Hello Josee ,

In Ontario and several other provinces of Canada, the third Monday in February is a regional statutory holiday known as Family Day. It so happens that this year, it also falls on the same weekend as Valentine's Day. It makes me want to sing "Love is in the air"!

It was fortuitous that I spent my last two Saturdays with members of my family from completely opposite generations. One Saturday, I spent several hours with my 4-year-old granddaughter, who had opted for ice skating as her source of entertainment, followed by a hot chocolate in a café and a car wash after she took a good look at my car. So off we went.

The rink was a small neighbourhood rink with very few smooth surfaces and no boards to hang on to. Maddie and I held on for dear life to her ice walker, while Maddie kept saying, “It’s really slippery,” and I attempted to take a selfie for posterity’s sake! The rest of our outing worked out much better.

Fast forward to last Saturday in Québec City for the purpose of visiting my mom, who turned 88 on Thursday. We went to the Château Frontenac for afternoon tea, with temperatures of -28°C before the wind chill. It was such a lovely experience, which started as soon as we pulled up to the front entrance, where a doorman in full regalia welcomed us, ushered us in so we wouldn’t freeze, and handled parking the car.

Also, for those of you who are not as familiar with my hometown, the famous Carnival de Québec starts next weekend. The ice palace is already under construction, and Bonhomme presides in front of our parliament building. So much history in this part of my beautiful city. But the thing is—you do have to love winter to appreciate it all!

Now let's talk about another one of my loves - the bridge game! You will find below my spring schedule, a themed FunFacts, a Mini Quiz on Responding to 1NT opening bids and more! I would like to draw the attention of my students in Toronto who are interested in spring lessons. Do watch the short video below, which describes in further detail my brand new course called Conventions, as well as two Bid and Play sessions that will be run by Barb Black. I am so grateful to hear that you want to sign up for lessons, but I want to make sure that you sign up for what is right for you.

In closing, I wish everyone a Happy Valentine's Day and Family Day if you are celebrating as well. I will be back in March but do reach out if I can answer any question for you!

MINI-VIDEO

In this video, I’m excited to share an overview of my upcoming spring bridge courses, perfect for players of all levels!

I warmly invite you all to watch the recording below, and please feel free to reach out with any questions. I truly appreciate your interest in signing up for lessons! However, I want to ensure that you choose the option that best suits your needs.

And for more details, dates, see below for the full schedule. Happy bridging!

2025 SPRING SCHEDULE

All courses held at Armour Heights Presbyterian Church, 105 Wilson Ave, Toronto

Tricks And Trumps – A FREE Bridge Taster Session

Do you have friends who are curious about learning to play bridge?

I'm offering a FREE 90-minute Tricks and Trumps session. No strings attached - just pure, hands-on bridge playing with no theory! This is their chance to experience the thrill of the game and see what all the fuss is about.

They’ll play real bridge hands in a relaxed, judgment-free environment. It's the perfect opportunity to try something new, meet like-minded people, and potentially discover their next favourite activity! Hurry! Space is limited! 

• DATE: Tuesday February 25^th – 6:30 to 8 pm
• PRICE: 100% FREE!!!!
• To register, please contact Josée at mjhammill@rogers.com.

Conventions With Josée – A Brand New Course!

Are you and your partner ready to add a few bidding “gadgets” to your Convention Card? Do you feel like you have a solid understanding of the basic principles of bidding in bridge?

Using Barbara Seagram’s Intermediate 3 book as a starting point, this 6 week course will focus on some important conventions that can help you “tweak” your system, and enhance your communications with partner.

Think Texas Transfers, Fourth Suit Forcing, Bergen Raises, Jacoby 2NT and splinters, negative doubles, New Minor Forcing and DONT!

• DATES: Starts Wednesday March 26^th for 6 weeks – 10am to 12pm
• PRICE: $220. Send E-transfer to mjhammill@rogers.com. Includes taxes, Barbara Seagram Intermediate III textbook, and additional supporting documents.
• To register, please contact Josée at mjhammill@rogers.com.

