- Classes - Pasadena Bridge Club

New bridge courses for April
by Morris Jones 27 Mar '25

27 Mar '25

Pasadena Bridge Club Logo <https://pasadenabridgeclub.com> Learn and play bridge! Mojo ABTA Master Teacher 649 N Fair Oaks Ave #201 Pasadena CA 91103 (626) 247-4457 pasadenabridgeclub.com <https://pasadenabridgeclub.com> We have a new course session — a *daylight *session on Wednesdays from 3:00-5:00 PM. Play of the Deal <https://pasadenabridgeclub.com/course/play-of-the-deal> and Introduction to Defense <https://pasadenabridgeclub.com/course/intro-to-defense> will be the next courses offered during the new session. This fall we'll be offering our first course, Bridge Basics 1 - Introduction <https://pasadenabridgeclub.com/course/bridge-basics-introduction>, during the Wednesday afternoon session. There's still time to join us this Sunday, March 30, for the full day seminar with noted author and teacher *Robert Todd*. See the flier here <https://pasadenabridgeclub.com/sites/default/files/fliers/2025-03-30-robert…> for his dynamite topics, and reserve your seat here <https://pasadenabridgeclub.com/contact/course_enrollment>. Here are the new courses we'll be starting in April: Bridge Basics 4 - Play of the Deal Bridge Basics 4 debuted last year with a dynamite presentation of the techniques and planning skills needed to win as many tricks as you can as declarer. Plan your play using declarer's ABCs, learn to manage entries, and watch out for the opponents. * Six Wednesday afternoons 3-5 PM * First class April 16 * Course fee $120 includes text book by Audrey Grant * Full details and lesson plan <https://pasadenabridgeclub.com/course/play-of-the-deal> * Reserve your seat here <https://pasadenabridgeclub.com/contact/course_enrollment> Two Over One Game Force Once you're comfortable with Standard American 5-card Major bidding, it's time to take your bidding to the next level. Two Over One Game Force (2/1GF) is the most popular system played by experienced players in clubs and tournaments everywhere. With one small tweak to Standard American bidding, you'll improve your ability find good slam contracts, and the right game contracts. You'll learn the idioms and common "phrases" of 2/1GF. This course also features some of the best /play of the hand/ lessons you'll see! * Six Wednesday evenings 7-9 PM * First class April 9 * Course fee $130 includes text book by Audrey Grant and Eric Rodwell * Full details and lesson plan <https://pasadenabridgeclub.com/course/two_over_one_game_force> * Reserve your seat here <https://pasadenabridgeclub.com/contact/course_enrollment> Bridge Basics 1 - Introduction This is the course to introduce your non-bridge-playing friends to our favorite game. In the first class you'll learn the mechanics and vocabulary of bridge - /everything you need to actually start playing/. The subsequent classes will add skills for analyzing deals and making contracts, and introduce the language of Standard American bidding to communicate with your partner. * Six Thursday evenings 7-9 PM * First class April 3 * Course fee $100 total includes text book * Full details and lesson plan <https://pasadenabridgeclub.com/course/bridge-basics-introduction> This course is offered by Pasadena City College Extension, and meets at the Pasadena Bridge Club. To register for the class online, visit PCC Extension at this link <https://pasadena.augusoft.net/index.cfm?method=ClassInfo.ClassInformation&i…>. Student/Novice games and practice sessions I challenge any club to offer a program of games and practice sessions for new players as comprehensive as ours! Workshops and practice sessions (open to all): * Mondays "Workshop with Zachary" 3-5 PM $10 /reservations available/ * Tuesday and Friday "Social/Supervised Play" 3-5 PM /free (donations accepted)/ Student and Novice/Intermediate games (reservations available for all): * Tuesday evenings 7:00 PM *0-300 Pairs* $12 * Thursday afternoons 3:00 PM *0-20 Newcomer Pairs* $10 * Saturday mornings 9:30 AM *0-300 Workshop + Game* $12 Our next Bridge Basics 1 offering will be on Wednesday evenings starting July 2. Watch for the offering in the PCC Extension Summer catalog. Mojo, Jane and Zachary

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Massive program for student and novice bridge players!
by Morris Jones 21 Feb '25

