Manchester County
Bridge Association

Home League Cup Goldstone PotY County Honours National Honours International Honours
Calendar Clubs Documents History Links Officers System Teaching
Archive
1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022 2023 2024 2025 Obituaries

This is the main MCBA web site for news and general information
To enter competitions or see detailed results go to the MCBA entries site

Latest News and Upcoming Events

Events in Manchester
For online entry to Manchester Events Click here
Others

Green Point Swiss Teams Altrincham Sunday 27th July

Manchester Congress Jan 3rd-4th 2026 at Airport Inn SK9 4LR
Gordon Bickley's Second Hand Books 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22
EBU Bridge Warehouse
Sunday 6th July Nottingham GP Swiss Pairs
Sat-Sun 2nd-3rd August Llandudno Swiss Pairs
Sunday 19th October Chester Bowl Deva
 
EBU Calendar

Deal of the Week

July 2025
2nd Pachabo 3NT




June 2025 4th Endplay 11th League Slam
18th Careful
25th Pachabo Defence

May 2025




Apr 2025



30th Higson Plate

Mar 2025
5th Tolle Final
12th GP Pairs
19th GP Pairs
26th National League

Feb 2025
5th Chester Pairs 12th Tolle Final
19th Tolle Final
26th Goldstone

Jan 2025
1st Goldstone
8th Tolle Qual


29th Monster
Dec 2024
4th Tolle Slam 2
11th Tolle Slam 3
18th Tolle Slam 4
25th Resurrection

Nov 2024
6th Your bid
13th Your bid
20th Tolle Defence
27th Tolle Slam

Oct 2024
2nd Defence




Sep 2024
4th Northern Mid Week


25th Falsecards

Aug 2024
7th Llandudno Slam 1
14th Llandudno Slam 2
21st Llandudno Slam 3
28th Your bid

July 2024
3rd Summer League
10th Stripe-Tailed Ape
17th Suit Combination
24th Suit Combination

June 2024
5th Surprise


26th Corwen Defence

May 2024


15th Higson
22nd Spring Fours
29th Garden Cities
Apr 2024
3rd Rare Ending
10th Goldstone



Mar 2024
6th Tollemache
13th Defence Problem
20th Faulkner1
27th Faulkner 2

Feb 2024
7th Congress Defence 2
14th Chester Pairs
21st Irish Teams
28th Tollemache

Jan 2024
3rd League 3N

17th Congress Defence
24th Congress Pairs
31st Elimination
Dec 2023
6th Tolle Slam
13th Tolle qual
20th Tolle qual


Nov 2023
1st Switch
8th Don't give up
15th Symmetry
22nd League Defence
29th Children in Need
Oct 2023

11th Overtrick
18th Great Northern
25th Great Northern 2

Aug 2023



23rd Endplays
30th Eastbourne
July 2023

12th Double Grand Coup

26th Double Squeeze

June 2023
7th Spring Fours Grand
14th Defence



May 2023
3rd Higson Final
10th Higson Final 2
17th Spring Fours
24th Spring Fours 2
31st Montenegro
Apr 2023

12th Overtrick
19th Higson 1
26th Higson 2

Mar 2023


15th Defensive Technique
22nd Triple

Feb 2023
1st Backwash


22nd Your bid

Jan 2023
4th Defence problem
11th Congress Pairs 1
18th Congress Pairs 2
25th Congress Pairs 3

Dec 2022
7th Six Clubs
14th SixNT
21st Ben Franks Defence 1
28th Ben Franks Defence 2

Nov 2022
2nd False Card
9th Unblocking
16th Squeeze
23rd Burn's law
30th Six Diamonds
Oct 2022
5th Suit Play
12th Restricted Choice
19th Swingy Board
26th Devil's Coup

Sep 2022


21st Six NT


Aug 2022
3rd Smother Play
10th GP Teams
17th Lightner
24th FourThreeFit
31st EastbourneDefence
July 2022



27th Smooth duck

June 2022
8th Find the Queen




May 2022
4th Thwarted
11th Blocked Suits
18th Spring Fours Defence


Apr 2022
6th Big Hand
13th Defensive Guess
20th Defend 3N
27th Four Four Fit

Mar 2022
2nd Goldstone Defence
9th Green Point Pairs 6-6



Feb 2022
2nd Congress 4H
9th Two Spades
16th Teltscher Lead
23rd Michael's brilliancy

