Monday Trophy winners

Clem Bradley and David Balderson 

Thursday Trohpy winners

Charles and Jenny Miller

Bridge Lessons for complete beginners

We will be running lessons for beginners starting in Setember 2020.   Please email val@bridgeschoolgx.co.uk for more information.

Bridge Lessons for improvers

If you have already learned how to play bridge but would like to refresh your knowlegde, we have a course for you.   Please email val@bridgeschoolgx.co.uk for more information.

So having expressed some small interest in finding out what was involved in captaining the ‘B’ team  during the previous season, with the view of perhaps standing in for Neil at some point during this season when he was unavailable ... Neil moves on to captain the ‘A’ Team and I am thrown in the deep end! To be fair, Neil and Tessa have given me a lot of support as well as Neil handing over his complete “system”. Things got a little trickier when it turned out that 4 of the 5 team captains in league four were new too - but we got the schedule of matches sorted and off we went little knowing of the Covid to come. 

I view the ‘B’ Team as a training team (for Captains as well apparently!), with the aim of exposing club members to Teams of 8 competition and the subtle differences that entails in terms of scoring and tactics. I think it is also a good way to meet like minded club members and to represent our club . There are pressures to be handled - your poor bidding or play affects more than just you and your partner. But conversely that brilliant bid or declarer play can make the difference between a team win or loss - and we had some close matches, with the result coming down to the last hand on the last table! In the end we finished 4th with 3 wins, which was an improvement on the previous season. 

Unfortunately at this time the EBU is not planning to run the League of 8 in 2020/2021, so we will have to wait until 2021/2022. I would like to thank all team members with particular thanks to Sue Chamberlain who acted as stand-in Captain at a number of matches. The TTSoB Lo8 ‘B’ team 2019/20 team members were:

Alan McBride                                                   Anne Byles

Barbara Gibbs                                                 Brenda Catchick

Caroline Jennings                                           Elaine Leech

Kate Brown                                                      Marion Wallbridge

Paddy Walker-Taylor                                     Pippa Kirkbride

Sue Chamberlain                                            Sue Horley

William Thomas

Nick Wallbridge  - Captain - August 2020

This was the season which started with a long drive to Reading through a howling gale, and ended with ... well, an ominous silence, really, when our final fixture was cancelled, along with many others, due to the ever-worsening Covid-19 epidemic.

During the season we recorded  6  wins and suffered only 2 defeats, one at the hands of Amersham B, the eventual champions. We finished behind Amersham in the second promotion spot.

The games were shared around between the 6 pairs who played during the season, and all turned in excellent performances at various times. My thanks go to each and every player, especially to those who took on unfamiliar partners on occasion to allow a fixture to go ahead. Particularly thanks to Ken, who very successfully adopted a bit of a ‘supersub’ role. The ‘roll of honour’ is below!

We played consistently well over the season, but the key result which won us promotion was the 17-3 defeat of our closest rivals, Phyllis Court, late on.  This left them needing a convincing win against champions Amersham B in their very last fixture to overtake us. The cancellation of that fixture, and subsequent calculation of the result based on past performance, took that chance away from them. Shame for the season to end in that way, even though it worked to our benefit.

It is unlikely there will be a competition next year, as there seem to be too few takers for an on-line event. Hopefully it will all start up again in 2021. I very much look forward to seeing everyone again then (if not well before, touch wood)

Neil Horley.

TTSoB Lo8 ‘A’ team 2019/20

Chris Whitby.

Marilyn Halton.

Kathy Brisbourne.

Carol Simpson.

Michael Simpson.

Sue Blythe.

Nils Blythe.

Roselle Beard.

John Ives.

Monica Bartlett.

Ann Palmer.

Ken Waller.

