ACBL HANDBOOK

for

BRIDGE TEACHERS

American Contract Bridge League 2010

American Contract Bridge League 6575 Windchase Blvd Horn Lake MS 38637 662-253-3100, ext. 3161 education@acbl.org www.acbl.org

TABLE OF CONTENTS

TEACHING TIPS Page

APPENDIX

1

TIPS ON GETTING STARTED AS A BRIDGE TEACHER

Make a plan.

:

::

Take advantage of ACBL’s Cooperative Advertising Program.

Remember you may apply more than once!

Find a place to teach.

Unit Education Liaisons.

Form a partnership with a local club.

Be aware of the basic rules of promotion:

2

TIPS TO HELP GET THE WORD OUT ABOUT YOUR CLASSES

Promote what is special about your lessons. Play bridge at your first lesson

Get a listing in the yellow pages.

yellow pages

Advertise at tournaments.

Advertise on neighborhood bulletin boards.

Display your flyers at the public library.

Work with realtors in your area.

Contact .Welcome Wagon

Visit the mall.

3

Generate free news publicity.

Write a local bridge column.

Be a public speaker.

Welcome Wagon Junior League

Contact local radio and TV stations.

Explore opportunity for free TV exposure.

Work with local bookstores.

Don’t forget your credentials.

Let your students sing your praises.

4

TIPS TO HELP YOU CREATE AND DO YOUR OWN ADVERTISING

Make the most of your computer.

Create a flyer to help get the word out.

Create and send postcards.

Create and use business cards.

Promotional ideas.

Newspaper ads do work.

5

Reprint favorable news stories.

Create a brochure or flyer.

Some of the places where you can distribute flyers:

6

TIPS TO HELP YOU RECRUIT STUDENTS

Donate a free set of lessons for the church bazaar.

Become a country club bridge-pro.

Use school publications to reach parents.

Explore unusual locations for exposure. e.g.,

Start and start again.

Summertime special. Bidding

Club Series

Calling all math teachers.

The Club Series

7

Like mother/father, like daughter/son.

It’s all in the name.

More “it’s all in the name.”

Bridge is healthy.

Reward students for finding a future partner.

8

TIPS TO HELP YOU RETAIN YOUR STUDENTS

Don’t ignore the social side of class.

Use the Internet.

Build your own web site.

Hold students’ interest with e-mail.

Use humor.

Fill in and brush up.

Bridge gym.

Remember, it is not about you.

9

Guidelines for an excellent class. i’ e i’

e

Teachers need to be flexible.

10

TIPS TO HELP BUILD YOUR STUDENTS’ CONFIDENCE

Stress partnership communication.

Teacher has seen it all.

We all make mistakes.

Build students’ confidence.

Bidding (Club Series)

Teach the three ’s.C

Fun is the name of the game.

Mantra magic.

Review your bridge vocabulary. Bidding (The Club Series)

11

Use percentages to advantage.

More percentages.

Nothing is 100% all of the time.

Ask a question; give the answer.

It is just a game.

Acknowledge students' accomplishments.

Valuable tips for advancing students.

Look how much you have learned.

12

Teachers make bridge mistakes, too.

Thought for the day.

It’s like this...

Simplicity rules.

Look at things in a different way.

Dead Poets Society

Repetition is key.

13

TIPS TO MOTIVATE YOUR STUDENTS

Use games to teach.

Practice with icebreakers.

P BL RA IY D

GE

Communicate in the language of bridge.

Entertain while teaching whenever possible.

Bridge is a game for a lifetime.

14

Come early or stay late to Play “Bridge Bingo.”

Dance fever.

15

TIPS TO GET YOUR STUDENTS PLAYING

Practice at home with the ACBL “Play” courses.

Organize your students’ first club game experience.

Field trips.

Special courses.

The ACBL from A to ZThe Exciting

World of Bridge, An Introduction to Duplicate Duplicate – Spade Series

Create a duplicate game class for your students.

Start with MiniBridge to increase dexterity.

16

Offer a Bridge Plus+ game for your students.

Wacky is fun.

Teach your classes at the local duplicate club.

Practice in an Easybridge! game.

Club Series (Bidding)

Bid, play, learn.

e.g.,

Play of the hand classes.

ACBL Bridge Series

17

Get your students excited about masterpoints.

Ease your students into duplicate.

Club Series

You have to play to learn the game.

Remember the Final Contract Card.

Try stationary duplicate for first-time duplicate players.

Encourage practice.

