What is Kids Bridge? NEXT DATE: Saturday June 7, 2025!
I give the younger students a place to play bridge with others who are just starting out as well. All the players have completed at least a beginning set of lessons. The purpose is to give them the opportunity to practice and to speed up their play. It is free!You just need to sign up ahead of time. Parents are welcome to stay and watch! Call 816-237-0519 or e-mail to sign up and get directions. This is usually held in my home, unless the numbers signing up require a larger space. Next Kids Bridge Sat. June 7, 2 to 4 p.m. After building up speed, for those who are comfortable with the idea, we plan to go play at some of the Duplicate Bridge Clubs in the area.
SUMMER 2025 LESSONS
2025 Dates:
May 30, June 6,13,27; July 11,18; Aug. 8, 15
Mo-Kan Bridge Academy is offering youth lessons and supervised play on Friday Mornings in conjunction with their duplicate game. They will offer a 45 minute lesson from 9:30 to 10:15, snack break until 10:30, and then continuing lesson/supervised play until noon. Any students the teacher deems ready for duplicate play may play in the duplicate game from 10:30 until about 1 for no additional charge if they wish, instead of playing in the supervised play until noon. Cost is $5 per student ages 8 and up! Adults are welcome to join the lessons for the same $5 as long as they bring a youth to learn too! Any adults switching to the duplicate game will need to pay an additional $3. This essentially gives the adults the lesson for free if they wish to play in the duplicate game. Sign up ahead of time is required. No need to attend every session. Mo-Kan will provide instruction at your skill level! Absolute beginners welcome. See the 2025 summer flyer or check out the Mo-Kan Bridge Academy website.
Here are some pictures from 2024 taken during the duplicate game.
Here’s some pictures taken at our last class of 2023.
PLAY DUPLICATE WITH ME AS YOUR PARTNER
I will play duplicate with you at a local club. The cost for this varies from free to $35, as follows: Kid prices: First 4 times I play with you, I’ll pay my own entry fee. Next 4 times I play with you, you’ll need to pay my entry fee. Playing with you time # 9 and above, you pay my entry fee and $35.
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These kids had some fun in the spring 2022 Youth Lessons.
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FALL 2019 HOMESCHOOL School Bridge Tournament
Playing hard in their end of class pupil game! Five Tables of kids ranging in age from 8 to 17!And the winners are: Sophia & Clare with a 79.92% game, (1st Overall & 1st EW)! Miles & Joseph came in 2nd overall (1st. NS) with a 57% game. 3rd overall (2nd NS) with a 56.64% game, some of our youngest players Lucy & Charlie! 4th overall (2nd EW) with a 52.83% game, Isabella & Theresa
Hear why bridge for kids is fun for a lifetime, from one of our newest life masters., Brian Zhang.
If you sign up for a class or supervised play and then must cancel, you will be charged 1/2 the cost of the class if cancellation is not done at least 24 hours ahead of the scheduled class time! This allows me to try to fill your spot or to decide to cancel the class, freeing up my schedule.
Classes are mostly online because the advantages to learning online are greater – ease of location, get to play more deals in the same time frame. Covid forced us to play and learn online but lo and behold, we found out we liked it! ALL CLASS TIMES ARE CST.
Cost: $22 for each two hour class per person. Classes may cancel with less than 4 students. The pricing per hour expects 8 students maximum. Classes are normally in the 4 to 6 p.m. or 7:00-9:00 p.m. Central Time frame but other schedules can be arranged. Pricing for a more private class of 4 students max and on a topic of your choice can be arranged at a cost of $66 per one hour class for the group. This pricing goes into effect Sept. 1, 2024 for any new private classes formed. Any change in pricing for existing private classes will be discussed individually.For smaller groups of 4 this is a discount from my $88 per contact hour expectation.
YOU MUST PRE-REGISTER! Just call (816-237-0519) or e-mail to sign up. Flexible scheduling for online classes. Or just sign up here.
CURRENTLY SCHEDULED!
Declarer Play-Series 1 Classes: 4 sessions .Cost $22 per lesson. Last Class is Wed. April 30, 6 to 8 p.m. Call or email to sign up. See details below!
Beginning Bridge Classes: 5 sessions. First one is free! Then $22 per lesson after that. Wednesdays from 6 to 8 p.m. June 4, 11,18,25 and July 2. Call or click now! See more details below! If Monday afternoon works for you but not Wed. evenings, let me know and I’ll see if I can get enough students to do both.
More details and Future Classes Listed Below!
Responding to an Opening 1NT: From Partscore to Slam!
Let me know when you want this class again! $22 per class, must sign up ahead!
Class 1: How to respond with 0-7 points or 10-15 points. This includes transfers, Stayman, Smolen, Garbage Stayman. These point ranges in response to an opening 1NT (15-17 HCP) are more about responder setting the level of bidding.
