| WBL Unit Games |
The Thursday evening in-person unit game will be held weekly through the end of 2024, with the goal of continuing to hold a weekly unit game after that if attendance grows enough to support the game. The game starts at 7:30 p.m., and is held at Ohr Kodesh Congregation, 8300 Meadowbrook Lane, Chevy Chase, MD 20815. There are open and flight B (under 2500) games, attendance permitting. If you play against a masked pair, you must wear a mask if requested by one of them.
The unit game guaranteed partner is currently suspended. If you need assistance finding a partner in advance of the game, please contact Barbara Doran at WBLpartnerships@gmail.com no later 5 pm the day of the game. You may also look for a partner at the game. Players attending the pre-game lesson may be matched after the lesson, and other players looking for a partner can let the director know.
The 0-20 newcomer game is back on a monthly basis! There is a monthly 0-20 newcomer game on the first Thursday of each month. Like the other games, this game starts at 7:30. First-time players at this game play free, and there is a special $5 entry fee for this game after that.
The schedule for upcoming Thursday evening in-person WBL unit games is as follows:
| April 18 |
Stardust Pairs (25% gold) Stratiflighted Unit Championship |
| April 25 |
online game on bridgebase.com (Ohr Kodesh unavailable) |
| May 2 |
NVBA Sectional Pairs (silver points) |
| May 9 |
District 6 STaC (silver points) |
NVBA is also holding a weekly in-person unit game.
Click here for unit game results.
|
|
|
|
| Upcoming Tournaments |
Rehoboth Beach Regional, Rehoboth, DE, April 29-May 4
NVBA Spring Sectional, Fairfax, VA, May 2-5
WBL Spring Sectional, Silver Spring, MD, May 16-19
Baltimore Sectional, Catonsville, MD, June 7-9
National Capital 4th of July Regional, Reston, VA, July 1-6
Baltimore Summer Regional, Baltimore, MD, August 19-25
|
|
|
|
| ABA Updates |
Play bridge with our friends and neighbors at the other Washington bridge organization, the Washington Bridge Unit of the American Bridge Association. For information about the Washington Bridge Unit's activities and links to other ABA events, click here.
|
|
|
|
| Message from the WBL President |
December 21, 2023
This will be one of my last messages before my term as WBL President comes to an end next May, so I am dedicating it to asking you to help us increase attendance at our unit game and Sectionals.
As we turn the page on 2023, the unit game continues to lose money. August 2023 was the first full month of return to weekly play. We were hoping that attendance would increase but it has been erratic. To break even, we need upward of 13 tables but seldom exceed that number. The same is true of the Sectionals we’ve held. None of them was profitable.
The WBL Board of Directors has taken a number of cost-cutting measures. Chief among them is the reduction of the space we lease at the Ohr Kodesh Synagogue (which resulted in a 50% reduction in our rent) and the suspension of bridge lessons due to lack of sufficient demand. At Sectionals, we have discontinued serving lunch on Fridays and Saturdays, and have requested free play holders not to cash them in.
In short, we have made every effort to reduce expenses, but continue to lose about $1,000 a month and have about $57,000 left in reserve. Needless to say, this is not a sustainable path. We will continue to hold weekly unit games until the end of June 2024 with the hope that attendance will grow. If not, difficult decisions will have to be made.
Last but not least, WBL Directors will be calling Unit 147 members in the coming weeks inviting lapsed ACBL members back and inquiring why they no longer play in-person bridge. Please give us a few minutes of your time when we call.
Hadi Abushakra, President, Washington Bridge League
|
|
|
|