Contract Bridge Course Main Page Welcome Duplicate Bridge Table Manners How to approach this Course Bidding Guides Play Bridge at Home (FREE Download) Books for further study Key map
Main Page   Subject Index   Bidding Guide   Lesson Deals 1-92   Play Technique   Score Calculator Lesson | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 22 | 23 | 24 | ? ? | Learn as you Play   Duplicate Bridge   How to score Duplicate Bridge         Jazclass Links

Hi, and welcome to the world of Contract Bridge. My father taught me the first principles of this marvellous game when I was only 12 years old, and I have been playing and teaching bridge to others ever since. My main interest in life is music, but I find playing Contract Bridge a good diversion, which keeps my mind fresh and always interested in both fields. Learning to play bridge is in some ways very similar to learning music. It takes time to become fully familiar with all the cards (like the notes in music) and to recognise card patterns (such as K Q J 10 9, or A Q 10) like scales and arpeggios in music.

Learning to play Contract Bridge also involves learning a new language to communicate with your Partner during the auction period of the game.
There are a variety of languages (bidding systems) used for this purpose.
The main ones are :

• Standard American - also known as the the Goren System, after its inventor Charles Goren,

• Acol - especially popular in the UK, and

• Precision - developed by a Chinese business man, C.C.Wei in the late 60s.

In this course you will learn Standard bidding with 5-card majors which is a popular variation of the 'Standard American' system.
It is a natural bidding system which combines simple uncompromised logic with a rhythmic symmetry. This, as a scientist, musician and creative thinker, has always greatly appealed to me. I have attempted to reflect these fundamental qualities in my Bidding Guide.
For a beginner the system is easy to learn. It will also stand you in good stead during many years of playing.

Most players around the world have a basic understanding of this system. Once you are familiar with this language you have a good foundation to go on to learning other systems if you develop the desire to do so.

Contract Bridge is played by four players, divided into two pairs who play against each other (North & South against East & West).
Although good players will always get more out of a game than novices, the cards you are dealt determine to a large degree the outcome. With good cards you win, with bad ones you lose.
Duplicate bridge, as played in thousands of bridge clubs around the world, takes this aspect of luck out of the game.

Each trick each player in turn takes one card out of his hand and places it in front of him on the table. When all four cards to a trick have been played this way each player turns his card face down in front of him. All tricks are played in this way. Therefore at the end of the game each player still has all 13 cards he was dealt at the beginning. When the game is completed the four hands are placed in four separate slots (marked N, E, S and W) of a plastic or aluminium duplicate board. The score is recorded on a score sheet (also called 'traveller') which is placed in a fifth slot on the board. After this the board is handed to the next table, where four other players will play exactly the same cards!

Each side does not compete against the opponent at their own table, but instead against all the other pairs at the other tables who play the same hands for each board. In other words each EW pair competes against all other EW pairs, and each NS pair competes against all other NS pairs.
This takes the aspect of luck with the cards completely out of the game, as all players compete while using the same cards.

Duplicate bridge has elevated contract bridge from an enjoyable 'gentleman's game' to a full blown and very exciting sport with large numbers of players participating in competitions and tournaments at local, Regional, National and International levels around the globe.

Contract Bridge requires quick thinking and decision making. What often appears obvious in hind sight, is not at all clear in the heat of the battle. Mistakes are therefore unavoidable and part of the game, even by the best players.

The better players know that maintaining a friendly atmosphere and providing Partner with moral support when needed, are essential for maintaining good productive communication throughout the play.
Endless post mortems and blaming your Partner (a regrettable habit by some lesser players) are not going to make any difference to the result, and only lead to further deterioration of constructive communication with your Partner.

Therefore at all times be nice to your Partner.
When your Partner makes a mistake he/she will suffer and fret over it much more than you do. It usually also will affect his play negatively for the next few games. Therefore don't rub it in, but immediately put a positive spin on the mishap and try to erase it from Partner's mind.
This will help Partner enormously to get back on a positive track.
Furthermore he/she will be more likely to treat you in the same way, the next time you make a mistake !

In general be graceful in defeat and humble after your victories.
This will enhance the atmosphere at your table enormously. Contract Bridge may be a fiercely competitive sport, but this does not mean it can't still be played as a gentleman's game !

Contract bridge is a great game, and you need not be an Albert Einstein to learn it. Anybody with a normal amount of common sense can learn it. This is very important to remember in the early stages of learning this game.
The main obstacle virtually every novice has to overcome is simply a matter of becoming familiar with the elements of the game. This includes the visual familiarity with the cards and various card distributions, but also the various bids in the auction you make. Time and a period of regular playing will get you there without fail.

Also be aware that you will learn ten times more from every mistake you make, than all the games you sail through smoothly, blissfully unaware of the pitfalls you have unwittingly avoided.
Therefore do not use the bidding guide or any other notes while you are bidding or playing. This is a certain recipe for not learning a thing and therefore not making any progress.
Look at the guide after completing the game, to verify what you did right or wrong. This way you will digest the material in a productive manner and as a result make steady progress.

PLEASE TAKE NOTE :
The course can be divided into two halves.
Lessons 1 to 12 form the Beginners level part of the Course. They are the fundamentals you should focus on and digest first.
The Basic Bidding Guide is most appropriate for this period of your development.

Only after you have become familiar with these first twelve lessons and the game in general should you progress to the Intermediate level : Lessons 13 to 24. This generally occurs after about 3 to 6 months of playing.
Therefore be patient with yourself, do not be afraid to make mistakes and keep playing, building up your experience.
When you do start to incorporate some of the optional conventions in your bidding the Advanced Bidding Guide will be a useful support refenrence.

I have included two versions of my Contract Bridge Bidding Guide

• Bidding Guide - Basic - of 14 pages and all you need to know for effective bidding.
  
  
• Bidding Guide - Advanced - of 18 pages and containing a few extra bells and whistles for the enthusiast.

Cut the top and bottom edges of each page along the horizontal markers, then stack the pages in numerical order.
Make sure you have sufficient blank space on the left side to allow for stapling.
Now assemble the Bidding Guide as follows.

How to use the Bidding Guide
Use the Bidding Guide for your study, or for checking and reference after you bid and played a deal.
Do not use it during the bidding itself !
Don't be afraid to make mistakes. These will in fact greatly speed up your learning process. Playing it safe by reading all your bids from the book will only hamper the process of you absorbing and learning the bidding principles.

I have prepared a free download which contains the essential materials you need for playing Bridge at your own home. It includes instructions on organising and scoring Duplicate Bridge and masters for all the stationary you need. It also include copies for both the Basic and Advanced Bidding Guides and 60 Learn as you Play Deals. Print these out as you need them.

If you rather prefer a copy of the entire 24 lesson Contract Bridge Course you can purchase it at the Online Jazclass Shop (Price AUD$ 20 for the download, or AUD$ 35 for CD including Airmail Postage Worldwide).