Greetings from Champaign, Illinois

  Home of 500,000 acres of corn and soybeans,
      the University of Illinois Fighting Illini,
          the Bridge at Ginger Creek duplicate club,
               the Illini Regional Bridge Tournament  (May 20-26, 2008) and

Karen's Bridge Library

For bridge players . . . current and aspiring:

Bridge books, software & gifts

Search the Web     Search Karen's Bridge Library

For Beginners

The basics -- Lessons on how to play bridge:

Introduction	Which suit to respond?	Defensive play
Bridge glossary	Responder's bids in competition	Declarer Play: Forming a Plan
Opening 1-bids	Responding to 1NT	Declarer Play: Establishing Tricks
Basics for responder	Overcalls & takeout doubles	Declarer Play: The Finesse
Bidding "cheat sheet"	The reverse by opener	Declarer Play: Simple Odds
Opening 2-bids (strong)	The rest of the auction	Counting the hand
Opening 3-bids	Forcing & non-forcing bids	Rubber-bridge strategy
Opening 4-bids	Slam bidding	Quick tips to improve your game
Hand evaluation	Opening leads

 

Learning to play bridge -- How to get started, and get better:		Bridge for Beginners and Beyond:  A self-teaching guide to good bridge for beginning & intermediate players.  Updated and expanded 16th edition.
Why play bridge?	Developing your "card sense"
Group classes & self-teaching	FREE Learn to Play Bridge software
On-your-own activities to build skills	Web links to good sites for learners

 

  

For Advancing Players

Lessons and convention summaries -- for experienced beginners and intermediates:

Balancing over 1-bids	Weak Two-bids	DONT convention
Balancing over other auctions	Negative doubles	Roman Keycard Blackwood
Opening leads: aggressive	Jacoby transfers	"Law" of Total Tricks
Opening leads: passive	Jacoby 2NT major-suit raise	Lebensohl over weak two-bids
Opening leads: trumps	Drury convention	Lebensohl over reverses
Michaels Cuebid & Unusual 2NT	New Minor Forcing	Lebensohl in 1NT auctions

Duplicate bridge:

IMP (teams) strategy	Matchpoint (pairs) strategy	Web links for duplicate players
Discover the Fun & Challenge of Duplicate -- booklet on duplicate play, scoring, customs & strategies.  PDF format

  

For Intermediate to Advanced Players

Advanced bidding conventions and treatments:

2-over-1 Game-Force System	Opener's Jump-Reverse	Strong Jump Shifts  (3 parts)
Forcing Notrump Convention	Defenses to 2-Suited Overcalls  (3 parts)	Your 2C Bidding Structure  (4 parts)

Default agreements   (originally published in the ACBL Bridge Bulletin):

Was that a cuebid?   Parts 1-4	Was that a penalty double?   Parts 1-3    Parts 4-6     Parts 7 & 8
More articles from the Bridge Bulletin -- Troubles with Redoubles, Negative freebids, 12 Habits

   

For Players of All Skill Levels

District 8 Advocate newsletter -- bridge features, Solvers Forum column & Midwest bridge news.
Published bi-monthly on the Web by ACBL District 8.

District 8 Online:  Homepage of District 8 of the American Contract Bridge League

Bridge Bulletin article:  On bridge and basketball

Flashes of brilliance -- Bridge feats & fun (all true) from my favorite partners & team-mates:

The one that got away	If I had bid hearts ...	Sometimes, pessimism pays off
Toby and the Passion Coup	Count, count, count	The Obvious Solution   (a bridge poem)
A rare trump squeeze	A nightmare on opening lead	Concentration   (another bridge poem)
The missing redouble cards	Never put down an 8-card suit in dummy	Bridge & poker (interview with Barry Greenstein)

Bridge books and software:

Bridge Bookstore -- Recommendations and reviews of good bridge books for beginner, intermediate and advanced players. With links for direct, discounted purchases from Amazon.com Gifts for bridge players -- Links to software packages and specialty bridge gifts. Bridge for Beginners and Beyond -- A self-teaching guide and class textbook. "Learn to Play Bridge" software -- Teach yourself to play with these free programs from ACBL.

Travel links for bridge players -- online booking sites, ACBL club directories, tournament calendars, bridge vacations.

Bridge in Champaign-Urbana IL

And some personal stuff . . .  

A brief photo album        A tribute to my first bridge teacher 

Christmas letters, travelogues & photos:   England 2001     Ireland 2003      Scotland 2004      France 2006      Hawaii 2006

Links to my online courses at Parkland College:     English 102       Advertising 121 

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Your comments are appreciated.  To leave a message, please send mail to  kwalker@insightbb.com