Beginners' Lessons
A new course will be starting in October on Wednesday after noons or Monday evening. Brochure
Fast Track Course - 2019
Fast Track Bridge is a course for complete beginners who want to learn to play and get started quickly. It will also suit people who have learnt before but need to refresh their knowledge and anyone who cannot commit to a longer course of weekly lessons. The pace is more intensive than my longer beginners courses so it may suit faster learners.
Fast Track is a new course which is part of the National Learning Programme of English Bridge Education and Development CIO*. (which the *charitable organisation for bridge education)
For more details see http://www.bridgeclassbristol.
Club History
In mid 1950's Graham Griffith, John Spielman, Stephen Thomas and W. Morley Burry used to play bridge in a house on 41 Oakfield Road, just off Whiteladies Road. It was run by a lady as a business. She was charging them too much for the use of the premises. So they moved, with many others, to Aces Bridge Club.
Graham Griffith was the driving force behind the BBC being formed. He, John Spielman, Stephen Thomas and others loaned or donated money to the new club and subsequently bought the lease for the new premises on The Promenade in Clifton (close to the Mayor's residence) and registered it as Bristol Bridge Club. Graham was the first chairman of the club 1958-1960.
In the early 80's, they were approached by the landlords to see if they would sell the lease as they had a buyer for the whole building. The lease still had 7 years to run so they were in a strong position to get a good deal. After finding new premises it was put to the members at an EGM. Only a few did not like the idea mainly because it was "Hotwells " and not Clifton. They raised extra money by way of loans/ gifts from members and a bank loan.
After many months searching for new premises and further negotiations, they bought the lease of the present building in March 1981. Many members gave their time to get the building in shape. It took around six month to get the place ready to be used as Bridge Club. So in November 1981 they moved from The Promenade to Grenville Hall, Oldfield Road, our present premises (this was done over one weekend).
This building was previously used as a printing works, and store for printing materials.
Welcome to Bristol Bridge Club
Bristol Bridge Club aims to provide facilities and opportunities for all its members to enjoy playing and learning bridge, no matter at what level. Beginner or international.
We are a large club and are able to offer playing sessions that suit all levels of ability. Non-members are always welcome.
The club has its own premises and we are situated near the centre of Bristol in Hotwells. The club consists of a large playing room with a smaller area for classes and a licensed bar that also offers light refreshments.
The club plays duplicate bridge on most days of the week, usually with a qualified director.
The club is affiliated to the English Bridge Union (EBU), via the Avon Contract Bridge Association (ACBA).
BRISTOL BRIDGE CLUB is a charity and it has been entered onto the Register of Charities with the Registered Charity Number 1167959.
There is car parking close by.
For directions and map, click here.
Latest News
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Christmas Party
Congratulations to Sandra Cooper , Mike Brady , Oli Noel and Sue O'Hara... read more...
Posted 17 Dec 2018 by Sue O'Hara -
Christmas Decorations
The Xmas tree is up and all Xmas decorations in place... The club is ready... read more...
Posted 09 Dec 2018 by Sue O'Hara -
Some Pictures of 60th Aniversary Winners
Posted 01 Dec 2018 by Sue O'Hara
Hand of the Week
Week 50
My apologies if I feature rather too many slam hands in this column but they generally make interesting reading (next week we will feature part scores!)
KQTxx
Txxx
A
KJx
You hear two no trumps from partner and must plan the bidding .Do you start with a transfer or stayman and does it make any difference which version you play straightforward or five card puppet ?
It is clearly a slam going hand which may play best in one of your suits so you could bid three hearts transfer and then what? Is a bid of four hearts thereafter correct is it only a four card suit and is it forcing? Should you bid five hearts following the spade transfer? Deep waters I think.
I have always played four hearts as five five in the majors and non forcing i.e. weak and a jump to five hearts as invitational with five hearts.
Therefore we go via three clubs with this hand and playing simple stayman there is no difficulty since we can bid three spades over three diamonds to show five. The problem is if we play any of the variants of five card or five card puppet we need a method to allow opener to show three card spades having denied a major since when opener rebids three diamonds they merely deny a five card major and we now probe for a four card fit.
