Berwick Bridge Club

The Berwick Congress is a popular and friendly one-day congress held annually on a Sunday around the end of April or start of May.

The Congress is typically a two session event. The afternoon session, starting at 1pm, is a matchpointed Open Pairs Championship; 13 two-board rounds with barometer scoring and Swiss assignments. The evening session is a Swiss Teams event, scored by imps converted to victory points using the WBF continuous scale.

The likely date for the 42nd Berwick Congress is Sunday, 27 April 2025.

It will follow the traditional format of a 26-board matchpointed pairs in the afternoon followed by 4 x 6-board Swiss Teams in the evening. 

Pairs needing teammates are typically paired up just before the congress, to ensure the most appropriate teammates are selected.

Open to all SBU, EBU, WBU, NIBU and CBAI members.

If you want further details, please contact [email protected].

The Congress will be a two session event. Please be at your place by 12.50pm at the latest. The afternoon session, starting at 1pm, will be an Open Pairs Championship.

The evening session, starting at about 5.30pm, will be a Swiss Teams event with four 6-board matches: duplicated boards will be played in all matches with computerised scoring.

Our caterer, C & G Catering, will provide a meal between the afternoon and evening sessions. There is also the option of soup and a roll prior to the congress: please arrive by 12.30pm if you take this option.

Tea and coffee will be available on arrival.

Open to all SBU, EBU, WBU, NIBU and CBAI members.

Congress Entry (including meal): £30 per player

Closing date for entries: Monday, 22 April 2024 or when full

LIMITED TO 38 PAIRS AND 18 TEAMS

WE ARE NOW FULL

Contact us if you want to be on the waiting list

Number of pairs entered: 38
Number of teams entered: 18

Congress brochure

The coronavirus pandemic forced the 39th Berwick Congress to be run on Bridge Base Online on Sunday, 24 April.

There were 22 tables for the pairs and 20 tables for the teams.

Hopefully we'll see a return to face-to-face bridge for the fortieth congress next year.

The 38th Congress was originally scheduled for April 2020 but was cancelled due to the coronavirus pandemic.

On 25 April 2021 the congress was held on Bridge Base Online, the first time that the event was held online.

The event had the same format, with pairs in the afternoon and Swiss teams in the evening and, interestingly, almost the same number of attendees as previous years.

Once again the congress was expertly directed by Julia Palmer and everyone was bullied by Paul Gipson, so the congress ran smoothly and on time. The prizes were presented by Christine McCreath, Berwick President, and special guest Eddie McGeough, SBU President.

George Martin and Brian Thomas, pairs winners

Jim Wilkinson and Catriona Gardiner, pairs runners-up

Louis Moore, Garneth Ellis, Sandy Moor, Brian Griffiths: Swiss Teams winners

Brian Thomas, Graham Fisher, Malcolm McCardle, George Martin: Swiss Teams runners-up

Once again the congress was expertly directed by Julia Palmer and moderately scored by Paul Gipson. Everyone seemed to enjoy the catering and the congress ran smoothly and on time.

Tom and Joan Dowie, pairs winners

Shona and David Anderson, Tom Bagnall, and Andrew Harborow, Swiss Teams winners

Rosie Crockett and Rodger Urquhart - second in the pairs

Liz Barr and Ritchie Thompson - third in the pairs

The Morrisons - fourth in the pairs

This year's congress was expertly run by Julia Palmer and scored by Ian Ross.

Congress Pairs winners - Margaret and Jimmy Phin, with President Garneth Ellis

Congress Teams winners - Liz Barr, Norman Morrison, Bett Morrison, Ritchie Thompson

Many thanks to all the Berwick members who helped make the congress a success.