English Bridge Union

Applications for teams of four to six are invited for the Senior European Trials.

The trial takes place from 31st January 2020 to 4th February 2020 at the Young Chelsea Bridge Club. Entry is £150 per player.

Please send applications to charlie@ebu.co.uk by 5pm January 23rd.

November's competition for our online games, hosted by Funbridge, has concluded.

In the main November matchpoints ladder, Olivier La Spada finished top of the leader board. His best six scores in the month averaged 66.77%, and he wins £30. Second place was claimed by Dean Swallow with an average score of 66.59%, he wins £20. There were also cash prizes for third to fifth places.

In the handicap ladder, for the players whose scores exceed their NGS by the greatest amount. Nigel Wilkins finished top of the leader board over the top six games, with a handicap score of 9.80, winning £10. There is also a prize for second place, won by Paul Nicholas.

There are some exciting changes coming to the EBU Funbridge games in the New Year. We will have a free game on Jan 1 and on Feb 29. There will not be an annual ladder competition next year, but there will instead be an increase in the prizes in the monthly ladders, especially the handicap one; the IMP ladder will become three-monthly. We hope that all these changes will increase the number of players who win prizes.

• For more information and to download the app, see the Funbridge FAQs
• November Matchpoints Ladder; November Handicap Ladder; Annual competition
• Archive of previous winners

The EBU presented awards in recognition of various members' contributions to bridge in England at the AGM in London yesterday.

• Gold Award, for outstanding contribution to the management/administration of the game at national and/or international level - Jeremy Dhondy (picture)
• Silver Award, for outstanding contribution and recognition of long service as a volunteer at national and/or County level - Steve Barnfield (Picture from presentation in March 2019)
• Tony Priday Award, for an outstanding contribution to bridge and enhancing the game in all its aspects - John Magee (Mr Bridge) (picture)
• Diamond Award, for excellence over a sustained period for England's international teams - John Holland (picture from previous presentation), and Robert Sheehan (picture)
• Dimmie Fleming Award, recognising a long and valuable contribution to county bridge - Bernie Hunt, Essex*; Austin Barnes, Lancashire*; Liz Stevenson, Merseyside & Cheshire (picture); Paul Wilson, Middlesex (picture); Maureen Kimbley, Norfolk*; Sheila Coda, Somerset*; Shirley Pritchard, Surrey (picture); Phil Bennett, Wiltshire*; Janet Latham, Yorkshire (picture)
• Tom Bradley Award, given to a non-serving school teacher who has made a significant contribution to junior bridge - Giorgio Provenza, Surrey*
• Alec Salisbury Award, given to a school teachers who have made a significant contribution to youth bridge - Rowena White, Fulford School, York (picture)

* - presentations to be made at another time

Congratulations to all recipients, and we thank them for their contribution.

The Young Player and Young Pair of the Year awards had been previously presented. These recognise outstanding performance for England's Junior teams and were made to Oscar Selby and Ben Norton & Shahzaad Natt.

The EBU AGM took place on 27th November. The following people were elected/re-elected to the EBU Board and Standing Committees:

Jeremy Dhondy has stood down from his role as Chairman of the Board and we thank him for his service.

Chairman

There was one nomination for the position. Therefore, no election was required and Ian Payn will become EBU Chairman for a three-year term.

Vice-Chairman

There was one nomination for the position. Therefore, no election was needed and Gillian Fawcett will become EBU Vice-Chairman for a three-year term.

Board

Heather Dhondy has stood down from her role as a member of the Board and we thank her for her service.

There were two nominations for two positions. Therefore, no election was needed and these positions were filled by Gillian Fawcett and Bev Purvis. Gillian Fawcett was also elected as Vice-Chairman.

The Selection Committee

There were three nominees for two positions. The votes received were as follows:-
Re-Elected for a three year term of office expiring in 2021: Paul Barden - 43 votes; Alan Mould - 41
Not elected: Neil Rosen - 35

The Laws & Ethics Committee

There were three nominees for three positions, therefore no election was required. All of the nominated members - Tim Rees, Martin Pool and Frances Hinden – will re-join the committee for a three-year term.

To see the current members of the Board and Standing Committees, click 'read more'.