The Bridge Shop Has Played its Cards Right – It Celebrates its 50th Anniversary

There are not many shops in the world which can boast of being around for half a century. to be around for 50 years. Its strategic decisions and actions over the years have solidified it as one of the best sites for all things bridge.

Since 1974, The Bridge Shop has been well-known within the bridge-playing community in Australia. Over the years it has continued to earn and gain further a worldwide and well-deserved reputation for first-class bridge products and customer service

Other than The Bridge Shop opening its doors what else happened in 1974?

Well, cast your minds back dears. Were you playing bridge at the time?  I certainly was at University, albeit very much beginner bridge, with sticky old hand-me-down playing cards, handmade bridge scorers and notes on how to play bridge from my grandma.

Can you recall:

“The Way We Were” by Barbra Streisand was the number-one song; the Rubik’s Cube was invented and Richard Nixon resigned as President of the United States in the wake of the Watergate Scandal.

Computer bridge is where the game of bridge really has taken off

Although the quality of computer software continues to improve it is still not good enough to play at an expert level.  That is good news for bridge-playing experts I suppose, but most people at levels below “expert” can benefit tremendously from playing computer bridge.

The beginner and intermediate bridge programs allow you to practice bidding, card play and defence techniques until the cows come home and to top it all you always have the last word in that you can quit the programme whenever you wish. Furthermore, you don’t have to worry about your grumpy partner.

Computer bridge, like anything in this cyber world we live in, can change fast enough to bamboozle us all. 

Jack Bridge is the exception in bridge-playing software

Jack is a computer bridge program developed by professional bridge players; one of the developers is former world champion Berry Westra (Bermuda Bowl Chile 1993). Other than Jack’s exceptional bidding and playing strength it offers many interesting features that other programmes don’t and its user-friendly interface makes it a very rewarding and informative practice tool for both beginner and advanced bridge players.

One helpful feature of Jack Bridge is its Interactive Professor Jack who looks over your shoulder as you play and offers on-the-spot helpful comments about your bidding and card play. Unlike those pros at the bridge club, he is a flexible chap and at your instruction, he can comment on whatever aspects of your play you want analysing.

At The Bridge Shop, you can download a trial version https://www.bridgeshop.com.au/software/bridge-playing-software.html

Best you include computer bridge in your bridge-playing arsenal, but don’t forget about the importance of using proper playing cards.

Whether you are playing bridge or any other card game, which by the way is recommended as a good social tool to have by the American Alzheimer’s Association, a proper set of playing cards is essential. 

For a fabulous array of playing card choices go to: https://www.bridgeshop.com.au/giftware/playing-cards.html

The Game of Bridge Is Not for Dummies; Even Though You May Feel Like One at the Start

If you happen to page through various articles on bridge games here are some basics of the game laid down by the famous bridge player and author Eddie Kantor, that will help in your understanding of the game. 

Kantor divides the playing of bridge the game, into 4 PHASES. 

The 1^st 4 Phases of Playing the Game of Bridge

1.      Dealing the Bridge Cards and Selecting the Dealer

Each player selects a card; the highest card designates the dealer. He then shuffles the cards and gives them to the player on the right whose job is to cut them. They return to the dealer who then deals them out clockwise one card at a time to each player, starting with the left-hand player and ending up at the dealer after all 52 cards are out. Each player, therefore, has 13 cards.

2.      Bidding for Control of the Game

At this stage of the bridge game you need to think as though you are at an auction; each player bids for the number of tricks they calculate they can make. 13 tricks are up for grabs. The dealer opens the bidding and then the bidding moves to his left in a clockwise direction. Each bridge player gets a chance to bid; either bidding or passing. 7 tricks are the least you can bid and 13 the maximum. The winning bid is decided after three players one after the other pass.

3.      Playing the bridge hand

The player who wins or buys the contract is then the declarer- he plays the hand. The player on the left of the declarer makes the opening lead by placing face down the first card. The play then rotates clockwise. The player sitting opposite the declarer is the dummy and he places his cards on the table face-up in four vertical rows; each row contains each of the suits.  The dummy then plays no further part of the game; only three people then play the game.

