:quality(70)/cloudfront-eu-central-1.images.arcpublishing.com/irishtimes/KQNNPHMPIFFNTKJZJVWR6IQ3HQ.jpg)
Dublin’s Regent bridge club in Waterloo Road will usher in the new year by hosting the annual open, two-session team tournament for the Wigoder cup on New Year’s day, starting at 1.30pm. On the following day, Monday January 2nd, the club will welcome intermediate grade players to the pairs competition for the Doreen Cairnduff trophy, also over two sessions and also commencing at 1.30pm. Details of how to enter may be found on the club’s website.
January will be a busy month for tournament players with a full programme of events every weekend. Waterford mini-congress competitions will be played online on Saturday and Sunday the 6th and 7th while the following weekend the national men’s and women’s pairs and team championships will be contested at Westgrove Hotel, Clane, Co Kildare.
Cork congress will take place from Friday 20th to Sunday 22nd at the Maryborough hotel and on Sunday 22nd Dún Laoghaire bridge club will host the open team event for the O’Kennedy Cup.
Camrose trophy
Ennis congress competitions will be contested on the BBO [Bridge Base Online] website, Friday 27th to Sunday 29th. Also, on that weekend regional team championships will be played. On the international front the opening rounds of the home-international open championship (Camrose trophy) will be contested at La Mon Hotel, Belfast, from Friday 6th to Sunday 8th. Matches may be watched live on the BBO website. In Northern Ireland, senior home-international championship trials will take place at La Mon, from January 31st to February 2nd. Entries to haroldcurran501@gmail.com will close on January 15th.
:quality(70):focal(1980x1090:1990x1100)/cloudfront-eu-central-1.images.arcpublishing.com/irishtimes/SH66LIBO2VHIBGNILVV6ASH2E4.jpg)
:quality(70)/cloudfront-eu-central-1.images.arcpublishing.com/irishtimes/ERKKOOOAQ5GIVBZCPK5AZCA5HE.JPG)
:quality(70):focal(500x365:510x375)/cloudfront-eu-central-1.images.arcpublishing.com/irishtimes/H6STOGBGLNHH5FGELPFRIM7V5A.png)
:quality(70):focal(1685x875:1695x885)/cloudfront-eu-central-1.images.arcpublishing.com/irishtimes/AZCV7VKEVFC5XPAQKZR23UZWM4.jpg)
A recent survey of members of the Contract Bridge Association of Ireland (CBAI) revealed that 85 per cent of respondents played online during the Covid pandemic. And 14 per cent indicated they would play either solely or mainly online in future. The survey makes it clear that, in future, both live and online bridge will be played. Those who prefer playing online advanced various reasons but the 65 per cent that cited convenience as the deciding factor suggests that online bridge should not be regarded simply as a Covid-related phenomenon.
The CBAI has a part-time staff vacancy at its headquarters in Templeogue, Dublin. The person appointed will work two days a week including Fridays, should have knowledge of bridge activities and have basic computer skills. Application by email, with brief summary of skills and experience, should be submitted to dermot@cbai.ie or call 01 4929666 for details. The closing date for applications is Friday, 14th January.