Rebecca’s Bridge Schedule – Fall 2025
Phone: 304-224-3531
Email: rebecca.shafer@bridgeteacher.com
Website: www.bridgeteacher.com
ONLINE CLASSES ONLY
NEW: Brand New Beginner Bridge Evening Class!!! Some Private Class Time slots are reserved for Table Count Overflow. Please contact me if your class is full! See bottom of page for instructions and hyperlinks to reserve your seat today!
Coming Soon: Chat with your fellow students, crowd source questions and answers, and organize play dates on our Discord Server! Channel is Live now, but still under construction.
Beginner Level:
Brand New Beginner Bridge Part 1! Mondays 1:00 PM – 3:00 PM and 7:00 PM – 9:00 PM
Online Class! 3 Tables- 12 Students slots available. (Shorthand: B1)
For those who’ve never played before or who haven’t played in many years and want to start over. Topics: point count evaluation, opening bids and responses, basic play of the hand techniques.
Six weeks. Note Afternoon and Evening Class spots. Each time slot has 3 available tables. (12 people)
Starts Sept 22, and ends Oct, 27. Tuition is $180 or $30 Per class if paying per class. To be paid digitally or sent to: Rebecca Shafer, 224 Elmer Ave, Weirton, WV 26062.
Beginner Bridge Part 2, Mondays 1:00 PM – 3:00 PM and 7:00 PM – 9:00 PM
Online Class! 3 Tables- 12 Students slots available. (Shorthand: B2)
Basic bidding and responses are reviewed as well as an introduction to a few new bids (takeout doubles, preempts, overcalls, and the strong 2 Clubs opening bid). This is also a great class for those who played years ago and want to get back into bridge and modernize their skills.
Six weeks. Note Afternoon and Evening Class spots. Each time slot has 3 available tables. (12 people)
Starts Nov 3, and ends Dec, 22. Dec 22nd is a Make-up date in case of cancellation. Will not be used if there are no cancellations. No Class Dec. 1st. (Teacher’s Birthday!) Tuition is $180 or $30 Per class if paying per class. To be paid digitally or sent to: Rebecca Shafer, 224 Elmer Ave, Weirton, WV 26062.
Beginner Bridge Part 3: Introduction to Play of the Hand, Thursdays 1:00 PM—3:00 PM
Online Class! 3 Tables- 12 Students slots available. (Shorthand: B3)
Now that you have a basic knowledge of bidding, let me show you how to plan the play of the hand. Usually there is some method that must be used to actually make your contract. I will show you the methods of counting your tricks and recognizing how to find the extra ones that you will need. Includes: Promotion, Length, Finessing, and How to Get Rid of Losers.
Six weeks. 3 available tables. (12 people)
Starts Sept 18th, and ends Oct. 30th. No Class on Oct 2nd. Tuition is $180 or $30 Per class if paying per diem. To be paid digitally or sent to: Rebecca Shafer, 224 Elmer Ave, Weirton, WV 26062.
Beginner Bridge 4: Introduction to Basic Conventions, Thursdays 1:00 PM—3:00 PM
Online Class! 3 Tables- 12 Students slots available. (Shorthand: B4)
Topics: Stayman (2 weeks), Jacoby Transfers, Weak 2’s, the Strong 2 Clubs Opener and Blackwood. These are conventions that you must learn to complete your basic bidding arsenal. After this class you will graduate to intermediate level.
Six weeks, starts Nov 6th and ends Dec 18th. No class Nov. 27. Special Make up date: Dec. 13th. Note: This is a Saturday. Please make special allowances to attend this date. This will be lesson #6, the final lesson, which makes December 18th class #7, which is the make-up time slot. Tuition is $180 or $30 Per class if paying per class. To be paid digitally or sent to: Rebecca Shafer, 224 Elmer Ave, Weirton, WV 26062.
Intermediate Level:
Signaling: Intro to Defense, Part 1, Wednesdays 10 AM—12 PM ONLY 3 SLOTS LEFT! ALMOST FULL!!!!
Online Class! 3 Tables- 12 Students slots available. (Shorthand: Sig1)
Defense is 50% of your games! Don’t let Declarer have any more tricks than they are entitled to, or even better, prevent them from making their contract! Topics include: Week 1: Leading against NT; Week 2: Leading against Suit Contracts; Weeks 3 & 4: 2nd Hand Low; Weeks 5 & 6: 3rd Hand High.
