Bridge in Charlbury 28th March

Save the day

The next play and learn session in Charlbury is scheduled for Wednesday afternoon 28th March. If you wish to come and are able to do so, please follow the link to this Doodle poll and let me know. If the poll does not work for you, please drop me an email to let me know if you are coming. Assuming that we have sufficient numbers, the start time is 2.30pm, but please arrive a few minutes before, so that we can start promptly.

As aways the session will be held in Andrew and Rosie Dent’s lovely barn just outside Charlbury, Parking is right outside. The format is three “play along with me” instructional hands followed by supervised play. Please note that the fee for the session is £20 a head. You can pay by cash or card on the day or by direct transfer to the ARB Oxford bank account.

I look forward to seeing you on the day. These afternoons are proving to be a lot of fun – some tips on bidding and play and the chance to play with new or old friends in a friendly atmosphere. Refreshments provided.

Jonathan

Bridge hand in The Times

You might be interested in this hand which Andrew Robson chose to mention in his column in The Times last weekend. You can download it from the link below. I am repeating the post as some of you were unable to use the link I provided last time.

bridge Download

I was sitting North, but please don’t ask me what the score was on this hand! 7D was bid and made in one room by our opponents, while 3NT was down 1 in ours when the 3-0 diamond break came to light, meaning I could only score two of the nine Diamonds as tricks. Suffice it to say that I was happy not to be playing this one in my high stakes money bridge game! It is clear for South to bid 4D over 3NT, even if the 3-0 break was well against the odds.

Jonathan

Bridge hand in The Times

You might be interested in this hand which Andrew Robson chose to mention in his column in The Times last weekend. https://www.thetimes.co.uk/puzzles/board-and-card-games/bridge-xj352j7c0. I was sitting North, but please don’t ask me what the score was on this hand! 7D was bid and made in one room by our opponents, while 3NT was down 1 in ours when the 3-0 diamond break came to light, meaning I could only score two of the nine Diamonds as tricks. Suffice it to say that I was happy not to be playing this one in my high stakes money bridge game! It is clear for South to bid 4D over 3NT, even if the 3-0 break was well against the odds. If you cannot access The Times, the article is also reproduced here.

bridge Download

Jonathan

Bridge update 12th Feb 2024

The new series of supervised play sessions in Wytham resumed in January and is going well, despite all attempts by the highway authorities and Mother Nature to make getting to our venue, Wytham Village Hall, a little tricky at times. It continues this week as normal. Start time 10am formally but we can start earlier if you arrive in good time before then. Thanks to those of you who have managed to us the Doodle poll for dates for the Thursday morning sessions from January to March this year. Signing up is not binding, but will help us to plan numbers and where helpful find suitable partners, particularly in weeks when Annabel is not available to help. Refreshments are also provided.

The next monthly session for our Charlbury group is scheduled for Wednesday February 28th, starting at the normal time of 2.30pm and will continue provisionally monthly thereafter. I also still have room for a couple of new faces on my Tuesday morning learn and play sessions which start at 9am and run until 11.30. Please drop me a line if you wish to be considered for this small but lively group of improvers.

Best wishes and happy carding.

Jonathan

Online tuition

I have space for one or two new sign ups for my regular Tuesday morning online play and learn sessions, which have been running now for over three years. Numbers are capped to ensure the best experience. We play and review a succession of randomly dealt hands to replicate the experience of playing in real life, with everyone having the chance to ask me questions and make suggestions at the end of each hand.

This has proved to be an excellent way to improve your game, both in the bidding and play, as well as a lot of fun. We use Andrew Robson’s Acol bidding methods. The sessions run from 9am until 11.30 every Tuesday, although it is possible to drop out at any stage if you have other commitments during the morning. If you would like to be considered for these sessions please drop me an email (arb.oxford@gmail.com) or comment here.

Jonathan

Bridge in Charlbury update

Save the day

The next play and learn session in Charlbury is on Wednesday afternoon this week (January 31st). If you wish to come and are able to do so, please follow the link to this Doodle poll and let us know. It is not essential, but if the poll does not work for you it is very helpful if you can drop me an email to let me know you are coming.

As aways the session will be held in a lovely barn just outside Charlbury, hosted by ARB Oxford supporters Andrew and Rosie Dent. The start time is 2.30pm, but please arrive a few minutes before, so that we can start promptly. Parking is right outside. The format is three “play along with me” instructional hands followed by supervised play.

The fee for the session is £15 a head. You can pay by cash or card on the day or by direct transfer to the ARB Oxford bank account. I look forward to seeing you on the day. These afternoons are proving to be a lot of fun – a few tips and the chance to play with new or old friends in a friendly atmosphere.