Duplicate bridge sessions 

Monday 2 pm   Bridge Base Online

Thursday 2 pm Bridge Base Online

If you haven't already played online please email val@bridgeschoolgx.co.uk for details on how to proceed

We are both very excited to be taking over a club which has become so successfuly established by Tessa over the years.    We obviously hope that we will be able to resume normal bridge activities again in the not too distant future,    We very much look forward to meeting everyone in person.    July 2020

WE WELCOME PLAYERS AND STUDENTS FROM GERRARDS CROSS, AMERSHAM, CHALFONT ST PETER, AND BEACONSFIELD AS WELL AS FROM ALL OVER BUCKINGHAMSHIRE, BERKSHIRE AND MIDDLESEX

What an amazing job our Team Captains and players have done this year.

Our A Team look like they will be 2^nd in the League of Eight – Division 3 and should be promoted to Division 2 next year.  Neil has shown great leadership and everyone is very grateful to him.  We have had a very strong team and thank you to everyone who have taken part: Monica Bartlett (5), Roselle Beard (3),Nils Blythe (3), Sue Blythe (5), Kathy Brisbourne (4), Marilyn Halton (4), Neil Horley (7), John Ives (5), Ann Palmer (3), Carol Simpson (3), Michael Simpson (3), Ken Waller (4),Christopher Whitby (7) (Number of games played are in brackets.)

Our B Team, in the League of Eight – Division 4 – are mostly new to playing Teams and show great promise for next year..  They have 1 more game to play and Nick Wallbridge has done a terrific job in leading the Team made up of –  Kate Brown (2), Anne Byles (3), Brenda Catchick (4), Sue Chamberlain (3), Barbara Gibbs (2), Sue Horley (5), Caroline Jennings (5), Pippa Kirkbride (3), Elaine Leech (5), Alan McBride (5), William Thomas (3), Patrick Walker-Taylor (4), Marion Wallbridge (6), Nick Wallbridge (6)

Last but not least we have winners in the Graduate League of 4.  For the second year in a row the winners are Alan and Elena McBride, Sally Tilleray and Gary Jennison.  A big congratulations to all four

A special thanks to all Team Captains.

SUPERVISED GENTLE DUPLICATE BRIDGE SESSION WITH ANN  

This session is for anyone who needs to refresh their basic bidding and card play. Lots of help available.

Ann gives a short talk before each session starts, either on a subject of your or her choice.  The sessions are scored and are duplicate - i.e. we move from table to table and we focus on learning and fun.

PLAY VERY FRIENDLY DUPLICATE WITH US

When :  Mondays and Thursdays

Time: 1:30 aiming for a 4:30 finish. (Please be seated by 1:20) 

Where: Main Hall, Chalfont St Peter Community Centre, (A413) SL9 9QX.   - FREE PARKING! 

Host: Yes we provide a host and you can come without a partner BUT if turning up without a partner please turn up 15 minutes before play and make yourself known to the Director.

Cost: £6 per session including a detailed print-out to take home AND FREE PARKING!  We also pride ourselves on the food and hot drinks that Rose, our lovely helper, provides

 We have a zero tolerance policy and do not accept any bad or unfriendly behaviour.   We are affiliated to the English Bridge Union and so Master Points are given

For more info contact Val Bannister     val@bridgeschoolgx.co.uk

PARKING ON OUR MONDAY SESSION

To give us extra parking on a Monday, we have once again rented the Scout Car Park.  This can be reached by going into the entrance (over the little bridge) and turning right towards the Tennis Club.  The Scouts' building is the second building along and the gates to the car park will be open.  PLEASE, IF YOU ARE FIT AND ABLE, USE THIS SPACE on a Monday to allow others who visit the centre for other classes, to park their cars (some are elderley and disabled).  Your help would be greatly appreciated.

PARKING ON OUR THURSDAY SESSION

Unfortunately we are unable to rent the Scout Car Park on a Thursday.  There are a few extra spaces available if you go down the lane towards the Scout Building and through the gate.  You can then park on the right hand side opposite the green.  There is also the Pay and Display in the village, just a short walk through the play area.