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Bridge Teacher · Reston, VA

Ron Kral

Emerald Life Master & American Bridge Teachers Association Master Teacher

Small groups, big breakthroughs. I'll teach you to bid confidently, play precisely, and defend brilliantly — all from the comfort of someone's living room.

20+
Years Teaching
9,000
Masterpoints
4–12+
Per Class
♠  Book a Session
🎩 The Man in the Hat
Ron Kral – Bridge Teacher
9,000+
Masterpoints
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About Ron

More than a teacher —
a partner at the table

I've been teaching bridge in the Washington DC area for over 20 years, from absolute beginners to seasoned intermediates. You may have seen me at the Smithsonian Institution, at George Mason University's Osher Lifelong Learning Institute (OLLI), or at local Reston Community Center classes.

My approach is hands-on and conversational. I teach a short lesson (with a handout you keep), then we play — and I'm right there asking questions as each bid and card hits the table. You learn by doing, not just listening.

I write my own handouts and have a library of nearly 1,000 bridge books. I also wrote the "Better Basic Bridge" column for the NVBA newsletter and "ChRONicles of Cardplay" for the District 6 TableTalk magazine.

I teach the Standard American bidding system and am happy to teach Two Over One for groups that prefer it. All levels welcome — from "I've never held cards" to "I want to sharpen my game." My forte is people who know how to play, but want to dramatically improve their skills and enjoyment of the game.

Credentials & Achievements

Emerald Life Master — 9,000+ ACBL Masterpoints
American Bridge Teachers Association (ABTA) Master Teacher
ACBL Teacher Accreditation Program (TAP) Certified
Certified Easybridge! Presenter
Certified ACBL Club Director
Past President, ACBL Unit 218 (NVBA)
Organized the "World's Largest Bridge Lesson" at the 2002 Washington DC Nationals
Developed and ran the very successful "Bridge University" program at the 2016 Washington DC Nationals
Intermediate-Novice Chair, DC July 4th Regionals (2006, 2008, 2009)
Intermediate-Novice Chair, DC Area North American Bridge Championships (2003, 2009 & 2016)
Numerous sectional and regional tournament wins
Started the Novice Section at the NVBA weekly unit game
The Class Format

How a class with Ron works

No sterile classrooms. No textbook-only teaching. Classes are typically held in a student's home but I can host if that's more convenient, with two or three tables playing the same hand, everyone learning together.

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30-Min Lesson with Handout

Each class begins with a focused lesson on a specific topic — bidding, play, defense, or a convention. You take home a written handout so you can review later.

02
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90 Min Supervised Play

Two or three tables play the same hand simultaneously. I circulate and ask questions as you bid and play — teaching in real time, in context, not in theory.

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Discussion & Q&A

After each hand, we discuss what happened and why. I welcome hands from your own games. Questions by email between sessions are always encouraged.

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Group Size: 4 to 12

You put together the group — friends, neighbors, club acquaintances. I'll manage one, two, or even three tables simultaneously. Ideally, everyone should be at a similar level.

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At Your Home

Classes are typically held in a student's home, on a schedule that works for everyone. I can also host in my Reston home. Daytime, evenings, or weekends — I'm retired and flexible. I also travel to students for playing lessons at local clubs.

Rates

Simple, transparent pricing

Small Group Session

4 – 8 students
$300
flat rate per session
  • 2-hour class (30 min lesson + 90 min play)
  • Written handout on the lesson topic
  • All levels from rank beginner to advanced
  • Email Q&A between sessions
  • You choose the topic, or I tailor to your level
  • Minimum of $300 even with fewer than 8 people
Most Popular

Larger Group Session

8+ students
$25
per person, per session · $300 minimum
  • 2-hour class (30 min lesson + 90 min play)
  • Written handout on the lesson topic
  • 2–3 tables playing simultaneously
  • I manage multiple tables at once
  • Email Q&A between sessions
  • Flexible scheduling — daytime, evenings, or weekends
Most groups sign up for 4 to 8 sessions (or more). For groups of 8+ who can guarantee attendance, payment can be made at each session rather than in advance.
Online Learning

Play & Learn on BBO

Can't meet in person? No problem. I offer one-on-one online sessions on Bridge Base Online (BBO) — the world's most popular bridge platform. We connect by phone during or after the session so we can talk through every bid and play together.

