The EBU Year End Congress was run at the new venue of Dunkenhalgh Hotel, nr Blackburn. Well done in the Swiss Pairs to Jeff Smith/Jackie Pye (2nd), Stuart Clark & Bill Carr (6th) and Nick & Sue Woodcock (8th) and in the Teams to Jeff Smith/Jackie Pye (2nd with Alan & Kath Nelson),  Austin Barnes, Rod GreenHalgh, Des King, Stuart Norris (3rd), Bill & Liz Wattleworth, Ewart Evans,Anthony Butler (4th). Full results available on EBU Website at: http://www.ebu.co.uk/results#177

Well done to the Lancashire Team that played in the Tollemache Qualifier held at the Holiday Inn, Birmingham over the 22/23 November 2014. The team finished second to Kent in Group B and thus qualifies for the Final. The Team was A.Barnes/S Norris, B Alston/C Mitchell, P Hepworth/R Bentley, J Smith/J Pye and J Brearley/R Shine. The final is on the 14/15 February 2015 at the  Park Inn Hotel, West Bromwich. Full Results on the EBU Website at: http://www.ebu.co.uk/new-results/#74

The Pendle Witch Pairs is on the 9th November at Brierfield Bridge Club. Entry form is on the Competition Entry Page.

The final matches of the Northern Bridge League 2014 were played on Saturday at Bradford BC. Lancashire A were 2nd on the day to finish 3rd in the Division, Lancashire B were 3rd on the day but amassed enough overall VPs to win the division just 1 point ahead of Yorkshire. Lancashire C were also 3rd on the day to finish 2nd in the Division. This is the second year in succession that the B Team has won so congratulations to Marianne Farr,John Morrell, Nick Sutclife, David Costich, Alan Whitam, Paul Evans, Brian Ripley, Barrie Newall, Don Hilton, Dagmar Fazackerley, Andrew Lum, John Brearley, Ross Shine, Stuart Clarke, Bill Carr, Mike Tomlinson  all of whom have represented Lancashire B during the season. Good luck to the players selected for the InterCounty Final on Sunday 28th June 2015. The NBL Review meeting is on Friday 24th October at Bolton BC at 11am and you are welcome to raise any issues about the League with the LCBA Secretary or the NBL organiser. Full NBL results for the season are at: http://www.manchesterbridge.org.uk/NBL/index.html

The 2014 Haley Cup goes to Austin Barnes and Stuart Norris. This Cup was donated by Steve Haleys widow Shirley and will be awarded each year for the best performing pairs in the NBL A Division based on the CrossImps from at least two appearances. The Cup will be presented at the forthcoming LCBA Congress. The Cup was won last year (its inaugural year) by Degsy Williams and Cros Croswell.

The LCBA Congress was run very succesfully by John Pyner on the Oct 25/26 2014 weekend.

There were 16 Tables on both days. The winners were:

Pairs     Austin Barnes & Stuart Norris

Teams  Andrew & Veronica Petrie, Bill Alston & Colin Mitchell

In the European Championships held at Croatia, England Women's team of Heather Dhondy & Nevena Senior, Sally Brock & Nicola Smith, Fiona Brown & Catherine Draper, with NPC Derek Patterson and coach David Burn, were narrowly pipped by the Netherlands after a final day in which the lead of the competition changed multiple times, and came down to the final board in the Estonia-Netherlands match. This adds to a long run of success for the England Women's team which has seen them pick up two gold medals and two silver medals in the last four major international events. Full Results available on the EBU Website

The next LCBA Council Meeting (originally scheduled for 1st Sept 2014) has been moved to 15 September 2014 along with an EGM (to approve the LCBA Accounts). Please amend your Handbook/Diary accordingly.

The new season Fylde league fixtures are now on the Fylde League site at http://www.fylde-league.co.uk/

The Draw has now been published in the LCBA Knockouts section

Lancashire won the annual County match against Cumbria by around 150 Imps. Cumbria were in the lead early on, but Lancashire had a slender lead (+14) by half time. After being treated to an excellent buffet by the Barrow Ladies, the Lancashire players were sufficiently revived to win the second half comfortably. The match was run under Ken Johnson's excellent direction and both captains (Dave Pendlebury and Trevor Ward) commented on the friendly manner in which the match was played by the two Counties.

Congratulations to the Lancashire Team that won the National Inter County Teams of 8 B Division at West Midlands Bridge Club on Sunday 6th July. The team was John Brearley/Ross Shine, John Morrell/Marianne Farr, Don Hilton/Barrie Newall, Bill Carr/Stuart Clarke. They won all their four matches finishing on 59VPs, with Northants second on 50 VPs. Full results at  https://www.bridgewebs.com/mitch

The Lancashire team finished 3rd out of 7 teams in last weekends Presidents Cup at Carlisle BC on 29/30 June 2014. Winners were Yorkshire, with Manchester in 2nd place. The Lancashire Team was Jeff Smith & Jackie Pye, Paul Evans & Alan Whittam, Paul & Hilda Williams, Mike Nicholson & Des King.

