Sedona Bridge Center
New Membership Development Plan
Beginning January, 2009
WE WANNA HOLD YOUR HAND!


The Sedona Bridge Center has adopted the Audrey Grant Better Bridge Teaching method for implementation in its new Membership Drive for January, 2009. The Better Bridge Teaching series has five text books:
Bridge Basics 1 – An introduction
Bridge Basics 2 – Competitive Bidding
Bridge Basics 3 – Popular Conventions
Improving your judgment 1 – Opening the bidding
Improving your judgment 2 – Doubles
Better Bridge is in the process of releasing another text on “2 over 1” (due February, 2009).

The Audrey Grant teaching method utilizes “Play of the Hand” to emphasize teaching points. Each text book has 32 Practice Hands which have been developed by an expert bridge player to highlight the teaching points referred to in the text books. Marsha Helton has been accredited to teach by the Audrey Grant Better Bridge team and will be conducting each session.

Our proposed teaching plan is to have a bridge “learn and play” session from 1 to 4:30 PM on Tuesdays and Saturdays (from 10 AM to – 2:00 PM). We will spend the first hour and a half to two hours playing 4 to 6 practice hands that emphasize the teaching points from the appropriate chapter of the Audrey Grant book that we are studying that week. We will then play 12 to 15 boards depending on time available. (We will have short breaks every hour). The Tuesday and Saturday sessions are independent. Some players can attend on Saturdays; some can only attend on Tuesdays. Players do have the flexibility to come to both sessions or to come to the other session if they are going to miss their preferred day.

Our program is new and we intend to be flexible to meet our member’s needs. We will be interested in feedback from our participants as we progress through the sessions. For example, members will be asked if they want an opportunity to play more to practice the skills they are learning. We have the potential of adding a “play only” session on Wednesdays where we can add a restricted masterpoint game.

Attached is a summary of the Better Bridge teaching series. The text books have been well planned and written for refresher/ beginner bridge players. Each chapter has 4 to 6 practice hands which show examples of the teaching points. Discussions of opening leads, signaling, and proper play of the hand (Declarer’s checklist) are integrated in each play of the hand.

For those of you who want to practice between sessions on Tuesdays and Saturdays, you may
Access the following website:

www.acbl.org
Click on Learn
Download Free Lesson Software

These will be good to reinforce what you learn in this class.

Good Luck. We hope to make this and enjoyable experience.
The Sedona Bridge Center Members

AUDREY GRANT – BETTER BRIDGE TEAM
TEACHING SERIES


Session one – Bridge Basics 1; Estimated six to eight weeks
Chapter 1 – The Basics
Chapter 2 - One No Trump – Opening Bid and responses
Chapter 3 - Minor Suit Openings and Responses
Chapter 4 - Major Suit Openings and Responses
Note – Opening leads, defensive signaling and Play of the hand (Declarers checklist)
Are introduced and discussed through each of the above chapters.


Session two – Bridge Basics 2; Competitive Bidding
Chapter 1 – Preemptive Opening Bids; Includes a discussion on Vulnerability. The Chapter also discusses advances. (The advancer is the partner of a player who has made a bid. Advances is a term which means the appropriate bids by “advancer” once partner has made a bid
Chapter 2 - Overcalls and advances by partner
Chapter 3 - Takeout doubles and advances
Chapter 4 - Competitive auction – How to bid when opponents are interfering
(includes discussions of penalty doubles)


Session three – Bridge Basics 3; Popular Conventions
Chapter 1 - Stayman Convention
Chapter 2 – Jacoby Transfer Bids
Chapter 3 - Strong Opening Bids
Chapter 4 – Slam Bidding


Session four – Improving your Judgment 1 – Opening the bidding
Chapter 1 – Opening at the one level – in first and second position
Chapter 2 - Opening at the one level – in third and fourth position
Chapter 3 - Obstructive opening bids – how to disrupt opponents game
Chapter 4 - Strong two club opening bid and responses


Session five – Improving your Judgment 2 - Doubles
Chapter 1 – The Takeout Double
Chapter 2 - Advancing a Takeout Double
Chapter 3 – Doublers rebid and subsequent actions
Chapter 4 – Balancing and other doubles

Session six – 2 over 1 (to be published 1st quarter 2009)