Backgammon and Bridge Tournament 2011

Sunday 6 March 2011, The Royal Automobile Club, Pall Mall

The RAC played host to the 12th Annual Backgammon and Bridge Tournament where over 100 guests were warmly welcomed with champagne and bloody marys and the chance to become instant winners in the prize draw with great odds!

At brunch, Edward Rising conducted the auction and the guests bid for fabulous auction prizes such as ‘an home’ dinner for 10 guests cooked by the RAC’s head chef, a private portrait sitting with Pattie Boyd, a ski package at "one of the 10 best boutique ski hotels in the world" and a name check in a Peter James’ novel, Dead Man Laughing.

Edward topped up the fundraising by giving the guests a chance to personally pledge £250 to support a Scope Response worker, raising much needed funds.

The afternoon was full of competition as 16 top backgammon players took part in the Masters Flight competition playing for an engraved Stephen Webster silver frame and a Geoffrey Parker signature backgammon board. The Championship Flight attracted over 40 players all competing for a Stephen Webster engraved silver wine coaster and a Geoffrey Parker backgammon board. Both championships were directed by Mike Main of Backgammon in London, supported by Richard Biddle, who also kindly conducted the backgammon players auctions.

John Claydon kindly ran the bridge tournament, which was also well supported, and players battled it out for Geoffrey Parker bridge travel sets.

Thank you to everyone who attended the Backgammon and Bridge Tournament and special thanks must go to our wonderful organising committee chaired by Peter Bennet who worked so hard to raise a fantastic £32,000 for Scope.

In Mike Main’s opinion (Backgammon in London and the tournament director), “Scope’s Backgammon and Bridge Tournament is the very best charity tournament in the London calendar.”

Masters Flight

• Main winner: Ann Pocknell
• Main Finalist: Jon Barnes
• Consolation Winner: Raj Jansari
• Consolation Finalist: Tor Svensson

Championship Flight

• Main Winner: Jason Pack
• Main Finalist: Rick Hirst
• Consolation Winner: Mick Vacarey
• Consolation Finalist: George Jacobs

Bridge Competition winners

• 1st = Charles Hunter and Isobel Maeer 74.93%
• 2nd = Paul Yates and Howard Leigh 58.40%
• 3rd = Andy Kularante and Herta de Woolfe 55.56%

If you are interested in attending the Backgammon and Bridge Tournament on Sunday 11 March 2012, please contact Sue Dorrington on 020 7619 7271 or susan.dorrington@scope.org.uk