After the lead the declarer plays any card of the same suit from dummy, the 3^rd payer the same and then so does the declarer.  4 cards played – and whoever plays the highest card wins the trick. That person then leads any card of his choice for the next trick.  The same process goes on until all 13 cards are played = 13 tricks.

The rule is to ensure each player follows suit – if they have a card in the suit; if they don’t they can discard any other card. Then after all 13 tricks have been played out the number of tricks are counted by each team. As an example declarer makes 8 the opponents then make 5.

4.      Scoring

The number of tricks is counted by each team i.e. 8 by declarer who bid for 8 tricks as an example thus making the contract. The score is then registered and the next deal moves to the next player in a clockwise manner. Bridge, the game is arguably the greatest card game ever – but it is tricky!

Searching for a Great Bridge Playing/Learning/Shopping Site? Look no further than The Bridge Shop

Your best bet for a one-stop “All things Bridge” experience is The Bridge Shop.  If there was a Bridge Game GPS app, then this is the first place you would be guided to for a pleasant bridge emersion.

The Bridge Shop – You have Arrived

One of the sections on this website is Eddie Kantor’s Tip of the Day. 

This is guaranteed to get you thinking with a smirk on your face. They are taken from his book: Defensive Tips for Bad Card Holders

Here are some other tips from him and even though they are often tongue in cheek – they are worth playing the game of bridge by:

10 Warm-Up Tips for Bridge Players:

1. The game of bridge, remember dummy, is a game so never – no never forget that you are playing with a partner. Consider what things may look like from his side of the bridge table, particularly when you are privy to information that he is not.
2. You cannot defend properly in the game of bridge if you forget the bidding.
3. You cannot defend properly in the game of bridge if you don’t know which system the opponents are playing.
4. You cannot defend properly if you don’t watch the cards, particularly the little chaps. And we know there are quite a few of these fellows in a pack of cards.
5. You cannot defend properly if you don’t count.
6. You cannot expect your partner to defend properly if you don’t refrain from pulling faces or show other grimaces of disapproval. (These days you can do that on your computer playing online bridge, but you will be persona non grata if you ever do it at the bridge table again.)
7. Keep one goal in mind at the bridge table:  Defeat the Contract. Don’t necessarily concern yourself with overtricks unless you are defending a doubled contract or are playing tournament bridge.
8. He who hesitates during the bidding is most likely to have a problem hand. Keep that hesitation in mind.
9. During the defence, focus on the number of tricks you need at any given moment to defeat the contract.  Good bridge defence is based on this figure.
10. Give your opening lead consideration as the fate of many bridge hands is determined by that one card. Use the bidding as a guide.

At The Bridge Table, a Great Tip is to Invest in a Card-Holder

Remember always count your winners and your losers; if the total does not come to 13, count your cards! 

If you can’t count your cards – then what you need is a card-holder. There is nothing wrong with using a card-holder to help you play and keep those little fellows in shape at the bridge table. There are five varieties available at The Bridge Shop to suit your play.  Check them out at  https://www.bridgeshop.com.au/club-supplies/card-holders.html

At The Bridge Table: Bridge Products to Raise Your Game

If you are searching for decent bridge products, then look no further than the famous Bridge Shop in Australia.  In my recent travels around the internet searching for something to keep me occupied during these social distancing times and not being able to play bridge at my wonderful bridge club, I came across this new book by Ron Klinger called The Power of Pass on offer through The Bridge Shop.

If you too are on the look-out for new and exciting bridge products to keep your hand in the game, then this is a great book to be reminded that you can often profit simply by passing at the bridge table.

According to Klinger, bridge players bid too much

They are backing their declarer skill against what they hope will be inferior defence or are hoping that you or your partner will keep on bidding and then you will fail in your contract. We need to be reminded that there are many situations where passing is the winning action and you will find them here. There is immense satisfaction in passing at the right time and being right as a result.

