CHAIRMAN'S REPORT

Dear Members,

Your Committee continues to work hard towards increasing the enthusiasm for bridge within the County. It was very pleasing therefore to hear of the County's success in the Tollemache. I understand that there are separate reports in the Bulletin on the Area Heat, and it will be sufficient for me to congratulate on your behalf the members who represented the County in the Area Heat. Let us all hope that they continue the good work in the Final.

It is also heartening to note the increase in popularity in the County's competitions The County League, under Geoff Salwey's direction, goes from strength to strength, and the new format for the Bearn will probably produce a record entry. The other competitions have also seen a better entry, although I believe that there is still room for further improvement.

DEREK DAVIES.

CAPTAIN'S REPORT

Most County members will now be aware that for the first time since the mid-sixties, Staffordshire won the qualifying heat of the Tollemache. By the time this Bulletin has been distributed the final will have been played at Droitwich, but I am sure that you will all join me in hoping that the heat winners, Messrs. Monckton (Acting Captain)/Bieganski; Topley/Tottenham; Beech/Bloxham; Davies/Downs will have repeated their triumph. Many congratulations in any event.

The 1975 results for the Dawes Trophy, the Midland Counties League Teams-of-Eight were as follows:-

The 1976 fixtures for Staffordshire have been arranged as follows:-

Finally, I wish to report that your County Committee has decided that selections for first team players should continue on the same basis as previously. However, it has been agreed that second team players should be chosen on merit following a series of trials. Consequently, I have arranged for three trial events to take place at Stafford Bridge Club on Wednesday 18th and 25th February and 10th March. Any pairs who wish to enter this event, please arrive at the Evode Club at 7.15 on the first date given. Whilst it is hoped that pairs will play in all three events, in case of difficulty the best two results will be accepted. Leading pairs will be invited to form the pool for the second team for the remainder of the season. This will be an experiment for 1976 and players views will be welcomed.

p.s. I am able to report the result of the first Dawes match of the season, played against Northamptonshire on Sunday, 25th January.

1st Team (Messrs. Monckton-Bieganski/Beech-Bloxham/Davies-Downs: /Topley-Tottenham) A convincing win of over 4000 points, which converts to a 10-2 victory.
2nd Team (Messrs. Dash-Perry/Keane-Shaw/Milewski-Royle/Moss-Marshall). A disappointing defeat of over 2000 points, which converts to a 9-3 loss

H. P. DASH

EDITOR'S COMMENT,

The idea of trials could be an exciting innovation. It is hoped that as many players as possible will enter for the three trials. And please take up the captain's suggestion to air your views on this experiment. I hope some of you may even decide to write a letter on this subject for publication in the next Bulletin.

SECRETARY'S REPORT

You're a rotten stinking lot of .................. there are words to describe you but the Editor has censored this letter (as he does all material submitted to the Bulletin). No-one; (sorry exaggerating again) so far only 4 teams and five individuals have used the entry forms so painstakingly produced by myself and Wendy. What's even more infuriating at every committee meeting Freddy Dumbleton sits with a smug look on his face contemplating the quarts of ale that he has won; and such contentment causes even larger volumes of blue smoke to be generated from his infernal fumigating outfit. I swear I only bet him a quart. He says it was a firkin, (you don't know how much a firkin is? -- you ignorant lot.) So my particular breed of "little bull" hasn't got far down the lane! which is not surprising when you lot knock a bloody great hole in the hedge for him to go through; well good luck to him and back to the drawing board for me. I honestly believed that it was not the members who were pathetically apathetic!! but the former Committees who had not provided the right stimulus and the necessary information; how thick can a new secretary be? Two short planks of wood won't cover it for sure. However, I was not the only one to gaff; I was not on the programme Sub-Committee; but when I saw their efforts I begged them to remove all qualifying heats for the individual and pairs event but I must confess I had no idea how unpopular Sunday was as a day for bridge, for the majority of members. Where do we go from here; certainly time and money must not again be wasted on entry forms.

