Tournaments
Rounds and finals, step by step
A tournament here is a long, friendly evening of cards with a supper, a tea break and a final table. It's played on plain chips, it costs nothing to enter, and the winner gets a name on the board.
Start to finish
From the list to the last card
Put your name down
Ring us, write or ask at the door. There's no entry fee and no deposit, only a name and a seat to fill. We take twenty players on a Friday, and Vanessa keeps a waiting list for the evenings that fill up early.
Eat first
Supper's from half past five, and we'll seat tournament players near each other if we can. Heather does a lighter plate for anyone who wants to be ready for the first round, and a bigger one for people who like to be comfortable.
Check in at half past seven
Vanessa ticks your name, checks your ID and hands you a card with your table and seat number. Owen Byrne explains the order of play for anyone who hasn't been before, and he's happy to repeat himself as often as it takes.
The draw
Seats are drawn from a hat, so friends rarely end up together and nobody gets a head start. The draw is repeated whenever tables are combined, which keeps the mix lively and the evening fair.
Chips out
Everybody gets the same tray of plain chips, counted aloud by the dealer. They're worth nothing outside the room, they can't be swapped or traded, and they go back in the tray when you leave.
The rounds
Each round lasts twenty-five minutes, and a small brass bell tells you when the next one starts. The dealer reads out the new level so nobody's caught out, and a card on each table shows the numbers. If you miss it, just ask. Nobody minds, and the dealer will say it again.
The break
After the fourth round there's a twenty-minute break with tea, scones and a bit of stretching. The chips stay where they are, and we clean the felt while you're gone.
Tables combine
As players drop out, tables are folded together and seats redrawn. The room gets smaller and quieter, and the people who've gone out often stay on the stools to watch.
The final
When six players are left they move to the main table under the big lamp. Everyone else gathers round, and the dealer calls each card slowly so the whole room can follow. It's the quietest part of the night, and it's the part people remember afterwards.
The board
The last player with chips is Champion of the night, and their name goes up on the board by the front door. There's no prize, no money and no certificate, just a cheer and a pot of tea.
Before you enter
What a tournament isn't
I want to be straight about this. A tournament here is not a contest for money, and there's no entry fee, buy-in or add-on. Nobody wins a prize in cash, goods, vouchers or favours, and we don't give anyone a better seat the next time they come. The winner gets the board and the applause.
People sometimes ask what the point is, then come back the following week. It turns out that a long evening of cards with a decent supper in the middle, a lot of conversation and a name on a board at the end is plenty of point. Plenty of regulars have never won, and none of them seem to mind. A few have been coming for years and keep a private tally of near misses, which they read out at the break.
If you're nervous, come and watch first. There are stools along the rail, the dealer explains each stage aloud and nobody minds a spectator. We'll gladly sit you with someone friendly the next time, and you can decide whether you want to put your name down.
The shape of the night
A tournament evening on the clock
Supper17:30
Served in the dining room; tournament players are seated together where possible.
Check-in19:30
Names ticked, ID checked, seats drawn from the hat.
First rounds20:00
Four rounds of twenty-five minutes, with plenty of talk.
Break21:40
Twenty minutes of tea and scones, chips left in their trays.
Later rounds22:00
Tables fold together and the pace picks up as players leave.
Final and board22:30
Six players under the lamp, then a name on the board.