January 2011
Happy New Year!
Winter – and Summer
Bridge in and around the county largely escaped the worst of the weather when Suffolk missed the heaviest snowfalls.
However that didn't extend to the Summer League when the previously jinxed final fixture, Ipswich & Kesgrave v Clare, fell foul of the the home club's only cancellation resulting in another rearrangement (result below).
New year, new year's resolutions? How about testing the water in one of the county events? In June there is a new event in the Suffolk calendar designed very much with 'new' English Bridge Union members in mind – the estimated 500 club players around the county who became members when Universal Membership was introduced last April and currently contribute under Pay-to-Play.
The New Members Invitational will consist of 32 boards played by pairs at a relaxed pace in one of the county's best venues – and aims to give 'new' EBU members an enjoyable taste of competitions run by the Suffolk Contract Bridge Association. Entry fees (£5 per player) have been deliberately kept low thanks to financial support from the SCBA which is also supplying generous prizes to winners – and some clubs.
Full details were in the December newsletter – perhaps that got lost in the seasonal festivities.
A reminder too that copies of the Winter 2010 issue of Table Talk were available from early December. If you haven't got yours, contact the editor, .
Table Talk is distributed to clubs and teaching groups and is free to all bridge players in Suffolk. If you're an SCBA member yet don't visit a Suffolk club we'll post one to you. If you're in the last group, contact the membership secretary by replying to this mail and a copy will be on its way.
Bridge in the Cupboard
Make yourself comfortable on the couch – but this time it is Freud, the nine of hearts whose thoughts are under scrutiny.
Forthcoming Events
Suffolk Pairs Open Heat
Thursday 13th January 2011, 7:00pm at Ipswich and Kesgrave Bridge Club. If you missed your chance to qualify for the Suffolk pairs in October this 'catch up' heat is open to anyone yet to make an attempt to qualify for the 2010-11 Suffolk Pairs Championship.
Beccles Swiss Teams
Sunday 16th January 2011, 11:00am, Loddon, Norfolk. Beccles Bridge Club has run a successful Swiss Teams for several years. You can download an entryform [PDF] which has entry and contact details.
Mid-Anglia Pairs
Sunday 23rd January 2011, 2:00pm at Risbygate Club. This is a two session pairs event scored by IMPs (teams scoring) and the cost is £10 per person including refreshments between sessions. Risbygate club meets at Westley Road, Bury St. Edmunds, IP33 3RR.
Enter via the Suffolk Competition Secretary, (01379 870291). Rick will also answer your questions and you can download an entryform [PDF].
National Pairs Qualifier
Thursday 27th January 2011, 7:00pm at Ipswich & Kesgrave Club. The first rung on the quest for national fame – please contact for details or see the club website for directions etc. [The heat requires just a single pair to be viable.]
Bury St Edmunds Congress
Sunday 6th February 2011, 7:00pm at Bury St Edmunds Club. A Swiss Teams event, entry £40 per team including tea. There are cash prizes for the top three teams and an ascenders' prize in case it doesn't start well. See the Bury Club website for more details or contact (01284 724165).
Andrew Robson Master Class
Friday 11th February 2011, 10:00am at Lavenham.
Andrew Robson is widely regarded as one of the finest bridge teachers, players and writers in the world today – and his Master Classes have proved an inspiration for thousands of players around the country.
Andrew returns to Lavenham Village Hall for another session. He will cover two topics of interest to players of all standards during the day. Tickets, costing £35, will include coffee on arrival and a two course lunch with a glass of wine.
For further details, download an entry form [PDF] or email .
Jyl Marsh Individual
Sunday 13th February 2011, 2:00pm at Framlingham Club. A chance to show your skill and your charm. Partnering as many other competitors as numbers and time permit this event tests more than just bridge skill.
The cost is £7 per player, including tea. Enter via the Suffolk Competition Secretary, (01379 870291).
Events Calendar
On the website you can check events up to June 2011.
Results
Suffolk Championship Teams of Four
The first round separated the field into two six-player all-play-alls; the lower half contested the plate.
