archive 2008

The English Premier league first weekend was held in London on 6-7th September. This event is the trials for England selection. Congratulations to John Holland and Michelle Brunner who, playing with Paul Hackett and Tony Waterlow, built up a good lead after the first 6 matches. Two more weekends later follow in the Autumn. John and Michelle were easily the best pair on the Butler scores. Full results are on the EBU web site.

Northern League

The Manchester A team maintained their top of the table position in the second match of the Northern League at Manchester Bridge Club on Saturday 30th August. They scored 65 VPs just ahead of Merseyside on 64. Lancashire scored 56 and Yorkshire 54 with North Wales and Cumbria also participating. The Manchester team was Bernard and Rhona Goldenfield, Michelle Brunner and John Holland, Gary Hyett and Rodney Lighton, Mike Bell and Mike Newman.
In the B division Manchester fared less well with 58 VPs, coming fourth in the second set of matches to lie in third place overall behind Yorkshire and North East.
The C Division team had an excellent second set of matches, winning them all to finish first over the second set of matches and open up a substantial lead overall.
Detailed results are on the Northern Bridge League web site.

Manchester Bridge Club 30th Anniversary

The 30th Anniversary weekend ( 22nd-24th August) was very successful with 16 teams playing in the main event on Saturday and Sunday afternoons and many distinguished players participating. It was particularly nice to have our Welsh friends (two teams of top players) join us for the weekend as well as many of the country's leading juniors practising for the World Mind Sports Olympiad to be held in October in Beijing.

The teams was won by Roy Moore from Solihull playing with Paul, Justin and Barbara Hackett. Runners up were four of the England Under 28 team - Ben Green, Duncan Happer, Fiona Brown and Susan Stockdale. The 30th Anniversary party went on till 1.00am and photos can be found on the MBC web site.

The Friday night Odd Couples Event was won by Bernard Goldenfield playing with Dhun Daji. Runners up were Daily Telegraph Bridge Correspondent Patrick Jourdain playing with Tean Porteous. Patrick has a good record in Odd Couples events. Five years ago he came for our 25th Anniversary Celebrations and won playing with Nicki Marks. This year Nicki was unable to be with us as she was celebrating her wedding in Bournemouth. We wish her and husband Norman all the very best.

Odd Couples Winners - Dhun Daji and Bernard Goldenfield	Odd Couples Second - Patrick Jourdain and Tean Porteus
Multiple Teams Winners - Paul Hackett, Barbara Hackett, Roy Moore and Justin Hackett

Brighton 2008

In the Swiss pairs in the first weekend top placed Manchester pair were Michaels Byrne and Bell who were 11th, with Michelle Brunner and John Holland 19th= out of 474.
In the Swiss Teams (second weekend) Michael Byrne and Mike Bell came 6th in the Mayers Cup (B Final) playing with Simon Cope and Duncan Happer, while Michelle Brunner, John Holland, Bill Hirst and John Hassett were 3rd= in the Brighton Bowl.

Michael Byrne and Mike Bell had an excellent congress also winning the mid-week KO teams with Simon Cope, Ed Jones, Ben Paske, and Tom Paske.
Michael Byrne then teamed up with Bryony Youngs, Ben Green and Andrew Murphy to win the mixed pivot teams.

And finally Amy Stout playing with Phil Godfrey won the Thursday afternoon open pairs in a field of 56 pairs.

Full results are on the EBU web site.

Summer Congress Scarborough
The teams was won by Manchester's John Holland playing with Clive Owen, Ron McEwan and Giles Foster on Friday 1st August.

President's Cup

The inter counties event was held in Poulton on July 26th-27th.
Manchester's team was Michael Byrne/Michael Newman, Michelle Brunner/John Holland, Bernard and Rhona Goldenfield, Mike Bell and David Collier, Joy and Irving Blakey.
Manchester got an enormous score (15 vps a match, 120 overall) but finished 3rd.

Bill Hughes Simultaneous
Congratulations to Manchester Bridge Club players Ann Thornton and Alan Bray who finished 2nd with 70.15% in this recent simultaneous out of about 400 pairs.

An interview with Sue Bailey, who had a great time playing along the world's best players in the American Nationals in Las Vegas, appears in the bulletin of the tournament on 25th July.

Bill Hirst and John Hassett of Manchester also competed in the main event, the Spingold, in Las Vegas.

One Day Green Point Swiss Teams

This event was held at Altrincham Bridge Club on 20th July.