At the next Committee meeting on January 30th, the Committee will be considering the 1976/77 programme, and already a number of really good ideas have been suggested. These should by now be in the hands of your Club Representative in the form of definite propositions to be voted on. So if you can raise sufficient interest, ask him about them. Those that are thought worth a try will appear as resolutions on the Agenda of the Annual General Meeting as will all the programme for 1976/77. This will allow members to express their approval or disapproval of it. The Committee earnestly hope that most of the programme will be agreed almost in one breath - otherwise the room will need to be booked until 4 a.m.!!! I can't see why 9/10ths of all the propositions cannot be agreed in about 15 minutes. If we do it this way the new Committee can start with the knowledge that the basic programme is right and they have only to dot the i's and cross the t's. I hope you can see that your committee are really trying. - Very trying - O.K. have it your way.

MEMBERSHIP. We are now 236 strong; plus 12 associate members. This is 14 short of what I had hoped for, in order that our finances would be more healthy; 11 of the 47 lost sheep have returned, but 28 persons who had been members for over three years are still missing; perhaps they will return leaving their tales behind them.

On December 4th, I had occasion to go to Andover ; and on the return journey I made a slight detour to visit the E.B.U. Headquarters at 15b High Street, Thame, Oxon. I had lunch with Dr. Staveley, the Executive Secretary, and discussed with him a number of topics concerning county administration and county competitions. First, however, let me run through the personnel and give you some insight of the job of running the sport of Duplicate Bridge at National level. Supreme commander of No. 15b is Dr. Staveley, who would gladly accept the services of a vet, if he were ill or knocked down during these times of dearth of medical attention, as he is a non-medical Doctor of Philosophy lecturing part-time in history. He was, in his university time, County Secretary for Oxfordshire C.B.A. and therefore knows the scene from the grass roots. He is keenly interested in the welfare of our sport and hard working as his personal secretary, and a team of lady helpers in the various Departments. All are paid officials - and from the volume of work needing to be done, this is now a necessity if we are not to fall behind the Americans and our European neighbours and rivals. The main Sub-Offices are as follows:-

• The Membership Records Office - very efficiently run by Miss Eileen Maunder; she's got you on her list and you will never be missed. I checked our membership with her files and it was sad to see the number of players who were members and no longer subscribe and help to support the E.B.U. The economics of membership however, are quite stupid at the moment. For 50p you get 4 communications a year from Headquarters, with the postage on this walking off with 32p. This leaves 18p for the enclosures which comprise 4 well produced Bulletins and an annual report of council proceedings. The Bulletins cost about 7p a copy to print which leaves the E.B.U. some 10p in debt for every member who joins and no account has been taken of the secretarial work involved in keeping all this going. So why are they bothered about recruiting members? I was a bit deflated to find out that at this subscription rate they were not. They are in fact doing it as a long term project to encourage more people to take up the sport and take part in local and national congresses. Eventually, however, this service will need to be at first self-supporting and then profitable. The first step will be taken next year when the subscription will be raised to £1.00, a modest increase of only 50p. So where does the E.B.U. get the necessary cash in order to keep going? It comes from the very active players who support E.B.U. Congresses, and from the Master points Scheme. The master points scheme produces 50% of the revenue; and therefore we must do all in our power to make it attractive for Clubs to issue points on all their Club nights, and also make it more attractive to collect them.
• The next office I visited was in fact the Master Points Office which had the most staggering work load of them all. So if your promotion does not make the Bulletin you thought it might please be a little tolerant. This office is run by Mrs. J. Kingston assisted by Mrs. E. Walker and they are very conscientious.
• The next office was that of the competition Secretary - in the capable hands of Miss Doris Nicholson, a hive of industry also, and constant high bedlam.
• The last edition to the E.B.U. activities is the sale of bridge stationery. This is in the hands of Miss Mary Dunford, Club Secretaries and Treasurers keep them in mind when renewing your stocks. Their stationery is second to none, reasonable in price and the profit goes directly to the well being of our sport. We ought to support this effort.