Jonathan

Bridge update 3rd Jan 2024

The new series of supervised play sessions in Wytham resumes this week and for the next few weeks. The one tomorrow (4th January) will be the first session of the new year. Look out for details, coming shortly, of the new seminars and videos on specific bridge topics I promised before Christmas. They will be suitable for both beginners and improvers, and ideal if you wish to brush up on your knowledge of conventions and basic card play techniques.

I have now created a Doodle poll for dates for the Thursday morning sessions in Wytham to cover the period from January to March this year. It is very helpful if you can continue to show your interest in coming by filling in or updating the Doodle poll as many of you have been helpfully doing. Signing up is not binding, but will help us to plan numbers and where helpful find suitable partners, partiuclarly in weeks when Annabel is not available to help.

If you cannot make the Doodle poll work, as some of you have struggle to do, please just drop me an email to say you are planning to come. The formal start time is 10am, to allow for travel times, but you can start playing earlier once there are sufficient numbers. We play a series of pre-dealt hands, each one of which can be reviewed afterwards against my assessment of the best contract and a sensible bidding auction. Refreshments are also provided.

As far as Charlbury is concerned, we plan to run the next monthly session on Wednesday January 31st, starting at the normal time of 2.30pm, and monthly again thereafter.

Best wishes and Happy New Year

Jonathan

Bridge updates 9 Dec 2023

I have now created a Doodle poll for dates for the Thursday morning sessions in Wytham to cover the period from January to March next year. It is very helpful if you can continue to show your interest in coming by filling in or updating the Doodle poll as many of you have been helpfully doing. Signing up is not binding, but will help us to plan numbers and where helpful find suitable partners, partiuclarly in weeks when Annabel is not available to help.

The current series of supervised play sessions in Wytham continues this week and next; the latter will be the final session of the year. The new series will start on January 11th. From January I am also going to be offering regular seminars and videos on specific bridge topics – suitable for both beginners and improvers, and ideal if you wish to brush up on your knowledge of conventions and basic card play techniques. The first dates and topics will be circulated shortly.

As far as Charlbury is concerned, I am afraid that the next planned monthly session on December 20th will not now be going ahead, as our hosts, Rosie and Andrew Dent, are not available. We plan to run the next session on Wednesday January 31st, starting at the normal time of 2.30pm, and monthly again thereafter. A Doodle poll for the new series will be posted next week.

Jonathan

Bridge updates 20 Nov 2023

I will be putting up shortly a booking sheet for dates for the Thursday morning sessions in Wytham to cover the period from January to March next year. The current series of supervised play sessions in Wytham Village Hall continues this week and in all future weeks running up to Christmas. It is very helpful if you can continue to show your interest in coming by filling in or updating the Doodle poll as many of you have been helpfully doing.

Signing up is not binding, but will help us to plan numbers and where helpful find suitable partners. If you cannot make the Doodle poll work, as some of you have struggle to do, please just drop me an email to say you are planning to come. The formal start time is 10am, but we have been starting earlier once there are sufficient numbers. We play a series of pre-dealt hands, each one of which can be reviewed afterwards against my assessment of the best contract and a sensible bidding auction.

The last two sessions of our friendly monthly learn and play sessions in Charlbury have also been well attended and we have a separate poll to keep track of numbers who want to come to the next ones. The next two dates are November 22nd and December 20th. These start at 2.30pm (but please arrive earlier to ensure a prompt start) and finish around 4.30pm with refreshments provided. The format of these sessions is that we all play three teaching hands together and then continue with supervised play.

I am hoping to start a new series of single topic online seminars in the New Year, so if you are interested in brushing up your knowledge of Stayman, Jacoby 2 No Trumps, defensive signalling or any other topic, please look out for the dates when they are posted here. Finally I am looking to start a new group of near or recent beginners who would be willing to move their knowledge further in the New Year. Please let me know if you are interested and I will try to put together a viable group.

Jonathan

Bridge updates

Thanks to everyone for the great start we have made to the Thursday morning supervised play sessions in Wytham Village Hall. Annabel and I look forward to seeing more of you over the next few weeks as we run up to Christmas. You can show your interest in coming by filling in or updating the Doodle poll as many of you have been helpfully doing.

Signing up is not binding, but will help us to plan numbers and where helpful find suitable partners. You should be getting a reminder before each session to check whether you are still intending to come. The poll includes all the dates running up to ten days before Christmas. The formal start time is 10am but we can start earlier once there are sufficient numbers. We play a series of pre-dealt hands, each one of which can be reviewed afterwards against my assessment of the best contract and a sensible bidding auction.

See you soon

Jonathan