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On this page: Duplicate
Bridge | Practice Groups for Newer Players | Classes
from Absolute Beginner to Intermediate
Welcome
to my home page. These days I am involved full time in the game of bridge. I am
a bridge player, teacher, organiser, tournament director, writer, translator and
historian. I am based in London, England, where there are many bridge clubs catering
for different standards of player. I have played bridge for over 30 years and
try to be a sympathetic teacher, encouraging others to look forward to as much
fun from bridge as I have had over the years. I am particularly known as a teacher
for beginning bridge players and offer tuition for absolute beginners either on
a weekly, day or evening class basis or on one of my ‘Learn Bridge in
a Weekend’ courses that happen several times a year. This course is particularly
effective at getting people playing quickly. See the websites indicated below
for current dates. Below are some of my activities
aimed at those who already play: - Duplicate Bridge
I
run various London bridge clubs that play duplicate bridge. All welcome new players
and visitors and partners are guaranteed.
- Putney
Bridge Club (MONDAYS, 7.30pm)
Putney Bridge Club meets at
Winchester House, 10 Lower Richmond Road, Putney SW15 1JN every Monday
(except Bank Holidays). Winchester House is a Queen Anne riverside mansion used
as a social club, just next to the Duke’s Head pub. The standard is good
intermediate but everyone is very friendly and the playing venue is delightful.
Again we will make your first experience of club bridge a positive one. We normally
do Simultaneous competitions when these occur on a Monday. We use Bridgemates.
Hand records are available on completion of play. Results are posted promptly
to the internet. Check out the Putney
Bridge Club website for full details including timetable and map.
- Bridge at Harrison’s
(TUESDAYS, 10.00am) - “Gentle Duplicate”
Harrisons is a
restaurant in Balham, SW12. It is close to Balham station which is superbly accessible
from anywhere on the tube system or by BR train to/from Clapham Junction. This
is a really good opportunity for less experienced players to find their feet at
duplicate in what is a small but very friendly game. We start at 10.00am, and
finish by 12.30pm. Check out the Bridge
at Harrison’s website for full details including timetable and map.
- Thursdays
at Our Lady Queen of Peace, Richmond (THURSDAYS, 1.15pm)
Thursdays
is bridge day at the Church Hall, Our Lady Queen of Peace, 222 Sheen Road, Richmond-upon-Thames,
TW10 5AN. In the morning (9.30-12.00noon) there is social bridge for improving
players with a short formal lesson segment at 10.00am. This is a long established
group that has grown strongly over the last couple of years. New players and singles welcome - partners are guaranteed for all sessions. Table
fee £5.00, no membership required. Tea/coffee and biscuits available throughout
on a help yourself basis.
A number of players wish to advance
to duplicate so we now also play Thursday afternoon tournament
sessions on the first and third Thursdays of each month (1.00pm-4.15pm). These duplicates are normally
24 boards. Bridgemate instant scoring; results posted promptly to website.
Table
fee for the duplicates is £6.00 (tea/coffe, etc incl.), no membership required. Singles welcome.
- The
Ruff Club - Play Bridge in Camden (FRIDAYS, 7.15pm)
The Ruff Bridge
Club meets at St Pancras Community Centre in Camden Town each Friday for club
level duplicate bridge.
It’s a friendly standard for players of mixed
abilities and we currently get a congenial 7-8 tables each week. New players are
always welcome and partners are found for single players. We hope that if this
is your first experience of club duplicate bridge it will be a positive one and
I will do my best to ensure this is so. Experienced players will be made equally
welcome and from time to time the club participates in some of the many ‘simultaneous’
competitions that are available. Hand records are available on completion of play.
We use Bridgemates. Results are posted promptly to the internet. Check out the
Ruff Club website
for full details including timetable and map.
- Newcomer Friendly Practice Games
- Aces-Hi!
Bridge Club Aces Hi! is a relaxed and sociable London-based group for
‘improvers’ which was formed in 2003. The group particularly (though
not exclusively) welcomes younger professional people and players with limited
experience of club bridge. Novices, refreshers, recent learners, etc all welcome
and will be able to play and improve with this group.
We meet on Wednesday
evenings at Reebok Sports Club London, located above the Canada Place shopping
mall in the heart of Docklands, E14. New players always
welcome! No partner required.
For more details including travel directions visit the Aces-Hi!
website.
- The Ruff Club, Camden
also meets on Wednesday evenings for Supervised Practice. Suitable for novices,
recent graduates from lessons, refreshers and anyone who enjoys social bridge
with advice available as needed. New players always welcome! Come
any time from 7.15pm onwards; no partner required – you will play with and
against different players. Play continues until about 10.00pm but leave when you
wish to/have to. Bridge fee £7.00. The bridge host is Kit Jackson.
