Below is your monthly update from the EBU. All previous updates are available on the EBU Updates page.
This poster shows the upcoming EBU events. Please consider adding this to your club/county website and encourage your members to enter online via My EBU.
Changes to EBU Board
The Board have recently co-opted two new members to join their number, please welcome Debbie Sandford and Mike Hornung.
Competitions Working Group
The EBU is continuing to expand its range of competitions for improving and lower-ranked players. We plan to run an NGS-9-High competition parallel to the Corwen, specifically for players in the 9-High bracket. County Associations must organise their own qualifying round, and their entitlement to places in the final will be as for the Corwen, and the final will take place online over one day of the same weekend as the Corwen. Further details will be circulated to counties shortly.
The regulations around the team which a County Association can put forward for the Pachabo Cup are being relaxed, to make it easier for Counties to field a team. Please note that the Pachabo in 2025 will take place face-to-face.
A new Sunday evening game (once a month) will be trialled in the Autumn, to be managed by Cumbria CBA on RealBridge on behalf of the EBU.
We have noted that the National Teams League clashes with club nights for some clubs, and we have noted that opinions on screens in RealBridge games are very polarised – but we have not yet identified any changes which will improve the situation across the board.
The National Handicap Pairs Championship will take place on Sunday 8th September. If your club would like to host a heat, please enter via My EBU and email sam@ebu.co.uk. This is an opportunity for your members to compete on equal terms with players across the country for the title of National Handicap Pairs Champions 2024.
Laws & Ethics Updates
Clubs should be mindful that the NGS regulations for exemptions should be followed when a tournament director or host/mentor opts to exclude themselves from the scheme for a session.
Exemptions are limited to one player or pair in an event and is at the discretion of the event organiser.
Exemptions are only for unfamiliar partnerships: a partnership may not exempt a session if they have previously played together three or more times.
To use the exemption, the player seeking to exempt themselves must complete a form which is available in their My EBU members’ area. This has to be done as soon as the host/TD knows that they will be playing and, in any case, no more than 30 minutes after the start of the game (this 30-minute leeway is offered for the benefit of hosts who are not confirmed to be playing until the end of the first round of the game).
This form must be filled out in addition to selecting the appropriate option in the scoring program.
Clubs do have the option to run code 12 sessions which count for Master Points but are excluded from NGS. When running these sessions clubs must make all players aware in advance that the session will not count for NGS.
FESTIVAL UPDATE
We currently have over 140 events planned for our Bridge - It’s a Big Deal! (BIABD) a Festival of Bridge, taking place in more than 100 unique clubs and counties.
We would love it if all clubs and players can join in the fun. Some of the many ways your club can take part include dedicating an existing session, hosting a session of the National Handicap Championship Pairs, joining the EBED Sim Pairs in aid of the festival, or coming up with something new to help raise funds for Cancer Research UK. See our list of events for more inspiration.
If your club is not yet listed, please email festival@ebu.co.uk with the name of your club, the name/type of event you are hosting and the date it is being held, we will then add your details to our lists.
You are invited to join us next week for our latest Festival planning meetings via Zoom. In these meetings we will discuss the specifics for advertising your events. If there is someone else at your club that has not received this email but would like to attend, please pass the details on to them. Please join using the links below:
Topic: Festival Discussion for Club and Counties
Time: Jul 10, 2024 09:30 AM
Join Zoom Meeting
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/89411059565?pwd=GbMbd9hHu28Eq0Fu4EFJvDa37gXSEz.1
Meeting ID: 894 1105 9565
Passcode: 890519
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Topic: Festival Discussion for Club and Counties
Time: Jul 10, 2024 07:30 PM
Join Zoom Meeting
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/86077751422?pwd=bmWk0gGeMJot1Bm9ImnFpQa3sUI5Uf.1
Meeting ID: 860 7775 1422
Passcode: 113493
Club Seminar
The next club seminar will take place via Zoom on Wednesday 24th July at 10am. This seminar will look at how to help players transition from "classroom to clubroom". If your club has been successful in this area and would like to share your experiences, please email jonathan@ebu.co.uk, we would love to hear from you.
