How to get involved
Bridge courses are held throughout the year. Courses are led by professional bridge teacher Ned Paul.
Beginners
Learn Bridge in a Weekend is a complete two-day course for beginners. It assumes no prior knowledge. The course starts with the mechanics of bridge, the basics of card play and how to value your hand correctly. Every stage is accompanied by appropriate ‘hands-on’ practice deals. The course fee including tuition, playing practice and full documentation is £90.00 per person.
Supervised Bridge
For returning players or for anyone who has completed the Beginners Course, the Bridge Circle offers fortnightly Thursday evening sessions , under the supervision of experienced players. Each session is designed to reinforce the lessons taught in the Bridge Weekend, and to give participants the confidence to play club level Bridge. If you are interested to participate in Supervised Practice sessions, please contact Ross Cope (ross.cope@blueyonder.co.uk). Sessions must be pre-booked in order to make up complete tables, and thus to ensure that all players get a full evening. Players unable to participate in the first of each month’s sessions get priority for the second session of the month.
Intermediates
Intermediate courses are held for more experienced players and cover a variety of material including formal lesson on a bidding or play topic (e.g. opener’s rebid, responder’s second bid, counting winners and losers, using dummy’s trumps).
The Bridge Committee:
Chairman: Tony Scouller
Treasurer: Robin Kilborn
Match secretary: Marina Chaning-Pearce
Captain: Arun Suri
Bob Bowman
Pauli Laumen
Louise Boyle
Ross Cope
Andrew Kisiel
Email bridgepm@royalautomobileclub.co.uk
Telephone 020 7747 3295
Thursday Duplicate
Duplicate bridge is played on Thursday evening in the Library from 7.00pm and the standard is generally intermediate. Master points and prizes are awarded each week. Pre-dealt hands are supplied, with copies of the hands and results available at the end of the evening. The results are then posted on this website the following day.
If you need a partner, someone suitable will be provided by our EBU qualified Director John Claydon, so no prior arrangement is necessary. Come along on a Thursday evening in the Library with or without a partner and try it out.
Regular players are automatically entered for the Top Ten Trophy for the average of the ten best scores from at least twenty accumulated during the year (excluding special competitions). A separate cup (the Debbie Goldstein Player of the Year Trophy) is awarded for the most points accumulated during the year, achieved by a combination of attendance (1 point) and additional points for being placed fourth, third, second or first in the weekly competition (again special competitions excepted). These cups are presented annually at the Bridge Circle Christmas Dinner.
Supervised Duplicate
Supervised Duplicate is held every other Thursday alongside the regular Thursday evening duplicate. It is a chance for less practised players to come and play at the duplicate with a helping hand from more experienced bridge players.
Anyone wishing to take part in supervised duplicate should give their name to David Glass on 020 7603 8092 or by email at davidglass@btinternet.com at least 24 hours prior to the session.
This is necessary to ensure complete tables so that everyone can have an evening of uninterrupted play. Supervised bridge will restart after the summer break on 1 October and continue fortnightly thereafter.
Devonshire Cup
A unique, teams of four, rubber bridge knockout competition has been played annually since 1946 for the Duke of Devonshire Cup.
The Royal Automobile Club is a private club exclusively for members and their guests. Historically, the club has allowed a large number of guests to participate in the Bridge Circle, in particular the Thursday Night Duplicate. The Club has decided to withdraw this relaxation of the rules in respect of guests for several activities including bridge, chess and backgammon. The Bridge Circle is required to have a new policy in respect of guests to bring it into compliance with Club rules.
Guests may not come on their own
Guests may only come on occasion when invited by and playing bridge with a member. On such occasions the member will be responsible for the conduct of their guest and ensure that they sign their guest into the Visitors book (as has always been the case). Guests will still be most welcome at all Bridge Circle ‘open’ events:
Summer Lunch
Christmas Dinner
Ernest Lawson Rose Bowl
Ralph Goldstein Trophy
Open Pairs
Devonshire Pairs
Duplicate bridge is played on Thursday evenings in the Library from 7.00pm and the standard is generally intermediate.
Pre-dealt hands are supplied, with copies of the hands and results available at the end of the evening. The results are then posted on this website the following day.
All members are welcome and you can also bring a guest along to the evening. If you need a partner, someone suitable will be provided by our EBU qualified Director John Claydon, so no prior arrangement is necessary. Come along on a Thursday evening in the Library with or without a partner and try it out.