This September sees the start of the second Oxford Festival of Bridge, four days of friendly bridge in and around the city, organised by the Oxfordshire Bridge Association with help from many others. There are a variety of different events being held over the course of the four days, culminating in a dinner at the main venue, St Hugh’s College. The dates are Tuesday September 18th to Friday September 21st.
I had not returned to Oxford when the first festival was organised last year, but I have agreed to lend a hand to this year’s event, and I hope that you may find an opportunity to drop by. I shall be offering expert supervision and advice for those who sign up for some of the events on the first two days of the festival, whose aim is to spread awareness of the game around the county.
Tuesday September 18th, at Maison Francaise.
Bridge Festival Day 1 There are a number of events being held at the Maison Francaise in Norham Road, starting shortly before 1pm. They include two sessions of supervised play (rubber or duplicate, with expert advice available on request), a bridge quiz and a tea break. At 6.30pm I will be reviewing the most interesting hands that have been played during the day and taking questions.
Wednesday September 19th, at St Hugh’s College.
Bridge Festival Day 2 Starts with a seminar by a county expert at 10.30am and is followed by a morning and afternoon session of bridge. There is a choice of a duplicate event and what is called “drop-in bridge”, where you will have a chance to play a number of pre-dealt hands and win a prize if you end with the highest score on those hands. Alternatively you can opt for supervised play, with expert advice available on request, or simply enjoy a friendly game in congenial surroundings.
I have offered to supervise and offer the expert help to anyone who turns up for the”drop in” bridge. Why not come along and say hello? It will be a great opportunity to find out what bridge Andrew Robson style is all about. You can also quiz me about the autumn courses and discuss the timetabling of our supervised play sessions, where we are keen to find the most popular days for you to join our playing membership. The cost of the day’s drop-in bridge is just £6 a head.
The festival website has more details about all the events of the week, including what is planned on the other two days. There is also a booking form. And finally a reminder that we are holding a Chicago bridge evening on September 5th. Some of you have already signed up for that, but others are still welcome. The first autumn courses are now also available for booking.
Andrew Robson Bridge in Oxford 