ABOUT THIS SITE

Let me begin with a few words about these pages. First, the information collected here is designed for people with little or no exposure to bridge. I learned bridge by playing with a tolerant friend who explained everything in detail. Nothing can replace the experience of holding and playing cards, nor do I wish to try with this small drop among the ocean of resources for the beginning player. These pages are merely my attempt to bring some basic understanding of the game to new players.

Second, the information I have chosen to include about bidding refers to fairly modern systems played predominantly in North America. Those who wish to learn Goren, which is still popular in North America; ACOL, which is popular in Great Britain; or other systems will not find much help here, though some of the most basic information may be of use. Free online game sites like Yahoo! Bridge will provide you the opportunity to play with a wide variety of bridge afficionados, but the quality of the play and the variations in the bidding systems from one player to the next are great.

Third, the set of bidding conventions I explain here are not necessarily superior to any other system. These are what I learned when I was starting out, and they have served me well in my play. Some of the world's best players—Audrey Grant, a prolific writer of bridge books for all levels, comes to mind—use systems that are much simpler, and they do so with great success. What you chose to keep must be up to you and your partner: nothing is more important in bridge than a sound partnership, without which the game can be more of a chore than a joy (I mean no disrespect to pickup partners, as I have thoroughly enjoyed playing with them in past tournaments, but it can be a challenge working things out ten minutes before play begins).

Finally, I am no world-renowned expert. Do not take the information in these pages as the end-all-be-all of bridge bidding and play. I know what I am doing well enough to earn master points with my wife when our schedules allow us to play at clubs or in tournaments, but you won't see me delivering lectures in Honolulu over Thanksgiving 2006.

Take the information in these pages as a sort of "first principles of bridge bidding," or maybe a touch more. All of the other conventions you will learn later, regardless of what you choose to keep, will make sense if you keep that fact in mind. Beyond that, it is my fervent hope that you who are relatively new to the game will find the information contained herein of use. Bridge is a game that, for those who learn to appreciate its joys, will last a lifetime. The challenge of learning more to improve both bidding and play are what drives many of us to stay with this, the most popular card game of all time.