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

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.

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.

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

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

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.

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.

See you soon

Jonathan

We have had two good turnouts for the first two of our new weekly series of Thursday morning supervised play sessions. If you have not already done so it would be very helpful if you could follow this link to our Doodle poll and let me know which weeks you may be able to join us over the next eight weeks running up to Christmas. Your answers are not binding, but it helps me to plan numbers and where helpful find suitable partners. I will always contact you before each session to check whether you are still intending to come. A reminder that the formal start time is 10am, but we can start from 9.45 onwards once there are sufficient numbers. Payment by cash or card on the day, or by bank transfer in advance.