If you take a look at his content page you will see that the headings are a wonderful reminder of some basic bridge skills that we should all be taking with us to the bridge table, as an example:

• Beware of poor suit quality.
• Pass if opponents open 1NT and you were about to open 1NT too.
• Pass if an opponent opens with a suit bid and you were going to open with the same suit.
• Opponent opens with a suit bid and you hold a balanced 12-14 points.
• You open with a weak two or a pre-empt. Do not bid again unless partner has made a forcing bid or invites you to bid again.
• You have a limit bid. Do not bid again unless partner has made a forcing bid.
• Partner has invited game or slam. Pass if you are minimum.
• If opponents are in a contract which you can beat, pass unless you can beat any contract that they might bid if you double.

The Card Table – An Essential Bridge Product

Surely you deserve a decent table to play your world-class bridge on?

At The Bridge Shop, you can select from three different types these days.  Their Vinyl card table is a collapsible black vinyl one with cast steel legs and is the requisite size of 86cm x 86cm x 70cm high.

Their Edwardian card table is best bridge table on the market and has a velour top, a mahogany trim and foldaway cast steel legs. It is slightly larger than the Vinyl card table at 90cm x 90cm x 72cm high.

Then there is the Cambridge Table. This is a superior bridge table with each leg having its own click-lock mechanism making it extra sturdy. It is made from a strong and solid hardwood with a beautiful mahogany trim on each edge and its bottle green felt surface adds to the elegance of this table.

The Bridge Shop for all Your Bridge Needs – Partners Not Included

Shopping in this day and age is more and more an online occurrence.  If you haven’t quite mastered this new way of getting what you want without leaving your home, The Bridge Shop is a good place to start.  It has a friendly user face, is easily navigable and you simply can’t go wrong in your search for bridge stuff, be it a new bridge table, bridge books, bridge art or bridge games.  And navigating your way through payments and delivery or returns is as easy as calling and making a 1 Club contract against Dilly the Duck!

Talking of the game of bridge – know the difference between contract bridge and duplicate bridge?

In contract bridge, the cards are shuffled, dealt, and played, then shuffled again for the next hand.

In duplicate bridge, which is a just derivative of contract bridge, competitors compete by playing the same hands (half using one set and the other one another set). The hands are stored in what are called “boards” and passed from table to table.

In duplicate, it is “regular” contract bridge play, but the match point scoring will affect your strategy in some situations. The goal is to better the results from other tables.  It does not matter if the margin is 10 or 1 000 points. Small differences can win a board.

These are some ways that an adaption of style in the bidding at the bridge table can affect your duplicate score:

• Bid aggressively. Duplicate pairs tend to bid “close” games and slams, so do not settle for a safe part score if you think there’s a reasonable chance, i.e. 60% + that you can make game.

• When in doubt, however, try for a plus score. Sometimes it is right to take the sure thing. If you’ve found a reasonable contract you need to weigh up the risk of bidding on to try finding a better one, especially if success depends on partner holding a perfect hand.

• Choose the highest-scoring game – in game contracts, you should try to play in 4 or the majors when there is a fit and 3NT when you don’t. Be reluctant to play 5 in the minors. If you have game values and a club or diamond fit, always consider playing 3NT.

• Go for the safest part score. When you have minimum high-card strength, choose the safety of a trump suit and a major-suit is still preferable, but if you’re deciding between a notrump and a minor-suit part score, play the suit contract rather if you have a fit, but not many high-card points.

• Overcall freely –at a 1 level don’t be shy to make a light, lead-directing overcall i.e. as few as 8/9 points if you have a good suit. Be cautious on the 2 level especially vulnerable.

• Raise partner’s suit even if you’re light in high-card points, especially in competitive auctions.

• Sacrifice more often especially when not vulnerable.

• Don’t sell out too low.

