- A new venue since 2019
- An improved schedule for the Championship Pairs on Friday & Saturday, since 2019 - with two start options on Friday
- A Jack High Swiss Pairs competition on Monday for lower ranked players
ILEC Conference Centre
The congress in 2019 at the ILEC Conference Centre near Earls Court was successful and well received, so we are going to continue to run this congress there. It is just a short stroll from West Brompton station, which has both underground and national rail services.
It has an excellent playing room and 'break-out' areas for between sessions.
There is onsite accommodation (the Ibis London Earls Court), and the negotiated rates for bridge players include double and twin rooms as well as singles - giving couples, and those willing to share, a cheaper option. Booking information will follow shortly.
Event format
New Championship Pairs format from 2019
The Championship Pairs is a ‘stratified’ event scored across the field. Each pair will play in five sessions of 18 boards - making a total of 90 boards, which is an increase on previous years at no extra cost.
On Friday each pair can choose whether to play in sessions 1&2 or 2&3. This change from the earlier format allows for greater security as at no point are the two different groups playing the same boards at different times.
You can still choose on Friday whether to start early-afternoon (if you want the evening free), or mid-afternoon (if you have lunchtime commitments) - though please notify us in advance at what time you will be starting (if you don't we will assume the later start).
On Saturday all players will play in all three sessions.
See below for the session times.
Prizes and Master Points awarded in three categories: below Premier Regional Master, below Premier Life Master & Open.
The Championships Pairs is part of the Championship Series, in which points can be earned towards the Player of the Year Championship.
The Swiss Teams on Sunday is a two-session event with seven 7-board matches in all. The event is now also a stratified event.
Monday
Monday offers two options:
Swiss Pairs - open to all with seven 7-board matches.
Jack High Swiss Pairs.
This competition is aimed at club players who are interested in taking the first steps into congress bridge but who may have found it daunting to jump straight into a major congress event.
In order to qualify to play in this event, you must have an NGS of no higher than ‘Jack’ at the time of entering. We envisage that at the lower end, players will be ‘7’ or higher. The event will be stratified too so that there are extra Master Points and an extra prize available for pairs of players both ranked ‘9’ or lower.
We reserve the right to decline entries from those who may meet the NGS requirements, but have significant tournament experience and are not among the 'congress-novices' at whom the event is aimed.
The format will be six 6-board matches with a break after three matches.
This competition is priced at a discounted rated to encourage new participants to congress bridge.
To enter
Entries are not yet being taken for this event.
Holders
2019
Championships Pairs - Simon Gillis & Erik Saelensminde
Swiss Teams - Jacl Mizel, Brian Senior, Ingar Hansen, Tore Marskar
Swiss Pairs - Heather Bakhshi & David Bakhshi
Jack High Swiss Pairs - Alistair Brown & Terry Dillon
Timetable
Day | Description | |
|---|---|---|
Friday | 1.00pm - 3.15pm | Championship Pairs, session 1 * (see below) |
3.30pm - 5.45pm | Championship Pairs, session 2 | |
6.00pm - 8.15pm | Championship Pairs, session 3 * (see below) | |
* - You choose whether to play sessions 1&2, or 2&3 | ||
Saturday | 11.30am - 1.45pm | Championship Pairs, session 4 |
3.00pm - 5.15pm | Championship Pairs, session 5 | |
5.30pm - 7.45pm | Championship Pairs, session 6 | |
Sunday | 11.30am - 2.30pm | Stratified Swiss Teams 1 (three x 7-board matches) |
3.30pm - 7.30pm | Stratified Swiss Teams 2 (four x 7-board matches) | |
Monday | 11.30am - 2.30pm | Swiss Pairs 1 (three x 7-board matches) |
11.30am - 2.15pm | Jack High Swiss Pairs 1 (three x 6-board matches) | |
3.15pm - 6.00pm | Jack High Swiss Pairs 2 (three x 6-board matches) | |
3.30pm - 7.30pm | Swiss Pairs 2 (four x 7-board matches) |
Entry Fees
(A) | Full Congress | £152 |
(B) | Championship Pairs | £70 |
(C) | Swiss Teams | £47 |
(D) | Swiss Pairs | £49 |
(E) | Jack High Swiss Pairs | £26 |
(F) | Championship Pairs plus Teams | £108 |
(G) | Both Pairs | £110 |
(H) | Both Swiss | £90 |
Master Points
Championship Pairs: Green Points to the top half of the field within each stratification.
Swiss Pairs, Jack High Swiss Pairs and Swiss Teams: fully Green Pointed.
Agreements
Level 4 agreements are permitted in all of the main congress events.
Level 2 agreements are permitted in the Jack High Swiss Pairs.
Venue and Tariff
The congress will take place at the ILEC Conference Centre near Earls Court.
- ILEC Conference Centre, 47 Lillie Road, London, SW6 1UD
2020 rates
To be announced.
2019 rates
Accommodation is available at the adjacent Ibis hotel
- £89.00 Bed and Breakfast for single occupancy
- £99.00 Bed and Breakfast for double occupancy (double and twin rooms available)
Rates per room, per night.
Rooms will be released for booking by the general public on 19th March 2019.
Please book directly with the hotel using this online booking page. Prices, dates, etc are shown once you have created an account and/or signed-in.
A number of rooms are reserved for booking at this negotiated rate for a limited period of time. Any unbooked rooms are usually released for booking by the general public a few weeks before the event. Thereafter rooms may still be available, but at the hotel’s current rate. Likewise if all allocated rooms are booked then rooms may still be available, but at the hotel’s current rate. To ensure rooms are available at the negotiated rate please book as early as possible.