I found E.B.U. Headquarters a happy place; friendly and willing to listen to our problems. Their jobs are admittedly pleasant and they work in pleasing surroundings in this pleasant, small Oxfordshire country town- but all the staff are taking less salary than their qualifications would command and we should be grateful to them for their work on our behalf. I had a working lunch with Dr. Staveley, who seems constantly to be in transit from one meeting to another or one congress to another. Some curry soup was served with beef sandwiches to follow; (an hour later when inspecting the membership office I had to beg some tea, and as the first gulp proceeded through the pharynx and down the oesophagus it sizzled like water running over red hot metal. I swear none of the first gulp reached the stomach; it took four more huge gulps to assuage the furnace in that department; however the fire was eventually put out.) We discussed at length County affairs. I found that our county situation was very similar to most others. The traditional county events were not popular and poorly supported and this in no small measure was due to their traditionally being played on a Sunday. Those counties who were thriving and who did well nationally had clubs who worked closely together and left one night per week free for county events - the most popular of which were inter-club teams of 8 matches and a league. I was extremely heartened from a personal view point to find that the things I had always wanted our County Association to do were popular in the counties who put them into practice. I have as Secretary tried to introduce them or sow the seeds of thought so that clubs and members will be prepared to give them a fair hearing. To remind you of them I will list them again.

I got the very strong impression that those counties who had the best bridge prog­rammes and the most successful young players had clubs who really believe, as I do, that the County programme was in fact an integral part of the Club programmes for the season; and planned their club programmes to this end in consultation with the County. The County has got to be a group of people appointed by club members to co-ordinate inter-club competition and so create an extension to club bridge.

I left at 3.00 p.m. on Friday afternoon to get to Newcastle bridge club for 7.00 p.m. for the handicap teams of four event, feeling my day at E.B.U. headquarters had been well worth the effort of going. Leaving the club at 10.30 I couldn't help reflecting on what a good job Newcastle Bridge Club does in promoting inter-club competition and how well the members of that club support the County. I am now more convinced than ever that the game of Duplicate Bridge in Staffordshire would be much the poorer without a viable and active County Association.

JOHN HUDSON

TREASURER'S REPORT

I have little to add to the report which I made in the last Bulletin. The membership has reached a reasonable level, although it is unfortunate to have lost a few of our older members.

Entries for the various competitions have not been as high as your programme committee anticipated, and it has proved necessary to dispense with qualifying heats. Nevertheless, if affairs continue on the same footing, I am reasonably optimistic that I shall be able to report a favourable cash flow at the Annual General Meeting in May.

Finally, a reminder to you all that it is still not too late to enter the remaining competitions in the 1975/76 calendar. They are to be played at Stafford on the dates shown below at 2.30 p.m:-

DAVE MARSHALL

TOURNAMENT REPORT

(a) TOLLEMACHE CUP

During the weekend of 31st January, 1st February, Staffordshire will have done battle at Droitwich in the final of the Tollemache. This event is the National Inter-County Teams-of-Eight competition, and four other counties will have been doing battle against out County team, having won their respective area heats.

Staffordshire's entry in the final follows the efforts of Messrs. Monckton(Captain) Bieganski, Beech-Bloxham, Davies-Downs, and Topley-Tottenham in the Midlands Area Qualifying Heat at Coventry, on December 6th and 7th. Staffordshire broke Warwickshire's stranglehold on the Midlands heat - Warwickshire had won it for so many successive years - in spectacular fashion. Both Staffordshire and Warwickshire finished with 38 V.P.'s but Staffordshire qualified on a split tie, having defeated Warwickshire 9-3 in the match between the two Counties.

The final table:-

For those not familiar with the running of the Area Heat, there are three separate sessions of 25 boards each, during which five-board matches are played against the other five counties. Each board is i.m.p'd, and the aggregate result over 15 boards against each County is V.P.'d. The competition started on the Saturday afternoon, and after the twenty-five board session, we were in an average position with i.m.p.'s as follows:-

It didn't really look like the start of great things, but we consolidated our position in the evening session, at the end of which everyone knew it would be a very close finish on Sunday afternoon. Our position on Saturday night made us slight favourites, although there were still three or four teams in close contention. After the evenings results, out aggregate results over the two sessions were:-

The Sunday afternoon session started - and at this point after 50 boards, no-one had bid a slam for Staffordshire (at least which had made), nor at the same time, had team bid a slam against Staffordshire. All of a sudden everyone went wild. Against Leicestershire on the first hand of the afternoon, I picked up:-

