SpadeHeart 
nearby in Aston Clinton, near Aylesbury
 DiamondClub
Release 2.19r
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Stoke Mandeville Bridge Club (At Aston Clinton Park, near Aylesbury) prides itself on providing a friendly and welcoming atmosphere.

We play duplicate pairs every Monday.

Pre-dealt hands are used with hand records available

Bridgemates at the table for scoring.
Play starts at 7:15, so please arrive by 7:05
Table money £3 per person. First visit free.
Quarterly discount available for regulars.
Free tea, coffee and biscuits are provided.
We enter two teams in the Berks and Bucks County League of 8.

THE MATCHES ARE PLAYED ON LINE USING REALBRIDGE
EBU

EBU: We are affiliated to the EBU and issue master points.

GUESTS: Guests, Visitors and New Members are most welcome. If you need a partner please contact Mary Baker. As we do not operate a Host System, a few days notice is appreciated.

CAR PARKING: There is ample car parking at Aston Clinton Park.

FREE ONLINE INFORMAL TEAMS

Wednesday 20th August. Please contact Pete Weisner for seats 

Someone asked about Undos. These are allowed in bidding if requested quickly. In play, undos are not allowed for defenders as this would give unauthorised information. Declarer may request an undo if done quickly (there are no penalty cards for declarer/dummy in normal bridge) but opponents are under no obligation to grant undos.

Log in to BBO by 7:10pm and wait in the Lobby

Please do not wander off into other areas as you may become invisible to the organiser.

Please check and accept the invitation to play as soon as possible. Multiple invitations may be issued if someone does not accept in time.

Play will usually start around 7:15pm, but may be earlier if everyone is ready.

Explaining bids

If you do not understand an opponent's bid, or want further explanation, simply click on the bid. They will receive a pop-up box, where they can explain what their bid means. This is not visible to their partner, only to you and your partner (so no additional information is passed between them).

If you are asked to explain your bid, please do so promptly using the pop-up box, not in the table chat (as the chat can be seen by all players).

Online play with BBO uses Self-alerting

Before you bid, if your bid is not a natural bid, enter the meaning of your bid in the message box, and click the alert button.

This is not visible to your partner (who should already know what your bid means), only the opponents.

Using Undos

During bidding, if you genuinely mis-click a bid, you can immediately request an undo, which should normally be granted by your opponents.

Undos are not normally allowed during card play, so be careful when playing.

Chris has started an automated email notification service for updates to this section - the service runs from 7am to 10:55pm - if you would like to subscribe, please email Chris

If you would like general information about our weekly online Teams events, please email David Barker

Bridge Weekend

Staverton Park Hotel & Golf Club, Daventry NN11 6JT

SMBC Bridge Weekend 16th to 18th January 2026

.

Deposit required by 10th July 2025

2 nights stay, buffet breakfast, lunch and dinner, offer of 5 sessions of Bridge, prizes and full use of all the leisure facilities, with plenty of parking on site.

Single £260, Double £200 with Bridge fee per person of £20

£50 deposit required by 10th July 2025. Balance for the room required by 7th November 2025 which is also to include the £20 per person Bridge fee.

Neither the deposit or the balance is refundable but the committee will do everything possible to promote your place to others

Non-playing partners, spouses and singles welcome. Host system offered

This is not an EBU event and therefore no Master Points will be awarded or no NGS ratings affected

Timetable
Friday Access to the conference room from 1pm with Bridge 2pm – 4pm
Check-in to rooms after 4pm
Buffet dinner at 6pm
Bridge 7.15pm for a 7.30pm start (24 boards) and finish by 10.30pm
Saturday Buffet breakfast
Bridge 9.30am – 12.30pm
Buffet lunch
Afternoon at leisure
5.15 drinks party
Buffet dinner at 6pm
Bridge 7.15pm for a 7.30pm start (24 boards) and finish by 10.30pm
Sunday Buffet breakfast
Bridge 9.30am – 12.30pm
Prizes, awards
Buffet lunch
Depart

If you are interested, please register using the registration form found here

Any queries please contact Lesley Wright lesleyebwright@yahoo.co.uk / 07933 608512 or Mary Baker mary.baker12@btinternet.com / 07970 320600

Announcing

The English Bridge Union has made significant changes to the scheme of announcements effective September 1st 2022. This only applies to the EBU. So, if you play in any clubs or competitions playing to the EBU rules, you will be expected to use the Alerting and Announcing rules as explained below.

