Enjoy this short lesson: Today's video is a small teaser for the new online lesson on No Trump Defence. Can you guess the proper way to defend this 3 NT contract?

Just click on this link and always let me know if you have any questions: https://youtu.be/zejs-4gtW_c

Hint: On Youtube, press the letter F on the keyboard to watch the video in fullscreen.

"Bridge is the most interesting game that the art of man has ever devised. To have learnt to play a good game of bridge is the safest insurance against the tedium of old age. What decision, what quickness of apprehension, what judgment, what knowledge of character, are required to play a difficult hand perfectly."

From a biography of W. Somerset Maugham. 

The famous writer LOVED to play bridge.

2022 In Person Fall Schedule

Location: Armour Heights Presbyterian Church, 105 Wilson Avenue

Josée Hammill is thrilled to return to Face-to-Face lessons this Fall! 🍂🍁

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Basic Beginners Bridge Series

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Intermediate I Bridge Series

Only a few spots left! Almost sold out!

For those who feel rusty and need a refresher and for those moving up from Basic lessons.

A 7-week course includes Barbara Seagram’s Intermediate I book and PDF of PowerPoint presentations plus any additional handouts from week to week.

• Tuesdays 1 to 3 pm, beginning on September 13^th and ending on November 1st.

Please note NO CLASS on October 4^th for Yom Kippur

Price: $210 includes taxes and textbook.

• To register: Contact Josée at [email protected] or call (416) 300-9140
• Payment: Send by etransfer to [email protected] or by cheque mailed to my home address – 1717 Avenue Road, Suite 418, Toronto, Ontario, M5M0A2.

NEW LESSON ON ZOOM - NO TRUMP DEFENCE 

Excited to offer the following learning opportunity this coming September. The lesson is recorded with unlimited access once you purchase the lesson.

Mark your calendars for the next live lesson on Wednesday, September 28^th, from 4 to 5:45 ET. The topic is No Trump Defence.

No trump defence begins with the opening lead. But then once you see the dummy, do you know if you should stick to your original plan or look for the right switch? Let’s learn from Eddie Kantar once again with a set of 12 super interesting hands.

The lesson will be recorded and a PDF of all the hands including commentary from Eddie Kantar will be sent to you. This topic will much improve your No Trump Defence.

And also, we all know that defence is the most difficult aspect of playing bridge. That’s why it’s so important to learn each aspect if you want to really master the game.

Just remember that you’ll be defending 50% of every game, and competent defenders are among the highest skilled bridge players in the world. Some of the big names are masters of defence!

So, what do you say? Let's do this! Here are the details:

DATE: Wed. September 28^th, 4:00 – 5:45 pm EST

PRICE: $25

Payment by etransfer to [email protected] or by cheque mailed to my home address – 1717 Avenue Road, Suite 418, Toronto, Ontario, M5M0A2.

PayPal email address: [email protected] or here http://bit.ly/JoseePaypal (please, don’t forget to include your e-mail address when paying by Paypal).

Looking forward to seeing you in the lesson!  

New online lesson with Barbara on Wed. Sep 14

- Proceeds to Adopt a Village in Laos - 

Here is the link for Barbara's new Laos lesson on next Wed. Sep 14th at 3.45 pm till 6.00 pm. BECOME A MUCH BETTER DECLARER. The lesson is on Zoom and anyone who makes a donation of $55.00 or more will receive a link to attend the lesson on Zoom as well as the recording of the lesson. This way, you can watch whenever and how often you please in the comfort of your home.

https://barbaraseagram.clickfunnels.com/sept-14-lesson-laos-donations

All proceeds go towards buying water filters in remote villages in Laos.

Minimum donation is $55.00 CAD $ (approx. $44.00 USD).

If you donate 130.00 CAD $ (approx. 105.00 USD), you will be purchasing a water filter for a family. This will help immensely with their health and well-being and improve their quality of life. Also, with a donation of $130.00 CAD, you will receive a receipt as well as a picture of the family receiving the filter which will have your name on it and your country's flag (see pictures below).

You may also make a donation in memory of someone or in honour of someone. 

Contact Barbara Seagram at [email protected] with any further questions.

This is Barbara's and Patti's 11th year of working with Adopt a Village in Laos to bring clean water to these rural villages.

Thank you for caring.

DID YOU KNOW THAT?

