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

10 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

Friday mornings, 10:00am to 1:00pm

Offham Village Hall.
Arrangements can be made to deliver workshops at other facilities provided minimum class size is met and facility has wifi and presentation screen.  

MINIMUM CLASS SIZE – 4 people.

COST – £10 / session.

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CONTENT

1. 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)

C. Opening bids

• 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

• 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

• 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

• 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

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

H. Bidding strong hands

• Opening 2C and responses
• Opening 2NT and responses
• Opening strong 2s and responses
• Jump overcalls 
• Slam bidding
• Cue bidding 

I. Basics of declarer play

• 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

• Finessing intro
• When to finesse
• Direct finesse
• Indirect finesse
• Deep finesse
• Ruffing finesse
• Establishing a suit
• Safety plays
• More DON’Ts

K. Playing defence

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

L. Transfers

• What are Transfers? 
• Purpose 
• How to use
• Responses 

M. Slams

• 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