Barry's Blog 6

At the last meeting of the 2005/2006 EBU Board, they agreed to my proposal to centralise the management of all aspects of membership at Aylesbury. This process is to be eased in over the next eighteen months, and trialled by a couple of Counties, who have now committed to help, so as to ensure that we get it right first time.

I am sure that this change in administration methods will remove many of the problems that have plagued the relationships between HQ and the Counties for many years.

At the recent AGM I must say that these plans were not met by 100% acceptance. In order to allay fears I hope to meet with any interested Membership Secretaries to discuss these issues probably early in 2007. By that time we will have developed our plans to the point of being able to present them to the group and to get their opinions on our suggestions. I know that it is not possible to please all of the people all of the time, but I really believe that this development will improve things dramatically.

I recently spent a long weekend in Galway, Ireland at a “reunion” of the international online bridge club to which I belong, Bridgeclublive. I put “reunion” in quotes as actually I had never met most of the people there, and great fun it was. Present were about 110 members from 23 countries. Although it was primarily a social event we played Bridge over three sessions. We had about 10 hours of Bridge, zero director calls, no arguments and just one director for the lot of us. There were, of course, many EBU members there, so was a great chance to discuss issues with them……..and for some of them to bend my ear, an opportunity that rarely seems to be missed!

When most others had gone, my wife and I stayed on for an extra day and we visited the Galway Bridge Centre for a game. Conventional pairs, but unconventional for a number of reasons; no convention cards (required or available), no director in the room (though one was available upstairs), no score cards. The result was 27 hands with no director calls, no arguments and quite a few laughs. The Galway Bridge Centre is an affiliate of the CBAI, the equivalent of the EBU, so it was a properly organised game, but it differed so much from the majority of ours that it was striking.

Back home, despite the new Best Behaviour @ Bridge policy, we are still struggling at our congresses, within some of our clubs and even online, with less than positive behaviour from some players. This definitely puts off newcomers to duplicate bridge – it happened to me too when we suffered atrocious behaviour at the table some years ago.

We at the EBU and many club committees, owners and managers are rightly concerned about the decline in playing numbers. We are doing many things to address the issues behind the decline, but I am certain that a contributory factor in this situation is the behaviour issue. If we do not get this under control soon we will find ourselves eventually with fewer tournaments each year until the only bridge available will be of the social kind.

BB@B was launched in June. Is it working? If not, why do you think it isn’t? Do you suffer from bad behaviour in your club? Have you asked your club to implement BB@B as a policy? Email me your views so we can assess its first few months.

After the AGM, my congratulations to those elected into office, and commiserations to those that were not. My best wishes to Denis Robson upon his retirement from the Board; after only a short time in my job I find myself working with a new Chairman and Vice-Chairman - Sally has agreed to the use of that title! I am sure that the new Board will continue to move forward at great speed on the changes that we need to make within our organisation.

Finally, look out in the Christmas edition of English Bridge for two things. There will be an article about our new “Focus on Value” project. Also, we are undertaking a membership survey; you will be able to complete it either on the web site or on an insert that will be in the magazine. This survey will help us improve our communications with our members in the future and is very important. It will also offer members the opportunity to take part in further research that we intend to undertake to develop and improve our services. As an encouragement to complete the survey, all respondents may enter into a draw for a £500 Bridge Holiday voucher.

Shame I can’t enter…….

Barry's Blog 5

First things first……bye, bye M25.

Now the important stuff; last week the EBU board approved a new project which will promote Clubs and Teachers into the place they should always have been, the centre of the EBU universe.

I have always thought that many of the non EBU members in affiliated clubs get the benefits of the organised game without directly contributing towards it. They are likely to have been taught by an EBUTA trained or certified teacher, their weekly session is likely to have been run by an EBU trained director, the club stationery they use are at reasonable prices because of the EBU presence in the market place and, most importantly, their club night is assured in the long term because of the investment the EBU puts into education at all levels. Next time you are at your club maybe you should ask a non EBU member what they are doing to contribute to the future of the game that they enjoy so much, especially as it costs less than 40 pence per week.

The EBU are widely regarded as being the best when it comes to organising tournaments, and we are very fortunate in having the World Bridge Federation’s Chief Tournament Director on our permanent staff. Of course we are proud of any compliments that come our way and we are never complacent, always looking at ways to improve services to our tournament players.

