Bridge for Beginners:  2026 Session Topics

Bridge for Beginners: 2026 Sessions (Thursdays 10:00-12:30, ASVH)

Bridge Basics [22.01.26]

• Why?  (Benefits; aims of the game; Duplicate and social Bridge).
• The set up (cards, suits, HCP, bidding boxes, boards, travellers).
• The trick process (leading, following suit, winning, card placement on table).
• The Players (2 pairs, NSEW, Roles of Declarer and Dummy, role of Defenders).
• Hand Evaluation (HCP, distributional values, balanced/unbalanced, fit, ‘feel’).
• Mini-Bridge (if necessary) to illustrate all above.

Bidding (uncontested auctions) [2 sessions] [29.01.26 & 05.02.26]

• The auction process (the suits, No Trumps, bid cards, the Pass, the final contract).
• Opening 1§/¨/©/ª and basic replies.

• Opening 1NT and replies (Stayman, Transfers).
• Scoring.

Playing the Contract (as Declarer) [12.02.26]

• Plan (count tricks; what can go wrong; controlling suits; maximising tricks).
• Basic card play (counting, finessing, splits, setting up suits).

Bidding (contested auctions) [26.02.26]

• Suit overcalls and responses. 
• 1NT overcall and responses.
• Takeout doubles and responses.

Playing the Contract (as Defenders) [05.03.26]

• Standard Leads and responding to the opening lead (Attitude, Count).
• Discards (using logic and common sense - crucial Bridge skills).

Strong Bids [2 sessions] [12.03.26 & 19.03.26]

• Opening (1 level):  reversing; rebidding NT; new suit at 3 level.
• Strong replies: ‘forcing’ bids and ‘limit’ bids.

• Opening (2 level):  2♣/2♦ and replies; 2NT and replies.
• Judging game and slam prospects (Blackwood).

Weak Bids [26.03.26]

• Opening (2 level):  2©/2ª and replies.
• Opening (3 level):  3§/¨/©/ª and replies.
• Weak overcalls.
• Defending against weak bids.

What next? [02.04.26]

• What to expect in a Bridge Club; Improving your Bridge; Partnership

To give you a sense of how these sessions will operate, bear in mind two universal truisms:

1. In Bridge there are NO wrong bids or wrong lines of play - though there are some that are more amusing/optimistic/forgetful/inspired/demented than others.  This game is about judgement and there are so many factors to consider and so many variables (and so little time) that it is nonsense to insist on one solution to every conundrum.

2. We learn far more from mistakes than from successes (and if we can't spot the difference, that's where Partner chips in) so it makes perfect sense to make as many mistakes as possible.  Some of us are naturally gifted in this respect.

I look forward to seeing you!

Dom Wilson