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1-on-1 Teaching Session

$75 / 1 hour  ·  +$25 if your partner joins

We meet on BBO for a private, non-competitive session — just us at the table. We stay connected by phone the entire time, discussing your bidding decisions and card play as they happen. Your regular partner is welcome to join in for an additional $25, making it a full partnership lesson.

  • ♦ Non-competitive — pure learning environment
  • ♦ Live phone discussion throughout
  • ♦ Partner welcome for +$25
  • ♦ All you need is a free BBO account
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Speedball Session

$75 / 1 hour  ·  you pay the entry fee

We partner up and play a real Speedball event together on BBO — a fast, competitive game where every hand counts. Since it's a live event, I keep detailed notes as we play. Afterward, we debrief by phone and go through the key hands: what worked, what we'd do differently, and why.

  • ♦ Real competitive event on BBO
  • ♦ Ron keeps notes throughout
  • ♦ Full phone debrief after the game
  • ♦ Entry fee paid by the student
New to BBO? Bridge Base Online is free to join at bridgebase.com. Once you have an account, contact Ron to schedule a session — he'll send you a BBO username to connect with and walk you through the rest.
Class Materials

Handouts & Resources

Every lesson comes with a professionally written handout you keep forever. I write all my own materials, researched from a library of nearly 1,000 bridge books. Here's a sample from the Intermediate/Advanced curriculum:

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Takeout Doubles
Intermediate · 2 pages
The complete rules, exceptions, responses, and rebids for one of bridge's most powerful — and most misunderstood — conventions.
↓ Download PDF
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Opening Bids & Responses
Beginner · Available in class
Point counts, hand evaluation, when to open, and how to respond — the foundation of the Standard American bidding system.
Ask Ron for this handout
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Declarer Play Basics
Beginner / Intermediate · Available in class
Planning the hand, counting tricks, entries and transportation, and the key plays at notrump and suit contracts.
Ask Ron for this handout
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Opening Leads & Signals
Intermediate · Available in class
When to lead what, standard carding signals, attitude, count, and suit preference — the language of defense.
Ask Ron for this handout
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Stayman & Transfers
Beginner / Intermediate · Available in class
The two essential conventions after a 1NT opening — how they work, why they work, and common continuations.
Ask Ron for this handout
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Many More Topics
All Levels
Overcalls, 2-bids, slam bidding, two-over-one, squeezes, endplays, card reading, and dozens more topics available.
Contact Ron to discuss
Have a topic you want to learn? I'm happy to build a curriculum around your group's specific needs and skill level — bidding, declarer play, defense, conventions, or tournament strategy. Just ask.
Free Tool

Chicago Bridge Scorer

A free web app for scoring Chicago (4-deal) bridge with your friends. No install needed — it runs in any browser and can be saved to your phone's home screen for quick access at the table.

Built for the way real bridge games are actually played — with rotating partnerships, optional money stakes, and a full score breakdown for every hand.

  • ♦ Correct Chicago vulnerability & dealer rotation
  • ♦ Full score breakdown — slam bonuses, insult bonus, overtricks
  • ♦ Optional money stakes with automatic settlement
  • ♦ Draw-for-partners mode — randomizes every 4 hands
  • ♦ Voice entry — just say the contract aloud
  • ♦ Works offline — installable as a phone app
♠  Open the Scorer

Opens in a new tab — no login, no account required.

🎲 Score Entry

Step-by-step contract entry: level → suit → declarer → doubled? → result. Or skip the tapping and just speak: "Four spades by North doubled, made five."

💵 Money Stakes

Set a rate (¢1/100 pts, $1/pt, or custom), and the app tracks running balances and calculates exact end-of-session payments.

📷 Save to Phone

On iPhone: tap Share → "Add to Home Screen." On Android: tap the browser menu → "Install app." It then works offline like a native app — no app store needed.

Get in Touch

Ready to deal in?

The easiest way to get started is to call or email me. Tell me a bit about your group — how many people, your general level, and when and where you'd like to meet — and we'll figure out a schedule together.

I offer a sample session for $300 so you can try before you commit. If you love it, we continue. References from current students are available on request.

I'm retired and flexible — daytime, evenings, or weekends, in Reston and the surrounding NoVA / DC area.

🎩 Try a Sample Session

One class, one flat fee of $300. No commitment. See if Ron's teaching style is right for your group before signing up for a series.

♠ Contact Information

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Home / Work
(703) 478-0077
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Location
Reston, VA 20194
Serving NoVA, DC Metro area