Part 2

I sincerely hope you found the tips from my previous article helpful. This month, I’ll concentrate on how you can make the most of the time you devote to improving your bridge skills without breaking the bank.

Face to face classes, organized by your local club or NBO cost money, but are affordable. Before enrolling in the first bridge class you see, do some research to make sure the course will be beneficial for achieving your learning goals. Some courses are named based on the level of players they’re aimed at, for example, Improver's, Next step, or Advanced. Other courses loosely clarify the topics; Improve your slam bidding, defense or squeeze play for example. If you’re unsure whether a specific course is right for you, contact the teachers or organizers beforehand and ask what topics will be covered. For the ones you are familiar with, ask how much the lessons will go beyond the basics. You might find that this was just what you needed. Take for example, you’re looking at a course, "Bidding after 1NT opening". You might have already mastered all the Stayman and Transfer stuff in a straightforward auction, but frequently find yourself struggling after an intervention. If the course covers competitive bidding too, it’ll really help you learn what you need know, even though at first glance it sounds too simplistic. 

Think about your availability before committing to a course. If you miss classes, you’re not going to get the full benefit. It’ll be better to either do the course at a later date or look for single topic seminars. These are one offs and easier to fit into your schedule if you have a busy life. Once again, make sure to ask for details as you don't want something that’s not pitched at your level.

Another point to consider before enrolling onto courses or seminars is how comfortable you are at addressing your struggles in a room full of people. A major benefit of having a bridge teacher, compared to reading books or materials written by bridge teachers, is the opportunity to ask questions and seek explanations when you fail to understand. I have run seminars or post mortem sessions, where only two or three people ask questions and end up dominating the conversation, while the rest of the room just nods quietly. I’m sure not all of the silent people understood everything, and I’ve tried to encourage wider discussions to no avail. Some people are just shy in front of a big audience. If you’re one of these people, you might be better suited for a private tuition. Find four other players to make it more sociable and cost effective. Try to do this with your friends or people you’re comfortable talking to. A private teacher will be more effective at helping four of you than a big class of 30 players with different needs.

Another advantage of hiring a private teacher for a group of four (or less), face to face or online is that you can ask to cover specific topics. This is the way I teach my students. I ask them to tell me what they'd like to improve, and prepare lessons based on that, and it works well. Sometimes they ask to cover topics more in more detail, for example following a lesson on responses to a 2NT enquiry after a weak 2 opening, they might then ask for a lesson on what happens if either opponent interferes. Having private lessons allows you to customize your learning more easily and puts you in the driver’s seat. 

Last, but not least, you and your partner could hire a coach - a bridge professional who can help you with your system, your signalling methods or analyses of bad results. You won't have lessons but will be given guidance on your bidding and play. A coach might kibitz at your BBO table or organise various types of training sessions, giving advice tailored to your needs . It works better for partnerships, rather than individuals (except for declarer play and bits of defense), as whatever brilliant bidding or signalling system you master, your partner needs to be on the same wavelength.

Finally, if you don’t have the money to invest in any of the above, you and partner (and why not two other friends) could play old Vugraph deals on BBO. Go to Casual, Start a table, Start a table-competitive game, click on the three lines on the top left corner, select Deal source, select "Randomly selected Vugraph deals" or "Specific Vugraph match from archives" and fill the empty seats. You can compare your score with the experts and discuss during or at the end of the session. If it’s only you and partner, you will have to pay for robots to play as your opponents. Ideally, you’ll want to devote an hour to an hour and a half per week for this and you'll soon reap the benefits. Partnership discussion of competitive hands in a non-competitive environment is a very good way to learn and improve.

As usual, I’m looking forward to hearing your ideas, so please add your comments below.

About the author

Nevena is a multiple World and European champion, having played for Bulgaria, Great Britain and England. She teaches bridge to all levels, both face to face and online.