Learning Bridge

this page was last updated 18-Dec-2009       Bridge is not an easy game, and learning to play can take a lot of time and practice. If there is a bridge teacher or bridge class in your area then that's a good option. An alternative, or perhaps a suppliment, are the bridge learning CDs by Pat Harrington. The same link describes the CD "Bridge Coach - SAYC" which will help you to learn/practice your Standard American Yellow Card bidding and also your play at your own pace.           Sally Watson will be starting a beginner's class in early 2010. It will be ten lessons, from 10am to 1 pm on Thursdays and will be held at the redemptionist centre. The cost is 3,500 bht which will all go to the redemptionist charity. For further details contact Sally, e-mail: sallyh.watson@gmail.com           Another way to learn and improve your bridge is to use a bridge CD program such as Bridge Baron. And if you wish to learn or practice some of the basic bridge bidding conventions, then check out the Bridge Convention and practice CD's availabe.         Basic Bidding

1) The documents below are for Standard American bidding - this is the bidding system used virtually everywhere except the UK:

Pdf is best for WEB viewing.   The Doc link loads the Word Doc file which you can view or print.

pdf Doc Main subjects                   x #1 The opening bid of 1 of a suit     x #2 The response to partner's opening bid of 1 of a suit     x #3 The jump shift response   x #4 Opener's rebid   x #5 Opener's rebid     x #6 Opener's rebid     x #7 Responder's 2nd bid     x #8 Responder's 2nd bid     x #9 Stayman       x #10 Stayman with both majors       x #11 Jacoby Transfers       x #12 Jacoby Transfers       x #13 Balanced hand bidding       x #14 Responding to opener's big balanced hand       x #130 Overcalls and take-out doubles       x #131 The 1NT overcall; double and then bid NoTrump       x #132 Double and then bid a new suit; the 3NT overcall       x #133 Responding to partner's take-out double       x #134 Bidding again having doubled       x x Nos 130-134                   x x Stayman and Transfers. A one-page summary sheet of the basics of Stayman and transfers               x x The 2NT Bid. I was asked by one of my students if I could clarify what 2NT means. Obviously it means different things in different sequences and this ducument outlines most of the common situations.                           Pattaya Bridge Club - www.pattayabridge.org

2) For those in the UK, the Acol bidding system is most widely used. Learn Bridge is for beginners and improvers to learn Acol bridge bidding and playing online. This is a pre-sell site for the slightly more advanced Acol site No Fear Bridge.
For books on learning to play bridge, refer to:
Bridge books for beginners ( 1 , 2 , 3 , 4 , 5 ) lists and reviews bridge books written for complete beginners and for improvers. Page 6 is devoted to beginner books using the UK's Acol bidding system . Page 7 is devoted to beginner books for teacing children to play bridge .