Hanbury Manor, Ware, Hertfordshire
Friday 13 November - Sunday 15 November 2026
Following on from his highly successful Top Ten Classics weekend, Andrew offers a series of eight sessions aimed at experienced players, together with opportunities to practice bridge supervised by Andrew and his team. Based loosely on some of the themes in his latest hardback book, Top Tens, the sessions include showing shape, avoiding repeating five-card suits, Stayman or Transfer, improving your responses to 1NT, Negative Double, using the Take-out Double, counting high-card points, and counting shapes.
Andrew and his team of experts also host a session on Saturday featuring eight new set deals to practice the bidding themes of the weekend, played in a relaxed and friendly environment. 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, on Sunday, are declarer-play oriented.
You needn’t have attended the first Top Ten Classics sessions and it isn’t necessary to bring a partner. Our maximum group size is 100 people, ie 25 bridge tables, so we recommend that you book early to avoid disappointment.
Cost per person
Based on double occupancy £735pp
Based on single occupancy £795pp
Based on non-residency £395pp
Booking
Pay a £135 deposit per person and fill out the booking form to secure your place:
Join Andrew for a weekend of bridge at Hanbury Manor in Ware. Situated within easy access of London, this five-star hotel is a wonderful place to relax. Your bridge will improve in leaps and bounds as Andrew hosts a series of six sessions, together with many opportunities to play bridge supervised by Andrew and his team. Our maximum group size is 100 people, ie 25 bridge tables, so we recommend that you book early to avoid disappointment.
Reservations are made on a first-come-first-served basis. Please note that we will refund deposits wherever we are able to find a replacement for you.
For any queries, call 07787 505072.
Cost includes
Two nights’ accommodation at the four-star Hanbury Manor Hotel, inc breakfast*
Eight bridge sessions with Andrew
One supervised practice session with set hands
Three-course sit-down dinner on Friday**
Three-course sit-down dinner on Saturday**
Full use of Hanbury Manor’s leisure facilities, including swimming pool, gym and access to the golf course (green fee payable)
*Breakfast included for residents only
** Drinks are not included
Weekend itinerary
13th November 2026
· 4pm 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.
· 4.30pm-5.50pm Session One: Showing shape
The key to good bidding is showing your shape and, in this session, there is some interesting bidding with some instructive hands to play.
· 6.10pm-7.30pm Session Two: 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 to avoid clunky reverses.
· 7.30pm Three-course set-menu dinner.
· No organised Bridge after dinner but the bridge room will be open if you want to play
14th November 2026
· 7am-9am Breakfast (for hotel residents)
· 09.40am-11.00am Session Three: 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 morning started
· 11.20am-12.40pm Session Four: Improving your responses to 1NT
1NT-2♠ is a “free” bid when playing transfers and we explore the best use for it. This has an ingenuous knock-on effect for 1NT-2NT, I think you’ll love my improved structure!
· 3.30pm-4.50pm Session Five: 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.
· 5.10pm-6.30pm Session Six – 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
Including eight set deals Andrew has constructed to practice all the bidding themes of the weekend
15th November 2026
· 7am-9am Breakfast (for residents)
· 09.40am-11.00am Session Seven: 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 can be as revealing as what they did..
· 11.20am-12.40pm Session Eight: 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.