Bridge Base Online The one online site that lets you play bridge free, watch live Vugraph from tournaments around the world, and earn Master Points at ACBL tournaments for a small fee. Try the new web browser at www.bridgebase.com . As well, at their online store, BBO sells CDs from top experts, as well as Bridge Master 2000 by Fred Gitelman, President of BBO. For a full selection of educational software, to Bridge Base, where you'll also find 'Deal of the Week` which Fred wrote for years, and a host of terrific articles by Fred on tournament reports, card play, defense and other topics as well as material from Bobby Wolff, Eric Kokish and Beverly Kraft, Alan Truscott, Sheri Weinstein and others.
Bridge Base Online has many public and private clubs available in addition to their tournaments and Vugraph shows. Three are worthy of our 'Cool Links': BBOJuniors, the 10th private club listed. In the Fall, after a summer break, BBOJuniors offers a tournament, organized by Paula Mittelman (reddevyl), Tuesdays at 2pm where juniors (26 years old and younger) are matched with experienced mentors. Following the tournament, a table is open and an experienced player reviews the hands. On Wednesdays at 11am, there is a teaching table where two World Class players each partner a Junior and comment on the bidding and play, and Fridays at 11am, Valerie Westheimer (vdoubleu) organizes a coaching table at 11am with World Champion, Lynn Deas (all are New York time zones); the BIL (beginner and intermediate lounge), founded by Maureen Hall, with hours of lessons provided by bridge teachers who volunteer their time, tournaments, mentoring, a library web site and many special events, is the first private club listed,
Marty Bergen continues to teach and is known to be a prolific writer of both bridge books and a series of popular pamphlets. On his website you will also get details on cruises he hosts, live lectures, special offers, free downloads, and his very popular group lessons on BBO. Topics have ranged from hand evaluation to declarer play topics and from defensive issues to his popular convention, Bergen Raises. We encourage you to sign up for one of his lessons and you will not only get the online seminar, but an abundance of invaluable material from Marty after the session.
Larry Cohen is now an occasional player on the tournament trail. When not golfing, he continues to write for bridge magazines, lectures across the country and hosts numerous bridge cruises throughout the U.S., and helps with sectional tournaments at sea. There are exotic cruises to destinations worldwide. His website is organized into six areas, and he caters almost exclusively to intermediate players: 'About Larry', 'Bridge Articles' which includes hundreds of informative material, 'Bridge Books & CDs' which can be ordered online, 'Bridge Cruises' and 'Bidding Practice' set up for you and your partner. Be sure to sign up for his newsletter to get advance information on cruises, articles and more.
Ron Klinger is one of the most prolific writers who continues to produce new books, play competitively at World Class events, teach, and host bridge holidays, mainly in the South Pacific. He has plenty of free material on his website, including an online store where you can order his books and CDs, plus, for a reasonable fee, you have access to online lessons, including quizzes. Sign up for free trial to his private online material as well as a monthly newsletter or just enjoy all that is free for all.
Canadian Bridge Federation (CBF) Given the founder of Bridge Forum Ellen Caitlin Pomer, hails from Canada, we want to include these in our ‘Cool Links.’ Just as the United States Bridge Federation (USBF) members are part of the ACBL but their federation is separate, so those of the CBF are also members of the ACBL .The mission of the CBF is to promote bridge within Canada and protect and advance the national interests of Canadian Bridge, including the selection and support of Canadian bridge teams and players for international bridge competition.
The CBF initiated its Hall of Fame, this year,. Here are 4 of the first 5 initial inductees to the Canadian Hall of Bridge Fame, Bruce Elliott. Sami Kehela, Eric Murray and Percy Sheardown.
Sam Gold’s daughter from California was able to attend the induction ceremony on behalf of her dad who passed away a few years ago. For individual pictures of the 5 and their accomplishments, see this link.
