Happy Holidays! Here's your upcoming news and new video lesson

For us celebrating Christmas, the count down has begun! Only a few days left before Santa Claus arrives. Are you on Santa’s nice list? I think we should all be as we continue to tread carefully around Covid-19.

Our first Christmas with the grandkids (Maddie now 11 months old and the twins Tobin and Mackenzie 2 months old) will not be spent with everyone together this year, as the “outlaws” 😊 also have needs. Both our sons are planning to come to the cottage for a short visit, but they won't be there at the same time.

So to make sure that our whole family could gather at least once during this season, we held a brunch on Sunday. This is my family! I sometimes have to pinch myself looking at my adult sons, the beautiful women they have chosen as their partner in life and the gift of our grandchildren.

Wishing all of you a wonderful holiday season and may 2022 bring you health, happiness and lots of good bridge!

Scroll below for all things bridge!

Enjoy this short lesson : In today's video, you'll need to use a simple trick to make a 7 Spade contract (Hint: it's not a finesse).

Just click on this link and let me know if you have any questions: https://youtu.be/FKDwGDnhngc

2022 WINTER LESSONS

Two 4-Day Courses On Zoom

In January and February, I will be offering two 4-week courses aimed primarily at a very gentle level. These are for quite new players. Do tell your friends.

The courses are Introduction to Declarer Play and Introduction to Defence.

Both courses will come with the Eddie Kantar Book of the same Title (recently Revised and Updated by Barbara Seagram). Lessons are recorded and unlimited access granted once registered and paid for the course.

And also 2 other special ones: Completing a Convention Card (all proceeds go to charity), and Thinking Bridge – Plan Your Moves! Be sure to check all details below!

Introduction To Declarer Play

– A 4-Week Course

Do you love playing bridge? Are you looking to do more this Winter? Still feels like Play of the Hand is puzzling at times? Then you NEED this course!

Counting Losers
Counting Winners
Ruffing losers in the Dummy
Extra Winners in the Dummy or in Declarer’s Hand
Long Suit Establishment (aka Taking Tricks with Tiny Cards)
When and How to take a Finesse and much more!

Dates – Wednesdays – January 5, 12, 19, 26

Times – 4 to 5:45 pm EST

Introduction To Defence

– A 4-Week Course

Have you noticed that you are defending at bridge 50% of the time? That is right! Did you know that being on Defence is the most fun you can ever have at the bridge table even when you do not have any points in your hand? Let me teach you how to have more fun and to gain respect from all players when you show them you know how to defend!

Opening Leads against No Trump and Suit contracts
2^nd hand play
3^rd hand play
Signaling against No Trump and Suit contracts
And much, much more!!

Dates – Wednesdays – February 2, 9, 16, 23

Times – 4 to 5:45 pm EST

What you will get with each course:

Live ZOOM lessons and unlimited access to the recordings.
Eddie Kantar’s book (2^nd edition, revised and updated by Barbara Seagram).
PowerPoint presentations in PDF
LIN files to practice on BBO
Additional handouts (yours to keep).
Also, full support by email for all of your questions.

How to register and pay for the courses

Payment by etransfer to mjhammill@rogers.com or by cheque mailed to my home address – 1717 Avenue Road, Suite 418, Toronto, Ontario, M5M0A2. Cheque can also be dropped off if you are picking up the book from me.

If paying in US$ - by check US$ 135, using PayPal US$ 145, prices include postage to the US.

If paying in US$ - by check US$ 243, using Paypal US$ 261, prices already include postage to the US.

PayPal email address: mjhammill@rogers.com (or here http://bit.ly/JoseePaypal).

For your convenience, start with an email to me at mjhammill@rogers.com.

Let me know what course(s) you are signing up for. Include how you will pay and if you require postage of the book(s). Include your mailing address if that is the case. Then you are all set!

Individual Sessions on Zoom

Completing A Convention Card

As we return to Face-to-Face bridge, you will be expected to have with you a convention card detailing what you and your partner play (special conventions, special systems, what you lead, what your signalling system is, etc.).

Meet Jean Collins who has agreed to help you with this! Jean will guide you through all parts of the convention card, advising how to fill in each section, what the meaning of black, blue and red lettering is. If time allows, we will also go over doing the same for your BBO games.

I have known Jean many years. She is a retired high school teacher who has found great joy in being able to enjoy the fun of teaching bridge without the accompanying administrative chores of a regular job. She has taught at the Barbara Seagram bridge school, supply taught for me a number of times and also taught at several other locations. Her Convention Card presentations at tournaments and cruise ships have always been well received. So you can see why I feel you are in great hands!

