The competition was first held in 1937, but it did not become the Camrose until the following year, when Lord Camrose, owner of The Daily Telegraph, donated the trophy.[2] 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.[1]
Beside "The Camrose" (Open flight), the Home Bridge Internationals include annual series for Women from 1950 (the Lady Milne Trophy), Juniors from 1971, Under-19 from 1990 (the Peggy Bayer Trophy), and Seniors (the Teltscher Trophy) from 2008.[1]
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.[1] 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.[1]
Since 2005 a double round-robin is scheduled on two weekends.[1] With six teams, each weekend comprises five rounds of three head-to-head matches, a single round-robin. A match is now 32 deals scored at IMPs and converted to victory points (VP).[3] 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.[1]
Results
England won both of the completed pre-war and the first 15 post-war contests, through 1960. Only England and Scotland were winners in the 56 renditions before year 2000, including England–Scotland ties in 1961, 1972 and 1973. Ireland first won in 2000 and won four straight beginning 2005.[4] Wales won its first Camrose in 2011, but England are again dominant, winning the six most recent contests and twelve times in the last fifteen years.
Winners by nation
The competition has been completed 80 times up to 2023.[4] There was an outright winner on each occasion except for 1961, 1972 and 1973, when England and Scotland tied for first place. England's count includes wins in 2009 and in 2019 by its second team, "English Bridge Union".[4]
Four times in the 21st century (*), the winners have been one of two entries from their countries, namely "Ireland" 2008, "EBU" 2009 and 2019 (English Bridge Union), and "Wales" 2011. They were the defending champion team, the England "B" teams, and the Wales "A" team respectively. Their compatriots were "Hosts Ireland", "England", and "WBU" (Welsh Bridge Union).[1][5]
Year
Winners
2023
England
2022
England
2021
England
2020
England
2019 *
England
2018
England
2017
Republic of Ireland
2016
England
2015
Republic of Ireland
2014
England
2013
England
2012
England
2011 *
Wales
2010
England
2009 *
England
2008 *
Republic of Ireland
2007
Republic of Ireland
2006
Republic of Ireland
2005
Republic of Ireland
2004
England
2003
England
2002
England
2001
England
2000
Republic of Ireland
1999
England
1998
Scotland
1997
England
1996
Scotland
1995
England
1994
England
1993
England
1992
England
1991
England
1990
England
1989
Scotland
1988
England
1987
England
1986
England
1985
England
1984
England
1983
England
1982
England
1981
England
1980
England
1979
Scotland
1978
England
1977
Scotland
1976
Scotland
1975
England
1974
Scotland
1973
Scotland and England (tie)
1972
Scotland and England (tie)
1971
Scotland
1970
Scotland
1969
England
1968
England
1967
Scotland
1966
England
1965
Scotland
1964
Scotland
1963
England
1962
England
1961
Scotland and England (tie)
1960
England
1959
England
1958
England
1957
England
1956
England
1955
England
1954
England
1953
England
1952
England
1951
England
1950
England
1949
England
1948
England
1947
England
1946
England
1945
Not Contested
1944
Not Contested
1943
Not Contested
1942
Not Contested
1941
Not Contested
1940
Not Contested
1939
Contest incomplete
1938
England
1937
England
The 1939 contest was not completed and the next six did not take place because of World War II.[1]
Players
Teams 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.[3] 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 (five matches), led by Rex Anderson and David Greenwood who played nine sets for Northern Ireland.[3] Anderson is the career leader with 114 matches played (through 2023).
^"Past Results: Camrose Results 2010". Bridge Great Britain. Retrieved 17 December 2013. Sibling pages give 2003 to 2009 and 2011 to 2013 scores and more.
