As a result of an incident in a recent session, it seems that it might be helpful to set out a protocol for use of the Undo button to correct errors in bidding or play.  Given that our online sessions are intended to be played in a friendly spirit, and that no prizes or trophies are on offer, we have not previously found it necessary to set out any rules (unlike the practice in online competitions run by the EBU).  However, we suggest that the following guidelines are likely to be acceptable to most players.  Opponents should allow a mistake in the bidding to be corrected in all cases.  This is because such a mistake does not of itself convey any relevant information to anyone.  Where there is a mistake in card selection, the player making the error should immediately request an undo, and opponents should normally be prepared to grant it, if satisfied that it is a genuine error.  However, if they choose not to grant the undo, the player who has made the error should accept the position and move on.  It should be remembered that when a wrong card is played, it does convey information to the player's partner.  In all cases, the player making the error should alert the other players immediately by saying something and then clicking on the undo button.  Where an opponent has already made the next bid, or played the next card, it will be necessary for that player first to request an undo of his or her bid or play, followed (when that undo has taken effect) by the player who has made the error.  If any player is of the view that they are not prepared as a matter of principle to grant an undo in the case of a misplayed card, it might avoid misunderstandings if that was spelled out at the beginning of the game.  The chat function can be used for this purpose.

Here are the results of the Winter League 2024:

1. Ken & Mike.                  60.9%
2. Brian & Irene.               59.4%
3. Mark & Andrew             58.8%
4. Craig & Lincoln.            57.4%
5. Jerome & Margaret.      57.1%
6. Ron & Robert.               57%
7. Gillian & Pauline.          50.7%
8. Fred & Chris.                50.4%
9. Ron & Bryan.                50.2%
10. Alan & Loretta.            48.1%

Congratulations (again!) to Ken and Mike.

We ran a Teams of Four competition on Monday 29 April.  

Here are the results:

1.  Team 3: Andrew, Mark, Jane and Judy                 +69 imps

2.  Team 5: Brian, Irene, Chris and Fred                    +16 imps

3.  Team 4: Robert, Ron, Jerome and Margaret         +1 imp

4.  Team 1: Val, Geseke, Craig and Lincoln                -8 imps

5.  Team 2: Gillian, Pauline, Alan and Bryan              -77 imps

The AGM took place on Monday 23 October 2023.  

Here are the minutes: AGM minutes 2023.docx

Here is the Chairman's report: Chairmans report 2023.docx

And here are the accounts:Annual accounts 2022-23.pdf

Here are the results for the Summer League 2023.  Congratulations to Ken and Mike.SUMMER LEAGUE 2023 FINAL RESULTS.doc

The Annual General Meeting was held at St Mark's Church Hall on Monday 7 November 2022 with 23 members and one guest in attendance.

The Chairman's Report is attached: Chairmans Report 2022.docx

The minutes of the meeting are attached: AGM 2022 minutes.docx

The accounts as signed by the Treasurer and Inspector are attached: Accounts 2021-2022.pdf

The AGM on Monday 18th October was held at St Mark's and was well attended.  

The Chairman's report to the meeting is attached: Chairmans Report 2021.docx

The minutes of the meeting are also attached: AGM minutes 2021.docx

The accounts for the year ended 1st October 2021 are attached:LBC accounts 2021.pdf

Bridge In Leamington                                                     Jerome Tucker
                                                                                                                                 07789 903019
                                                                                                                                 email@jerometucker.me.uk
                                                                                                                                 March 2021

Leamington Spa Bridge Club

Bridge was being played at the Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club in Guy’s Cliff Avenue in the 1950s.  It was started so the outdoor sports players could meet during the winter.  In 1954 John O’Farrell joined the tennis club, and in the mid-sixties became secretary.  Being interested in all activities at the club, he looked over a few shoulders at the bridge table to see what it was all about.  He liked what he saw and took up the game.  At that time it was rubber bridge played for 1 penny/ hundred in the wooden chalet style club house.  With the help of four Warwickshire players, John introduced duplicate bridge which was much more competitive.  In 1966 when Kevin New became a member, John formed a team with his partner Gwen Boardman; Kevin New and Martin Bevan; Alan (a bit temperamental) and Beryl Gold; and they joined the Coventry Bridge League in division 6.  After four years they had climbed to division 3.  Other members at that time were Olive Staite, Margaret Truswell, Peggy Bennett who played for England and always said ‘content’ at the end of the auction, Sheila Ballantyne, Eddy Wilkinson, Brenda Davison, Jean Waring, Helene Perkins and Olive Hawthorn.  John put the Leamington club on the map when he won the regional Cutty Sark tournament in 1975.