Jan 2022
5th Tolly Play 4H
12th League 6H
19th Bramhall 6N
26th One imp

Dec 2021
1st Tolly Grand
8th Tolly 4H
15th Tolly 3D
22nd Tolly Defence
29th Tolly Defence 2
Nov 2021
3rd Lucky Top

17th Spades
24th Tolly Qual 1

Oct 2021
6th Two Grands
13th Misplays
20th Discarding


Sep 2021


15th MBC
22nd EBU 3NT
29th NBL Defence
Aug 2021

11th President's Cup
18th Suit Combination
25th Trump Coup

Jul 2021
7th Criss-Cross
14th BerksBucks
21st NICLF


Jun 2021


16th Lancs League
23rd Lancs League 2
30th John Armstrong Pairs
May 2021
5th Lancs League
12th Play 3NT
19th EBU Pairs
26th Bramhall Slam

Apr 2021
7th Cumbria and Norfolk
14th Bramhall & Cheadle
21st B&C Defence
28th League imps

Mar 2021
3rd Nicko
10th Overtrick
17th Tollemache
24th Espen's Endplay
31st GP Pairs
Feb 2021
3rd Congress Teams Qual
10th Poor contract
17th Chester Pairs
24th Norfolk Slam

Jan 2021
6th A double problem
13th Suit play
20th Congress Pairs
27th Congress Grand

Dec 2020
2nd TollyQual
9th League
16th Sussex Grand
23rd Teltscher Trials
30th Cheap save
Nov 2020
4th Beat 2S
11th Last Chance
18th Crockford's Plate
25th Difficult Play Hand

Oct 2020
7th Timing
14th Plan
21st Gambit
28th Defend 1NT

Sep 2020
2nd Double Double
9th Suicide Squeeze
16th Five Hearts
23rd Squeeze without Count
30th Play Problem
Aug 2020
5th Play Problem
12th A Poor Slam
19th Make Game
26th Avoidance

July 2020
1st Play Problem
8th Tens
15th Trumps
22nd Squeeze?
29th Lead Problem
June 2020
3rd Good Hand
10th Trump Coup
17th Suicide squeeze


May 2020
6th Online Overtricks
13th League Luck
20th Online IMPs
27th Online Slam

Apr 2020
1st Tollemache
8th Tollemache
15th Lockdown League
22nd Lockdown League 2
29th Online Duplicate
Mar 2020 4th Cheadle Pairs 11th Cheadle Pairs
18th Chester Pairs
25th Goldstone

Feb 2020 5th Peter Ader Memorial 12th Santa Claus Pairs
19th Santa Claus 2
26th Congress Pairs

Jan 2020 1st Another Grand 8th Middlesex Pairs
15th Middlesex Teams
22nd Middlesex Teams 2
29th Middlesex Teams 3
Dec 2019 4th Llangollen 11th YC Defence
18th Middlesex Pairs
25th Christmas Present

Nov 2019
6th Lancs Swiss Pairs
13th Premier League Defence
20th Cheadle
27th Cheadle DD

Oct 2019

16th NBL Grand 23rd Higson Game
30th No Entry
Sept 2019 4th Four-Three fit 2 11th MBC 3NT
18th Cheadle Defence


Aug 2019 7th GP Teams 14th Defence problem
21st NBL 1
28th Four-Three fit 1

July 2019 3rd Corwen 1 10th Corwen 2
17th Corwen 3
24th President's Cup 1
31st President's Cup 2
June 2019
5th Hubert Phillips 1
12th Hubert Phillips 2
19th Hubert Phillips 3
26th 20 years ago

May 2019
1st Higson Final
8th Higson Final 2

22nd NICKO lead
29th Ruia Slam
Apr 2019


17th Preston Pairs


Mar 2019
6th Cheadle Pairs
13th Trump Squeeze
20th Green Point Pairs
27th Green Point Pairs Defence

Feb 2019
6th Deva Slam 2
13th Deva Slam 3
20th Deva Slam 4
27th Double End Play

Jan 2019
2nd League Lead
9th A bad break
16th Congress Teams 1
23rd Congress Teams 2
30th Deva Slam 1
Dec 2018
5th Tolly Qual 1
12th Tolly Qual 2
19th Lancs Teams 2
18th Middlesex Pairs

Nov 2018
7th Lancs Pairs
14th Lancs Pairs Defence
21st Lancs Teams
28th Scottish Curiosity

