Bridge Tips

Kibitzing

Do you know about kibitzing?

It's another great way to learn the game!

What is it?

Observing players.

Pay quiet attention to how a good player bids and plays the cards.
Observe how good partners communicate.
Note how well they 'bounce back' from a bad board...even great players have bad boards!

There are some Do's & Don'ts

Respectfully ask permission to kibitz.
Watch one player/set of hands.
Do not talk, signal or distract the players (even after the hand is over)
Do not 'crowd' the player. Give them a comfortable distance.
If you are asked to leave, be gracious and depart quietly.
At the end of the game, thank those at the table for allowing you to observe.

Bridge Courtesies

Be 15 minutes early to a game...time to register, greet friends and settle with your Partner at the table.

SETTING UP GAMES IS A DEMANDING TASK! Last minute and tardy arrivals are very difficult on Game Directors.
Settling down with Partner, confirming your basic Convention Card agreements and quieting oneself is a 'winning strategy'. Rushing around late and frazzled is not!
Making every other player in the room start late/finish late is disrespectful of others' time.

❤️❤️❤️

Opening Leads: this is your top priority after the auction.

DO NOT stop and enter the contract into your score sheet until AFTER the Opening Lead is made.
Select the card, place it face down on the table, then ask if there are any questions.
You are entitled to a full review of the bidding.

❤️❤️❤️

Call the Director!

If there is any issue that is not immediately resolvable, call the Director.
This is not an insult to others at the table.
Calling the Director promptly prevents ater-the-fact controversies.

❤️❤️❤️

At the table: Compliment your Opponents...NOT your partner. Complimenting Partner is awkard and uncomfortable for Opponents. It's just not gracious.

❤️❤️❤️

Resources

The ACBL HQ website has a great repository on their webpage "Learning"...ACBL Learning

There are scores of websites by bridge pros! Here are a just a few:

Larry Cohen: https://www.Larryco.com
Audrey Grant: https://www.betterbridge.com/festivals
Barbara Seagram: https://www.Barbaraseagram.com

YouTube Videos (what DON'T they cover😂) also has recorded lessons. For example: unclear about Stayman....type in the search and up pops a dozen videos! YouTube Videos

BBO is a great resource. Watch their News for lessons. Work through their Bridge Master (under the tab for PRACTICE). BBO

Your convention card

EVERY PARTNERSHIP NEEDS THEIR UNIQUE CONVENTION CARD!

You will need a Convention Card to use with each Partner. The ACBL requires that players have a CC with them at every game. How to manage all this?

Two ways:

1. Manual creation

Print out a blank form
Complete your CC for each Partner

2. Digital creation

Bridge Winners
- A useful website lets you create, edit and save CC for each pair.
- This digital CC maker is also a 'file keeper' for all your partners and allows you to collaborate to keep your partnership aligned and current.
- This website also is a repository of content for tips on play, blog related to bridge, resource for books and supplies.
- The CCs are printable for use at club and tournament play.

https://bridgewinners.com/

BBO
- Pairs are required to have a CC to play online.
- You will need to have a BBO Card...they do not allow you to import other CCs.
- PLEASE have your card set to load automatically for each partner.
- Here is one (of many) YouTube videos to provide instruction on BBO cards: https://youtu.be/xL2z4o1XyK4

WORKING WITH YOUR PARTNER ON YOUR CONVENTION CARD IS A GREAT WAY TO IMPROVE YOUR PARTNERSHIP PERFORMANCE AT THE TABLE!

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The ACBL HQ website has a great repository on their webpage "Learning"...<a href="https://www.acbl.org/learn/#know">ACBL Learning</a>
There are scores of websites by bridge pros!  Here are a just a few:
<ul>
<li style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; box-sizing: border-box; margin: 1em 0px; padding: 0px 20px; font-family: Montserrat; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; caret-color: #303030; color: #303030;">Larry Cohen: <a style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; font-family: Verdana; font-size: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant-caps: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; color: #1c8b32;" href="https://www.larryco.com/">https://www.Larryco.com</a></li>
<li style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; box-sizing: border-box; margin: 1em 0px; padding: 0px 20px; font-family: Montserrat; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; caret-color: #303030; color: #303030;">Audrey Grant:  <a style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; font-family: Verdana; font-size: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant-caps: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; color: #1c8b32;" href="https://www.betterbridge.com/festivals">https://www.betterbridge.com/festivals</a></li>
<li style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; box-sizing: border-box; margin: 1em 0px; padding: 0px 20px; font-family: Montserrat; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; caret-color: #303030; color: #303030;">Barbara Seagram:  <a style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; font-family: Verdana; font-size: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant-caps: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; color: #1c8b32;" href="https://www.barbaraseagram.com/">https://www.Barbaraseagram.com</a></li>
</ul>
<p style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; box-sizing: border-box; margin: 1em 0px; padding: 0px 20px; font-family: Montserrat; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; caret-color: #303030; color: #303030;"> 
YouTube Videos (what DON'T they cover😂) also has recorded lessons.  For example: unclear about Stayman....type in the search and up pops a dozen videos! <a href="https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=&ved=2ahUKEwj2urmB29j2AhVDZ80KHeJiC04QjBB6BAgEEAE&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.youtube.com%2Fuser%2Fyoutube%2Fvideos&usg=AOvVaw3ri77u4cXG9e1yStelm8yr">YouTube Videos</a>
 