At the Bridge Table – Bridge Products that Include Nuts

Even if you are playing bridge online these days there is always a group of nuts somewhere playing and that is particularly prevalent today when all and sundry in the “mix” can play duplicate bridge. And, thank heavens we nutters can.

But you don’t have to be nutty if you want some good bridge products to improve your game.

A great bridge product to purchase these days is Vu-Bridge

The hands you play with Vu-Bridge are carefully designed by bridge playing gurus and you are guided along the path by these famous authors; if you make a wrong bid or a wrong play it will not be accepted and you will then see “Wrong bid” or “Wrong play” – so it is a great way of learning. What makes this bridge product so addictive is the interaction between the author and you – the Player. During your bidding or play, the unseen author may suspect that you are about to go wrong and a comment box may appear which will steer you in the right direction and providing helpful tips.

Before trick one, commonly, a comment box will appear requiring some thought from you –  the Think & Click feature where a question will be posed and the answer is provided after you have thought it through.  So, if you think your bridge is not up to scratch and you are going nutty sometimes, this form of learning bridge helps.

This is a great way to start – the Vu-Bridge 7-in-1 Bundle:  The complete Vu-Bridge newsletter and lesson pack. (available at https://www.bridgeshop.com.au/vu-bridge/v-bundle-newsletter-and-lesson-subscription.html)

Another great bridge product to have up your sleeve is:  Five-Card Majors Strong NoTrump Cheat Sheet [Marston]

What is great about this is that you and your partner – even online playing a duplicate bridge game can refer to this Cheat Sheet as it is ideal for on-the-spot guidance. It is based on 5-card Majors and a strong notrump.  The point is that your partner and you are on the same page with this.

Topics covered in this flipper include:

• Opening the bidding
• Responder’s first bid
• Opener’s second bid
• Responder’s second bid
• Opening 2C, 2NT and responses
• Responses to weak 2 twos and pre-empts
• Slam bidding
• Overcalls
• Takeout doubles
• Opening leads

Play your cards right

Look no further than the fabulous collection of cards you can find at The Bridge Shop under Club supplies/playing cards section for a pick-me-up at the bridge table.   

These are called Squares and will make your table look de rigueur. These beautifully designed cards make a perfect gift and are suitable for Bridge, Whist and many other traditional card games. They come in bridge playing size of 58mmx89mm.

Treat yourself to these as well – the monogrammed playing cards.  They are so “Selfie”. 

And at this difficult time – we all need a bit of self-indulgence.  Surely?

Bridge is the Perfect Game to Play Online

Looking for something to ease the cabin fever at this time? Then why not consider some great bridge products to buy online to pick you up and make you fly at the bridge table?

In my isolated neck of the woods, playing and learning bridge online has most certainly been a great comfort to me. I am no longer at the bottom of the bridge rung as I have learnt a great deal in these past few months – not only about the game of bridge but also about me.

Bridge Products that you need and can get in just one click

You don’t need them I hear you say. But hang on, perhaps you do?  If you are wanting to improve your game at the bridge table, you need to practice and online is the best way of getting your head around various problems you are encountering playing your same-old-same-old game of bridge.  We all know the Dilly Ducks at the bridge school, who still insist on the old way. Well now is the time dears to show them just who is the master of the new bridge universe.

Bridge online is the new way of getting your game up to scratch

I started off visiting my favourite bridge site https://www.bridgeshop.com.au/

The famous Bridge Shop in Australia is where you can browse and play and learn. 

Here are some ideas to get your ducks in a row at the bridge table:

Digital Bridge Care Pack

The Bridge Shop has partnered with a few of their favourite suppliers to offer you the following free downloads to help you fill in the hours and days during this uncertain and unsettling time.

• Bridge in the Menagerie by Victor Mollo
• A Great Deal of Bridge Problems by Julian Pottage
• Northern Lights by Ray Lee and Linda Lee

And there is a pile more of interesting articles, games to play, Vu-Bridge examples and so on.  If you are interested in more downloads and sample chapters of over 400 books on bridge then just visit The Bridge Shop’s home page and follow the instructions.