This was another trap which partner and I failed to solve since the other hand was
AJx
QJ
KQJ
AQxxx
So we had two heart losers but the defence had to cash them.
Then
AKxxxxx
Jxx
Q
Xx
Qxx
KQ
AKJxx
Axx
A fine slam contract I hear you say and I bet that almost every man or woman and their dog will reach six spades which we did so a good effort. Virtue had to be its own reward since hearts were 7 -1 so it failed with a ruff although 6 no trumps is cold because the diamonds are so good. Any suggestions as to reaching that contract please send to me on a postcard.
Week 49
The splinter bid is my favourite convention and I give two hands this week highlighting its value.
First you hold
AK
QJxxx
Xxx
QJx
The bidding is uncontested and goes 1d from partner 1h from you and 4h from partner?
Your values suggest you may be in the slam zone but lacking a club control the only possible way to proceed is by making a spade cue bid and if partner bids 5d in response you bid 5h pinpointing the club problem. Partner holds
Qx
AKxx
AKQJx
Xx
So 5h is the limit.
The negative aspect of the hand is partner did not bid 3s or 4c to show shortage in either suit so we know they will be balanced and thus there will be 2 potential club losers or else a loser there and another in diamonds ( 3 small cards in a suit partner has bid is a dreadful holding )
Our next hand is as follows
X
KQJxx
AQxxx
Kx
Axx
Xx
KJxxx
Axx
The bidding starts 1h 2d?
The north hand is now huge following the 2d response and we can rebid either 4d or 5d but much better is to show our fit and the spade shortage with a splinter bid of 3s .This will excite partner a lot holding the spade ace facing a singleton spade and we will bid the cold 6d with ease.
A splinter is an unnecessary jump bid where the level below is natural.
So 1h 1s 4c or as above 1h 2d 3s.
It is one of the best methods presently available for evaluating fits for game and slam purposes and is highly recommended.
Week 48
The hand this week is complicated in both the bidding and play and cropped up in an afternoon session at the club.
Axxx
Xx
Qx
AQxxx
Void
AKTx
AKTxxx
KJx
With north the dealer the bidding typically began
1c 1d
1s 2h
North now had an awkward choice and the choice is 3c or 3D I prefer the latter since the sequence by opener already normally shows 5-4 distribution.
Now the south hand knows a slam or indeed grand slam is in the frame and might bid either 4c or 4d ( note that 4th suit forcing is game forcing here and the easiest way to play the method is game forcing throughout )
What is the best contract here ? either 7 c ,7d or 7nt are all possible the latter requires both minors to come in or some magic ( more of that shortly ) whereas 7c just needs trumps to break 3 -2 and 7d similarly just needs the trumps not to produce a loser .So 7 of either minor are both around 70 percent and 7nt a little less.
Anyway 7c fails as we shall see and 7d is cold but 7nt is a fantastic card play hand
The other hands are as follows
Kxxx
Qxx
Jx
JT9x
QJTxx
Jxxx
Xxx
X
So with clubs not breaking we have 6 diamond tricks 3 clubs 2 hearts and 1 spade .
If we cash 6 diamonds and also 3 clubs we reach the following end position :
Ax
X
X
AKTx
Dummy has Ax spade together with a heart and a club loser and south has 4 hearts .
LHO retains
H jxx
CJ
RHO holds
S QJ
H Qx
So now declarer cashes the SA and lho is forced to discard a heart from jxx since they must keep the CJ so now declarer scores 3 heart tricks to make the no trump grand slam .
The position is quite an unusual squeeze since each opponent has been squeezed rho in spades and hearts and lho in hearts and clubs .It is therefore a variety of double squeeze with neither opponent able to guard the hearts.
Week 47 46 and 45
Week 44 and 43
Week 42 and 41
Weeks 2 and 1
Up and Coming Events
February
Tuesday 19th - Club Ladies and Mens Pairs
Sunday 24th - ACBA Championship Pairs Final
March
Saturday 9th - Sociable Saturday
Sunday 10th - EBU National Pairs Qualifier
Thursday 14th - Hockey Cup, Club Mixed Pairs
Tuesday 19th March - Everett Cup Qualifier, Club Teams Competition
Sunday 24th - EBU Portland Pairs
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