Bala Maniam who joined the club in the 1970s taught many players through the Warwickshire Adult Learning evening classes.  Rosemary Randerson took over teaching later on, and many of today’s players in Leamington thank Rosemary for teaching them bridge.  At one time she was taking five classes a week at all levels.  Other players during the 1970s were Cynthia and Trevor Pringle Scott and daughter Angela Starkey.  Trevor died at the table while playing bridge.  Frances Piff, whose son Charles Kay was an actor on the BBC (King John) and in films (Nijinsky).  Molly Evans who drove in from Clifford Chambers was secretary for many years, Margaret Phillips, Philip Perriam, Harry Spooner and his partner at the time Peter Castelow.  Peter continued playing bridge in Leamington when he was over 100 years old.  Bridge sessions were on Wednesday evenings and Saturday afternoons.  George MacPhearson was a very good player who played on Saturday afternoons.

Nick Hoten remembers the wall decorations – several very ordinary tea towels pinned on to the walls round the room by exceptionally wealthy and well-dressed ladies.

When it was no longer possible to play at the tennis club, Mary Curtis did valliant work finding other locations including a retirement home in Lillington, the Oddfellows Hall, the Naval Club near Adelaide Bridge and Holy Trinity Church Hall on Friday afternoons. The club was still active up to 2019, but with a declining number of tables.

 Lillington Bridge Club

This club was started in the 1960s by Gerry Dunne and his bridge partner Bob Harvey in the managers’ canteen at Lockheed.  The club then moved to the Community Centre in Lillington and Gerry’s son Jack started a teaching session.  Margaret Lawson learnt her bridge here in the 1980s.  In about 1985 the club moved to the bowling club clubhouse in Lillington.  All was fine during the Winter months, but the bowling club members complained of the noise during the Summer, so the bridge had to move again in the late 1980s, this time to the Leamington cricket club pavilion in Arlington Avenue.  The club was thriving with ten tables.  Bridge night for Lillington was always Monday evening.  Ken Tedstone was the chairman at this stage.  Members made use of the bar leaving money on the counter.  When the cricket club wanted to redevelop their clubhouse, the bridge club moved to St Marks Church Hall off Rugby Road, where up to February 2020 it was still very active.  2020 was COVID year and no bridge was played.  However around Christmas 2020 online bridge, using the RealBridge platform, was tried and found to be a satisfactory replacement for face-to-face bridge.  Players were able to join in from their homes and even from Europe and Florida.

Leamington Bridge Clubs Merger

In early 2021 Leamington Bridge Club proposed that the two clubs should merge.  Discussions took place using Zoom and members were sounded out.  There were no objections and the merger was approved at an EGM of both clubs in April 2021.  The name of the merged club is Leamington Bridge Club and most of the financial and physical resources will be pooled.

Lillington Bridge Club

Minutes of the EGM held on Tuesday  21^st April 2021 on Zoom

Chairman, Robert Zara opened the meeting at 6 30pm. There were 18 members present including some from Leamington Spa Bridge Club.  Present were Robert Zara, Jerome Tucker, Pat Johnson, Ron Saunders, Mavis Watts, John Baker, Irene and Brian Hoyles, Val Burcham, Veronica and John Jessamine,, Margaret Lawson, Don Earley, Georgina Murphy, Geoff Wiskin, Jane Broome, Andrew McConaghy, Judy Francis.

1. To approve the following resolution: Lillington Bridge Club agrees to merge with

Leamington Spa Bridge Club; welcomes the members of Leamington Spa Bridge

Club as members of Lillington Bridge Club and accepts the bridge equipment, cash

and other assets formerly the property of Leamington Spa Bridge Club.

Robert proposed that the purpose of the meeting was to formally go ahead and merge the two clubs.

This proposal was approved unanimously.

2.  To approve the following resolution: Consequent on the merger of the two clubs, and

in recognition of the need to attract new members, the merged club shall henceforth

be known as Leamington Bridge Club.

The change of name was approved unanimously.

3. To approve the following resolution: To adopt the new constitution previously

circulated in draft to members and annexed to this agenda.

The constitution was accepted unanimously.

4. Some further discussion ensued which is summarised below.

• No subs will be collected until after the AGM in the Autumn. Geoff Wiskin wishes to hand over his role as Treasurer at that point.
• Discussion ensued about the possibility of playing Face to Face bridge sometime in 2021. The Committee will meet to discuss this when Government guidelines become clearer; eg.  issues of face masks, vaccinations, social distancing etc.
• The new committee should include members from Leamington Spa Bridge Club initially.
• Leamington Spa Bridge Club will decide what they want to with their surplus finances and the remainder will be passed to the new Leamington Bridge Club. Irene will liaise with Geoff regarding the passing on of their account.
• Robert with help from Jerome, has set up a website for members and anyone else to access . This includes some history of both clubs, a calendar of events and recent scores from bridge nights. It will shortly include a link to access Real Bridge sessions.
• John Baker asked how many bridge sessions would take place. Robert pointed out that this is up for discussion and we need to find out what the members want. We are booked at St. Marks for a Monday evening but other times might be available if required. Don proposed that we should keep up with online bridge as well and said he would be willing to act occasionally as TD. Pat suggested that all members be contacted to find out when and how they prefer to play. Veronica pointed out that the committee needs to be careful not to overload themselves with work.
• Ron Saunders thanked Robert and Jerome for all their hard work.

The meeting closed at 7 10pm.