Brian was fortunate to be partnered with two experienced players who mentored him on the bridge procedures and the game itself. He thought it would be very helpful to Newcomers to the game to have the necessary information for success in a single book at their finger tips.

Brian can still remember how nervous he was for his second game walking into a hall set up for 30 bridge tables, unfamiliar with the Duplicate Bridge environment and not knowing a soul or having a partner! 

With the COVID-19 pandemic striking in early 2020, Brian decided to write this companion book, “A Handy Bridge Player’s Guide To Duplicate”, as a bridge-link for success, to help UK beginners, leave the comfort of the classroom and to help social (contract) bridge players transitioning to Duplicate, to play the game confidently in a friendly clubroom environment.

Brian thought about writing this book to mirror the novel, “A Tale of Two Cities” in a 21st century pandemic environment…an instructional resource book for the Stamford Bridge Club, Lincolnshire UK from his experiences at the Mississauga-Oakville Community Bridge Club, Ontario Canada (a 3514-mile distance). Quite a challenge indeed! I’d love to hear from you how I did? 

This Handy Bridge Player’sGuide will teach all you need to know to easily navigate the Bridge table and allow you more time to concentrate on improving your bidding, declaring and defensive skills….more fun making new friends and successful partnerships.

Brian and his wife Rosemary enjoy social bridge with family and friends. Rosemary plays socially twice a week with friends and at the condo bridge club while Brian is down at the local MObridge club doing his thing. They also enjoy cruising, time at the cottage, golfing, bowling, singing in a musical group and time with friends and extended family.

The left photo shows the late Jack Stark awarding the Rosemary Stark memorial plaque to the Gray Brothers, winners of the 2015 annual Non Life Master game at the MObridge club. To obtain  a valuable insight in to the UK game, Brian joined the Stamford Bridge club and plays regularly each week on their BBO virtual site since October 2020.

Brian (left) and Wayne (right) are 75 year old twin brothers who began playing Duplicate Bridge about 5 years ago at MObridge, Mississauga, ON. They both played bridge at university. Bridge was their nightly entertainment on the many golf trips. 

Brian and Wayne don’t think their Hearts on their sleeves but about halfway through a session they get asked about their game results,” Are you Brothers Gray or Brothers Grim?!”

Both are very sympathetic to Newcomers’ struggles to learn the bidding, declaring and defensive skills. They’ve been there, done that: learn from our mistakes/experience. Brian and Wayne would be pleased to answer any Newcomer questions. Email them at  brianrgray@rogers.com

What would a book launch be without a CONTEST!!

Since the book is about Duplicate Bridge, I thought we should have a  ‘Name that BRIDGE CONTEST.

Bridge and Rosemary had the pleasure of a circum-navigation cruise of the British Isles on board “The Grand Princess in 2008.  During my professional career, I conducted geotechnical investigations of the ground conditions for many bridge structures, and naturally photos of the interesting structures encountered during our voyage. 

ENTER THE NAME THAT BRIDGE CONTEST

PHOTO 1 What is the name the Bridge, the water body, the nearby prominent City and County?

PHOTO 2 What is the name the River, nearby prominent Castle and town, and County?

PHOTO 3 What is the name the River, the City, the name of bridge where the photo was taken, and the famous Bridge in distance.?

PHOTO 4 What is the name of the Bridge, the water body, the length of the structure and County?