Many of us "old timers" learned bridge when we were in college. Yet for some years, the number of students getting turned on to The Greatest Mind Game Ever dwindled. Now, however, a fine roster of U of MN professors are going to alter that trajectory!
Matthew Bribitzer-Stull, along with colleagues Paul Gutterman, Eric Hendrickson, Leon Hsu, Nita Kevans, Glen Meeden and Harry Sapienza will soon be teaching bridge at U of MN! Approximately 48 Honors students will learn how to play bridge on Monday evenings, from 5:30-7:00PM in the Honors dorm. If they so wish, students will be encouraged to stay for another hour of play, from 7:00-8:00PM.
Education will go well beyond rote explanation of rules. Faculty will also include discussion of the thinking skills that bridge develops, including enhanced memory, concentration, analytic thinking, contingency planning, communication and more.
Bridge at the Honors dorm starts Monday, January 23rd, through May, 1st. A tournament will be held on the final date! Students are encouraged to join the American Contract Bridge League (ACBL) and to continue their bridge education at local bridge clubs, such as the Twin Cities Bridge Center and The Bridge Center of St. Paul. We hope that students will also continue their education with further lessons.
U of MN students have a fabulous opportunity to learn the game with a fine array of bridge teachers! We hope that many take advantage of these exceptional sessions!
Thanks to Minnesota Bridge Education for supporting this effort by providing teaching and playing supplies.
Will the teaching materials be made available to other Bridge teachers for use in other Bridge education settings?
Posted by: Kevin R O'Brien | January 14, 2017 at 04:32 PM
Why is it being restricted to Honours Students? That seems like a selective way to go about teaching a new generation of people this fine game.
Posted by: Trevor Ames | January 14, 2017 at 07:55 PM
Trevor - I don't know the answer to your question.
Perhaps one of the professors can answer for us?
Posted by: Peg | January 14, 2017 at 07:57 PM
Matt is now the head of the honors program which gave us the ability to attract a lot of students which made this endeavor feasible. We tried it a couple of years ago for the general University population and didn't get anyone. Honor students have to sign up for various things. The goal is to start a bridge club with interested students who take the course this term that would be open to all U students.
The teaching materials are through the ACBL with our own unique twists (most which are TBD!).
Posted by: Paul Gutterman | January 15, 2017 at 08:12 AM