21 Feb '25

Pasadena Bridge Club Logo <https://pasadenabridgeclub.com> Learn and play bridge! Mojo ABTA Master Teacher 649 N Fair Oaks Ave #201 Pasadena CA 91103 (626) 247-4457 pasadenabridgeclub.com <https://pasadenabridgeclub.com> Zachary and I have taken some time to revamp our afternoon schedule, weekdays from 3:00-5:00 PM. It's all about students and newer players! We're going to continue with casual social supervised play sessions Tuesday and Friday. We're adding a special workshop with Zachary on Mondays, new class sessions on Wednesdays, and an official novice 0-20 bridge game on Thursdays. New classes are starting at the end of February and beginning of March. See the descriptions below! March will also feature *free Wednesday morning bridge seminars* by Platinum Life Master Lulu Minter, and a full day seminar on Sunday March 30 by the amazing *Robert Todd*. *To enroll in any of the classes* below you can use the form here: https://pasadenabridgeclub.com/contact/course_enrollment Weekday 3:00-5:00 schedule: * Monday starting March 3, Workshop with Zachary * Tuesday March 4, Social Bridge, Jon and Susan * Wednesday March 5, Bridge Basics 3 Popular Conventions * Thursday March 6, 0-20 Novice Duplicate Bridge * Friday March 7, Social Bridge, Mojo and others Would you like to help host social bridge on Tuesdays or Fridays? Please drop me a note! Introduction to Defense This six-week course on defender play will cover the essentials of defense, helping you work with your partner to win as many tricks as you can. * Six Wednesday evenings, 7-9 PM * Starting Feb 26 * $120 includes textbook by Eddie Kantar * Full details and lesson plan <https://pasadenabridgeclub.com/course/intro-to-defense> Improving Your Judgment - Doubles Let's go into depth on the many ways you can use the takeout double to compete in the auction. * Five Thursday evenings, 7-9 PM * Starting Feb 27 * $100 includes textbook by Audrey Grant * Full details and lesson plan <https://pasadenabridgeclub.com/course/iyj_doubles> Popular Conventions Daytime class! Join us on Wednesday afternoons to study the most useful and popular bridge conventions: Stayman, Jacoby Transfer Bids, Strong 2♣ Openings, and Slam Bidding. * Six Wednesday afternoons, 3-5 PM * Starting Mar 5 * $120 includes textbook by Audrey Grant * Full details and lesson plan <https://pasadenabridgeclub.com/course/popular-conventions> Bridge Workshop with Zachary Join us every Monday afternoon from 3:00-5:00 for a fun and intense bridge workshop in Zachary's inimitable and charming style! You'll get to play the hands that were played in the Monday Open Pairs session, compare your results with the best bridge players in Pasadena, and learn from Zachary how you might be able to improve your score. One of our specialties is working with partnerships to improve your communication. The Monday workshops will be $10 each, with reservations kept in RSVPBridge. If you already have an RSVP Bridge account, log in to RSVP bridge <https://rsvpbridge.com/>, click on the "My Clubs" icon in the top ribbon, find "Workshop with Zachary" and add yourself to the group! (Or just drop me a note and I'll do that.) Free Lulu Minter Seminars Before *every Wednesday in March* (and one in April) Lulu Minter will be hosting a *free* bridge workshop before the morning game at 10:00 AM. Lulu is a Platinum Life Master. If you've played against him at the bridge club, you know that Lulu and his partner (and son) Fredy are a formidable partnership! Drop in and learn some of his secrets for playing the game! Here is the topic list: * March 5 - Counting * March 12 - Leads and Signals * March 19 - Rule of 11 * March 26 - Rule of 7 * April 2 - Q&A - Open Forum Robert Todd Seminar Sunday, March 30: Full day seminar with the amazing Robert Todd. See the event flier here <https://pasadenabridgeclub.com/sites/default/files/fliers/2025-03-30-robert…>. * Morning session 9:00 AM: Hand evaluation + re-evaluation. * Afternoon session 1:00 PM: Compete when they open Join the full day for $90, or one session only for $55. Register here <https://pasadenabridgeclub.com/contact/course_enrollment>. Saturday Morning Workshop and Game Described as *one of the best deals at the bridge club*, every Saturday morning at 9:30, we have a workshop hand from Eddie Kantar's "Thinking Bridge," followed by a 15-board novice/intermediate bridge game (0-300). Finished by 12:15. Make your reservations on RSVP Bridge <https://rsvpbridge.com>, or just reply to this email to join in! Next Bridge Basics 1 - Introduction This course is the starting point for anyone thinking of trying our fascinating game! The course is part of the PCC Extension catalog, but meets at the Pasadena Bridge Club. Our next course series begins on Thursday evenings, April 3, 7:00-9:00 PM. You can register for Bridge Introduction at this link <https://pasadena.augusoft.net/index.cfm?method=ClassInfo.ClassInformation&i…>, and be sure to pass it along to your friends! Rest assured, we will also be offering a session of Bridge Basics 1 during the new Wednesday afternoon 3-5 period in a few months! Mojo, Jane and Zachary

