Palo Alto Bridge

Beginning Bridge
2019-12-12 08:45 - 10:45, 2020-01-23 08:45 - 10:45, 2020-02-06 08:45 - 10:45 (America/Los_Angeles) | Bridge Center, 432A Stierlin Rd, Mountain View, CA, 94043, United States
Kathy Harper
(650) 207-1816
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Learn Bridge the modern way in this course designed by Pat Harrington! Each class includes both instruction and practice play. Start playing the very first day! Children & teens welcome.
For people who have never played bridge and those people who have played for years but want a refresher course or just to learn the basics.
Notes will be emailed for all classes. No make-up classes are offered for missed classes.
Our course instructor is ABTA Master Teacher Kathy Harper. Kathy and our wonderful volunteers give students individual attention which helps our students learn in a fun environment.
Please contact Kathy Harper for more information.

PLAY & LEARN Beginning Bridge
Dates

Introduction to Bridge
Choosing a Contract
September 19, 2019

Opening Bids and Selecting the Best Game
Opening 1NT
September 26

Major Suit Opening Bids
Minor Suit Opening Bids
October 17

Dummy Points
October 31

Responder Bids Notrump
Opener Bids Notrump
November 14

Takeout Doubles
December 12

Preempts
January 23, 2020

Strong 2 Clubs
February 6

Supervised Play Thursday Mornings
2019-12-12 08:45 - 10:45, 2020-01-23 08:45 - 10:45, 2020-02-06 08:45 - 10:45
Kathy Harper
(650) 207-1816
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Supervised Play Monday Evenings
2019-12-16 18:45 - 20:45, 2020-01-13 18:45 - 20:45, 2020-02-10 18:45 - 20:45, 2020-02-24 18:45 - 20:45

Deadly Defense
2019-12-16 19:00 - 21:00, 2020-01-13 19:00 - 21:00
Kathy Harper
(650) 207-1816
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Half the time at the bridge table, you will be defending. Don’t let those mean declarers walk all over you! Defend yourself! Learn how to lead, signal, and discard. This course is written by Pat Harrington
This Basic-Intermediate Bridge Class builds upon our Beginning Bridge Classes and prepares our students for our Intermediate Classes.
Notes will be emailed for all classes. No make-up classes are offered for missed classes.
Our course instructor is ABTA Master Teacher Kathy Harper. Kathy and our wonderful volunteers give students individual attention which helps our students learn in a fun environment.
Please contact Kathy Harper at (650) 207-1816 email for additional information.

Deadly Defense
Dates

Leading Against Notrump
September 9, 2019

Leading Against Suit Contracts
September 23

Second Hand Low
October 7

Second Hand Low … Except
October 21

Third Hand High
November 4

Introduction to Attitude Signals
November 18

Using Attitude Signals When Partner Leads
November 25

Opening Leads and Attitude Signals
December 9

Discards and Attitude Signals
December 16

Suit Preference Signals.
January 13, 2020

Polish Your Basics
2019-12-17 09:00 - 11:00, 2020-01-21 09:00 - 11:00, 2020-02-04 09:00 - 11:00
Kathy Harper
(650) 207-1816
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Review and refine your bidding in this class for second year students or players who have been away from the game. Expand your understanding of the new style of bidding as we explore auctions that are not discussed in many bridge courses. Written by Pat Harrington
This Basic-Intermediate Bridge Class builds upon our Beginning Bridge Classes and prepares our students for our Intermediate Classes.
Notes will be emailed for all classes. No make-up classes are offered for missed classes.
Our course instructor is ABTA Master Teacher Kathy Harper. Kathy and our wonderful volunteers give students individual attention which helps our students learn in a fun environment.
Please contact Kathy Harper at (650) 207-1816 email for additional information.

PLAY & LEARN Polish Your Basics
Dates

Categorize Your Strength! How declarer uses discards. Quick losers.
September 17, 2019

