News
27-August-2021
Online Summer Handicap
The OSH was won last night by KPMG who defeated Roehampton Diamonds by a single IMP on the last board. Congratulations to Martin Stephens, Simon Creasey, Wei Tham, Will Roper – commiserations to Ralph Evers, Peter Bonnor-Moris, Peter Hardyment and Malcolm Bricknell. Full results: knockouts and group stage.
New Season Details
The new League layout and knockout draw is published left. We are back to five divisions – see the 'Year page' for the rationale of the new layout.
AGM Wednesday 8th September, 6pm online via Microsoft Teams
Agenda
Included in the business of the Association this year is the ratification of new governance documents. These have been modelled on the EBU templates for clubs and associations (although our Association fits neither exactly). Notwithstanding the changed circumstances, the secretary would be pleased to receive any proposals or nominations for office or committee membership by 1st September (7 days prior to AGM).
- Opening by chairman (preceded by technical advice)
- Apologies for absence
- Approval of the minutes of the 2020 AGM
- Matters arising from the 2020 AGM
- Adoption of revised Constitution and new Privacy Policy
- Presentation of accounts
- Election of officers and committee
- Appointment of auditor
- Playing protocol for new season following survey responses
- Any other business
At the completion of business there will be a Captains' Meeting where team representatives will be separated into rooms specific to their division.
Supporting documents
- Minutes of 2020 AGM [PDF]
- Fixtures Sheet (blank) [PDF]
- DRAFT Revised Constitution [PDF] including a Disciplinary Schedule. This document replaces the existing 'Rules'
- DRAFT Privacy Policy [PDF]
Despite the virtual nature of the Captains' Meeting, a hard copy of the Fixtures sheet may well be useful.
11-August-2021
New Season!
Invitations to play in the 2021-22 season have been sent to all captains of teams playing last year.
A reminder that the AGM is online (Microsoft Teams) at 6pm, Wednesday 8th September. As last year, after the AGM, teams will be allocated virtual rooms to arrange fixtures for the season. At the AGM we expect to present a new constitution to replace the existing 'Rules', updated and more aligned to those of bridge clubs and associations. A copy will be posted here with other AGM documentation.
Play in 2021-22 will be on the basis of defaulting to online bridge but, with mutual agreement, permitting face-to-face matches. That was the clear opinion of the survey taken in May/June, ensuring the maximum participation and the preference of a sizeable majority. We do hope face-to-face bridge becomes easier, safer and more acceptable and we look forward to restoring the social element of bridge in London.
Entry for the new season is online only, from the highlighted 'New Season Entries' left; each team needs its unique code, unchanged as ever and cited in emails to captains.
13-July-2021
Online Summer Handicap – Knockout Stage Begins
Six teams qualified for the knockout stages, the winner and runner-up from each pool. The best- and second-best firsts have a bye to the semi-final, the remaining pool-winner plays the second-place finisher with the least-strong record.
See the finalists and draw.
29-May-2021
New Season Survey
We are soliciting responses from all teams – captains have been sent an email – to better plan the 2021-22 season. Please see the link, left, (you will need your team code).
Relating to that, this year's AGM will be held online (via Microsoft Teams) at 6pm, Wednesday 8th September. Details will be sent to all participating teams on receipt of their registration in August.
27-April-2021
Online Summer Handicap
There has been an encouraging response for the Online Summer Handicap Teams to be held over May, June and July. A reminder that the closing date is Friday 30th April. More details in the item below and a list of entered teams.
16-April-2021
Knockouts, League and New Summer Event
Leslie Dodds Cup
Congratulations to Civil Service (Mike Bull, Richard Creamer, Roy Westwater, Peter Brook) who defeated Buttons 'A' (Jim O'Donoghue, Trevor Hails, Andrew Clery, Ken Barnett) 50-41 in the final of the Leslie Dodds Cup.
Gainsborough Plate
Belated congratulations to Lavender Blue who a few days earlier, won the Gainsborough Plate. Malcolm Morris, Martin Baker, Andrew Stimson, Anne Stimson defeated RAC Rolls Royce (Andrew Kisiel, David Glass, Pralab Barua, Brigitte Kisiel) 67-64.
League
Four of the six divisions are complete, the winners of Div. 1 are known but other places are to be decided, Div. 3 is in the balance. Well done to:
20-April All winners are now known and only two League matches remain which will complete the rankings in Div. 1.