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New Bridge courses start next week
by Morris Jones 02 Jan '25

02 Jan '25

Pasadena Bridge Club Logo <https://pasadenabridgeclub.com> Learn and play bridge! Mojo ABTA Master Teacher 649 N Fair Oaks Ave #201 Pasadena CA 91103 (626) 247-4457 pasadenabridgeclub.com <https://pasadenabridgeclub.com> Welcome to 2025! It's going to be a great year for playing bridge and leveling-up your game. Our class sessions are on Wednesday and Thursday evenings, featuring another course from our eight course catalog <https://pasadenabridgeclub.com/available_courses> every six weeks or so. We also have our weekly Tuesday evening duplicate game for novice players, as well as our popular Saturday morning game with a free bridge workshop at 9:30. Office Hours feature casual bridge every Monday - Thursday from 3:00-5:00 PM. Bridge Basics 2 - Competitive Bidding Bridge Basics 1 focuses on what we call the "constructive" auction — when one side opens the bidding, the other side is silent. This allows a partnership to focus on HOW HIGH and WHERE to play a contract. But in most bridge auctions, both sides get involved. When the other side makes a bid, you also have the goal of interfering with their auction, as well as finding the best contract for your side. A competitive auction offers new opportunities to add to our bidding vocabulary. Of course it wouldn't be one of our courses without also having tips for winning extra tips as declarer or defender! * Six Wednesday evenings, starting January 8, 7:00 - 9:00 PM * See the full course description <https://pasadenabridgeclub.com/course/competitive-bidding> * $120 includes textbook by Audrey Grant * Click here to enroll <https://pasadenabridgeclub.com/contact/course_enrollment> Bridge Basics 4 - Play of the Deal /Play of the Deal/ was just released in 2024 by Audrey Grant and David Lindop. This will be our first presentation of the course at the Pasadena Bridge Club! While bidding language evolves over time (like all languages!), the principles of card play as declarer are timeless. The techniques and puzzle-solving skills of declarer play are also much deeper than they seem at first! Like all puzzles, skill is achieved through study and practice to recognize common situations and possibilities. * Six Thursday evenings, starting Januray 9, 7:00 - 9:00 PM * Full course description <https://pasadenabridgeclub.com/course/play-of-the-deal> * $120 includes textbook by Audrey Grant * Click here to enroll <https://pasadenabridgeclub.com/contact/course_enrollment> Last year and this year ... At the end of the year, the Pasadena Bridge Club was #99 in North America, with 2,357 tables played in ACBL-sanctioned bridge games. In the US alone, we're #79. In LA County (District 23) we're #3 behind the Long Beach Bridge Center and the Agile Bridge Club. Next on the course calendar will be /Improving Your Judgment - Opening the Bidding/ starting on February 19, and /Introduction to Defense/ starting February 20. This coming year we'll have a special full-day seminar event featuring Robert Todd. If you're saving events on your calendar, keep Sunday March 30 open for that. Our next session of /Bridge Basics 1 - Introduction /will be on Thursday evenings, starting April 3. Watch for the listing in the PCC Extension catalog! Mojo, Jane and Zachary

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Special classes for December
by Morris Jones 04 Dec '24