Venue: Princess
of Wales, 22 Chalcot Road, NW1 8LL. This is on the corner of Fitzroy
Road, a short walk from Chalk Farm underground station (Northern Line) and served
by many buses.
- Marylebone
Bridge Club We meet on Thursday
evenings and play 'duplciate' bridge when the numbers are right. All are welcome including new players, who will be given any necessary help, and single players are always guaranteed a game. Marylebone
Bridge Club has its own web page - follow
the link.
- Bridge
Lessons/Classes - Beginners
- Learn
Bridge in a Weekend This is exactly what it says. It runs on Saturday
and Sunday, 10.30am-5.30pm both days.I use a venue in Earls Court, SW5. This is
a great way to get started and get all the basics out of the way immediately.
It is highly suitable for busy professional people who are used to doing training
days at work. After this course you will be ready - indeed eager! - to join one
of our playing groups. Lots of references available. Cost is £85.00 per
person for the two days. I am running this course on the following dates:
- April 28th/29th 2012, Earls Court, SW5.
Please email for full details and
registration forms.
- Weekly Classes: Monday
morning bridge takes place in conjunction with Harrison’s
Brasserie, 15-19 Bedford Hill, Balham, London SW12 9EX. Beginners are
welcome to join at any time. Come and enjoy a cup of coffee with your bridge lessons.After
a few sessions you will be able to join our improvers playing group at the same
venue - see below.Please email
for full details.
- Bridge Lessons/Classes - Improvers
- Mondays: Social bridge Supervised Play).Harrison’s
Brasserie, 15-19 Bedford Hill, Balham, London SW12 9EX. Mondays 10.30am-12.30pm.
Harrison’s is just minutes from Balham underground and BR stations or click
the link for details of parking, buses, etc. Host Kit Jackson
- Tuesdays:
Gentle Duplicate for improvers. Harrison’s
Brasserie as above. 10.00am-12.30pm. Host Kit Jackson
- Wednesdays: Gentle duplicate bridge for newer players. This is in association
with The Plough Inn, 297 Northfield Avenue, W5 4XB. Pub car park or street
parking possible (we meet outside local CPZ controlled hours). Local buses. Nearest
tube station Northfields (Piccadilly line). Wednesdays, 11.00am-1.pm. If you know
the basics e.g. have ever played in the past, and would like to sample duplicate
bridge as played in most clubs, then joining this group would be ideal. No partner
required, no booking necessary. Email
for details.
- Thursdays: Friendly next step bridge for improving
players. Church Hall, Our Lady Queen of Peace, 222 Sheen Road, Richmond, Surrey,
TW10 5AN. Pleasant, airy hall with large free car park, or buses from Richmond.
Thursdays from 9.30am-12.00noon. Half hour formal lesson at 10.00, otherwise friendly
social play with advice available. If you have played at home or with friends
or just done a course, it is this level of bridge that will be right for you.
No partner required, no booking necessary. Email
for details.
- Thursdays: Gentle Duplicate for improvers in Marylebone.
7.15pm-10.00pm. Click link
for more info.
- Sunday seminars and practice days for improvers and
refreshers: Newcomer friendly duplicate bridge for ‘developing’
players, held jointly with Young Chelsea BC in Earls Court SW5. All welcome, partners
found. Email for future dates and
topics.
-
Private Lessons
Enquiries
are welcome regarding private or group tuition at any level. If you have a group
already I can teach you. If not, one of my specialities is putting together small
groups of players for single table supervised bridge at home. I am in contact
with a large number of players who enjoy learning bridge in a more private atmosphere
and if you do not know four players I can generally find other players as well
as providing all necessary equipment such as card table, cards, bidding boxes,
stationery, etc.
A typical session includes a set of prepared hands with
a subsequent handout and some additional freely dealt hands. I encourage all players
to become familiar with scoring and tactics as well as bidding and play. Telephone
me on 07792 715517 if this appeals. - Bridge Parties
I can organise bridge parties for you - four, eight, twelve, sixteen, or
if you invite them, even twenty players. I can supply all the necessary equipment
including tables, cards, stationery, etc. By agreement the bridge can be themed
using vintage or contemporary themes. You can choose duplicate, chicago or rubber
bridge or even play historic versions of the game. - Bridge
Partner
I am available by arrangement to play as your partner in
Club or County or National tournaments. An experienced and sympathetic partner
may be the key to a good tournament result or an investment in longer term improvement.
Sessions include post-event analysis of the hands played. Occasionally
I organise hotel-based weekends or other outings for bridge players. Check the
Aces-Hi! and Ruff Club
sites for details. You can email me at ned@nedpaul.com
or telephone or text me on 07792 715517. [Please note this page is currently
under construction; future development is intended, including displaying on the
web my considerable collection of bridge ephemera.] |
