Oliver Cowan Bridge Club
Release 2.19q
Recent Updates
Home Page
27th Mar 2024 09:37 GMT
Archive
24th Dec 2023 16:50 GMT
Newsletters
20th Nov 2023 23:42 GMT
0 0 0 0 0 0
Pages viewed in 2024
We are EBU affiliated and accepting members

The Oliver Cowan Bridge Club is affiliated to the EBU and runs virtual club sessions on BBO 6 nights a week.

Club Membership costs just £10 per year and includes membership of the Friendly Online Bridge Club.

The most important rule of this club is best behaviour at the table, on the basis that good manners cost nothing. 

Please email ocbridgecomps@gmail.com to request a membership application form. 

Charity fund raising events

The Oliver Cowan Bridge Club is proud to support

Children in Need (raised £800 in 2021; £500 in 2020)

The Homeless Street Angels (raised £1426 in 2021; £920 in 2020)

Anthony Nolan Trust received £450

Mind received £300

The Zone received £325

Through our volunteer of the month scheme, the following charities have also benefitted:

St John Ambulance

Norwood

The Emma Maltby Foundation

Emma Maltby Memorial Fund

 

We have collectively supported XX charities raising a total of £ Xxx

Undos
Undos

The club allows undo requests for genuine bidding mistakes made as a result of a mechanical error, not a lapse of concentration or forgetfulness, and only when the request is made prior to their partner's bid at the latest.  We do not allow undos for playing.
Any awkward exchanges should be referred to the director. 

Members are reminded that you can change your settings to ensure you double click to make a bid.

Calendar
29th March 2024
Oliver Cowan & LOP Play Without the Experts
Online 2.00pm
Director: OC
Scorer: OC
29th March 2024
Oliver Cowan & LOP Play Without the Experts (Handicap)
Online 2.00pm
Director: OC
Scorer: OC
29th March 2024
Oliver Cowan BC Pairs
Online 7.15pm
Director: OC
Scorer: OC
31st March 2024
Friendly Online Bridge Club (FOBC) & Lancashire Online Pairs
Online 7.15pm
Director: OC
Scorer: OC
1st April 2024
Friendly Online Bridge Club (FOBC) & Huddersfield BC Online Pairs
Online 7.15pm
Director: OC
Scorer: OC
Welcome to Oliver Cowan Bridge Club

Saturday 20th April

There will be another series of the Lancashire 4 running from February-May 2024. Dates of these Blue Point Swiss Pairs will be 17th February, 9th March, 20th April and 11th May - full info and entry lists will be out soon.

There is generous sponsorship for this cycle thanks to Bill Gardner with 3 x £50 cash prizes which will be awarded to the pairs closest to 150, 180 & 210 VPs with their best 3 scores at the end of the cycle.

The Third event is the Oliver Cowan Swiss Pairs on Saturday 20th April - please click the title of this box for the flyer with details and fill out the entry form below when ready to enter.

£10 per player entry to sort 204895 acct 43186903 acct name Oliver Cowan Bridge Ltd

Oliver Cowan New Year Congress Featuring The Richard Bowdery Pairs

The whole weekend was a huge success with 28 tables taking part in the inaugural Richard Bowdery Memorial Trophy event, a 52 board matchpointed pairs over 2 sessions,  and the winners by the tightest of margins were Charlie Bucknall & Stephen Kennedy. The Runners up were Alec Smalley & Tom Slater, with Vince Demuy & Todor Tiholov in 3rd place. The non-expert prize went to Ron Hounsell & Laurence Fox.

At the dinner on Saturday evening, we raised just under £1000 which is being split between 3 charitable causes and Richard's daughter Laura joined us to present the trophy.

Sunday's Swiss Teams event was won by Bev Godfrey, Eve Ewington, Jonathan Lillycrop & Ronan Valentine, Denis & Pearl Murphy with Kathy & Denis Talbot were in 2nd place and 3rd spot was filled by Sara Moran, Marusa Gold, Todor Tiholov & Vince Demuy.

Everyone who came had a thoroughly enjoyable time and the bridge was played in the right spirit throughout. The dates for next year's event have now been confirmed as 11th & 12th January at the same venue, The Crowne Plaza in Nottingham.  

 

Upcoming Congresses

Upcoming Congresses being run by Oliver Cowan Bridge Events

Spring Bank Holiday Congress (EBU) Reading 25-27 May

Scarborough Summer Festival (EBU) 18-21 July

Northern Midweek Congress (EBU) Harrogate 27-29 August

Lancashire Congress Preston 16-17 November

Oliver Cowan New Year Congress 2025 Nottingham 11-12 January

All details and booking information for the EBU congresses are on the EBU website under 'forthcoming events'

Book early to take advantage of the 'early bird' prices and guarantee your place
Events are being held at the same venues as in 2023 except Harrogate which will now be at the Cairn Hotel as the only venue big enough to accomodate our numbers in 1 section!

