English Bridge Union
The top prizes went to:
Club prize draw winners
1st Prize - £1000: York Bridge Club, Yorkshire
2nd Prize - £500: Lines Bridge Club, Cambs & Hunts
3rd Prize - £200: Stamford Bridge Club, Northamptonshire
Pairs prize draw winners
1st Prize - £1000 per pair: Cliff Short & Anne Short, Hemel Hempstead Bridge Club
2nd Prize - £500 per pair: Frances Moor & Peter Edwards, Deben Bridge Club
3rd Prize - £200 per pair: Jim Ramadan & Charles Broughton-Pipkin, Petersfield Bridge Club
In addition, runners-up prizes were drawn in both categories. A full list of the winners can be seen here – https://www.ebu.co.uk/node/2946.
In 2018 every affiliated club which holds a heat of a Sim Pairs will be entered in to a prize draw with ten prizes available, including a top prize of £1000. The leading pair at each affiliated club, when scored nationally, will also be entered in to a draw with a top prize of £1000.
So, by playing in a sim pairs event in 2018 your club, or a pair from your club, could win up to £1000 – just like these clubs and pairs have done. But you've got to be in it to win it.
Monday 30th April - Thursday 3rd May
Monday 3rd - Friday 7th September
The EBED Simultaneous Pairs supports the charity, English Bridge Education and Development, which is working to promote and develop the game in many areas. EBED is committed to encouraging more people to take up bridge, especially young people, as well as building the infrastructure which will make that aim a reality, and proceeds from these sims will go to supporting this work.
Bridge England Simultaneous PairsTuesday 6th - Wednesday 7th February
This aims to raise funds to aid performance in our international teams. The various international events this year include the World Youth Team Championships in China, in which England will be represented by four teams – the only European country to have a team in all four competitions.
British Simultaneous Pairs & Club Stratified Sim Pairs
8th - 11th January
12th - 15th March (CSSP)
9th - 12th April
23rd - 26th July
1st - 4th October
These events all support your EBU. The proceeds from these events help us to provide services to the members, clubs and counties. By participating you are enabling the EBU to do more for bridge in England, and your club and members will see the direct benefit.
The Club Stratified Sim Pairs in March is great introductory event for clubs which haven't previously played in a sim pairs. The cost of entry is lower to encourage participation, and the results are stratified in to four categories so less experienced players can still win bonus Master Points based on their position within their stratification. More information is available here.
A great results serviceWe believe the results service which is provided is excellent, with a breakdown of all the scores and percentages along with hand records and an expert commentary which is both interesting and educational (but we don't 'rig' the hands to make the commentary more interesting - that's just the talent of the writer). There is also a 'double dummy' feature so you can analyse the possible lines of play. Here is an example. So by participating your members are getting more than just 'an ordinary club night' - and if they do well they can earn lot more Master Points too.
How to take partInformation on the benefits of participating in the events, including details of the prize draw, is available here. It also addresses some of the concerns expressed about the hands which are played. We would emphasise that the hands are not 'rigged', and are played exactly as dealt - they are no more unusual than you would expect at any club night with properly shuffled and dealt boards.
Details of how to register, and information on downloading the hands and submitting the results, can be seen here. Whilst you can register right up until the start of the session in question, if you enter in advance we can provide a poster for you to display at your club to promote the event. You can register now for any of the events in 2018, so you can get them in your club calendar now.
All these events are open to all British clubs, including unaffiliated clubs. There is a surcharge for unaffiliated English clubs in most events, but this is waived in the EBED events as the charity supports all bridge players. So if you know someone at an unaffiliated club then please let them know and encourage them to take part - if they do then we all benefit.
The cost of entry in 2018 is £2.80 per player* - except for the Club Stratified Sim Pairs which is a discounted £2.30* to encourage first time participants (see above). So for less than the price of a pint or a coffee at Starbucks you can get more from your evening of bridge, play in a national event, support bridge in England, and possibly win £1000. We think that's not bad value.
* - standard Universal Membership Subscription fees also apply
