Good Morning Bridge Players

As the season turns to autumn and you realise the warmest cosiest place to be is with your friends on Cambridge Road playing cards can I make a polite request to everyone please.

The new tablets are now here to stay, working well and nobody misses the temperamental buttons of the Bridgemates, in recording the score. However, the tablets do allow a more comprehensive indication of how everyone else has played the hand we have just finished. We all need to be careful how this scrutiny takes place. As a committee we discussed this issue and ask that we all try to observe the following to keep noise down, prevent unauthorised information being given to the tables yet to play the hand and to NOT delay the round holding everyone else up as you discuss the merits of a brilliant lead etc. Therefore, can we observe the following:

North records the score and places the tablet in the centre of the table so it is upside down to North, for East/West to agree.

All players are then able to see how they have done relative to others (remember the % refers to N/S so a little maths is required for E/W)

Everyone to have a quick silent glance at how their “rivals” performed with the same cards, with North reading upside down or as they replace the tablet next to themselves for the next round.

All four players move on to the next hand promptly.

Prolonged discussions and comments like “it does make game in a named contract” or “nobody bid a slam but it makes” should be avoided please…. until you are in the pub after play has ended! You may or may not be surprised how far a voice can travel and be heard by others especially when the club is busy (which is great!) forcing the playing tables closer together.

I am not pointing the finger of blame at anyone here or would need to point it at myself and partner as it is all so easy to do immediately one sees the error of one’s play or bidding.

One last point, if you do hear unauthorised information about a hand, you are yet to play, under the rules of bridge you should bring this to the attention of the TD who will take appropriate action if required, under rule 16D.

Please do continue to enjoy your bridge at Huddersfield but lets all be extra mindful of others.

Thank you in anticipation.

Michael 23/10/23