SpadeHeart 
Bridge Academy
 DiamondClub
Release 2.19r
Lessons and Conventions
Lessons Advance Notice

Students take a 45-minute lesson from 10 am to 10:45 am EST on Sunday Morning. The Morning game will run from 11 am to 12:30 pm EST, with 8 boards.

Students take a 45-minute lesson from 9:00 pm to 9:45 pm EST on Wednesday evening. The Evening game will run from 10:00 pm to 11:30 pm EST, with 8 boards. 


Lesson details are as follows:

1.   The Whist Bridge and Mini Bridge

2.   Duplicate Bridge Basic information

3.   Bridge Basic Conventions - 1NT Related

4.   Bridge Basic Conventions - Major Contract

5.   Bridge Basic Conventions - minor Contract

6.   Bridge Basic Conventions - Overcall

7.   Bridge Basic Conventions - Double

8.   Bridge Basic Conventions - Preemptive bids related

9.   Bridge Basic Conventions - Slam

10. Bridge Hand Re-Evaluation - Losing Tricks

11.  Defense

12. Advanced conventions and playing techniques

Sunday Morning and Wednesday Evening games will be played on www.realbridge.online

Games are free but require pre-registration one day in advance 

Contact the Bridge Coach coordinator, Weiling Zhao, for further details via email: bridge.jess@gmail.com

Last updated : Jan 9, 2026 21:32 EST
Essential Conventions you should know

Read those Articles and books will help to build up your foundation

View the highlighted below for pdf files

Bridge Description Reference Convention Title Author
25 Conventions 25 bridge convention you should know.pdf Barbara Seagram
52 Facts 52 Facts of Bridge Life Eddie Kantar
Bergen Raises Bridge with Patty Essentials: Bergen Raises Patty Tucker
Bridge Rules Bridge Rules Various
Defend 1NT Cappelletti; DONT; Landy+Transfer; MECKWELL; Woolsey Various

Defense bidding

2 suited overcalls; Unusual vs Unusual various
Doubles

Maximal X; Off-Shape X; Power X; Snapdragon X

Various

Free Bids

Negative Free Bids; Positive Free Bids Various

Gazzilli

Gazzilli convention

Inverted minors

Bridge with Patty Essentials: Inverted minors Patty Tucker

Jordan 2NT

 

Jordan 2NT Alan Truscott
Law of Total Tricks*** To Bid or Not to Bid Larry Cohen
Losing Tricks*** The Losing trick count  

MacCabe

 

MacCabe

Mini-Maxi 2NT

 

Mini-Maxi 2NT

Spiral 2NT 3344

 

Spiral 2NT

Splinter

 

Mini Splinter;   Splinter

Various

Strong Club Defense

 

CRASH; Mathe; Suction

Various

Two-Way Checkback

XYZ

 

Recommend books to read:

Eddie Kantar: Take All Your Chances I & II

Marty Bergen: To Bid or Not to Bid (The Law of Total Tricks)

Michael Lawrence:   1. The Complete Book on Overcalls in Contract Bridge
                               2. How to Read Your Opponents' Card
                               3. How to Play Card Combinations 

Ron Klinger:   1. 100 Winning Duplicate Tips
                     2. The Modern Losing Trick Count

Note: www.abebooks.com is an online used bookstore, with lots of used bridge books to choose from or
        go to Amazon for the recommended books

 

 

 

Last updated : Jan 9, 2026 22:31 EST