London Congress 2025 at the YC—Report
London Congress 2025 Pairs winners Adam Hickman and Andi Boughey
The Young Chelsea is affiliated to the LMBA which, as last year, ran the London Congress at the club. This year’s event took place over the weekend of 6 & 7 July. On the Saturday, 35 pairs played a seven‑round Swiss Pairs.
Congratulation to the winners on 102 VPs Adam Hickman and Andi Boughey. They had the day’s competition sewn up going into the last match and took home their prize of £200.
Results
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LMBA Treasurer Brian Callaghan with London Congress 2025 Teams winners Sam Anoyrkatis, Rob Lawy and Harry Anoyrkatis (team member Tom Furness was unavailable for the photo)
On the Sunday 16 teams played a six‑round Swiss Teams.
Congratulations to the winning team on 82.95 VPs: Sam Anoyrkatis, Rob Lawy, Harry Anoyrkatis and Tom Furness. They received a £240 prize.
Results
[See more…]
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Item posted 9 July 2025
Summer Party and Keith Loveys Individual 2025—Report
Committee member Brian Callaghan presenting the winner’s trophy to Kjeld Hansen
The Young Chelsea Individual is held in memory of the late Keith Loveys, a popular club member and expert bridge player. At four and a half tables, entries were a bit lower than they were last year. As usual, the event was part of the Summer Party this year on Sunday 9 June.
Congratulations to the winner Kjeld Hansen, visiting from Denmark, finishing on 66.42% (over 8% clear of the field).
Second was Carrie Eden on 58.33%, third was John Cox on 55.56% and fourth was Alex Hannon on 55.00%.
Results
[See more…]
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Item posted 25 June 2025
Spring 2025 Ladder Winner
EBU Chair Adrian Darnell presents Brian Callaghan with the Spring 2025 ladder winner’s prize
The Tweedledum and Tweedledee of the YC Ladder, Ryan Stephenson and Brian Callaghan who finished second and first respectively
The Tuesday evening monthly matchpoint pairs for the 2025 Ladder concluded on 22 June. In front by a whisker on 59.92% was Brian Callaghan (aka Binkie). In second place was Ryan Stephenson on 59.90%—essentially making it a coin‑toss for the first two places. Always in contention, in third came Mark Davies on 58.42%.
Thanks to eveyone who took part, both the players and the helpers, especially Ryan who was the guiding mind behind the event.
That evening, the club was graced by the presence of EBU Chair Adrian Darnell, who presented the winner's prize of £100.
And, confounding the sceptics, Brian did buy drinks all round for those who stayed for the presentation that followed the duplicate.
See the ladder information page for details.
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Item posted 22 June 2025
EBU May 2025 Promotions of YC Members
Congratulations to the YC members listed below who attained a promotion in EBU rank during May!
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Regional Master |
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National Master |
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Premier National Master |
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National Master |
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1 Star Grand Master |
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Life Master |
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Regional Master |
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Life Master |
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Local Master |
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Item posted 9 June 2025
Young Chelsea Mixed Pairs 2025—Report
Nicola Smith and Ollie Burgess—winners of the Young Chelsea Mixed Pairs 2025
The Young Chelsea Mixed Pairs 2025 took place at the club on Sunday 18 May. Twenty‑seven pairs played two sessions of eighteen deals each.
Well done to the winners, Nicola Smith and Ollie Burgess, with an impressive 64.59%.
Overall ranking and session results are available via the following links:
[See more…]
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Item posted 26 May 2025
Young Chelsea Super League Spring 2025—Report
The Spring 2025 Young Chelsea Super League finished on Wednesday 14 May, the last scheduled date of the season.
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The league positions in Division One were close going into the last match, with team Leslie in the lead facing team Hillman lying third, while team Hinden was in between. Congratulation to winning team Leslie (Tim Leslie, Ben Norton, Sebastian Atisen, Matt Brown, Phil King, Stefano Tommasini), who did just enough. Prizes were the same as in the Autumn season. First place received £600.
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In second place, winning every match but falling short by 1½ VPs, was team Hinden (Sally Brock, Paul Barden, David Burn, Richard Fedrick, Frances Hinden, Barry Myers, Graham Osborne, Andrew Southwell, David Willis) picking up a £200 prize.
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Steve Root, Duncan Thomas, Claire Robinson and Susanna Gross of Spring 2025 YC Super League Div Two winning team ROBBO’S RABBLE at the prizegiving
Meanwhile, the top two teams in Division Two won promotion to Division One for the next season in the Autumn.
In first place was team Robbo’s Rabble (Andi Boughey, Susanna Gross, Jen Middleton, Claire Robinson, Steve Root, Duncan Thomas, Ewa Wieczorek) getting £300.
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In second place was team Polish Club (Ewa Kater, Heather Bakhshi, Aleksander Blicharz, Grzegorz Blicharz, Maks Blicharz, Maciej Szczerczak) getting £100.
