The Chairman’s Blog

CHAIRMAN’S BLOG FEBRUARY 2010

January blog didn’t happen because, as we all know, we had serious issues during the month with ……. The snowy weather. We have never had to close the Club before but the safety of our members was of paramount importance.

To those who helped try and clear the Car Park – thank you for your wonderful efforts. Afraid my back didn’t permit……

We are still having issues with the level of heat in the Bridge Suite and some members of the Club are looking into this to try to relieve some of the pressures the Tournament Director and Committee have to cope with. We are not unique – in Australian Bridge Clubs they have similar problems with their air-conditioning I am advised – always too hot.

I am quoting below part of the Editorial from Elena Jeronimidis in English Bridge this month.

Some like it hot
(and many don’t)

“I have received a letter from Andrew Kambites, in which he raises the problem of ‘heat control’ at national tournaments: ‘As a director there is one issue that I dread when I am called to the table: somebody says, “It’s freezing,” or “It’s hot and stuffy.” I dread it because there is probably nothing I can do about it without making somebody else unhappy. I can only suggest that those who feel “freezing” could bring another item of clothing. I have every sympathy with people with poor circulation, but not when they dress scantily to impress. It is harder for those who feel “hot and stuffy.” There is a limit to how much they can undress within the limits of decency.’

I doubt that any one, tournament directors or members of the EBU Tournament Committee, can find a solution to this problem, which can be just as divisive at club level. I still remember (not without shame) a ludicrous situation I helped create at my local bridge club yonks ago when a friend who likes it ‘cool’ opened a window to let in the ‘invigorating winter air’ and I, who like it ‘hot’, hastened to close it against the ‘howling gale’. This opening-and-closing went on for a whole round, until the poor devil who was directing took me aside and asked me to put on my coat and stop being silly. Once I complied, he must have had a similar conversation with the other player involved, because the offending window was eventually shut and peace returned – though the chuckling and solicitous enquiries about my coat carried on for a while. It was all resolved in good humour and with good will, as should be possible among civilised people.”

By the way you will all be receiving a copy English Bridge as members of the EBU from June this year and bi-monthly thereafter …..

My thanks are resoundingly going to Steve Mapstone this month, for dealing with the EBU Widget!! – for us techno-phobes, this is the preparation of the data ready for Pay to Play which starts from the 1^st April 2010. With 350 members it has been a time-consuming effort.

Onto Bridge …..

Congratulations to the team of:

Molly Temple, Nicholas Adamski, Neville Bush & Howard Senior for winning the Mildred Cohda Cup last week.

The Yorkshire League teams struggled over the snowy period and have now managed to complete their matches from January – good luck over the final 2 matches.

The Leviton Trophy – Non-Handicap Pairs – which should have been played on the

12^th January is now rescheduled for the 23^rd February.

The Pro-Am night on the 19^th January was a great success – to be repeated – and congratulations go to Sandra Andrew with June Wiener, Olga Bartram with Arthur Selman – sitting N/S and Karen Finsbury with Derek Frazer and Richard Hainsworth with Sylvia Symons - sitting E/W – who all won prizes.

18^th February is the Margery Cartwright Sim Pairs and don’t forget the Dixon Trophy Qualifying round for Teams of 4 on the 2^nd March. Let’s make the Dixon Trophy worth playing for this year.

My March blog will be at the end of the month, as Ron & I are now away visiting our daughter in Australia – hope to play Bridge in Sydney to see whether they are as good as we are – playing upside down!!

Lesley Millet

Welcome to my Christmas/New Year blog.

December 2009

As we are about to enter the New Year festivities and the Bridge Club will be closed for some of the time – please remember we are not open Christmas Eve, Christmas Day and over that weekend but we will be open on the 28^th December and New Year's Eve. If you do want to come to the Club on New Year's Eve, it is a fun evening without a Tournament Director and don't forget to let Dorothy Whittall know as people generally bring food and drink with them.

After the last Inter Cities, the B & C teams are still retaining a good position in the leagues, Leeds B are third in Division 4 (after a good 19-1 win) and Leeds C second in Division 6 – good luck to all the teams in the next match on the 10^th January 2010.

Don't forget that the qualifying round of the National Pairs is being held at the club on Monday

11^th January 2010– this is a Green Pointed event. The number of tables is limited so get your names down on the list in the Club as soon as you can – it’s a first come first served event.

The 19^th January is the first event of its kind at the Club – A Pro-Am Evening. Please can everyone who wants to pair up with one of the better players in the club – put their name down on the list which will go up on the Notice Board after Christmas. Also – those who think they are professionals – put your names on the other side of the list. We will then pair up – unless you have already sorted out a partner for yourself.

Thank you to everyone who has helped with Tournament Directing, Scoring & Duplimating during 2009 and wish you all a Happy and Bridge Successful New Year!

Lesley Millet

Chairman, Leeds Bridge Club

Chairman’s Blog

November 2009

Well – we still have the issue of the heating of the Bridge Suite – so no change there. It’s a bit like the porridge of the 3 bears – too hot, too cold or just right…. We are still working on the 3^rd one.

At the last Committee Meeting of the Club, it was decided to place a note on the Tables advising players that the windows behind them would be opened during the evening, so if they were uncomfortable with this, they should move and sit somewhere else.

