This is a multi, team-of-four competition open to all members of the ECBA.

Entry is via clubs and a club may enter as many teams as it wishes. Each team plays as many of the other teams as possible. The competition is also used to select the club to represent Essex in the Garden Cities Trophy. Clubs wishing to be considered for the Garden Cities Competition must enter two teams and both must be specified as Garden Cities Trophy entries before the commencement of the competition. It is a two-session event and refreshments are included in the entry fee paid by the club. The scoring is by total IMPs and for the Garden Cities Trophy, representation by the least combined place score.