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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

14 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

Typically Monday afternoons or evenings but times can be arranged to suit class members.
Next course time and place to be arranged.

Held at Offham Village Hall. 

MINIMUM CLASS SIZE – 4 people.

COST – £150 / for all the workshops.

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CONTENT

A. Introduction to contract bridge. 

• 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 

• 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)

C1. Simple No Trump Bidding 

• Intro – types of bids (opening, response, rebid)
• Intro – bidding categories
• Opening 1NT (balanced)
• Responding to an opening 1NT with a balanced hand
• Responding to an opening 1NT with a weak unbalanced hand
• Rebids after a NT response to an opening 1NT
• Rebids after a weak takeout response to an opening 1NT 

D1.  Simple Suit Bidding

• Opening 1 of a suit 
• Opening two-suited hands
• Opening 4-4-4-1 hands
• 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

E1. Opener's Rebids 

• When to pass and when to bid
• Rebidding after Opening 1NT
• Stayman
• Rebidding after Opening 1 of a Suit

F1. Basics of declarer play

• Intro - take a breath
• What do you know?
• Counting winners and losers
• Making a plan
• Drawing trumps
• Establishing a suit
• Some DON’Ts

F2. Declarer Play: Finessing 

• Finessing intro
• When to finesse
• Direct finesse
• Indirect finesse
• Deep finesse
• Ruffing finesse
• More DON’Ts

G1. The Contested Auction: Overcalls 

• When to compete
• 1NT overcall
• 1 of a suit overcall
• Sequences after the overcall

G2. The Contested Auction: Doubles

• The takeout double
• Double of opening 1NT
• Penalty doubles

G3. Pre-emptive bidding 

• Weak 2s
• Responses to weak 2s
• Weak 3s
• Responses to weak 3s
• Opening 4s
• Weak overcalls
• Handling opponents’ pre-emptive bids

H1. Bidding strong hands 

• Opening 2C and responses
• Opening 2NT and responses
• Reaching a Slam

I1. Playing defence 

• Basics
• Defence against NTs
• Defence against suit contracts
• Leads
• Discards
• Signals

L. Jacoby Transfers 

• How to use Transfers properly
• Responses to Transfers

M. Slams - An Introduction

• 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