Duplicate Bridge has been a social pastime in the Cayman Islands for over 55 years, started by Michael Cantin in the old Cayman Arms pub. Sir Vassal Johnson who lived in George Town was Cayman’s first Financial Secretary, also the first Caymanian to be knighted by the Queen was a quiet, dignified, gentleman who loved to play Bridge. He was Cayman’s Bridge club champion for years.

At the Cayman Islands Bridge Club, we play with the emphasis not so much on winning the game as on enjoying it.  

We are primarily a Members Club, but visitors with at least some experience of playing Duplicate Bridge are welcome to come along and play.

Our Duplicate Bridge sessions are on Tuesday evenings and Friday mornings.  We offer Beginner Play/Duplicate sessions on Monday afternoon and Thursday evening for those who would like to practice their game and gain experience in a relaxed environment. Please check the information tab for times and our address.  

We have ongoing training sessions for Beginners and Intermediate players from time to time, always posted on our website. Please follow us on social media for upcoming training events.

There is car parking available on site and game results are available at the end of play and on this website.

Please join us at the Bridge table!

Dear Members and Friends,

September has arrived, and although many members are still travelling during the summer months, there's plenty happening at the club. Thank you to everyone who continues to support our games, social events, and training programs.

Whether you've been playing bridge for decades or have recently discovered the game, we hope you'll find something to enjoy in this month's newsletter.

· August Highlights & Duplicate Winners
· September Schedule

· October Schedule
· Save the Dates!  Upcoming Social Events
· Beginner Bridge Training

· Tables Played

· Member Spotlight

· Bridge Bites

August Highlights

It was an active and enjoyable month at the Cayman Islands Bridge Club. The club hosted eight sessions throughout August, including Tuesday evening and Friday morning duplicate games.

Duplicate Winners

Tuesday Evening Duplicate

• August 4:  1st – Malcolm Todd & Liam Walsh  | 2^nd – Shevaun Davies & Maria Butler | 3^rd – Derek Haines & Mary Boxall   
• August 11: 1st  - Ernest Jehangir & Stella Wong  | 2^nd (Tie) – Isabel Mendes & Enfys Nair, Derek Haines & Mary Boxall    
• August 18:  1^st – Angela Garfinkel & Judy Cowper (Visitor) | 2nd – Isabel Mendes & Enfys Nair  | 3^rd  – Steve Pettitt & June Williams  
• August 25:  1^st –Cliff Shaw & Malcolm Todd | 2^nd (Tie) – Isabel Mendes & Enfys Nair, Renee Edwards & Ernest Jehangir    

Friday Morning Duplicate

• August 7: 1^st  – Alison Bennie & Joanne Akdeniz  |   2^nd (Tie)   Derek Haines & Mary Boxall, Paul Canham & Elaine Brown    
• August 14  1st – Paul Canham & Elaine Brown | 2^nd – Emma Locke & Angela Garfinkel   | 3^rd – Mary Boxall & Peter Cunningham     
• August 21:  1st – Liz Watkins & Derek Haines   | 2^nd  (Tie) – Alex & Jill Wood, Paul Canham & Elaine Brown       
• August 28:  1st – Ernest Jehangir & Renee Edwards  | 2^nd  – Shevaun Davies & Sharon Philbrick  | 3^rd – Alex & Jill Wood  

Congratulations to everyone who played in August. Every table helps keep our club active and welcoming, and we look forward to more great games in September.

September Schedule

Weekly sessions in September

• Tuesday: 6:15 PM – Duplicate Bridge, Everyone welcome!
• Friday: 9:15 AM – Duplicate Bridge, Everyone welcome!

October Schedule

Weekly sessions in October

• Mondays, Beginning 12 October: 2-4 pm – Let’s Just Play Bridge!  No experience required.  Beginners welcome!  
• Tuesdays, 6:15 PM – Duplicate Bridge. Everyone welcome!
• Thursdays, Beginning 22 October.  7:00  – 9:00 pm – Let’s Just Play Bridge! No experience required.  Beginners welcome!   
• Fridays, 2, 9, 16,23,30: 9:15 AM – Duplicate Bridge. Everyone welcome!

As usual, please sign up for all sessions on RSVP Bridge.

If you have difficulty signing up or need help with your username or password, please email caymanbridgeclub@gmail.com.

Scheduled Training

We currently have nine students enrolled in our Audrey Grant Book 1 Beginner Bridge course on October 3 & 4, and a few spaces are still available.  

Audrey Grant Bridge Classes – October 2026

Whether you're new to bridge or ready to build on your skills, our Audrey Grant Bridge Classes are a fun and structured way to learn. Each course includes classroom instruction, guided practice sessions, and your course book.

Book 1 – Learn to Play Bridge

Cost: CI$200 (includes Book 1)

Classroom Instruction (Instructor: Claude Yonnet)

• Saturday, October 3: 9:30–11:30 a.m. & 2:00–4:00 p.m.
• Sunday, October 4: 9:30–11:30 a.m. & 2:00–4:00 p.m.

Practice Sessions (Highly Recommended – Instructor: Claude Yonnet)

• Monday, October 5: 7:00–9:00 p.m.
• Wednesday, October 7: 7:00–9:00 p.m.
• Thursday, October 8: 7:00–9:00 p.m.

Book 2 – Continue Your Bridge Journey

Prerequisite: Completion of Book 1

Cost: CI$120 (includes Book 2)

Classroom Instruction (Instructor: Claude Yonnet)

• Saturday, October 10: 9:30–11:30 a.m. & 2:00–4:00 p.m.
• Sunday, October 11: 9:30–11:30 a.m. & 2:00–4:00 p.m.

