Competitions 2015 - 2016 Season
Click on competition for conditions of entry, costs and further details
Organizer Contact Details. - EBU Tournamant Referees
For players not so familiar with our range of tournaments, read Ned Paul's note.
And here is a General Purpose Entry Form

Date Event Time Venue Organizer Tel. Notes
10-Sep-15AGM7.00pmYCBC  (Goldhawk Road)
15-Sep -15Cafe Bridge - Clapham10.30amClaphamChris Duckworth020 7385 3534Flier & Entry Form
20-Sep-15Mixed Pairs1.00pmYCBC (Goldhawk Road)Susi Behrmann020 7585 1911
30-Sep-15Close date - London Trophy TeamsKath Stynes07747 197940Flier
1-Oct-15Close date - Home Counties LeagueDominic Flint07763 845457
11-Oct-15Metropolitan CupLeatherheadIan Payn07713 322420Invitational Event
25-Oct-15Men's & Womens Imp Pairs1.00pmYCBC (Goldhawk Road)Mike Hill01732 863283Flier
2016
31-Jan-16Simple Systems Pairs - Palmer Bayer1.00pmYCBC (Goldhawk Road)Chris Duckworth020 7385 3534
7-Feb-16London Teams of Four
for the Ian Gardiner Trophy		11.30amYCBC (Goldhawk Road)Ian Payn07713 322420Pachabo Qualifier
27/28 Feb-16Lederer12 noonRAC Pall Mall
Note earlier start time		Ian Payn07713 322420Spectator Event
27-Feb-16Lederer - Play with the ExpertsAt ClubsElaine Kay07940 081406
7-Apr-16Garden Cities Trophy Heat7.00pmYCBC (Goldhawk Road)Chris Duckworth020 7385 3534
10-Apr-16London Championship Pairs11.30amYCBC (Goldhawk Road)Ian Payn07713 322420Corwen Qualifier
Note earlier start time
17-Apr-16London Trophy Pairs2.00pmRAC Pall MallKath Stynes07747 197940
19-Apr-16Cafe Bridge - Tonsleys10.30amWandsworthChris Duckworth020 7385 3534
24-Apr-16Seniors Pairs2.00pmYCBC (Goldhawk Road)
Note change of venue		David Muller07847 618105
5-Jun-16London Trophy & Plate Finals2.00pmRAC Pall MallKath Stynes07747 197940
16-Jul-16London Congress - Green Pointed Pairs1.00pmWestminsterMike Hill01732 863283
17-Jul-16London Congress Green Pointed Teams11.30amWestminsterMike Hill01732 863283

MIXED PAIRS CHAMPIONSHIP
Sunday 20th September 2015 starting at 1.00pm
Venue: Young Chelsea Bridge Club, 54 Goldhawk Road, London W12 8HA
Holders 2014: Ian Payn and Chris Duckworth
Please note the venue for this year for this single extended session, match-pointed, mixed pairs event.
All players must be EBU members, but LMBA membership is not necessary.
Entry fee: £22.00 per pair.
Advance entry is not absolutely necessary but would be helpful, and should be made to lmbaentries@gmail.com, quoting Mixed Pairs in the subject line. Queries may be directed to the organiser, Susi Behrmann on 020 7585 1911.
MEN'S AND WOMEN'S IMP PAIRS CHAMPIONSHIP
Sunday 25th October 2015 starting at 1.00pm
Venue: Young Chelsea Bridge Club, 54 Goldhawk Road, London W12 8HA
Holders: Mens Pair's - Nick Sandqvist & Tim West-Meads, Womens Pair's - Brigid Battiscombe & Linda Pethick
All players must be EBU members, but LMBA membership is not necessary.
Entry fee: £22.00 per pair.
Advance entry is not absolutely necessary but would be helpful, and should be made to lmbaentries@gmail.com, quoting Mens Pairs or Womens in the subject line. Queries may be directed to the organiser, Mike Hill on 01732 863283 or michaellrd.hill@btinternet.com

