[Kaitlyn S]

When you see this thread rise to the top of the listed threads, it means a new problem set is available (they reside in the N/B forum but are appropriate for many intermediates.)

Set 27: After partner's single raise

Set 26: Common sense after a preempt

Play Set 2: Hold Up or Not? Part 2

Play Set 1: Hold Up or Not? Part 1

Set 25: Did partner really bid that? (tricky problem set IMO)

Defense Set 1: Third hand play

Set 24: Single raise of a minor (easier than normal set)

Lead Set 1: Leading against a slam

Set 23: Support with support?

Set 22: Ramifications of a reverse

Set 21: Opener invites, how well do your hands go together? (tough problem set IMO)

Set 20: Responder's invitational hands

Set 19: Are You Sure? (About your stopper for notrump)

Set 18: The Forcing Pass

Set 17: Plan Ahead

Set 16: Partner is very distributional

Set 15: Responding to partner's preempt

Set 14: Double and Correct

Set 13: Blackwood

Set 12: But partner! I don't have anything!

Set 11: Visualizing partner's hand

Set 10: Advancing a delayed takeout double

Set 9: What does it matter?

Set 8: You pass, partner backs in with 1NT after opening

Set 7: Bidding after the opponents preempt

Set 6: Initial defensive action

Set 5: Try not to rebid a five-card suit

Set 4: Advancing a takeout double

Set 3: partner rebids notrump

Set 2: partner rebids his suit

Set 1: First problem set

[Kaitlyn S]

Interesting - the thread doesn't get bumped unless I add a new post. #10 is ready.

[Kaitlyn S]

Problem set 11 is ready. Link in first post.

[Kaitlyn S]

Problem set 12 is ready. Link in first post. Also, links to the older problem sets have been added to the first post.

[Kaitlyn S]

Problem Set 13 is ready.

[Kaitlyn S]

Problem Set 14 is ready.

[Kaitlyn S]

Problem Set 15 is ready. Instant gratification this time - the answers are already there.

[Stefan_O]

Hi Kaitlyn,

Just asking,
can you by any chance, recommend some source or link of good, easy play-problems for inexperienced players?

I am teaching/training a friends and would much appreciate it.

[Kaitlyn S]

Stefan_O, on 2016-December-04, 15:15, said:

Hi Kaitlyn,

Just asking,
can you by any chance, recommend some source or link of good, easy play-problems for inexperienced players?

I am teaching/training a friends and would much appreciate it.

I don't know of any free resources - I'm sure they exist but I'm not aware of them. The BBO store has several movies classified as 'beginner' but I thought that most of them that I looked at were too difficult for a beginner. These are free. They might work if your friend is talented.

If you're looking for more along the lines of starting with "high card from the short side first", Patrick O'Connor's "A First Book of Bridge Problems" should work. In software, Bridge Master Level 1 (is that what they call it - anyway the easiest one which is playable on the BBO client, but I presume there will be some way to use it after the client goes away in early 2017) is good.

I would guess there are a lot of free or inexpensive resources and I'll be interested in hearing how other people reply. I might post this in a different forum though, to get more eyeballs on it.

[diana_eva]

Bridge Master is available on web. It costs 25 cents per 30 minutes for access to all deals. It's very good practice for declarer play, with thorough explanations. Level 1 is basic stuff, my son loved it and he was an absolute beginner (well he knew high card wins the trick and what trump is). If you PM me your friend's username I'll put some BB$ into his account so he can use Bridge Master without paying.

[Kaitlyn S]

Another idea: I just downloaded Learn to Play Bridge from the ACBL website. I had to give them an email so I'll probably receive a lot of ACBL marketing emails. It has some instruction but your friend can go to the Table of Contents, and choose a topic - some of the topics have subtopics "Bridge Master Deal xx". Those let you play hands. The deals are non-trivial; for example I brought one up in Learn to Play Bridge 1 and the theme was finessing into the safe hand.

However they are free. The software was written by BBO founder Fred Gitelman. Here's the link I used:

Learn to Play Bridge Software

Between the two of them he'll get quite a few deals that he can play (with explanations.)

While this software was popular at one time (I think it got over a million downloads) it feels like it's a well kept secret now.

[diana_eva]

Kaitlyn S, on 2016-December-05, 13:53, said:

While this software was popular at one time (I think it got over a million downloads) it feels like it's a well kept secret now.

It;s a secret posted on BBO's home page at www.bridgebase.com

[Kaitlyn S]

diana_eva, on 2016-December-05, 13:58, said:

It;s a secret posted on BBO's home page at www.bridgebase.com

You're right! Odd that nobody replied to Stefan with that solution, but that may be because of the thread he chose.

It seemed like ACBL used to make a big fanfare of this (it was in my cognitive space for a long time and I don't look at the BBO home page) but now I rarely hear about it except occasionally when I hear someone say "Why did they get replace Learn to Play Bridge with this new learning tool which isn't as good?" Then, as I was perusing another website, I noticed a link to Learn to Play Bridge and lo and behold, the link still works even though ACBL keeps changing their URL's.

On the upside, one doesn't need to use my link because the one from the BBO homepage will have the most up to date version of the program. Also, the BBO home page link avoids giving your email to the ACBL.

[diana_eva]

Kaitlyn S, on 2016-December-05, 14:12, said:

You're right! Odd that nobody replied to Stefan with that solution, but that may be because of the thread he chose.

It seemed like ACBL used to make a big fanfare of this (it was in my cognitive space for a long time and I don't look at the BBO home page) but now I rarely hear about it except occasionally when I hear someone say "Why did they get replace Learn to Play Bridge with this new learning tool which isn't as good?" Then, as I was perusing another website, I noticed a link to Learn to Play Bridge and lo and behold, the link still works even though ACBL keeps changing their URL's.

On the upside, one doesn't need to use my link because the one from the BBO homepage will have the most up to date version of the program.

I thought he wanted play problems, didn't think about LTPB but you are right that it's an excellent tool with hands for practice included.

[Kaitlyn S]

Set 16 is available.

Problem set 16

[Stefan_O]

Thanks for the hints!

I played through some free BM deals in BBO, I like them.
The first 2 levels seem good for beginners.

@diana_eva
How many deals are each level when you pay for them?
+ thanks for the credits!

[diana_eva]

Stefan_O, on 2016-December-06, 09:28, said:

Thanks for the hints!

I played through some free BM deals in BBO, I like them.
The first 2 levels seem good for beginners.

@diana_eva
How many deals are each level when you pay for them?
+ thanks for the credits!

Level 1: 66 deals
Level 2: 126 deals

[Kaitlyn S]

Set 17 is available.

Problem Set 17

[Kaitlyn S]

Problem Set 18 is available.

Problem Set 18

[Kaitlyn S]

Problem Set 19 is available.

Problem Set 19