Basics Beginners Bridge with Josée

This 8-week course is designed for absolute beginners. By the end of the series, you will be guaranteed a solid understanding of basic bidding and playing bridge concepts. This class is hands on.

• DATES: Starts Tuesday March 25^th for 8 weeks – 6:30 to 8:30 pm
• PRICE: $260. Send E-transfer to mjhammill@rogers.com. Includes taxes, Barbara Seagram Basic Bridge textbook, PDF of PowerPoint presentations and online recordings. 
• To register, please contact Josée at mjhammill@rogers.com.

Advanced Beginners (Int 1) Bridge with Barb Black

Whether you are transitioning from basic lessons or returning to the game after a long hiatus, this 7-week course is the ticket to help you solidify your foundation.

• DATES: Starts Wednesday March 26^th for 7 weeks – 1 to 3 pm
• PRICE: $230. Send E-transfer to mjhammill@rogers.com. Includes taxes, Barbara Seagram Intermediate I textbook, PDF of PowerPoint presentations and online recordings.
• To register, please contact Josée at mjhammill@rogers.com.

Bid and Play With Barb Black

Two very completely different gentle sessions aimed at improving your bidding and playing foundation. For anyone who has recently completed the Bridge Basics or Intermediate I program, or needs a refresher on bidding and playing techniques.

You’ll practice hand evaluation, supporting partner’s suit, NT bidding and responses, competitive auctions and much more. Even learn some defence tips!

• DATES: Wednesday May 14^th and May 21^st – 1 to 3 pm
• PRICE: $35 each session. Send E-transfer to barbblack0584@gmail.com. Lessons will include a PDF of all the hands with commentary on bidding and declarer’s strategy. These sessions are hands on!
• To register, please contact Barb at barbblack0584@gmail.com.

Learn To Play Two Over One In 5 Hours

The System That Most of North America Now Plays

Why are more and more players switching to Two Over One? Because it simplifies slam bidding, clarifies game tries, and helps partnerships reach better contracts consistently.

In this intensive one-day workshop, you'll discover why this system has become North America's preferred approach to bridge bidding.

• DATE: Thursday May 1^st – 10 am to 3 pm (Bring your lunch)
• PRICE: $89. Send E-transfer to mjhammill@rogers.com. Includes taxes, Barbara Seagram’s 2/1 Game Force workbook (updated in 2024), PDF of PowerPoint presentations.
• To register, please contact Josée at mjhammill@rogers.com.

PRE-REGISTRATION FOR ALL CLASSES IS REQUIRED

All courses held at Armour Heights Presbyterian Church, 105 Wilson Ave, Toronto

For any questions, please email mjhammill@rogers.com

DID YOU KNOW THAT? BRIDGE FUN FACTS

Love & Bridge: A Valentine's Special ❤️💘

As Larry Cohen wisely noted, "It's been said that one's bridge partner can be as important as their marital partner." While this might not score points on Valentine's Day, there's something special about couples who share their passion for bridge. Let's remember some famous bridge partnerships who took "for better or worse" from the altar to the card table!

Famous Bridge Couples Who Found Love in the Cards

Eddie and Yvonne Kantar: One of bridge's most beloved couples, Eddie and Yvonne were married for over 40 years until Eddie's passing in 2022. Eddie, a Grand Life Master and renowned bridge author, met Yvonne at a bridge club in the 1970s. Together, they became one of bridge's most charming couples, with Eddie frequently featuring Yvonne in his humorous bridge articles and books. Yvonne was not just Eddie's life partner but also his first reader and editor for many of his acclaimed bridge books.

