Bridge Lessons Learn to Play Bridge Lesson 2- 1 Level Opening Bids

[@marianmccormack3895]

Hi Jane I just started learning bridge today. Your tutorials are fantastic. You are a marvelous teacher. The instructions are so clear and simple. I'm hooked already thanks to you.

[@Kitoulini]

Thank you-all your lessons are clear, repetitive (which is great for learners) and to the point.

[@blissfulmovement7715]

Thank you! Awesome tutelage and lovely voice.

[@alicet5352]

Thank you for the excellent tutorials! I haven't played in 29 years and am getting ready to play again.

[@janestearns9936]

Great to hear that Alice. Good Luck with re-embarking on this marvellous game! Jane

[@friendsofgps]

Hi Jane, I am learning Bridge watching your KZbin. You explain simple and easy to understand. Thank you very much.

[@rajamdhodol2594]

Grateful to U for explaining so nicely

[@janestearns9936]

My pleasure. I hope you are enjoying learning the game.

[@angiolm]

Thank you for putting these videos together! My sisters and I have learned the game from you!

[@janestearns9936]

Wow! That's so exciting!!! So pleased to have been able to help!

[@carolynkayhanson2524]

I'm enjoying these lessons. You have the nicest voice. :)

[@janestearns9936]

Thank you! Good luck with your bridge.

[@diannemurphy5509]

Excellent teaching. Thank you

[@qmj9720]

Thanks so much. Your lessons have been very clear and understandable, much appreciated. The tops-down visual was indeed a bit disappointing, but I'll get over it.

[@johnashley2160]

Bottoms Up! My kind of lesson. Well done.

[@InKind-nessMatters]

Did you take the website down because it will no longer upload in Canada? We were so very impressed with the site and her teaching approach. Dang ….thanks for video’s nonetheless 🎉😊

[@louisekeenan2316]

Hi Jane. Thank you so much for your unexpected reply. Your videos are so informative, and easy to understand. I have learned so much from watching them. I'm new to bridge, and find it difficult , but you have made it so easy. Thank you again. Louise

[@janestearns9936]

It is a difficult game and takes time to come to grips with. Everyone learns at a different pace. Just keep going and you'll get there. There is a place for everyone at the bridge table at all standards. Master these basics and enjoy making friends 😀

[@AnekalJay]

Thank you for a really good tutorial. Appreciate your efforts.

[@janestearns9936]

Thank you so much! Good Luck with starting the game!

[@marcelapantoja3378]

hello Jane. thank you very much for your lessons. I cant get a hold of the web page to practice. Has it changed?

[@lesmilnepropertyinvesting7576]

Hello Jane - I live in Wales, UK and recently started learning bridge; I am enjoying your online lessons.🙂 Are "Bottoms Up" and Tops Down" applicable in the UK ACOL system? Thanks

[@janestearns9936]

HI Les, how lovely that these lessons reach this far! I'm sorry but I don't know the UK Acol system but I would be surprised if it were different. If you are learning with a teacher at a club - check with them? This series was done for New Zealand students and I have never played bridge in the UK - however - my bridge partner here has played in the UK so I will ask her and post again when she replies :)

[@janestearns9936]

Hi Les - my friend tells me she was taught the same way - however she pointed me to some materials that suggest thinking may have changed in the UK and this may not now be how you are taught to bid. So I think really is best if you check with an English bridge teacher :)

[@themole2024]

Great teaching. Thank you

[@janestearns9936]

Thx and good luck with your bridge!

[@lindasegrest9623]

These are wonderful tutorials! I haven’t played in 35 years and want to learn again! I am in USA; will the Acol system work for me? Your tutorials are the absolute best I have found, and I do not want to change!

[@janestearns9936]

Thank you Linda! I'm afraid in the USA the Standard American system prevails. These lessons were made for New Zealand students as our predominant system is Acol (the same as other European countries such as the UK and The Netherlands) You can play Acol - but will need to find a partner willing to as well and they may not be easy. Maybe the ACBL has some videos that would work for you? Maybe you could suggest to the ACBL they hire me to do some :) Good luck with your bridge Linda and delighted you are returning to this amazing game.

[@glindo1963]

I am so appreciative of your producing these videos. I loved bridge when I was younger and haven't played in years, but a good friend and I are going to embark on it and this is the perfect tutorial for us. Thank you for doing this.

[@charanlangton7418]

REALLY GOOD TUTORIAL.

[@janestearns9936]

Thank you - good luck with learning bridge!

[@daviddredge1178]

Why the top down rule? If your partner doesn't respond couldn't you be left with a contract in a very weak suit?

[@janestearns9936]

Usually partner can respond and if they can't, the opponents will probably join the auction. Later in the course the reason for bidding in this way is explained further - and the sequence of your bids actually show what you don't have, as much as what you do have. I think take a leap of faith that there is good reason behind it and by the end of Lesson 6 it will hopefully be becoming clearer. Good luck with your studies.

[@daviddredge1178]

@@janestearns9936 Thank you! I am continuing with the wonderful series.