Oct 2018
3rd Northern Bridge League 10th Northern Bridge League
17th Northop
24th Chester Defence
31st Cheadle Mixed
Sep 2018
5th GP defence


26th Teams or Pairs

Aug 2018
1st National League
8th Yorkshire Congress
15th Llandudno
22nd NBL Grand
29th Michelle Memorial
July 2018
4th Yorks Grand
11th Super Moysian
18th Pachabo
25th Defence at Cheadle

June 2018
6th John Armstrong Pairs
13th Blocked suit
20th Cheadle Grand
27th Goldstone Final

May 2018
2nd League Grand
9th 3N or 5 of a minor
16th Cheadle 3NT
23rd Ruia Cup
30th Play 5D
Apr 2018
4th Green Point Pairs 2S
11th Green Point Pairs 3N
18th More GP Pairs
25th Llangollen

Mar 2018
7th Slam play problem
14th Scissors Coup
21st Improvisation
28th Tollemache 3NT

Feb 2018
7th Devil's coup
14th End Play
21st Congress 3NT
28th 3NT Play problem

Jan 2018

10th NICKO pre-empt
17th Congress slam 1
24th Congress slam 2
31st Congress Slam 3
Dec 2017
6th A curiosity
13th Ben Franks Grand
20th Ben Franks Lead
27th A suit play

Nov 2017
1st Sacrifice
8th Deva Charity Event
15th Cheadle Mixed
22nd Lancs Pairs
29th Lancs Teams
Oct 2017
4th League Play
11th League bid
18th Both minors
25th NBL Inference

Sep 2017
6th NBL Lead
13th Bolton Defence
20th League Defence
27th Mixed results

Aug 2017
2nd Michelle Memorial
9th Trump Coup

23rd Northern Bridge League
30th More NBL
July 2017
5th Extra trick


26th Llandudno

June 2017
7th Make this slam
14th Online Bridge
21st Your lead
28th Corwen Defence

May 2017
3rd MBC Slam
10th Higson Cup 3NT
17th Higson Cup Grand
24th Slam fork
31st Bridge in Salford
Apr 2017
5th Surrogacy
12th Pairs vs Teams
19th Pseudo End Play
26th Your lead

Mar 2017
1st Goldstone Slam
8th Non-technical line
15th Freak hand
22nd Find the Lady
29th Six-six
Feb 2017
1st Lead direction
8th Compete part scores
15th The three level
22nd Defence problem

Jan 2017
4th 6C Bid and play
11th Congress Slam
18th League Game
25th Gold Cup Grand

Dec 2016
7th Slam in fourth suit
14th Beer card
21st Xmas puzzle
28th New Year puzzle

Nov 2016
2nd Direct Route
 9th More suit plays
16th Don't give up
23rd Bid and play
30th Psyche
Oct 2016

12th Duplication
19th Defensive unblock
26th Endplay

Sep 2016
7th Pairs Defence
14th Psychology
21st Poor bridge
28th Unblocking

Aug 2016
3rd Trump End Play
10th Slam Lead
17th 800
24th 1100
31st 3NT with 4-4 fit
July 2016
6th Welsh Bridge
13th Llandudno
20th 6NT play
27th En passant

June 2016
1st Slam Try
8th  University Bridge
15th Tuesday Bridge
22nd Pachabo overtrick
29th Slam play
May 2016
4th Long sequence
11th RKCB with void
18th More RKCB
25th IMP Pairs

Apr 2016
6th Sixteen point game
13th Easter bridge
20th Four-Three fit
27th Six-Six hand

Mar 2016
2nd Inferences and end play 9th  Make the overtrick 16th A lead problem
23rd Two suit plays
30th The wrong slam
Feb 2016
3rd Simple technique 10th Six, five, come alive 17th Which small card? 24th The dark blue card
Jan 2016
6th Which game? 13th The last guess 20th Nine card suit 27th An intricate sequence
Dec 2015
2nd Precarious trumps 9th  Classy sequence 16th Distribution inference 23rd Cheadle cross ruff
Nov 2015
4th Endplay choice 11th Spooky bridge 18th Third round control 25th Surprise gain
Oct 2015
7th A direct route 14th Breaking Blackwood rules 21st Crockfords slams 28th Textbook deal
Sep 2015
2nd 8410 hands 9th  A suit combination 16th A critical defence 23rd Premier League in Manchester 30th Which squeeze
Aug 2015



26th Choice of slams  

Dragon Swiss Pairs

Congratulations to Gil Fletcher and Richard Acaster who finished second equal of 56 pairs in the WBU event held online on Sat 5th July.  Results are here.