London League & Newcomers League
Entries close 1st October 2015
Holders 2013-14:
Division 1 Young Chelsea 5 Brian McGuire, Guy Hart, Tim Gauld, Dimitre Stoev, Ryan Stephenson, Liz Clery
Division 2 YC1.Fiona Hutchinson, Brian Callaghan, Rob Cliffe, Mark Lehto, Chris Duckworth
Division 3 The Slammers: Keith Clow, Rowena Clow, Tom Peer, Jonathan Lillycrop, Claire Robinson,Ruth Glazebrook
Newcomers - Crouch End

These league competitions are for teams-of-four, although up to 8 people may play for any one team during the season. Matches are played in home or away venues, which may be homes, clubs or other suitable premises. There are currently three all-play-all divisions with end of season promotion and relegation plus the Newcomers League. The latter is designed particularly for those with little experience of compe titive bridge. The winners of the Newcomers are eligible to be promoted to the London League, but may choose to compete again at the lower level.
In Division 1 only, any systems are permitted, provided reasonable notice is given. The lower divisions of the London League are played at Level 4, whilst In the Newcomers League EBU Level 3 systems and conventions only are permitted.
New teams are always welcome and will be considered for entry at any level, although it would be exceptional for a new team to enter Division 1 directly. All players in the London League must be EBU and LMBA members, but non-members are allowed in the Newcomers League. Teams in this league are restricted to only one player of National Master rank or above, however.
Entry fee: £20.00 per team in the London League, £16 per team in the Newcomers League.
Entries should be should be made to lmbaentries@gmail.com, quoting London League in the subject line, or may be sent by post to Dominic Flint at Flat 3, 3 Marylebone High Street, W1U 4NG..
Enquiries may also be made to Dominic on 07763 845457. Every effort will be made to accept late entries if necessary.

Guidance to Captains in arranging matches.

Home Counties League
Entries close 1st October 2015
Holders: Middlesex Blue
This is an inter-county teams-of-eight competition for London and the Home Counties. It is aimed at county second team players who would not normally be expected to represent their counties in events such as the Tollemache Cup. Teams are allowed to field at most two Grand Masters in any one match. Matches are of 24 boards and are normally played at the YCBC on weekday evenings starting at 7.00 pm. Players must be members of the county that they represent but allegiance is not required. Green points are awarded
Current participants are Middlesex, Surrey and London (each with two teams), so there is room for additional counties to join in - anyone interested should contact Dominic Flint at Dominic.Flint@clara.co.uk or on 07763 845457 for more details.
Players interested in representing London should contact Guy Hart at guyhart1@aol.com (London Red) or Nicole Cook at nicole@nicoleanncook.com (London Blue) – individuals may join a team at any stage during the season.
Entry fee: £16 per team.


JUNIOR TEAMS OF FOUR CHAMPIONSHIP
Date and Venue to be advised
Holders (2012): Freddie Illingworth, Kyle Lam, Toby Nonnenmacher, Michael Alishaw
A single extended session teams-of-four competition for junior (Under 25) players – that is players who were born on or after 1st January 1988. Players need not be members of the EBU or LMBA.
Entry Fee: £20.00 per team.
Entries and enquiries should be directed to Chris Duckworth on 020 7385 3534 or at chris.duckworth@lineone.net.




LONDON CHAMPIONSHIP TEAMS OF FOUR for the IAN GARDINER TROPHY
Qualifier Date; 7th Febuary 2016 - 11.30 AM
Venue: Young Chelsea Bridge Club, 54 Goldhawk Road, London W12 8HA
Holders 2015: Brian Callaghan, Chris Duckworth, Rob Cliffe and Frank To 
This is the major London Teams of Four Championship, which is played as a one-day two-session multiple teams event from which the leading two eligible teams qualify for a head-to-head 48-board match to determine the winner of the Ian Gardiner Trophy. Green-points will be awarded for both stages of the event, and the winners will be eligible to represent London in the Pachabo Cup, the national inter-county teams championship.
The qualifier is scored using the same method as the Pachabo – a combination of IMPs and point-a-board. Note the early start on the day is combined with only a short break between sessions, allowing an early finish on Sunday evening.
Note also that all players must be LMBA members and, in order to be eligible to go through to the final, all players in a team must have London as their primary County of allegiance before playing in the event. EBU level 4 systems permitted.
Entry Fee: £60.00 per team.
Entries should be sent to lmbaentries@gmail.com, quoting Ian Gardiner in the subject line,
Enquiries may be directed to the organiser, Ian Payn, on 07713 322420.

