This is a great way to keep your brain active, and to keep in touch with your friends. There are three primary options available, and these are well described on the EBU pages - click here to read.  

The key attributes of the options are

>>    BRIDGEBASEONLINE (BBO) : there are tens of thousands playing BBO each day, and the first EBU games on 17th March had 26 tables and 21 tables and ran smoothly. The cost is $1.5 per 12 boards which is good value and EBU Masterpoints are assigned.  There is a great variety of bridge on BBO, but in the EBU competitions (NEW fast game at 1200, 1400, 1530, 1930 and 2100 hrs daily) the majority are playing Acol and are regular players at clubs in England.  You can turn up as a pair, and singletons can visit the partnership desk or play with a robot. Details on how to play an EBU game are HERE. There is lots of guidance on using BBO available from the EBU - click here - and at the Berwick Bridge Club - click here to view.

>>    BRIDGE CLUB LIVE : you will need a BCL login but there is a free guest facility and a more complete service available for an annual fee. There are very attractive special offers at this moment - read here.  BCL is a friendly club and is based in England, so system familairy will be high. There is also the facility for Bridge Clubs to run their own sections within BCL, and this might be attractive to allow a club's players to keep in touch with each other.

>>    FUNBRIDGE : offers great facilities for playing bridge with robots, and you get an initial allocation of hands when you sign up, but have to pay a small amount per hundred hands thereafter. Robots are sometimes more predictable than humans, but sometimes less so; they bid and play fast.

There are apps available for BBO and FUNBRIDGE on mobile devices, and BCL is also available on phones through a browser.

If you have useful advice or experiences to relate, please email to online@gcba.org.uk and we can share this.

This event started on Monday 30th March, and amonst the 168 (!) teams entered, there seems to be only three two teams based in Gloucestershire, plus two with players we know from Gloucestershire.

In Division Three we have Ashok (capt) & Jack, Garry & Patrick who lost their first match by 6 imps but won their second match; and in Division 10 we have Linda & Steve, Liz & Richard (capt) who won their first match by a whopping 31 imps but lost their next two.  The other players are Claire Robinson who is in a Div One team, and Bryony & Joey who are in the Div Eight team captained by Michael Clark.

You can watch the CBC teams' progress at  Div Three,  Div Ten.

New teams can enter (see EBU website), but I suspect will not get involved until the current series completes on 20th April. Do get yourselves organised.  LATE NEWS: there have been some drop-outs and some new teams will be accepted for the current series - contact charlie@ebu.co.uk

CHELTENHAM BRIDGE CLUB IS CLOSED.  All Monday night bridge is cancelled until further notice, as are squad practices and weekend competitions (County Pairs, Ace of Clubs).

We have declared the County League and the Spring Teams to have completed at their last played session.

We are investigating what GCBA can do in the way of organising on-line bridge games.

The CHELTENHAM CONGRESS due in May 2020 is cancelled, please contact the organisers by email to congress@gcba.org.uk for a refund.

THESE ARE ALL CANCELLED.

[see calendar entries or Events menu for more information]

Saturday 28th March : County Pairs final at CBC at 1100 hrs

Sunday 29th March : Ace of Clubs Final at CBC at 1330 hrs

Sunday 17th May : AGM and Steve Darke Salver (pairs) at CBC at 1330 hrs

TD TRAINING : EBED is running a course for new directors, at Solihull (WMBC) on Tuesday 18th February. It is the first of four monthly sessions leading to an assessment and qualification.

There is lots of learning to be done at the Gloucestershire Youth Bridge - click here for its website.

CHELTENHAM :  The teaching team are starting a new series of lessons starting in September. For more information see the club web site.

GLOUCESTER:  Lessons available on Monday at Gloucester B.C.;  see the GBC website for details.

NEWENT : Starting 27th September 2019 (1850 hrs for 1900).  More details at click here.  EBU qualified teachers, and it runs for two terms.

MALMESBURY (Tetbury & Cirencester) : Robert Cobbold offers "fun and friendly bridge for beginners and beyond.  07526451532" 

TETBURY : Jim Edwards runs lessons as part of the South Cotswolds Bridge Club venture - see the web site.

CHIPPING SODBURY: Lessons start in September after a free taster session on 10th September. - see website

WOTTON-UNDER-EDGE (boundary of South Glos and Glos, NW Wiltshire) : Ian Cooke (accredited EBUTA teacher) offers lessons for beginners, improvers and runs Gentle bridge sessions. Contact details here.

Cotswold Cup : (equal)  Enid Castle & Sybil Davies,  Jonathan Bailey & Stan Powell

Autumn Pairs: John Councer & Mark Rogers

Swiss Teams: Peter Waggett & Mark Rogers, Tony Hill & Alan Wearmouth

Mixed Pairs:  Anne Swannell & Steve Sasanow (Flitch - Wendy & Joe Angseesing)

VIctor Ludorum - Geoffrey Paterson trophy: Mike Wignall

Summer Teams: John Councer & Mark Rogers

Summer Pairs: Joe Angseesing

Please email any external result to results@gcba.org.uk for inclusion here.

Tollemache :  the EBU's inter-county teams of eight event was held over the weekend of 16/17 November. Thirty-six counties played in four groups of nine teams with the leading two teams from each group qualifying for the final in February. Gloucestershire were lying in mid-table after the first day, but a great performance on the Sunday saw them finish in second place to qualify for the final. Well done to Richard Butland, Garry Watson, John Atthey, Claire Robinson, Richard Chamberlain, Patrick Shields, Richard Plackett & Paul Denning.