A number of BBCBA members enjoyed success in the Essex & Herts GP Weekend. The unstoppable Ed Scerri & Chris Burley won the Swiss Pairs in a 45 table field, and Richard Bowdery, Paula Hopkinson, Callum McKail and Nigel Wolfendale  (all playing with non-BBCBA partners) were all among the top 15 pairs.   In the Swiss Teams, Heather & Matthew Tan came 4^th and Tara & Stan Harding were joint 6^th (all playing with non-BBCBA members) in a field of 41 teams.   The best all-BBCBA team was Ed Scerri, Chris Burley, Dick Davey and Bill Charlwood.    Well done to everyone!

The worthy winners of Perkins Cup, with a great score, were , Ed Scerri, Bill Charlwood, Dick Davey and Chris Burley.   Runners-up were Stan & Tara Harding, Callum McKail and Nigel Wolfendale.   The event was played on one of the hottest afternoons of the year, with even higher temperatures indoors.     Well done to all.

In the break of the Perkins Cup, the county AGM and the annual prize giving were held.   Division 1 of the League of Four (the Brown Cup) was won by Chris Burley’s team.    Outstanding winner of Lof8 was New Amersham A, with New Amersham B as runners up, and the Club Chairman Dick Davey received deserved applause.  The County Teams Championship was won by Peter Hawkes’ team (but as no one from that team was playing in Perkins Cup the trophy was not presented).

Coming into the Perkins Cup, Chris Burley and David Beever were joint leaders of the Victor Ludorum.     By winning the Perkins Cup ahead of David Beever, Chris Burley secured his place as winner of the 2012-13 Victor Ludorum competition.    Well done Chris.   And commiserations to David.

Pat Dowdeswell, our GP organiser, and Mike Ribbins, our treasurer, achieved a splendid runners up place out of 84 pairs competing in the EBU's Summer Seniors.  Very well done, indeed!   And it was a good weekend for "Nigels".   Nigel Marlow & Nigel Lancaster came 9^th in the A final; and Cathy Rowland with Nigel Wolfendale ended up in 13^th place.     In the B final, David Beever & Steve Gore  had two enjoyable days - firstly, driving down to Eastbourne in David’s convertible on Friday, and then being in the lead after two sessions on Saturday and ending up in a very respectable 3^rd place.    In the Swiss Teams, Bob Holder & Phil Thornton made up half of the team in 2nd place, and Heather & Matthew Tan were half of the 13th team in a field of 71 teams.   Well done.

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  Swiss Teams 2013
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  Swiss pairs 2013

Firstly, thanks to Pat Dowdeswell for all her work in organising the GP Weekend - the success of which was demonstrated by the 106 pairs competing in the Swiss Pairs on the 1st day and 46 teams competing in the Swiss Teams on the 2nd day..
The Swiss Pairs event was won by Chris Burley & Ed Scerri - seen here with the Anders Wallen Trophy.     Runners-up were Gad Chadha & Roger Mapp, with Helen Wildsmith & Tim Chanter in 3rd place.
In the Swiss Teams event, the top 4 teams were all within 2 VPs of each other.    The winners of the Richard Palmer Memorial Trophy were Bob Holder, Sandra Belcher, David Owen & Phil Thornton,  and the runners-up (tied on VPs) were Celia & Derek Oram and Dee & Peter Lindon. 
Congratulations to all.
We are hoping to see all the players again next year (21^st and 22^nd June).

Well done to Celia & Derek Oram on winning the Swiss Pairs Green Point event on the first day of the Oxfordshire Bridge Association Congress.   108 pairs competed.
And to Charles King-Farlow, Bruce Leslie, Jane Davies & Stephen Gore on winning the Swiss Teams GP event on the second day in which 45 teams took part.

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  Graduate league winners
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  Student league winners

The trophies for the winners of the 2012-13 Student League and Graduate League were presented at the Pro-Am event (see below) by Laurie Champniss and Nigel Thompson.    The Student League was won by Mary Pace, Pauline Priest, Anne Siddell & Sue Gammage. The Graduate League was won by Marilyn Halton, Philippa Goss, Joyce Heath, Sue Stabler, Paddy Walker Taylor & Laura Walker Taylor (not in the picture).      Well done to all.

