A New Trial

I have decided to play with Alex in the English Premier League this year and so will not be playing in the Scottish trials.

This is simply due to the desire to play more competitive bridge. The Premier League is a relatively new venture and it will be interesting to see how it develops and how we perform. It is our hope that it will improve our game by playing against better teams more frequently than is currently feasible.

Not that I think that I am anything more than a competent player, but I do enjoy serious competition and wish to be competitive in them. The decline of the Winter Foursomes means that there are no longer any significant weekend events in Scotland and the EPL provides three weekends of intense competition. Of course Alex is not eligible for the Scottish trials, while I am eligible for both England and Scotland (until such time as I actually play for one of them, as if), and so it makes sense to take advantage of the opportunity to play in the EPL.

In terms of playing for Scotland, a significant increase in time and money would be needed to build a partnership that could compete on the international stage, especially given the lack of major local events. The Scottish Cup is a serious event, more so than the Scottish trials actually, but one competition does not provide adequate preparation for a new pair. And maintaining my preferred partnership with my brother means that I have limited time and money to invest in a Scottish partnership.

But I remain fully committed to helping Scottish pairs and teams prepare for international competition and am still keen to be their coach and/or NPC if invited.