Winners: Neil Thomas, Jean Keen, David Keen and Peter Foster
with Kevin Comrie MCBA Chairman

Non-expert winners: Richard Sinton, Kevin Higgins, Barry Hobden, Dave Matthews

1st Team 3 Dave & Jean Keen, Neil Thomas & Pete Foster ........................... 99 2nd Team 11 Kath & Alan Nelson, Alan Jones & Jeff Smith ........................... 94 3rd Team 10 Andrew Petrie, Bill Alston, Sue & Nick Woodcock ....................... 93 4th Team 9 Joy & Irving Blakey, Rhona & Bernard Goldenfield ...................... 90 (ascenders prize-winners) 5th Team 22 John Holland, Michelle Brunner, Michael Byrne & Boris Ewart ........... 89 6th Team 13 Ewart Evans, Julia Newall, Brian Ripley & Barrie Newall ............... 82 7th Team 17 Arthur & Louise Orme, Pam Edwards & Olwen Brown ....................... 79 8th Team 14 Marianne Farr, John Morrell, Mike Nicholson & Steve Haley ............. 76 9th Team 20 Sid Travers, Eve Lighthill, Ray Semp & Denis Robson ................... 71 10th Team 5 David Strawbridge, Babs Matthews, Bill & Joyce White .................. 69 11th Team 7 Pauline Lang, Steve Mattinson, David Pennington & Rod Franks .......... 67 12th= Team 2 Dave Matthews, Barry Hobden, Kevin Higgins & Richard Sinton (N/E) .... 66 (non-expert prize-winners) 12th= Team 23 Jim & Jenny Morris, George & Phyllis Clarke ........................... 66 14th Team 4 Barbara Lewis, Alec Smalley, Celia & Kevin Comrie ..................... 64 15th Team 19 Bob Loveridge, Meg Henderson, Helen Montgomery & Margaret Mitchell .... 63 16th= Team 1 Vivienne & Barry Newgrosh, Eric Rose & Mohammed Jabbar (N/E) ......... 62 16th= Team 6 Earl O'Keeffe, Rob Roberts, Cameron Boyd & Geoff Cowie ................ 62 18th= Team 18 Peter & Maggie Jackson, Lindsey Barnes & Graham Campbell (N/E) ....... 60 18th= Team 8 Lance Bloohn, Karen Sandler, Jean & Tony Richards (N/E) .............. 60 20th Team 24 Peter Richmond, Gareth Thomas, David Edwards & Roger Allison .......... 59 21st Team 12 Mike Percik, Linda Wilson, Irene Bowers & Wynn Sutherland ............. 57 22nd Team 15 Bill & Liz Wattleworth, Don Cross & Jill Entwistle .................... 56 23rd= Team 21 Pam Hyett, Jane Marvin, Christine Blackburn & Dave Dawson (N/E) ...... 48 23rd= Team 16 Irene Davies, Karen Reissmann, Anne Turner & John Fitzgerald (N/E) ... 48

County League Finals
Manchester won the A and B sections of the Northern League last season, and thus qualified to send A and B teams to play in the winners finals at Solihull on 13th July.

Manchester A finished 3rd from 5 teams, their players were Kath and Alan Nelson, Tracy Capal and Boris Ewart, Mike Bell and David Collier, Michael Newman and Michael Byrne.

Manchester B captained by Denis Robson finsihed 2nd from 5 teams with 55 vps out of 80 with Oxford winning with 61 vps. Our players were Frank Brown and Dave Audley, Raymond Semp and Denis Robson, Peter Jones and Neil Thomas, David Olliver and Ken Hassell. The cross imp ranking was in the order given above with all positive and Brown/ Audley recording +132 in cross imps in front of Semp/ Robson on +118.

John Armstrong

We are shocked and saddened to report the sudden death of John Armstrong on 3rd July after a short illness. Although not a Manchester member, John was well known to many Manchester players having been a member of Derbyshire and Merseyside over the years and frequently playing in events in the Manchester area. He was one of England's top players with a record number of Camrose appearances. He recently formed a successful partnership with John Holland and they played at the European Championship in Pau doing very well in the final stages of the event.

John also played with John Holland and Michelle Brunner in a Hubert Phillips team in the eighties and nineties winning the competition five times in nine years. John was always friendly and willing to pass on advice to fellow players.

Our condolences to his family, friends, bridge partners and team mates. A full obituary is on the EBU web site.

