July 19th changes to rules and restrictions
Covid-19 and Club Insurance - July 2021 update

We are delighted that the government’s confirmation of the relaxation of the rules and regulations currently in place in response to the COVID pandemic means that we can continue with our planned Congress being run face-to-face in Weston Super Mare on October 8-10.. 

We have already received quite a few  entries  and we know that many people have been waiting for this confirmation before making their entries. It would be helpful if players would enter as soon as they decide to play - a full refund will be available on request if you change your mind.

Since the government regulations will no longer limit the number of people who can meet in a group and the “1m-plus rule” will be removed, there will be no requirement for players to wear masks beyond the government’s statement that it "expects and recommends" people to wear face coverings in crowded areas. 

The only venues that are being advised to ask for evidence of vaccination or negative COVID tests using “vaccine passports” are night-clubs and large events so we will not need to do this, but of course we require that anyone exhibiting symptoms of COVID does not come to play.

We look forward to seeing as many of you at Weston as possible and we are sure that you too will be keen to see old friends and ensure the continuity of what has been a very popular event.

Click here for a Congress Brochure including  parking information.

Latest hotel deals are here.

Click here to enter online

An Opportunity to Reset

Before Covid or BC there was very little to think about when planning a club’s programme. The typical Somerset club met on the same day, at the same time and at the same venue each week and played match point pairs most if not all of the time.  Many players played at more than one club demonstrating that they expected to play more than once a week.  A second session for most clubs was not a possibility because the hall was in use for kick boxing, Zumba or other village activities. BC very few clubs offered lessons.

Then came Covid and all face to face activity stopped but very quickly players changed to online evidenced by four times weekly county games and 14 virtual clubs in Somerset. Our recent survey indicated that although most players looked forward to a return to f2f, many were hesitant and most intended to continue to play some on line bridge.

I have been tremendously impressed by the manner in which so many clubs adapted to the new world by setting up virtual clubs in the early days on BBO and more recently using Realbridge and particularly by the way in which clubs have combined to boost numbers for online sessions.

It is clear that online bridge is here to stay because of the opportunities that are opened up in terms of extra sessions, improver sessions perhaps with clubs combining for online, online leagues and most importantly teaching.  Clubs also need to cater for those members who prefer to play online and this may best be achieved by clubs collaborating to offer online games. It would be so much better for these online games to be organised by clubs rather than the county because county games would pull players away from club games and also deprive clubs of revenue.

It would be all too easy to go back to the old normal but I suggest that now is the time to reset the programme with imagination to make full use of the opportunities afforded by online bridge.

Here is the programme

The Setting Trick Podcast

Andrew talks to John McAllister of the Setting Trick about his life at, as well as away from, the bridge table. The podcast lasts a little over one hour and is available to listen to here on  soundclound.

The Somerset Realbridge lounge has seen very few participants and so it has been discontinued in favour of the EBU version of the same thing. You still play with three friends at your own table so there's nothing different other than it costs £1 more!
All the details are here.

NEED A PARTNER?- Contact Sheree Pavey who will keep a  list of players looking for a partner or partners to make up a four.

The Realbridge player guide is at https://realbridge.online/player-guide.html 

Online Championship teams - BBO

First round matches are played over 24 boards and are to be played by the end of January when a new draw will be made for the semi finals of the main competition and the plate.

First round

Semi Final

Final

Online Plate teams - BBO

Plate Round 1

Plate Final