[@EivindGussiasLkseth]

Is there a cheat sheet of these rules available? I tried playing live after watching lessons 1-3 a few times and realize how hard it is to remember everything (or anything). 😅

[@janestearns9936]

Yes! If you go to the New Zealand Bridge website under the tab Learn Bridge - if you scroll down you will find a Beginner's cheatsheet. I will try and post the link here for you www.nzbridge.co.nz/user/inline/1905/NZB%2006%20-%20Beginner%27s%20Cheatsheet.pdf Also, for practising after the lessons do try SkyBridge. They have all the NZB lesson hands uploaded and you can practice on the computer, take as long as you like reading notes to work things out. You have to sign up, but signing up for the lesson hands is free. If you want to join SkyBridge and do other activities I believe there is a charge, but the ACOL lesson hands are free. www.nzbridge.co.nz/user/inline/1865/SBC%20for%20beginners.pdf Hope these links help and good luck! Am delighted you are taking up the game! There is a lot to learn and remember - and you think at first you can never do it - but with a little perseverance you will find it does stick. Also - do you have a club nearby? Clubs are the best place to go to for help with learning the game as you can ask someone when you get stuck! Hope this helps.

[@patsygorveatte3914]

@@janestearns9936 the website doesn't work. is there are new address?

[@janestearns9936]

@@patsygorveatte3914 Sorry Patsy - only just noticed this comment. www.nzbridge.co.nz is the new address. When I update the videos I will change the address on the screen. Hope you are still enjoying learning the game.

[@katypratt]

Tops down is the same as leading your “longest and strongest suit.”

[@janestearns9936]

It can be. In this lesson Tops Down is talking about when you have 2 suits of 5 cards. So you don't have a longer suit as they are of the same length. Then you lead the top or highest ranked suit first. This is the opposite of when you have two four card suits - then it is Bottoms up - so your lowest ranked suit first.

[@bikashsinha5370]

Tho consecutive 4 card suit bid the higher one .if not touched bid the lower one .5 card suit bid the higher one whether it touched or not .one suit has 5 card or one has 6 bid the longest one whether it touched or not

[@simonh306]

A hand with 5♣ and 4♥ you would bid 5♣ or should one bid major over minor?

[@janestearns9936]

Open your longest suit. So 1C.

[@simonh306]

@@janestearns9936 Thanks for the confirmation, appreciated

[@caulfieldmj]

I’m a novice and I live and play bridge in California. Is this Standard American bidding? Your method of teaching really sticks in my head it’s great thx

[@janestearns9936]

Hi John, I'm sorry but here in New Zealand we teach the Acol system not Standard American

[@kuldeepgupta3719]

in my hand i have i have 12 HCP n i have 4 spades n 4 hearts , what do i bid with ? Bottoms up or Tops down?

[@drsnz]

Hi Kuldeep, sorry for the delay in responding. Lowest ranked suit first, 1H first :) But remember - if you shape is balanced, and you can have one doubleton - you might be holding a 1NT opener (Lesson 5)

[@kuldeepgupta3719]

i have 13 HCP and my longest suit is CLUBS for can in Bid with my longest card even though its a MINOR? would love to hear from you. thank you

[@janestearns9936]

Hi Kuldeep, it depends on whether your hand is balanced or not. If you have 5 clubs, and only one doubleton, then you can open 1NT with 12-14 HCP (lesson 5). But if you have six or more clubs, and so an unbalanced hand, you are going to open the bidding 1C. Hope that helps.

[@kuldeepgupta3719]

@@janestearns9936 thank you so much

[@kuldeepgupta3719]

My partner bid 1NT but actually he had 12 points so he should have written 2NT. Am I right? N I had no points but had a match, what should I have done..I bidded Pass. Did I do the right thing

[@wormtownpaul]

Why aren't you adding points for doubletons, singletons, and voids? Are there times when you are supposed to include those in your count and times you are not? I'm also reading that it is standard that to open one spade or heart, that you must have five spades or hearts.

[@janestearns9936]

Hi, we don't formally teach adding on for shape here in NZ in this set of video beginners lessons. Most teachers do cover it at some point when teaching. The key is to have found a fit before adding anything. I usually teach beginners to start with 3 for a void, 2 for a singleton and 1 for a doubleton. Then when they gain in confidence, step that up to 5 for a void, 3 for a singleton and 1 for a doubleton. So shape counts a lot in suit contracts - but not NT. In NZ we teach the Acol system of bridge which is four card suits to open at the 1-level. There are other systems, including Standard American, which involve 5 card majors - NZ does not teach that to beginners. Hope this answers your enquiry for you and good luck with your bridge.

[@submariner99]

Is the ACOL system used in UK?…I’m starting to learn bridge and your site is where I’m starting my lessons.

[@janestearns9936]

@@submariner99 Hi Shaun, delighted to hear you are taking up the game - good luck! I believe Acol is the predominant system in the UK. There may be some slight differences - I'm afraid I only know the NZ way. I'm sure the basics are very similar.

[@kathleenkennedy891]

Lesson4

[@jeancoffey6708]

Level two in beg bridge

[@emineparis]

Who are the 24 people that gave a thumb down ?????

[@janestearns9936]

You can't please everyone :( I tried my best!