Beginners Bridge Books –

If you are in the process of learning the game of bridge these are for you:

Defending at Bridge: A First Course [Treble]

The basics of defence at bridge in eight short clearly explained lessons.

This is a great book on defending for beginner bridge players; it is structured around eight lessons, covering the things you need to know.

Barbara Seagram’s Beginning Bridge [Seagram/Lee]

This is a must for beginner bridge players.  Don’t be put off though by the very dated cover!

Remember that a lot of beginner bridge books these days are in either digital format – i.e. you can download and read your bridge lessons online, or you can purchase the softcover.

Get cracking with online bridge products – you won’t look back and Dolores the Dummy will be put to shame at long last.

Bridge Books for Dummies, Beginners and Know-it-All’s

Ahh, you are a beginner bridge player.  Know this – the game of bridge is compulsive once it grabs hold of you.  And if you have not got to that stage as yet in your learning curve, you soon will. It really isn’t that hard to learn, but you need to know that you will never stop learning.

Learning to play bridge is like learning to ride a bicycle.  You can enjoy it before you get very good.  Well, this is what the Tour de France bikers tell me.

The main problem with learning to play bridge is that very soon after you start you want to be the world champion and win the yellow jersey.

The best way of learning to play bridge at any level – because you continue to learn – is to have a stash of good bridge books that you refer to and remind yourself regularly of what is what in the world of bridge.

Here are some great books – all available through the Bridge Shop Australia – one click, add to trolley and away you go.

Note that at the Bridge Shop you can in many instances download a sample of any of the books on offer and many come in an alternative paperback edition or an easily downloadable digital edition.  Delivery time for shipping will vary between 2-3 days within Australia and about 10-14 days for airmail outside Australia.

 Pocket Guide to Bridge [Seagram/Lee]

This book is designed for those who wish to learn the fundamentals of bridge or have completed a beginners’ course in the game.

It covers the basics of standard play and defence and includes a scoring table and a useful glossary of technical bridge terms.

Language of Bidding [Marston]

You can choose the bidding system you need – between strong NT  5 card majors, or Acol.

The book teaches you how to bid well. The system is Standard with weak twos (the most widely used method in the world). There are three sections: the first nine chapters cover uncontested auctions, the next four competitive auctions and the last two tournament play. The great thing is that you can try out what you learn as each chapter has a quiz and practice hands that you can play.  The hands in the book illustrate the bidding and give you pointers to proper card play.

Are You an Addict? A Bridge Playing Addict? Go No Further Than the Bridge Shop Australia for Your Daily Hit.

Shop till you drop, Play to your Queen of Heart’s content, and Learn to Ace the opposition.

Yes, Bridge Addicts – this shop is a one stop place for all bridge stuff.  I recently found it and I am now an addict.  But then I am addictive sort.

I am now the proud owner of many bridge books, both the downloadable and virtual ones.  I recently have found great gifts on the site and have been praised by my Bridge Learning Friends for giving them an assortment of Bridge Books for Beginners.

In fact, I am a bit reluctant to talk about the Bridge Shop as I am wanting to keep my source of knowledge and gifts a secret.

It is like finding the best new restaurant in the area – you want to be the first to have visited so that you can make other people feel dowdy in their lack of knowledge.  “Oh yes, been there many times! Have you only just discovered it?”

You are either a digital reader or a virtual in your hand reader.  That is what I have found.

If you want Digital Bridge Books you can download then in .pdf, Kindle and ePub format – all for a variety of e-book readers like the Kindle and iPad.

There are many Digital Bridge Books worth downloading – but here are two that caught my eye:

1.     25 Bridge Conventions You Should Know [Seagram/Smith]

You can download in three parts or the complete digital edition.

This bridge book was the winner in 1999 of the American Bridge Teachers Association Book of the Year.  You will get 25 basic conventions and treatments which are explained clearly so that you fit them into your standard bidding methods.

