The Fun Way to Serious Bridge for the Advancing Player

Program Registration: After you have your room assignment, come over to the Road Scholar table to register with the program staff and get your welcome packet containing your name-tag, up-to-date schedule that reflects any last-minute changes, and other important information. If you arrive late, please ask for your packet when you check in.

We will enjoy dinner in a private banquet room at the hotel.

ORIENTATION: The Group Leader will greet everyone and lead introductions. We will review the program theme, the up-to-date daily schedule and any changes, discuss safety guidelines, emergency procedures, roles and responsibilities, and answer any questions you may have. Indicated times are approximate; program activities and schedules may need to change due to local circumstances. In the event of changes, we will alert you as quickly as possible. Thank you for your understanding. Meals are served as a buffet and include a variety of options to meet most dietary needs and preferences. If you have a required dietary restriction that will be difficult to accommodate by self-selecting items from the buffet, a special plate (chef's choice) will be prepared for you. If a special plate is served, the buffet items will not be available in addition to the special plate. Please only indicate required dietary restrictions if you would like a special plate prepared for you. We have set aside some free time in the schedule for your personal independent exploration. The Group Leader will be available to give suggestions for excursions, activities, or meals that have been excluded from the program cost. This week is focused on ADVANCING play, and classes are taught by an ACBL-certified instructor. Participants are expected to have a basic understanding of Stayman and transfers, responses to opening suit bids, overcalls and advances, take-out doubles, and defensive signals, plus a good foundation in declarer play. In each morning and afternoon session, a new topic will be introduced. You will play several illustrative hands, with instruction before and after. If you have ANY questions or concerns about whether this program is appropriate for you, please contact Road Scholar.

In the hotel's historic Grand Dining Room

Review the Stayman convention and Jacoby transfers. After partner opens 1 NT or 2 NT, how should you respond if 5-4 in the majors? Or 5-5 in the majors? Should responder count length points? When should you relay to a minor suit? Pre-planned hands will be played to reinforce each topic. Following our morning session, we will be given a private behind the scenes tour of the Jekyll Island Club where we will learn about the events and people that are a part of the property's fascinating history and how it has maintained its standards of luxurious service.

In a banquet room at the hotel.

We’ll enjoy an afternoon of supervised bridge play with new friends and our instructor. In a relaxed and social environment, we’ll play and analyze hands based on this morning’s subject matter.

At the hotel.

We’ll gather in our private meeting room at the hotel with our instructor to shuffle, play, and relax for an evening with no set agenda.

Hotel buffet.

In bidding notrump, when do you promise stoppers? When do you promise balanced distribution? Other than with transfers, when can responder show a long suit at the two level with a weak hand? Pre-planned hands will be played to reinforce each topic.

Hotel meal.

After lunch, we will learn about Jekyll Island's rich history and culture on a visit to the Jekyll Island Museum as well as on a guided trolley tour through the historic district. Afterwards we'll return to the hotel for an afternoon with the instructor to discuss using “Help Suit Game Try.” How many points should opener have? What should opener’s help suit look like? What should responder consider as help?

Hotel meal.

We’ll gather for another evening of “no agenda” play, with our instructor on hand to make comments and answer questions. Today's lessons are the building blocks for this evening’s play. It’s a great way to learn.

Hotel buffet.

Working on defense. We’ll study the use of attitude signals. Another focus will be on how to show a suit preference. Following our morning bridge session, we’ll experience the Jekyll Island Club on a Behind-the-Scenes Tour.

This meal has been excluded from the program cost and is on your own to enjoy what you like. The Group Leader will be happy to offer suggestions.

Free time. Take this opportunity for personal independent exploration to see and do what interests you most. Please refer to the list of Free Time Opportunities. The Group Leader will be happy to offer suggestions. The conference room will also be open for participants who would prefer to continue playing bridge. You might visit the Jekyll Island Historic District, the Georgia Sea Turtle Center, pristine beaches, or nature reserves.

This meal has been excluded from the program cost and is on your own to enjoy what you like. The Group Leader will be happy to offer suggestions and give directions.

At leisure to explore more of Jekyll Island, relax at the Club, or play more bridge in the conference room.

Hotel buffet.

We’ll focus on an important aspect of declarer play -- the endplay. Recognize a suit that you would prefer to be led by a particular defender, or maybe either defender. Identify what exit card you’re going to use to put the defender on lead. How do you eliminate the defender’s safe options?

Hotel buffet.

Discussing major suit limit raises. Is it okay to have only 3-card support? How should you show a limit raise after opponent overcalls? When can you make a weak jump raise? Following the afternoon lesson, there will be a wrap-up hour in which, at the instructor’s discretion, some miscellaneous material can be covered and some of your questions answered.

Hotel buffet.

We’ll continue “shuffle and deal” play in a relaxed friendly environment, with our instructor available for assistance. We are not only learning bridge with each other; we will also be playing in a club where gilded-age millionaires once enjoyed the game. It’s a great opportunity to reflect on how bridge has been played around the world throughout history.

Hotel buffet.

This concludes our program. If you are returning home, safe travels. If you are staying on independently, have a wonderful time. If you are transferring to another Road Scholar program, detailed instructions are included in your Information Packet for that program. We hope you enjoy Road Scholar learning adventures and look forward to having you on another rewarding program in the future. Don’t forget to join our Facebook page and follow us on Instagram. Best wishes for all your journeys