Twelve student and graduate teams competed in the annual Pro-Am  teams competition to mark the end of the two league seasons.     Student players were partnered by a pro.    The event was won by Carolyn Leventon, Joyce Heath,Sue Stabler & Darina Scott.      Well done to all who took part in the event and in the two leagues.     We look forward to seeing you all at future county events.

The Corwen Trophy, the EBU competition for the leading pairs of County Pairs Championships, was played over 1-2 June.    97 pairs competed and the highest ranked pair representing BBCBA was Dick Davey & Chris Burley finishing 17^th in the very strong field.    Very well done to them as well as to Nigel Marlow & Steve Gore and Heather & Matthew Tan.

Congratulations to Nigel Wolfendale & Harvey Bengen (with two Hants players) on winning the Welsh Senior Teams Championship held in Newport on 26th May.

Surprisingly few players from BBCBA participated in EBU’s Midweek Congress in Oxfordshire. David Patterson & Brian Geary came 11^th of 80 pairs in the Championship. They were the best ‘B category’ pair in the stratified ranking. In Swiss Teams, Addis Page, Liz Hayton, Wilma Reed & Tony Parkinson finished 6^th. Nigel Wolfendale with team mates from other counties came 7^th. Our Green Point Organiser Pat Dowdeswell played with our treasurer Mike Ribbins together with Mike Wenble & James Chapman and finished in 9^th place.

Liz Clark & Elaine Lloyd are presented with the Finchampstead Plate by Colin Harris - President of Finchampstead BC - on winning the Friendly Pairs event held at SBBC on Sunday 19th May in which 26 pairs took part.    Runners-up were Rosemary Selby & Gwen Western, with Heather Perry & Angela Flintoft in 3rd place.    The "Non-Expert" prize went to Trevor & Barbara Hobson.   Well done to all.

Well done to Peter Hawkes, Tim Rees, Ian Reissmann, John Howard, Mike Perkins and Andy Bowles on their 3rd place in the Final of the 2013 Crockfords Cup.

After winning Division 1 of the B&B League of 8 (with a staggering average of 18VP), New Amersham A will be competing in the Regional Final of the Garden Cities Trophy to be played at Richmond BC on Saturday 18th May.    We wish them Good Luck.

Ed Scerri & Chris Burley (Richards BC) won the Club Pairs Championship (the Waller Bowl) for the 2nd year running - as well as taking the prize for the 1st Session.     Nigel Marlow & David Beever (Burnham) were overall runners up - and topped the 2nd Session.     Accordingly, the prize for the 2nd Session went to 2nd placed Paul Dolphin & Steve Lynch (Lane End).    Rob Wilkinson & Colin Johns (Bourne End) took the "Non-Expert" prize.   371 pairs had competed in the heats, and 58 pairs competed in the final.     Well done to all.

Berks & Bucks players are doing well in various current national competitions.
Peter Hawkes, Andy Bowles, John Howard, Mike Perkins, Tim Rees & Ian Reissmann  are through to the last eight in the Crockfords Cup.
Dee & Peter Lindon and Celia & Derek Oram (beating the 2nd seeded team by 11 Imps) and Sally Brock & Barry Myers (playing withTaf Anthias & Chris Dixon) and Colin Simpson & Tim Rees (playing in a Suffolk team) have all won through to the 4th round of the prestigeous BGB Gold Cup.
Carole Mueller, Kevin Elstow, Herb Mueller & Victor Savage are in the final of the Hubert Phillips Plate.
Heather & Matthew Tan, Eleanor Rice & Stuart Strachan are in the last eight of the Crockfords Plate.
      Well Done to all, and Good Luck in the rest of the competitions.

David Owen & Charles Chisnall - overall winners of the Seniors Pairs - are presented with the Director's Cup by the event host Chris Burley.    Runners up were Len Handley & Addis Page; "Veteran" winners were Mike Miller & Derek Cook; and David Jukes & Tony Williams won the "Non-Expert" prize.    Well done to all.