Click here for the Derbyshire Web Site Obituary

Riviera Congress

Young Manchester player Mike Bell had a successful congress at Torquay on 28-29th June, winning the Swiss Teams with U20 team mates Tom Paske, Ben Paske and Ed Jones. He also managed a good fourth place in the Swiss Pairs with Ben Paske. Full results are on the EBU web site.

Northern Bridge League

This season's Northern Bridge League first event was on Saturday 28th June. In the A division at Brierfield Manchester won all 4 matches and scored 66 vps out of 80 to lead the division by a good margin from Yorkshire.

Well done to Michael Byrne (cap) / Michael Newman, Gary Hyett / Rodney Lighton, David Barton / Alan Jones, and star pair David Collier / Boris Ewart who enjoyed their first game together!

In the C division, played at Manchester Bridge Club, Manchester lead by a single VP, on 84 out of 140, with Lancashire in second place.
Well done to Pat Burrows / Paul Worswick, Dhun Dahji / Howard Stubbings, John Fitzgerald / Gillian Mc.Mullan, Alistair McKillop / Terry McCaughey.

The B Team finished in third place at Darlington with 57. Yorkshire won with 62/100, second was 59/100 and Manchester scored 57/100. The team was Denis Robson / Ray Semp, Peter Jones / ?, Joyce White / Joyce Jones, Neil Thomas / Peter Foster
"Joyce and I thoroughly enjoyed the day, the bridge club is lovely, the food was very good too and the hospitality and director excellent". Thanks to Joyce Jones for info on the B Team result.

U20 Training Weekend

Michael Byrne ran an under 20 training weekend at Manchester Bridge Club on 21st-22nd June.
On the Sunday an enjoyable and interesting 38 board match was played between a strong "Manchester" team and the juniors. Manchester won by only about 30 IMPs - a good result for the juniors.
The Manchester team was Bernard and Rhona Goldenfield, David Barton/Jeff Smith, Rodney Lighton/Mike Bell, Michael Newman/David Collier, David Adelman/Tom Slater, Duncan Happer/Susan Stockdale. Thanks to the Manchester players for their time.

Thanks to Michael Byrne for his hard work running the weekend, directing the event and providing excellent analysis after the match.

European Championships in Pau

The Open team finished 12th in the final group after scraping through qualifying on a split tie. Congratulations to John Holland and John Armstrong who were second in the Butler scoring in the final. In the Womens England were ninth and in the Seniors seventh, losing out on qualification for the World Championship on a split tie.

Manchester players were heavily involved in this tournament from 14th to 28th June, held in Pau in the French Pyrenees.
In the Open team John Holland played with John Armstrong of Derbyshire. Manchester associate members Paul, Jason and Justin Hackett together with Tony Waterlow of Middlesex made up the team which was captained by Manchester's Bill Hirst.
The Womens' team was captained by Manchester's Alan Mould. For results click here.

Gerard Faulkner Salver

Congratulations to John Hassett, Bill Hirst, John Holland and Clive Owen who won the Seniors' KO Teams on 8th June beating Dennis O'Donovan's team by 54 IMPs.

Manchester AGM and Pay for Play

There was a good attendance for the Manchester AGM which was held on Thursday 5th June at 7.30 pm at Manchester Bridge Club.
Jeff Smith retired as chairman after five years service. The meeting expressed their gratitude for his hard work over this period and presented him with a retirement gift of a sat-nav.
Kevin Comrie is the new chairman, with Bob Cooke taking over as vice chair.
The new selection committee is Denis Robson, Bob Cooke, Rhona Goldenfield, Alec Smalley and Jenny Morris.
A desire was expressed for competitions for Internediate players i.e. a higher standard than the Cantor Cup, but excluding experts. The tournament committee will consider this.

The meeting hoped to see more news for and about club players on the county web site.

I am keen to do this, but I can only do so if sent news items (with photos is best) about local club events and successes.

In general I will publish anything that I am sent, so long as it is sensible and relevant.

At an EGM on 4th June the counties voted for the EBUs proposals for play to pay by a majority of 52 to 31.

The major purpose of this change is to increase the membership of the EBU so that bridge can benefit from advertising, sponsorship and government funding.

Pay to play will come into effect in April 2010. Obviously a lot of work needs to be done in the intervening period to set up new IT systems, new financial and membership arrangements and so forth.

The EBU and the Manchester county will be trying to persuade as many clubs as possible to stay within (or join) the EBU,

To start this process the EBU will be giving each affiliated club and county a free copy of the new (2007) Laws of Duplicate Bridge which will come into effect on 1st August.