When we were discussing how much to charge for the lesson, Jean suggested that I direct all the proceeds toward a charity of my choice. As a result, all proceeds earned from this lesson will be divided equally between Armour Heights Church (armourheights.org) where I rented space prior to Covid and also Arise Ministry (ariseministry.ca). ARISE Ministry empowers individuals involved in the sex trade to reclaim their lives. ARISE means Advocacy and Reclaiming Individuals involved in the Sex trade through Empowerment.

DATE: Tuesday, January 11^th, 4 to 5:15 pm EST.

PRICE: $20 (all proceeds go to charity)

This lesson will be recorded.
To register, please email me at mjhammill@rogers.com

Thinking Bridge – Plan Your Moves!

Whatever seat you are in, you have to be planning your moves. Let’s spend these sessions where we explore what it feels like to sit in any and all 4 seats, and think like an expert. Only time you will be allowed to relax will be when in the dummy’s seat 😊

DATES:

Wednesday, January 19^th, 10-11:45 am EST
Wednesday, February 16^th, 10-11:45 am EST
More dates to be added in March and April.

PRICE: $25 per session

Lessons are recorded and will include a PDF of all the hands demonstrated on BBO, including commentary on bidding, opening lead, declarer’s strategy and defensive moves.
To register, please email me at mjhammill@rogers.com

Payment details

Payment by etransfer to mjhammill@rogers.com or by cheque mailed to my home address – 1717 Avenue Road, Suite 418, Toronto, Ontario, M5M0A2.

PayPal email address: mjhammill@rogers.com (or here http://bit.ly/JoseePaypal).

Looking forward to seeing you in January and February!

Travel with Barbara Seagram!

Copenhagen to London

Baltic Bridge Cruise

August 11 - 23, 2022

(12 night sailing)

Regent Seven Seas Voyager with Barbara Seagram, Alex Kornel & Patti Lee

Copenhagen, Riga (Latvia), Tallinn (Estonia), St. Petersburg (Russia) x 2 days, Klaipeda (Lithuania), Gdansk (Poland).

PRICES START AT CAT G: $ 13,999.00 USD / $ 18,349.00 CAD per person double occupancy. Everything included: Shore excursions & Business class air

ALL CABINS ON THIS SHIP ARE VERANDAH SUITES

To book, contact Paola Shaw at 905-873-8070 or toll-free at

1-800-263-5575 #1228 - paola.shaw@visiontravel.ca

E-mail Barbara with questions: barbaraseagram@gmail.com

Barbados Sun Sea & Slams:

February 13 - 20, 2022

ACBL SECTIONAL BRIDGE TOURNAMENT

AWARDING SILVER MASTER POINTS

SEVEN NIGHTS ACCOMMODATION INCLUDING ALL YOUR MEALS & DRINKS. USD $1,155.00 PER PERSON (DBL. OCC.) $1,470.00 SINGLE OCCUPANCY

Come early or stayover to tour this lovely island.

Barbara Seagram & Alex Kornel will be attending the tournament in 2022. There will be TWO free seminars given by Barbara while there. Alex will also be available to go over hands anytime.

TO BOOK: Contact Reservations Department at Barbados Beach Club 1-246-428-9900 or email reservations@barbadosbeachclub.com

BOOKING CODE IS BRIDGE 2022

Click Here for More Details

COMING IN 2022 TO A BRIDGE TABLE NEAR YOU!

Due to the Omicron uncertainties at this time, we have deferred the start of our new 0-20 MP game to the middle of February.

We apologize for this and promise that we are as anxious as you are to resume face to face playing.

GAMES FOR 0-20 MP PLAYERS AT LEE'S BRIDGE CLUB

Games every Wednesday evening at 7:15 pm and Saturday at 12 pm.

If you would like to join these games or know of someone starting their duplicate bridge journey, email Lee at calendar@interlog.com. Fun time guaranteed!

ETOBICOKE BRIDGE CENTRE VIRTUAL 0-20 GAME WEDNESDAYS 1:30

The Etobicoke BC is now running a 0-20 Masterpoint game every Wednesday.

If you need a partner contact Steve Overholt; etobicokebridge@gmail.com or call 647.897.6179

This week, I am reaching out to you on behalf of our French partners, Le Bridgeur, who have launched their Bridgerama+ magazine in North America for the first time.

Edited by Mark Horton, the first issue of Bridgerama+ is now available for FREE. The magazine, available in both French and English, features such names as Larry Cohen, Andrew Robson and Marc Smith, and is aimed at developing players.

If you want to have a look at the magazine, you can open it here:

https://kiosque.lebridgeur.com/en/publications/bridgerama-plus-19-november-2021

Also be sure to check out the Le Bridgeur website.