Well done to the top Berks & Bucks players in the British Spring Sim Pairs
8th April:   Pamela Langford & Tricia Pruden (Lane End) - 31st out of 720 pairs
9th April:   Thomas Cullen & Grace Swaffield (Finchampstead) - 37th o/o 1,001 pairs
10th April:  Jane Brown & Colin Wroath (Chalfont) - 9th o/o 1,107 pairs
11th April:  Sam Botfield & Peter Parsons (Reading) - 1st o/o 628 pairs
12th April:  Steve Lynch & Paul Dolphn (Hazlemere) - 3rd o/o 167 pairs

David Patterson & Brian Geary were the winners of the Reg Capewell Memorial Cup in the Men's Pairs Championship held at Windsor (concurrently with the Ladies Championship - see below) on 7th April.     Runners up and winners of the 2nd session were Peter Lindon & Derek Oram.  The 1st session winners were David Owen & Steve Gore.    Well done to all.    16 pairs competed.

Congratulations to Jane Davies & Sandra Belcher on winning the Chairman's Cup in the Ladies Pairs Championship held at Windsor on 7th April.    Runners up were Joan Murphy & Pauline Serby.   1st session winners were Evelyn Crossley & Mary Hughes; and 2nd session Dory Thompson & Elaine Taylor.  12 pairs competed.

In the Final of the Club Teams Championship, New Amersham team of David Beever, Chris Burley, Stephen Gore and Callum McKail were the worthy winners of the Committee Cup after a storming second half.     New Amersham also took the runners up position with their team Dee & Peter Lindon and Celia & Derek Oram.     Well done, guys!

Well done to top BBCBA players in the EBU Ranked Masters and Masters events played over 3-4 March:
Grand Masters: Ed Scerri and Steve Eginton     3^rd of 36
                                 Heather & Matthew Tan     8^th of 36.
Premier Life Masters: John Greenhalgh and James Bond    5^th of  26
Life Masters:   Nigel Wolfendale and Cathy Rowland   2nd of 27
Masters:    Chris Tucker and Tony Aston   3rd of 83

WELL DONE to the Berks & Bucks team - Sally Brock, Barry Myers, Ed Scerri, Gary Jones, Tim Rees, John Howard, Andrew Murphy& Richard Bowdery and NPC Dick Davey.    A resounding win - 35 points clear of the runners-up.
Click for Final Results Tables.

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  Flitch Winners
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  Mixed Pairs Winners

Congratulations to Carole & Herb Mueller on winning the Mixed Pairs Cup (as well as being winners of the 1st Session).     Runners-up were June Booty & Barry Read.     The BBL Cup for the highest placed married pair (behind the overall winners) was won by Dee & Peter Lindon.     The winners of the 2nd Session were Evelyn Crossly & Bob Kozlowski, and the Non-Expert Prize was won by Janet Allan & Colin Dale.     Well done to all.

David Green & David Calcutt are presented with the the Rex Avery Trophy by Sue Brown after their win in the County Pairs Final played at Windsor on Sunday 3rd February.    Runners up were Dick Davey & Chris Burley.    This is the County's premium pairs event, and the top 4 pairs will be invited to represent the County in the Corwen Trophy (the Inter-County Pairs Championship) which will be played in June.   Well done to all.

The County Pairs Platecompetition, played concurrently with the Final,  was won by Steve Lynch & Paul Dolphin.    However, the latter pair did not play in the qualifying competition, so the Chris Burley Trophy was won by the close runners-up - Michael Green & Chris Shambrook - here being presented with the Trophy by Chris Burley.   Congratulations to both pairs.

Richard Porter & Trevor Passby are presented with the Pat Husband Trophy by BBCBA Chairman Anders Wallen on winning the Friendly Swiss Pairs held at SBBC on Sunday 27th January.     Runners up were Clive Lewis & Derek Cook, and the Non-Expert Prize went to George Wawman & David Ross (who came 4th).    Well done to all.

Note to all "Experts":   2 of the top 4 places were taken by "Non-Experts".    There has to be a message there somewhere!

In a very strong field of 47 teams, playing 13 matches over two days, Ed Scerri
partnering Jerry Harouni & Celia and Derek Oram, finished 8^th after winning all their matches on Sunday.    Very well done!

The British Winter Sim Pairs was held on each day during the week commencing 7^th January. Steve Barrow and Martin Osborn, Finchampstead Bridge Club, were very successful by being runners up, out of 1407 competing pairs, in the Tuesday competition.

The Tony Boothroyd Plate at the Friendly Pairs event played at SBBC on 9th December was (rather embarrasingly) won by the event organiser John & Nicky Pendered.    Closely placed runners-up were Janet Allen & Colin Dale, and the Non-Expert prize was won by last year's event winners Trevor Passby & Richard Porter.   Well done to all.

