Bridge is a wonderful game, tailor-made for anyone who likes a challenge and enjoys the company of others. Making the experience enjoyable is very much the spirit in which I teach and play the game. My approach builds on the tried and tested methods of Andrew Robson, the UK’s number one bridge teacher and writer, a good friend of mine who encouraged me to start this venture.
There are several ways that I may be able to help you learn or develop your game. I have been playing bridge at a high level for many years, with a number of national and tournament wins and consistent winnings in high stake money bridge games. I have been teaching it face to face in Oxfordshire and online for the past seven years. In 2024, my partner Charlie Bucknell and I won the trophy for county players of the year and also topped the English Bridge Union’s national partnership grading scheme.
Face to face supervised play
Once a week i I run supervised play sessions at which you can play for up to three hours in a friendly atmosphere with expert supervision and meet others who share your love of the game. If you have not joined this session before, please feel free to contact me and discover if it would be suitable for you. It is not essential to come with a partner. The sessions are held in Wytham Village Hall, just off the A34 heading north.
Beginners courses
I aim to run at least one new beginners course every year. I am offering a free two-hour taster session on October 31st 2024 in Garsington Village Hall to explain the basics of the game and allow you to see for yourself if you are interested in taking lessons with me. Also suitable for those who have played before but are rusty or have forgotten what they knew.
Online seminars
For improvers, three times a year I run a weekly 90-minute online seminar for ten weeks, each session covering a single bidding or play topic, complete with extensive downloadable notes to review in your own time. The next series will begin in Q1 2025.
Group coaching
Once you have got going, why not join me for regular 90 minutes sessions online, playing with your preferred partner or in a group of four, eight or twelve? These group sessions are my most popular teaching format and are a proven way to improve your game. They are also available face to face by arrangement.
About the teaching
My professional life has been in journalism, publishing and more recently professional investment. Click on this link to hear why Andrew Robson is supporting my teaching his methods in Oxfordshire. Some of the hands I have played you may have read about in Andrew’s popular bridge column in The Times. 30 years ago I wrote a short introductory illustrated guide to the game, Learn Bridge In A Weekend, which you can still find online.
Stay in touch
To get on the mailing list to find out more and stay in touch for news about the latest courses and updates, simply fill in your email address in the sidebar. If you have any queries or want to know which course is right for you, then send me an email and I will get back to you as soon as we can. Please also tell your friends and family that our bridge resources are available. This game is brilliant and you won’t regret taking it up, whether you play socially or aspire to something higher.
Note on bidding methods
The bidding methods we teach are based on traditional UK practice (weak No Trump and four-card majors), as refined by Andrew Robson. The advantage is that something similar is played by the great majority of players in this country and by everyone who participates in our courses and regular playing sessions. Bidding this way provides a common language that allows you to sit down and play quite easily with almost anyone socially and a solid framework for doing well if you wish to go and play at a club or in a tournament.
Andrew Robson Bridge in Oxford 