Eddie was famous for his witty observations about marriage and bridge. He often joked that the secret to a successful marriage was letting his wife win their practice matches – but not too often! He was known to quip that playing bridge with your spouse required three essential skills: patience, more patience, and knowing when to take a coffee break. One of his favorite pieces of advice for married couples at the bridge table was to treat every hand as if you were playing with your favorite partner – even if you weren't feeling particularly favorable toward them at the moment.

Eddie once humorously noted that the advantage of playing with your spouse was that you could continue any unfinished bridge discussions at home – though he quickly learned that some discussions were better left at the club! He maintained that the secret to his successful partnership with Yvonne was that they each had their designated roles: she was always right, and he was always sorry.

Bob and Petra Hamman: When World Champion Bob Hamman met Petra at a bridge tournament, it wasn't just a grand slam in hearts – it was destiny. They've been partners in life and occasionally at the bridge table for decades, proving that sometimes the best contracts are the ones you make in life.

Steve and Kitty Cooper: This dynamic duo has not only built a successful marriage but also created Bridge Academy together. They've shown that teaching bridge together can strengthen both your partnership and your marriage – though they might debate who gets to be declarer more often!

Barry and Suzi Crane: The late Barry Crane and his wife Suzi were a formidable partnership both on and off the bridge table. Barry, one of the most successful tournament players in history, often said that having his wife's support was his secret weapon.

Tips for Couples Playing Bridge Together

1. Leave the Post-Mortems at the Table: Remember Cohen's advice: keep your mouth shut during the game. Nothing ruins a romantic dinner quite like rehashing that missed slam from three hours ago!
2. Celebrate the Wins Together: When you make that difficult 3NT contract, it's twice as sweet when your life partner is the one who put down the perfect dummy.
3. Practice Patience: Just as in marriage, partnership bridge requires patience. If your spouse takes an extra minute to plan the play, consider it practice for when they take an extra hour to get ready for dinner.
4. Keep the Competition Friendly: Remember, you still have to share the car ride home after the tournament!

The most successful bridge-playing couples share one crucial trait: they treat their bridge partnership like their marriage – with respect, understanding, and a healthy dose of humor. As one top player once quipped, "My wife and I never go to bed angry about bridge. We wait until breakfast."

Responding to 1NT Openings – Quiz with Josée

In this quiz, let’s practice responding to 1NT openings and focus on responder's decisions. West will always open 1NT, showing 15-17 HCP points and a balanced hand (HCP are shown in parentheses for each hand).

You'll then look at the East hand (the responder's hand), and decide what to bid. From there we will discuss opener’s rebids and, if necessary, responder’s rebid.

This format will help us concentrate on the key decisions a responder faces after a 1NT opening.

Remember the basic guidelines:

• With 0-7 points, we generally pass

• With 8-9 points, we can invite

• With 10+ points, we must bid game

Good luck, and let’s get started. Below are the hands for you to bid. And when you're done. click here to see the answers:

Answers to the Quiz: Responding to 1NT

BEST NEW GAME IN TOWN!

Join us at our weekly supervised game for 0-20 MP players

WHEN: Thursday evening

6:30 pm prompt start.

WHERE: Armour Heights Presbyterian Church, 105 Wilson Avenue

WHAT: A gentle bridge game for players with 0-20 MP. Volunteers will be on hand to answer your bidding questions. Hand of the week analysis with tips on bidding and playing the hand.

A partner will always be guaranteed if you do not have one already.

HOW MUCH: $12 – includes playing 12 boards, hand of the week analysis, volunteers, coffee, tea and cookies. Playing experience in a gentle environment is priceless !

Pre Registration strongly encouraged. Email Josée at mjhammill@rogers.com to be added to mailing list and receive the LIVE registration link.

We ask that you are on site by no later than 6:10 pm.

If you have taken some lessons but are worried about playing bridge in a club, this opportunity will ease all your hesitations! You will be hooked after just one week! 

Your director Douglas Jordan, our wonderful volunteers and myself are looking forward to having you join.

See you there!  

NEW CRUISE RECOMMENDED BY BARBARA SEAGRAM