The original meaning of a deck of playing cards:

• 52 cards for 52 weeks in the year.
• 2 colors for day and night 
• 4 suits for the 4 seasons and 13 weeks per season.
• Twelve court cards representing the 12 months.
• If we add each of the cards (ace + ace + ace + ace + two + two + three + seven + eight ... and etc.) of the game we will get 364.
• The card game is an agricultural calendar that told us about the weeks and the seasons.
• With each new season, it was King's week, followed by Queen's week, Jack's and so on until AS week changed seasons and we started over with a new color.
• Jokers were used in leap years.

In Person Gentle Bridge is back!

Our 0-20 MP game will be starting again on September 19th.

Thrilled to announce the return of in-person Gentle Bridge Game starting on September 19th. This is a ‘supervised game’ for those who are new, or are returning to it after an absence. The focus is on bridge fundamentals.

Please Note: Registration is required to participate

• Every Monday, 12:30 to 3:00 pm beginning on September 19th. 
• Address: Armour Heights Presbyterian Church - 105 Wilson Avenue, Toronto.
• Map and directions: https://goo.gl/maps/EGeNRrFmSEyHbuCKA
• If coming by TTC, take the Yonge St Subway to York Mills Station. Then a short bus trip along Wilson. Bus # 97, disembark at Yonge Blvd or Belgrave Ave. 
• Fee: $12 per person (please try to bring exact change).

Registration Required:

All players must register each week as follows:

Send an email to [email protected] with

• Your name.
• ACBL number if you have one.
• Name of your partner (if you have one) – Partner not required to participate. We will pair you with one!

We look forward to seeing you,

Josée and Susan

Our Gentle Supervised Bridge Game

At Armour Heights Needs You

After pausing our Gentle Bridge Game for the summer, Susan Trumper and I are anxious to get started again. I am returning to Face to Face lessons for beginners and advanced beginners, and these new players will also be looking for a safe place to hone their skills. This is not just a supervised bridge game; it is the first and only in person game in the area for novice players. At last check, bridge is meant to be played in person – not in front of a screen while doing dishes or laundry.

Judging by last year’s popularity, it is easy to see what a benefit this game is to all novice players. But that didn’t happen on its own. We had a strong group of volunteers guiding these players.  

What do you need to volunteer at the Gentle Bridge game at Armour Heights?

• Being available on any Monday afternoon from 12 (ish)pm to 3:15 (ish)pm. Come once a month, come every week, once every two months, it doesn’t matter! We need you! Any day you can give us is a huge bonus!
• You must LOVE bridge and be prepared to share your love with these beginner players.
• You must know how to count your hand, open the bidding, respond, rebid, No trump bidding with Stayman and Jacoby transfers, overcalls, doubles, 2♣ opener and responder, and Blackwood. Not much more than that.
• You must know basic “table manners” like welcoming new players at the table, counting your cards, saying “Thank you, Partner” and “Director, please!” We want to teach our players not only about bidding and playing bridge, but share with them the etiquette of this game.
• If you have answered YES to all the above then you are qualified to volunteer at our game. 

Benefits of Volunteering

The benefits are countless. Here are ten proven benefits of volunteering. Maybe one of them will convince you to join us on Monday afternoons! 

1. Volunteering Builds Community
2. Ends Loneliness
3. Increases Socializing
4. Builds Bonds, Creates Friends
5. Develops Emotional Stability
6. Improves Self-Esteem
7. Promotes Longevity
8. Reduces Risk of Alzheimer’s
9. Leads to Graceful Aging
10. Volunteering Adds Fun to Your Years

What’s not to love about this list! 

Free Training provided too!

If the above has convinced you, and if you would like to help the growth of bridge and these new players, please contact me, Josée, at the email [email protected].

Games are held every Monday, from 12:30 to 3:00 pm, at Armour Heights Presbyterian Church - 105 Wilson Avenue, Toronto.

New Quiz from the BBO Archives

Quiz - Playing the Second Hand

You're defending, sitting West.

Declarer plays the ♠Q.

Will you cover with ♠K? Yes or No?

In Toronto, Rob Drummond's Toronto Bridge is now open on Thursday mornings for 0-500 and Thursday afternoons (12 noon) for Open games.

Email: [email protected]

Bridge is a social game. Remember back to all the fun you have had through the years, seeing people in person and making new friends. It has been WAY too long since we all got together and saw each other. Do set aside any reservations and get out and play, wherever you are! I sure can’t wait to get back to the Bridge Table