Karen's Bridge Library is organized into 5 categories: for beginners, advancing players, intermediate to advance players, for players of all skill players, and Bridge in Champaign-Urbana IL. For beginners there is a bridge glossary, basic bidding, introduction to declarer play and defense and a manual for teachers working with beginners. For advancing players, the 21 topics include New Minor Forcing, Jacoby 2NT, balancing drury, lebensohl and more. As well there is material on IMP and Matchpoint strategy. For intermediate to advanced players there is an introduction to the two over one system, forcing notrump, reverses and defenses to 2-suited overcalls.along with ACBL Bulletin articles on negative freebids, opening leads,' Troubles with Redouble's and the , '12 Habits' series. For players of all skill levels one finds articles from District 8 Advocate Newsletter which sound tantalizing: 'Toby and the Passion Coup', 'The Missing Redouble Cards', 'A Nightmare on Opening Lead', 'If I Had Bid Hearts' and more.
Howard Schutzman (Hondo717) is a good friend of Bridge Forum and his site contains all free material and most lesson are presented as bridge movies, compliments of Kia Azziz, known to many by his BBO nick, 'nome'. Howard is an avid volunteer, with an open mentoring session in the BIL. Whichever hands come up, they are played with Howard in one seat and volunteers in the other seats, The same format is used by Howard in BBO_IAC, but with that club on a hiatus, he will move this to the main club. Howard also teaching topics including a course on defense which is part of the BIL Beginning Bridge program. The materials for this series are available on his website and are also in the BIL library. Howard is currently teaching the 'Fundamentals of Constructive Bidding'. Prior he has run several free courses through the BIL and BBO_IAC. . All the materials are available on his web site. While there, why not sign up for his weekly newsletter which provides dates and times for all sessions and typically includes one of Kia's movies on Howard's mentoring sessions. Lastly this busy guy partners Marty Bergen in the bi-monthly online lessons.
Bridge Guys has been a staple for many teachers as we refer students to this reliable, inclusive and well-written site. The site offers the bridge player a sort of library containing conventions, methods, treatments, and complete bidding systems. With two site search engines the visitor can easily find reference lists to desired material and information. The attempt has been made to present bridge-related information for the novice and for the more experienced bridge player. Fun time can be found viewing the Art Gallery and also reading in the Poetry Corner. Also available as an icon for cell phones.
Jude Goodwin's website is an all-time favourite site for those looking for links to all sorts of duplicate bridge related links, including bridge news, bridge software, bridge resources, learn to play bridge schools and youth sites, bridge blogs, bridge tournament calendar, online bridge clubs, and more links for duplicate and contract bridge players and card lovers around the world. . Launched in 1995, Great Bridge Links has over 4,000 links and is maintained regularly by Jude (jude@goodwinstudios.com). Bridge related listings are free with advertising opportunities available for those who want more exposure.
E-cats is the brainchild of Anna Gudge and Mark Newton.. It is the site you go to for information on international events, including the 2011 World Team Championships in Veldhoven, Netherlands. In Anna's own words: "We work with many different organisations, including the World Bridge Federation, the European Bridge League, the English Bridge Union and others on various projects. These include working at the World Bridge Championships, creating, developing and organizing and running Simultaneous Pairs events that are scored over the internet using our own servers. Mark developed the software used to maintain the WBF Master Points and is WBF Master Points Secretary. Anna is WBF Liaison Officer and Assistant to the President. She is also Simultaneous Pairs organizer for the European Bridge League, Bridge Great Britain and the Charity Challenge Simultaneous Pairs, as well as for our own ECatsBridge Children in Need Simultaneous Pairs."
The team of bridgeTopics includes Eric Rodwell, Jan van Cleeff and Elisabeth van Ettinger. Their mission is as follows:
"BridgeTopics.com publishes theory (‘Topics’) and news on bridge. Anchor man is Eric Rodwell, a multiple world bridge champion from the USA and has also been the world’s leading bridge theorist over the last four decades. The website is intended for a worldwide audience of bridge players. The topics are of importance for a wide range of bridge players: from serious students to champions and will be published on a monthly basis with Eric Rodwell as main author. Approximately 25 percent will be written by guest authors. Eric Rodwell will edit each single Topic. Each Topic has its own forum where players can discuss and share their views on that specific Topic."