Practice Sessions (Highly Recommended)

• Monday, October 12: 7:00–9:00 p.m.
• Wednesday, October 14: 7:00–9:00 p.m.
• Thursday, October 15: 7:00–9:00 p.m.

We encourage all students to attend the practice sessions—they're one of the best ways to build confidence, reinforce what you've learned, and prepare for playing duplicate bridge.

To register or request additional information, email caymanbridgeclub@gmail.com or WhatsApp (345) 936-4811.

Social Events

Here is a preview of some exciting events planned over the coming months. Mark your calendars—we hope you'll join us!

October 2026
Wine, Cheese & Bridge at the Club
Tuesday, 6 October 2026

BRINGO: Bridge + Bingo!
Friday, 30 October 2026

December 2026
Christmas Luncheon
Friday, 4 December 2026
Immediately following Friday morning duplicate.  Hosted at Angela Garfinkel’s home in Crystal Harbour

Mulled Wine & Pie
Tuesday, 15 December 2026

January 2027
Bridge & Blooms
Bridge Club with a Garden Party Vibe
Date: To Be Announced

February 2027
Annual Bridge Tournament
Wednesday, 10 February 2027 (Ash Wednesday)

March 2027
Bridge Club Goes to One GT
Social evening at One GT Rooftop Bar
Date: To Be Announced

2026 Tables Played

August attendance was slightly below last year, with 29.5 tables played compared with 32 in August 2025. While that represents a 7% decrease for the month, our recent summer participation remains encouraging following increases in both June and July.

For the year to date, we have played 379 tables compared with 417.75 at this point last year, a decrease of approximately 9%.

Please continue to sign up to play as often as you can.  Every table matters.  Thank you for helping our club remain active, welcoming, and enjoyable for players of all experience levels.

Member Spotlight – Enfys Nair

Although she's one of our newer members, Enfys Nair has embraced bridge with enthusiasm and has quickly become a familiar face at the Cayman Islands Bridge Club.

Enfys began learning bridge in late 2024 through our Audrey Grant beginner classes with Helen after spotting a post about the club on Women in Cayman. While bridge was new to her, card games certainly weren't. Growing up, she regularly attended Whist drives with her grandparents, giving her a solid foundation in trick-taking games and sparking a lifelong love of cards.

That love of games continues today. Whether it's cards or board games, Enfys enjoys the strategic thinking that games require. She credits many happy hours spent playing with her family while growing up for fostering her competitive spirit and appreciation for thoughtful play.

Originally from Wales, Enfys moved to the Cayman Islands in February 2019 after an opportunity that almost sounds too good to be true. While working in Nottingham, England, a colleague announced she was moving to Cayman. Enfys jokingly replied, "Please get me a job there too!" Her colleague did exactly that—and the rest is history.

Professionally, Enfys is a Chartered Surveyor and an RICS (Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors) Registered Valuer with JEC Property Consultants. She specializes in property valuations and also works in strata management.

Like many bridge players, Enfys enjoys the challenge of continually learning the game. She has recently begun exploring slam bidding, and making her very first small slam contract was a particularly exciting milestone—one that left her eager to keep developing her bidding skills.

Away from the bridge table, Enfys has a fascinating background. Welsh is her first language, and she grew up on a farm in a home dating back to the 1400s—a wonderful connection to history that many members might not expect!

She also has a soft spot for animals. Despite being very allergic to cats, she adopted a ginger cat named Tommy because, as she says, there are simply too many stray cats in Cayman that need help. When she's not at the bridge club, you'll likely find her enjoying a game of Catan with her husband, hiking, skiing, or planning her next adventure. She also describes herself as someone who will happily travel anywhere for great food!

We're delighted that Enfys discovered our club and look forward to watching her bridge journey continue. Congratulations again on that first small slam—we're sure there will be many more to come!

Bridge Bites

Bridge Tip #1 – Don’t Automatically Return Partner’s Lead

Returning partner’s suit is often right—but not always.

Before doing so, consider what you learned from:

• Partner’s opening lead
• Dummy’s cards
• Declarer’s play
• Your own holding

Sometimes you need to switch suits immediately to establish tricks before declarer can discard losers.

Remember: Good defense is not about following a formula. It’s about building a picture of all four hands.

Bridge Tip #2 – Use the Rule of 11 to Read the Opening Lead

When an opponent leads what appears to be their fourth-highest card from a suit, the Rule of 11 can help you work out how the remaining higher cards are divided.

Simply subtract the value of the card led from 11.

For example, if the opening lead is the 6:

11 – 6 = 5

That means there are five cards higher than the 6 in the other three hands combined.

Once dummy is visible, compare those five higher cards with the ones you can already see in dummy and in your own hand. This can help you estimate how many higher cards declarer is likely to hold.

Used correctly, the Rule of 11 can give defenders valuable clues about the entire suit at trick one.

Remember: The Rule of 11 only works when the opening lead is actually fourth-best.

Bridge Tip #3 – Don’t Waste Your Entries

An entry is a card that allows you to get from one hand to the other—and strong declarer play often depends on preserving them.

Before cashing an ace or king, ask:

• Will I need this card later to reach dummy?
• Is there a long suit I need to establish first?
• If I use this entry now, can I still reach the winning cards later?

It’s frustrating to establish several winners in dummy only to discover you have no way to get there.

Remember: Before playing a hand, count not only your tricks—but also your entries.

Thank you for being part of the Cayman Islands Bridge Club. Whether you play every week or join us whenever you can, your participation helps make our club welcoming, vibrant, and fun. We look forward to seeing you at the bridge table soon!

Warm regards,

Cayman Islands Bridge Club
Management Committee