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Commiserations to the two teams at the bottom of Division One which are relegated to Division Two next season. [See more…]
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Item posted 21 May 2025
Young Chelsea Knockout 2025
YCKO 2025
Sixteen teams have entered this year’s competition. (You can still view the YCKO 2024 competition.) The club will contact those teams which entered last year and have not yet done so this year.
After seeding the teams by NGS (team numbers 9 through 16 being chosen randomly), the draw (updated regularly with match results) has been made. The competition is now under way and teams should contact their opponents to arrange a match date. Once the teams have a date agreed they should book the match in, preferably online via the match booking page, or by emailing the club at bookings@ycbc.co.uk. Round Three has a couple of straggling matches still to be played. (This season Trevor Mathews is policing the match schedule.) The play‑by date for Round Four matches is 17 August.
Once your match has been played, please notify the result to the club at manager@ycbc.co.uk, stating the names of the players in both teams as well as the outcome. Team captains will be notified of their opponents for their next match as soon as the team to be played is known.
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The Young Chelsea Knockout (YCKO) is the club’s annual teams event that runs on “double elimination” lines—every team has to lose two matches before it is knocked out. Teams may consist of up to six players, all of whom must be paid‑up club members before taking part in a match. (Anyone who needs to may subscribe via the payments page.)
For 2025, the event will be played as a face‑to‑face competition with matches held at the club. Matches will be charged at the standard price. A team may choose whether it wants half‑time refreshments. For matches of up to 32 deals, this is currently either £12.50 per player (with refreshments) or £10.00 per player (without). Should the club exceptionally allow you to play a match online, the charge per match (debited from the captain’s/organizer’s YC account) will be the same as if played face to face. No other entry fee will be charged. Prize money will be £800 for the winning team, £300 for the runners‑up.
The winning team will hold the YCKO Trophy for the following year and will be eligible for a play‑off match against the team winning the LMBA London Championship Teams‑of‑four to decide which team will represent London in the 2024 Lederer invitation tournament.
Please enter by the end of February on the registration page of the website. or by emailing the club manager at manager@ycbc.co.uk. (Entries are now closed.)
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Team Rosters
The organizer/captain’s name appears first in each team’s player list.
1 |
Atisen |
Sebastian Atisen, Stefano Tommasini, Neil Rosen, John Atthey |
2 |
Brock |
Sally Brock, Barry Myers, Frances Hinden, Graham Osborne, Richard Fedrick |
3 |
SMB and the Bagladies |
James Thrower, Jon Thoresen, Croz Croswell, Matthew Brown, Ingar Hansen, Duncan Thomas |
4 |
Robbo's Rabble |
Claire Robinson, Paul Barden, David Willis, Cameron Small, Ewa Wieczorek |
5 |
Exiters Finest |
Joe Fawcett, Gillian Fawcett, David Burn, Ian Payn, Heather Dhondy, Brian Callaghan |
6 |
Mrs Pen |
Ollie Burgess, Susanna Gross, Margaret Nygren, Martin Nygren, Nicola Smith |
7 |
Muller |
David Muller, Trevor Mathews, Brian McGuire, Gordon Rainsford |
8 |
Jupiter |
Boris Nedev, Christophe Grosset, François Picard, Nicolas Leprovost |
9 |
Sanderson |
Liam Sanderson, Hugo Jee, John Cox, Alex Hannon |
10 |
The Ravens |
Rosie White, Brendan Doolan, Sara Chiappara, Paul Gibson, Adam Cranston, Alistair Hill |
11 |
Duckworth |
Chris Duckworth, Mike Graham, Graham Sadie, Ben Payne |
12 |
Lawrenzo |
Patrick Lawrence, Juliet Miiliken, John Wilson, Jeremy Wray |
13 |
Letho |
Guy Hart, Mark Lehto, Ryan Stephenson, Paul Huggins, Rob Cliffe |
14 |
Boland |
Fergal Boland, John Dean, John Pemberton, Steve Popham, Richard Creamer |
15 |
Marshall |
Miu Wong, Angus Marshall, Robert Marshall, Wilfred Marshall |
16 |
Sushi |
Kath Stynes, Debbie Sandford, Nick Sandqvist, Nathalie Shashou |
[See more…]
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Page last updated 27 June 2025
Help Ukraine Emergency Appeal—Report
Young Chelsea Appeal 2022—Ukrainian Staff
We are delighted to announce that we have raised the grand total of £5,521.21 for the Help Ukraine Emergency Appeal. The club organised a special fundraising duplicate on 6 March and our Ukrainian staff rallied round baking cakes and donating Ukrainian goods for sale. The event attracted a great mix of club members and others, all of whom gave very generously and the funds rolled in. We are very grateful to all, and every penny will go to the Ukrainian people. [See more…]
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Item posted 9 March, updated 19 March 2022
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