LOP Survey October 2024

We currently have one LOP session a week on a Monday night which consistently achieves 10 tables with an average NGS of 54.9%.  10 tables is the highest average of any session in Lancashire and the average NGS is more than 3% higher than the average in any LCBA affiliated club.  This is not surprising, as LOP can draw on players from across the whole county, but it does make LOP a very important part of the bridge landscape in the county, for three main reasons:

1. Field size - it is generally accepted that the more times a board is played, the more likely you are to get a fair match point comparison;
2. A strong game - it provides the opportunity for strong players across the county to regularly compete against other strong players; and perhaps more importantly
3. A development opportunity - it provides the opportunity for developing players to access what is probably the most important element of any bridge improvement programme -  playing against better players.

We have not held a survey of LOP registered members for 2 years and it's time we did so, particularly the question of whether you would welcome, and play in extra sessions, particularly over a weekend, when there are very few club sessions and when people often don't want to go out.  I would therefore be very grateful if you would complete this very short survey, whether or not you currently play in LOP sessions.  It will greatly help with planning the future direction of bridge in Lancashire.

Many thanks

Andrew Petrie

The survey will close on Sunday 24 November 2024

LOP Survey May 2022

Competitive bridge in Lancashire has been quite severely curtailed by Covid.  Face-to-face (F2F) bridge is beginning to re-emerge in clubs across the county, but many are still struggling with numbers - the more competitive sessions particularly so.  It seems unlikely at this stage that many of the LCBA competitions will be F2F next season, so the LOP Organising Committee, at its next meeting, is due to discuss what LOP competitions we should run next season (starting September).

We currently have the following LOP competitions:

a) Ladder - first and third Monday of each quarter.  Best 4 of 6 to count.  Prize for the open and restricted winners.

b) Mixed, Ladies’ & Men’s Pairs.  About twice a year.  Pre-entry required.  Prizes.

c) Quarterly Ladder final.  Best 8 of all Open LOP sessions played by a player count.  One session final, pre-entry required - anyone in the top 40 can enter.  Prize for the winners.

We have to decide whether this is sufficient or whether we should add another regular competition where players can be sure of a relatively strong field.  One thought is a monthly pairs ladder targeted at NGS Jack and above, running once a month on a non-LOTL Thursday evening, September to May, best 6 of 9 to count.  A prize for the winners of each session and overall prizes for the top 3.  Entry fee would be £4 per session to fund the prizes.

To help with our discussions we would really appreciate your views and would be very grateful if you would complete the short survey you will find below.  It should not take you more than 5/10 minutes and it will make sure that we have some firm data to base our discussions on.  The survey will close on 31 May.