Class 2: How to respond with 8-9 points or 16+ points. Still includes Stayman, transfers, but also talking about 1430 Gerber, 1430 Roman Keycard, and Quantitative NT. The 8-9 pt and 16+ point ranges after an opening 1NT (15-17 HCP) include bids by responder that are more oriented to tell (or ask) and then ask a question.
Class 3: In this class we’ll spend more detailed time on Quantitative NT and 1430.
Class 4: Review and Puppet Stayman (for those who want to learn it).
COUNTING – A series of 4 two hour classes. Let me know when you want to see this class offered again.
Class 1: during the bidding and how it influences our bids.
Class 2: adding the play of the cards to what we already knew from the bidding. Starting with just the first trick. We’ll review defensive signaling during this lesson.
Class 3: keep counting- what the bidding, and play of the cards tells us till the end of the play. Still need to keep in mind that defensive signaling!
Class 4: let’s mix it all up! Review!
Slam Bidding: Let me know when you want this again!
Slam Class 1 & 2: 1430 Key Card, Quantitative NT, 1430 Gerber, Gerber, Control Bids, Minorwood. Two session series – each class two hours long.
Slam Class 3 & 4: Cost $22 per lesson. More practice with 1430, control bids and minorwood.
Defensive Signaling and Card Play Remember that defense is 50% of the game! Get better at this and your game gets a lot better! Must sign up ahead! Cost $22 per class. Jan. 7,14,21,28,30 from 6 to 8 p.m. Cost $22. Sign up Required!
Class 1: Attitude and Count online Class 2: Suit Preference Signals online Class 3: Opening Leads in Suit Contracts. online Class 4: Opening Leads at NT online Class 5: Discard Signals & Leading through Strength and to Weakness & Review online
DRURY CONVENTION-Just one class of 2 hours. Let me know when you want this again!
What is Drury? A convention used to show a limit raise of partner’s. major suit when they’ve opened it in 3rd or 4th seat.
Can you bid Drury after an opponent’s bid or double? Sometimes, but sometimes not but then you may have other means of conveying your message.
How do you as opener rebid after partner’s Drury bid?
All of these questions and more will be answered!
BEGINNING BRIDGE CLASSES SERIES 1 – The Basics of Bidding and Play – no competitive bidding.1st session is free! Let me know if you want this class!
5 Sessions – 1st session is free! Try it, you’ll like it! Class is limited to 8 students to allow for more personalized instruction.
Class 1: suits, trump, notrump, counting High Card Points, counting distribution points, playing to a trick, keeping track of tricks, a little about scoring, and a start on how to make the first bid.
Class 2: More on that first bid. Opening bids of 1NT and how to respond.
Class 3: Opening bids of 1 of a Major and a start on responding.
Class 4: Opening bids of 1 of minor and a start on responding.
Class 5: More on responding to opening bids of 1 of a Major.
Competitive Bidding:
Tues. & Thurs. 7 to 9 p.m. Dec. 10-19, Cost $22 per class, Sign up Required
Class 1: One level and two level overcalls: making them, advancing them Class 2: Opening Pre-empts and responses, Pre-emptive overcalls and advances Class 3: How to keep competing after an overcall, including negative doubles Class 4: Takeout doubles and advances, how to keep competing after interference caused by a takeout double
Transition to Two Over One (2/1) Let me know when you want it again!
Class 1: Responding to an opening Major with Support Class 2: Responding to an opening Minor, Responding to an Opening Major without support Class 3: More forcing responses to show support for a Major: Jacoby 2NT and Splinters Class 4: Putting it altogether – understand when to use what!
DECLARER PLAY – Series 1 Cost $22 each class, attend the ones you can. Let me know when you want this again!
It is highly recommended that you purchase these books by Barbara Seagram and David Bird for these classes as well as the series 2 classes coming soon: “Planning the Play of a Bridge Hand” retails for $19.95 you can order from me for $19 including any sales tax,(s/h is extra), “Declarer Play at Bridge” retails for $15.95 you can purchase from me for $15 which also includes any sales tax (s/h is extra).
Class 1: Planning the Play in a Suit Contract – Count Losers and plan to eliminate them – 3 main ways to do that: Ruff in short trump hand, discard, finesse
Class 2: Review planning – Pay attention to entries, when to draw trump, which card to play first, loser on loser. Start on planning the Play in a NT contract. Count your winners, developing extra tricks in the safest way possible.
Class 3: More on NT Play – the hold up play, will holding up give them a chance to switch to a more dangerous suit, safe and dangerous hands, establishing a suit
Class 4: More NT play and then let’s start going deeper – double finesse, two way finesse – how to choose your direction? Plan your entries!
Declarer Play – Series 2
Class 1: More on drawing trumps and more on the dangerous hand
Class 2: More on the hold up play, useful in a suit contract as well as NT. Combine your chances.
