On Wednesday the 29th of June, Eton College, winners of the Inter-schools League, were presented with the new Lords Trophy during a visit to the House of Lords.
Following on the Schools Cup having been played online in 2020 and 2021, EBED decided to build upon the success of those events. Following an idea by Stuart Haring and the relentless work of Joan Bennett (EBED’s national youth coordinator), in September 2019 the Inter-schools League was up and running.
Forty teams from seventeen schools, divided in three divisions with promotions and relegations have fought all year round – playing online matches on RealBridge. Finally, Eton college – who were undefeated in the final round – emerged as winners, topping Haberdasher school, in what has become a recent classic (the Habs boys won the 2022 Schools Cup, taking back the crown from Eton, winners in 2021).
Thanks to Baroness Ruth Henig, who chairs the all-party parliamentary bridge group, the House of Lords have become the patrons of the event and John Deech has donated the beautiful salver you can see in the picture.
After a tour of the House, brilliantly led by Lord Hamilton of Epsom and a wonderful tea served on the terrace along the river Thames, the winners - Henry Rose, Roland Bourne, Andrew Bradkin and Jacob Potter were presented with the Lords Trophy.
It was then time for bridge; after 12 boards packed with swings, The Eton boys topped a team of Peers by 11 IMPs. A longer report about the event will be published in the next Issue of English Bridge.
If you run a bridge club in a school or know someone who does so and you want to enter next year’s Inter-schools league, get in touch with Joan Bennett joan@ebedcio.org.uk