For the latest EBU 2022 Announcement click EBU Announcing and Alerting Rules

ANNOUNCING AND ALERTING SUMMARY
Opening Bid Description Announce Alert N/A
1
and
1
Non-forcing.
Could be on fewer than 3 cards
"May be X” where X is 0, 1 or 2. Extend to "May be X and may have an outside 5-card (Diamond) suit" as appropriate    
Non-forcing, natural, 3 or more    
Other (forcing, strong, artificial)    
1NT Balanced “12 to 14” (or appropriate range) and, if relevant, “may contain a singleton”    
2 Strong, Acol, (Benji Acol, etc)    
Precision “Intermediate”    
2 Weak with diamonds “Weak”    
Strong with diamonds “Strong, forcing”  * or  
“Strong non-forcing” *
   
Other (Benji, Multi, etc)    
2/ Weak with hearts/ spades “Weak”    
Strong with hearts/ spades “Strong, forcing”  * or 
“Strong non-forcing” *
   
Other (Lucas, Flannery, etc)    
2NT Strong, balanced    
Other meaning, including two-suited or forcing,    

N/A: No Action, do not alert/announce
*The practice of making strong bids with hands of limited high cards must be clearly disclosed

Responses to 1NT or 2NT openings
Response Description Announce Alert N/A
1NT - 2
2NT - 3
Stayman (asking for 4 card majors, promissory or not) "Stayman"    
5-card Stayman    
1NT - 2 - 2
2NT - 3 - 3
Denies 4 card major    
1NT - 2
2NT - 3
Transfer, showing hearts “Hearts”    
1NT - 2 - 2
2NT - 3 - 3
Completion of transfer    
1NT - 2
2NT - 3
Transfer, showing spades “Spades”    
1NT - 2 - 2
2NT - 3 - 3
Completion of transfer    
1NT - 2/3
2NT - 3/3
Natural, non-forcing    
Other Meaning    
1NT - 2
New in 2022
Natural, non-forcing    
Transfer, showing clubs "Clubs"    
Other meaning, including where clubs is one option    
1NT - 2NT
New in 2022
Natural, non-forcing    
Transfer, showing diamonds "Diamonds"    
Other meaning    

 

Responses to non-forcing one of a suit – all new in 2022
Response Description Announce Alert N/A
1 - 1 Natural    
Shows Hearts "Hearts"    
Other meaning    
1 - 1 Natural    
Shows Spades "Spades"    
Other meaning    
1 - 1 Natural    
Shows Diamonds "Dianonds"    
Denies 4+ cards in a Majo "No Major"    
Other meaning    
1 suit - 1 NT Non forcing, up to 10 HCP    
Non-forcing, can be > 10 HCP "Up to n points”, or “Up to bad n points”    
1 - 1 NT Forcing, shows clubs "Clubs"    
Forcing, shows diamond "Diamonds"    
1 suit - 1 NT Other meaning, forcing    
1 - 2 Not forcing (with clubs)    
Forcing, showing clubs    
Showing diamonds "Diamonds"    
Other meaning    
1/1/1 - 2suit (not a jump, not a passed hand) Non-forcing    
Natural, forcing, not game-force    
Natural, game forcing "Game Forcing"    
Not natural    

 

 