04 Dec '24

Pasadena Bridge Club Logo <https://pasadenabridgeclub.com> Learn and play bridge! Mojo ABTA Master Teacher 649 N Fair Oaks Ave #201 Pasadena CA 91103 (626) 247-4457 pasadenabridgeclub.com <https://pasadenabridgeclub.com> I had a great time in Las Vegas playing in the North American Bridge Championships. I had two great days of bridge, and didn't come home with any big finishes. It was great hearing about the impact the Pasadena Bridge Club has had from friends near and far. Audrey Grant was dining next to us at one of the restaurants. She told me how excited she was about what we're doing, and I was able to introduce her to several of our folks who were also dining nearby. Group with Audrey Grant Lisa Walker, Audrey Grant, Karmen Armoudjian, Mojo and Jane I might have a new slogan for the bridge club, "The little club that thinks it's a big club." ? December has several special events to tell you about. Kantar on Declarer Play On Wednesday and Thursday evenings, Dec, 11, 12, 18, and 19, I'll be offering individual classes that each focus on a different aspect of declarer play. The source material comes from a treasure trove of lessons and hands by the inimitable Eddie Kantar. Each class is $25 to attend, or you can sign up for all four for $85. There is no textbook. Here are the topics for each session, each starting at 7:00 PM: * *Entries* Wed Dec. 11 * *Loser on Loser Plays* Thu Dec. 12 * *The Avoidance Play* Wed Dec. 18 * *Ducking Plays at Suit Contracts* Thu Dec. 19 Drop me an email to sign up, and I'll add you to the courses on RSVP Bridge. Dec. 15 Holiday Party The unit is putting on a great holiday party on Sunday Dec. 15. The meal is a tri-tip barbeque from Stonefire Grill. For bridge we're going to have two sections: Open Pairs like our weekday 11:00 AM games, and 299er Pairs limited to players with fewer than 300 masterpoints, like our Saturday morning games. Reservations must be made by Thursday, December 5, so drop me a note if you are coming. You can pay in advance using cash or a credit card at the Pasadena Bridge Club. New Year's Eve Party Last year we had a great time playing a team game on December 31 in the afternoon. We're going to do it again this year, with plenty of wine and cheese, and an early start time that will let you get home or to your own NYE celebration plans. (Probably 12:00 noon.) I'll have more about that next week. New Courses in January January 8 and 9 we'll start with new courses in the Bridge Basics series, including the *first offering* of Audrey Grant's brand new /Bridge Basics 4 - Play of the Deal/. Wednesdays will feature /Bridge Basics 2 - Competitive Bidding/, and Thursdays /Bridge Basics 4 - Play of the Deal/. Drop in on the Upcoming Courses <https://pasadenabridgeclub.com/available_courses> page for all of the information. The next /Bridge Basics 1 - Introduction/ will be on *Thursday evenings starting April 3*, offered through Pasadena City College Extension, as usual! Our own "Black Friday" sale! For December we're selling "5-game" punch cards for $55, a savings of $1 each over the regular $12 game fee. You can buy up to three if you like. (That's three total, not three at a time!) I'll print as many as we need. Come January they'll be $60 again, which isn't a discount, but it's certainly convenient. More next week!

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New courses: Bridge Introduction and Popular Conventions
by Morris Jones 16 Oct '24

16 Oct '24

Pasadena Bridge Club Logo <https://pasadenabridgeclub.com> Learn and play bridge! Mojo ABTA Master Teacher 649 N Fair Oaks Ave #201 Pasadena CA 91103 (626) 247-4457 pasadenabridgeclub.com <https://pasadenabridgeclub.com> We have two great courses starting next week on Wednesday and Thursday evenings! Invite your friends to discover our game on Wednesday evenings, and join us on Thursdays to learn (or fine tune) the most common bidding conventions. We also have great games and workshops for new players, and some special events coming later this month. Bridge Basics 3 - Popular Conventions A convention is a bid that has special meaning to a partnership to help you reach the best contract on a hand. While there are literally thousands of bridge conventions, there are three or four that you'll find the most frequently used and valuable to know. In this course we'll learn about Stayman, Jacoby Transfer Bids, strong opening bids, and some tools for bidding slams. * Six Thursday evenings, starting Oct. 24, 7:00 - 9:00 PM * Full course description <https://pasadenabridgeclub.com/course/popular-conventions> * $120 includes textbook by Audrey Grant * Click here to enroll <https://pasadenabridgeclub.com/contact/course_enrollment> Bridge Basics 1 - Introduction This is the launch pad course for your bridge experience! Even if you've taken the course before, seeing it again always reveals new details that you missed the first time. In the first class you'll learn the mechanics of the game and much of the vocabulary, such as /tricks, notrump, trump, declarer, dummy, opening lead, contract/. For the rest of the class, we'll learn techniques for winning extra tricks, and much of the language of bidding. The last two classes will be practice in using your new skills! * Six Wednesday evenings, starting Oct. 23, 7:00 - 9:00 PM * Full course description <https://pasadenabridgeclub.com/course/bridge-basics-introduction> * $100 includes textbook by Audrey Grant * Click here to enroll <https://pasadena.augusoft.net/index.cfm?method=ClassInfo.ClassInformation&i…> Office Hours! Join us for casual bridge Monday through Thursday from 3:00 - 5:00. Plenty of nice partners available. We'll have an experienced bridge player on hand to help you with sticky problems. Try playing the same hands as we play in the 11:00 Open game and compare your results to theirs! Office Hours are available for a $5 donation, and a great way for newer players to develop their bridge muscles! Novice/Intermediate Games Every *Tuesday evening* from 7:00-9:15 we have a real bridge game that's specifically for newer players. No sharks in the game! Lisa Walker hosts a room of friendly newer bridge players ready to welcome you to the table. If you're looking for a partner, we almost always have one available for you. Come earn your first masterpoints in this game! *Saturday mornings* are dedicated to our novice/intermediate players. We start the morning at 9:30 with a fascinating bridge hand from Eddie Kantar's "Thinking Bridge" series. Every hand teaches /how to think/ about a bridge hand, from the perspectives of bidding, declarer play, and defense. The workshop is followed at 10:00 by a 14-15 board bridge game, finished by 12:15. Coming up at the bridge club We have another week of Club Appreciation games with lots of extra masterpoints awarded, October 21-26. Wednesday October 30 is a very special game, the ACBL-wide *Instant Matchpoint game*. At the end of the game, players get a printed booklet with expert analysis of all the hands. Matchpoint awards are pre-determined on the spot. And the winning pair in each direction can earn a *full Gold masterpoint*! (Card fee for this very special game will be $15.) Mojo, Jane and Zachary