18

TIPS FOR TEACHING BASIC BRIDGE

Reinforce the KISS system.

Cut the stress.

Help your students contact each other.

Handling various levels of students.

Your body and the pips.

Start beginners with two sessions of classes.

19

TIPS FOR TEACHING ( )

The ACBL Bridge Series

Bidding The Bridge Teacher

Make the first lesson free. Bidding (The Club Series)

Take your tricks and run.

T A K Y R T R X N R N

Throughout the course.

Bidding

Rank of the suits.

Make the basics fun.

20

Set your priorities.

Can I open in a major? If not, can I open in NT?Can I open in a minor? And which one?

Golden ideas.

The bidding ladder.

Strength of the hand.

Use tents as a reminder.

Making a PLAN.

21

Bidding boxes in class.

Takeout doubles.

Opening notrump bids.

only one card away from perfection

Responses to opening 1NT bids. C A P T A I N

Overcalls.

Take a break.

22

Opening leads.

Mrs. Opener and Mr. Responder.

Opening Bids.

Bridge Brush-up.

Bidding (The Club Series

W. C. Fields to the rescue.

Bidding (Club Series) Play of the Hand Diamond Series)

23

Introduce bonus levels visually.

Bidding (The Club Series

24

TIPS FOR TEACHING ( )

Play of the Hand (Diamond Series)

Getting the students ready to take the course. Play of the Hand (Diamond)

Bidding (Club Series) Club Series

Play of the Hand

Reinforce by singing.

The Stayman convention.

More Stayman, plus Jacoby.

Responses to notrump.

Counting losers.

25

Counting winners or losers. Play of the Hand (The Diamond Series)

Preempts.

Introduce bidding boxes in class. Play of the Hand (The

Diamond Series) The Heart Series

The dangerous opponent.

Dangerous Hand Safe Hand

26

Communication.

Defense (Heart Series)

The PLAN.

27

TIPS FOR TEACHING ( )

Count, attitude, suit preference. Defense (The Heart Series)

Attitude Sample Deals (Defense “Play” booklet):

Count Sample Deals (Defense “Play” booklet):

Suit Preference Sample Deals: (Defense “Play” booklet)

Bridge can be fun with “bad” cards. Defense (The Heart Series)

28

It’s all in how you look at it.

Playof the Hand –Diamond Series –

The finesse.

Each deal presents a challenge. Defense (The Heart Series)

Ease your students into good defense.

29

TIPS FOR TEACHING CONVENTIONS

Commonly Used Conventions MoreCommonly Used Conventions

Ease students into conventions.

Ease into conventions.

Alternate format for convention courses.

e.g.,

Negative doubles.

30

Key to successful finesses.

Use the convention card.

Take your pick of conventions.

Transfers.

Think before overcalling 1NT! best

Workshop magic. More Commonly Used Conventions

31

Watch your shape with takeout doubles.

Remembering the basics.

Lesson 8 before 7. Commonly Used Conventions

Improve and expand your knowledge.

ACBL “Play” Courses.

32

TIPS FOR TEACHING YOUNG PEOPLE

You can teach kids better if you understand the differences between teaching adults and children:

Teachers need to motivate their students.

Expose your students to more competition.

Kids like publicity.

Try to get other classes to use the bridge theme.

Bridge picnics are fun and offer variety for class.

33

Tips for Making Bridge Come Alive and be Fun for 4th and 5th Graders

Bridge Aerobics

Bridge is a Game of Mistakes

Study Time

Intoducing the Bidding

34

Movement Cards

Bidding Song

Fly Swatter Game

35

Ball Game

Van Gogh and Other Card Faces

Class Manners

Bridge Bingo Exercise

increasehand-eye coordination

Class Closure

36

TIPS FOR CONTINUING YOUR TEACHER EDUCATION

Using newsletter.

The Bridge Teacher

ABTA’s annual conference.

Hone your skills.

Team teaching.

Consider your credentials.

TAP, TAP, TAP again.

The ACBL Bridge Series

In your own backyard.

37

APPENDIX

IDENTIFYING YOUR GOALS

1. Number of Classes

2. Number of Students Per Class

3. Hourly Rate of Pay

4. Age Range of Students

5. Bridge Knowledge of Students

6. Time Your Students Are Expected to Spend on Bridge between Classes

7. Team-Teaching or Alone

38

COOPERATIVE ADVERTISING PROGRAM

You do the advertising.