Pachabo Scoring Method

Café Bridge – Clapham
Tuesday 15th September 2015 starting at 10.30 for 11.00 am
Holders 2014: Robert Sheehan  & Susie Lewis
Flier and Entry Form
Start Venue: Newtons Restaurant and Bar, 35 Abbeville Road, SW4 9LA
Our Autumn Café Bridge Drive will once again be held in the Abbeville area of South Clapham. and  will again be held in aid of the local charity, Trinity Hospice.
For those not familiar with the idea of café bridge, the duplicate bridge tournament will be played during the day in a number of different cafés/bars/restaurants in the area, each round of the tournament being played in a different venue.
All are welcome – EBU membership is not necessary.
Entry Fee: £22.50 per player, which includes lunch at whichever venue you find yourself in at lunchtime! Advance entry is essential and entries should be sent to lmbaentries@gmail.com to arrive no later than 8th Septemberl 2015, putting “Café Bridge Clapham” in the subject line.
Any enquiries may be directed to Chris Duckworth on 020 7385 3534 or chris.duckworth@lineone.net. Please note that Café Bridge events are very popular and numbers are restricted. Entries will be accepted on a first-come first-served basis

Café Bridge – Tonsleys
Tuesday 19th April 2016 starting at 10.30.for 11.00 am
Holders 2015: Pamela Reiss and Dominic Flint
Venue: The Alma Tavern, 499 Old York Road, SW18 1TF (for registration)
Our Spring Café Bridge Drive will once again be held in the Tonsleys in Wandsworth, and will again be held in aid of the local charity, Age UK.
For those not familiar with the idea of café bridge, the duplicate bridge tournament will be played during the day in a number of different cafés/bars/restaurants in the area, each round of the tournament being played in a different venue.
All are welcome – EBU membership is not necessary.
Entry Fee: £22.50 per player, which includes lunch at whichever venue you find yourself in at lunchtime! Advance entry is essential and entries should be sent to lmbaentries@gmail.com to arrive no later than 12th April 2016, putting “Café Bridge - Tonsleys” in the subject line.
Any enquiries may be directed to Chris Duckworth on 020 7385 3534 or Kath Stynes on 07747 197940. Please note that Café Bridge events are very popular and numbers are restricted. Entries will be accepted on a first-come first-served basis



LONDON CHAMPIONSHIP PAIRS
Sunday 10th April 2016 starting at 11.30am (Note change of start time from last year)
Holders 2015: Victor Silverstone & Brigid Battiscombe
Venue: Young Chelsea Bridge Club, 54 Goldhawk Road, London W12 8HA
This competition is a one-day, two session, match-pointed pairs. The top fourteen pairs from the first session will compete in an all-play-all final with carry-forward scores whilst the remainder of the field competes in a consolation final. This major County Pairs Championship is green-pointed and is the qualifying event for the Corwen Trophy, the national inter-county pairs championship.
EBU Level-4 conventions permitted. All players must be LMBA members, but only the leading four pairs with London as their county of allegiance (before playing in the event) will be eligible to play in the Corwen Trophy
Entry fee: £30.00 per pair.
Advance entry is not essential but can be made to lmbaentries@gmail.com, putting “Championship Pairs” in the subject line. Enquiries may also be sent to this address or be made to Ian Payn on 07713 322420.



“NO FEAR” PAIRS FOR THE PALMER BAYER TROPHY
Sunday 31st January 2016 starting at 1.00pm
Venue Young Chelsea Bridge Club, 54 Goldhawk Road, London W12 8HA
Holders 2015: Jason Crampton and Sam Oestreicher
This single extended session, match-pointed, ‘No Fear’ pairs competition is for those who like to play tournament bridge under more relaxed conditions than often apply, and for those who particularly want to enjoy a social atmosphere when playing. Improvers and tournament novices are most welcome and more experienced players may find this an ideal way to introduce family, friends and colleagues to organised bridge. Players need not be members of the EBU or LMBA.