Plate
A very tight affair, congratulations to Sherri & Richard Barton, Kevin & Sara Willetts.
| Team | Bar | Bar | Les | Wat | Lit | Wil | IMPs |
| Barton | ** | 0 | 1 | -10 | 10 | 21 | 22 |
| Barker | 0 | ** | -8 | -4 | 7 | 23 | 18 |
| Less | -1 | 8 | ** | 1 | 6 | -3 | 11 |
| Waters | 10 | 4 | -1 | ** | -10 | -13 | -10 |
| Littell | -10 | -7 | -6 | 10 | ** | 2 | -11 |
| Williams | -21 | -23 | 3 | 13 | -2 | ** | -30 |
Championship Round Two
| Team | Bam | Cha | Han | Mor | Tal | Bon | IMPs |
| Bamberger | ** | 2 | 9 | 24 | -3 | 14 | 46 |
| Chambers | -2 | ** | 2 | -3 | 7 | 8 | 12 |
| Hanley | -9 | -2 | ** | -5 | 10 | 7 | 1 |
| Morran | -24 | 3 | 5 | ** | 8 | 0 | -8 |
| Talaga | 3 | -7 | -10 | -8 | ** | 1 | -21 |
| Bone | -14 | -8 | -7 | 0 | -1 | ** | -30 |
The top four teams go through to the knock-out semi-finals. As winners of the qualifier, Bamberger (Colin Bamberger & Robert Green, Graham Beeton & Jeff Orton) have the right to choose opponents and selected Morran. Therefore Chambers play Hanley.
Since December the first semi-final has taken place, Bamberger justifying their choice and overcoming Morran by 13 IMPs. The other semi-final is scheduled for 30-Jan.
See the full results with all team line-ups from the qualifier.
Children in Need
18,582 people played in 512 heats. Bridge clubs from Botswana, Croatia, Cyprus, Germany and Spain joined clubs across the United Kingdom to raise a record £62,105, taking the total raised by bridge players for Children in Need since 2002 to an incredible £460,974. A complete digest of results is available from the ECats Children in Need 2010 web-pages.
There were two heats in Suffolk, these were the best national placings:
Friday – Stowmarket Club
| 17. | George Moody & Colin Bamberger | 65.49% |
| 62. | Peter Markwell & Marjorie Driver | 61.00% |
855 pairs took part.
Tuesday – Colchester Duplicate Club
| 300. | David Morran & Julian Lang | 57.73% |
2064 pairs took part.
Suffolk Simultaneous Pairs
In November 148 pairs took part from nine clubs. Tony McLarty and Janet Fleming were well clear of the large field. The club prize (had there been one) would have been a tussle between Deben (two/top-five) and Bury St. Edmunds (three/top-ten).
| 1. | Tony McLarty / Janet Fleming | 69.22% | Ipswich Hospitals |
| 2. | Sue Flin / Kevin Fletcher | 63.66% | Bury St. Edmunds |
| 3. | Penny & Allen Vince | 63.25% | Deben |
| 4. | John & Elizabeth Clement | 62.23% | Deben |
| 5. | Jenny Morley / Claire Flux | 61.67% | Clare |
| 6. | Andre Gray / Sarah Gray | 61.24% | Framlingham |
| 7. | Malcolm Stredwick / Arthur Beels | 61.03% | Woodbridge |
| 8. | Norma Shannahan / Doc Lacey | 60.05% | Bury St. Edmunds |
| 9. | Mike Jude / Val Hooper | 59.94% | Woodbridge |
| 10. | Norman Ford / Patrick Connell | 59.83% | Bury St. Edmunds |
Summer League
That last fixture resulted in a win for Ipswich & Kesgrave over Clare, 51-29, giving them the First Division Championship. Congratulations too to Woodbridge who won Division Two (quite a while ago as well!). It remains to be seen if and when the Handicap Trophy Decider will be played before, well, it's summer again.
| Division One | I&K | Col | Cla | Bur | VPs |
| Ipswich & Kesgrave | 43 | 51 | 70 | 164 | |
| Colchester | 37 | 35 | 73 | 145 | |
| Clare | 29 | 45 | 55 | 129 | |
| Bury | 10 | 7 | 25 | 42 |
| Division Two | Woo | Fel | Sto | Fra | Hos | VPs |
| Woodbridge | 55 | 54 | 64 | 50 | 223 | |
| Felixstowe | 25 | 52 | 32 | 49 | 158 | |
| Stowmarket | 26 | 28 | 39 | 53 | 146 | |
| Framlingham | 16 | 48 | 41 | 38 | 143 | |
| Ipswich Hospitals | 30 | 31 | 27 | 42 | 130 |