GCBC Player Classification Grid

Advanced Advanced Newcomer Beginner Intermediate Advanced Beginner Intermediate A person who is new to A player who has the ability A player who has the A player who has the A player who has the A player who mastered the game and is to: skills described under skills described under skills described under the skills described interested in learning  Assess the strength and previous level plus the previous levels plus the previous levels plus the under previous levels modern bridge bidding trick winning potential ability to: ability to: ability to: plus the ability to: and play. However, if of a bridge hand.  Choose between  Exercise good  Compete after  Use advanced bidding the person has played  Open and respond to a making a takeout judgment in whether opponents’ takeout conventions to create bridge in the past and is major, minor, and double and an to open in various double. forcing auctions. familiar with basic notrump opening bid. to compete. seats.  Make a after  Use other bidding, declarer play,  Differentiate between  Use a Negative  Defend against a opening. competitive doubles. and standard leads, s/he non-forcing, invitational, Double in competition opponents’  controls to  Use various advanced may be eligible for the and forcing bids. to show strength and interference with explore slam. bidding tools to next level.  Plan the basic play of a shape. Stayman and Jacoby  Execute various card explore slam. suit and notrump  Open and respond to Transfers. playing techniques  Defend against contract. weak two bids.  Open and respond to and strategies to popular conventions.  Make basic opening  Use basic bidding strong balanced and make a suit and leads against suits and tools to explore slam. unbalanced hands. notrump contract. notrump contracts.  Use cue bids to  Apply various describe various types defensive strategies of hands. and signals to defeat a suit and notrump contract.

Recommended first Recommended class: Recommended class: Recommended class: Recommended classes: Attend special class is “How to Play Introduction to Bidding - Introduction to Bidding Introduction to Bidding Partnership Defense I advanced classes or Bridge.” – Basic card ITB I - ITB II - ITB III (Popular and II workshops. Participate playing techniques Participate in Conventions) Planning the Play of a in advanced bridge using supervised play Participate in Bridge Hand I and II practice sessions (BPS), without bidding. sessions, and Level I supervised play sessions Participate in bridge duplicate games, and Barometer games. and Level I Barometer practice sessions (BPS) Level II Barometer games. and Level II Barometer games. Both advanced games. intermediate and advanced players are able to participate in the GCBC mentoring program.

GCBC – Detailed Player Classification

Newcomer A person who is new to the game and is interested in learning modern bridge bidding and play. However, if the person has played bridge in the past and is familiar with basic bidding, declarer play, and standard leads, s/he may be eligible for the next level.

Recommended first class is “How to Play Bridge.” – Basic card playing techniques using Minibridge without bidding.

Beginner A player who has the ability to perform basic bridge tasks:  Evaluate hand strength and trick winning potential.  Choose the right opening bid between a major, minor and notrump.  Respond to a major, minor and notrump opening bid, including basic conventions such as Stayman and Jacoby transfers.  Describe a minimum, medium or maximum hand as opener and responder.  Differentiate between non-forcing, invitational and forcing bids (principle of captaincy).  Plan the basic play of a suit and notrump contract (counting losers and winners).  Use basic card-playing techniques to create winners in notrump contracts and eliminate losers in suit contracts.  Use basic leads against notrump and suit contracts.

Recommended class: Introduction to Bidding - ITB I

Advanced Beginner Has the skills described under previous level, plus the ability to:  Enter the auction using a (required strength and shape).  Use various types of to enter the auction when the hand is not suitable for a takeout double (required strength and suit quality).  Use Negative Doubles as responder to show shape and strength.  Open and respond to preemptive weak two bids.  Explore slam using basic ace and king-asking bids (Blackwood, Gerber, and Quantitative Slam Try)

Recommended class: Introduction to Bidding - ITB II Participate in supervised play sessions, and Level I Barometer games.

1 Intermediate Has the skills described under previous levels, plus the ability to:  Exercise good judgment whether to open the bidding in 1st, 2nd, 3rd, and 4th seat.  Open and respond to strong balanced and unbalanced hands.  Use Cue Bids to describe various hands: . Show a limit raise or better support for partner’s suit. . Show two-suited hands in competition (Michaels). . Ask or show a stopper in opponents’ suit(s) to get to 3NT.  Show a two-suited hand in competition (The Unusual 2NT).  Make better decisions in competitive auctions using The (the basics and vulnerability considerations).  Defend against interference with Stayman and Jacoby Transfers (stolen bids and lead directing doubles of opponents’ artificial bids).

Recommended class: Introduction to Bidding - ITB III (Popular Conventions) Participate in supervised play sessions and Level I Barometer games.

Advanced Intermediate Has the skills described under previous levels, plus the ability to:  Make a game try after 1M-2M (limit bid).  Compete effectively after an opponent takeout double (Jordan 2NT and Redouble).  Cue bid (show) controls to explore slam.  Effectively play a bridge hand: . Execute various declarer play techniques to make the contract. . Consider the odds of how suits are more likely to break in order to maximize the chances of making a contract. . Combine various options to maximize the odds of making a contract.  Effectively defend a bridge hand: . Analyze the auction for clues to choose a defensive strategy and (passive, active or forcing). . Use proper defensive techniques in 2nd and 3rd seat. . Use the appropriate and discard (attitude, count, and suit preference signals) during defense.

Recommended classes: Partnership Defense I and II Planning the Play of a Bridge Hand I and II Participate in bridge practice sessions (BPS) and Level II Barometer games.

2 Advanced Has mastered the skills described under previous levels, plus the ability to:  Use advanced conventions to create a forcing auction ( (NMF), 4th Suit Forcing (FSF), and Smolen after Stayman).  Choose the proper bidding tool to explore slams (Splinter bids vs. Jacoby 2NT, Cue bidding controls, Roman Key Card Blackwood, Queen-asking bids, Jumping to 5NT or Five of a major, Exclusion Blackwood, and other advanced slam bidding tools).  Respond to 4NT 1430 RKC with a .  Use other conventional doubles such as Responsive, Cooperative, and Lightner doubles against slams.  Defend against popular bidding conventions such as the Unusual 2NT, Michaels cue bids, DONT against opponent’s 1NT, and high level ).  Use the advanced GCBC .  Consistently maintain an above average score in duplicate games.

Attend special advanced classes or workshops as needed. Participate in advanced bridge practice sessions (BPS), duplicate games, and Level II Barometer games. Both advanced intermediate and advanced players are able to participate in the GCBC mentoring program.

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