5th Newsletter for
Women's Coordinators
What's in this Newsletter?
EBL's Online Training Program
NEW! The Use of Screens During Online Trainings
The Women's Bridge Committee has decided to use screens during the online practice. This will allow the players to experience a high-level competition, and will serve as a preparation for our next step which is to conduct an official online championship. We will start using screens as of the next training session in August. It's actually quite simple but more professional.
Here are the main points one needs to know:
When joining a table, everyone is visible and can see all other players.
Once the cards are dealt, a player can only see her screen-mate. This means that North and East can see each other, but they cannot see South and West and vice versa, South and West can see each other but cannot see North and East (the system hides the audio and video)
On Trick 13 or when there's a "Claim", the players will be able to see each other once again.
The bids come over “a pair at a time”, similar to the use of trays when playing with real screens. So for example - if North is the Dealer, and opens 1S, then only after East has bid, can South and West see the bids.
Even though one cannot see the other 2 players, it's important to keep the video turned on the whole time.
Please make sure the players are aware of these instructions.
Training Program Regulations
After the past few sessions we received some complaints both from TDs and players, relating to misconduct of several participants.
Please make sure the players are aware of the regulations and requirements:
Here are the main regulations:
When entering a table for the first time, each pair must announce their bidding system. It's even preferable to prepare in advance a short summary (a few sentences) of the system and paste it into the chat box.
Each player must explain and alert her own bids.
If there is no use of screens, body language and sounds are not allowed this provides unauthorized information.
Talking on phones / texting during the session is not allowed. If one plays with the phone, the team will be disqualified
In general "Undos" are only allowed for genuine miclicks in the auction, and when there has been misinformation in the play. Please always call the TD. The players should click Undo and wait for the TD to come to the table.
Playing from a car or from noisy surroundings is not allowed. Please prepare an atmosphere conducive to playing.
Kibitzers (physical or online) are not allowed
The Next Online Training Session
As planned, our training program will continue until the end of the year, so please use this opportunity to introduce it to more competitive bridge players who haven't had the chance to participate yet in one of our training sessions. Help them get to the next level.
The Next Training Session - 21st of August 2023, 19:30 CEST, (with RealBridge). Our special guest coach will be Ola Rimstedt a professional bridge player from SWEDEN. Checkout Ola's personal VIDEO invitation
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Here are some of the comments we received regarding the last sessions:
"Another brilliant session. "
"Brilliant. Can't wait till the next one"
"Loved Adi's coaching! Such passion and joy for the game "
"An excellent session. ADI was inspiring."
"This was an EXCELLENT class, the best so far and by far, felicitations Mr. Schmidt, un grand merci."
"It really was great! Interesting boards, informative commentary afterwards. Both of our teams' players enjoyed the experience"
"Pierre was absolutely great!! One board that he reviewed was brilliant - that not only has declarer got to spot that a suit will be blocked, holding high cards in the short hand and has to plan to dump a card in that suit but that a defender should also realize that and facilitate the blockage - mind blowing"
Recent and Upcoming Events
Women's Bridge in Strasbourg - June 2023
310 women participated in this European Transnational Championships.
68 of them (22%) also participate regularly in the EBL's Online Training Program for women.
We are so proud of all of the women who participated in this event!
Women participation in the Mixed tournaments:
Mixed Bam - 38
Mixed pairs - 115
Mixed teams - 162
Mixed seniors - 66
Women participation in the Open tournaments:
Open Bam - 11
Open pairs - 20
Open teams - 35
Senior pairs - 7
Women participation in the Women tournaments:
Women pairs - 66
Women teams - 75
Let's make it our goal to increase the number of women's participation in the next event.
Special congratulations go to Katarzyna Dufrat and her team members, for winning the Bronze medal at the Mixed Team Championship and the Gold medal in the Mixed BAM Championship. Many of you met Katarzyna who was the guest coach at the first training session.
Another great success is awarded to Marion Michielsen, and her team, for winning the Bronze medal at the Mixed BAM Championship. Again, many of you met Marion who was the guest coach at the second training session.
The First Ever Women's Champions' Cup - November 2023
For the first time ever, the EBL will conduct a historic championship – the Women's Champion's Cup.
The championship will take place from 9-11 November, 2023 in the beautiful majestic city of Dubrovnik in Croatia.
The aim being to allow women to partake in the international arena in a friendly environment and to broaden the spectrum for women to participate.
For the first time, 8 women teams will partake: 7 teams will represent the NBOs who ranked in the first 7 places, in the recent European Championship held in Madeira as well as another team representing the hosting country:
CROATIA | DENMARK | FRANCE | GERMANY | ISRAEL | POLAND | SWEDEN | TURKIYE.
The Women's Bridge Committee, is behind this initiative and ensured that the entry fees will be waved for women's teams participating in this competition.
Start preparing for mixing business with pleasure - it's going to be AMAZING!
3rd Women's Coordinators Meeting - November, 2023
The meetings with the Women's Coordinators have proved to be very productive and important for Women's Bridge, therefore, we will conduct another Zoom meeting with the Women's Coordinators in November, 2023
The specific date and time will be published soon.
12th EBL NBO Officers’ Seminar - February 2024
The 12th NBO Officers’ Seminar will be held at the Royal Hotel (Cardinal Stepinac 31), Dubrovnik, Croatia on 2nd & 3rd February 2024,
The EBL will cover accommodation for 2 delegates from each NBO.
Each NBO nominates the officers it sends, but we advise that one of the delegates should be involved in Women's Bridge, as this will be one of the main topics discussed.
Contact your Executive Committee and make sure they are aware of this.
What's Cooking?
Incentives for NBOs who promote Women's Bridge
The Women's Bridge Committee would like to encourage NBOs to do more to promote Women's Bridge.
NBOs who will send to the WBC a detailed Online Training Program for female players, will be entitled to receive, some financial aid from the EBL. (for example: if the RealBridge platform is being used, the participation fees will be covered).
Having said that, we encourage NBOs to conduct mutual trainings and in so doing, reduce TD costs.
NBOs who want to join this project, should send a detailed training program for approval.
Online EBL Women's Championship
The Women's Bridge Committee would like to conduct an official Online Teams Championship for Women.
It will be open to any women from one of the EBL's member federations, and we expect to see many new players as we believe this will provide them with the opportunity to experience the online international arena first and then motivate them to take the leap and start participating in face-to-face international tournaments.
We are currently working on the format and logistics with the EBL's Championships Committee and once we have more details we will share them with you.
Spotlight on Women's Coordinators
Meet Angeliki Politou - the Women's Coordinator of Greece!
The network of Women's Coordinators, is a source of great inspiration to us all.
The coordinators happily volunteer and contribute to promoting Women's Bridge to the best of their ability, because they believe that Women's Bridge Matters!
It is our pleasure to introduce you to these remarkable people, (not just women by the way), and to be inspired by them.
It is important to us, to give them exposure and a voice, to understand their point of view and to raise awareness and trigger discussions on Women's Bridge issues.
We are happy to start with Angeliki Politou – the amazing Women's Coordinator of Greece – who is not afraid to say what she thinks in the hope of making a difference.
Contact us if you want to present your agenda in our next spotlight article.