Dear Future Bridge Players!
The Columbia Bridge Club has not forgotten about you! Although the CBC has been closed since mid-March, we are still playing bridge. The game has moved online!
Some of you joined us for the lessons in the Fall, others at the "Learn Bridge in a Day?" session in February. This to let you know that we have been trying to find a way to connect with you and get you the lessons that you need to play Bridge. It is one of the most challenging games out there and due to all the down time we are now faced with, what better way to fill the void.
The game has moved online to a site called Bridge Base Online (BBO) where players of all levels from around the world can be found playing 24 hours a day! ACBL has worked with BBO and has grown the game for its members on this platform. BBO also offers free play both with casual game and tournament games - a perfect place to spend your time!
The CBC has been offering Virtual Club games on BBO since April, but there has been no way to get
you
involved, because many of you still need lessons to fully be able to enjoy the game. Great News!! We have finally found a way to do this and have struck up a 'partnership' with the Southeastern Bridge Club Consortium to have you included in their next session of beginning bridge lessons.
Please take a minute and read the description of the class listed below. They are offering the same lesson, 2x a week, so hopefully one of these sessions it will work with your schedule. You do not have to start with the first lesson, if you do not need a review, then join in where you wish - but a review and practice playing hands never hurts!
Amazon does have the class book in stock, and it can be at your doorstep in about 3 days or less.
The members of the CBC are available to 'help' you get online in advance of the class. Just REPLY to this email, and we will set you up to get registered for BBO. Once on BBO you will need to put $$ in your account.
The lessons are pay as you go, so no commitment.
Finally, the CBC Education Committee will be purchasing a 4 month memberships for any student who participates
.
(Please do not purchase your own membership - you will not get to take advantage of the extra 4 months!!)
The way this class is structured is that Jim will get you playing in a game right away, with the opportunity to earn ACBL masterpoints. To 'keep' your points, you must have an ACBL number. Please let me know if you are going to take the class, there are special instructions for how to join ACBL for this class.
The Class description follows below:
Once again, if you have any questions, either REPLY to this email or contact me or Bernetha Henry directly: The CBC website also has links to videos, etc for how to navigate BBO: www.bridgewebs.com/columbiabridgeclub/
Please be sure to share your user name with us - there is a form on the CBC website at the BBO usernames tab.
Kathy Kimmerling
(734) 476-4046 kkimmerling@sbcglobal.net
Bernetha Henry
(803) 730-3179 pm9735@aol.com
_________________________________________________________
Southeast Bridge Club Consortium
Teaching online is different than teaching face to face - our first lesson will dive into those differences. In many ways there are a lot of advantages to teaching online but there is one obvious down side - technology. We will be using two tools and a beginning bridge book for these lesson.
- Bridge Base Online - (this is where the majority of bridge is played online worldwide). The method of "Showing" players the cards and the number of devices supported (computers, laptops, tablets, ipads, iPhones, Androids) is top of the line quality. There are some things i would like you to do to minimize the "newness" of getting online:
- Go to www.bridgebase.com and sign up for an account (please note you will need to create a Username that is unique)
- Once you have a username, please email your name, email address and BBU username to jdricker.jdr@gmail.com. This let's me get ready to have you in the classes.
- Once you are signed into bridgebase.com - look for the symbol "BB$" (upper right hand part of the screen) and go put some money into your account (if you are using a tablet or phone - you will want to use safari or other browser to put money into your account). How to add BB$
Once you have done those three things, you have done all you need to do with BBO prior to the lessons.
Next is the Zoom software
- Zoom Teleconferencing - We will be using both BBO and Zoom Teleconferencing. This allows me to discuss the lesson audibly and show you information that will be pertinent and helpful for the lesson. In advance of the lesson, it would be expedient if you could go ahead and download zoom http://zoom.us/test. A web cam is not necessary but a microphone and speakers will be fundamental.
Lastly, purchase the class manual
- Purchasing a Student Bridge Book. You can go to amazon and purchase Beginning Bridge Using 2 Over 1 for $25. I would like you to do this as soon as possible and read the first chapter prior to the intial class. The first chapter is more relevant for Face to Face bridge, but the information is still relevant to online bridge.
Those are the things that will help you get ready for the lessons.
How the lessons work, how do you pay etc.
Each week we will have a new lesson (note the outline below). To participate in the lesson you are going to join a Teaching Game of Bridge (I will send you directions on how to find it early next week - I am trying to cut down on how much initial information I am giving you)
When you join the teaching game, there will be a $10 entry fee (which comes out of the money you put in BB$). That is how you will pay for the lessons. If you have never been on BBO, this is going to sound abstract. I understand. However, once done and the process is rote.
Twice a week (Wednesdays at 10:00 and Saturdays at 10:00) we will have a teaching game - unfortunately if you are late, you will not be able to participate. Therefore, it is fairly important to arrive 30-45 minutes early. The same lesson will be taught on Saturday morning that was previously taught on Wednesday morning. The Wednesday/Saturday bridge hands with which we use to teach will be different but the focus of the lesson will be the same. This allows players to take the same lesson twice if desired - or it allows players to have the flexibility to come to which ever lesson is convenient for that particular week.
At the start of the teaching game, players will see their screens change and cards will show up in front of them. For the first lesson, we will immediately switch to the zoom lesson and I will give instructions on what to expect and how to play. Each week the lessons will progress to a new topic of the game but we will take small steps each week and usually touch on what we covered the previous week. I will also be sending out the material for each lesson after the Saturday lesson.
I am excited to have you join the lessons and hope you that you will come to love the game as much as I do. One last thing, if you already have a partner, great - but if you don't come ahead and we will help you find a partner (bridge is a partnership game).
The first lesson will probably be the hardest because we will introduce both the game and the technology - it will be fun.
Lesson plan:
The schedule is very structured:
Part 1 – Bridge basics (Starts Wednesday 7/15 and Saturday 7/18)
Part 2 – Basic Opening bids (Starts Wednesday 7/22 and Saturday 7/25)
- Lesson 2 – Opening a Major
- Lesson 3 – Opening a Minor
- Lesson 4 – Opening in NT and Stayman
- Lesson 5 – Opening in NT and Transfers
- Lesson 6 – Review plus Opening Leads, Attitude and Carding
Part 3 – 2 over 1 and 1NT Forcing (Starts Wednesday 8/26 and Saturday
8/29)
- Lesson 7 – 1NT Forcing Introduction
- Lesson 8 – 1NT Forcing Review
- Lesson 9 – 2 over 1 Game Force
- Lesson 10 – 2 over 1 Review
Thanks, if you have any questions or issues you can contact:
- Kevin Wilson yourbridgepro@gmail.com (865-679-6286) - BBO Username (Grypho)
- Jim Ricker jdricker.jdr@gmail.com (865-805-0420) - BBO Username (Finder01)
Jim Ricker
ABTA 2019 Teacher of the Year
ABTA President Elect
Diamond Books Publishing
(865) 805-0420
