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Camrose Trophy

The Camrose Trophy

The Camrose Trophy or "The Camrose" is an annual bridge competition among open teams representing the home nations of Great Britain and Ireland: England (EBU), Northern Ireland (NIBU), Republic of Ireland (CBAI), Scotland (SBU) and Wales (WBU). As such it is the open teams-of-four component of the "Home Internationals" organised by Bridge Great Britain.

Lord Camrose, owner of The Daily Telegraph, donated the trophy in 1936 and it was first contested in 1937. The original trophy has been lost and replaced. Because of World War II the series was interrupted mid-way in 1939 and not resumed until 1946, yet the Camrose is the world's most-played international bridge series.

Beside "The Camrose" (Open flight), the Home Bridge Internationals include annual series for Women from 1950, Juniors from 1971, Under-19 from 1990, and Seniors from 2008.

Structure

Since 2007 there have been six rather than five teams in the competition, to avoid having one team sit out each round. From 2007 to 2009 the sixth team was the defending champion, so there were two teams from the previous year's winning nation. England's second team won in 2009, when it was the final-round host by coincidence. Since then by design the sixth team is a second team from the final-round host nation, which follows a five-year cycle from Northern Ireland in 2010 to England in 2014. That second representative is named for the national bridge federation; thus "Wales" and "Welsh Bridge Union" both entered in 2011.

Since 2005 a double round-robin is scheduled on two weekends. With six teams, each weekend comprises five rounds of three head-to-head matches, a single round-robin. A match is now 32 deals scored at IMPs and converted to victory points (VP). So every team plays 320 deals in the entire event, 64 against each of its rivals. Before 2005, the teams played head-to-head matches over five weekends.

Before 2007 there were simply five national teams, or four during the 48-year absence by the Republic of Ireland from 1951 to 1998.

Results

England won both of the completed pre-war and the first 17 post-war contests, through 1962. Only England and Scotland were winners in the 56 renditions before year 2000, including England-Scotland ties 1972 and 1973. Ireland first won in 2000 and won four straight beginning 2005. Wales won its first Camrose in 2011, but now England are again dominant, winning five times in the last seven years. The 2015 contest was won by Ireland.

Winners by nation

The competition has been completed 72 times up to 2015. There was an outright winner on each occasion except for 1972 and 1973, when England and Scotland tied for first place. England's count includes a win in 2009 by its second team, "English Bridge Union".

Nation Outright wins Tied wins
England 50 2
Scotland 13 2
Republic of Ireland 6 0
Wales 1 0
Northern Ireland 0 0

Winners by year

Three times recently (*), the winners have been one of two entries from their countries, namely "Ireland" 2008, "EBU" 2009 (English Bridge Union), and "Wales" 2011. They were the defending champion team, the England "B" team, and the Wales "A" team respectively. Their compatriots were "Hosts Ireland", "England", and "WBU" (Welsh Bridge Union).

Year Winners
2015 Republic of Ireland
2014 England
2013 England
2012 England
2011 * Wales
2010 England
2009 * England
2008 * Republic of Ireland
2007 Republic of Ireland
2006 Republic of Ireland
2005 Republic of Ireland
2004 England
2003 England
2002 England
2001 England
2000 Republic of Ireland
1999 England
1998 Scotland
1997 England
1996 England
1995 Scotland
1994 England
1993 England
1992 England
1991 England
1990 England
1989 England
1988 Scotland
1987 England
1986 England
1985 England
1984 England
1983 England
1982 England
1981 England
1980 England
1979 Scotland
1978 England
1977 Scotland
1976 Scotland
1975 England
1974 Scotland
1973 Scotland and England (tie)
1972 Scotland and England (tie) 
1971 Scotland
1970 Scotland
1969 England
1968 England
1967 Scotland
1966 Scotland
1965 England
1964 Scotland
1963 Scotland
1962 England
1961 England
1960 England
1959 England
1958 England
1957 England
1956 England
1955 England
1954 England
1953 England
1952 England
1951 England
1950 England
1949 England
1948 England
1947 England
1946 England
1945 Not Contested
1944 Not Contested
1943 Not Contested
1942 Not Contested
1941 Not Contested
1940 Not Contested
1939 Contest incomplete
1938 England
1937 England

The 1939 contest was not completed and the next six did not take place because of World War II.

Players

Teams competition in bridge requires a minimum of four players on each team; up to two additional players may be added as alternates. Two tables are in play at the same time with the North-South pair at one table and East-West pair at the other table being teammates.

Camrose matches comprise two sets of 16 deals with player substitutions permitted between sets. Since 2007 the annual event comprises ten matches for each national team; previously there were eight or six matches. All 2011 participants played in 80 to 144 of 160 deals on the second weekend, or five to nine of ten sets (five matches), led by Rex Anderson and David Greenwood who played nine sets for Northern Ireland. Anderson is the career leader with 92 matches played (through 2011).

Career Leaders by Nation
Nation Player Matches
Northern Ireland Rex Anderson 92
Wales Patrick Jourdain *  75
Scotland Les Steel 59
England John Armstrong 39
Republic of Ireland Tom Hanlon 30
*Patrick Jourdain also played two matches for Scotland.
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