However, while tournaments and congresses are very important to us it only represents a fraction of what the EBU is all about. Take the clubs for example; there are almost 1000 affiliated clubs; I wish we had time to visit them all. You cannot fail to be impressed by the amount of work done by volunteers in the clubs. I call them the unsung heroes! Week in, week out they open up the bridge room, put out all the stuff, collect table money, calculate the result, make the tea, organise competitions, collect subs, stick things on notice boards. These people are the “Real Deal EBU”.

A week or so ago, I went to one of my regular clubs and chatted to one of the Committee. He told me that he had been at work that day, came directly to set up, collect money etc, but as he was the night’s host, was unlikely to play, which he didn’t. So, selflessly, he went home!

But, probably the most undervalued people in the bridge world are the teachers. In fact without the teachers there wouldn’t be an EBU because they are the primary recruiters of new people to bridge. I think that teachers know more about the game than any of us. They know that new people enrolling on courses often do so for reasons other than the game. They know that building a new community is more important than the weakness takeout and if they are to keep their students happy, a glass of wine (or sometimes tea I suppose) is more important than a Ron Klinger flipper. Teachers are the best at spreading the word – that bridge is more than just a game.

The EBU is often accused of being out of touch with ordinary members – being more interested in bridge hands than bridge people and yet during my short experience in bridge administration I’ve found the opposite to be true. Over the summer months, a development committee, commissioned by the Board have been visiting lots of bridge clubs - big city clubs, small village hall clubs, sports centre clubs. Their task has been to find out how the EBU can improve and build on its services to members and clubs. They have listened to what members had to say. Many clubs are worried about falling numbers; some said that the average age in their club was rising every year. This agrees with our own figures – we have the same amount of affiliated clubs as we have had for decades – but membership is gradually falling.

Thanks to our teachers, the numbers of new students to the game remains buoyant and our teacher training courses are very popular. The problem lies with the transition of graduating students into our clubs. We recognise that the solution to this lies with the relationship between the EBU and its teachers. Over the coming months we will invite prospective teachers to help us bridge that vital gap between classroom and club room. We shall be introducing a new category of teacher – the EBU “Partner Teacher” along with new “Partner Teacher” courses. We are sure that our new innovative package for these teachers, with its great new incentives, will inspire ordinary members to become teachers and existing teachers to become even more effective in helping students make the transition into organised bridge.

And that’s not all. Existing clubs, fledgling clubs and even non affiliated clubs need more help in recruiting new members. We shall, in due course, be announcing new packages available to all clubs to help them achieve their aims.

These are very exciting times and I feel privileged to be a part of the EBU at a time of such optimism.

Barry's Blog 4

It is time to talk about some incredibly positive things. A couple of weekends ago our Women's International Team placed third in the European Championships and thus qualified to play in the premier Women's tournament in 2007, the Venice Cup, which will be held in China. This is a great achievement for the players concerned and I would like to add my congratulations to them.

These ladies are the present. Some of that team have already achieved wonderful success, including a World Championship and a multitude of other achievements. I am sure that there is a lot more to come, but it leads me to the weekend just past.....

During the last weekend our excellent Education team, ably led by John Pain and Alison Nicolson put on a wonderful weekend in Loughborough for our juniors. Along with a group of unsung heroes, both parents of juniors and numerous volunteer EBU members, a group of juniors ranging from 8 to 20+ years old gathered together for teaching and training, to play bridge in many different forms, to bond together as the international teams of the future, and to ensure the future of bridge in England.

What an uplifting experience.

Our new Under 20 squad manager, all of 26 years old himself, Michael Byrne, was there to help our future international stars develop. The superb junior squad management were there in force as well, providing an excellent developmental weekend for our youngest and, in the future, best players.

At the same time these people were doing what we all need to do. They were helping to ensure that the game of bridge has a future in this country. Our wonderful game is assailed on all sides by the very many different things that are available for people to do with their time. Our youngsters are able to participate in a wide variety of activities that should really exclude a card game generally, but wrongly, considered to be an old person's activity; but they don't all do that and with the loving care for the game displayed at Loughborough by our energetic members they have laid the ground work for the future European and World Champions that England will produce.