League Division Trophies were presented at the AGM to the few winning teams present.
Division 4b Kevin Higgins captain of The Tricksters receives the cup from Eve Lighthill
Other team members were Richard Sinton, Barry Hobden and Dave Matthews

Player of the Year
Congratulations to the winners of this competition – Gary Hyett (Expert) and Mike Bell (Intermediate).

Full result are in the spreadsheet on the PotY page.

The only major change for next year’s competition is that Intermediate will be defined as players in the first or second division of the Manchester League or of equivalent standard.

Gary Hyett

Senior Camrose
John Holland and Paul Hackett were members of the victorious England team in the inaugural Senior Camrose competition at Oxford on the weekend of 31st May to 1st June. See the EBU web site for results and photos.

Spring Bank Holiday Congress

Congratulations to Michael Byrne, playing with southerners Andrew Murphy, Simon Cope and Bryony Youngs who won the Swiss teams at the Spring Bank Holiday congress held in Bournemouth.

They swept the field winning every match and averaging a record 17 vps a match.

Killarney

Manchester players were out in force at Killarney and did very well.

Bernard and Rhona Goldenfield 2nd in pairs with Bill Hirst 3rd. The Goldenfields came 2nd in Mixed teams and Loch Lein teams.

The Ladies teams was won by Rhona Goldenfield & Celia Comrie playing with Irish partners.
The Mens teams was won by Bernard playing with Kevin Comrie & Jim Luck and Paul Casselles.

In the Mixed pairs Rhona was second playing with Ted Revely.

Joy and Irving Blakey were 3rd in Loch Lein teams.

Kath Nelson and Bill Hirst were 3rd in the Mixed teams.

Rhona says "Wonderfully friendly congress, I would recommend any players wanting a lovely holiday to go next year in May".

Gold Cup

John Holland's team (Michelle Brunner, John Hassett & Bill Hirst) advanced to the fifth round by beating Malcolm Oliver's Yorkshire/North East team on Sunday 18th May.

England U28 Trials

The England U28 trials took place at Solihull this weekend (17-18th May). Michael Byrne and Mike Bell finished in fourth place with five pairs competing.

Merseyside Swiss Pairs

Ten Manchester Pairs travelled to the Wirral on Saturday 10th May to play in the Merseyside Swiss Pairs. Congratulations to David Collier and Sid Travers who won and to Jim and Jenny Morris who won the ascenders prize. Also doing well were Karen Sandler and Lance Bloohn in fourth place and Bill and Joyce White who were fifth. Full results are on the Merseyside web site.

County Cup

The Manchester County Cup was won by Michael Byrne's team (Michael Newman, Michael Bell, Dave Collier, Gary Hyett) convincingly beating Braid (M Clarke, A Jones, D Barton) by 67 imps.

This team will go on to represent Manchester in the Pachabo final on 14th/15th June

Spring Fours

Congratulations to Mike Bell and Ed Levy who won the secondary event - the Punch Bowl - at the EBU Stratford Spring Fours over the early May bank holiday weekend playing with Roger Mapp and Michael Ranis.

Mike Bell, Michael Ranis, Ed Levy and Roger Mapp

Madeleine Berney Swiss Pairs

In Lancashire's Madeleine Berney Swiss Pairs competition at Brierfield on 4th May Manchester players took the top three places.

1st Rhona & Bernard Goldenfield 107 VPs (Win number 4!)
2nd Steve Mattinson & Pauline Lang 105 (Holders from last year)
3rd Gillian McMullan & John Fitzgerald 100

It was a well-organised, excellent event run by Tony Woollin with lovely food and wine! 36 pairs competed.

National Pairs Final
Mike Bell and Michael Byrne finished a creditable ninth in the National Pairs Final on the 19th-20th April. Other Manchester results were Jeff Smith 22nd playing with Andrew Petrie of Lancs and Dave Audley and Mark Bass who finished 31st.

St Titus Win League
Michael Byrne's team (Mike Bell, Gary Hyett, Rodney Lighton and Michael Newman with a guest appearance by Tom Slater in one match) won the first division by comfortably beating Polar Bears 24-6 in their final match. This is the first league win for all three Michaels - a special mention to Mike Bell for whom it is his first full season in Manchester. St Titus narrowly failed to win last season, finishing 1 VP behind Agamemnon.

A 79 imp win against Inverted Minors in March meant the title race was all but over with two matches to go, but St Titus made heavy weather of it, losing their penultimate match 28-2 to DASH.

