MENU

Beginners' Lessons

LEARN BRIDGE - Next lesson series starts Monday 20th March 2023 at 7.00pm, and following that the next course will begin Sunday 9th July. We also have a bridge course in mandarin starting on the 12th February.

If you are interested in learning and would like more details, please phone or email us - we look forward to helping with any queries.

Beginners are taught the basics of bidding and play, with full notes provided, and no partner is required.  There are very few barriers to learning to playing bridge.  Youth under 14 years MUST be accompanied by a guardian.  The Beginners courses comprise a set of 15 lessons/playing sessions at a cost of $200 (youth half-price). Contact the Club to enrol aucklandbridgeclub@xtra.co.nz

What is Bridge?

Bridge is a card game for four players.  You play with a partner so it is two against two.

NZ Bridge - About the Game of Bridge
Contract Bridge - Wikipedia

Why Learn Bridge?

People play bridge for many reasons.  Many players are more interested in the social interaction with their friends, others like the challenge - they like to win.  But also ... it is good for you!

Bridging the gap: Why playing bridge is good for you ... and fun

Lessons for Beginners

Beginners are taught the basics of bidding and play based on course materials published by NZ Bridge.  It is a set of 15 lessons after which you will have become pretty proficient at the basics of the game, although you might not feel that way!  Bridge is a game of many facets and you are always learning new things.  After the lessons there are several sessions a week of supervised play available, where you can ask questions, and a brief introductory lesson precedes each of those play sessions.

Bridge Terminology

Bridge has it's own language, and we use a lot of bridge jargon without even being aware of it.  This page deciphers the most common terms and provides links to various on-line resources that should be able to explain the rest.

Beginners' Bridge Course Materials

Lesson 1 - Introduction

Presentation
Quiz Answers
Video for Lesson 1

Additional resources:

Video - Andrew Robson - Learn Bridge (English Bridge Teacher)

Note on on-line resources:  In NZ, UK, and, to a lesser extent, Australia, we start learning the Acol bidding system which can be described as 'natural, four-card majors, and a weak no-trump'.  In America, they typically use systems called Standard American, SAYC, or 2/1 (two over one) which are 'natural, five-card majors and a strong no-trump'.

Lesson 2 - 1-Level Opening Bids

Lesson 2 - 1 Level Opening Bids
Hands
Quiz Answers
Student Notes 
Video for Lesson 2

Additional Resources:

NZ Bridge 'Cheat Sheets'

You can practise one-level opening bids here.

You can practise playing the hands from the lesson.  After clicking on the link below, click one of the buttons near the bottom to select one of the possible contracts.  Then click the Play button, and select the cards to be played from each hand.  Note that the link will not work in all browsers (and in particular will not work in Internet Explorer).

       Hand 1Hand 2Hand 3Hand 4Hand 5Hand 6Hand 7Hand 8

Lesson 3 - Responder's Limit Bids

Lesson 3 - Responder's Limit Bids
Hands
Student Notes
Quiz Answers
Video for Lesson 3
Practise Play.  If you feel the urge, you can practise playing the cards on-line.  Click here for instructions.

Lesson 4 - Responder's New Suit Bids

Review Lesson

Lesson 5 - Balanced Hands

Lesson 6 - Responder's Rebids

Lesson 7 - Overcalls

Lesson 7 - Overcalls
Hands
Student Notes
Quiz Answers
Video for Lesson 7

How to play the hands by Duncan the Bad: Hand 1   Hand 2   Hand 3   Hand 4   Hand 5   Hand 6   Hand 7   Hand 8

Lesson 8 - Takeout Doubles

Lesson 9 - Preemptive Openings

Lesson 9 - Pre-emptive Openings
Hands
Student Notes
Quiz Answers
Video for Lesson 9

How to play the hands by Duncan the Bad: Hand 1   Hand 2   Hand 3   Hand 4   Hand 5   Hand 6   Hand 7  Hand 8

You can practise pre-emptive openings here.

Lesson 10 - Strong Opening Bids

Lesson 10 - Strong Opening Bids
Hands
Student Notes
Quiz Answers
Video for Lesson 10

How to play the hands by Duncan the Bad: Hand 1   Hand 2   Hand 3   Hand 4   Hand 5   Hand 6   Hand 7  Hand 8

You can practise strong opening bids here.

Drawing Trumps

Opening Leads

Developing a Long Suit

Ruffing in Dummy

Finessing

Scoring

X