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Defense! And welcome back the Saturday workshop
by Morris Jones 30 Jul '24

30 Jul '24

Pasadena Bridge Club Logo <https://pasadenabridgeclub.com> Learn and play bridge! Mojo ABTA Master Teacher 649 N Fair Oaks Ave #201 Pasadena CA 91103 (626) 247-4457 pasadenabridgeclub.com <https://pasadenabridgeclub.com> I have three great opportunities to learn and improve your bridge game. It all starts this week! I'm really excited about the return of the Saturday morning workshop. Read on for more ... And don't forget our Monday through Thursday "Office Hours" sessions from 3:00 - 5:00 PM. Drop in whenever you like and play some casual bridge with other bridge players at your level. Introduction to Defense This course introduces the essentials of good defense, helping you work with your partner to win as many tricks as you can. Good defense requires imagination, logic, communication, and puzzle solving skills. Two-thirds of your bridge play will be on defense! The textbook is by Eddie Kantar, updated by Barbara Seagram in 2019. The style is delightful, sometimes whimsical, easy to read and understand * Six Wednesday evenings, 7:00-9:00 PM, starting July 31. * $120 includes textbook * Full description and lesson plan <https://pasadenabridgeclub.com/course/intro-to-defense> * Click here to reserve your seat <https://pasadenabridgeclub.com/contact/course_enrollment> Bridge Basics 1 - Introduction This is the starting point for folks who've never played bridge, and a great way to get back into the game if you've been away from it for a while. The first class teaches all of the mechanics of the game (you can't miss this one if you've never played!). The following classes introduce ways to win more tricks and find better contracts. As of this email, we only have a handful of seats left for this session. * Six Thursday evenings, 7:00-9:00 PM, starting August 1. * $85 + $15 for textbook * Full description and lesson plan <https://pasadenabridgeclub.com/course/bridge-basics-introduction> * Click here to reserve your seat <https://pasadena.augusoft.net/index.cfm?method=ClassInfo.ClassInformation&i…> through PCC Extension Saturday morning workshop and game The Saturday workshop is back with a new starting time and a great new series of lessons. We'll meet at 9:30 for the workshop, and follow at 10:00 with a 14-15 board bridge game that /awards masterpoints/. The game will be finished by 12:15, leaving your Saturday afternoon free. If you need more, play in the Open Pairs game at 1:00! Our workshop will focus on hands from Eddie Kantar's excellent "Thinking Bridge" series. We'll start by bidding and playing a hand. Each hand will have interesting bidding, declarer play, and defense problems to solve. Every hand is a great example of /how to think/ about a bridge hand, and not just blindly follow the guidelines you've learned. Next Bridge Basics 1 - Introduction ... The next offering of Bridge Basics 1 will be held on Wednesday evenings starting October 31. The course is already available for registration <https://pasadena.augusoft.net/index.cfm?method=ClassInfo.ClassInformation&i…> in the PCC Extension catalog. For all your friends curious about bridge, let them know! Come learn and play bridge! Mojo

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Bridge courses for all levels coming up
by Morris Jones 13 May '24