Six weeks, starts Sept 17th and ends Oct 29th. (No class on Sept 24th and Oct 1st.) Special Make-Up Date: Oct 11th. 10 AM – 12 PM. Note this is a Saturday. This is lesson #3. Please make special allowances to attend this date. (and Oct 29th will be lesson #6.) Tuition is $180 or $30 Per class if paying per class. To be paid digitally or sent to: Rebecca Shafer, 224 Elmer Ave, Weirton, WV 26062.
Signaling: Intro to Defense, Part 2, Wednesdays 10 AM—12 PM
Online Class! 3 Tables- 12 Students slots available. (Shorthand: Sig2)
Show your partner how you feel about their opening lead with ATTITUDE! Topics include: Week 1: Intro to Attitude; Week 2: Using Attitude; Week 3: Opening Leads with Attitude; Week 4: Discard with Attitude!; Week 5: Leading 4th best and the Rule of 11; Week 6: When to look for a ruff and how to get it.
Six weeks, starts Nov. 5th and ends Dec 17th. Dec. 17th is lesson #7 and will not be used if there are no cancellations. Tuition is $180 or $30 Per class if paying per class. To be paid digitally or sent to: Rebecca Shafer, 224 Elmer Ave, Weirton, WV 26062
Polishing Your Bridge, Parts 1 and 2, Tuesdays 10 AM—12 PM
Online Class! 3 Tables- 12 Students slots available. (Shorthand: PYB1 and PYB2)
One of my most popular classes; students are amazed at the amount of new information that they acquire. You don’t have to take both parts; each chapter stands alone.
Two six-week courses. Tuition is $180 per Part or $30 per class if paying per class. To be paid digitally or sent to: Rebecca Shafer, 224 Elmer Ave, Weirton, WV 26062.
Part 1: Six weeks, starts Sept 30th and ends Nov. 4th. Topics: Categorize your Strength; Which Suit Do I Bid First?; The Best Opening Bid Ever; Bidding With Minimum Hands; New Ways to Invite Game; and Major Suit Raises (and the Losing Trick Count).
Part 2: Six weeks, starts Nov. 11th and ends Dec. 16th. Special Make-up Date: Dec. 20th. Note this is a Saturday. 10AM-12 PM (This date will not be used unless there is a cancellation at some point during Part 1 and Part 2.) Topics: The “Weak Freak”; Don’t Rebid a Five-Card Suit When You Have a Reasonable Alternative; Responder’s Only Forcing Bid; When a New Suit by Responder is not Forcing; and the Decider and Describer (2 weeks).
Intermediate Essentials, Parts 1 and 2, Thursdays 10 AM—Noon
Online Class! 3 Tables- 12 Students slots available. (Shorthand: IntEss-1 – IntEss-2)
Having been over Leslie and Charlie’s Library of lessons, I have put together a course intended to bridge the gap between Intermediate level and Advanced Level of classes. These are crucial concepts to extremely common situations, mostly in competitive bidding. I’ve also included some slam going situations as well, where there is likely to be less competition, continuing with the Cue-bidding theme of the series. Beginner’s concepts are not equipped to handle these situations. If you want to thrive, and not just survive, take this course.
Each part is six weeks. Tuition is $180 for each Part, or $30 Per class if paying per class. To be paid digitally or sent to: Rebecca Shafer, 224 Elmer Ave, Weirton, WV 26062.
Part 1: Topics include: Weeks 1: Michaels Cue-bid—Competing with a Two-Suited Hand; Week 2: Unusual Notrump—More Competition with Two-Suited Hands; Week 3: Review of Michaels and Unusual NT; Week 4: Champagne Cappelletti!; Week 5 & 6: Negative Doubles!
Six weeks, starts Sept 18th, and ends Oct. 30th. No Class on Oct 2nd.
