Weekend itinerary

13th November 2026

·   4.10pm Tea and coffee on arrival. Optional teas and coffees in the Assembly Hall, a chance to mingle before the first of your learning sessions begins.

·   4.40pm-6pm Session One: Stayman or Transfer

A key lesson in whether to respond Stayman or to Transfer in response to a 1NT opener. There may even be a couple of slams to get the weekend started ....

·   6.30pm Three-course set-menu dinner.

·   8.15pm-9.45pm Supervised Practice. Cards dealt at the table, relaxed style, with prizes for bid and made slams. It’s a really good chance to benefit from the wisdom of Andrew and his team.

14th November 2026

·   7am-9am Breakfast (for hotel residents)

·   09.40am-11.00am Session Two: Showing shape

The key to good bidding is showing your shape as these instructive hands will show.

·    11.20am-12.40pm Session Three: Avoiding repeating five-card suits

It’s bad bridge to repeat a five-card suit, although sometimes there is apparently no alternative. In this eye-opening session, we learn how to dodge repeating five-card suits and also how to avoid clunky reverses.

·    3.20pm-4.40pm Session Four: Negative Double

A hugely important tool in the competition auction, indeed it’s No 1 in my list of top ten conventions, as those of you who’ve read my book Top Tens (on which this weekend is loosely based) will know.

·    5pm-6.20pm Session Five – Using the Take-out Double

So useful – yet so underused. In this session we learn how the take-out double is often your best call in the competitive auction.

·    6.30pm Three-course sit-down dinner.

·    8.15pm-9.45pm Supervised play – with an extra feature

Andrew has set up eight brand new set deals to practice all the bidding themes of the weekend. You don’t have to play them – but we hope you will! Andrew has deliberately put all the bidding-themed lessons on Friday and Saturday, so you can practice them in the after-dinner session on Saturday. The last two sessions are defence-oriented.

15th November 2026

·   7am-9am Breakfast (for residents)

·   09.40am-11.00am Session Six: Counting high-card points

Keeping a tally of the missing high-card points can be sooo useful – now you’ll start guessing correctly who has the missing queen. And sometimes it’s what the opponent’s don’t do (bid/lead/play) that’s most revealing.

·   11.20am-12.40pm Session Seven: Counting shapes

Not only is shape the key to good bidding, it’s also the key to good play. You’ll be amazed how much you can deduce from apparently very little information..

·   Depart at your leisure

HANBURY MANOR:

Set in 200 acres of Hertfordshire parkland, the historic Hanbury Manor, Marriott Hotel & Country Club is a four-star hotel within an hour’s drive from London. Dating from the 16th century, this English country estate is the perfect place to relax.

DELUXE HOTEL:

Stay at the four-star Hanbury Manor Hotel, with breakfast and dinner included in your stay. The hotel is furnished to a high standard: all rooms are en suite, with television, mini-bar, tea and coffee-making facilities. You'll have complimentary use of Hanbury Manor’s leisure facilities, including its gym, swimming pool, steam room and sauna. The hotel also has an 18-hole championship golf course.