I am quite sure that this past weekend I met, and perhaps even played against, a future International star for England, including an 8 year old! I am not sure if they will be male or female, if it will be in ten or twenty years time that they will emerge and do it for their country, but do it they will. And, what is more, I also spent the weekend among a group of people who will ensure that our game will live on, despite the problems of the present. Some of the juniors will, unfortunately, not be internationals in the future, but they will all play bridge at a high level. They will run clubs, teach others, work for the EBU and do a myriad of other things; all because of the dedication of a handful of current EBU members and our limited, but highly professional staff.

All EBU members should be justly proud of our juniors and the people who work with them; they are the cutting edge of the future. I challenge our members to be positive for the benefit of all involved in the game in our country - for the future benefit of bridge players in England.

That is why the EBU exists. The future is great. Be positive; help our fellow members, especially our juniors. Watch them grow into future Bermuda Bowl and Venice Cup winners, as well as the club committee members of the future.

Thanks so much to everyone involved.

Barry's Blog 3

Just back from Brighton; I hope that those of you who were there and enjoyed the superbly run Congress will join with me in being very proud of the way it was organised by all our staff. It could not be done better by any other group in the world.

Unfortunately, the same cannot be said of the venue for the Congress. I personally received many complaints about almost every aspect of the service - or lack of it - from the Hilton Metropole. I had already formed a view that this venue had seen its best days many years ago and it was time to consider alternatives, however many people like being in Brighton in August. The level of dissatisfaction this time almost gives us no choice. From before the first event started Peter Jordan and his team attempted to rectify very many problems within the playing areas. By the last day not only were many of these faults still there, but also many more had occurred.

I am sure that many of you will be moved to complain about the venue. My strong suggestion is that if you have any complaints about the hotel you send them directly to the hotel’s General Manager at Hilton Brighton Metropole, Kings Road, Brighton, Sussex, BN1 2FU. As a participant I too was unhappy, so I know how you feel.

If you have any comments on any other aspects of the Congress then please direct them to me as you would normally.

If you have any ideas of where we should consider as an alternative venue, I am listening!

Barry's Blog 2

Aylesbury felt like the hottest place in the world during July. Office temperatures soared while the staff were kept busy by a variety of seasonal events. It was the end of the Master Point season, we were preparing for the largest competition that we run, the annual Brighton Congress, and we need to chase up members who have overlooked payment of their annual subs. All of this going on, plus many other competitions and all of the other day to day stuff, all in sauna like temperatures!

Funny thing – no matter how much I check things, mistakes still happen – suppose it is human nature. It seems I passed on slightly inaccurate information in my last blog regarding the trial of bracketed knock outs. We ARE going to do this in 2007, but the venue for it is to be the 41st Brighton Congress, which will give players yet another reason to spend ten happy days in Brighton in August 2007.

What we are trialling in Kent is a bracketed Swiss teams event. In this case teams will only play against their peers in a “round robin” format. Talking to Max, we may be trying out a world first in this format – if anyone can work it out he can!

We have a group of volunteers meeting regularly addressing membership issues, and I am pleased to say that a number of development initiatives are about to hit the publicity button. I am going to my first of these meetings shortly, and I am looking forward to it.

Members have asked us a variety of questions regarding the preparation of the new Orange Book. One of the main questions is “How much does it cost”? I asked Martin Pool, the chairman of the Laws and Ethics Committee and he advised me that the cost was around 3 three pence per member. That doesn’t seem much for a book which provides all of the guidance that will ever be needed for playing in EBU competitions – especially as it does not get changed every year, in fact the last was in 1998. Worth noting that the OB and the two simple guides are on this web site and can be downloaded as desired.

Come to think of it, doesn’t 40p per week seem negligible for EBU membership? It is such a shame that more bridge players do not perceive they get value for such a small amount. In many other countries, bridge organisation membership is compulsory; in England other sports and activities (such as Golf), require that all club members automatically belong to the activities governing body. Perhaps it is about time we considered such a scheme? It would certainly result in investment into the development of the game for the benefit of all. Your comments are welcome.