This builds on a great season for the team members, who between them have won the Nicko, Congress teams, Ben Franks and are in the final of the Manchester County Cup.

League winners

Mike Bell, Michael Byrne, Michael Newman and Rodney Lighton

Teams

D.AUDLEY        F.Brown, M.Bass, S Travers
M.BYRNE        M Newman, D Collier, M Bell, Gary Hyett
R.GOLDENFIELD   B.Goldenfield, M.Brunner, J.Holland
B.KAYE        D.Tobias, G.Cohen, B.Mendelsohn
B.LEWIS         S.Herman, K&C.Comrie, P.Jones
J.SMITH        D.Robson, R.Semp, A. Nelson
D.BARTON       A. Jones, M. Clarke, M. Braid
J MORRIS

Raymond Semp and Gary Hyett	Barry Hobden and David Matthews Intermediate winners
General view of play at Altrincham Bridge Club	A view from the stage
At Table 1 in round 4 Alan Nelson, Jill Roe, Steve Mattinson and Kath Nelson	Ken Hassell concentrating at Table 1 in round 5

Members of the English Teams discussing the hands Steve Raine, Jennie Marvin, Fiona Brown, Dave Cropper, Susan Stockdale, Alex Morris	Minibridge demonstration - in the background teacher David Adelman
Next time you see Fiona Brown ask her what she needs to double 4S! (to be fair, Pass is entirely reasonable if rather unusual. 4S is only one down double dummy and 5C may be making from North's point of view)	England Under 20 James Paul, Elizabeth Roberts, Jennie Marvin, Alan Shillitoe (assistant npc), Graeme Robertson, Tom Rainforth, James Thrower, Michael Byrne (npc)
Northern Ireland Under 20	Wales Under 20
Republic of Ireland Under 20	Scotland Under 20
Scotland Under 25	Republic of Ireland Under 25
Wales Under 25	Northern Ireland Under 25
England Under 25 with captain Steve Eginton	England Under 25 Alex Morris, Mike Bell, Susan Stockdale, Fiona Brown, Steve Raine, Dave Cropper

Jack Hassan (in wheelchair), Melanie Rankin, Ruth Franklin (mainly obscured), Margaret Taylor in play in the novices event	Dan Thompson who was the youngest player at the event
Ruth Franklin and Jack Hassan Sunday morning novice NS winners	Kathy Priestly and Sue Rowarth Sunday morning novice NS second
David Pearce and Alan Langston Sunday morning novice EW winners	John and Gloria Quayle Saturday morning novice NS winners

Pairs Winners receive trophy from Welsh International Jim Luck Bill Hirst, Jim Luck, John Hassett	Mens Pairs and second overall John Holland and John Armstrong
Mixed Pairs Adrian Thomas + (Liz Commins)	Ladies Pairs Rhona Goldenfield + (Marianne Farr)
Pairs third Jackie Pye and Jeff Smith In the background Kevin Comrie	Pairs Ascenders - Eve Lighthill and Sid Travers
Teams Winners with Welsh International Patrick Jourdain Jeff Smith, Mike Bell, Jackie Pye and David Collier	Teams second Jason Hackett, Justin Hackett, Janet De Botton, Nick Sandqvist
Teams third Bill Hirst, John Hassett, Michael Byrne, Michael Newman	B Teams Winners Pete Foster, Neil Thomas, Frank Brown, Phil Callow,
C Teams Winners Brid Kemple (played with Terry Walsh) from Dublin and Bob Cooke (played with Anne Super)	Michael Byrne belatedly polishes last year's trophy
Visitors from Bristol (Alan Williams), Cardiff (Patrick Jourdain) and London (Paul Casselle)	Over from Dublin for the Congress Terry Walsh & Brid Kemple with team mate Anne Super
David Rigby, Andrew Garrett, Farokh Engineer and Stephanie Hauser	Winners of Michael's Cup for Juniors presented by Tim Smith Adam Hickman and Rob Myers
Pairs first session - Irving and Joy Blakey

Round 1 Play by Jan 14th	Semi Final Play by Mar 14th	Final Play by May 27th	Winner
Jeff Morris	Rhona Goldenfield
Rhona Goldenfield	Rhona Goldenfield	Michael Byrne

Michael Byrne	Michael Byrne
Jeff Smith	Michael Byrne		Michael Byrne

Bernard Kaye	Bernard Kaye
Dave Audley	Bernard Kaye	David Barton

David Barton	David Barton
Barbara Lewis	David Barton