English Bridge Union
Since the start of this year, clubs as well as counties have been able to award Blue Points for certain of their events, and we would like to encourage more of them to take up this option.
The object of Blue Pointed club events is to facilitate more local events where members can earn points counting towards ranks currently requiring Greens. Thus, all masterpoint ranks allow up to 50 Green Points to be replaced by Blue Points in the ratio of three Blue = one Green. Members will, therefore, be able to reach Premier Regional rank entirely with Blues, or with a combination of Blues and Greens, but will require Greens for higher ranks. Blue Point awards use the current Local Point scales (100 Local = one Blue).
Clubs may hold two bluepointed events per annum, which may be either open or closed. If open, the requirements are the same as for county bluepointed events. If closed, they are restricted to the club's major pairs and teams championships as defined in the MP&L Handbook. However, the Handbook has been amended so that a ladder can be deemed to be the major pairs championship. Both pairs and teams major championships must be held over a minimum of two sessions. Closed sessions will not require a licence but will pay an enhanced P2P fee equating to 1/3 of the green point licence fee.
For the Club Pairs Championship this can take one of three forms: a quali-final, a two session play through or a ladder. Both sessions of a quali-final or play through event will be bluepointed at district scale and both will pay the bluepoint licence fee. Each round of a ladder will attract only local points at club scale and pay normal rates but the bonus awards will be bluepointed at district scale. Awards for the final ladder positions will need to be submitted separately from the normal submissions. Since the awards are based on the average number of tables in the ladder, the licence fee will be calculated on the same basis.
For the Club Teams Championship this is also likely to take one of three forms: swiss, multiple or knockout. Again, all sessions of a swiss or multiple teams championship will be bluepointed at district scale and pay the bluepoint licence fee. A knockout championship will award bluepoints at district level for each match won on the normal rising scale. The licence fee will be paid on the number of matches played in the competition multiplied by two for teams of four and multiplied by four for teams of eight, thus equating to the number of tables.
Each club may run up to two of these events per annum. They can be the club's Major Pairs Championship and/or Major Teams Championship, in which case no licence is needed but an enhanced P2P fee will be payable; or they can be one-day two session events for which a licence is required, and which must be open to any EBU member and only to EBU members.
If you might be interested in this and would like to discuss it further, please contact Dawn Mertens on 01296 317219.
