Bridge as a social game
Playing online is fun, but it doesn’t replace playing together. For years and years my mom has played bridge together with a small group of people. They each put money in a pot. Some goes to the winner and some to a bank account which funds a cruise together! There are refreshments and gossip. When my mom loses, she is never upset, she just says that she didn’t get the cards, and when she when she thinks she is lucky.
We sometimes get a group together and have a nice dinner and play bridge. We draw cards for partners and we have a very good rule. You can’t play with your spouse!
There are many small social clubs and meet-up groups where people get together to play bridge. In my new home in Sarasota there is a community bridge club that meets once a week. And yes, I plan to go. I think it will be a nice way to get to know my neighbors.
Then there are the hundreds of bridge clubs all across North America where people come to compete. It can be competitive, and even cut-throat, but these still tend to be social friendly places where you can have coffee and a snack and look over the boards after the game.
In Canada, we are having a special game in September to celebrate our bridge clubs. It will be a simultaneous game matchpointed across the country.
But none of us need an excuse. We just need to remember that bridge is about getting together, enjoying each other’s company and exercising our mind. Except in some very serious competitions, it isn’t about winning.
So thanks, to all of you who operate bridge clubs and provide a place for all bridge players to learn and enjoy each other and our wonderful game.
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Besides being a great game, bridge is excellent as a tool to build a support group no matter where you go.
Yes, Dave. You said a mouthful. It is marvelous for widows, widowers, unattached individuals, travellers and just those looking for enjoyment to pass the time of day or night.
Bobby and I moved to Vegas over five years ago and have been playing at the LVBW (both before and after their relocation). Being a retirement locale, we have met people from all walks of life, all areas of the globe who are visiting LV, many snowbirds and both newcomers and long time residents. The average age is — shall we say “mature” — although we have some younger ones who visit the club often. It is a warm, gracious
atmosphere with lots of goodies, more than adequate parking and even an exquisite wall TV donated by a generous man who is active in the club. (Now Bobby has no excuse to stay home and watch important games. I can just trade places, giving him the South seat facing the set.) Of course, there may be an old grump or sourpuss lurking, but almost all are warm, gracious and fun to be with.
And, believe me, I know about support groups.
When Norman passed away in 2002, a large coterie of bridge friends saw to it I never had idle time (me, idle time? hardly!). I always tease — “Say whatever you want about bridge players — but when the chips are down they are there lickety-split.”
Judy