WORK IN PROGRESS – last updated 16 February 2026
“The first steps are the hardest”, as they say. Three people who pretended to be interested in playing bridge turned out to be a dead end, so I am starting over, with a sum total of three people (including myself :-)) in the whatsapp group I have created for the following purpose:
Having attended bridge courses at VHS for about three years, as of early 2026, I am looking to play bridge privately on a regular basis.
We can play at my place in Lindenstraße near the Jewish Museum. Public transport is good with several buses and U-Bahn stations as well as Anhalter Bahnhof within walking distance.
I can currently accommodate 2 x 4 players easily, and more can be arranged.
We can play evenings, but also afternoons for those available.
This is for all levels, but a basic knowledge, just in order to be able to start playing, is an advantage.
We will play according to the ACOL system, and use the book “Bridge for Complete Beginners” by Paul Mendelsohn as reference. Even seasoned players consult it, so it is not a “for dummies” book which will become tedious to most players any time soon.
Another way of learning quickly, as I am currently doing, is watching youtube tutorials. I really feel I am learning more now than during the last three years of attending courses.
I would also hope that we can teach each other and pass on our individual knowledge. Perhaps we will decide to take turns in presenting a chapter in the book. All this is to be decided along the way.
The times are fairly flexible. For example, we can decide that “doors open” at 18.00 and we will start playing as soon as enough people have arrived – hopefully not much later than 18.30.
I do of course have unlimited tap water available, as well as cups, plates and glasses, but other than that, everybody should bring (or order in, if need be) their own sustenance.
Code of conduct (to be further elaborated):
A civilised tone. We are all there to have a pleasant time in a positive atmosphere.
No unsolicited criticism of players less experienced than you, and definitely no bullying.
The news of the club will be spread on social media. On Facebook and in nebenan.de (Ritterkiez) the group is called “Playing Bridge in English”.
Day-to-day, or week-to-week, communication will happen in a whatsapp group. Everybody in the group should feel free to suggest ad hoc opportunities to play, for example if a rainy Sunday afternoon is forecast.
It will also be expected that those who have made a commitment to play on any given date have checked their calendars BEFORE saying yes, and will use the whatsapp group to cancel their attendance in case they become unavailable to play, just so that we have some idea of the number of people to expect and the time to cancel altogether if we then cannot muster a minimum of four people.
Interested? E-mail me with your name and phone number to be added to the Whatsapp group.