We have a series of lessons starting in January

• Andrew  Urbanski on Thursday afternoons
• David Jones on Tuesday afternoons
• Mike Elliott and Stephen Royal have separate classes on Wednesday evenings.

Full details below.

Andrew Urbanski is going to teach a course of 6 lessons based around the part score battle.  More match points are won and lost in this area than anywhere else.  The course will particularly suit experienced players who want better results.  The course will be 6 consecutive weeks from 5th January, Thursday afternoons 2pm – 4.30pm.  Cost is £8 per class or £40 if paid in full, in advance. 

5th January:  Week 1 – Handling Trumps part 1 

• To draw or not to draw trumps 

• Counting tricks 

• Preserving control 

• Leaving master trumps outstanding 

12th January:  Week 2 – Handling Trumps part 2 

• Suit establishment 

• Cross ruffing 

• Occasions where you want opps to ruff 

• Loser on loser instead of ruffing 

19th January:  Week 3 – The part score battle 

• Getting your suit into the auction 

• Bidding to the level of the fit 

• Pushing the opponents higher 

• Vulnerability considerations 

26th January:  Week 4 – Hand Evaluation 

• Don’t be a slave to HCP’s 

• Honour placement and combinations 

• Intermediates 

• Shape 

• Re-evaluate as auction proceeds 

2nd February:  Week 5 – CROWNED (an acronym to help declarer) 

• Count and concentrate 

• Review the bidding 

• Opening lead – why this card? 

• Watch the cards 

• Negative inferences 

• Elimination and Endplay 

• Deception 

9th February:  Week 6 – The Lebensohl convention 

• When to use Lebensohl 

• Weak hands 

• Invitational hands 

• Game Forcing hands 

35 people responded asking for advanced defence classes. 

We are delighted that David Jones is offering a 4 week course on Tuesday afternoons from 10th January at 2pm. 

Week 1 – Opening leads and Analysing the bidding 

Week 2 – Defensive Strategy 

Week 3 – Signalling 

Week 4 – Counting 

Similarly this course will be £8 per lesson or £27 if paid in advance in full. 

We are pleased to offer a course run by Mike Elliot on Wednesday evenings 7.30 – 10pm. 

A 6 week course from 11th January. 

Mike’s theme is to improve your percentage duplicate scores by better bidding and defence. 

11th January:   

Week 1 – Leads and Signals part 1 

18th January:   

Week 2 – Leads and Signals part 2 

1st February:   

Week 3 – Opening and rebidding NT; Checkback, Protective NT 

8th February:   

Week 4 – System after opps open 1NT 

22nd February:  

Week 5 – Barrier Theory 

1st March:   

Week 6 – Strong, unbalanced hands 

£8 per lesson or £40 if paid in total, in advance.

Following on from Stephen Royal's improver lessons in Autumn 2016, another module of 8 lessons on a Wednesday evening at 7:15 pm are planned for 2017 :

January 4^th       Revision of ideas in the autumn course – 3^rd hand play, leads, passive and active defence. losing trick count, forcing defence, covering, cross-ruff etc.

January 11^th     4^th suit forcing + basic bidding practice

January 18^th and 25^th   Competitive bidding, especially doubles.

February 1^st and 8^th     Signals and Discards. Giving count and suit preference signals will be included.

February 15^th   Transfers over 1NT

February 22^nd  Slam bidding

The module of 8 lessons will cost £55 as in the autumn. Please pay in advance, either by cheque or direct to the Bristol Bridge Club bank account