13 May '24

Pasadena Bridge Club Logo <https://pasadenabridgeclub.com> Learn and play bridge! Mojo ABTA Master Teacher 649 N Fair Oaks Ave #201 Pasadena CA 91103 (626) 247-4457 pasadenabridgeclub.com <https://pasadenabridgeclub.com> We're starting up three great new bridge courses this week. After this session, we're going to close up the class room until August. I'll be attending the American Bridge Teachers Association meeting in Toronto in July. Grab seats in these now to get the full benefit! Bridge Basics 2 - Competitive Bidding The first course, Bridge Basics 1, introduces players to the "constructive auction," in which you and your partner are only dealing with the questions of HOW HIGH and WHERE, in an effort to find a good contract. That said, the objective of the game is not to make contracts, it's to get the best score! In a competitive auction, you're not only trying to find our side's best contract, but interfere with the opponents bidding conversation as well! For players of any level, this course will improve your results at the bridge table. * Six Saturday morning, 9:30-11:30 AM, starting May 18. * $115 includes textbook by Audrey Grant * Full description and lesson plan <https://pasadenabridgeclub.com/course/competitive-bidding> * Click here to reserve your seat <https://pasadenabridgeclub.com/contact/course_enrollment> Two Over One Game Force This is the course that will improve your results at the duplicate game. By making a small adjustment to Standard methods, it becomes easier to find the right game contract, good slam hands, and a way to stay out of bad slams. If you've ventured into the Open Pairs games at the bridge club, you already know that most pairs at the club are playing this system. The same is true at tournaments. Besides learning 2/1GF, this course has some of the best declarer play problems to work out of any course. It works on so many levels! * Six Thursday evenings, 7:00-9:00 PM, starting May 16. * $125 includes textbook by Audrey Grant * Full description and lesson plan <https://pasadenabridgeclub.com/course/two_over_one_game_force> * Click here to reserve your seat <https://pasadenabridgeclub.com/contact/course_enrollment> Introduction to Declarer Play Let's have a course with no bidding, and just focus on making your contracts. Learn to plan your play better and execute the plan. The first three weeks of the course focus on notrump play, and the second three trump suit contracts. The textbook is classic and easily readable by Eddie Kantar, updated recently by Barbara Seagram. * Six Wednesday evenings, 7:00-9:00 PM, starting May 15. * $115 includes textbook by Eddie Kantar * Full description and lesson plan <https://pasadenabridgeclub.com/course/intro-to-declarer-play> * Click here to reserve your seat <https://pasadenabridgeclub.com/contact/course_enrollment> Next Bridge Basics 1 - Introduction ... The next offering of Bridge Basics 1 will be held on Thursday evenings starting August 1. When it becomes available for registration on the PCC Extension calendar I'll let you know! Don't forget our *Office Hours* sessions! The bridge club is open for casual bridge play with an experienced player on hand to help out. Monday through Wednesday, 3:00-5:00 PM. Come learn and play bridge! Mojo

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New classes and special Robert Todd seminar
by Morris Jones 27 Mar '24