I am pleased to let you know about the 1st ever Play Without the Experts Festival that will be run by Oliver Cowan Bridge Events as a part of the EBU's "Bridge - It's a big deal" program of events raising funds for Cancer Research UK. All bridge fees after expenses have been paid will be going to Cancer Research UK. This is event is open to all players with an NGS of 10 or below - if you don't know what that means then you can assume you are eligible! It is designed to be a relaxed break with a mix of seminars and duplicate bridge all while raising money for a great cause! 

We will be joined by England Ladies international Catherine Draper who will be leading a hand discussion on one of the days and professional players Jake Milne and Adam Hickman who will be leading seminars.

Click the title of this box for details how the Festival will run and prices. There is the option to be a part of the whole event or just drop in for individual sessions. The price for the hotel is per night and includes dinner, bed and breakfast, but there are other hotels in the area. 

On the Tuesday evening, the winners of the duplicate session will be awarded the David Page Trophy in memory of one of the regulars in the Tuesday night Oliver Cowan PWTE game. The Des King Trophy will also be awarded in the same game to the highest placed novice pairing (exact criteria to be confirmed).

I will be running zoom calls on Thursday 4th April at 10am and Thursday 11th April at 10am if you would like additional information on any part of the event and this is the link to join that zoom: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/86258032446?pwd=VEdHL0o2RHFoYzFxYmxDNjVtYmV4Zz09

Oliver

Membership Area and Find a Partner

I have finally got the Membership Area on the website set up!

To access this for the 1st time, you will need to click on the “membership” tab from the menu on the website then click on “member area”.

If you are using it for the 1st time, when it asks for your username and password, just click “set/reset password” and follow the instructions from there.

I am hoping players will use this area to advertise or look for partners for sessions so do please try this out and see if it works!

You will need to opt in if you wish for your contact number and email address to be displayed.

New Games Aimed At Non-Expert Players

In addition to the existing Tuesday evening Oliver Cowan PWTE game on a Tuesday night at 7pm, there are now 2 additional games solely for non-expert players.

Wednesday Morning at 10:15am - Friendly Online BC Pairs - this is a relaxed 15 board duplicate session on BBO played with the video function in use so you can chat with your opponents. The game is followed by a hand discussion on zoom where you can ask any questions about boards that gave you difficulty.

Friday Afternoon at 2pm - Oliver Cowan & LOP PWTE - This will be an 18 or 20 board duplicate session running the same way as Tuesday evenings and will also be handicapped.

Both these new sessions are $3.50 in BBO dollars and are open to members and guests - get in touch with Oliver if you want to play but don't use dollars.  

Weekly Games

Sunday @ 7:15pm Friendly Online Bridge Club Pairs & Huddersfield Bridge Club Pairs

9 x 2 boards open to all - $3.50 BBO per player

Monday @ 7:15pm Friendly Online Bridge Club Pairs & Lancashire Online Pairs

9 x 2 boards open to all - $3.50 BBO per player

Tuesday @ 7:00pm - Oliver Cowan Play Without the Experts

10 x 2 board rounds for for players with an NGS of less than 55% - £3 per player

Wednesday @ 2:00pm Oliver Cowan & Belper Pairs

10 x 2 board rounds open to all - $3.50 per player

Wednesday @ 7:15pm - Oliver Cowan BC Pairs

10 x 2 boards open to all - £3 per player

Thursday @ 7:15pm - Oliver Cowan BC Pairs

10 x 2 boards open to all - $3.50 per player

Friday @2:00pm Oliver Cowan Play Without the Experts & Lancashire Online Pairs

9 or 10 x 2 board rounds for for players with an NGS of less than 55% - $3.50 per player

Friday @ 7:15pm - Oliver Cowan BC Pairs

10 x 2 boards open to all - $3.50 per player 

Membership of the club is only £10 per year so please get in touch if you would like to join! 

 

Looking To Learn To Play Bridge?

If you are interested in learning to play bridge, please follow this link https://learnbridgeonline.com/jack-stocken-beginners/ which will take you to Jack Stocken's page. Jack is a very experienced teacher with an excellent reputation in Yorkshire and beyond and is currently offering learners their 1st 2 lessons free of charge.

Results
Oliver Cowan BC Pairs
Director: OC
Scorer: Oliver Cowan
Oliver Cowan BC & Belper BC Online Pairs
Director: OC
Scorer: Oliver Cowan
Oliver Cowan BC Pairs
Director: OC
Scorer: Eddie
Play Without the Experts
Director: OC
Scorer: Oliver Cowan
Friendly Online Bridge Club (FOBC) & Huddersfield BC Online Pairs
Director: OC
Scorer: Oliver Cowan