Trickstarter
Curious About Bridge? Find Out If It's for You. Free.
Trickstarter is a free, one-hour Zoom class for people who are curious about bridge but not ready to commit to a full lesson series. You will get an honest overview of the game, how it works, and what learning it actually involves, so you can decide if it is worth pursuing.
You will leave knowing what bridge is, what makes it compelling, and whether it is something you want to explore further. No experience needed. No obligation to continue.
Offered by the American Contract Bridge League, the governing body for bridge in North America. Best experienced on a computer or tablet.
Classes are Free! Register Now! All times are Eastern.
You will receive a Zoom link by email after registering. A reminder with the link will also be sent a few hours before class.
Ready to go further? After Trickstarter, explore a beginner lesson series or find a class near you.
Wait! I don't know how to play bridge yet. What do I do?
Search Our Directories of Classes or Teachers
Find a Class - Search for scheduled bridge classes near you or online. Filter by level, format, time of day, and more to find a class that fits your schedule.
Find a Teacher - Search our directory of qualified bridge teachers in your area. Filter by location, skill level, and lesson format, then click on a teacher's profile to learn more about what they offer.
Join One of Our Upcoming Classes
The ACBL Online Intro to Bridge courses are offered throughout the year. Series 1 starts at the very beginning -- perfect for brand new players. Series 2 and 3 build your bidding skills and prepare you for the bridge table.
Learn at Your Speed with an App
Tricky Bridge is a one-stop-shop for your smartphone. With this app, you can make your way through short, self-guided lessons and then practice for free with an endless supply of hands. You’ll play with three bots, so no partner needed.
Where can I play bridge?
Play Online Anytime
BridgeBattle lets you start playing bridge online in under a minute. There is no bidding, just play the cards with your robot partner and try to win tricks against the opposing pair. The first side to reach seven tricks wins.
Take on the Daily Duel, a new single-deal challenge each day that you can share with friends on social media.
If you’ve already been playing the game a while, try Just Play Bridge. It offers the complete bridge experience in solitaire form.
Play in Your Neighborhood
There are thousands of bridge clubs across North America! Finding one near you is simple with our directory. Just search by city, state or zip code and then click on the name of a club. You’ll be taken to that club’s listing, which always has the basic details of where and when you can find a game, but usually also has other information, like if there’s a beginners program or the club’s website.
What’s the ACBL? Can I join for free?
The ACBL stands for the American Contract Bridge League (that’s us!). We’re a membership organization with more than 130,000 bridge players all over North America. We not only put out a monthly magazine about all things bridge, but we also exclusively award masterpoints.
What’s a masterpoint? Basically, when you do well in a game (you don’t have to win), you’ll win masterpoints. Depending on the type of game – at a neighborhood club, in an online tournament, etc. – you’ll score masterpoints of different colors. Collect enough and you’ll climb the ranks from Rookie to Life Master!
We offer a guest membership that is FREE where you can:
- • Play in games just for newer players
- • Get weekly bridge tips emailed to you
- • Receive a monthly newsletter with advice from longtime players and, of course,
- • Earn masterpoints (up to 20)
What makes this deal even sweeter is that guest members can join the ACBL as full members for just $39 for their first year – that’s a savings of $30!
What is an NABC?
This stands for North American Bridge Championships – kind of a grand name, but really just a place to play and learn about bridge. NABCs last about 10 days (but you don’t have to stay the whole time), and no matter how long you’ve been playing bridge, there are games for you. Plus, free lessons and celebrity speakers!
Three NABCs are held each year (spring, summer, fall), and the locations change each time. Mostly they’re in the U.S., but sometimes in Canada. It’s such a unique experience! Thousands of bridge players come together to have fun and meet other players from all over.
I’ve got more questions. Where should I go?
We’re here and ready to help you on your bridge journey!
You can visit our virtual help desk Monday through Friday, 3:30 p.m. to 5:30 p.m. Eastern,
Or shoot us an email at membership@acbl.org,
Or call us at 662-253-3191,
Or peruse our website, acbl.org.