ALERTING SUMMARY
Bids   Alert N/A
above 3NT Artificial suit bids on 1st round of the auction (for this purpose the first round of the bidding is the opening bid and three subsequent calls)  
Other bids  
Action over Opponents’ calls up to and including 3NT
Opponents Call Meaning of their call … If your Double is … Alert N/A
A suit at any level Natural Take-out  
Anything else  
Does not show the suit (i.e. conventional or not natural) Showing the suit doubled  
Anything else  
A suit opening Prepared, Phoney, Short or
Nebulous 1 or 1 opening
Take-out  
Anything else  
No trumps at any level Natural or conventional Penalty  
Anything else  
Opponents Call Meaning of their call … If your redouble is … Alert N/A
Double Any meaning for business, shows strength: partner is expected to pass  
Partner is expected to remove, or some other specific meaning  
Action over Opponents’ calls above 3NT
Opponents Call Meaning of their … Other Actions … Alert N/A
Above 3NT Any meaning Lead directing pass  
Lead directing double for a different suit to the one doubled  
Lightner double of, say 6NT, calling for a specific lead  
Lead directing redouble for a different suit to the one redoubled  
Any other pass, double or redouble  

EBU

© The English Bridge Union 2013. Effective 1 September 2022
English Bridge Union, Broadfields, Bicester Rd, Aylesbury HP19 8AZ
EBU 01296 317200                  Email postmaster@ebu.co.uk
Christmas Party - 9th December

Christmas Party - 9th December

Christmas PartyThis year, our Christmas Party event will be held on the evening of Monday 9th December

This will be a hosted event, so, if you turn up without a partner, one will be found for you.

CHILDREN IN NEED - 11th November

 B   B   C  Children in Need

BBC Children in NeedThis year, our BBC Children in Need charity event will be held on the evening of Tuesday 11th November

As usual, we will be donating table money and any additional voluntary donations collected on the night to Children in Need

Hand of the Week 2nd September 2024
 

Before getting into this week's HotW, it is worth mentioning that the North/South pairs found no fewer than 9 slams between them, two of them being grand slams (perhaps predictably, Richard and Mary, and Paula and Mike - well done to you four)!

However, this week's choice is board 26, where East/West got their only chance at a slam and two pairs bravely managed the feat. With only 26 points, but 10 Spades between them, Spades was the "obvious" choice for all pairings (although Hearts is actually safer). However, all pairs made the 12 out of 11 on offer, with no defense finding the Aces of Hearts and a heart ruff to limit the count to 11 tricks. Well done to Alan and Liz and Brenda and Diana!

 
Comment
(18th Nov 2024)
EBU Ranking
 
Grand Master
Mike Webley
 
Premier Life Master
Hugh Thomson Paula Hopkinson
 
Premier National Master
Gill Walker
 
6* + Premier Regional Master
Maureen Summersgill Sheila Smith
 
Premier Tournament Master
Mary Baker
 
5* Premier Master
Paul Morris
 
1* Premier Master
Richard Devas
 
Premier Master
Robert Last
 
1* Tournament Master
Ted Crump
 
5* Master
Richard Plummer Sue Mercer
 
4* Master
Jenny Miller Kathy Gray Martin Wright
 
3* Master
Jean Carter Ralph Holliday Raymond Connew
 
2* Master
Beryl Atkins Charles Miller David Barker Fiona Scriven Janet Joynson
John Rogers Mike Francis Richard Clark
 
1* Master
Andria Melville-Jackson Angela Manders Chris Kaye David Mcaleavey Maria Ibos
Pauline Shelton Stephen Marshall Vivien Suttie
 
Advanced Master
Andy Melville-Jackson Anwar Choudhury Jean Woodman Marilyn Plummer Peter Wright
William Astles
 
Master
Andrew Thomas Ann Shepherd Elizabeth Thomas Jean Thompson Jonathan Seabrook
Lesley Wright Peter Rowling Peter Weisner Shirley Crowe
 
County Master
Anne Stokes Carol Harris Danny Gritz Diane Spiers Gill Grigg
Ginny Weisner Jacqui Last Jennifer Mann Jenny Braithwaite John Gover
Marion Woodman Mike Arrowsmith Molly Butler Rab Morrison Richard Wood
Stephen Bishop Yvonne Benz
 
District Master
Alan Pierce Liz Perrottet Murray Cooke Nikki Smith Quentin Hartley
Steve Elms
 
Area Master
Brenda Alsagoff Carole Syms Joyce Lecomber Zosia Bedford
 
Club Master
Sue Wilson
 
Local Master
Chloe Lewis Clive Turner
STOKE MANDEVILLE BRIDGE CLUB at ASTON CLINTON PARK - Bootstrap