I opened one Diamond, and partner forced with two spades

After a rather contorted sequence, I optimistically reasoned that thirteen tricks were available - in no trumps. Unfortunately, no suits were breaking favourably - (not even spades). After a spade lead in an endeavour to make the contract, I went two off, and had horrible forebodings that our slender lead against Leicestershire had run away. My fears were unfounded. Our other N/S Monckton and Bieganski played in a highly satisfactory 6 spade contract, whilst the opposition North South made -300 and +630 respectively. 14 i.m.p's to Staffordshire. Yet another slam proved costly to Leicestershire when myself and partner and Monckton and Bieganski both reached six spades with

The opposition pairs floundered in an unmakable six no trumps (with AJ hearts off-side) and three no trumps. This hand was worth 17 i.m.p's to us, and we won the match by 40 i.m.p's (11 V.P.'s). Warwickshire were next, and yet another slam:-

Three N/S bid to six hearts, whilst Monckton and Bieganski bid to seven hearts - untouchable. We went on to beat Warwickshire by 26 i.m.p. - 9-3 V.P.'s. Next came Nottinghamshire, and one or two part-score hands helped us pull in 9 i.m.p.'s for an aggregate of +14 (8 V.P.'S)

With ten boards to play, there was an interval for tea - at 15p per cup! Nonetheless, the Staffordshire team were rather flushed with their early afternoon success, and chose to indulge at these extortionate prices. After all, only ten boards left - and with a good lead against Derbyshire we only had to hold our own against Northamptonshire to come out as winners. Disaster struck - we lost 45 i.m.p.'s on the five boards against Northamptonshire and the match 0-12: Two slams, yet again, were the deciding factors, and my partner and I had to sit back and take our medicine, when the opposition East/West bid undefeatable slams on two hands:-

Six no trumps by East and with everything breaking favourably, no problem.

6 clubs they bid, for 920. However, this 12-0 disaster was to some extent offset by our good victory over Derbyshire, although as we anxiously waited for the final score, we were rather less optimistic than before the tea break. Peter Miller, the excellent T.D. soon tallied up the final score, and we were all delighted to hear that Staffordshire had narrowly qualified on a split tie.

G.C. DAVIES

(b) INDIVIDUAL COMPETITION

It is surprising that individual events do not happen to be one of the most popular events in the bridge calendar. The first sign of its unpopularity came when the two qualifying heats arranged for early November had to be cancelled through lack of numbers. And so it was decided to hold the final as a one-session event to be held at Stafford on 23rd November, when 20 players of various shapes and sizes, Acolites, Blue Clubbers, Precision etc. arrived to do battle, under the excellent tournament direction of Dave Marshall. It proved to be a most enjoyable event, not least because the hands produced some very interesting deals.

Playing with unusual partners, one or two players seem to choose a less than orthodox bid. I was looking at:-

when partner opened 1 club, to which I responded a "prepared" diamond (not the best of bids I must admit). Partner replied two hearts, to which I replied two no trumps, raised to three by partner. I had to be rather patient as the defence took the first nine tricks. Partner's hand:-

and I wasn't the only declarer in three no trumps. In fact, four hearts, plus one, scored a top. Undaunted, we played on, and shortly came across another interesting hand. Game-all, and East opened 1 diamond. I was looking at

and overcalled one spade. No bid on my left, and partner responded two diamonds. What do you bid now? I reasoned partner would have some form of spade fit, more than likely the Ace, and the diamond suit was well placed. My score was only running at about 50%, so I decided to go for a well judged top, hoping to avoid two club losers by a favourable lead. Six spades said I - double by East. Not a very good result, I'm afraid, as partner went down with:-

At least I didn't have any club losers! There were many more swingy boards, which certainly sorted out the men from the boys, or rather the women from the boys, as the worthy winner was Mrs. E.A. Dumbleton from Newcastle. Leading scores:-

(c) FLITCH COMPETITION

Congratulations to our County Captain and wife, who won this 6-table Howell movement held at Stafford on 7th December. Leading scores:-

(d) COUNTY KNOCK-OUT TEAMS-OF-FOUR

You will probably all have heard by now that three of the seeded teams made an early exit from this competition. John Messenger's team of Mike Coad, Gordon Heywood and John Seymour beat the No. 1 seeds Sartain-Slyde, Topley-Tottenham. Roger Williams' team from Alsager (Mrs. Shelia Riley, Charles Foster and Les Meredith) beat the No. 3 seeds Davies/Downs, Beech/Bloxham. And for good measure, the No. 4 seeds, Dash-Perry, Mallett-Trounce were beaten by George Charlish's team of Jean Charlish, Jean Wellsburg and Derek Davies. These exciting results prompted the following letter from one of our members:-

December 19th, 1975 To the editor of the County Bulletin.