It is for all bridge players and beginner bridge players can benefit from the coverage of the bidding systems and conventions.

2. Defending at Bridge – A First Course [Treble]

This will give you the basics of bridge defence in eight short and clearly explained lessons. There are lots of practical examples and topics include opening leads, second and third-hand play, discards and signalling.

For those of you at Beginners Bridge Stage then here are 2 great packs of books for you to buy.

1.     Set of 3 25 Series Bridge Books for Beginners

Top of Form

Top of Form

Bottom of Form

The ’25’ series are among the most popular bridge books of all time. And it’s easy to see why – they are easy to read, easy to follow and easy to understand.

• 25 Bridge Conventions You Should Know
• 25 Ways to Take More Tricks as Declarer
• 25 Ways to be a Better Defender.

2.     Derrick Browne’s Beginners’ Bridge Book Pack [Browne]

Derrick Browne has taught thousands of bridge players in Sydney over the past 25 years. These two books are ideal for beginner bridge players beginning their bridge life.

• Derrick’s flagship bidding book Beginners’ Bridge and the accompanying book on play
• Beginners’ Play.

Clearly, You Are Not Playing with A Full Deck!

That is if, my bridge fellows, you have not found the Bridge Shop Australia in your internet travels.

Do yourself a big favour and log into this site as soon as you can – you will find yourself in an “everything bridge bonanza.”

That is of course, if you don’t happen to be in Australia, Sydney specifically, at this moment in time.  Then you are able to visit in person.  It is a fab site for enthusiasts of all leanings, learnings, genders and religious followers of the game of bridge.

I am not going to tell you more – you have to hone in on it yourself and explore the offerings and I can warn you here, you will be pushing the Add to Cart quite frequently.  So get the card out and go shopping or simply hover around and be entertained.

Some stuff you may like on the site all associated with bridge games:

• Solve the bridge quiz game
• Play the Bridge Hand of the Week
• Try Crazy Bridge – and have more fun
• Explore Vu-Bridge which is a new way to improve your game of bridge. You can play bridge hands interactively on-line and benefit from expert commentary from world-famous teachers such as Marty Bergen, David Bird, Bobby Wolff and Phillip Alder.

• Try the Bridge Crosswords – here is an example of a good way to up your bridge game on your own with no partners!

Down:

1. For instance, gets rid of diamond, being heartless?  (8)
2. Start putting one’s cards on the table in corrupt deal (4)
3. Concerns – lots of little ones raised by partners, normally (6)
4. Patience, for example, as funny fellow hunted animals (4,4)

• The Double Dummy Corner is where you can practice your bridge game.

All you need to do is click on the NEXT button to start or PLAY to try the hand yourself. The GIB button will tell you if you are playing the hand correctly or not.

• Instant Matchpoint Bridge – this is a fun way of converting your table of four social bridge game play into the excitement of real matchpoint bridge. The score of each hand is converted to a matchpoint score out of 80.  This will prepare you for the big time bridge playing tournaments.

Talking of shopping for your bridge game…

• Familiarise yourself with the latest Bridge Playing Software
• Instantly download bridge playing software – to really up your bridge game
• Instructional software
• Check out Marty Bergen’s Audio Visual Lessons
• Lots of Try Before You Buy opportunities

In the Cub and Home Supplies section ….

• You can buy bidding boxes, card holders, bridge cloths, pens and pencils and basically everything bridge.
• But most of all do yourself the second favour of the day and upgrade your bridge table. The shop sells two types of card tables, or bridge tables:
• The Deluxe Card Bridge Table
• The Vinyl Bridge Table

Both are collapsible (a bit like Matilda the Mild) and have fold away legs for easy storage.

Take it from the seasoned bridge players – there is only one thing worse than a Cruella de Ville at a bridge table; Cruella de Ville at an old wonky one.

I hope you enjoy the Bridge Shop site.  Shop, Play and Learn to your Queen of Heart’s content.