- Div. 1
- Civil Service
- Div. 2
- Button 'B'
- Div. 3
- Balliol Alumni
- Div. 4
- Formtex
- Div. 5
- Lords & Ladies
- Div. 6
- RAC Bristol
We understand that all outstanding matches are scheduled to be completed before the end of April. If that is not the case, please get in touch as soon as possible.
New Summer Event
To keep bridge ticking over during the summer, in response to the obvious enthusiasm for online play and not least of all, to occupy us while our freedom to play normally is constrained, we are introducing a new competition.
Online Summer Handicap
We aim for a friendly event, with shorter matches, no Masterpoints, against teams from different divisions, people whom you might well have not played before. The event will be run by Mark Hutton, there is no fee to enter but first prize is free entry to the 2021-22 League!
- Each team will play four or five matches, approximately one every three weeks. Opponents will be randomly drawn across all divisions. The precise format – such as groups, drawn-in-advance or Swiss – will depend on numbers participating.
- All matches will be on BBO with no home/away distinction. Each match will be 16 boards (2 x 8, with exchange of opponents). Current LBH rules for matches on BBO to apply.
- There will be a handicap of 6 IMPs per division difference between the teams (2020-21 League). Results will be submitted via the website in the normal way.
- A final will then be played between the two teams with the highest VP score (including relevant handicap).
We will shortly be sending invites to captains – we hope you will take part.
24-March-2021
2020-21 SURDOC Trophy
Congratulations to White Rabbits (Konrad Mau, John Gibbons, Andrew Shillam, Mike Shilling) who won the 2020-21 SURDOC Trophy
| Psn. | Team | R1 | R2 | R3 | R4 | R5 | VPs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | White Rabbits | 10vICL | 11vRoD | 17vLaB | 17vRAM | 18vStE | 73 |
| 2. | London Underground | 2vCiS | 18vRAS | 14vLiv | 11vCMA | 16vLoU | 61 |
| 3= | Stock Exchange | 15vCaW | 18vLaB | 19vCiS | 4vStE | 4vRAR | 60 |
| 3= | RAC Rolls Royce | 18vRAS | 5vCiS | 19vBaA | 16vLoU | 2vWhR | 60 |
| 5. | CMS Alumni | 10vRoD | 17vICL | 8vRAM | 9vRAR | 15vCiS | 59 |
| 6. | Civil Service | 18vRAR | 15vStE | 1vLoU | 13vRoD | 5vCMA | 52 |
| 7. | ICL | 10vWhR | 3vCMA | 4vHaC | 18vCaW | 16vFor | 51 |
| 8= | Habeas Corpus | 7vBaA | 7vLiv | 16vICL | 9vFor | 11vRAM | 50 |
| 8= | Livesey | 9vFor | 13vHaC | 6vRAR | 9vBaA | 13vRoD | 50 |
| 10. | RAC Morgan | 4vLaB | 20vCaW | 12vCMA | 3vWhR | 9vHaC | 48 |
| 11. | Roehampton Diamonds | 10vCMA | 9vWhR | 12vFor | 7vCiS | 7vLiv | 45 |
| 12= | Balliol Alumni | 13vHaC | 11vFor | 1vStE | 11vLiv | 8vRAS | 44 |
| 12= | RAC Spitfire | 2vStE | 2vRAR | 18vCaW | 10vLaB | 12vBaA | 44 |
| 14. | Lavender Blue | 11vLiv | 9vBaA | 8vRoD | 11vHaC | 4vICL | 43 |
| 15. | Formtex | 16vRAM | 2vLoU | 3vWhR | 10vRAS | 8vCaW | 39 |
| 16. | Canary Wharf | 5vLoU | 0vRAM | 2vRAS | 2vICL | 12vLaB | 21 |
Full results on Ian Mitchell's BridgeWebs site.
23-March-2021
SURDOC Trophy – Today
Competing teams should read the joining instructions,
Contact numbers are on those instructions and the overall event details.
22-March-2021
SURDOC Trophy – Latest
The SURDOC is tomorrow, Tuesday 23rd March. The entry currently stands at 15 teams (see list of entries) and we do have a make-up team as standby for the necessary even number of participants. But if you would still like to enter get in touch. We welcome teams made up from players currently representing different League or Knockout teams. In fact, if you are a pair, we can even try to find you teammates.
Contact with any interest.
7-March-2021
SURDOC Trophy – Update
The details for the SURDOC are being finalised and acknowledgments and instructions will be sent out to entered teams soon. In the meantime, see the list of entries received for reassurance.
