Spring 2020 Bridge Class Schedule

Location: All classes at PUMC*. (9908 South Glen Road, Potomac, MD 20854.) Tuition: All classes are at the rate of $30 each OR tickets can be purchased @ 6 for $156. Credit Card Purchases: Online purchase of tickets @ 6 for $156 is available at our website.

To register for a class, go to the Registration Page.

Please tell your friends!

Absolute Beginner Bridge Part 1 starts Tuesday, April 7, 10 AM – Noon

Beginner Level

Brand New Beginner Bridge Part 1! Tuesdays 10 AM—Noon. Taught by Leslie and Charlie. For those who’ve never played before or who haven’t played in many years and want to start over. Topics: point count evaluation, opening bids and responses, basic play of the hand techniques. Six weeks, starts April 7 and ends May 12. Registration recommended!

Beginner Bridge Part 2. Tuesdays 10 AM—Noon. Taught by Leslie and Charlie. Basic bidding and responses are reviewed as well as an introduction to a few new bids (takeout doubles, preempts, overcalls, and the strong 2§ opening bid). This is also a great class for those who played years ago and want to get back into bridge and modernize their skills. Six weeks, starts May 19 and ends June 23.

Beginner Bridge Part 3: Introduction to Play of the Hand. Thursdays 10 AM—Noon. Taught by Charlie. Now that you have a basic knowledge of bidding, let us show you how to plan the play of the hand. Usually there is some method that must be used to actually make your contract. We will show you the methods of counting your tricks and recognizing how to find the extra ones that you will need. Includes: Promotion, Length, Finessing, and How to Get Rid of Losers. Six weeks, starts April 2 and ends May 14 (no class on April 9). Registration recommended — Might Sell Out!!

Beginner Bridge 4: Introduction to Basic Conventions. Thursdays 10 AM—Noon. Taught by Charlie. Topics: Stayman, Jacoby Transfers, the Strong 2§ Opener and Blackwood. We spend up to 2 weeks on each topic. These are conventions that you must learn to complete your basic bidding arsenal. After this class you will graduate to intermediate level. Six weeks, starts May 21 and ends June 25. Registration recommended — Might Sell Out!!

Intermediate Level

Leslie Sez! Mondays, 10 AM—Noon. Taught by Leslie and Charlie. Want to hear Leslie’s voice in your head more often? Take this class! Week 1: TNT (Think Notrump); Week 2: Keep Winners, Throw Losers (not as easy as it sounds); Week 3: The Rule of 20 (opening light in 1st or 2nd seat); Week 4: Rule of Margaritas (opening light in 3rd seat—Yeehaw!!); Week 5: When NOT to use “Eight Ever, Nine Never”; Week 6: Is Notrump of Major Importance? (Choosing.) Six weeks, starts April 6 and ends May 18 (no class April 13).

Sidestepping Common Bridge Mistakes. Mondays, 10 AM—Noon. Taught by Leslie and Charlie. Topics include: Weeks 1: Rule of 7—When to take your ace as declarer; Weeks 2 & 3: Reopening Doubles—to get your side back into the auction; Weeks 4 & 5: How to Play NT Like an Expert!! Five weeks, starts June 1 and ends June 29.

Avoiding Common Bridge Dilemmas (Part 2). Mondays, 7—9 PM. Taught by Charlie. Topics include: Weeks 1 & 2: When to Pass With Good Hands!!; Week 3: When to Bid in Competitive Auctions (The Law of Total Tricks); Week 4: Using a Cuebid as a Strong Raise in Competition; Week 5: Sacrifices! Five weeks, starts April 6 and ends May 11 (no class April 13). Note Evening Time!

Slam Bidding. Mondays, 7—9 PM. Taught by Charlie. Topics include: Week 1: Beyond Basic Blackwood; Week 2: Reverses (Don’t miss this one!!); Week 3: Jump Shifts by the Opener; Week 4: Jump Rebids—are they forcing? Week 5: Notrump Slams and Gerber; Week 6: Control Bidding (a different way of getting to slam). Six weeks, starts May 18 and ends June 29 (no class May 25). Note Evening Time!

Polishing Your Bridge, Parts 1 and 2. Wednesdays 10 AM—Noon. Taught by Charlie. One of our most popular classes; students are amazed at the amount of new information that they acquire. You don’t have to take both parts; each chapter stands alone. Two six-week courses. Part 1: Six weeks, starts April 1 and ends May 13 (no class on April 8). Topics: Categorize your Strength; Which Suit Do I Bid First?; The Best Opening Bid Ever; Bidding With Minimum Hands; New Ways to Invite Game; and Major Suit Raises (and the Losing Trick Count). Part 2: Six weeks, starts May 20 and ends June 24. Topics: The “Weak Freak”; Don’t Rebid a Five-Card Suit When You Have a Reasonable Alternative; Responder’s Only Forcing Bid; When a New Suit by Responder is not Forcing; and the Decider and Describer (2 weeks).

Signaling, Part 1—Introduction to Defense. Thursdays, 7—9 PM. Taught by Charlie. Learn how to signal your partner about what’s in your hand. Partner will start playing like a genius after this course (and that should make you very happy). Topics: Opening Leads; 2nd Hand Low; 3rd Hand High; Attitude Signals; and Using Attitude Signals. Six weeks, starts April 2 and ends May 14 (no class on April 9). Note Evening Time!

Leslie Sez! Thursdays, 7—9 PM. Taught by Charlie. Want to hear Leslie’s voice in your head more often? Take this class! Week 1: TNT (Think Notrump); Week 2: Keep Winners, Throw Losers (not as easy as it sounds); Week 3: The Rule of 20 (opening light in 1st or 2nd seat); Week 4: Rule of Margaritas (opening light in 3rd seat—Yeehaw!!); Week 5: When NOT to use “Eight Ever, Nine Never”; Week 6: Is Notrump of Major Importance? (Choosing.) Six weeks, starts May 21 and ends June 25. Note Evening Time!

Advanced Level

Major Suit Raises Part 1. Thursdays 10 AM—Noon. Taught by Leslie. Week 1: Weak Raises with Help Suit Game Tries (love finding those 22 point games!); Week 2: Limit Raises the Expert Way (love finding those 23 point games!); Week 3: Jacoby 2NT Raises (love finding those 28 point slams!); Week 4: Splinter Raises! (More 28 point slams!); Week 5: Major Suit Raises in Competition. Week 6 will be a review/mix of all of them, with you figuring out which treatment goes with each hand. No Handouts for this class: book with all deals included available for $10 each. Six weeks, starts April 2 and ends May 14 (no class on April 9). Registration recommended — Might Sell Out!

2/1 Game Forcing System. Thursdays 10 AM—Noon. Taught by Leslie. You will need to be a solid intermediate up through an advanced-level student to learn all the bells and whistles of this popular system. Weeks 1 & 2: 1NT Forcing; Weeks 3 & 4: Two Over One Game Forcing Auctions. Weeks 5 & 6: Mixed Review of both topics. Six weeks, starts May 21 and ends June 25. Registration recommended — Might Sell Out!!