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, Northern Ireland, Republic of Ireland, Scotland and Wales. 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", 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 scored at IMPs and converted to. 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 six times in the last eight years. The 2016 contest was won by England.

Winners by nation

The competition has been completed 73 times up to 2016. 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".
NationOutright winsTied wins
England512
Scotland132
Republic of Ireland70
Wales10
Northern Ireland00

Winners by year

Three times recently, the winners have been one of two entries from their countries, namely "Ireland" 2008, "EBU" 2009, 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".
YearWinners
2017Republic of Ireland
2016England
2015Republic of Ireland
2014England
2013England
2012England
2011 *Wales
2010England
2009 *England
2008 *Republic of Ireland
2007Republic of Ireland
2006Republic of Ireland
2005Republic of Ireland
2004England
2003England
2002England
2001England
2000Republic of Ireland
1999England
1998Scotland
1997England
1996England
1995Scotland
1994England
1993England
1992England
1991England
1990England
1989England
1988Scotland
1987England
1986England
1985England
1984England
1983England
1982England
1981England
1980England
1979Scotland
1978England
1977Scotland
1976Scotland
1975England
1974Scotland
1973Scotland and England
1972Scotland and England
1971Scotland
1970Scotland
1969England
1968England
1967Scotland
1966Scotland
1965England
1964Scotland
1963Scotland
1962England
1961England
1960England
1959England
1958England
1957England
1956England
1955England
1954England
1953England
1952England
1951England
1950England
1949England
1948England
1947England
1946England
1945Not Contested
1944Not Contested
1943Not Contested
1942Not Contested
1941Not Contested
1940Not Contested
1939Contest incomplete
1938England
1937England

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

Players

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, led by Rex Anderson and David Greenwood who played nine sets for Northern Ireland. Anderson is the career leader with 92 matches played.
NationPlayerMatches
Northern IrelandRex Anderson106
WalesPatrick Jourdain * 75
ScotlandLes Steel59
EnglandJohn Armstrong39
Republic of IrelandTom Hanlon30

Trophies

Trophies are awarded for each match, in addition to the overall trophy.
Trophy NameMatch
Pat Cotter TrophyEngland v Scotland
Billy Kelso TrophyEngland v Northern Ireland
Joe Moran TrophyEngland v Republic of Ireland
Alan Pierce TrophyEngland v Wales
Ken Baxter SalverScotland v Northern Ireland
Cupa CairdeasScotland v Republic of Ireland
Patrick Jourdain TrophyScotland v Wales
Col. Walshe TrophyRepublic of Ireland v Northern Ireland
Cyfeillion Beiriste TrophyRepublic of Ireland v Wales
Causeway TrophyWales v Northern Ireland