Elimination Pairs
It is a pairs competition played in two stages. Reading Bridge Club heat is played on Thursday night (see program). Approximately one third of the field (of those who wishes to qualify) qualifies for the final usually played sometime in April. Any player can wish to qualify on one night only although can play in several heats in various local clubs. The event is aimed for up to an intermediate level of players. In the final number of experienced pair can meet an improver pairs which qualified from a weaker club. In such case anything can happen (and usually does!)
Chiltern Teams of 8
Entries for the Chiltern League of 8 are made by affiliated Bridge Clubs in around July or August each year with the playing season running from September through to the following April. You may only represent one club in the League during any one season and there are regulations in place, which control any appearances you might make for a club team other than your normal team. These are designed to allow substitutes to play when Team Members are unavoidably absent, rather than allowing the flexibility to tailor the team to achieve some ulterior objective.
The League has a single Division and is entirely based on local clubs in the Thames Valley area so that the amount of travel is minimised. Each team plays each other team once over the course of the season and the venue alternates year on year assuming that both teams remain in the league. Venues are usually the Home Bridge Club, or an alternative hall, which the club hires for the purpose. Biscuits and tea or coffee at normally provided at half time by the home club. The League usually consists of around 9 or 10 teams so each team will play 8 or 9 matches over the 6 or 7 month season. The schedule for the matches during the season is drawn up at a fixture meeting in July or August. Matches are played over 20 boards, which ensures that they finish at a comparatively early hour.
The standard is not as high as in the higher divisions of the Berks and Bucks League, although some teams do include some members who are frequent attendees at County events. Reading Bridge Club enter one or more teams in the Chiltern League of 8. The Committee believes that the best interests of the club are served by the Chiltern League teams not fielding experienced pairs from the top squads in the BBCBA League of 8. Members who would like to play in the Chiltern League should make their wishes known to the Team Captains or the League Representative (or any Committee member) as indicated on the Chiltern League Notice Board in the room to the right of the front door as you enter the club.
Chiltern Teams of 4
Entries for the Chiltern League of 4 are made at the around the same time as for the League of 8. Any group of individuals who want to play can form a team, as unlike the League of 8, teams are not entered under the auspices of Bridge Clubs. The playing season runs from around October through to the following April. You may only represent one team in the League during any one season and no more than six people can represent any one team during the season. The League has several Divisions with promotion and relegation (in general 2 up and 2 down) between seasons, assuming that the entry each year is similar. This is normally strictly observed in the higher divisions but changes in the number of teams entered in the lower divisions may mean that some relegations might not take place.
Each team in a division usually plays each other team both home and away over the course of the season. Venues are usually the home address of one of the members of the Home team and it is usual to provide biscuits and tea or coffee at half-time. Divisions consist of around 5 or 6 teams so each team will play 8 or 10 matches over the 6 or 7 month season. The schedule for the matches during the season is issued by the League secretary when the total entries are known but the actual dates on which matches are played is then negotiated between the two captains. Matches in the Premier Division are played over 24 boards but in the other Divisions only 20 boards are played.
The composition of the teams is similar to that of the League of 8 and hence the standard is similar, some of the premier League teams containing regular attendees at county events.
Chiltern Spring Cup
The Chiltern League Spring Cup is a Spring and early Summer competition for Teams of 4 which is organised into a number of small leagues, where each team plays each other team once, and the league winners and runners-up then play off for the overall title on a knockout basis.
The teams are again organised individually rather than by the clubs, so that any group of 4 (or preferably 5 to cope with non-availability) people can enter. The entries are usually made in March, and the matches are played during April to June. A notice will appear on the appropriate Notice Board in the club when entries are required, but if you would like to register your interest then talk to the League Representative who will know what the schedule is.
The standard of play and other conditions are just as described under the Chiltern League of 8