BBO is a great resource.  Watch their News for lessons.  Work through their Bridge Master (under the tab for PRACTICE).  <a href="https://www.bridgebase.com/v3/">BBO</a>

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Be 15 minutes early to a game...time to register, greet friends and settle with your Partner at the table.
<ul>
<li>SETTING UP GAMES IS A DEMANDING TASK!  Last minute and tardy arrivals are very difficult on Game Directors.</li>
<li>Settling down with Partner, confirming your basic Convention Card agreements and quieting oneself is a 'winning strategy'.  Rushing around late and frazzled is not!</li>
<li>Making every other player in the room start late/finish late is disrespectful of others' time.</li>
</ul>
❤️❤️❤️
Opening Leads:  this is your top priority after the auction.  
<ul>
<li>DO NOT stop and enter the contract into your score sheet until AFTER the Opening Lead is made.  </li>
<li>Select the card, place it face down on the table, then ask if there are any questions.</li>
<li> You are entitled to a full review of the bidding.</li>
</ul>
❤️❤️❤️
Call the Director!
<ul>
<li>If there is any issue that is not immediately resolvable, call the Director.  </li>
<li>This is not an insult to others at the table.</li>
<li>Calling the Director promptly prevents ater-the-fact controversies.</li>
</ul>
❤️❤️❤️
At the table: Compliment your Opponents...NOT your partner.  Complimenting Partner is awkard and uncomfortable for Opponents.  It's just not gracious.
❤️❤️❤️

Yes No

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Content

EVERY PARTNERSHIP NEEDS THEIR UNIQUE CONVENTION CARD! 
<img style="font-size: 11px; text-align: start;" src="/TinyFileManager/resources/files/239///Bridge images and logos/dd8b4bb1-d298-42a7-ba35-365c33d51bd9.jpeg" alt="" width="1401" height="1506" />
 
You will need a Convention Card to use with each Partner.  The ACBL requires that players have a CC with them at every game.  How to manage all this?
Two ways: 
1.  Manual creation
<ul>
<li>Print out a blank form</li>
<li>Complete your CC for each Partner</li>
</ul>
 
2. Digital creation
<ul>
<li>Bridge Winners
<ul>
<li>A useful website lets you create, edit and save CC for each pair.</li>
<li>This digital CC maker is also a 'file keeper' for all your partners and allows you to collaborate to keep your partnership aligned and current.</li>
<li>This website also is a repository of content for tips on play, blog related to bridge, resource for books and supplies.</li>
<li>The CCs are printable for use at club and tournament play.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<a href="https://bridgewinners.com/">https://bridgewinners.com/</a>
<ul>
<li style="text-align: left;">BBO
<ul>
<li style="text-align: left;">Pairs are required to have a CC to play online.  </li>
<li style="text-align: left;">You will need to have a BBO Card...they do not allow you to import other CCs.</li>
<li style="text-align: left;">PLEASE have your card set to load automatically for each partner.</li>
<li style="text-align: left;">Here is one (of many) YouTube videos to provide instruction on BBO cards: <a href="https://youtu.be/xL2z4o1XyK4">https://youtu.be/xL2z4o1XyK4</a></li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
 
WORKING WITH YOUR PARTNER ON YOUR CONVENTION CARD IS A GREAT WAY TO IMPROVE YOUR PARTNERSHIP PERFORMANCE AT THE TABLE!

Yes No

Cancel

Edit content widget

Widget title

Content

Do you know about kibitzing? 
 It's another great way to learn the game!
 
What is it?
Observing players.
 
<ul>
<li style="text-align: left;">Pay quiet attention to how a good player bids and plays the cards.</li>
<li style="text-align: left;">Observe how good partners communicate.</li>
<li style="text-align: left;">Note how well they 'bounce back' from a bad board...even great players have bad boards!</li>
</ul>
 
There are some Do's & Don'ts
<ol>
<li style="text-align: left;">Respectfully ask permission to kibitz.</li>
<li style="text-align: left;">Watch one player/set of hands.</li>
<li style="text-align: left;">Do not talk, signal or distract the players (even after the hand is over)</li>
<li style="text-align: left;">Do not 'crowd' the player.  Give them a comfortable distance.</li>
<li style="text-align: left;">If you are asked to leave, be gracious and depart quietly.</li>
<li style="text-align: left;">At the end of the game, thank those at the table for allowing you to observe.</li>
</ol>

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Cancel

Kibitzing

Bridge Courtesies

Resources

Your convention card

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