Bridge Group "Charter"
LYNDHURST & DISTRICT U3A - BRIDGE GROUP
For confident and competitive Bridge players there are Bridge Clubs affiliated to the English Bridge Union in our area. There is also a group that plays weekly in Lyndhurst, so there is little need for the Lyndhurst U3A to provide a facility for such players.
However, there are several people within the U3A who would enjoy playing Bridge but who lack the confidence, ability, enthusiasm or opportunity for playing at club level. Our Bridge Group has been formed to enable such players to enjoy Bridge without conforming to the strict rules and pressures of a competitive Bridge Club. There may be others who, while able to play at a higher level, would be happy to participate in less formal Bridge sessions. The aim is to allow and encourage players of all ability levels to develop their skills in a supportive, sociable and non-hostile environment.
With this in mind, we have adopted the following framework:
• To maximise the amount of play available to each person, there may be frequent changes of partners as dummies are needed to fill gaps on other tables, though players attending as couples may play together if they wish for as long as this can be done while allowing a fair share of play for others.
• Dealing, bidding, playing and scoring will take place in accordance with common practice, but with full allowance being made for any player’s lack of familiarity with rules and conventions.
• The usual restrictions on communication between partners will apply during bidding and playing, but any player who is uncertain how to bid may put a general question to any spare players or to the opposing players, who shall answer as fairly as they can.
• After a hand has been played, any player who feels there would be benefit from reviewing the bidding or the play may ask to see any or all of the hands. To facilitate this, each player shall retain his cards after playing them.
• No player shall criticise another. However, there is often much to be learnt when reviewing a hand, so all are encouraged to accept suggestions offered kindly and non-judgmentally.
• Participation in the Bridge Group implies acceptance of all the above.