2-March-2021
SURDOC Trophy
There was no SURDOC Teams in the 2020 calendar year, but the annual event normally held in October was held over until this spring. The 2020-21 SURDOC will be held online on Tuesday 23rd March 2021.
Team captains have been informed and full details can be found on the menu-item, left.
19-November-2020
Leslie Dodds and Gainsborough Plate
All first-round matches are complete, the draw has now been made, see links left (for quick reference, also Round 1).
The criteria for the draw are:
- Home and away will be alternated in so far that is possible
- Teams from the same 'house' do not meet each other until at least Round 3
With an original entry of 24 teams, there are therefore 12 teams in both Cup and Plate, with four byes. Because there were six home wins and six aways, this year it was possible to satisfy the first criterion in addition to the second.
The play-by date for Round 2 is 1-Jan-2021.
17-November-2020
Selfridges Cup
Congratulations to Jimmy Strauss and Stuart Leigh, winners of the Selfridges Pairs, the first event of the 2020-21 season.
| 1. | Jimmy Strauss & Stuart Leigh | 65.61% |
| 2. | Mike Bull & Richard Creamer | 59.34% |
| 3. | Roy Westwater & Andrew MacAlister | 58.67% |
See full results, courtesy of 'Bridge with Ned Paul' website, from 2020 Selfridges Pairs (left) or direct to external site.
Selfridges Pairs – Tonight, 6pm on BBO
A reminder not to leave your login until the last moment.
The event will be listed using 'Selfridges' and/or 'LBHCBA' (for searches) and available to join shortly after 5pm.
For those new to BBO Tournaments:
- Login as normal
- Click 'Competitive' on the main dashboard (left panel)
- Click 'All Tournaments'
- After the list has filled, in the search field top right of the list, type 'lbh' and it will filter accordingly
- Click on the tournament line and you'll be invited to nominate your partner (by login)
- If your partner gets there first, you'll receive an invite
20-October-2020
Selfridges Pairs
Tuesday 17th November, 6pm on BBO
Entries are invited for the Selfridges Pairs. It is moot whether this is the '2020' event postponed from April and part of the 2019/21 season, or part of 2020/21, brought forward from next year and swapped in the calendar with the SURDOC teams. Such are the times in which we live.
This only Selfridges Pairs this year will be of 18 boards (to prevent clash with BBO peak hours) and cost £10 per pair (payable by bank transfer). Prior registration is required. Enter by email to .
More information, including details required from participants, on the Selfridges Pairs page (menu-item, left).
20-September-2020
AGM, League layout (apologies), Cup conditions (costs)
Online AGM
The attendance at the AGM was impressive, the last count before the start was 33 but that may have been exceeded by delayed arrivals. Business was conducted promptly and the team representatives distributed for a fixtures meeting.
Under Other Business it was mooted from the floor that the prohibition on kibitzers spoke of undue concern over foul play to exclude an enjoyable part of online match play for teammates and when players finished at one table. The committee will consider a relaxation of the stricture on kibitzing at its first meeting.
Also raised was the League layout, the short notice and changes due to the increased numbers. The precise makeup of the League was only known with the final respondents to two reminders to register. The increase from 30 (five 6-team divisions) to 31 (plus two, minus one) created a problem and many different solutions were considered over the weekend following the closing date before publication and notification on Tuesday.
League – apologies
The schedule we presented and its explanation was generally well received but there were two compensating errors in the implementation. Those were missed by all the committee in the melee of alternative layouts and did not come to light until the day after the AGM, when, of course, many matches had already been arranged.
| New 1 | New 2 | New 3 | New 4 | New 5 | New 6 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| D1 1-4 | D1 5-6 | ||||
| D2 1-2 | D2 3-4 | D2 5-6 | |||
| D3 1 | D3 2-3 | D3 4-5 | D3 6 | ||
| D4 1 | D4 2-3 | D4 4-5 | D4 6 | ||
| D5 1 | D5 2 | D5 4-6 | |||
| NE1 | NE2 |
The actual layout has Roehampton Hearts (D4.3) in Div. 5 (not Div. 4) and Formtex (D5.2) in Div. 4 (not Div. 5).
As soon as this came to light we contacted Roehampton Hearts, the most adversely affected, with a view to rectification. However, with great grace, the Roehampton captain consulted the team and decided to remain in the division allocated. We thank the whole team for their understanding.
Cup conditions – cost sharing
A reminder, though it will not have anything like the same effect in online play, that in February it was decided not to continue the 2019-20 experiment in sharing costs for cup matches. See minutes of that meeting. The intention to alternate home/away in the first two rounds of the knockouts remains.