Access to bridgeTopics is possible through subscription (6 or 12 months). BridgeTopics.com provides for bridge news from all over the world. Each news item is open for reactions by readers.
This new site is offered by Jason Feldman, Gavin Wolpert and Steve Weinstein, with enormous work by web designer, Kitty Munson Cooper, sets out to give us results and terrific hands from those who win events. But hands of interest are welcome so send them to hands@bridgewinners.com. Already there is a community of players who want to improve their bidding and play. Set up your partnership agreements on a convention card editor; read articles on conventions, try out the quizzes.
Owned and operated by Ray Lee and Linda Lee, Master Point Press. is the largest publisher of bridge books with authors including Eddie Kantar, Terence Reese, Larry Cohen, David Bird, Tim Bourke, Julian Pottage and many more, including Ned Downey and Ellen Caitlin Pomer, co-authors of 'Standard Bidding with SAYC' and 'The Pocket Guide to SAYC'. In addition, Master Point Press now sells e-books at www.eBooksBridge.com . Two ABTA bridge books of the year, Barbara Seagram's and David Bird's 'Planning the Play of a Bridge Hand' and Eddie Kantar's 'Take All Your Chances (at bridge') can be purchased as e-books and you pay $14.36 (all prices USD) with 10% off the former and $13.46 USD with 10% off for the latter. As an e-book, 'Standard Bidding with SAYC' is only $15.95 and 'Pocket Guide to SAYC $7.95. Master Point Press offers two other sites: masteringbridge.com, and bridgeblogging.com. You are greeted at masteringbridge.com with "Welcome to Mastering Bridge - your online bridge community of bridge teachers and bridge players. The news on the front page, which obviously changes, profiles a lovely interview with Enid Roitman, ABTA's 'Teacher of the Year Award' nominee. Enid is well recognized for her teaching bridge to elementary students. As well there is an interview with another nominee, Norris Peterson, from South Carolina who emphasizes that bridge is a game to be enjoyed. Indeed! There are two different sections, one for teachers and another for students of the game. Lastly there is bridgeblogging.com and Linda Lee, a natural blogger, gives tips as to how one blogs. Currently on the site is a summer Jeopardy quiz by Ray Lee on bridge history and an anonymous blog on bridge and poker, Part 1 of 'The Dallas Aces (The Master Plan) by Judy-Kay Wolff. Check out the variety of interesting blogging and bravo to Master Point Press for offering so much to so many online!
These are mainly bridge playing programs (bid, play and defend). Almost all are on PC, with a few exceptions. Check your local bridge supply house, or purchase directly from the company at their respective websites. Also have a look at the World Computer Bridge Championship site for a history of the competition
The oldest of the computer bridge programs (Remember the VIC-20 and C-64?). Winner of the inaugural World Computer Bridge Championship in 1997 and has been an entrant ever since. Produced a bidding flowchart in early versions (and continues to this day) that explained the bidding logic it used for certain calls, and augmented its collection of bidding systems and conventional calls on an annual basis. Bridge Baron now has a book available on computer bridge, as well as CDs of past tournaments, teaching materials and such. Of the top programs, it is the only one that is programmed for both Windows and Mac.
Jack, who first competed in 2000, and a constant threat in the WCBC since 2001, is from the Netherlands. Barry Westra and other members of the World Champion Dutch team were consultants in developing the program. A seven-time champion, it's the 2010 winner. The program is available at your local bridge supply house.
Wbridge5 has been around since 1999, and finished second in the WCBC competition held at the 50th anniversary event of the Bermuda Bowl (January 2000). Since then, the French program has won three times, most recently in 2008. Of the programs entered in the World Computer Bridge Championship, it is the only one that is free, but keep a phrasebook handy - it's in French.