Which Suit do I bid first? Bidding distributional hands.
October 1

Bidding balanced Hands. Stayman.
October 15

When you don’t have game, stop at a reasonable LOW spot.
October 29

Help suit game tries with single raise in the majors.
November 12

Major suit limit raises. Why four-card support?
November 26

“Newplicate”, the “Weak Freak” and how to show a good major raise.
December 10

How to avoid rebidding a five-card suit. Reverses.
December 17

Responder’s only forcing bid.
January 21, 2020

When a New Suit by Responder is NOT forcing.
February 4

Saturday Sampler
2019-12-28 13:00 - 16:00, 2020-01-25 12:00 - 15:00, 2020-02-29 12:00 - 15:00
A monthly class for novice and intermediate players.
Each class is standalone with a hands-on lesson, followed by pre-dealt boards. You’ll also receive a handout with a summary. Classes will review and reinforce basics; many will present new concepts as well.
You can attend as many or as few as you like. We do ask you to register for each class in advance (scroll down) so we can prepare enough pre-made boards and handouts.
Do I need a partner? No, but partners are encouraged to attend together.
Will classes always be the 4th Saturday of the month? No – class dates may shift due to unit games or other events, but will usually be the 4th or 5th Saturday.
Do I need to know 2 Over 1? No, classes will use Standard American bidding; but will often be useful to 2/1 players as well.
Upcoming Classes
For more information email Anna Ravenscroft annaraven@gmail.com

Lecture Series
2020-01-14 09:30 - 11:00, 2020-01-28 09:30 - 11:00, 2020-02-11 09:30 - 11:00, 2020-02-25 09:30 - 11:00
Our Unit provides a series of free lectures as part of our education program. These lectures cover areas of interest for new as well as intermediate players. Lectures are held on selected Tuesday mornings at 9:30 AM at our Bridge Center.
During Stay-At-Home lectures are held on Zoom. Sign-in information is sent via email to all Unit members. Zoom access starts at 9 AM. Sign-in early to reserve your spot, and meet your friends and say hello before the lecture. If you have problems, please text 408-858-2928. We have a limit of 100 attendees – if you are unable to join, the video and handouts will be available later on the web site.
Use the Lecture Series Information link, below, for subject and presenter of this lecture. After the lecture you will also find any handout material provided in class.
This free series is funded by the Peninsula Bridge Education Foundation. Please consider a tax-deductible donation to continue the mission of our foundation.

Intermediate IV
2020-01-23 19:15 - 21:30, 2020-02-06 19:15 - 21:30, 2020-02-13 19:15 - 21:30, 2020-02-20 19:15 - 21:30, 2020-02-27 19:15 - 21:30
Frank Smoot
(408) 732-5736
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This new course goes beyond the topics from Intermediate Bridge II and Intermediate Bridge III.
This course is for bridge players who have a minimum of two years experience playing duplicate bridge.
Using materials from many sources (primarily Richard Pavlicek) you will learn powerful and practical bidding, play and defense concepts, do exercises in class (homework outside of class) and finish the evening by playing hands relating to the topic. Snacks are also provided. You will be amazed at what you willl learn, even if you have played for years and years!
The in-class exercises are available in electronic format so students can play the hands at home and receive commentary on their bidding and play (requires Bridge Baron software).
Our course lecturer is the very popular Frank Smoot who has taught bridge to beginners and beyond in Palo Alto for 15+ years. Frank and our wonderful volunteers give students individual attention which helps our students learn in a fun environment.
For more information contact Frank Smoot (408) 732-5736 email.

The 8-Week Course Covers

Declarer Play

Trump Control
Trick One Tips
Suit Establishment
Timing the Play

Who has What?

Counting as Declarer
Counting on Defense

Defense

Signaling Methods
Trump Tactics

Class Downloads**

Lesson 1
Trump Control

Lesson 2
Trick One Tips

Lesson 3
Suit Establishment

Lesson 4
Timing the Play

Lesson 5
Counting as Declarer

Lesson 6
Signaling Methods

Lesson 7
Trump Tactics

Lesson 8
Counting on Defense

**Downloads may change a couple of days prior to class.Instructions for downloading and playing files with Bridge Baron
Bridge Baron Support
Bridge Baron Website. We usually have copies of Bridge Baron at class which we sell at a discount.

*After registering, please send a check made out to Frank Smoot in the amount of $175 to hold your spot to:
Frank Smoot
528 S Taaffe St
Sunnyvale, CA 94086

Beginning Bridge
2020-02-10 19:00 - 21:00, 2020-02-24 19:00 - 21:00
Kathy Harper
(650) 207-1816
Send Email

Learn Bridge the modern way in this course designed by Pat Harrington! Each class includes both instruction and practice play. Start playing the very first day! Children & teens welcome.
For people who have never played bridge and those people who have played for years but want a refresher course or just to learn the basics.
Notes will be emailed for all classes. No make-up classes are offered for missed classes.
Our course instructor is ABTA Master Teacher Kathy Harper. Kathy and our wonderful volunteers give students individual attention which helps our students learn in a fun environment.
Upcoming Dates
Please contact Kathy Harper for more information.

Supervised Play Tuesday Mornings
2020-02-18 08:45 - 10:45
