CONTACT Jean at jeandwbridge@btinternet.com or call 07792 024 643
BRIDGE FOR BEGINNERS
TARGET
People who would like to learn contract bridge with a view to playing at club level.
OBJECTIVE
Following the course conclusion, participants can expect to be able to play “gentle duplicate” (mentored) sessions then move, when ready, to full club play.
METHOD
12 x 3-hour in-person weekly workshops.
- Interactive teaching – presentations, discussion and in-class exercises with handouts.
- Except for first workshop, mentored playing practice.
- “Homework” – reinforcement exercises.
- “HELP” – out-of-session questions answered by email or phone.
TIME AND PLACE
Next course Monday mornings 10:30am to 1:30pm at Offham Village Hall, beginning 2nd March.
Arrangements can be made to deliver workshops at other times and at other facilities provided minimum class size is met and facility has wifi and presentation screen.
MINIMUM CLASS SIZE – 4 people.
COST – £120 / for the 12 workshops.
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CONTENT
- Introduction to contract bridge. 25th February
- We have four players … two pairs … one pack of cards
- What is a “hand”?
- What is the “contract”?
- What is “bidding”?
- What is ACOL?
- What is a “trick”?
- Declarer, Dummy and Defence
- How do we score?
B. Hand assessment 2nd March
- High Card Points
- Shape
- Intermediate cards
- Winners
- Rule of 20 (for deciding whether or not to open)
- Losing Trick Count (mostly for raising partner’s suit)
C. Opening bids 9th March
- Intro – types of bids (opening, response, rebid)
- Intro – bidding categories
- Opening 1NT (balanced)
- Opening 1 of a suit (unbalanced)
- Opening with a 5-card minor suit
- Opening two-suited hands
- Opening 4-4-4-1 hands
D. Responses 16th March
- Reminder – bidding categories
- Responding to an opening 1NT with a balanced hand
- Responding to an opening 1NT with an unbalanced hand
- Stayman convention
- Jacoby transfers convention
- Responding to an opening 1 of a suit with a suit raise
- Responding to an opening 1 of a suit with a balanced hand
- Responding to an opening 1 of a suit with a new suit
E. Rebids 23rd March
- Reminder – bidding categories
- When to pass
- When you must bid
- When you have the option
- Rebids after opening 1NT
- Rebids after a Stayman response
- Rebids after opening 1 of a suit
F. The Contested Auction 30th March
- When to compete
- 1NT overcall
- 1 of a suit overcall
- The takeout double
- Double of opening 1NT
- Sequences after the overcall
G. Pre-emptive bidding 13th April
- Weak 2sResponses to weak 2s
- Weak 3s
- Responses to weak 3s
- Opening 4s
- Weak overcalls
- Handling opponents’ pre-emptive bids
H. Bidding strong hands 20th April
- Opening 2C and responses
- Opening 2NT and responses
- Opening strong 2s and responses
- Jump overcalls
- Slam bidding
- Cue bidding
I. Basics of declarer play 27th April
- Intro – take a breath
- Counting winners and losers
- Planning the play
- What do you know?
- Drawing trumps
- Some DON’Ts
J. More about declarer play 11th May
- Finessing intro
- When to finesse
- Direct finesse
- Indirect finesse
- Deep finesse
- Ruffing finesse
- Establishing a suit
- Safety plays
- More DON’Ts
K. Playing defence 18th May
- Basics
- Defence against NTs
- Defence against suit contracts
- Leads
- Discards
- Signals
L. Transfers tba
- What are Transfers?
- Purpose
- How to use
- Responses
M. Slams tba
- Risk and Reward
- Slams in NTs
- Blackwood
- Trial Bids
- Cue Bids
AT FIRST SESSION OF “GENTLE DUPLICATE”
How duplicate bridge is played
- The competition
- Scoring and penalties
- Using boards and bidding boxes
- Rules and etiquette
- Alerts and Announcements
- Role of the Director
- Role of Dummy
- Role of North
- Playing against the room
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