Class 3: Gathering information before choosing the suit to try to establish.
Class 4: Counting the hands to give you a clue – counting distribution, counting HCP. Don’t take a finesse that is sure to lose.
DISTURBING OPPONENTS NOTRUMP –
Class 1: We’ll start by learning the DONT (Disturbing Opponent’s NoTrump) convention and how to advance partner’s overcall.
Class 2: We’ll talk more about how to overcome that overcall if we are the NT bidding pair. We’ll do that with some simpler techniques – if you want to get more complicated sign up for the Lebensohl classes.
Class 3: A brief intro to some other overcalling NT conventions, after seeing a few you can pick your favorite!
Reverses – what are they, when can you, should you use them? Cost $22. Sign up required! Let me know if you want this class!
Lebensohl Class Series: Let me know when you want this again!
Class 1: Over natural 2 level bids Class 2: Over 2 suited bids Class 3: Over 3 level bids Class 4: Responding to a double of a weak 2 and responding to a reverse
NEW MINOR FORCING: 2 sessions. Cost $22 per lesson. WED. FEB 26 & Mar. 5, 6 to 8 p.m. Call or email if interested in my scheduling this class again. What is it? When do I use it? Why do I use it? What do I need to have in my hand to use it? How does my partner answer me when I use it? They answered me, now what do I do?
Doubles Class is a four session series,
Class 1: Take out Doubles and Doubles as part of a sandwich NT
Class 2: Negative Doubles – you may think you understand this double, but do you?
Class 3: Lead directing doubles and Lightner doubles
Class 4: Responsive doubles, Support doubles (and redoubles)
Completing a Convention Card : Cost $11 each class, attend the ones you can.
Class 1: One hour class: Right Hand side of 2023 Classic convention card-the one that makes sense-not the newer version. Both are allowed.
Class 2: One hour Class: Left hand side of Convention Card.
Online supervised play for groups of just 4. We play for one hour online. The morning sessions are at 10:45 Monday through Thursday, (through Friday during the school year). Cost is just $5 to me. Evening sessions are frequently offered on Monday and Thursday as well from 7:00 to 8:00 at a cost of $5. To sign up, click here or call or email me. I send you a Zoom link so we can talk while playing the deals online. You pay me via Paypal, Venmo, Apple Pay, credit card or a check. We can work out those details when you sign up.
$150 minimum for two hour face to face classes can be formed at any time. A minimum of 8 students per class allows me to teach with the regular cost for each student of $18.75 per each 2 hour lesson. Classes of 4 students can be arranged but the cost increases to $37.50 per student per lesson for the smaller class. Additional costs may be included to cover the cost of instructional materials. If you’re interested and a class is not in the schedule to fit your needs, get some friends together and form your own class. Just call (816-237-0519) or e-mail to set it up.
Supervised Play in person is available on the 1st Wednesday. Check out Supervised Play.
BEGINNING BRIDGE CLASSES SERIES 1 – The Basics of Bidding and Play – no competitive bidding. Let me know if you want this class!
5 Sessions – 1st session is free! Try it, you’ll like it! Class is limited to 8 students to allow for more personalized instruction.
Class 1: suits, trump, notrump, counting High Card Points, counting distribution points, playing to a trick, keeping track of tricks, a little about scoring, and a start on how to make the first bid.
Class 2: More on that first bid. Opening bids of 1NT and how to respond. Keeping it simple but introducing Stayman and transfers.
Class 3: Opening bids of 1 of a Major and a start on responding.
Class 4: Opening bids of 1 of minor and a start on responding.
Back to Face to Face classes! Hopefully you’ll be joining me again on Tuesday afternoons at the Jewish Community Center in Overland Park in the spring and summer. Let the JKC Heritage Center, Phone (913) 327.8000 know you want classes!
I will play with you online in a 12 board tournament. This includes a 15 minute phone call going over the convention card prior to the tournament followed by up to 20 minutes going over hands after the tournament. Cost for this online play is $15 plus my entry fee. Email, call, or text to set up a time and I’ll meet you online! An 18 board tournament is $25 plus my entry fee.
I am happy to provide a lesson by playing with you. For adults with fewer than 1100 masterpoints, this means that I will meet with you for up to 1/2 hour before playing time to go over our convention card. I will play with you, noting the bidding sequence and leads as we play. I usually refrain from making too many comments during the actual playing time. I will then stay and go over some of the issues that occurred during the session, looking at hand records if available, for up to 1/2 hour. The cost for this playing lesson service is my entry fee and $35, or schedule a set of 3 lessons for just $90.
For adults with 1100 masterpoints or more, I am happy to play with you for free if I can fit you into my schedule!
For high school age students and younger please see my scheduled rates on the Kids Bridge page.