The best Lancashire County pairs at the weekend EBU Corwen competition were John Brearley & Ross Shine at 23rd and Austin Barnes & Stuart Norris at 25th place. Full results available on the EBU site at:  https://app.pianola.net/Results/Session24148

The Lancashire team of Catherine Draper, Andrew Woodcock, Andrew Petrie and David Debbage finished a creditable 3rd out of 32 Counties that played in the EBU Pachabo Cup. The full results are available on the EBU website at  http://www.ebu.co.uk/documents/results-data/2014/pachabo/final-rank.pdf

Congratulations to Tony Wilkinson on winning the Scottish National Teams event (Edwin Berry Trophy) along with Harry Smith, Roy Bennett, Bob McPaul.

The twenty-seventh  Annual General Meeting of the Lancashire Contract Bridge Association will be held at Bolton Bridge Club on Monday, 19^th  May 2014, at 7:30 p.m. The Agenda is on the LCBA Minutes page.

 An LCBA Council Meeting will follow - Agenda also on the LCBA Minutes page.

The LCBA Minutes for the AGM and Council Meeting along with The LCBA Accounts for 2013-14 are available now on the LCBA Minutes page.

Bolton BC finished 4th out of 8 teams in the regional final of the Garden Cities. The team was A Barnes/J Smith, M Nicholson/D King, S Norris/R Greenhalgh, P & H Williams. Further details on the EBU site.

Sadly we have to cancel the LCBA Newcomers Pairs on 15 March 2014 due to lack of support. Catherine Draper hopes that we will be able to re-arrange later in the year.

The second weekend of the Camrose competition will take place in Manchester on 7th to 9th March 2014.

Venue

Park Inn, Cheetham Hill Road, Manchester, M4 4EW

• Google maps link
• Hotel website

Spectators are very welcome to attend. There will be a vugraph theatre for which there is no entry fee.

There will be 6 BBO commentaries available for home viewing and the Organisers are looking for BBO operators to help in this regard.

The job requires coverage of a stanza (2 hours 10mins) with basic keyboard typing entry following the bidding/play. Tthere will be a short training session on the Friday.

Would anyone interested contact myself (jasmith@nildram.co.uk) for further details.

Nicholson will play Tomlinson in the final of the LCBA Knockout Plate

There were 7 teams in the annual Teams of 8 held at Bury BC on 16 Feb 2014. The winners were Bolton B (Austin Barnes-Jeff Smith, Mike Nicholson-Des King, Alan Whittam-Paul Evans, Stuart Norris-Rod Greenhalgh) with Preston second and Southport third. Full Details on the Result page. Bolton B will represent Lancashire County in the Regional Final at Bradford on the 10th May 2014.

The LCBA Championship pairs had 35 pairs at Blackburn BC. Winners of the Main Final were John Brearley & Ross Shine, Second Austin Barnes & Stuart Norris tied with Clive & Barbara Henderson, Fourth were Paul and Lyn Hepworth. These four pairs will go on to represent Lancashire in he 2014 Corwen Trophy. Winners of the Consolation Final were Nick & Sue Woodcock, runners up Bob Loveridge & Helen Montgomery. Full details on the Results page.

There were 10 tables in the LCBA Butler Pairs at Lytham BC. Winners were Dave Debbage & Andrew Woodcock, Second Peter Richmond & Roger Allison, Third Mike Tomlinson & Nick Sutcliffe. Full details in the Results Section.

There were 11 teams at the Preston Blue Pointed Teams event at Preston BC. Winners were Jeff Smith & Jackie Pye, Alan & Kath Nelson on 131 VPs, second were Don Hilton & Dagmar Fazackerley, Brian Ripley & Kenneth Renno on 121 VPs, third were Stuart Clarke & Ewart Evans, Nick & Susan Woodcock on 114 VPs. Full results available on the Preston Bridge Club WebSite at   http://prestonbridgeclub.co.uk/

The winners of the LCBA PLate are Mike Nicholson's team (John Morrell,Marianne Farr, Paul and Hilda Williams.They beat Mike Tomlinson's team in the Final by 28imps. Full results on LCBA Knockouts page.

Congratulations to Catherine Draper who was part of the England's Women's team that has won the gold medal at the World Mind Games in Beijing. The full team was Heather Dhondy & Nevena Senior, Catherine Draper & Fiona Brown, Sally Brock & Nicola Smith. Further details available on the Event Website at: http://media.sportaccord.com/wmg2013/articles/view/Nail-biter-decides-bridge-gold