Carole & Herb Mueller with Phil Thornton & David Perkins comfortably won the Swiss Teams event on Sunday 2^nd December to regain Carole Mueller Trophy.   The event was excellently run by Martin Lee and took place at New Windsor Community Association in a nice atmosphere despite the early start.   During the interval everyone enjoyed a complimentary glass of wine. Or two.

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  Butler Pairs NE Winners 25Nov12
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  Butler Pairs Winners 25Nov12

Well done Sharon Bayne & Paul Gibbons on winning the Jarrett Cup at the Butler Pairs event held at SBBC on Sunday 25th November out of an entry of 38 pairs.     Congratulations also to the runners-up Joan Murphy & David Beever and to Rod Plank & Dave Mullen who were the highest placed "Non-Experts".

Many clubs thoughout Berks and Bucks are supporting Children in Need this week by running Sim Pairs events.
High placed B&B members were:
Friday      Barbara Jones & Judie Devoy (Beaconsfield BC)    19th of 835 pairs
Monday     Evelyn Crossley & Robin Gardiner (Burnham BC)    3rd of 2,423 pairs
Tuesday     Martin Osborn & Steve Barrow (Finchampstead BC)    31st of 2,063 pairs
Wednesday   Brian Geary & David Patterson (Risborough BC)     1st of 1,995 pairs
                        Olive & Graham Watts (Lane End BC)     6th of 1,995 pairs 
Thursday       Mike Webley & Mike Wenble (Aylesbury BC)    29th of 1,712 pairs

EBU’s Seniors Congress was played the first weekend in November in Daventry. Chris Mooney and Kevin Elstow not only played very well and steadily during the Qualification heat and the Semifinal of the Pairs to end up in 8^th place in the Final from a total field of 98 pairs, but also rounded of the weekend by winning the Swiss Teams (together with two non-BBCBA players)  .  Derek & Celia Oram gained 1st place in the Consolation Final.    Well done.

BBCBA are very grateful for a generous donation given in the memory of Liz Mitchenere, a bridge player from Gerrards Cross, to support Minibridge in Primary Schools.    Liz was very much looking forward to starting to teach Minibridge at primary schools in her area, but died suddenly this summer.    We will spend the money wisely and Peter Mitchenere will be involved in discussing ideas and decision making.

EBU’s very well organised Autumn Congress was played over 19^th – 21^st October in Stratford with many participating players from B&B.    In the prestigious Two Stars Pairs final Richard Bowdery and his partner were runners up.   In a very close teams final for the Eastbourne Bowl, Derek & Celia Oram and Dee & Peter Lindon were runners up in a 59 team field. Well done all!

Congratulations to Derek & Celia Oram on winning the Denys Jenkins Cup in the Swiss Pairs event held on Sunday 14th October.     Runners up were Sue Dickens & David Beever.   The 1st session was won by Mary Hughes & David Owen; the 2nd session by Heather & Matthew Tan; and  Roslyn Foxwell & Susan Hegi were the best "Non-Expert" pair.     34 pairs took part - making it a very successful first event of the 2012-13 season.

Chris Moir & Richard Donnelly, playing at Chalfont BC, came top out of 1,472 pairs nationally in the British Autumn Simultaneous Pairs played on Wednesday 10th October.   Chris Tucker & Tony Aston, playing at Watford & Bushey BC, came top in the Friday event.    And Ann Lewis & Ian Adnams, at Finchampstead BC, came 7th in the Tuesday event. 
Last month, Gwen Western & David Horan, playing at Lane End BC, came 2nd in the EBU Autumn Sim Pairs played on Wednesday 12th September.
Well done to all.

We are delighted to announce that Tom Garrett has been awarded one of the EBU's prestigious Dimmie Fleming Awards for 2012.    The awards are made for services to bridge, and specifically to publicly recognise those who have worked hard promoting bridge locally at County and Club level.    The award was presented at the EBU's AGM on 3rd October.

We regret that the new Handbook gives the wrong holders of the GP Swiss Teams trophy and omits the holders of the GP Swiss Pairs trophy.    We apologise to the Swiss Teams holders - David Beever & Robin Gardiner, Nigel Marlow & Stephen Gore - and to the Swiss Pairs holders - Debbie Roberts & Geoff Nicholas.   The website copy of the handbook (menu on left) has been corrected.