Editorial - In the season just ended, the " Bearn ", which is the championship pairs event of the county, has been played in a new form. Many miss the friendly experience of playing at each others clubs during the qualifying rounds, but undoubtedly the idea of qualifying at one's own club has proved more popular. In addition the introduction of a semi-final has ensured that the quality of play at the final is enhanced. Congratulations to Mrs Sumberg and Mrs Glover on their good win! Next season the Bearn will be run similarly to last year, each club deciding on its own qualification procedure. Likewise the success­ful new pairs event run at Newcastle will, I understand, again be played. Those interested in entering can obtain full particulars from their County representative Mrs Nan McCall, Park Lodge, Butterton, Newcastle or from the Hon. Treasurer, Freddie Dumbleton, 65, Chester Crescent, Newcastle Staffordshire, in common with most other county associations intends to do its bit towards raising funds for the E.B.U. to help meet the mammoth expenses of the European Bridge Championships to be held in Brighton in 1975. It is hoped to organise a Golf/Bridge competition at Ashbourne Golf Club during 1974 for this purpose. Details will be published as soon as the date has been fixed.

Geoff Salwey, our Captain, was unable to stand for re-election this year owing to pressure of work. At the AGM your editor was elected in his place - a great honour but one I hope to be handing over in the not too distant future, as it seems wrong in principle for too many county functions to fall to one family and my wife Jean, could not easily be replaced as Hon. Secretary. Meanwhile, I have taken the job on and will do my very best to lead a successful and happy team.

The new Lichfield Club was inaugurated on May 19th with a delightful dinner on the premises given by Mrs Margaret Wort (the proprietress), which was followed by a. friendly pairs contest. It was terrible luck that severe flooding soon after the opening necessitated the closure of the club for a few weeks and we all hope that this ill fortune will not discourage Mrs Wort from continuing with such a promising project. The club would welcome visitors wanting a friendly rubber. The address is The South Staffs Bridge Club, Marlborough House, St. Johns Street, Lichfield.

Competition Results
Bearn Trophy. In the semi-final on April lst., Beavon and Hughes were the best North/South and Perry and Trounce the best East/West. As stated above Mrs Sumberg and Mrs Glover were easy winners of the final which was held a fortnight later with Perry/Trounce, White/ Burton, Mrs Hunt/D. Davies, Mrs F. Edwards/J Parker and Mr & Mrs George Charlish filling the next five places. There were a lot of bad distributional breaks around and success tended to go with steady rather than adventurous bidding and play.
Newcastle County Pairs Mrs Gane and Mrs McCall won the final on May12th by a single match point from Davies/Downs, with Tobias/ Barnard, Lawton/Holdsruft, Dumbleton/Salmon and Mrs Stoddard/Mrs Gray filling the next four places. Mrs Sumberg and Mrs Glover won the prize for the best qualifiers.
Staffordshire Cup (Championship teams) In the semi-finals Trounce's team beat the holders Link's team and Edward's team beat Cowley's team. The final was an exciting see-saw affair. Trounce's team (Perry, mallett and Dash) maintained, during the last few boards, the lead they had established by board 40 to win the Cup. The winners of this event represent Staffordshire in the Pachabo, but Trounce's team were, alas, not able to retain the trophy won last last year by Link's team.
Individual (Littleford Trophy) Normally this is a very popular event, but this year only one venue, Newcastle, attracted enough entries to justify a heat. Consequently the Newcastle heat served also as the final. The ladies predominated in the leading places, the winner being Mrs Dumbleton, followed Mrs Cowan, Mrs Sumberg and Mr Charles Edwards.
Staffordshire Leagues The Eric JamiesonTrophy was won again by those redoubtable warriors Beech, Ballham, Downs and Davies. The runners-up being Mr and Mrs Topley, Robinson and Madenski. League, "B" was won by Mr and Mrs Dash. Perry, Tayar and Trounce with Messenger, Coad, Hayward and Seymour the runners-up. Once more, competition in the Leagues was keen and this has now become an enjoyable permanent feature of the Staffs. competition scene.

The Other Championship results are as follows:-
Davies Cup (Mixed Pairs) - Mr and Mrs Braddock
Flitch - Mr and Mrs Turton
Bruce Mugs ( Men's Pairs) - Seymour and Hayward
Hallett-Bailey (Ladies Pairs) - Mrs Hanley and Mrs Charlish.
The Secretary's prize for the competitor with the highest number of points in the Championship events who does not win a prize was won this year by David Beavon and David Hughes who had an equal number of points.

