Learn Bridge

Try something new!

Try Bridge!

Beginning Bridge Enrollments Now Open

New classes, for new players and returning players, start on Monday, January 8 12:30 to 2:30 at the Santa Cruz Bridge Center.
More information here.

Want to keep your brain sharp?

Playing bridge is like mental exercise. With each hand of this card game, you're strengthening your memory and strategy power. Bridge is the ultimate mindsport.

Looking to meet new people?

The bridge-playing community is large and wide-spread. In Santa Cruz, there's lots of groups, including the nearly 400 members of the Santa Cruz Bridge Center. Because bridge is a partnership game, you develop personal connections right away.

Seeking a new hobby?

Whether you are looking for competition or something relaxed, bridge is a great option. Learn the ultimate card game and discover your new passion.

Need a plan for game night?

Bridge is a game made for groups of people. All you need is a deck of cards and at least four players. Challenge your friends to something beyond the usual board game.

Learn the game & meet other players

Bridge Master 2000

Learn to play Bridge (online tutorial)

Mini-Bridge on BBO (online practice)

Just Play Bridge (online practice)

Bridge Base Online (BBO)

More Resources (ACBL)

Learn the game & meet other players

The Santa Cruz Bridge Center (SCBC) has many opportunities to learn and play with others who are just starting this great game. Check out the current schedule of classes at the SCBC.

The American Contract Bridge League (ACBL) has a new interactive, online course to get you ready to play bridge. Intro to Bridge is conducted over zoom, so you can learn at your home. Click here to learn more.

An Expert At Your Elbow session for players new to duplicate or relatively new to bridge is available every Friday morning at 10AM.
↑ToC

Learn to play Bridge

A completely free "learn-as-you-play" web-based program. Includes a tutorial and handles player proficiency levels up to Intermediate. "Learn to play Bridge" proves a safe environment for players to test and learn new skills. Each screen provides tips for bidding and play. Bidding starts with the Intermediate Level. (Note: The detail explanation of some conventions are missing. You can get explanations for all the conventions used in this program from Resources listed below.) "Learn to play Bridge" may be accessed from any device with an internet connection.

"Learn to play Bridge II" software for Windows is available as a free download from the ACBL site here. Learn to Play Bridge II is for those who know the basics but want to develop their playing, bidding and defense skills. The development was funded by the ACBL Educational Foundation and the ACBL.

Click the image to play the online version now. ↑ToC

Bridge Master

Bridge Master 2000 is an educational program for improving your declarer play skills. The program presents you with a series of instructional deals to play. You are always declarer. Each deal is a carefully constructed excercise designed to illustrate an important declarer play technique. If you take the correct line of play you will always make your contract. If you make any mistake as declarer, the program will defend perfectly and defeat your contract. Each deal is accompanied by an animated bridge movie that will explain the correct line of play as well as the thinking process that leads to the solution. more...

That fact that you can only make your contract by playing correctly makes Bridge Master a fabulous learning medium. In real bridge (and with other computer bridge programs), declarer's mistakes are often forgiven by imperfect defense or a lucky lie of the cards.

With Bridge Master your mistakes will always be "punished". You are "forced" to work out the correct play if you want to make your contract. In turn, you learn something about bridge in the process.

If you play a Bridge Master deal incorrectly, it is best to keep trying again until you get it right. If you give up, however, the bridge movie will make the answer clear. As you read through the bridge movie, images on your screen will reflect the bridge content in the text. For example, if the text reads, "if trumps break 4-1...", a large hand diagram will display the 4-1 break. There is no need to cross out cards or write down end positions. The bridge movie always displays whatever bridge illustration you need in order to understand the explanation.

Bridge Master (BBO Edition)

This free version is available online via the BBO website. It has five skill levels and within each of these levels, there are over 100 deals. The site keeps track of which deals you have played. You don't have to register to use this terrific software. Many very strong players "warm-up" by playing a couple of hands before a session.

Bridge Master 2000 (SCBEF Edition)

This special edition, specifically assembled for advancing beginners, is provided thru the Santa Cruz Bridge Education Foundation. To obtain a copy, which costs $20, please contact the Bridge Master 2000 Administrator at info@santacruzbridge.org

Bridge Master 2000 (Standard Edition)

Click on the Bridge Master 2000 icon to order the Standard Edition online. ↑ToC

Mini-Bridge on BBO

This free, online form of the game allows you to select the trump suit, predict the number of tricks you can take and practice Declarer play. It's like bridge solitare. Bridge Base Online (BBO) is the most popular online site for playing and learning bridge. See the article below for more details about BBO.

Click the image to play now. ↑ToC