If you would like to attend, please reply to this email, including your name (or the name of the person attending for your club) and club to confirm your place.
You can watch all previous club seminars via the EBU YouTube Channel.
Nominations for Awards
Nominations can now be made for both a Silver Award and a Dimmie Fleming Award. The Silver Award is given for outstanding contribution and in recognition of long service as a volunteer at national and/or international level. The Dimmie Fleming Award recognises those who have made a significant contribution to county bridge through voluntary work over a long period.
All members can put forward suitable candidates, however the nominations should be submitted to the EBU by a County official, to confirm that it has the approval of the County Committee. Nominations should be made using Dimmie Fleming Form or Silver Award Form by Friday 23rd August. Nomination forms can be found on the EBU awards page.
Dimmie Fleming Award - previous winners
Silver Award - previous winners
Bridge Warehouse
Special Offer EBU Superluxe Playing Cards – 12 decks – 6 red/6 blue. Normally £18.99 Per dozen now £17.99 per dozen. Use code EBU138 online for another £1.00 per dozen discount (£16.99 per dozen!)
Visit the Bridge Warehouse website for all the latest offers and newest items in stock, or contact Sue via email sueh@ebu.co.uk or phone 01296 397851. We always match prices where possible.
EBED Training Courses
Before the summer holidays EBED have two Club Teacher Training courses:
Aylesbury - 25th & 26th July, starting at 9.30am Aylesbury booking link
Derby - 27th & 28th July, starting at 9.30am Derby booking link
The cost including 12 months EBTA Membership is £220 but Affiliated Clubs who sponsor Teachers get a £30 discount and most are eligible for limited free places on the course too.
The above courses are the last two planned before the summer holidays and the Bridge - It's a Big Deal! Festival. Booking a place on these courses will be a good start to helping boost your club membership later in the year by having a teaching programme in place, if you do not have one already.
All current dates, including additional online courses are listed on the TD Course Calendar. To book please use the links above or call Lisa on 01296 317217.
Junior Summer Bridge Camp
EBED’s popular Junior Summer Bridge Camp will be held will be held from Friday 30th August to Sunday 1st September 2024 at King’s Park residential conference centre in Northampton
This is a residential weekend of bridge tuition, competitions and other fun activities. All ages and abilities are welcome.
Prices are unchanged from last year - £150 for the weekend including 2 nights accommodation, all meals, bridge tuition and competitions. Early booking discount - bookings made and paid before 30th June can book at the reduced price of £120.
How do I book?
Please contact Lisa Miller lisa@ebu.co.uk or call 01296 317217 (please note Lisa's working hours are 8am-3pm, Monday - Wednesday)
Any Questions?
See EBED’s website for more information and the Frequently Asked Questions page, or contact Mark Humphris mark@ebedcio.org.uk or call 01296 317218 if you have any questions.
Advertise your Congress Online with the EBU
The EBU home page is a great place to promote your next congress or for clubs/counties to publicise their next big events.
Could your event benefit from last minute advertising to bring in extra players? Well the best place to do this is the Home page of the EBU website.
The advert could be live today!
An advert on the Carousel at the top of the EBU home page is as little as £75 per month for CBA’s and Clubs. Want to give your event a boost, contact Danby Advertising on 01603 898678 or email adsales@ebu.co.uk.
Calling clubs and county associations – tell us your news!
We are featuring club and county news in our blog. If you have any news to share please do let us know, preferably with a picture or two to go with it! Contact sam@ebu.co.uk.
Club directory – please update your club details
A reminder for clubs, please check your club details in the Club Directory and submit our online club details form. Please log in to check ALL your clubs details are still correct. More information is available via the help link on the club directory page.
Counties, please also update your county officials' details online, county details form.
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