Master points are a seasonal issue. The Board have determined that we will change the master point “year” to allow us to be more efficient in handling the year end. More details to come later…

Colin Porch, our master points Secretary, and many other members of staff, take many calls from members every week. The vast majority of our members are polite and appreciate the help and guidance that our professionals attempt to provide. Just occasionally a member may stray into behaviour that is unpleasant for us to manage. You will read in the August edition of English Bridge that we have implemented the Best Behaviour at Bridge - BB@B - policy at our playing tables – I would ask all of our callers to follow a similar code when dealing with our small and dedicated group of staff.

We have had a huge number of comments from members (and non members) regarding the new Alert and Announcement procedures. I have noted from various sources that many clubs started using the new procedures before August 1st and most people seem to be very happy with them. I am pretty confident that in six months people will wonder what all of the fuss was about, but changes always generate a lot of comments.

OK, ten days until Brighton starts – if you have not already entered do so now and support the largest congress of its type in Europe. If you do not support us it will not stay that way for much longer!

If I see you at the table in Brighton, please go easy on me…..I need the green points!

Barry

P.S. Definitely no errors this time – OK probably no errors!

Barry's Blog 1

Been here six weeks – and I have to say that getting to grips with an organisation almost 70 years old is not an overnight affair. I now know most people’s names – as to exactly what they all do, still not 100% there, but nearly!

I look after a staff of around 22 people. However, the EBU is made up of literally hundreds of people who give of their time voluntarily and do jobs that are vital. In fact, some of their expertise is so special that we would find it hard to do without their help. So when I need to know something, I am generally directed to one or more of them who can help me.

I am pretty sure that most members do not appreciate what an effort these volunteers make. The entire Board of the EBU are unpaid volunteers, some of whom almost work full time, or so it would seem. The County Associations who are the share holders of the EBU have another tranche of long serving volunteers. We all come together three times a year so that the Board and organisation can be held to account for all the things we have done, or want to do!

These days the questions I am asked most are “What are the EBU doing to modernise themselves”? “Why should I belong to the EBU – what is in it for me”?

Well, a lot of things are going on behind the scenes which will start to emerge very soon. For example, we are trialling a new tournament, a “Bracketed Knock Out”, which is the most popular format for team bridge in tournaments in the USA. With this format entrants are arranged into “brackets” or ranges of master points and then the members of these brackets play their matches to result in a winner for each Masterpoint range. These ranges are dynamic, dependent upon entry levels, but it does mean that each team is competing with people from within their “peer group”. This trial is to take place in Kent in 2007, and is necessary to that we can get any bugs out of the necessary software that will be used to score the tournament.

What else? We are considering a variety of innovations to encourage participation in our events from the less experienced in the ranking list and from those outside of it. I hope this encouragement will reach into EBU affiliated clubs as well, making it more fun for players to participate.

It is very encouraging for the future of bridge in England that the number of students on our “Bridge for All” courses, run by our many certified teachers, is very much on the rise. We will be announcing plans to further encourage the newly trained entrants to competitive bridge to participate in and fully enjoy our clubs and events in the near future.

As for the answer to “What’s in it for me?” Everyone will have different views of what the subscription price is worth to them. For around £20 per year - of which the EBU gets £16 (less VAT) , the rest going to your County of residence - the EBU provides a huge range of services, all of which can be checked out on this web site. For the price of a round or two of drinks in the pub, members can compete for masterpoints in our many tournaments, read our magazine and get access to the services of one of the largest bridge organisations in the world, with world class advice and guidance for their bridge queries. But it isn’t just the here and now, it is also about ensuring that bridge continues in the future with top-quality training for teachers, their students and tournament and club directors. I suspect that the EBU is one of those organisations that people feel they would not miss – until it is not there! Please don’t let that happen.

The competition staff are presently getting into their seasonal frenzy as the Brighton Congress fast approaches. This series of events over a ten day period is the largest of its type in Europe. There is something for EVERYONE, including novices and the less experienced. Please come along the Brighton Metropole and see what we can do for you.

That’s all for now. I intend to keep this little column up to date as things happen. If anyone has anything they would like to discuss with me, please feel free to contact me by email (barry@ebu.co.uk) or by phone at the EBU office 01296 317200. I am always happy to do what I can to help our members, of which I am one! I will also be playing a bit at the Brighton congress. If you are going to be there and you have a question, feel free to ask!

Enjoy your bridge.

Barry