Inter Club Fixtures 2025/26

Division A

12th October 2025 Durham A - Away

Despite having topped Division B by a commanding 19 Victory Points last season, Bishop Auckland are very much the minnows of the top Division with all four of the other clubs having multiple teams in the League. Indeed Brunton have two sides in the top Division and they were pitted against each other in this the first week of the new campaign whilst Bishop made the relatively short trip to Framwellgate Moor to face a strong Durham A side. With a small squad from which to choose and players unavailable, the team was comprised of two regular partnerships in Audrey Bainbridge, captaining the side for the first time with John Dobson and Brian Myers partnering Malcolm Dawson, while the other two partnerships of Roger Carpenter and John Portwood and Allan and David Blackett were relatively untested pairings. However with six of the Bishop team regulars at Durham Bridge Club, this was no trip into the unknown.

And as it turned out this was to be a tight encounter with the slimmest of margins - Durham A finishing only 2 IMPs ahead. However, when converted to Victory Points this translates as a 10 all draw.

The first set of eight boards produced a few minor swings. On Board 3 only Malcolm and Brian got a positive score for Bishop by defeating the opponent's 4 Club contract by one trick. The visiting E/W Pairs both tried the minor suit game and two off vulnerable was sufficient to give Durham 6 IMPs. The next board was no better with the home team chalking up another 7 IMPs with one E/W making a 3NT contract when 5Ds elsewhere went off. However Bishop managed a few plus scores of their own and were only losing by three IMPs at the change.

The next stanza went Bishop's way however, with Boards 13 and 15 showing different ways to earn 14 IMPs - one each way. On Board 13 one Durham Pair bid a small slam in Diamonds. A long time ago someone once said "When God deals you an Ace King it's so you don't have to think about the opening lead!" Unfortunately the hand with Ace and King of Hearts was not on lead and with partner not leading the suit, the slam made. With two 3NT contracts cancelling each other the slam gave Durham the big swing. But two Boards later, the visiting N/S pairings made up for this, when Brian made a 6H slam contract and John and Audrey defeated a doubled 5D contract by six tricks for a combined total of 2,830 points and though the other Durham pairings both made Major suit games with overtricks, this time it was 14 IMPs the other way and with Bishop picking up IMPs on five of the other six boards this set of eight went the way of the visitors by 23 IMPs. 

The match swung again with the third set of eight, Durham taking that stanza by 27 IMPs. Modesty (or embarrassment) prevents me from naming the Bishop North who miscounted his hand and opened the bidding with seven points, then ended up in game, doubled and vulnerable and going five off for -1400!  Although that hand went for 15 IMPs, a little redemption was gained two boards later with both Bishop N/S pairs doubling the opponents' 5 Club contract and scoring +500 on both tables and thirteen Imps back. However 10 IMPs were lost on both 18 and 19 and going into tea the score stood at 30-23 to Durham.

A steady last round with no Major swings saw Bishop pull back to within 2 IMPs and the 10-10 final result.

Thanks to all who played: Audrey Bainbridge (capt) & John Dobson; Malcolm Dawson & Brian Myers; John Portwood & Roger Carpenter; Allan Blackett and David Blackett.

16th November 2025 Brunton B - Home

14th December 2025 Darlington A - Away

18th January 2026 Brunton A - Home

1st March 2026 Stannington A - Away