On Thursday, 14 November 2024, the club organised an event with Andrew Robson with the aim of enjoying a day of bridge and helping to improve our skills.

Over 140 attended the event held at Ludlow Racecourse in a large first floor room overlooking the racetrack and Lower Corvedale towards the wooded slopes of the Clee Hills and Titterstone Clee. The event was a lively affair, expertly shepherded by Andrew with ample opportunities for questions and comments from the participants,

The morning session focused on ‘Tips around the Table’ :

• The 'unassuming cue bid' i.e. bidding the opponent's suit to show a strong hand with support for partner's overcall;
• Precisely describing the shape of the hand;
• Show preference to opener's first bid suit;
• Overcall first, double later,
• ‘Quick defence’ - when you can see that declarer has a source of tricks in dummy and the defence have to make their tricks as soon as possible.
• The ‘negative double’: after partner has opened and been overcalled a double can indicate exactly 4 cards in the unbid major suit.

Using a pack of Andrew’s ‘magic’ cards, annotated on the back with 30 different coloured arrows to show how they should be distributed, hands could be dealt to demonstrate each topic. Andrew's favourite technique of making a tricky contract by 'ruffing a side suit good' was amply demonstrated.

After lunch, the afternoon session provided opportunities to reinforce the ideas explained in the morning, with an opportunity to purchase some of Andrew’s publications.

Initial feedback was very positive from both relatively experienced players and 'improvers'.