It has also been agreed that the TD will put the Air Conditioning on should the room still become unbearably hot and turn it off when it cools down. I’m afraid this is the most practical way we can see of dealing with the matter, so please make it easier for the TD’s. It certainly is hard for all of us to get the right balance.

The successes of the month –

Monty Simons Cup- - Winners Brian Ziff & Gillian Port

The Raymond Jackson Trophy – Winners Ken Hunter & Glyn Hall

Please remember if you want to use the Club for a match, let us know beforehand – either myself or Christina. We cannot allow matches to be played on a Wednesday night, as there are already 2 Bridge sessions running. The table monies are £5 per head, payable by the home team only.

Thank you for all those players who took part in the Inter Cities League last weekend.

Don’t forget the Yorkshire Pairs Qualifier being held this Wednesday. In the final of the Yorkshire Pairs, the leading 5 Pairs are invited to represent Yorkshire in the EBU Inter-County Pairs Championship.

The club have now hosted 2 Tournament Directors’ courses and will be hosting a third on the 5^th December. We have 3 new TD’s from Leeds and they will be starting to direct in the Club in the next month – they are Danni Sissman, Neil Solden & Ron Millet. Please work with them.

Leeds also hosted an EBU Course last week, aimed at Teachers, to teach Mini Bridge in Primary Schools. Although there were only 3 schools attended, the EBU are hoping to come back in the Spring to run a further course, once these schools have had time to implement Mini Bridge into their Maths Curriculum.

There will be a new course for absolute beginners starting in January, so if you do know of anyone wanting to learn, please tell them to contact Christina Turner. Pam Smith, who is a qualified EBU Bridge Teacher, will be taking this course – time and day to be organised shortly.

The Christmas party is being held on Sunday, 20^th December - so if you have any raffle prizes, please give them to either Dorothy or Alma.

Lesley Millet

October 2009

Hello for my second Blog – things must be going well as no one has contacted me yet to complain!

Leeds Bridge Congress was held on the 11^th October – What a great success with 21 teams from throughout Yorkshire/Lancashire taking part, under the guidance and direction of Phil Godfrey. My thanks go to the Congress Sub-Committee – Adam, Arthur & Ronny – for all your hard work. My thanks also go to Angela Buckley for all her wonderful food.

The first round of the Inter Cities took place yesterday – we now have 5 teams in the Yorkshire Leagues – a lot of hard work for all concerned in the selection. The C, D & E teams won their matches. Well done to everyone – especially those new comers in the D & E teams, some of you had never played in the teams before – I hope it wasn’t too daunting!

The new Committee has settled in well – Tournament Directors have met with Derek Fraser and you will now be seeing laminated cards appearing on the tables, giving players guidance on do’s & don’ts whilst our Bridge Sessions are in progress. Don’t be afraid to call the TD and don’t be offended if your opposition also calls the TD.

On Wednesday this week, we are holding the Jack Marks Trophy, which is a teams’ event – please arrange to put a team together. If you have any problems doing this – please contact either Christina or Gill to help find another pair.

Hope you have all settled into the Championship Pairs, now being held on the first Monday of each month.

Improvers Plus – this is a great success on a Wednesday evening – many of those who are attending Steve & Gill’s sessions are getting more confidence and playing in the main Bridge Sessions.

If you know of anyone who is at the more Beginners’ stage of Duplicate Bridge – please encourage them to attend Mike Surr’s Improvers on a Tuesday evening – starting at 7.15pm.

Enjoy your next month’s bridge and please remember that Saturday evenings’ sessions are £3 from the 1^st January.

Please feel free to contact me at lesley-mil@tiscali.co.uk , to discuss any issues you may have.

Lesley Millet

Chairman’s Blog

This is my first blog – a new idea to keep our members up to speed on the activities of the Club and discuss any issues you may have. I take this opportunity of welcoming all new Committee Members.

Our 2009/10 Calendar will be posted shortly onto the Website. Thanks to Arthur Selman and all those Committee members who have helped by checking the dates. There will be some changes happening so please check carefully. Monday is now the designated day for the Championship Pairs. This will be held on the first Monday of each month – 7^th September is the first, and Danielle Sissman has agreed to do the computer input of all the running scores.

Inter Cities matches start in October – please get in touch with Tim Friedman if you are available to play. Leeds did well last season and we want to keep it up. We now have a 5^th team in the Leagues and need to fill them.

Staying on teams – the qualifying round and all subsequent rounds of the Knockout Dixon Trophy will now be held on a Tuesday – please check for the date in the Calendar.

Leeds Bridge Congress is being held on the 11^th October - please support us and try to make up a team to compete. A Buffet meal is being served. Please contact either Adam Dickinson or Ronny Millet for an Application Form. They will also try to make up teams wherever possible.

Derek Fraser, who has now joined the Club Committee, has agreed to take the lead in co-ordinating the Tournament Directors – thank you Steve Mapstone for all your previous efforts in this area. We have a perpetual calendar for TD’s, which appears to work very well. However, we will be holding discussion/re-inforcement seminars for all our TD’s over the next few months. We will also be looking at the Ethics and Discipline format in the Club.

Hope this brings you all up to speed and if you want to talk to be about anything in my blog – please contact me on lesley-mil@tiscali.co.uk.

Lesley Millet