Entries are invited for the 2011 Premier League from teams of four to six players, which should be sent to the Secretary of the Selection Committee, Mrs Sandra Claridge, Tel. 01844 208629, Email. claridge31@tiscali.co.uk.
Entry fee: £720 per team - payable to the English Bridge Union. Please contact Peter or Dawn on: Tel. 01296 317203/219 or Email: comps@ebu.co.uk
Closing date for entries: Tuesday 31st May 2011
Dates & venues: 24th & 25th September – Richmond Bridge Club, London
1st & 2nd October – Manchester Bridge Club
11th/13th November – West Midlands Bridge Club, Solihull
Reserve date: 4th/6th November
Please state, as appropriate, whether your proposed team will meet the necessary qualifications to stay within your 2010 division by right.
The Premier League will be used as the selection process for the 2012 Camrose Trophy to be held in England on 6th/8th January, and Scotland on 2nd/4th March, the winning team being offered a match. It should be noted that the England team will compete on at least a partially self-funding basis.
The relevant sections of the Premier League Conditions of Contest in regard to eligibility, are as follows:
2.2 Based on divisions of approximately 8 teams each, the winners and runners-up of the Second Division shall earn promotion to the First Division. If an ineligible team (see Section 4.3 below) finishes in the top two places in the Second Division, promotion will pass automatically to the next placed eligible team, save that there will be no promotion for 5th place or below. The bottom two teams in the First Division shall be relegated to the Second Division. Lower divisions, if any, will function similarly. The Committee reserve the right to alter the number of teams promoted or relegated in the event that the size of the league is fewer or greater than eight teams. Notification of any such alteration will be given in advance of the commencement of the league.
4.1 All players in the First Division must be members of the English Bridge Union in good standing, and qualify* to represent England under the current international regulations of the World Bridge Federation, the European Bridge League and Bridge Great Britain. *Players must be qualified by the time of the date of the first Camrose match.
4.3 Entries will be welcomed from teams containing players not qualifying to represent England as detailed in 4.1, but such teams will not be eligible to participate in the First Division. There will be no limit on the number of such players, but any team which contains one or more such players shall be ineligible for promotion to the First Division in the following season. This provision over-rides that contained in section 13.
10.1 To be a qualified player for the purposes of automatic Camrose selection or the title of Premier League or Division champion, the player must play at least 10 of the 21 stanzas (or 50%, rounded down in the case of a fraction, in the event that there are greater or fewer than 21 stanzas). There is no requirement that a player must play against every team. The same standard applies for the purpose of “Team Continuity” detailed below.
10.2 An individual player failing to fulfil the playing requirement in 10.1 does not disqualify his team-mates.
10.3 Selection for the Camrose series of Home Internationals will be made shortly after the conclusion of the final weekend of the League. Any pair of the team winning the First Division of the League who has met the playing requirements is guaranteed to be offered at least one Camrose match, with a player qualifying in two partnerships being required to nominate his preferred Camrose partnership. In this event the partnership not preferred has no such guarantee.
10.4 If the winning team contains two or three pairs who have all met the minimum playing requirements and who are available for both Camrose matches, these pairs will be selected together in the same team for at least one of the Camrose weekends. The remaining places (if any) in the England team for the two Camrose Trophy weekends will be selected from amongst the eligible pairs who have competed in the League and met the minimum playing requirements.
10.5 If a team of five wins the First Division then the Selection Committee reserve the right to add a sixth player to the team for the Camrose Trophy. The selection will be made in consultation with the winning team.
10.6 There are no playing requirements for the Champions Cup (when applicable).
13.1 Promotion and relegation will be two up/two down [this based on divisions of approximately 8 teams]. The First Division in 2011 is therefore the top six teams in the 2010 League, plus the top two teams in the 2010 Second Division (but see also sections 2.2 and 4.3).
13.2 To maintain team continuity, any of the following is sufficient. A player is qualified if he satisfied the playing requirements for the previous season, and satisfies all the general conditions of section 4.1.
Three qualified players from a team of four or five qualified players
Four qualified players from a team of six qualified players
