♠

Columbus, Ohio · 8 sessions · Beginner-friendly

Learn bridge.
Completely from scratch.

No experience needed. No card game background required. Just curiosity — and four weeks of Tuesday & Thursday evenings in northern Columbus.

8 Sessions

12 Students max

1 Session to play a hand

Reserve your spot — $149 See what's covered

✓ Full refund if you cancel before session 1 · ✓ Spots held on payment

Why bridge?

Four reasons this game gets under your skin

Bridge players don't quit. They get better for 40 years and still think they have more to learn. Here's what keeps them coming back.

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The sharpest mental workout you'll find at a table

Counting, inference, memory, strategy — bridge uses every part of your brain simultaneously. Studies consistently link it to slower cognitive decline. It's the game cardiologists play.

♥

Partnership — you can't win alone

Bridge is played in pairs. Your partner is your silent co-author on every hand. Learning to communicate through bids and signals is the soul of the game — and the source of its most memorable moments.

♦

A community that welcomes beginners

Our Bridge 101 graduates come back. They play in our club games, find regular partners, and bring their friends the next intake. Bridge is one of the few social games where you can be a beginner and still belong.

♣

Something to keep getting better at

You'll never run out of bridge to learn. That's a promise and a warning. Every player in our club — including the ones who've played for 30 years — found something new to work on last week.

The curriculum

What you'll know after 8 sessions

Built for adults who've never touched a bridge hand. By session 8 you'll be ready to play in a supervised club game.

The basics of trick-taking

How a hand is played, what makes a trick, the role of trumps — from zero to playing a complete hand in one session.

Opening bids and point count

How to evaluate your hand and open the bidding. The foundation of everything that follows — we get it right from the start.

Responding to partner's bid

The conversation between partners in the auction. Knowing when to support, when to introduce your own suit, and when to pass.

The 1NT opening and responses

One of the most common auctions in bridge. Includes Stayman and transfers — the two conventions every club player needs.

Declarer play essentials

How to make a plan before playing card one. Counting winners, managing entries, and the finesse — the building blocks of declarer technique.

Defence and opening leads

The hardest part of bridge — and the most satisfying. What your opening lead tells partner, and what theirs tells you.

Session by session

Four weeks, eight sessions — completely mapped

Tuesdays and Thursdays, 6–8pm. No surprises — here's exactly what happens each session.

Your first bridge hand

Setup, suits, and trick-taking. By the end of tonight you'll have played a full hand of bridge. We cut the theory to the minimum needed to play — everything else follows naturally from the game itself.

Counting your hand — the point count system

The standard way bridge players value their cards. Simple arithmetic that unlocks every auction you'll ever have. We practice until it's instinctive.

Opening the bidding

What it means to open 1♠ versus 1♥ versus 1NT. The logic behind the opening bid — and how your partner starts to picture your hand the moment you speak.

Responding to partner

Your first response is a message. We cover the full range of responses to a one-of-a-suit opening, including raises, new suits, and the 1NT response.

The 1NT opening, Stayman, and transfers

The two conventions every club player needs. Stayman asks "do you have a 4-card major?" Transfers put the strong hand in the driver's seat. Together they handle the most common auction in the game.

Declarer play — making a plan

"Stop before playing card one." We cover the declarer's planning process: counting winners and losers, identifying the problem, choosing the right line. Hands-on practice on six prepared deals.

Defence — opening leads and signals

What your choice of opening lead tells partner. The three most important defensive signals. We practice giving and reading signals in real time.

Supervised club game — your bridge debut

A full session of duplicate bridge, supervised by Paulo. All hands are pre-selected for the group's level. After tonight, you're ready to play in any beginner or supervised game in Columbus.

Your instructor

Paulo

I started teaching bridge because I couldn't find a class I'd have wanted to take as a beginner. Most courses bury you in theory for weeks before you touch a card. That felt backwards.

In Bridge 101, you play a complete hand in session one. Everything we cover — bidding systems, point count, conventions — we learn it because a real hand made us need it. That sequence changes how fast people improve.

I've been teaching bridge to complete beginners for over 20 years — first in Brazil, now in Columbus. My approach hasn't changed: treat it as a game, get cards on the table from session one, and let strategy emerge naturally from play.

ACBL Life Master 20+ years teaching Instructor since 2005 Columbus, Ohio

What Bridge 101 graduates say

People who thought they couldn't learn bridge

I started in Paulo's beginner group in São Paulo knowing absolutely nothing. Within a year I was playing in club championships. Bridge gave me a whole new social world I didn't know I was missing.

Ricardo M. Started as a complete beginner, São Paulo

Paulo explains everything so clearly. I was nervous before the first class and genuinely hooked by the end of it. I've played bridge with friends every Saturday since.

David P. Retired — started bridge at 68

My husband and I took the course together. We came in as a couple who liked cards and left as a partnership. We play in the club game every week now.

Margaret & Tom C. Bridge 101 graduates, Winter intake

Dates and pricing

Two intakes this summer

Both run Tuesday & Thursday evenings in northern Columbus. Same curriculum, same instructor, same 12-student cap. Choose the date that works for you.

Fall intake

^$149

Full 8-session course

📅 Starts November 3, 2026 · Tuesdays & Thursdays 6–8pm

8 sessions in northern Columbus
Printed reference card included
Session 8 supervised club game
Email support between sessions
6 spots remaining

Reserve a spot

Early bird — save $20

Winter intake

^$129

Until Dec 31 · $149 after

📅 Starts February 2, 2027 · Tuesdays & Thursdays 6–8pm

8 sessions in northern Columbus
Printed reference card included
Session 8 supervised club game
Email support between sessions
12 spots available

Reserve at early-bird price

Frequently asked questions

Everything you're probably wondering

Do I need any card game experience?

None at all. Bridge 101 assumes zero knowledge. If you've played Spades or Rummy, you'll pick up the trick-taking mechanics quickly — but it's genuinely not required. About half of each intake has never played a card game seriously.

Can I come with a partner, spouse, or friend?

Absolutely — and many people do. Bridge is better with someone to practice with at home, and coming with a friend makes the first session less intimidating. That said, it's not required. We pair everyone up in class and solo students fit in just as well.

What if I miss a session?

Sessions do build on each other, but missing one isn't fatal. We'll send you a written summary of what was covered and you can email Paulo with any questions before the next class. We ask you not to miss more than two sessions — the course moves at a pace that's hard to catch up from if you're absent more than that.

What do I need to bring?

Just yourself. We provide cards, score sheets, and a printed reference card you keep. Wear comfortable clothes — sessions run two hours. There's free parking behind the building and we usually have coffee on.

How is Bridge 101 different from learning from YouTube or a book?

You can absolutely learn the rules that way. What you can't get is real-time feedback on your bidding decisions, a partner to practice with, and the experience of playing actual hands against other beginners. Bridge is a game — it has to be played to be learned. Most people who try to self-study stall because they have no one to play with.

What happens after Bridge 101?

Most graduates go straight into our Thursday supervised game — a low-stakes club game with an experienced player at each table. About 40% of Bridge 101 graduates continue with our Intermediate course within six months. The rest find partners through the club and play recreationally. Either path is great.

What's the refund policy?

Full refund if you cancel at least 72 hours before session 1. 50% refund up to 24 hours before. After session 1 starts, we're not able to offer refunds, but you're welcome to join the next intake at no extra charge if something comes up.

Learn bridge.Completely from scratch.