What does it take to live for 100 years?

These are the surprising predictors of a long, healthy life.

Click on the 3 minute video at right to find out more or here: youtu.be/7iTqZOkTlsM. Make sure to watch till the end! Even more reason to return to face to face bridge!

Watch the full TED Talk here:

http://t.ted.com/nMk9fKb

JOSÉE’S PRE-RECORDED LESSONS

Instant Delivery - Learn on your own time!

Bridge Basics (for brand new players)

Learn the basic elements of the game of bridge: how to take tricks, how to work with a partner, how to open the bidding in a suit and in No Trump, how to respond, how to compete and more. This is an 8 week program.

Intermediate I

For those who feel rusty and need a refresher and for those moving up from Basic lessons. Opportunities to play and practice online will be provided. Lessons are recorded and can be watched on your own time. This is a 7 week program.

Intermediate II

Weak Two Bids, Strong 2 Club Bids, Slam Bidding, Cue-Bidding First Round Controls, Preempts, Unusual NT, Michaels Cuebids, Opening Light in 3rd seat, Balancing, End Plays, Cross-Ruff, Loser-on-loser play, Introduction to defence, ...and MUCH more!!

An 8-week course includes all recordings, PDF of presentations and practice hands for each week.

Intermediate III

Intermediate 3 is a full course on Defence and Conventions!

DEFENCE: Third Hand Play, Second Hand Play, Suit Preference Signalling, Strategy on Defence, Lead Directing Doubles, Discarding.
CONVENTIONS: Negative Doubles, Jacoby 2 NT as a forcing raise, Jacoby Transfers, Texas Transfers, Splinters, Roman Key Card Blackwood, Cue Bids, Slam Bidding and lots more!

LEARN TO PLAY TWO OVER ONE

Learn the system that most of North America now plays. It makes it much easier to get to a better contract, easier to find slams on fewer values and easier to know when to stop in a part score. Learn the forcing No Trump bid.

A two day course + one additional hour of practice hands.

BID AND PLAY – THE CONVENTION SERIES

Lesson 1 - DONT over 1NT Opening Bid
Lesson 2 - Reverse Drury
Lesson 3 - Jacoby 2NT and Splinters
Lesson 4 - Reverse Bergen/Bergen Raises
Lesson 5 - New Minor Forcing/Checkback Stayman
Lesson 6 - Fourth Suit Forcing
Lesson 7 - Four Way Transfers

All lessons come with recordings and PDF of practice hands.

How to order: Please email me at mjhammill@rogers.com, indicating the course you are interested, and I'll send you all the information and payment details. If you are sending as a gift, let me know what to write in the card.

BOOK DEALS!!!!

Contact Barbara Seagram at barbaraseagram@gmail.com or visit her website at barbaraseagram.com

Brand new

Play it Safe: Retail: $25.00 On special: $22.00

Playing party bridge or teams, declarer's objective is to make his contract -- nothing else matters. Playing it safe is of vital importance. Yet playing safe can take many forms -- it might involve simply choosing the best line of play, or keeping one opponent off lead, preserving entries, or even giving up a trick you don't have to lose, all in the cause of bringing that contract home securely. Playing matchpoints (regular duplicate bridge), there are times when safety is more important than anything else. Recognizing all these situations, and knowing what to do when you encounter them, will improve your bridge scores by leaps and bounds.

Barbara’s Bridge Tips: Retail: $25.00 On special: $22.00

WINNER OF THE 2021 BOOK OF THE YEAR AWARD !!!!

Whether you have been playing for a while or you're not very experienced, this book will help you to move your game up to the next level. The tips cover all aspects of bridge - bidding, play and defense. Advice and examples are drawn from material Barbara Seagram has developed for her students over the last twenty years - it's like having your own personal bridge coach sitting beside you!

Barbara’s Quizzes: I've written this book so you have a fun way of finding out how much of modern bridge bidding fundamentals you have mastered. It is also a tool that will help you identify and improve any areas of your game that may need some work. I suspect (and am hoping) you will want to share this with your regular partner.

Quiz book special: All 3 for $39.00

Bidding at Bridge: A Quiz Book
Declarer Play at Bridge: A Quiz Book
Defensive Play at Bridge: A Quiz Book

Reg. price: $15.95 + tax each

Special: All 3 for $39.00 or 2 for $28.00

Order by emailing Barbara barbaraseagram@gmail.com

In Canada, you may pay by etransfer to akornel@sympatico.ca but email Barbara so that she has all your postal and email details.

Americans, you can mail a check to Barbara Seagram, 220 Lawrence Ave East, Toronto, ON M4N 1T2 CANADA but email her first so she can get the book on the way to you.