The focus of this session is on "planning the play", along with using info from the auction and the opening lead. It's so easy to overlook this planning stage - but it will make a huge difference to your game, if you can embed this habit into your routine !

The session will be run using BBO and ZOOM starting 10am. Students from Richard's recent "refresher" courses will be familiar with the use of practice tables on BBO. If you have not set-up a practice table before then Richard has a written guide for doing so, and a quick try-out before the session would be helpful.

Players will sit at a BBO practice table in groups of 4, and will play in total 8 hands. Players should make a note of any specific questions or issues as they play the hand, so that they can use these as talking points in the ZOOM discussions after each hand.

After each hand, via ZOOM, Richard will share his screen and discuss with the whole group how to make the most of each hand - based on taking a little time when dummy is put down to think about what declarer knows (or can work out!) and what their plan should be to make their contract and or any overtricks. For a bit of fun the players on each board can give themselves a score for the result they managed - and at the end we will see who did best!

There is a hand commentary to be sent out to the players afterwards. Players can then return to the practice tables at any time during the following two weeks to re-play the same hands again, either individually, or as a group, with the commentary in hand.

Each session will use a different set of boards - but the underlying themes will be similar. So you can attend one or other, or both, without any disadvantage.