You can be a bridge teacher

You don't have to be a professional teacher or even an experienced player to promote bridge and recruit new players. Almost anyone can succeed as a bridge teacher. All you need is an interested learner, a bit of patience and some help from the wealth of resources on the Internet.

Whether you're teaching a group class or just one friend or family member, these tips and web sites will make it easy to share your love of the world's greatest game.

Keep Bridge Alive is an international campaign to raise awareness of the benefits of bridge and increase participation.

Led by Samantha Punch of the University of Stirling in Scotland, the project includes research, publicity and other efforts to enhance the future of our game.

You can help by reaching out to potential players and offering to share your knowledge. Even if you've never taught bridge before, consider giving it a try.

♥  Provide motivation.  Emphasize the benefits of learning and playing bridge. These web pages provide some good talking points:

Boost your brain power

Why play bridge?

♥  Get them playing immediately. Bring out the cards early, before you teach bidding rules. Try playing this simplified form of bridge that doesn't require any bidding:

Minibridge is an easy introduction to cardplay and the concepts of tricks, trump suits, honor points and contracts. More tips for teaching Minibridge are here: https://www.ebu.co.uk/minibridge/11-easy-steps .

♥  Start here to teach basic bidding and play. These free software programs from ACBL are highly recommended as a first step for all learners.

Learn to Play Bridge I & II -- Designed for those who have never played bridge, these interactive programs offer a great introduction to the basics. Users can progress through the lessons at their own pace and replay all the example hands as many times as they like. These are the downloadable versions, which can be played without an Internet connection. An online version is also available on the ACBL site.

♥  Take advantage of these web sites for learners. You'll find help here with planning lessons, setting up instructional hands and printing handouts. Direct your students to these sites to do reading that will supplement your instruction. Take it slow, focus on the logic behind basic bidding principles and be ready to repeat/review the basics as often as necessary.

How to play bridge -- An overview of the purpose of the game and the basics of bidding and play.

Beginner lesson from Richard Pavlicek -- A concise introduction for the complete beginner. It includes a link to the full text of the author's Bridge Basics textbook.

Karen's Bridge Library -- Bidding summaries, quizzes, reference material and "how-to" tips for beginners and beyond.

Fifth Chair Bridge School -- Sixteen introductory-level lessons and quizzes on basic bidding.

♥  Highlight practice opportunities:  Encourage your students to practice on their own to develop their skills. It's easy and fun with online playing sites.

Solitaire Minibridge -- The web page deals the hands. You see both your hand and partner's to choose the trump suit and expected number of tricks, then play out the hand.

Bridgebase solitaire games -- Seven different ways to play and practice, all free. The best ones for beginners are:

   ♣  Just Play Bridge -- An endless stream of hands where you bid and play against computer robots. Robots play a basic 2-over-1 system.

   ♣  Just Declare -- No bidding. The contract on each deal is pre-determined and you play the hand against robots.

   ♣  Bridge Master -- Similar to Just Declare, but with instructional deals to test and improve declarer play. It offers five skill levels, from beginner to world-class.

Bridgeclues -- Instructional and entertaining quizzes from world champion Mike Lawrence. New quiz hands on bidding and play are posted every day, grouped into three skill categories.

Developing your "card sense" -- Suggestions for skill-building activities that don't require a computer.

♥  Help your students take the next step.  Introduce your students to duplicate play -- online and at your local club. Ask your club manager if you can play as a mentor with a newcomer in the club's novice games.

Discover the Fun & Challenge of Duplicate Bridge -- This online booklet offers an overview of game movements, scoring, convention cards and duplicate customs, plus tips for pair and team play.

Bridgebase Online -- The biggest online playing site, with free games in a variety of formats. The "Relaxed Club" offers tables for newcomers.

♥  If you're teaching children or teens:

ACBL School Bridge Program -- Instructions, tips and lesson plans for teaching youth and setting up group lessons at schools. It includes the complete 116-page teacher manual with lesson outlines, practice hands and worksheets. Use the email link to request a free school bridge packet. 

Bridge Teachers for Youth -- Lesson plans, handouts, promotional materials and the complete text of the "Bridge: A Path to Math" curriculum.

♥  Need more ideas? These sites offer many helpful resources for bridge teachers. 

American Bridge Teachers Association

ACBL bridge teachers page -- Teachers' newsletter, handbooks, online teaching tips and lesson plans for several different courses.

ACBL teaching materials -- Complete course outlines, teacher manuals and printable handouts.

Larry Cohen's Learning Center -- Hundreds of articles. quizzes and practice hands on a wide range of topics.

Northern Colorado and Richmond VA bridge clubs -- Topics, outlines and handouts for mini-lessons.