Better Bridge in Barry County July 19 2012

Better Bridge in Barry County

By Gerald Stein

In last week’s column, we explored why beginning bridge players have a difficult time winning at the bridge table. This week, once again revisiting S. J. Simon’s main premise, Why You Lose at Bridge, we will take a look at what happens to players who have played many years of bridge. What are some hints and tips that might help experienced players win more often?

Many of today’s bridge players began playing bridge in the 1960’s and 1970’s. Bridge as a social event was popular in many cities and towns, including our own Barry County and Hastings in particular. There were bridge tournaments that extended for eight or nine months, and by far, these were primarily social events with hands of bridge as a means of putting couples together for an evening of social entertainment.

Bridge in the 1960’s and 1970’s was largely influenced by one big name: Charles Goren. With his TV show in the late 1950’s, numerous books,  magazine articles, and syndicated newspaper bridge columns, Charles Goren did much to influence the popularity of the game. Many players learned to play the Goren-style of bridge, including four-card majors as openers, the short club, strong two-bids, a strong no-trump opening bid, and the Blackwood convention for seeking out or avoiding a slam hand.

While these methods proved reliable for many years, new thinking and changes gradually began to change the shape of bridge and bridge bidding in particular. In the 1980’s, the 1990’s, and into the 21^st century, better communication through a change in bidding has come about. While nothing truly startling, the bidding in the post-Goren era lets many experienced players and certainly newer players enter into a more accurate and more defined way of communication. Learning  new conventions, learning new ways of counting points with length instead of distribution, and finding more competition from players who have taken bridge classes to learn some “new tricks” have made bridge a better game. These bridge students  were not disappointed in the time they put into evening or daytime bridge classes. It made them better players.

It seems appropriate then to suggest that taking a refresher class or two in modern bridge bidding would certainly open new doors and make you a better bridge player. That is one positive way to eliminate the losing trends that you may have had. Even learning a new convention or two might be fun and helpful. Do you know and use the Stayman convention? It is one of the most popular bridge conventions available for the bridge player at any level. An hour or two of learning, practicing, and then using this oft-used convention will be a bonus to your bridge playing. Your bidding will become more accurate, and  you will end up bidding and playing at the game level more often instead of settling for part-scores. No longer will you go home missing out on the top prizes of the evening. After all, a dollar is a dollar, right?

As the American Contract Bridge League celebrates its 75^th year of providing bridge ideas, bridge lessons, and bridge entertainment to players everywhere, consider buying, using, or taking classes with their texts as a guide. The original set was called the Club, Diamond, Heart, Spade, and No Trump Series, and was authored by Canadian bridge educator Audrey Grant specifically for the American Contract Bridge League’s use with players who wanted to learn the newer ideas of bridge. Now, the series has been improved and expanded by ABCL writers and instructors to form the basis for five bridge classes: The first is called “Bidding in the 21^st Century.” The second text is “Play of the Hand in the 21^st Century,” while the third one is “Defense in the 21^st Century.” The fourth and fifth volumes are called “Commonly Used Conventions in the 21^st Century,” and “More Commonly Used Conventions in the 21^st Century.” Each of the texts consists of eight or nine chapters on new ideas in bridge with plenty of examples and exercises for individual study or group study in a bridge class. With plenty of bridge material, it is a helpful way to improve your bridge game.

A side benefit of learning a new convention or a new method is sharing that new bit of knowledge with others. Bridge players are sharers; they like to discuss new and improved ways of playing bridge and being successful at it. Who doesn’t want to win at bridge? After learning a new way of doing things in the bridge world, you will want to share your new-found knowledge with your partner, your friends with whom you play bridge, or your bridge group. All of a sudden, you have become a bridge instructor, and you are sharing the fascinating ideas of bridge. Share your knowledge,  and watch your own bridge game improve.

How can you as a bridge player of many years improve your game? Work on your game by taking courses for fun. Read bridge books from the public library. Go to sites like Amazon and Baron Barclay and see how many hundreds of bridge titles pop up for your reading pleasure. Just knowing that you are learning new ways will be a positive reinforcement for your game. You will grow in confidence. You will know that you are no longer the 97 pound weakling in the bridge world. You will stand up, and you will roar. Now go out there and win!

The following bridge classes will begin in October in our area: In Hastings, at the KCC Fehsenfeld Center, “Bidding in the 21^st Century” starts on October 3 in the morning. In Battle Creek, “Defense in the 21^st Century” starts on October 1 in the morning. Another beginning class will be offered in Battle Creek in the evening of October 3. Watch for future announcements. Visit the American Contract Bridge League site: www.acbl.org for free bridge software.

Gerald Stein July 6, 2012 Number of words 999