Palo Alto Bridge

Planning to Win 2025
2025-10-07 09:15 - 11:15, 2025-10-21 09:15 - 11:15, 2025-11-04 09:15 - 11:15, 2025-11-18 09:15 - 11:15, 2025-12-09 09:15 - 11:15, 2025-12-16 09:15 - 11:15, 2026-01-06 09:15 - 11:15 (America/Los_Angeles) | Bridge Center, 432A Stierlin Rd, Mountain View, CA, 94043, United States
Kathy Harper
(650) 207-1816
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A more modern style of teaching bridge designed by Pat Harrington. For players with some bridge experience or new players that have completed the Play & Learn Beginning Bridge class.
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 at (650) 207-1816 email for additional information.

PLAY & LEARN Planning to Win
Dates

Cancelled due to illness
September 23, 2025

Counting Winners and Entries in NT;
Bidding Maximum Opening Hands;
Opening Leads in Notrump
October 7

Counting Losers and Drawing Trump;
Maximum Responding Hands;
October 21

Promotion in Suits and Notrump;
Bidding with Minimum Hands
November 4

Using Length in Suits & Notrump;
November 18

The Finesse
December 9

Dummy Points and Trumping in Dummy;
Blackwood
December 16

Discarding a Quick Loser
January 6, 2026

Watch out for the Opponents!
January 20

Sharpen Your Competitive Edge
2025-10-09 19:15 - 21:30, 2025-10-30 19:15 - 21:30, 2025-11-06 19:15 - 21:30, 2025-11-13 19:15 - 21:30
Frank Smoot
(408) 306-3901
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You will learn powerful and practical bidding, play and defense concepts. The opponents will often get into your auction (and you into theirs) in this course. You will add tools to overcome the competition and use the bidding to help your play of the hand.

This course is designed for players who understand the basics, but are working on accurately assessing their hand strength to avoid overbidding or underbidding – players who are refining techniques like finesses, setting up long suits and entry management. We will cherish mistakes in class and grow stronger from them.

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 will 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 30+ 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) 306-3901 email.

The 8-Week Course Covers
Bridge Baron Downloads

Weak Two Bids
Strong Two-Club Opening
Bidding Judgment – Uncontested
Bidding Judgment – Contested
Competing and Sacrificing
Combating Weak Openings
Third Hand Defense
Second Hand Defense

Weak Two
Strong 2 Club
Bidding Judgment – Uncontested
Bidding Judgment – Contested
Competing and Sacrificing
Combating Weak Openings
Third Hand
Second Hand

Bridge Baron Support
Purchase: BaronBarclay
Instructions for downloading and playing files with Bridge Baron
Students: For additional support contact Alan Templeton or Frank Smoot

Payment
After registering, below, you may pay by Zelle or check to hold your spot:
Zelle: Transfer $240 to either franklinsalias-bridge@yahoo.com or (408) 306-3901.
Check: Mail a check made out to Frank Smoot in the amount of $240:

Frank Smoot
15 Tagus Ct.
Portola Valley, CA 94028

Supervised Play Monday Evenings
2025-10-13 18:45 - 20:30, 2025-10-27 18:45 - 20:30, 2025-11-10 18:45 - 20:30, 2025-11-24 18:45 - 20:30, 2025-12-08 18:45 - 20:30, 2026-01-12 18:45 - 20:30
Kathy Harper
(650) 207-1816
Send Email

Beginning Bridge
2025-10-13 19:00 - 20:30, 2025-10-27 19:00 - 20:30, 2025-11-10 19:00 - 20:30, 2025-11-24 19:00 - 20:30, 2025-12-08 19:00 - 20:30, 2026-01-12 19:00 - 20:30
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.
Please contact Kathy Harper for more information.

Supervised Play Tuesday Mornings
2025-10-21 08:45 - 10:30, 2025-11-04 08:45 - 10:30, 2025-11-18 08:45 - 10:30, 2025-12-09 08:45 - 10:30, 2025-12-16 08:45 - 10:30, 2026-01-06 08:45 - 10:30

2 Over 1
2026-01-15 19:15 - 21:30
Frank Smoot
(408) 306-3901
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Would you like to save bidding space? Learn the 2 Over 1 System, the most popular bidding system among experienced players. The system provides a scientific approach to bidding. Responder doesn’t need to jump to show game-forcing values. This extra room allows opener and responder to exchange detailed information about hand distribution, strength, and control holdings below game level. This allows for superior game/slam exploration.
This course is intended for Intermediate level bridge players with at least one year of duplicate experience.
Using materials from 2 Over 1 Game Force by Audrey Grant and Eric Rodwell you will learn concepts, do exercises in class and finish the evening by playing hands relating to the topic. There will be light homework consisting of puzzlers at the end of each section in the text.
The in-class hands will be available in electronic format so students can play them at home and receive commentary on their bidding and play (requires Bridge Baron software – see below).
Coffee, tea and snacks also provided.
Our course instructor is the very popular Frank Smoot who has taught bridge to beginners and beyond in Palo Alto for 30+ years. Frank and our wonderful volunteers give students individual attention which helps our students learn in a fun environment.
Students will be given one copy of 2 Over 1 Game Force by Audrey Grant and Eric Rodwell. You may be purchased additional copies at Amazon.com, Barns & Noble and Baron Barclay among other sources.
For more information contact Frank Smoot (408) 306-3901 email.

The 6-Week Course Covers
Bridge Baron Downloads

How to Benefit from Extra Space
Forcing 1NT Response
Opener’s Rebid
Responder’s Rebid and Fast Arrival
Game or Slam & Control Bids
Showing Controls

Introduction (Deals 1-4)
Forcing 1NT (Deals 5-8)
Rebids (Deals 9-12)
Review (Deals 17-24)
Game or Slam (Deals 13-16)
Review (Deals 25-32)
Bonus Deals 1-6
Bonus Deals 7-12

Bridge Baron Support
Purchase: BaronBarclay
Instructions for downloading and playing files with Bridge Baron
Students: For additional support contact Alan Templeton or Frank Smoot

Payment
After registering, below, you may pay by Zelle or check to hold your spot:
Zelle: Transfer $200 to either franklinsalias-bridge@yahoo.com or (408) 306-3901.
Check: Mail a check made out to Frank Smoot in the amount of $200:

Frank Smoot
15 Tagus Ct.
Portola Valley, CA 94028
