Our Wirral based club, established in 1983, is conveniently located in Prenton, Mid Wirral, just 5 minutes drive from the M53.  We play in the church hall of the Prenton Methodist Church, CH43 0RE (see the directions in Information on the left), which is situated in a very pleasant safe part of Prenton, with car parking on the church premises.

Our aim is to play a good standard of bridge in a friendly atmosphere, and the club is affiliated to the English Bridge Union (EBU), with sessions directed according to the EBU rules.  The club welcomes visitors whether you are an experienced player or would just like to improve, but is not suitable for a complete novice.

Keen players will be pleased that the club uses pre-dealt computer generated hands.  The results are recorded on our website, so that you can see details of the hands , and how you did compared to the other pairs.

The club is currently running Face2Face sessions on a Monday evening (when Standbys are available) and a Tuesday afternoon - and an online duplicate competition on BBO on a Wednesday evening.

Members can also play in the Real Bridge Social Lounge on a Tuesday and Thursday evening.

If you are interested in joining or want further information e-mail us on < admin@merseybridge.org.uk >

MERSEYSIDE BRIDGE CENTRE Versus TYLER HILL

BBO match  -  Thursday 3rd October 7:00pm

We have been challenged to an online club match by Linda Bennett's new club, Tyler Hill.

The date proposed is Thursday 3rd October at 7:00pm.

If possible we need 32 players of all shapes and sizes!  The only requirement is that you know how to play on BBO.

The idea is that we play in groups of 4, with our 4 top players (by NGS grade) matched to their 4 top players and so on down the line.  A bit like the Ryder and Solheim cups!

Except ours is a FUN match!!

Please can you email me at mikecde@gmail.com if you'd like to play for Merseyside on that date, preferably with your partner's name.  Please include your BBO usernames.   If you haven't got a partner I'll try to find you one.

Any questions, give me a ring.

Mike Fairclough

07805778531

TABLE MONEY - BEST PRACTICE

Please could we ask members to help us collect the table money more easily by adopting the following best practice:-

1. Please try to bring the correct money so that you don’t need any change.

2. As soon as you have decided where you are sitting please put your table money in the centre of the table ready to be collected. Please do this before you wander off to get a coffee, chat to your friends or get some bidding boxes.

3. If for some reason - maybe because you are late arriving- you miss the collection please make it your responsibility to go and find Loraine or Pam or whoever and give them your money. Please don’t wait for them to come back and find you.

If everyone can start adopting this best practice it will mean our bridge sessions will run even more smoothly!

BRIDGE WEEKEND 

11 TO 14 OCTOBER 2024

DUNOON HOTEL, LLANDUDNO. 

PLEASE CONTACT Tess Szymanska via tesshms@gmail.com or 07909755687 for room rates and reservations. 

ROOMS ARE LIMITED, SO EARLY BOOKING IS ADVISED.

2023 COMPETITIONS RESULTS

Many congratulations to the winners of the 2023 competitions as follows:-

PLAYER OF THE YEAR

1st - John Griffith

2nd - Robin Huddleston

MONDAY EVENING 

1st - Anton Healy

2nd - Nick Hughes

TUESDAY AFTERNOON 

1st - Robin Huddleston

2nd - Mike Reid

WEDNESDAY EVENING

1st= Tony Gray

1st= John Morgan

CLUB FINANCES

It is my belief that, whenever possible, we try to keep members advised on club matters and to this end our AGM should be used to bring members up to date. 

At our recent AGM only 28 members attended but the minutes and chairman`s report are available on our website and notice board. Details of our finances are also available on the website but not on public display in the bridge room.

At the AGM some concern was tabled regarding the reduction in our bank balance and indeed that our present income, especially from table money, does not cover our regular expenses. With still a sizeable balance behind us, some felt there was no immediate concern at this time, but other views expressed were we should look at increasing revenue and possibly being more frugal with expenditure. This issue was passed on from the AGM to the general committee for further consideration and to take action where considered necessary.

Following a lengthy but constructive discussion your committee decided that the only immediate action should be an increase to £3 for face-to-face table money with effect from 1st January 2024. Donations for drinks will continue to be welcomed until the end of our present financial year and monies raised passed on to our present nominated charity. The future trends of our finances will be carefully monitored with an objective of maintaining a minimum balance in hand of £5k. If you have any nominations for next year`s charity, please let us know.

Please keep up to date with club matters by visiting our website or looking at the notice board.

John Griffith (chairman) November 2023.

STANDBYS

Standbys are now available on a Monday evening.

If you do not have a partner please advise the director at least 15 minutes before the due start time.

At that time the standby will be allocated with someone else looking for a partner and, if not required he/she will go home.

WHATSAPP GROUP

Any member requiring a partner may find it helpful to put a message on the Club's WhatsApp Group. Any member not on the group is welcome to join and should contact Chris Griffin - 07754-047853 - in the first instance.

Chris will also be happy to post an appropriate  message on behalf of a member unable to do so themselves.

ANNUAL SUBSCRIPTION 

The annual subscription has been reduced to £12.00 with effect from 23.05.22. Please adjust your standing order accordingly.
 

COVID

It is recommended that members take a lateral flow test before playing F2F bridge at the Club.

We would also ask members not to attend if there is any suggestion they have a viral infection, cough or cold.

If you would like to play in our online duplicate on BBO on Wednesday evenings and have not previously played then please fill in this form and submit it. 

MBC members can still gather a table of four playing companions and have a fun night playing up to 20 boards at your own pace.   You can play regularly or occasionally.

Mike Fairclough will set up a session on a Tuesday evening or a Thursday evening.  So if you have a table of four contact mikecde@gmail.com.

He will send you the link for that night.

NB you must have your own group of four to play and the sessions are free to subscribed MBC members

The English Acol Bridge Club (TEA) runs on Thursday and Friday afternoons on BBO at 2.15pm and on Sunday and Monday evenings at 7.30pm. 

It usually consists of 8 two-board rounds. An attraction is that there is no cost involved!  Naturally, you do not have to play every day, just on an ad hoc basis. A few of us have played in it and it is a very enjoyable and friendly club.  The standard is not dissimilar to our own club.   

It is organised by a Tony Fern who goes under the BBO name of Vesian. His email is PlayAcol21@gmail.com Before you play for the first time you need to drop Tony an email with you and your partners' BBO names so he can register you as eligible to play in the club.  Thea and Linda are TDs in the TEA so can also help with any queries.

Then, to enter on the day, you have to register WITH your partner about 15 mins before the start time. However there is a partnership desk if you don't have one.  You find the tournament by the same method you log in to our own duplicates on BBO (ie ‘Competitive’ then ‘All tournaments’ then enter TEA or Acol in the search bar).