English Bridge Union
Please be aware when submitting sessions, that you double check the code before submitting them. We have seen an increase in the number of incorrect sessions being submitted. When the wrong submission code or weighting is used, this creates a manual adjustment that needs to be applied.
Please also remember that clubs have the option to change the type of session once it has been submitted if an error has been made or there is a change in the type of session run.
Following requests from clubs to provide more flexibility in the codes available for sessions, we are introducing a new code for “Mentor” sessions for an initial one-year period.
These are unsupervised sessions that some clubs run to help new players gain experience by playing with experienced partners – “mentors”.
The new Code 12 allows master points to be awarded for these sessions but results from them will not be processed for the NGS.
This should allow experienced players to concentrate on helping their partners gain experience rather than concerning themselves with the effect on their NGS, which we hope will encourage more clubs to create a novice-friendly environment.
It is important that all such sessions are clearly advertised as such and that players realise they will not be processed for the NGS. Clubs might also wish to consider stratifying the events for master points.
Use of Code 12 is optional and some clubs will prefer to run mentor sessions with the normal Code 10, so that it does count for NGS as well as master points. We do not think that such sessions are, on average, detrimental to the NGS of more expert players. Note also that the first 150 boards played by a novice in sessions that count for NGS are automatically prevented from affecting the grade of a partner with a mature or evolving NGS grade.
The other codes will remain the same, so you can still use these for regular sessions and novice sessions where appropriate.
The session codes can be found: https://www.ebu.co.uk/node/3399. If you are unsure of the which session code to use, please contact: jonathan@ebu.co.uk or 01296 317206.
