We are very sad to report the death of Elena Jeronimidis on 22 September 2020.  Elena was a member of the county association for many years and had served on the committtee.  She was also a member of several clubs in the area and, despite her health problems, was playing regularly until early August.

Elena edited a number of bridge publications, including English Bridge from 2007 to 2015, for which she was made a life member of the EBU.  There is a 2013 biography of Elena on the EBU website https://www.ebu.co.uk/biographies/elena-jeronimidis

She will be sadly missed and we send our condolences to her husband, Giorgio, and the rest of the family,

Elena's funeral will be on Friday 2nd October at 2.30 pm at the Reading Crematorium. Family only to attend in person given the limit imposed by the social rules and also according to Elena's wishes. However, for those who wish, the service will be available on stream. Please click here Elena Details.pdf for the necessary link 

The County is delighted to announce it will be holding the following on-line events for the 2020-2021

using the

Bridge Base On-Line Platform.

For further information and entry forms please click on the events below.

The County Teams Championship is a knock-out competition running throughout the season.  It is the premier teams competition in County's calendar, and the winners will be invitited to represent the County in the Pachabo Cup, if it is played (the EBU's inter-counties of four competition).  Open only to players whose primary allegiance is to BBCBA.  

All Matches will be played with rules as last year other than for this season, all matches will be played on BBO and there will be 2 stanzas of 12 boards each. There will be no entry charge. The home team captain will be responsible for setting up the match on BBO, this is a relatively easy exercise and is currently free. Team captains who wish to enter please send an entry to Mike Ribbins (p@ribbins.co.uk). Entries will close on the 14th of September 2020

The Brown Cup is the County League for Teams of Four. It cannot take place in its usual form whilst we are unable to play face-to-face.  Instead, if there is sufficient interest, we hope to run a simpler online teams of 4 league.

The outline arrangements will be as follows:

• Entry will be free

• The matches will be held on BBO between October 2020 and April 2021

• Teams may have up to six players. Each player should be registered with the League Secretary before they take part in a match

• Matches can be held at any time of day that is agreeable to both teams (and may be held over more than 1 day)

• Results will be recorded on the EBU’s League Management System

• There will be no prizes

• If there are sufficient entries the league will be divided into divisions, with the allocation to divisions decided by the competitions sub-committee

You can enter in the simplest possible way by sending details of players, with their EBU number, by email to bobdowdeswell@virginmedia.com.
Please indicate who will be captain and supply their email address and phone number(s). The deadline for entries is September 20th. 

This league is seen as a single season replacement for the Brown Cup with that competition resuming, we might hope, in September 2021.

The county does not plan to run the league of 8 in its usual form whilst we are not able to play face-to-face.  Instead, if there is sufficient interest, we hope to run a simpler online inter-club teams of 8 league.

The outline arrangements will be as follows:

• Entry will be free
• Clubs may enter as many teams as they wish – but please note that individual players may only represent one team
• The matches will be held on BBO between October 2020 and April 2021
• Matches can be held at any time of day that is agreeable to both teams (and may be held over more than 1 day)
• Before a match, captains will assign their best 2 pairs to their “A” team and the other 2 pairs to their “B” team – these formations to be held throughout the match
• Each match will consist of 2 team of 4 matches of 24 boards between the “A” teams and the “B” teams (the two matches do not play the same boards) with a break and change of opponents after 12 boards
• The IMP results from the 2 matches will be added together and then converted to VPs 
• Results will be recorded on the EBU’s League Management System
• There will be no prizes
• If there are sufficient entries the league will be divided into divisions, with the allocation to divisions decided by the competitions sub-committee

Club secretaries have been invited to nominate teams for the event by 13 September.

34 teams of eight representing 19 clubs competed in the 4 divisions of our league over the 2019/20 season.  Scores for matches that had not taken place before lockdown were assigned according to the rules. 

The final results were:

Div 1 (10 teams): Burnham A won with 122 VP (out of possible 180); joint runners up were Reading A and New Amersham A on 115 VP

Div 2 (10 teams): Loddon Vale A won in style with 137 VP; runners up were Burnham B on 113 VP

Div 3 (9 teams): Amersham CC B won with 114 VP (out of possible 160); runners up were Tessa Templeton Bridge School A on 106 VP

Div 4 (5 teams playing each other twice): Austenwood B won with 98 VP (out of possible 160); close behind were Chalfont B on 96 VP. 

Well done to all those who played. 

We were sad to learn of the death of Steve Lee this week.  Steve played, taught and Directed at many of our affiliated Clubs for many years and also took part in many of the County Events.  He will be missed by his bridge friends and colleagues throughout the county.  

Congratulations to Mary's Berries - Gary Jennison (captain), Alan McBride, Elena McBride and Sally Tilleray - on winning the Graduate League for the second year running, so retaining the Margaret Hatch trophy. All five teams in the League won at least one match and the four newcomer teams gave Mary's Berries a run for their money, with Elaine Rushforth's Ruff and Ready (who won the Student's League the previous year) in second place.

Mary's Berries were taught by Mary Sharp (hence the team name) and Ruff and Ready by Rob Wilkinson.'