Bridge Classes

Week of December 31, 2022

Learn or refresh the fundamentals of the card game that’s both social and challenging, and whose enthusiasts range from the likes of Warren Buffett and Bill Gates to Omar Shariff, Buster Keaton, Harpo Marx, and Martina Navratilova. Ideal for people of all ages new to the game and those who used to play a while ago and want to refresh and update the basics. Limited to 12 people per 90-minute session.  You don’t need to come with a partner.  Advance sign-up required.  Some basic info sheets will be distributed. Bring notepad and pencil.

A:  BEGINNERS: Only pre-requisite is having played some kind of card game before. Learn how bridge is played and scored, its two parts–the Bidding and the Playing–how to evaluate hands, the point card system, bidding ladder, how to communicate to your partner, and play some sample hands.

B: REFRESHERS:  Pre-requisite is completion of Rancho Beginners Class, and/or anyone with previous experience playing bridge.  Review point count, get update on bidding systems and conventions, and engage in ‘supervised play’ – that is, you’ll deal and play out some hands and I will provide help when requested.

 

An avid social and duplicate bridge player since she first learned to play the game in her freshman year at the University of Michigan, Esther Margolis first started teaching bridge to others over fifty years ago when she moved to New York City and friends asked her to teach them.  This led her to start the school Bridge East, which she ran part-time with partners while working full time in the book publishing industry. She later sold her interest in the school to focus on her ‘day job’ while continuing to play socially.  As her career advanced, she unexpectedly found that knowing bridge introduced her into a variety of social and professional situations that were not only fun, but useful to her business.  She eventually became the SVP for marketing worldwide for Bantam Books, then founded her own publishing company, Newmarket Press, which she sold after 26 years to HarperCollins, and now consults and produces books for clients and other publishers.  Though she chose to cease playing bridge for a long time, eight years ago she decided to re-learn the game, taking refresher classes both in person and online, which revived her love for the game.  She is now delighted to introduce or refresh the game for you at Rancho La Puerta.