LONDON BRIDGE CENTRE

London Bridge Centre recognizes the need for education programs for players of all levels - from absolute beginners to advanced players. The path for beginners starts with a basic course which can then be supplemented with additional basic+ level courses. Opportunities to practice what has been learned are also available. For the intermediate and advanced player, two and four-week courses are offered on a variety of topics.

 LBC reserves the right to cancel any course if there is insufficient registration.

A Taste of Bridge is an introductory session for individuals considering learning how to play this popular card game. No prior bridge experience is needed. In three hours, we aim to show how much fun the game can be and hope you will see that bridge is a challenging and interesting game. Come alone or bring a group to the event.

The teacher for this session is Sara Ellis.

This half-day course will be offered on Saturday, September 7 from 9:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. The course is FREE but pre-registration is required.

The A Taste of Bridge session scheduled for September 7 is full. A second class for A Taste of Bridge is being offered on September 14, at 9:30 a.m. and will be taught by Linda and Graeme Tindale. 

To register for the September 14, A Taste of Bridge class please click on the REGISTRATION link to register.

Bridge Basics I is a general introduction to the game of bridge that includes basic terminology, bidding, and card play. This course is designed for individuals with no bridge experience or for those who are returning to bridge after an extended absence from the game.

Bridge Basics I will consist of 8 sessions to be held at the London Bridge Centre. The course will be taught on Tuesday mornings from 9:30 a.m. to 12:00 a.m. beginning September 24 and will run to Tuesday, November 19. No class on Tuesday, October 22.  

Course Topics: Hand evaluation, the bidding ladder, no-trump opening bids and basic responses, minor suit opening bids and basic responses, major suit opening bids and basic responses, and dummy points. Hand play and defense will be included in each class.

The teacher for this course is Jane King.

The fee for this course is $120 plus the cost of Audrey Grant's Bridge Basics I textbook.

The deadline for registration is Friday, September 20, 2024. To register for this course please click on the REGISTRATION link.

Strategies for a Successful Defense 

This course is designed for the intermediate bridge player who is interested in improving defensive play. Since every partnership is on defense 50% of the time, defense is a crucial part of winning bridge strategy.  Many bridge players repeat the same mistakes over and over on defense. This course is designed to help you avoid some of those pitfalls and costly defensive errors. 

This Defense course will consist of 7 sessions to be held at the London Bridge Centre on Thursday mornings from 9:30 to 12:00 starting on September 19, 2024. Participants are responsible for obtaining their own course textbook “Bridge – The Magic of Defense” by Barbara Seagram. The teacher for this course is Mary Howe. 

Topics that will be covered during the course include:

Opening Leads, Teamwork on Defense, When to Lead Trump, Signalling Attitude to Partner’s Lead, Signalling with Discards, Count Signals, Suit Preference Signals, Second Hand Play, Lead Directing Doubles.

For a detailed course outline of the 7-week course click here.  

Teacher: Mary Howe

Fee: The fee for this course is $105 plus the textbook "Bridge - The Magic of Defense"

The course is currently full. However, please feel free to register and you will be put on a waiting list. Mary will contact you to let you know if a space becomes available.

The deadline for registration is Tuesday, September 17, 2024. To register for this course please click on the REGISTRATION link.

Bridge Basics III is for those who have taken BB I and who have gained some experience at playing bridge. This five-session course is focused on popular conventions and is a great follow-up to BB I.

Course Topics: Stayman, Jacoby Transfers, the Big 2 club opener, Blackwood, Gerber, and Slam bidding.

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Bridge Basics III will consist of 5 sessions to be held at the London Bridge Centre on Monday afternoons from 1:00 pm to 3:30 pm on September 9, 16, 23, 30, and October 7.

The teacher for this course is Barb O'Brien.

The fee for this course is $75 plus the textbook - approximately $30.

To register for this course please click on the REGISTRATION link. The deadline for registering for this course is Friday, September 6.

2/1 Game Force

Instructor: Peter Tuttle

Wednesday @ 1:00 at LBC

     October 23^rd, 30^th & November 6^th, 13^th, 20^th

2/1 is a modification of standard bidding methods. The approach is designed to give the partnership more bidding room both to find the best game contract and explore slam possibilities.

Topics

1.    When 2/1 applies and its advantages

2.    The forcing I no trump response

3.    Rebids by opener and responder

4.    The choice between a game and a slam

Cost: $75 plus cost of text (approximately $29)

Text: 2/1 Game Force by Audrey Grant and Eric Rodwell

Register HERE.

The deadline for registration is October 16^th.

Slam Bidding after Major and Minor Suit Openings:

A Course for Advanced and Intermediate Players

Slam bidding is difficult even for expert players. This course is designed for advanced and intermediate players who are comfortable playing in Open Games and are looking to improve.  The course will be taught in January 2025, from 2:00 until 4:15 on Tuesday afternoons, over four weeks, using Zoom technology.

There will also be a Practice and Play component available, using BBO and Zoom, in a mutually agreed upon two-hour afternoon time slot during the first two weeks of February 2025. To achieve the maximum benefit, you should take this course with a partner with a similar level of bridge expertise and a desire to improve to the next level.

This course is open to all individuals within Unit 249 

Course Outline    

Weeks one and two will look at critical aspects associated with slam bidding in the majors:

·         Jacoby 2NT;

·         Splinter Bids;

·         Control Bids;

·         1430 Blackwood and Queen Ask.

Weeks three and four will look at critical aspects associated with slam bidding in the minors:

·         Inverted minors;

·         Splinter Bids;

·         When new suits are looking for NT and when they are Control Bids;

·         When cue-bids are looking for NT and when they are Control Bids;

·         Finding minor suit slams in a suit that is not opened;

·         1430 Blackwood and Queen Ask. 

Practice and Play

For those interested, the January course can be followed by two Practice and Play sessions in February.  These separate two-hour private Practice and Play sessions will be with a group of four and based on the concepts taught during the course. 

Each session will be supervised by Barry and take place on a mutually agreed upon afternoon time slot during the first two weeks of February. 

If you are unable to find another compatible pair for the Practice and Play component, an attempt will be made to find a pair for you. 

Dates and Times

The classes will be: Jan 7^th, Jan 14^th, Jan 21^st, and Jan 28^th. from 2:00 pm to 4:15 pm.

Practice and Play will take place on a mutually agreed upon afternoon time and day during the first two weeks of February.

Cost

 The cost for the four lessons and resources will be $70.

The cost for the two Practice and Play sessions and resources will be $40.

Registration and Payment

Registration for the course and payment deadline is Tuesday, November 12^th.  The date is early, but I must ensure that your student workbooks can be printed and in your hands before my departure from London toward the end of November.

To register for this course please click on the REGISTRATION link.

Registration and payment for the Practice and Play component can be made toward the end of January 2025.

For further information contact Barry Onslow: 519-657-9793 or email bonslow@uwo.ca  

Are you interested in developing your bridge skills?

Several teachers from London Bridge Centre are offering small group lessons online while they sit as Fifth Chair to guide your progress. Your group will play online at a mutually agreed-upon time. Prices and the length of each session may vary slightly.  For further info please go to Fifth Chair teachers. Please contact the teacher of your choice for details.