Dawes Trophy 1973 Both the first and second teams have had one big win and three big losses since the season started. In the match against Warwickshire, we were outclassed The first team losing by 2740 points and the second team by a whacking 5370. The following situation occurred when I was playing in the second team against Worcestershire and accounted for 1510 of the team's deficit of 1810 points

Playing East (NV) I heard North (V) open 1NT (12-14) and holding a reasonable flat 16 points I double, South redoubled and West holding 2 points and a flattish hand passed. When it came round to me I also passed and two overtricks were made! Should the redouble have been taken out? Clearly so, but by which hand? My own view is that the situation with a redouble should be distinguished from that where the contract is simply doubled and West is the only one in the partnership to know if the redouble is likely to be full value. My partner rightly pointed out that I had heard the redouble and should have bolted if I had not the means to beat the contract in my own hand. What do you think?

Below you will find details of all our County events and the dates of the finals. Please enter these dates in your diaries now. The first event on our calendar is the Coronation Cup on Oct 14th. Enter your team on the list on your noticeboard or inform the Secretary as entries are limited and first come first served! Why not enter your team for the Staffordshire Cup at the same time? There is a list at the end of this bulletin of the people who are on the Management Committee for this year. Do not hesitate to ask any one of them for information or help.

F. W. Edwards

CORONATION CUP
Holders: Oxfordshire
This is the County's invitation event. All Midland counties are invited to send a team to compete against Staffordshire teams. See your notice board for details. The accommodation is limited so team captains are advised to enter their teams on list or direct to Secretary. Entry fee: £4 per team Sunday, October 14th at 2.30 at Pattingham

STAFFORDSHIRE FLITCH
Holders: Mr & Mrs Turton
A one session event for married couples. To be played at Wolverhampton Bridge Club on Sunday, November 25th at 2.30 pm Entry Fee: 50p per pair

STAFFORDSHIRE INDIVIDUAL CHAMPIONSHIP (Littleford Trophy)
Holder: Mrs F. M. Dumbleton
Qualifying heats should be arranged by clubs not later than 3 weeks before the Final on December 9th. Results of the heats to be sent to the Secretary who will then inform clubs of the number to qualify. Final to be played at the Newcastle Bridge Club Entry Fee: 25p per player

STAFFORDSHIRE MEN'S PAIRS (Bruce Mugs) and LADIES PAIRS (Hallett-Bailey Cup)
Holders: G. Hayward & J. Seymour.   Mrs Hanley & Mrs Charlish
Qualifying heats will be held for the Men's Pairs but the Ladies Pairs will be a one session event held on the same day as the Men's Final at the Wolverhampton Bridge Club on Sunday March 10th at 2.30pm Entry fees:- For both events 50p per pair

STAFFORDSHIRE MIXED PAIRS (Davies Cup)
Holders: Mr & Mrs Braddock
Qualifying heats will be held at Newcastle and Wolverhampton only. There will be 7 pairs from each heat and a 7 table final will be held at the Alsager Bridge Club on Sunday January 20th at 2.30pm Entry fee: 50p

STAFFORDSHIRE PAIRS CHAMPIONSHIP ( Bearn trophy)
Holders: Mrs Glover & Mrs Sumberg
Affiliated Clubs will run qualifying heats for this competition entirely at their own discretion. Pairs will register and play at only one Club, and the number of pairs to qualify for the semi-final (if necessary) and final will be pro rata to the number registered. See your notice board for details. There will be a once only fee of 50p per player payable at the time of registration.

STAFFORDSHIRE Teams of Four (Staffordshire Cup)
Holders:- Messrs Trounce, Perry, Dash and Mallett
A knock-out teams of four contest. Two reserves will be allowed but a player cannot be nominated for more than one team. Preliminary rounds of 32 boards and a Final of 48 boards. The winning team will represent Staffordshire in the Pachabo Cup. Entries should be sent direct to the Secretary and the closing date is October 14th. The draw will take place after the Coronation Cup and the draw and the dates by which matches have to be played will be posted on a11 Club notice boards. The Captain of the winning team of the first match will responsible for collecting the entry fees from both teams and forwarding same and result of the match to the Secretary. Entry Fee: £2 per team

LEAGUE"A"(Eric Jamieson Trophy)
Holders: messrs Beech, Ballham, Downs, Davies & Brandon
LEAGUE "B"
Holders: Mr & Mrs Dash, R. Perry, C. Tayar and R. Trounce.
The written entry should give the name of the Captain, the vice-captain (with address and telephone numbers) and also the names of the other members of the team. The closing date is September 11th and the first match will probably be the third Thursday in September at the Stafford Bridge Club

NEWCASTLE COUNTY PAIRS
Holders: Mrs Gane & Mrs McCall
This competition is open to all members of the S.C.B.A. Heats will be played on the second and fourth Tuesdays every month from September to March inclusive. Pairs most register before the end of November for their best five results to qualify for a 5 table final. There will be a prize of £10 for each of the winners and the best qualifiers will also receive prizes providing that an average of 6 tables per heat is achieved. Local points will be awarded.

Edited by F. W. Edwards, 51, The Wold, Claverley.