The Welsh Invitational Pairs

This event will be held in the Park Inn Cardiff North Hotel on Saturday 22 and Sunday 23 July.

16 Pairs will compete to win the title – 8 home pairs and 8 visitors.

The Pairs

Visiting Pairs:

Samantha Punch & Stephen Peterkin - Scotland

David Kendrick & Jon Cooke – England

Norman Selway & Kay Preddy – England

Rex Anderson & Pat Barry – N Ireland / Republic of Ireland

Peter Goodman & BJ O'Brien – Republic of Ireland

Pat Quinn & Cian Holland - Republic of Ireland

Richard Winter & Sarah Teshome - England

Dilip Gidwali & Paul Lamford – India / Wales

Home Pairs:

Julian Pottage & Simon Richards

Paul Denning & Richard Plackett

Mike Tedd & John Salisbury

Filip Kurbalija & Pat Shields

Tim Rees & Gary Jones

Bob Pitts & Barry Jones

Gilly Clench & Dave Birt

Mark Roderick & Jonny Richards

The Format

Each pair will play a 6 match against each other pair with Butler scoring (IMPs converted to VPs) with 50 Victory Points at stake in each match, i.e. a match drawn in IMPs will be scored 25-25 in VPs. For each IMP, score will improve by 1 VP; a match won by 25 IMPs or more will be scored as 50-0.

The Schedule

Session 1 Saturday, 12.50 - 16.10

Session 2 Saturday, 16.30 - 19.40

Session 3 Sunday, 11.00 - 14.20

Session 4 Sunday, 14.40 – 17.15

Viewing

One match per round will be broadcast on BBO throughout the weekend.

Spectators at the Hotel are also very welcome.

Patrick David Jourdain (1 November 1942 – 28 July 2016) was a British bridge player, teacher and journalist. Over six decades he played in more than seventy international matches for Wales, more than any other player. He was bridge correspondent of the Daily Telegraph from 1992 until his death. His obituary described him as "the bridge-journalist’s journalist". According to the 's death notice: "Ever the dedicated journalist, he penned his own obituary to ensure that the media would have their copy in timely fashion."

He was a past President and Honorary Life Member of the WBU. He played in the Welsh Open team at the 2016 European Championships only a month before his death. In all he played in seven World Championships and three European Championships. He was President of the in 1995-6 and Chairman of in 2001.

He was principal of the Cardiff School of Bridge, and taught more than a thousand people to play the game.