Northern Bridge League

The 2025 season got under way on 5th July played online on RealBridge.  Manchester entered teams in the A and B divisions.

In the A division the team of Rhona Goldenfield/David Barton, Raymond Semp/Robert Ferrari, Joy & Irving Blakey, Karen Reissmann/Irene Davies finished fifth of six teams.  Rhona and David were third overall on the cross imps.

In the B division Manchester were again fifth of six teams.  The team was Eve Lighthill/David Sarabowski, Karen Jones/Barbara Eastabrook, Ann Thornton/Chris HIne, Gordon Bickley/Ann Farquhar.  Gordon and Ann were our best  pair on the cross imps.

Detailed results are on the Cumbria web site, summary results on the NBL web site.


Manchester v Lancashire

Manchester played Lancashire at Manchester Bridge Club on 29th June.  In the county level event Lancashire won 110-70 and in the club event (Jack High) Lancashire won 113-67.

The open team was Rhona Goldenfield/Kath Nelson, Eddie Thornton-Chan/Tony Hodgson, Irving & Joy Blakey, Michael Hart/Pearl Fielding, Raymond Semp/John Hassett, Neil Thomas/David Barton.  Joy and Irving Blakey were the best pair on cross-imps.

The Jack High team was Ann Thornton/Peter Green, Howard Rosemarine/Adrian Shiers, Ann Wood/Dee Connolly, Rachel Hardcastle/Phil Kemp + morning session Anne Naylor/John Commons, Usha Murugan/Graham Hobbs, afternoon session Bruce Moreman/Brian Thompson, Stephen Dauncey/Jackie O'Donnell. Ann and Dee were Manchester's best pair on cross-imps.

Thanks to David Sarabowski for directing and to Irene Davies for organising, especially for organising the lunch.  Everyone enjoyed the event.

A very exciting hand from the match.  Partner opens 1H and you hold AKJ10875432, void, A6, A  !!  Bramhall beginner Rachel Hardcastle bid and made 7S.  Unfortunately one pair in the open team reached 3S.

Results are on the Manchester events site.


Yorkshire Festival of Bridge

Congratulations to Tom Slater and Daniel Kelsall who finished second in the pairs at Harrogate on 28th June and also second in the teams on the 29th with Alec Smalley and Barbara Lewis.  Results are here.


President's Cup

Manchester has entered a team in the President's Cup to be played on RealBridge on 12-13th July.  The team is

Saturday David Barton/Leslie Klein, Rhona Goldenfield/Kath Nelson, Roger Hopton/Eddie Thornton-Chan, (morning) Raymond Semp/Royce Alexander, (afternoon) Irving & Joy Blakey.

Sunday David Barton/Leslie Klein, Rhona Goldenfield/Kath Nelson, Raymond Semp/Gary Hyett, (morning) John Roberts/Royce Alexander, (afternoon) Richard Acaster/Gil Fletcher


European Open Poznan

The European Open Championship took place in Poznan, Poland from June 21st to July 5th.  Manchester players participating included Michael Byrne in the open teams and mixed teams in the Sushi Belt team, John Holland and Alan Mould in the senior teams in the Mossop team and Martin Taylor and Justin Hackett in the open pairs.  Neither team progressed to the knock out phase.  In the board a match event the Sushi Belt team finished just above half way in the final.

The event website is here.


Green Point Swiss Teams

11.00 Sunday 27th July at Altrincham.  Click here for details, entry form here.  Green Points, generous prizes, free tea, coffee and biscuits, intermediate prizes.



Summer League

The Manchester Summer League has now started with 13 teams (up from 11 last year).  Matches are to be played by the end of October.

Results can be found by clicking here for division 1 and here for division 2.


Save the Date

The Manchester Congress will be held on Jan 3rd-4th 2026 at the Airport Hotel SK9 4LR. Please mark in your diary, further details to follow.


Last updated 6th July 2025.  Pages updated recently - News
EBU
Thanks to Michael Byrne for many reports.
Thanks to John Holland for checking articles and analyses for Deal of the Week

Counter http://www.digits.net - visitors since Jan 2000.  Copyright Rodney Lighton 1999-2025.
 
EBU