Trophy on Tuesday 18 October. Chris Chatfield & Jane Portnall were in 2nd place, followed by Steve Elliott & May Morgan-Jones in 3rd.

£168 was raised on the night from table money and extra donations from players, and this will be as always donated to Dorothy House. Many thanks to all those who took part.

Men's Pairs winners

Congratulations to Ambrose Holmes-Mackie and Niall Igoe, who won the Men's Pairs event at the West of England Congress on Friday 30 September.

Congratulations also to Chris and Jan Dixon, winners of the Flitch Trophy in the Championship Pairs event on Saturday 1 October.

Our congratulations to James Green and Alex Lawton, winners of the Brighton Plate for being the top 'non-expert' pair in the Swiss Pairs at the EBU Summer Congress last weekend. James and Alex were the highest placed Bath BC pair, finishing equal 70th in a strong field of 269 pairs.

Congratulations too to James Dunlop, who finished first in the bridge element of last Monday's Bridge & Golf individual event at Eastbourne.

Congratulations to Sriram Chari and Andrew Clarke, winners of this year's Pepys Trophy (Butler Challenge) held on Thursday 14th July with +46. In second place were Liz & Terry Butler with +24 and Jane Portnall & Davor Vukinovac were 3rd with +22. 

To see the full result, click on the event in the Results section, bottom right.

Ccongratulations to Janet Anderson & Liz Doyle, winners of a tightly contested Aveyard Trophy held on Wednesday 8th June with 61%. In second place, just 1% behind the winners, were Jackie & Alan Taylor, and Arnie Whitfield & David Burchell were 3rd with 59.5%. 

The event raised more than £210 for the British Heart Foundation. Many thanks to all those who took part.

To see the full result, click on the event in the Results section, bottom right.

Dear all

I am genuinely overwhelmed by the lovely words and immense generosity of the gift that was ‘anonymously’ dropped off at the shop yesterday. We have just booked a week in Southern Italy in May so I shall use the money to buy us several splendid Italian feasts!

Moving the club has indeed required a lot of time and effort - and I am pleased and proud to have played my part in making it happen. But it really was a team effort and I am immensely grateful for all the hard work put in by both the Committee and the host of volunteers that make the club what it is.  

Hopefully we are now nearly through the teething problem phase and can look forward to the exciting bit of our club development. We have new sessions starting in May and plans for more in the Autumn. Do come along and do spread the message to friends, family and bridge contacts so that these are well supported. And do tell us if you think there are gaps in the clubs bridge offering that might practically be addressed in the foreseeable future.

Once again many many thanks for your very kind words and extremely generous gift.

With very best wishes

Paul Cooper, 22 April 2016