Latest News and Upcoming Events

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Tollemache Qualifying

Congratulations to the Manchester team who won their qualifying group in the inter counties team of eight qualifier on RealBridge on 7th-8th November.  The team was Michael Byrne/Gary Hyett, Andrew Woodcock/Catherine Draper, Alec Smalley/David Barton, John Holland/Alan Mould (late afternoon sessions), Rodney Lighton/Neil Thomas (morning sessions).  They proceed to the national final against the other seven qualifying teams in January near Cambridge.  Results are on the EBU web site.

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Ben Franks Pairs Sunday 6th Dec

The Ben Franks Pairs will be held at Bramhall Bridge Club on Sunday 6th December.  This event qualifies the top four Manchester affiliated pairs for the EBU's Corwen Trophy which will be held online on May 22-23rd 2027.  Click here for more details.  Click here to enter.

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Lancashire Festival of Bridge

In the Lancashire Festival held on 31st Oct to 1st November, Manchester players did well in the Teams event.  John Holland won with Jackie Pye, Jeff Smith and John Stell, Kath Nelson/Rhona Goldenfield and David Barton/Tracy Sherman were second equal.  Results are on the Lancashire site.

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Goldstone 2026-7

The draw for the Goldstone (which qualifies for the EBU Pachabo event next year) is now posted.  There are 14 teams entered, one fewer than last year, with St Titus and Grasshoppers getting a bye in the first round.

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Lady Milne Trials

Pairs trails for the Women's Home International team take place in London from 23-25th October.  Isabel Edelsten played with Rosie Fetherston-Dilke.  Results are on the EBU web site and some matches are being shown on BBO vugraph.

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Chester Bowl

This popular pairs event at Deva Bridge Club was a sell out with 36 pairs competing, nearly half of them from Manchester.  After a qualifying session in the afternoon (and an excellent tea) the top 14 pairs played a single session Howell while the consolation event was a 22 pair scrambled Mitchell.  Half the pairs in the final were from Manchester.  Congratulations to Gillian McMullan and Roger Hopton who won with a score of just over 60%.  Eddie Thornton-Chan and Tony Hodgson were third with Joy & Irving Blakey fourth.  In the consolation Kath Nelson and Rhona Goldenfield won with Martin Taylor and Tracy Sherman third and Gary Hyett and Raymond Semp fourth.

Results can be found here

Barry Jones and John Hampson (second) with winners Gillian McMullan and Roger Hopton

Jerry Hopkins and Philip Waring (second) with Kath Nelson

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Northern Bridge League

The final round of the Northern Bridge league was played on Saturday 17th October online.  In the A division the Manchester team finished second on the day and second overall.  The team was Robert Ferrari/David Barton, Joy & Irving Blakey, Eddie Thornton-Chan/Tony Hodgson, Rhona Goldenfield/Kath Nelson.  Eddie and Tony were our best pair on cross imps.

In the B division the team won on the day and won the division, congratulations to them.  The team was David Sarabowski/Andy Brocklehurst, Roger Hopton/David Fussell, Raymond Semp/Espen Gisvold, Alan Tranter/Andy Burnett.  Alan and Andy and David and Andy did very well on cross imps.

In the C division Manchester finished third on the day while Yorkshire won to leave Manchester in second place overall.  The team was Karen Jones/Barbara Eastabrook, Susan Triggs/Graham Winn, Richard Acaster/Gilbert Fletcher, Ann Thornton/Chris Hine.  Richard and Gilbert and Susan and Graham scored well on cross imps.

Final league tables can be found on the NBL site and detailed results on the Cumbria site.

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Last updated 8th Nov 2026.  Pages updated recently - News