The place to learn and play the game of Bridge in Edinburgh.

As enjoyed by 589 members and 245 students in our Academy

with 394 members playing in our on-line tournaments

108 BBO tables played in the period Monday 7 September - Friday 11 September

Click here to take a virtual tour of the club.

Are you looking for a club that offers tournament bridge on-line during the Covid19 pandemic? Then you need look no further than the New Melville Bridge Club which offers seven tournaments per week for players of all abilities as well as a special supervised session on Thursday mornings for students of the game who would like to practise their skills at a more gentle pace than our regular games.

Membership of our club costs a mere £30 per annum for players who already have Scottish Bridge Union (SBU) membership, but for those that don't, you can join the SBU though the Melville for an additonal £10 per year. You can apply to be a member on-line by clicking HERE without the need to be nominated or approved. The form is also available from our left-hand menu. Our weekly programme of tournaments is summarised in the right hand column of this page.

Over the last 5 years club members Alex Adamson & Harry Smith have written a series of bridge articles using characters from the Wizard of Oz as the central players. The articles have also been published as a trilogy of books starting with 'If Only I had a Heart', followed by 'Bridge over the Rainbow' and finishing with 'Double, Double, Toil and Trouble' which has recently been published. The books follow the fortunes of the 'Over The Rainbow Bridge Club' which has members with traits that you will recognise in bridge players all around you! 

The hands they play have all occurred in real life, and will be of interest to players at all levels. More details are available from Alex & Harry's website at:

https://sites.google.com/view/bridgeovertherainbow/home

It also explains how people can purchase any of the books, and, in addition, Alex & Harry are offering signed copies to be posted out. 

Why not try our Thursday morning Gentle Pairs sessions? - for members and non-members alike

These sessions are aimed at inexperienced players who would like to have a go at on-line bridge without the fear of playing against opponents who have obviously been playing  bridge for a long time. They might also appeal to some experienced players who have never tried on-line bridge and are a bit nervous of doing so. 

The sessions will start at 11 am and will last about two hours. A maximum of 12 hands will be played and ten minutes will be allowed for each hand. The sessions will be limited to 24 people and you can ask for help with bidding and play. The entry fee on the BBO website will be $2.

You must sign up in advance using the link below and provide a BBO ID and an email address. Partners are not required as we will match people up on the day.

We are also looking for helpers for the Gentle Pairs sessions

We are looking for up to six helpers per session. Helpers will Kibitz at one table and be able to chat to the people at the table using a Zoom audio conference. Helpers are provided with hand records and a commentary in advance. Bridge expertise is not required. We need people who have played in club sessions for a few years or more and who know the basics of Acol bidding. Please sign up using the link below if you can help out.

BBO tournament registration for club games

Please note: Registration for all tournaments will close twenty minutes prior to the official start time.

Attempts to register after the twenty minute deadline will fail with the message that the tournament is private.

If you register quite early, then you can log out of BBO as long as you return in good time for the start. 

We will start without you if need be, so don't be late logging back in!

Before you take part in our club BBO Pairs for the first time, please watch a video by clicking HERE.

Members Swipe Cards

You can learn how to top up your club swipe card account using a mobile phone or tablet by watching a video. Please click HERE to do so.

Click HERE to visit our new Community Website.

During this Covid19 crisis we have created a community website which anybody can view but where Melville members can register. Registered members can contribute articles, comment on others and take part in our weekly quiz. 

Alan Goodman is providing an excellent set of Daily Bridge Tips in which he poses a problem (or problems) and then allows the reader to reveal the answer(s).

These tips are aimed at all club players from those not long out of classes to the very experienced.

All of Alan's earlier tips are available to view, even by non-registered members.

If you are a member of the New Melville, have you joined the community?

The New Melville Bridge Club is a company limited by guarantee and a registered charity. 

Registered Office: 1 Pinkhill, Edinburgh EH12 7BA. Telephone: 0131 334 4467

Company Registration Number: SC 437291. Charity Registration number: SCO 043594, 

The Club is affiliated to the Scottish Bridge Union and the SBU East District.

Email: manager@melvillebridge.club