Program Information and Requirements

Eligible Media

*Online commercial web sites are those affiliated with a professional media organization such as The Washington Post online (mywashingtonpost.com), licensed business web sites such as Yahoo!® or community sites such as those for chambers of commerce. Personal, club, unit or district web sites are excluded.

39

Eligible Expenses

Items Not Eligible for Reimbursement

How to Get Reimbursed

Send the above items to:

Note:

40

LET'S GET OUR STUDENTS PLAYING by Audrey Grant

FOOD FOR THOUGHT:Bidding (Club Series)

OVERVIEW:

41

STATIONARY DUPLICATE

Type I – Jerry Helms, an outstanding teacher from Charlotte NC, has devised one type of stationary duplicate game. He reuses selected boards kept intact from one of the regular duplicate games he runs locally. The matchpointed traveler remains with each board.

Type II –

Type III –

42

SUPERVISED PLAY

Bidding (The Club Series) Play of the Hand (The Diamond Series) Playof the Hand (The Diamond Series) Defense (The Heart Series)

Defense (The Heart Series)

Commonly Used Conventions (The Spade Series)

BRIDGE PLUS+ GAMES General Format:

Bridge Plus+ Sanctions:

NEWCOMER (NOVICE) GAMES

43

E-Z GOING BRIDGE GAMES

what the players want and not what you (the director) want to give them

* Post only the winners and runners-up

* Don’t let the same person win the prize each time

* There are no MP restrictions

* No conventions except Stayman and Blackwood.

* The Mitchell movement is always used

* No more than 16 boards are played and there are no formal rulings

* Declarer is not expected to play dummy's cards if the person who puts down the dummy has to leave the table.

* This game cannot be held at the same time as an open game.

* The game always starts on time

* The game is never stopped to adjust the movement for a late table

* Gear the game for success by cherishing the tables you get rather than hungering for more by looking longingly toward the door

* Give the same ten basic bridge tips over and over and over

* Let the players know they are slow

44

MINIBRIDGE

The Rules

BIDDING

PLAY

45

SCORING

Notrump contracts 40 for the first scoring trick 30 for each subsequent trick

Spade or Heart contracts 30 for each scoring trick Diamond or Club contracts 20 for each scoring trick

Examples

Game Contracts

Game in notrump i.e.,

Game in spades or hearts i.e.,

Game in diamonds or clubs i.e.,

Examples:

Unsuccessful Contracts

Examples:

46

ACBL “PLAY” COURSES

ACBL Bridge Series A @

A @

=

A @

A @

Bidding Club Series

Bidding

A @ A @ Play of the HandDefense

A B AB

Commonly Used ConventionsMore Commonly Used Conventions

47

The Modern Notrump Bidding APlay@

The Major Suit Raises 1 “Play” course

The Major Suit Raises II “Play”

A @

Bidding Course,Bidding “Play” Course,

Play of the Hand CourseDiamond “Play” Course,

Defense Course,Defense “Play” Course,

“Play” Course forthe Advancing Player, 1 and II

Commonly Used Conventions CourseModern Notrump Bidding “Play” Course, Major Suit

Raises 1 and II “Play” Courses.

48

HOMEWORK – THE FINAL CONTRACT CARD

Below you will find instructions for your students to follow to help them get to the best contract when they practice on their own. “The Final Contract Card” is a bidding tool developed by Audrey Grant.

49

TENTS, NOT TABLECLOTHS

tents

Bidding

BIDDING MESSAGE:

Bidding

Going camping

50

WRITE A NEWS RELEASE AND GET IT PRINTED FREE

How to get free news publicity:

Here are three basic steps for creating new publicity:

1. Find a story idea.

2. Tell it to the media.

3. Prepare a short news release.

who, what, when, where, why how

51

ON THE INTERNET

Find a Student –

Application for an Online Listing

Find a Teacher –

Resources for Teachers ( ) – The Bridge

Teacher

Teaching Materials ( –

School Bridge Program –

ABTA (American Bridge Teachers Association) --

52

BRIDGE LINKS FOR TEACHERS

ACBLAmerican Bridge Teachers Association Atlanta Junior Bridge (AJB) – Better Bridge Bridge Base OnlineBridge CompanionBridge ForumBridge Teachers for Youth Deal Master ProDeep FinesseEasybridge!Eddie KantarEnglish Bridge Union -- Great Bridge Links Jerry Helms Karen Walker’s Bridge LibraryKitty CooperMarti Ronemus’ Club – Mike Lawrence Home PageNorth Shore BridgeRichard Pavlicek’s Home PageWorld Bridge FederationYouth Bridge Web Site (ACBL) –