To avoid disappointment to County members who either are unable to play in their own club heat, or whose club is not intending to run a heat, Cambridge and Saffron Walden bridge clubs extend an open invitation (space permitting) to their heats . The Cambridge Bridge Club heat will be held on Tuesday 22nd January 2002 at Trumpington. Details of the Saffron Walden Bridge Club heat are available from the club secretary (tel 01799 500858).
Qualifying heats are to be held in clubs not later than 25th January 2002 . Heats must consist of at least three tables, and each pair must play at least 18 boards. Heat organisers are required to run only single winner movements (i.e. Howell or arrow-switched Mitchell type). One designated non-eligible pair may play without standing to complete a movement.
Permitted systems and conventions are level 3.
Master point awards for the qualifying heats (to be issued by clubs) are to Regional Scale D, to the top 1/3 of the field. These awards are only valid for properly constituted heats which meet the requirements for competitors.
Depending on the overall entry, about 25% from each heat will qualify for the final (about 20 places). An additional 5 places will be on offer, divided between those heats whose players finished in the top eight places in the previous year's final, (based on a points system, with 8 points for first reducing to 1 for eighth). This year Saffron Walden (15pts) and Cambridge (14pts) will get two extra qualifiers and the Thursday club (6pts) one extra. All qualifiers must have gained more than 50% in their heat. In previous years several clubs have been unable to fulfil their quota of qualifiers and any additional places made available in this way will be offered to other clubs in rotation. This means that competitors should be advised that there is a possiblity of qualification for anyone in the top half of their heat, particularly if some of the top 25% are not able to play in the final.
The Entry Fee is £1.50 per competitor, but full-time students may enter free of charge. Entry fees (cheques to be made payable to Cambs & Hunts C.B.A.) must be submitted together with results of all competitors, (with their % obtained), to the Tournament Organiser no later than 28th January 2002. Clubs will be informed how many of their heat have qualified as soon as possible thereafter.
The final will be held at Fulbourn Community Centre on Sunday 24th February, 2002 at 1.00 p.m., (note earlier time than other County events) ending at approximately 8.00 p.m. This year we are reverting to an all-play-all final of 24 pairs (or possibly 26 pairs if the numbers qualifying from each heat do not fit equitably into a total of 24). Master point awards for the final are likely to be about 5.5 Green points to the winners, with decreasing awards to 15 or 16th place.
Table money of £5.00 per competitor will be charged at the final, which will include the cost of afternoon tea.
The top three pairs in the final, wishing to compete, and scoring at least 50%, will be invited to represent the County to compete for the Reg Corwen Trophy at West Bromwich on 25th & 26th May 2002, provided that Cambs & Hunts is their County of Primary Allegiance.
| Tournament Organiser | Philip Wraight: philip.wraight@ntlworld.com | |||