27 Mar '24

Pasadena Bridge Club Logo <https://pasadenabridgeclub.com> Learn and play bridge! Mojo ABTA Master Teacher 649 N Fair Oaks Ave #201 Pasadena CA 91103 (626) 247-4457 pasadenabridgeclub.com <https://pasadenabridgeclub.com> This spring features more great bridge courses at the beautiful Pasadena Bridge Club. Special! Robert Todd Day Robert is one of my mentors, and one of the most engaging and understandable teachers of the game. Rather than teaching endless conventions, he concentrates on how to think, evaluate, and strategize at the bridge table. Recommended for novice and highly skilled players alike! * April 14, 9:00 AM - 3:30 PM * $85 for the full day * Morning session: *Modern Preempts* * Afternoon session: *Defensive Tools* * Reserve your seat here <https://pasadenabridgeclub.com/contact/course_enrollment> Bridge Basics 3 - Popular Conventions This is the third course in Audrey Grant's Bridge Basics series, and introduces the most popular and useful bidding conventions for playing bridge at any level: Stayman, Jacoby Transfer Bids, strong hand openings, and slam bidding. * Six Wednesday evenings, 7:00-9:00 PM, starting April 3. * $115 includes textbook by Audrey Grant * Full description and lesson plan <https://pasadenabridgeclub.com/course/popular-conventions> * Click here to reserve your seat <https://pasadenabridgeclub.com/contact/course_enrollment> Improving Your Judgment - Doubles The takeout double is arguably the most powerful and useful call in bridge. Let's take some time to dig into takeout doubles in detail, including responding to (advancing) your partner's double, and doubler's next actions. We'll look at edge cases where you can use a double (or perhaps shouldn't!). And as with all of our classes, it comes with great hands to practice declaring and defending. * Six Thursday evenings, 7:00-9:00 PM, starting April 4. * $115 includes textbook by Audrey Grant * Full description and lesson plan <https://pasadenabridgeclub.com/course/iyj_doubles> * Click here to reserve your seat <https://pasadenabridgeclub.com/contact/course_enrollment> Bridge Basics 1 - Introduction Take it for your first time, or revisit again! There's no better class for learning or reviewing the fundamentals of bridge. We start with the play of the hand. After working out how tricks can be won by declarer, we study hands to discover HOW HIGH and WHERE a hand should be played, and learn the language of Standard American bidding to reach the best contract. Only a handful of seats remain! Sign up with PCC Extension soon to save yours. * Six Saturday mornings, 9:30 AM - 11:30 AM, starting April 6. * Full description and lesson plan <https://pasadenabridgeclub.com/course/bridge-basics-introduction> * Register here with PCC Extension <https://pasadena.augusoft.net/index.cfm?method=ClassInfo.ClassInformation&i…> Games for players of all levels If you're just getting started, drop in for Office Hours to meet friends and play casual bridge, Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday from 3:00 - 5:00 PM. Join our weekly Social Bridge session on Thursday evenings at 7:00 PM, and test your skill against hands played in the huge open game on Wednesdays. Experienced players on hand to answer questions and help with bidding and play problems. Discover the challenges of duplicate bridge with our weekly Novice Pairs game on Tuesday evenings at 7:00 PM. Join us on Saturdays at 1:00 for the weekly "Workshop and Game" at 1:00 PM for a 30-minute bridge topic followed by a duplicate game for novice/intermediate players. /Play fearlessly/ and join our newly-expanded schedule of Open Pairs games, Monday through Thursday at 11:00 AM — three hours of competitive bridge with some of the best players in Southern California. Come learn and play bridge! Mojo

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Bridge courses for all levels coming up
by Morris Jones 13 Feb '24

13 Feb '24

Pasadena Bridge Club Logo <https://pasadenabridgeclub.com> Learn and play bridge! Mojo ABTA Master Teacher 649 N Fair Oaks Ave #201 Pasadena CA 91103 (626) 247-4457 pasadenabridgeclub.com <https://pasadenabridgeclub.com> At the Pasadena Bridge Club we offer eight different six-week bridge courses, each covering a different topic and level. You can take them in order, or bounce around to pick the topics you want. Most of them stand alone, with no dependencies on other courses. Since we offer bridge classes three times a week, I try to stagger the courses being offered so you always have a variety of levels and topics to choose from. /See the full catalog here. <https://pasadenabridgeclub.com/available_courses>/ This month has a splendid selection of topics. Here are the upcoming courses, offered live and in-person only at the beautiful Pasadena Bridge Club. Bridge Basics 2 - Competitive Bidding The first course, Bridge Basics 1, introduces players to the "constructive auction," in which you and your partner are only dealing with the questions of HOW HIGH and WHERE, in an effort to find a good contract. That said, the objective of the game is not to make contracts, it's to get the best score! In a competitive auction, you're not only trying to find our side's best contract, but interfere with the opponents bidding conversation as well! For players of any level, this course will improve your results at the bridge table. * Six Wednesday evenings, 7:00-9:00 PM, starting February 21. * $115 includes textbook by Audrey Grant * Full description and lesson plan <https://pasadenabridgeclub.com/course/competitive-bidding> * Click here to reserve your seat <https://pasadenabridgeclub.com/contact/course_enrollment> Improving Your Judgment - Opening the Bidding Everyone knows the rules for opening the bidding, right? Bridge "rules" are made to be broken. Experienced players are better at taking into account the distribution of their suits, the location and grouping of high cards, and their position in the auction (has partner already passed? for instance) when deciding whether or not to open the bidding and what to open. This course explores those variations with guidelines to help improve your own judgment when opening the bidding, along with great hands for playing and defending. * Six Thursday evenings, 7:00-9:00 PM, starting February 22. * $115 includes textbook by Audrey Grant * Full description and lesson plan <https://pasadenabridgeclub.com/course/iyj_opening> * Click here to reserve your seat <https://pasadenabridgeclub.com/contact/course_enrollment> Two Over One Game Force Now that you have a handle on Standard American bidding, you may have discovered some situations where you couldn't really be sure of HOW HIGH and WHERE you should be playing! By making a small tweak to Standard, you can improve your ability to find the correct game contract, and find more makeable slams. 2/1GF is the system of choice for a vast majority of tournament players. It comes with its own idioms and patterns to be aware of. Along with the bidding topics, this course has some of the best declarer play problem solving hands you'll see in any of the courses! * Six Saturday mornings, 9:30-11:30 AM, starting February 17. * $125 includes award-winning book by Audrey Grant and Eric Rodwell * Full description and lesson plan <https://pasadenabridgeclub.com/course/two_over_one_game_force> * Click here to reserve your seat <https://pasadenabridgeclub.com/contact/course_enrollment> Next Bridge Basics 1 - Introduction ... The next offering of Bridge Basics 1 is open for registration with PCC Extension. It will be offered on Saturday mornings at 9:30 starting April 6. Here's the link to register with PCC <https://pasadena.augusoft.net/index.cfm?method=ClassInfo.ClassInformation&i…>. Don't forget our *Office Hours* sessions! The bridge club is open for casual bridge play with an experienced player on hand to help out. Monday through Wednesday, 3:00-5:00 PM. Come learn and play bridge! Mojo

