Huge congratulations to the Bradgate B team who are successfully through to the semi-finals of the NICKO plate competition. This event, the National Inter-club Knockout, is a highly prestigious EBU contest with some of the top clubs in the country. Our team, Val Rees, Pauline Dignan, Mark Wiggins and Judy Simpson played Richmond B last Sunday. It was a long match, over 32 boards and fairly close all the way through. However in the end they won by the extremely narrow margin of 90 IMPs to 88, you couldn’t get much closer. Their competitors were from Richmond Bridge club which on its website lists itself as the most popular and successful EBU affiliated club in the country, quite a boast. We wish our team all the very best for the next round.
Nearer to home, the Chicago matches continue and we are now in the quarter final stages; each round is played as one pair against another and it can get a bit disheartening. When you find yourself holding a complete Yarborough opposite your partner’s meagre 10 points you know the other two have 30 points between them and game if not a slam on the table. Hopefully the points are more evenly distributed and the match can be nail-bitingly close right up to the last round. It is certainly a pleasant way to get to know other members of the club and we hope it will continue to be well supported as the club grows.
This brings us to our final point that of helping the club to maintain and increase its membership. Sadly we lose members either through passing or ill health or frailty and it is vital that we continue to attract new people to join us. The excellent team of Charnwood Bridge teachers and their helpers work tirelessly throughout the year with their classes and practice sessions and many of these students are gradually coming to the tables. We are now looking to next year’s intake and need your help to spread the word. Gail and others are organising another OPEN morning on Saturday August 30th in the Old school rooms in Rothley, next to the church from 10.00 am until 12.30. Unfortunately this venue is not in the centre of the village so we must make sure that it is widely publicized, preferably by personal invitation as well as flyers. It will be a coffee and cake event for LOROS and a chance to watch people playing Bridge and to ask about the game. So please if you could all think of someone to ask, whether it be friend, family, neighbour, colleague and ask them to bring someone with them. Last year we had a very successful and enjoyable morning and recruited NINE people to the student ranks, which was excellent. Thank you for your continued support.