In response to popular demand, we are launching a new Pairs session in January:

📅 When: Wednesdays, starting 14^th January 2026
🕒 Time: 1:45 p.m. start of play
🎙️ Directors: Chris Hickey and Helen Nightingale (Standby)
🎭 NGS ranking: Open to all
🎁 No. of Boards: 24-27 or thereabouts

There will be a surprise for everyone who plays in this inaugural session!

Dear Members,
As we come to the close of another year, I would like to wish you all a very Happy Christmas and a joyful festive season.
Our popular annual Christmas party last Saturday was a tremendous success. Thank you to everyone who helped, especially Steve, Peter and Robert for their excellent planning and hard work. I would also like to thank all those members who came along and made it such a warm and enjoyable evening.
This year we have cause for much celebration and I am not referring to the fact that Andrew Shields won the Christmas party quiz! Rather, one of our very own Cheltenham Bridge Club teams was crowned winners of the National Interclub Knockout competition (NICKO) earlier this month. On behalf of the club, I would like to congratulate the team for their amazing success in the face of very tough opposition.
Thank you all for your support, friendship and enthusiasm throughout the year. However you choose to spend the festive season, I do hope that you have an enjoyable and relaxing time.
Warmest wishes and season’s greetings,
Sophie

One of the three Cheltenham Bridge Club teams (Richard Chamberlain, Paul Denning, Patrick Shields and Garry Watson - with help from Richard Butland) has won the 2024/2025 EBU National Interclub Knock-Out. This is the first time Cheltenham Bridge Club has won this event, beating the Guernsey BC team in the final (by 105 to 90). This was their best performance since 2017 when the same team lost in the final to Tunbridge Wells, having lost three finals in the decade before that to Southampton, Manchester and Cambridge. Well done team – you’ve done your club proud! 

Alastair Catchpole and Steve Evans are the worthy winners of this year's Championship Pairs competition. They finished in the top spot in 2024 and in third place in 2023 - a tough track record to break! Well done also to this year's runners-up, Roger Eaton and Ted Phillips who took silver, and to Alan Wearmouth and Tony Hill with bronze.

Paul Denning's latest interesting hand is from the Congress Swiss Pairs. Paul shows how to optimise your best chances of extra tricks to make 6NT or more.

And, Roger Schofield answers our first Ask The Experts question about making a difficult 6H from the Monday 8th September downstairs session.

Stop Press: New Tweak to Transform and Play and Discuss sessions announced - be quick these are very popular. The full schedule is available in our new booking system where you can also make a booking.

Whether you are you new to Bridge or wish to refresh your game, Cheltenham Bridge Club offers a wide range of courses for beginners through to experienced players.

Please see our full programme and details of contacts who will help you choose the best path for you

Do you ever play a hand, think you have done really well, and then when you see the results find you are in bottom place?  We know some of you like to study those hands at home, but still end up scratching your heads and wondering what you could have done differently. 

Help is now at hand with our "Ask the Experts" service.  Find it on the club's home page under the "Learn Bridge" menu item.  This will give you instructions on how to use the service.

Once you have sent in your query, an expert Bridge player will get back to you with some answers which will also be published in an Ask the Experts - Answers section (also on the club's home page under the "Learn Bridge" menu item)