The principal aim of this event is to have fun, so the pace of play is a little more leisurely than usual. Simple systems only are allowed, but including weak two opening bids and transfers in response to 1NT openings.A sample convention card is provided in PDF form here or as a Word document here. A complimentary glass of wine awaits you at the end of the session to be enjoyed whilst discussing the hands that you have just played with an expert, who will be happy to answer any questions.
Entry fee: £16.00 per pair.
Advance entry is not absolutely necessary but would be helpful, and should be made to lmbaentries@gmail.com, quoting Palmer Bayer in the subject line. Queries may be directed to the organiser Chris Duckworth on 020 7385 3534.



INTER-CLUB TEAMS OF EIGHT QUALIFIER FOR THE GARDEN CITIES TROPHY
Thursday 7th April 2016 starting at 7.00pm
Holders: Young Chelsea BC
Venue:  Young Chelsea Bridge Club, 54 Goldhawk Road, London W12 8HA
The Garden Cities is the national teams-of-eight championship for EBU affiliated clubs. The winner of London’s single-session qualifying heat will be eligible to play in the South-East Regional Final, and, if successful there, in the National Final .
Clubs may enter as many teams as they wish, subject to space restrictions at the venue. (The LMBA reserves the right, if necessary, to restrict the number of teams per club).
Clubs must be members of the LMBA. Players must be members of the EBU and of the club they represent but do not have to be LMBA members. It is not necessary for the same eight players to represent a team at each stage of the competition but no player may play for more than one club.
Entry fee: £56 per team
Advance entry is required and should be made to Chris Duckworth at chris.duckworth@lineone.net or on 020 7385 3534.



SENIOR PAIRS FOR THE FOX-SHAMMON TROPHY
Sunday 24th April 2016 starting at 2.00pm
Holders 2015: John Stimson and Benjamin Hackenbrock
Venue:  Young Chelsea Bridge Club, 54 Goldhawk Road, London W12 8HA

This is a single extended session match-pointed pairs event for senior players. Note the change of venue. The event is expected to finish at 6.30-7.00pm.
All players must be EBU members and must have been born in or before 1956.
Entry fee: £24.00 per pair
Advance entry  can be made to lmbaentries@gmail.com, putting “Seniors Pairs” in the subject line. Enquiries may also be sent to David Muller at d1muller@yahoo.co.uk or on 07847 618105.



NEWCOMERS’ DAY
HOLDERS: NS: Shelley Evans & Leszek Lubaszewski EW: Mala Lever, Jan Holman & Ian Stewart (2007)

This event will not be held in 2016. New players are recommended instead to play in the Novice Duplicates run by the Young Chelsea Bridge Club on the first Thursday of each month, or to try the Andrew Robson Bridge Club.

LONDON TROPHY & DELLA-PORTA PLATE
Entries close 30th September 2015 
Holders 2014-15: London Trophy - CMS Cameron McKenna  Della-Porta Plate: Concentric
The London Trophy is a knock-out teams of four competition for club teams, which has now been opened up to teams from all types of clubs, including both bridge and non-bridge clubs. Teams eliminated in the first match enter the secondary Della-Porta Plate competition, also run on a knock-out basis.
Matches are played in home or away venues, which may be homes, clubs or other suitable premises. Early rounds are regionalised as far as possible to minimise travel. The final stages of both competitions will be held at the Royal Automobile Club in Pall Mall on June 5th 2016. All participants are also eligible to play in the London Trophy Pairs (date to be advised).
Simple systems only are allowed in this event – full details of what is permitted will be sent to all participating teams and also available by clicking here.. No team may have more than one player of National Master or above and no pairs of regular high-level tournament players are allowed. Players need not be members of the EBU or LMBA.
Entry fee: £20 per team.
Entries should be should be made to lmbaentries@gmail.com, quoting London Trophy in the subject line. Enquiries may also be made to Kath on 07747 197940. Every effort will be made to accept late entries if necessary.