Dear Sir,

I wish to report to you a rumour of suspicious goings-on which have been heightened by the startling results in the 2nd round of the Staffs. Cup.

It is rumoured that a certain team in the first round played their match privately at their opponents house, and that at half-time they were a comfortable 26 i.m.p.'s to the good. They were then lavished with goodly refreshment which included an appetitising egg pie. Afterwards the team report being unable to count the spots on their cards properly and they eventually not only lost the 26 i.m.p.'s but a further 16 on top. They were understandingly suspicious that the egg pie had been doped. On Sunday 14th sandwiches which it is rumoured were produced from the same source were seen to be assiduously lavished on the seeded teams; and the results strongly suggest that these too could well nave been doped.

I consider the secretary should be asked to investigate the matter further and if necessary report his findings to the appropriate Committee of the E.B.U.

I am Sir,

Yours sincerely and deflatedly,

An Ungerminated Seed

EDITOR'S COMMENT: A case for the rules and diatetics Committee.

(e) THE INTER-CLUB PAIRS LEAGUE, played concurrently with the NEWCASTLE COUNTY PAIRS EVENT.

Above you can see the relative positions of the Clubs taking part after 5 out of the eight nights. The presence of strong pairs from other clubs has greatly enhanced the Newcastle County pairs event and it is therefore very sad that on one or two occasions some clubs have been unable to find two pairs willing to turn out and play for them. This has taken the edge off the inter-club event. I am therefore asking all players, and particularly those from Wolverhampton and Stafford to let your Club on these nights. (This does not mean that only pairs selected to represent their clubs can play in the event; any pair can play in the Newcastle County pairs by just turning up to play; the more the merrier.) So far we have had 5 very good nights bridge, and if only every affiliated club could have been represented by two pairs on each night we would have had 5 outstanding good nights. So I feel that it is worth trying to get this event really going well. Freddie Dumbleton and Harold Goodwin have informed me that they are arranging a final of 5 tables (the 10 best scores to play) 5 result to count; any tie to be broken by the next best score.

(f) MISCELLANEOUS

A further letter has been received by the Editor, which reads as follows:-

Dear Editor,

On Sunday, September 14th I rather slyly left home and drove to Stafford to dutifully play in the Swiss Teams event leaving the little woman to play happily with the children - on returning home I was unexpectedly assaulted as I entered the house and informed in no uncertain terms that Sunday was not a suitable day for me to indulge my undoubted talents at the bridge table. (I regret to report that the frying pan now has a convex frying surface).

Now each Saturday my bridge calendar is carefully consulted to make sure that any further attempt at defection does not succeed. In fact any further attempt is not likely to occur. I already find a slightly convex frying surface not the best on which to cook bacon and eggs and I don't wish the curvature to be increased. So please would you ask the Committee to do all in its power to restrict Sunday County events to at most one a month, I believe that a lot of players in my position could enter negotiations on the basis of one Sunday per month with some hope of success.

I am yours sincerely,

A slightly flat headed member.

I am sure that our member's wishes will be considered by your Committee. Other members of course, are invited to send their views for publication in the next issue, which will go out during the middle of April approximately 2/3 weeks before the Annual General Meeting.

Finally, I understand that Wolverhampton Bridge Club have introduced a duplicate teams event on Wednesday evenings. Any team interested in playing is invited to telephone Peter Tottenham at the Wolverhampton Bridge Club.

STOP PRESS

This weekend Staffordshire won the final of the Tolly. It is the first time in its history that the County has won this national competition. The final victory was even more sensational than the split tie in the Qualifying Heat. In fact, Staffordshire, Middlesex and North-West all finished on the same victory points, but Staffordshire emerged as the winners of the triple tie, having scored the most imp's.

Editor: G.C. Davies, 270 Sandon Road, Stafford Tel: Home Stafford 3869 Work Stafford 59121