SpadeHeart 
Wotton-under-Edge Bridge Club
 DiamondClub
Release 2.19r
Contact details

If you need general information please email:

info@wottonbridge.club

 

Improvers Lessons

Improvers Lessons (Year 2)

The course presented is based on Stage 2 of the Bridge for All programme, devised by the English Bridge Union (EBU). It is based on the Standard English Acol system (this is the system used by most bridge players in the UK).

The course builds on what was learnt in Beginners Lessons (Year 1), essentially teaching techniques to get you to play “better” bridge.

Generally, each lesson will cover discussion of one or two aspects of bidding, and/or play, followed by class exercises and the bidding and playing of a series of sample, illustrative hands. We will also discuss the play of the hands by both Declarer and the Defence.

You will learn much more about being competitive, in particular the wider use of the Double bid, a number of new conventions, and a lot more on how to play the cards better both as Declarer and Defender.

Each lesson lasts two-and-a-half hours.

The course comprises 30 lessons, at a cost of £8 per lesson. A discounted price of £150 is available should you wish to pay for the whole course up front.

Payment can also be made in the following blocks:

  • Autumn term – 12 lessons (Blocks 1 to 4) = £72
  • Winter term – 12 lessons (Blocks 5 to 7) = £72
  • Spring term – 6 lessons (Blocks 8 to 10) = £36

There is a set of Student Notes, published by the EBU, which complement the lessons. An up-front payment of £25 (or £20 if you pay for the whole course) is required to cover the cost of these notes, should you wish to purchase them.

Note that this is subject to change dependent upon weather/illness etc. Always check nearer the day in case a lesson has been postponed.

Improvers Lessons Schedule 2025/26

Improvers Lessons 2025-2026

25-Sep Block 1 - Introduction 1 Review of Year 1
02-Oct   2 The Losing Trick Count
09-Oct Block 2 - Declarer play 3 Danger hand in NTs
16-Oct   4 Danger hand in Trumps
23-Oct   5 Counting
30-Oct Block 3 - NT bidding 6 Revised NT bidding
06-Nov   7 Red-suit transfers
13-Nov Block 4 - Doubling 8 Wider use of Doubles
20-Nov   9 Negative and re-opening doubles
27-Nov   10 Responder's actions after a double
04-Dec   11 Overcalling 1NT
11-Dec   12 Review of doubling
18-Dec     Reserve week
25-Dec Xmas    
01-Jan New Year    
08-Jan Block 5 - Defence 13 Third hand play
15-Jan   14 Second hand play
22-Jan   15 Switches
29-Jan Block 6 - Tidying up the bidding 16 Showing shape
05-Feb   17 Further NT Bidding
12-Feb   18 Bidding 4-4-4-1 hands
19-Feb   19 Bidding awkward hands
26-Feb   20 Fourth Suit Forcing
05-Mar   21 Landy
12-Mar Block 7 - More on defence 22 Signalling
19-Mar   23 Discarding
26-Mar   24 Thoughtful (and forcing) defence
02-Apr     Reserve week
09-Apr Easter    
16-Apr Block 8 - Competitive bidding 25 Review of general principles
23-Apr   26 Defence to pre-empts
30-Apr   27 Protective bidding
07-May Block 9 - Slam Bidding 28 Review of (non-)forcing bids
14-May   29 Slam bidding - Key Card Blackwood
21-May Block 10 - Review of the year 30 Review of the year
28-May     Reserve week