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New courses for January
by Morris Jones 05 Jan '24

05 Jan '24

Pasadena Bridge Club Logo <https://pasadenabridgeclub.com> New courses starting! Mojo ABTA Master Teacher 649 N Fair Oaks Ave #201 Pasadena CA 91103 (626) 247-4457 pasadenabridgeclub.com <https://pasadenabridgeclub.com> Level-up your bridge game! At the beautiful Pasadena Bridge Club, we have three new courses starting soon! All courses run for six consecutive sessions, and include a first-rate textbook. Introduction to Defense The defenders have a difficult job! You have to win as many tricks as possible, keeping declarer to as few tricks as possible, without being able to see each other's hand. This course is based on Eddie Kantar's classic /Introduction to Defense/, the second edition. * Meeting Saturday mornings, 9:30-11:30, starting January 6 * Click here for full description and lesson plan <https://pasadenabridgeclub.com/course/intro-to-defense> * Enroll in the course today <https://pasadenabridgeclub.com/contact/course_enrollment> * $115 includes the text Introduction to Declarer Play Bidding language evolves and changes over the years, but the principles of declarer play remain the same. Learn how to make more of your contracts. This course is based on Eddie Kantar's classic /Introduction to Declarer Play/, second edition. The first three classes talk about notrump contracts, and the second three trump suit contracts. * Meeting Thursday evenings, 7:00-9:00, starting January 11 * Click here for full description and lesson plan <https://pasadenabridgeclub.com/course/intro-to-declarer-play> * Enroll in the course today <https://pasadenabridgeclub.com/contact/course_enrollment> * $115 includes the text Bridge Basics 1 - Introduction The starting point for family and friends who don't yet know how much they will love this game! We'll start from scratch, and introduce the mechanics of the game. From there, discover the basics of winning tricks as declarer, and the fundamentals of Standard American bidding. The text is the award winning book by Audrey Grant. This course is offered through Pasadena City College Extension, and held at the Pasadena Bridge Club. *Click the link below to register through PCC Extension*. /This course may well sell out/, so be sure to register with PCC Extension as soon as possible to guarantee your seat! * Meeting Wednesday evenings, 7:00-9:00, starting January 10 * Click here for full description and lesson plan <https://pasadenabridgeclub.com/course/bridge-basics-introduction> * Enroll in the course today <https://pasadena.augusoft.net/index.cfm?method=ClassInfo.ClassInformation&i…> * $79 paid to PCC + $15 material fee (for the book) Come play bridge! We have great bridge games for novice and intermediate players! Join us every Tuesday evening at 7:00 PM for a quick 2-hour game of 12 hands. On Saturday afternoons at 1:00PM, the game includes a single-topic workshop of about 45 minutes on a bidding, defense, or play topic. The workshop is followed by a 12-board bridge game, to finish by 4:00 PM. Reserve your game seat here <https://pasadenabridgeclub.com/contact/game_reservation>! Great partners available. Don't forget our social/supervised games on Thursday evenings and Saturday mornings, plus casual bridge "Office Hours" on Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday, from 3:00-5:00 PM. Best regards, Mojo

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