The aim of this page is to describe and explain Douglas Bridge Club's competitions.  If after reading this page anything remains unclear please do not hesitate to contact our scorer, David Phillips, on go90davidp@gmail.com.

There are three annual competitions, the Harold Gillings Memorial Player of the Year, the Dolly Banks Cup and the Belmont Salver, the competitions year running from November to October.  There is also a monthly competition, the Player of the Month, and a one off Handicap event, the Lamming Handicap Bowl, usually held in May or June.  All trophies and prizes are awarded at our annual general meeting.

Members need not take any steps to enter the competitions – if they take part in the relevant sessions they will be taken to have entered, unless they opt out.  

The Player of the Month

This is a handicap with a small bias towards those members who play more often.  Members must play in at least three sessions during the month to qualify.

The score for each session is made up of two parts:-

1) One point for attending and playing.

2) The extent to which their percentage score for the session exceeds or falls short of their expected percentage score based on their NGS.  This figure may be negative and there is no rounding.  The relevant figures are taken from the EBU website. Go to MyEBU, and click on the link under the heading “Description”.  This brings up a table, and the relevant figures are in the column on the far right.

Scores for all sessions during the month are totalled , and the winner is the member with the highest total.  The winner receives a certificate as well as a free session.

The Player of the Year

This is 50% achievement and 50% improvement.   Members must play in at least 24 sessions a year to qualify. 

Achievement section scores are calculated by awarding three points for achieving first place in a session, two points for achieving second, and one point for achieving third.   In the event of a tie, the available points are split evenly.

Improvement section scores are calculated as for the Player of the Month (see above) except that no points are awarded for attending and playing. 

In both sections, the points are totalled for the year and the qualifying members are then ranked accordingly.  The winner of the Achievement Section is awarded the Tregullow Cup and the winner of the Improvement Section the Improvers Trophy, both trophies to be held for one year. 

To determine the Player of the Year, points are awarded according to each qualifying member's ranking in the two sections, the lowest ranking qualifying member in each section receiving one point (for that section), the next lowest ranking, two points, and so on.  The members' points for both sections are then totalled and the member with the highest score is the winner.

At present, the winner receives a prize of £80, the second placed member £60, the third placed member £40 and the fourth placed member £20. 

The Dolly Banks Cup

This is for partnerships and is not a handicap.   Only scores achieved in the first Tuesday session of each month count. 

The score achieved for any session is the percentage score shown on the Douglas Bridge Club and EBU websites.

The winning partnership is the one that achieves the highest score after totalling their best six 'Dolly Banks Cup' sessions during the competition year.

The winners receives the Dolly Banks Cup to hold for one year, and free membership for one year.

The Belmont Salver

This is for individuals, and is not a handicap.   Only scores achieved in the third Thursday session of each month count. 

The score achieved for any session is the percentage score shown on the Douglas Bridge Club and EBU websites.

The winning individual is the one that achieves the highest score after totalling their best six 'Belmont Salver' sessions during the competition year.

The winner receives the Belmont Salver to hold for one year, and free membership for the following year.

The Lamming Handicap Bowl

This one session event is for partnerships.  Handicapping is based on NGS immediately prior to the session.   The winners are the members with the highest score after handicapping, and hold the Lamming Handicap Bowl for one year.