This fall I plan to offer three valuable online bridge classes from Audrey Grant's Better Bridge.

See technical requirements below for online classes.

Sunday Afternoons - 2 Over 1 Game Force

Step up from Standard American to the bidding system most used by tournament players at all levels. One small tweak to S.A. makes it easier to discover how high and where to play your best contract. 2/1GF is especially helpful for finding slams that are difficult to find using Standard American.

• Sunday afternoons, 4:00 p.m. - 5:30 p.m.
• First class Sept. 19, last class October 31 (skipping Oct. 10) (six sessions)
• $110 course fee
• Required text 2 Over 1 Game Force by Grant and Rodwell

Weekly lessons:

1. Introduction to Two-Over-One Game Force
2. The Forcing 1NT Response
3. Rebids by Opener and Responder
4. The Choice between Game and Slam
5. Practice hands
6. Practice hands

Monday Evenings - Bridge Basics Refresh

How solid is your understand of Standard American bidding? Let's go back to Bridge 1 and take another look. In this class we'll revisit all of the fundamentals of the "constructive auction" in Standard American 5-card Majors, and revisit the most useful conventions to use over an opening notrump bid: Stayman and Jacoby Transfer Bids. Here's your chance to catch all those details you've already forgotten!

• Monday evenings, 6:30 p.m. - 8:00 p.m.
• First class Sept. 13, last class Oct. 25 (seven sessions)
• $110 course fee
• Recommended texts: Bridge 1 - Introduction and Bridge 3 - Popular Conventions

Weekly lessons:

1. One notrump opening bids and responses
2. Major suit opening bids and responses
3. Minor suit opening bids and responses
4. The Stayman Convention
5. Jacoby Transfer Bids
6. Strong opening bids

Tuesday Evenings - Competitive Bidding

This is the class to level-up your competitive bidding skills, especially for club and tournament players. Learn how and when you can interfere profitably with the opponents' bids. Preemptive bidding with long combined suit fits are a theme that runs throughout this course. Discover fit-showing cue bids. Learn how vulnerability affects the score table and your decisions at the table.

• Tuesday evenings, 6:30 p.m. - 8:00 p.m.
• First class Sept. 14, last class Oct. 26 (except Sept. 28) (six sessions)
• $110 course fee
• Require text: Bridge 2 - Competitive Bidding by Grant

Weekly lessons:

1. Preemptive opening bids
2. Simple Overcalls and Responses
3. The Takeout Double
4. The Competitive Auction
5. Practice hands
6. Practice hands

To enroll

To reserve a seat in class, simply send me a note telling which class you'd like to join.

I'll follow up with an invoice and a Zoom registration link for your personal class connection. I have many copies of the class textbooks available and am happy to deliver within 50 miles of Monrovia.

Important requirements for online classes

These classes are available from the comfort of your own home, using Zoom alongside a web browser connected to your personal bridge table. These are not lecture classes! You'll be expected to participate in live exercises and bridge play.

You will need a reliable high-speed broadband internet connection, and a modern laptop or desktop computer. Do not use a tablet computer for these classes. You'll want to have lots of screen space, and a good mouse and keyboard.

Your computer will need to have a microphone and camera connected and working with Zoom.

You will need to be comfortable running two or more applications on your computer simultaneously, switching between them, and adjusting their size and position on the screen as needed. If you are not totally familiar with this, please do not attempt to join these bridge classes. Computer technical support will not be available!

For examples of what it's like to join bridge class online, visit How to join bridge class and see the video appropriate for you.