Pay-to-Play Scheme Gets Green Light

 

The shareholders of the EBU voted in favour of the proposed Pay to Play (P2P) scheme at an Extraordinary General Meeting in London on 4th June.  The voting was 52 in favour, 31 against with two abstentions.  The implementation date is 1st April, 2010.

Yorkshire had previously held a meeting for delegates of all affiliated clubs in the county to discuss the issues involved.  27 clubs were represented at the meeting.  It was gratifying to see such a large turnout.  The voting, which included votes from clubs unable to be represented at the meeting, was 52 in favour of P2P and 21 against.

The YCBA Management Committee will do all it can to aid clubs with any initial difficulties or concerns they might have.

Philip Mason

 

Thoughts of a (Retiring) League Secretary

 

Awoken by the telephone at five thirty on Monday morning!   “Something absolutely diabolical!  They did not announce their Stayman bid!!!   They got to six no trumps, and of course they made it.   We defended perfectly.   Naturally, knowing they had a club suit, I did not cash my ace, king and queen of clubs but led my singleton heart trying to find my partner’s suit.   But the worse thing is that we had seven clubs on, and we would have bid it if we had known that their call was Stayman!   It only depended on their leading a club and it was cold.   What are you going to do?”   Well…..the answer is give up the job.   From next season, Stuart Davies will have the task of running the Yorkshire League.   I know you will give him the same wonderful support that you have given me over the last ten years.

A few thoughts about the past season: 89 teams took part using 1,032 players and 912 of these shared 230,514 master points.   3 players split their play between two teams that both earned ranking points.

On a more serious note, there are still too many results sheets that are posted late or second class.   It only takes two or three to delay the publication of the match results.   Of course, the answer is to send in the results and players’ details by email - so reliable, quick and inexpensive.   Why not give it a try next season?   Special thanks to the match secretaries and team captains who already do this.

On a couple of occasions during the season, I have been given the impression that the 2 Victory Point fine is a fee to be paid if a team wishes to field an ineligible player.  It is not.   Consider the analogy in football.   An inadvertent offence might well get a free kick but a deliberate foul would earn a yellow card or a sending off.   Please, if your difficulties in finding players appear insurmountable, have a word with the League Secretary in advance.   Something can probably be sorted out.

I first became involved with the League other than as a player twelve seasons ago, at the time when Eric Pudsey was still doing his fabulous job scoring it and calculating master points manually.   At that time, I started printing the tables that he produced to be used in the Bulletin.   During the next season, I developed and tested a computer program that would calculate the master points, work out the League tables and verify the eligibility of the players.   And, amidst multiple cries of “They will never do it!”, introduced the concept of players being identified by providing their EBU number.   The following season was the first of ten during which I was League Secretary.   It has been a wonderful experience even if at times somewhat frustrating.

My heartfelt thanks to all who have helped me so much, and to Stuart for allowing me to retire from this job.  My good wishes to all for a lovely summer break and a successful and enjoyable season to come.

Ted Bond

 

Damn Lies and Statistics

 

Following analysis of 980 computer dealt hands, I have analyzed 1,100 hands dealt by hand at Huddersfield Bridge Club. 

The following table shows the hand patterns distributions from both dealing methods compared with expected percentages taken from the Encyclopedia of Bridge.

 

 

Hand

Computer

 

 

Hand

Dealt

Dealt

Expected

 

Pattern

% age

% age

% age

 

4-3-3-3

12.3

11.4

10.5

 

4-4-3-2

21.3

21.7

21.6

 

5-3-3-2

14.5

15.6

15.5

 

5-4-2-2

10.1

9.0

10.6

 

 

58.1

57.8

58.2

 

4-4-4-1

3.7

3.1

3.0

 

5-4-3-1

12.0

13.9

12.9

 

5-4-4-0

1.2

1.1

1.2

 

5-5-3-0

1.3

0.5

0.9

 

5-5-2-1

4.0

2.8

3.2

 

 

22.2

21.3

21.2

 

6-card Suit

14.7

16.8

16.5

 

7-card Suit

4.3

3.6

3.5

 

8+ Suit

0.7

0.5

0.5

 

 

100.0

100.0

100.0

The table suggests that both methods of dealing, given sufficiently large sample sizes, will produce hand patterns much in line with expected results.

Les Brown

 

Dates for 2008 Northern Counties League

      June 28

      August 30

      September 27

      October 25

 

 

2008 League Clubs Handicap Teams of Four

At Bradford Bridge Club

20th July Starting at 1.00 pm

Entry Fee £64 per Team

Team Members must have played for the same club in the 2007-08 Yorkshire League in at least one match

Handicap will be determined by reference to the divisions in which team members played

Send entries to SV Davies

 

MALTON CUP (Swiss Teams)

At New Earswick on 22nd June, 2008

Entries to Philip Mason,

Amboy House, Old Malton YO17 7HD Tel 01653 693553



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