May 2010
Welcome to Suffolk!
At last we're able to welcome the new members to the county. Teething troubles at the EBU meant that it's only relatively recently that the association knew about the new people under Universal Membership.
This is our monthly newsletter
We have been sending these for over two years. In it you'll find news, information about up-and-coming events, results summaries and links to bridge. We're conscious that these days everyone leads busy lives and playing in a bridge event or not is, by the standards of yesteryear, often a late decision. Consequently we put increasing value on timely communications with our membership – and that almost necessarily means electronically.
Spread the word! Mention the newsletter to your partners, team-mates, friends and fellow club-members. Encourage them to write to and we'll add them to the mailing-list. If someone thinks they've given their address to their club and they're not hearing from us, tell them to check their spam folder and let us through (and perhaps check their address hasn't been garbled in transit).
There's bridge here too: Mike Chanter's pieces have a strong following; check out this month's Bridge in the Cupboard below and catch up with back-issues. And we also have a competition – held over from last month because of the EBU delay.
And if you're a regular, this is the new format to chime with our make-over of the website. We expect to take the old one down and raise the new sometime this week – keep a look-out.
Competition
Win a bottle of Chateau Siran!
Guess how many members Suffolk will have on July 1st
Suffolk, with its relatively small number of subscription members, will grow. How big? Well, no-one knows exactly so what we're having a small competition.
We're giving away a bottle of 2000 Bordeaux to the person who most closely estimates the number of Suffolk members on Thursday 1st July, three months after the start of UM. This is a "Very Racy" drop (Wine Spectator). More details in April's newsletter
How could you possibly guess how many members there will be? Well, the reports back from clubs (as well as other helpful stuff) are all on those Universal Membership pages.
To enter, email with SCBA Bordeaux Competition in the subject line. There are a few more details in last month's newsletter but the important one is: Entries close midnight 23-May-2010.
Table Talk
The Spring edition of Suffolk's twice-yearly magazine has now hit the streets – well the clubs. Make sure you pick up yours.
If you can't wait, like to see it in full colour or would like a searchable electronic copy, then you can download it from our website. But beware! It's a large PDF (12 Mb) and you'll almost certainly need broadband.
Bridge in the Cupboard
The Great Mother Gaia, the Ace of Hearts, hypothesises a complicated ending.
'Bridge in the Cupboard' now has a new home at http://www.suffolkbridge.co.uk/content/bitc/ where you can catch up with the story so far (all 29 episodes).
Forthcoming Events
AGM & AGM Pairs
Sunday 16th May 2010, 3:00pm at Stoke by Nayland. At the close of the 30th Suffolk Annual General Meeting there will be a one session pairs event. There are refreshments for those playing the pairs, entry for which is £6.00 per person.
Suffolk Mixed Pairs
Wednesday 9th June 2010, 7:15pm at Stoke by Nayland. A one session pairs event for mixed partnerships. The cost is is £6.00 per person, entries and enquiries to Competitions Secretary, (01379 870291).
Results
Norfolk Congress 2010
Highlights of the Norfolk Congress, Kings Lynn, second weekend in April:
In the Championship Pairs, Norman Less & Andre Gray came fourth, in the Consolation, Neil Bresler & John Williams were third. In the Championship Teams, Roger & Jill Tattersfield, Eric Newman & Michael Sherer were seventh.
Full results from the Norfolk website.
Suffolk Championship Pairs Final
Congratulations to first-time winners, Marie Coates and Mike Del-Bo.
| 1. | Marie Coates & Mike Del-Bo | 62.45% |
| 2. | Mike Bone & Bryan Sellick | 61.07% |
| 3= | Colin Bamberger & Robert Green | 59.58% |
| 3= | Keith Manley & Peter Brown | 59.58% |
Three pairs can go forward to represent Suffolk at the Corwen Trophy in June. Full results on the Suffolk website.
Clare Swiss Pairs
There was a record turn-out for the annual Swiss Pairs, this time held for the first time in the new spacious surrounding of Lavenham Village Hall. Jane and Andrew Moore kept the trophy at Clare by heading the field.
| 1. | Andrew & Jane Moore | 93 VPs |
| 2. | Julian Lang & David Morran | 89 |
| 3. | Jan Wynne & Audrey Tillett | 83 |
58 pairs took part, full results on the Suffolk website, photos of the winners and the event on the Clare Club site.
National Pairs
Ralph Parish and Paul Whetton found the National Pairs Final tough going but they will take many lessons from the experience. Well done to them and it's good to see local players testing themselves in the top levels of the game.