Summer Bridge @ Galway (BBO) is run under the aegis of the CBAI (Contract Bridge  Association of Ireland). and as such awards Masterpoints in accordance with the CBAI Masterpoints scheme.

Masterpoints are awarded to all members of the CBAI and also to members of the other Home Unions, i.e. N.I.B.U (Northern Ireland Bridge Union), E.B.U (English Bridge Union), S.B.U (Scottish Bridge Union), and W.B.U (Welsh Bridge Union), with whom the CBAI has a reciprocal arrangements re awarding of Masterpoints. 

Note that, at present, the CBAI does NOT have a reciprocal arrangement with the ACBL or any other N.B.O (National Bridge Organisation).

The Process:

We keep track of the the Masterpoints won by all players and at the end of the CBAI Season we forward the list of winners together with accumulated Masterpoints to CBAI HQ which in turn will forward to members via their club. In the case of other Home Unions the data is forwarded to the respective HQ.  

What we require from players is the following:

A) CBAI (or NIBU, EBU, SBU, WBU) membership number.

B) Real Name.

C) BBO name...helps to differentiate players that share the same Real Name!!!

If you have not already provided the necessary details to us then please send same via an email to:  galway@bridgewebsemail.com

Note that we also submit Masterpoints in respect of competitions run by Galway Virtual Bridge.  

Closing date for submission of Masterpoints to CBAI is 31st July 2024.

N.B.  Recipients will receive Masterpoints earned during the 2022-2023 season as well as the 2023-2024 season given our inability to process Masterpoints at the end of the 2022-2023 season.

Paul J Scannell, 18th July 2024

RE ROBOTS IN A HUMAN/ROBOT PARTNERSHIP - IMPORTANT - PLEASE READ

Summer Bridge @ Galway and The Sunday Game @ Galway recognise the choice of those players, who, for whatever reason, opt to play with a Robot. While appreciating the clear benefit that this offers to those who choose to play with a Robot we are also aware of the fact that some players have expressed concern about playing against Robots.

We are now about to implement a change to the way in which Robots are used in these Human/Robot partnerships. Specifically, we will implement a change to our competitions which will require the human partner to play all hands that are initially contracted by the Robot. In essence this means that where a Robot is initially deemed to be declarer the human will TEMPORARILY switch place with the Robot partner and will then play the hand. Upon completion of the hand the human and Robot will be re-seated in their original positions for the start of the next hand.

This will happen for each and every hand where a Robot is initially deemed to be the declarer upon conclusion of the auction.

We hope to implement this change ASAP.

Given that this will be a major change from current practice we envisage that some players, especially the Robot's human partner, may initially be confused and not realise that they are declarer and not dummy! Opponents should be alert to this situation and should take the following actions if necessary:

a) Prompt the human via chat to Table (or private message) and remind them that they, and not the Robot, are declarer for this hand. 

b) If the above referenced prompt does not produce the desired response then please contact the TD.

A Human playing with a Robot should be aware that they will automatically declare ALL hands that his/her side contract.

Also, the Human should be aware that their original hand becomes dummy. Declarer may need to re-appraise his/her line of play given the re-orientation that takes place when he/she swaps places with the Robot for the duration of the play, especially if the opponents have.bid during the auction.  

Note:

1) At the start of play the Declarer's screen will now show the Robot's hand at bottom of their display and dummy will be positioned at top of their screen. This means that the Human/Robot hands have been switched and declarer should thus be aware that the defenders hands have also been similarly re-orientated and declarer should accordingly mentally switch any bidding by the opponents.

2) The change will not impact the defenders whose screens should continue to display the original layout with respect to the orientation of the four hands as at the start of the auction.

3) Upon conclusion of the hand the Human Player will be re-seated in the position that they occupied at the start of the round.  

Please note the following screen captures, recorded by Robert Delargy, which illustrate the Human's (Robert) screen during the auction and also at the start of play.

The image above shows Robert in the West seat and his Robot partner has opened 1NT.  Robert made a transfer bid of 2♥  and the Robot bid 2♠  which becomes the final contract.

Robert now assumes the role of declarer and his screen is now reflected by the image above, Note that Robert, as declarer, is now holding the Robot's hand and the defender on declarer's left leads ♥ A. Note also that this defender was originally on Robert's right DURING THE BIDDING, as shown in the first image.

NOTE: The defenders screens will remain the same throughout bidding and play.

Paul J Scannell, 20th August 2022

Recently I was 'kibbitzing' and came across the following gem.

Most E/W pairs reached 3NT making 9-11 tricsk but at 5 tables E/W declared 4H, usually with East as declarer. At 4 of these tables declarer failed to make the contract but the fireworks took place at the fifth table where South Doubled the final contract! As can be seen, declarer appears to have FIVE losers via 2 hearts, 2 diamonds, and ♣ A and N/S looked like they were headed for a huge score on the board. BUT, they reckoned without 'mcgopro' who was at the helm as declarer. Unfortunately, for the defense, South made an opening lead of ♣8 (M.UD...Middle Up Down from three small cards.). North won with ♣A and continued with a club to declarer's ♣K. Declarer now tested the trumps by cashing ♥A and then ♥K, getting the bad news as North discarded  ♠ 4.  Declarer, perhaps getting a slight shock at the adverse trump break briefly took stock and then played three rounds of spades ruffing the third round with dummy's ♥6. Watching live I kept my fingers crossed that declarer would find the right continmaution and mcgopro did just that by leading ♣Q from dummy whilst discarding a small diamond from hand. Declarer then continued with another club winner from dummy and discarded another diamond from hand as South ruffed with ♥9. South belatedly found the diamond switch but declarer rose with dummy's ♦A and continuned with ♣7 whilst discarding his last small diamond from hand. South could ruff with ♥10 but declarer was now left with ♥Q8 whilst South held ♥J, ♦J and thus could not deprive declarer of the last two tricks!

And so decalrer wrapped up ten tricks for a score of +790 and 96%. At another table East scored +1150 for 3NTx+2!

Could the contract have been defeated? Yes...N/S had two chances to beat the contract. An opening diamond lead from South (perhaps unlikely) would have scuttled the contract as N/S would now score at least 1 diamond, 2 hearts, and 1 club. But North also had a chance to beat the contract by switching to a diamond at trick 2. Now N/S will score at least one diamond. North's club continuation assisted declarer by setting up dummy's club winners whilst ♦ A was still available as an entry to the winning clubs. 

Declarer's success in the face of the bad trump break and potentially losing diamonds was to cash both of dummy's top hearts thus leaving ♥6 with which to ruff his third spade and then use the established clubs as secondary trumps, effectively disposing of his diamond losers whilst South had to ruff with master trumps! Note that declarer needs to be able to ruff his losing spade with ♥6 (NOT with ♥A or ♥K which would promote a third trump winner for South) AND then use dummy's winning clubs to discard losing diamonds from hand. Well played declarer. Take a bow! 

Click the link below to replay the hand from trick one to the end....simply click the 'next' option below the hand diagram to move through the play of each card.  

https://tinyurl.com/2jtmyrn

Paul J Scannell, 27th October 2021