Part 2: Topics include: Week 1: Cue–Bids by Advancer as a Limit Raise; Week 2: Cue-bids by Responder as a Limit Raise; (Week 1 & 2 are one lesson over 2 weeks.) Week 3: The Take-out Double and the Cue-Bid Response; Week 4: Cue-Bids: The No Trump Search; Week 5: Cue-Bids as Stayman; Week 6: Control Cue-Bids, When Blackwood Doesn’t Help You.
Six weeks, starts Nov 6th and ends Dec 18th. No class Nov. 27. Special Make up date: Dec. 13th. Note: This is a Saturday. Please make special allowances to attend this date. This will be lesson #6, the final lesson, which makes December 18th class #7, which is the make-up time slot which will be used in case there are any cancellations between parts 1 and 2.
Advanced Level:
Coming Soon: Major Suit Limit Raises Parts 1 & 2, This an Advanced Level Course. Previously unavailable because my Student pool was not advanced enough for this course. After this semester, there should be enough students to justify this course. Course will be held on Thursday Morning time slot in the Spring of 2026 season, as it is the next course after Intermediate Essentials.
How to register:
Please reserve your seat by clicking on the link below. You will need to provide your name, email and phone number to make your reservation. Your BBO User handle is also required. This is the name you log in with. Please reserve every week of class. If you are taking Part 1 and 2, that is 13 weeks of reservations. Invitations to the class are done automatically by the computer. If you do not reserve a week, you will not be sent an invitation to the class. Reminders and invitational links are automatically sent by the computer. If you do not register that week, you will get a link.
https://scheduler.zoom.us/bridgestudentsrebeccashafer/public – This link is to all public classes of 3 tables. 12 seats per class. You must register all 13 weeks! Please tell us your BBO Login Name! If you want to sit with your friends, tell us who your friends are!
https://scheduler.zoom.us/bridgestudentsrebeccashafer/private This is a link to all Private classes. Private classes have 4 slots each 2 hour slot. Please see my website for Private class Pricing. They are not the same price as Public classes unless I have reserved it for Public class overflow.
Concierge Service: If you find the reservation process to be annoying, our staff will book your appointments for you for a $10 Tip per reservation of up to 13 classes. (2 parts and a make-up class.) Simply send your Full name, Email, Phone #, BBO Login, consent for recording*, and which classes/dates/times you want, and we will book the appointments for you. Concierge Service requires an email with the subject line: Concierge Service* (Please use the Shorthand* code listed in the description for accuracy.)
Example:
To: rebecca.shafer@bridgeteacher.com
Subject: Concierge Service
“Hi, My name is Jane Doe, Email: Jane.Doe@example.com, my phone # is 123-456-7890. I consent to Recording, my BBO name is JaneDoesGreat. I want to take B1 and B2. I can’t make it to week 6 of B1, and need to schedule a make up class. Can I book my make up on Wed, Sept 29 at 6 PM? Your Private class schedule still shows all 4 seats available. I will send my Tuition via Venmo, along with the $10 tip for your staff. Thank you!”
How to pay:
1) Pay by credit card using Zelle or Paypal using the email address: rebecca.shafer@bridgeteacher.com
If using Venmo: Please use Venmo tag: Rebecca.Shafer@BridgeStudentsRUs
2) if paying by check, please include your telephone number, and the short hand abbreviation for your class listed in the description.
You can pay for the whole series at once, or per class. All classes are $180 for 6 classes, or $30 per class.
I have a 0% refund policy. However, I have a 100% make-up policy, and every lesson is recorded and uploaded to your own digital library you share with your classmates, along with all of your hand outs.
If you buy a class from me, you will receive a class from me, even if we have to reschedule. Private classes can be used to book make up slots with me! That’s why there are so many Private classes available!
You may book your reservation now. If sending money digitally, send at any time. If you are sending money via personal check, please send to NEW ADDRESS BELOW.
Tuition payments can be mailed directly to Rebecca Shafer at 224 Elmer Ave, Weirton, WV 26062
While I appreciate that cash is king, Please, do not send cash in the mail. Checks Only. If an occurrence of mail theft does occur, checks can be stopped, and rewritten. Cash is just gone.
Tell Your Friends! Absolute Beginner Bridge 1 starts Monday, Sept. 22nd, 1:00 PM—3:00 PM, and 7:00 PM – 9:00 PM Please note there are TWO CLASSES. Each has 12 student slots for 3 tables!