LONDON TROPHY PAIRS CHAMPIONSHIP
Sunday 17th April 2016 (privisional).
Holders 2015: Carrie Eden and Bill Linton
Venue: Royal Automobile Club, 89 Pall Mall, SW1Y 5HS starting at 2.00pm.
This is a single-session pairs competition open to players who have participated in the London Trophy in the current season. The rules regarding permitted systems and conventions in this event are the same as for the London Trophy.
This event provides an opportunity for pairs to practice and improve, so progress further in the Trophy itself. Or, if you have been unfortunate enough to have already lost in the main event, then simply another opportunity to meet and play against like-minded opponents in the very pleasant surroundings of the RAC.
Entry fee: Free!
Advance entry is required for this event. Entries should be sent to lmbaentries@gmail.com, quoting LT Pairs in the subject line, to arrive no later than 6th April 2015. Enquiries may also be made to Kath on 07747 197940.

LONDON CONGRESS - GREEN POINTED SWISS WEEKEND
Saturday - Sunday 16th-17th July 2016

Swiss Pairs - Saturday starting at 1.00pm
Holders: Allison Green - Glyn Liggins

Swiss Teams - Sunday starting at 11.30am
Holders: Graham Osborne, Francis Hinden, Jeffrey Allerton, Philip Wood 

Venue Central Hall Westminster, Storey’s Gate, Westminster, SW1H 9NH
We again have a fabulous for the Swiss events this year. The Central Hall Westminster is a beautiful building and really is very central – just opposite Westminster Abbey and equidistant from St James’s Park and Westminster tube stations, with Victoria Station only a 15-minute walk or short bus ride away.
Parking is also available in this area, with on-street parking on single yellow lines and in paid-for bays free on Saturdays, and free parking also in residents’ parking zones on Sundays. Available spaces are limited, however, and public transport is strongly recommended for such a central venue.
There is a café within the building serving very reasonably priced refreshments with everything from teas, coffees and snacks to sandwiches and full meals. Please note, though, that as this is a Methodist Church property, no alcohol is permitted on the premises. There are plenty of alternatives within a short distance, however, for those in need of a drink or different food option during the breaks.
Both the Swiss Pairs and the Swiss Teams will comprise 7 seven-board matches. They will be single-flighted with prizes and green points awarded in accordance with EBU regulations. All players must be EBU members, but LMBA membership is not required. EBU Level 4 conventions permitted.
Entry fee: £25 per person per event. A reduced fee of £48 per person is available to anyone playing in both events over the weekend.
Advance entry is strongly recommended and should be made to Mike Hill at michaelrd.hill@btinternet.com or on 01732 863283 or in writing to Winterbourne, Swan Lane, Edenbridge, Kent, TN8 6AL.
Brochure and Entry form (TBA)

LEDERER - PLAY WITH THE EXPERTS
Saturday 27th Feb 2016 starting at 2pm.
2013 Holders
NS Madhusinh & Manjari Rawji
EW Tim Pelling & Naomi  Cohen
This is a parallel satellite event to the Lederer Memorial Trophy. Players at participating clubs play the same hands as are played in the Lederer itself on the Saturday afternoon, scoring up as team mates with the results achieved by two of the star pairs in the main event – one NS and one EW. The winners are invited to attend the Lederer on the Sunday to meet their team mates and be presented with the Teltscher Cups.
Entry Fee: £1 per player Clubs that wish to hold heats should contact organiser Elaine Kay at elainefkay@icloud.com or on 07940 081406.

INVITATIONAL EVENTS
In addition to the events listed, the LMBA is often invited to send teams or pairs to compete in events run by neighbouring counties. We also send representative teams to the Metropolitan Cup (teams of 12) in Surrey and the Tollemache Trophy (Teams of 8).
Individuals or partnerships interested in representing London in any of these events should contact the following
Tom Townsend (Tollemache), Ian Payn (Metropolitan Cup) or Chris Duckworth (other), see contact page: