Contra Costa Bridge Center (CCBC)

See announcement below re CCBC games now on Bridge Base On-line (BBO)

Contra Costa Bridge Center, Inc. (CCBC) is a tax-exempt 501(c)(3) Public Charity, formed for the purpose of Education.  Our mission is to offer educational and playing opportunities for beginning, intermediate, and experienced bridge players in the greater Contra Costa area. We are striving to make every CCBC offering an enjoyable learning experience.

Board members of Contra Costa Bridge Center, Inc. (and e-mail addresses) are as follows:
 
Bruce Johnsonbaugh eckhoffhoppe@hotmail.com

Location – First Christian Church, Fellowship Hall
3039 Willow Pass Road, Concord
Phone:  925-935-2273

In addition to reaching the playing site, making reservations, and leaving messages, you will be able to get a lot of information about CCBC classes and events right from your phone.

Also note the email addresses for CCBC:
ccbc.reservations@gmail.com for class and event reservations, including requests for a stationary position. Game directors will monitor this email address.
ccbridgecenter@gmail.com for all other communications. The Center manager will monitor this email address.
Stay in touch!

Directions – here

Manager, Grant Robinson 

Limited and open games weekly!  Click here for the schedule!   Click here for Game Results!

Stratified Games  All games will have two to three strats, so your results will be compared to players of the same relative skill which means more master points for you.

Pre-Dealt Hands  Games will have hands prepared by dealing machines with hand records supplied after each game.

Fast, accurate scoring. Electronic scoring devices used to reduce scoring errors and provide results instantly 

Online Results. Hand records and results for each pair on every hand are available online for every game. Players can learn from reviewing these results.

LOTS OF NEWS!

      • Click here for the regular weekly schedule at CCBC on BBO.  
      • Regular schedule during ACBL Hollywood Magic tournament with regionally-rated events, February 18–21. This is not a club event.
      • Educational Foundation Week, Monday through Sunday, February 22–28, all games extra $1. Double regular (⅓ more than usual) masterpoints. Extra $1 goes to ACBL Educational Foundation to promote bridge education.
      • Sundays are Special Open Game, Sunday, February 28, 1:00, $6. Part of Educational Foundation Week.  This will be a swiss team game.  Click here for instructions on how to register.
      • 0–20 Newcomer Game, Wednesday afternoons, 2:00, $4, 12 boards, gentle pace, lifelines.
      • Wednesday Evening Mid-Flight Pairs canceled due to insufficient interest.

 We started a first time ever 0-20 Duplicate game on Bridge Base (BBO) for a non-pressure entry into the world of Duplicate (www.BridgeBase.com). You will be able to ask the Director (a limited number) of bidding and play questions while you continue to learn the game, gain experience and earn Masterpoints while playing with people who are close to your level of experience. Keep in mind, though, this is still a timed event but we will try to add enough time to the rounds to keep it comfortable. These games will be every Wednesday afternoon at 2pm beginning Jan 6th.  The cost is $5 per game. They are ‘drop-in’, so join us when you can. You can sign-up with a partner or as an individual and we will pair you with someone.

In order to participate you need to be a member of ACBL (American Contract Bridge League) and have set-up a profile on BBO (Bridge Base Online). We are happy to help with both. Email Deb Rechnitz (drechnitz@comcast.net) or Wayne Rechnitz (WayneRechnitz@comcast.net) and we can set up a Zoom session to walk you through the steps and show you how to navigate on BBO.
See you at the tables!

Night club game for 99ers – California 99er “Nite Club”

Three districts are teaming up to offer safe and fun 99er games online for players with less than 100 masterpoints. A special feature is post-game analysis on Zoom at no extra cost. And, you support your local club every time you play.
These games will be Mondays through Thursdays at 6:30PM. Click here for more information about the games, and for how to register.
Eligibility. If you see the game listed when you try to register, you are eligible to play. If you don’t see the game, send your BBO user name to ccbridgecenter@gmail.com for assistance. Register early the first time you play so that you aren’t shut out.
What if I’ve never played online? You should play in a virtual club game before trying the California 99er Nite Club. Contact ccbridgecenter@gmail.com for assistance getting started.
We hope you enjoy these additional opportunities to play.

CCBC games are live once per day at 10:00 AM on Bridge Base On-line (BBO) Mon-Sat, with additional games several days per week.  

Fees for all games are $5. We try to keep the cost as low as possible, and appreciate your support.

Check out the Breaking News section of this webpage for links to instructions on using BBO and playing in these games.  Click here for the complete BBO game schedule.

Other News
ACBL and BBO continue to improve virtual club games. Recent changes include:
  • Increased the number of guests permitted in online games. Contact Grant Robinson at ccbcbridgecenter@gmail.com  if interested in playing in CCBC online games.
  • Increased masterpoints for CCBC Monday and Wednesday morning Open games by receiving credit for limited games taking place at the same time. Note that ACBL’s Live for Clubs is the final word about masterpoints; BBO points are unofficial.
  • Hand records now appear in Live for Clubs. Double-dummy analysis is coming.
  • Robot pairs ineligible to win masterpoints. Robot pairs will be skipped when masterpoints are handed out.
  • Improved stratification — stratification by average masterpoints, more even stratum sizes. Better seeding is still in the works.

 

The club closed as of  the conclusion of the afternoon game on Wed, March 11.  Based on guidance from the Contra Costa Health Dept to cancel or postpone events for or attended by older adults or others at higher risk for severe illness, the club will be closed until further notice.  Visit this site and/or watch for e-mails via Google Groups for further updates.

Click here for current month’s special events schedule for CCBC

Unit Game – The next unit game at CCBC is scheduled to be Tuesday, April 7 at 10:00 (749er).  Check for further updates.

Change in MP limit – effective October 1, the Tuesday morning 499er game will increase the MasterPoint limit to 749.  So, all players with less than 750 MPs will be eligible to play.

New Game – CCBC began a new game for players from 0-20 MPs on Tuesdays at 2:00.  This is an excellent way to transition from classes to a sanctioned duplicate game. Partner not required.  Cost is $5 for ACBL members and $7 for non-members.  Contact Wayne Rechnitz, director or Bruce Johnsonbaugh for more information.

Saturday Morning 199er – The limit of the Saturday morning game is increased so that any player with less than 200 masterpoints may participate. The limit was 100 masterpoints. The cost remains at $7. You are guaranteed to play if you come without a partner. The game begins at 9:30, and there is a free mini-lesson preceding the game at 9:15.

 

CLASSES AT CCBC for beginners to advanced players! 

Learn to be a confident declarer. Whether you want to play just for fun or are interested in serious competition, this class will elevate your enjoyment of bridge using a hands-on learning approach developed by top teachers and players. Meet other bridge players and make new friends in a friendly and engaging online learning environment.

Instructor Deb Rechnitz is an accredited bridge teacher and accomplished player. This class assumes basic bidding skills. Accompanying book available for purchase separately.

Class: Play of the Hand (ACBL Diamond Series)
Schedule: Tuesday mornings, 10–noon, starting November 10 (8 classes).

Space is limited. Contact Deb at DRechnitz@comcast.net to enroll.

Mini-lessons Prior to most games — Monday 9:30, Tuesday 9:30, Tuesday 1:40, Wednesday 9:00, Thursday 1:45, and Saturday 9:15.

For newer players…

 

Advanced

For advancing players…

Mini-lessons Prior to most games — Monday 9:30, Tuesday 9:30, Tuesday 2:00, Wednesday 8:35, Thursday 1:45, and Saturday 9:15.

Civic Park Community Center in Walnut Creek has closed for two weeks (effective 3/11). This affects the Thursday morning Bridge classes:

Bridge: Declarer Play. The final session, on March 12, is cancelled. Participants will receive a refund.
Bridge: Defense. The class is Cancelled until facility re-opens.

 

INTERMEDIATE/NEWCOMER GAMES EACH WEEK:

Saturday Morning 199er Game   The Saturday morning Novice Game (199 or fewer master points) welcomes all interested newer players each week. The morning begins at 9:15 with a short lesson, then supervised play of 18+ hands. Players can ask questions of the mentors. You may come without a partner.  Contact Mike Kruley for information, bearkruley@gmail.com, 925-609-8517 

Ravi Bhalla’s Tuesday Morning 499er Game   Lesson at 9:30am followed by game at 10:00am.  Ravi Bhalla, Ravib2000@hotmail.com, 510-540-9872

Debby Rechnitz’s Tuesday Afternoon 0-20 game.  Lesson at 1:40, followed by game at 2:00pm.  No partner needed.  Debby Rechnitz, drechnitz@comcast.net

Larry Miller’s Wednesday Morning 499er Game   Lesson at 9:00am followed by game at 9:15am.

Thursday Afternoon Novice Game (0-99 masterpoints)  Game is at 2:00pm with mini-lesson at 1:45pm, cost $7. Players are allowed to ask questions.  No partner needed.  Contact Mike Kruley for information, bearkruley@gmail.com, 925-609-8517