Supervised Play Monday Evenings
2026-10-05 18:45 - 20:30, 2026-10-19 18:45 - 20:30, 2026-11-02 18:45 - 20:30, 2026-11-16 18:45 - 20:30, 2026-11-30 18:45 - 20:30 (America/Los_Angeles) | Bridge Center, 432A Stierlin Rd, Mountain View, CA, 94043, United States
Kathy Harper
(650) 207-1816
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10-minute lesson followed by practice play with lots of help. Experienced helpers and nice partners!
Dates: 9-14, 28; 10-5, 19; 11-2, 16, 30; 12-14; 1-25; 2-8

Beginning Bridge
2026-10-05 19:00 - 20:30, 2026-10-19 19:00 - 20:30, 2026-11-02 19:00 - 20:30, 2026-11-16 19:00 - 20:30, 2026-11-30 19:00 - 20:30
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.
Class dates: 9-14, 28; 10-5, 19; 11-2, 16, 30; 12-14; 1-25; 2-8
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.

Keep Your Balance This Fall
2026-10-08 19:15 - 21:30, 2026-10-29 19:15 - 21:30, 2026-11-05 19:15 - 21:30, 2026-11-12 19:15 - 21:30, 2026-11-19 19:15 - 21:30, 2026-12-03 19:15 - 21:30
Frank Smoot
(408) 306-3901
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Keep Your Balance This Fall … and help the opponents lose theirs
Balanced hands are fun to bid – you describe your strength and let partner do the navigating. Very nice, until an annoying opponent disrupts with a nuisance bid.
This course is intended for Intermediate level bridge players with at least one year of duplicate experience. What you will learn
Bid notrump games and slams with confidence — and when to avoid notrump.
Compete over their 1NT opening and handle interference over ours.
Rebid after suit opening bids, with and without a fit.
Notrump declarer play tactics and notrump defensive principles. How the class works
In this intermediate course, we will combine structured learning with table practice. The learning deals will provide many opportunities to apply what you have learned. You will improve bidding and play technique in a fun, supportive environment. We will do exercises in class (homework outside of class) and conclude each evening by playing deals related to the topic.
Attending with a partner is not required.
Learning deals are available as downloads so you can play the hands at home (requires Bridge Baron Software).
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.
For more information contact Frank Smoot (408) 306-3901 email. Topics
Notrump Bidding

Games and slams
How to interfere
When they interfere

Suit Bidding

Responder’s rebid
Bidding after a raise
When/how to upgrade

Play and Defense

Find extra tricks
Avoid trouble
Leads and signals

Date
Topic
Bridge Baron
Download

Sept. 10
Notrump Auctions
To be provided

Sept. 17
Notrump Slam Auctions

Oct. 8
Defense to Their Notrump

Oct. 29
Overcome Interference with Our Notrump

Nov. 5
Responder’s Rebid

Nov. 12
Bidding After a Raise

Nov. 19
Notrump Declarer Play

Dec. 3
Notrump Defense

No class Sept. 24, Oct. 1, 15, 22 or Thanksgiving week. 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

EZ Bridge
2026-10-12 11:15 - 13:15, 2026-10-19 11:15 - 13:15, 2026-10-26 11:15 - 13:15, 2026-11-02 11:15 - 13:15, 2026-11-09 11:15 - 13:15, 2026-11-16 11:15 - 13:15, 2026-11-23 11:15 - 13:15, 2026-11-30 11:15 - 13:15
Duplicate Bridge Made Easy
New to duplicate? Want a relaxed game designed to help you improve? This is for you.
3 Mondays in March
March 9, 16, and 23
Every Monday
11am mini-lesson
11:15am – 1:15pm game
12-14 Boards
$15 per person
ACBL-sanctioned game (0-49 MPs)
Masterpoints awarded.
Ask Questions and Have Fun
Need a partner? We’ll match you up.
Signup for this fun event | Flyer
Questions? Ask John, Will or Alex:
John Schwartz irpdy@yahoo.com
Will Watson watsonbridge@gmail.com
Alex Narasi anarasin@yahoo.com

Swiss Team Club Game
2026-10-12 11:30 - 15:00, 2026-11-09 11:30 - 15:00
Swiss Team games are great fun to play and grant generous master point awards at sectional, regional, and national tournaments! Now you have the chance to play at the club level in our monthly games, typically held on the 2nd Monday of the month (check our calendar for changes), hosted by John Schwartz and Will Watson.
These games are a wonderful opportunity to polish one’s Swiss Team skills throughout the year and especially prior to sectional, regional, and national tournaments. If you are less experienced or have never played in a Swiss Team game and would like to play Swiss Teams at future tournaments, these Swiss Team club games are a perfect opportunity to gain experience in a more relaxed club game environment. For those less experienced Swiss Team players, here are slides from a Swiss Team strategy lecture from a Swiss Team strategy lecture given in August 2023..
These games will have an Open and a Limited section. They will award 100% black points.
No lunch is provided. Snacks aree available before and during the game.
For planning purposes, we ask that players sign-up to play at: https://www.signup123.com/unit503bridge/Scripts/slogin.pl

The game reservation system is designed for pairs games and not Swiss Teams. So, to sign up your team, sign up you and your partner in both the N/S and E/W boxes.
Having trouble signing up? Email Will Watson watsonbridge@gmail.com

Don’t have a team of four? The Unit will help you find a team. Email Will Watson at watsonbridge@gmail.com.
Have questions? Please contact Will or Marc Cervellino at marc.cervellino@hotmail.com.

Board of Directors Meeting
2026-10-13 16:00 - 17:30, 2026-11-10 16:00 - 17:30
Usually held on the second Tuesday of every month at 4pm. Meetings are via Zoom. Please see our Event Calendar for possible changes.
Members are welcome to attend. Please contact the board if you would like a subject added to the Agenda.
Please see our Governance page for information about the board, the agenda for this meeting and the agenda and minutes of past meetings.

Palo Alto Bridge Silver Sectional
2026-10-22 - 2026-10-25
Save the date.

STaC Week
2026-11-16 - 2026-11-21
Go for the GOLD! And the RED! And the SILVER! And the BLACK!

Do you like to win gold, red, silver, and black masterpoints without having to play two sessions and drive a long distance to a Regional tournament? Then call your partners, mark your calendar, and come to the Palo Alto Bridge Center!
Sectional Tournament at Clubs (STaC) games will be held daily at the Palo Alto Bridge Center. STaC game masterpoint “overall” awards for both Open and Limited games are significantly larger than the standard club game! Stratified Open and Limited (most days) Games
Game times and signup may be found here. For planning purposes, we ask you to sign up for the games.
