Bridge - a game for the technically minded
Millions of people play bridge worldwide - in clubs, tournaments, online and with friends at home - making it one of the world's most popular card games. It is particularly suited to those with an analytical mind, such as scientists working in Mathematics, Physics, Computing etc. These professionals are known for their logical thinking, attention to detail, working collaboratively (it's a partnership game) and with the ability to focus. All these attributes come into play in this endlessly fascinating game.
I once played bridge with a group of co-workers in the School of Physics at Sydney University, where I studied and was later employed. While I was a humble graduate student, the others in the group were Professor Bob May (Lord Bob, subsequently the UK Chief Scientist), Professor Stuart Butler, Head of Theoretical Physics at the school, and Professor Charles Watson-Munro, Head of the Plasma Department. So much for name-dropping!
However this type of background is certainly not a prerequisite, since some of the most experienced and successful bridge players come from all walks of life. From taxi drivers to multi-millionaires - all have received extreme enjoyment from this game. Some famous personalities who have (or have had) a passion for the game include Bill Gates, Omar Sharif, Warren Buffet and Deng Xiaoping.
This blog is intended for anyone with no, or very little, experience in bridge. In particular, physicists and mathematicians, who spend their professional lives in highly intricate and technical occupations, may welcome an opportunity to wind down with friends and/or colleagues in an enjoyable and challenging pastime. Starting from the most elementary concepts, you will find a gradually unfolding story that leads to your learning the rules and conventions that will allow you to start playing bridge - either in a social setting or in a more competitive one; either online (without the need to leave the confort of your home), or face to face in a bridge club.
Over the coming weeks I will be writing a step-by-step introduction to the game of Bridge, and this will begin with some very elementary topics based on the assumption that you have not previously played the game. If you have already been exposed to bridge, and would like to move at a more accelerated pace, you may wish to inspect the complementary website
https://bridgeforbeginners18.blogspot.com/
This blog is analogous to watching a TV series episode by episode – while the website allows you to move at a faster pace - a bit like bingeing on iview or Netflix.
Much of the material presented both in the blog and on the website, originates from lessons presented over many years by my friend Tina Zines. Tina has been a teacher, a National and State representative, a bridge grand master who has been playing the game almost as long as I have! I am extremely grateful to Tina for making this material available - and for her comments on the contents of this blog.
A Bit of History
Auction Bridge developed in 1904 from the game of whist, a fashionable 18th and 19th century amusement in England, and the name derives from ‘biritch’, a Russian form of whist. But it was not till the 1920s that US millionaire Henry Vanderbilt revamped the existing game to create the modern game of Contract Bridge.
The game has grown to such an extent that it is estimated that over 100 million people around the world currently play contract bridge. Every four years the World Bridge Federation (WBF) conducts the Bridge Olympiad and in intervening years the World Bridge Championships.
In Australia, there are some 35,000 players who have some interest in playing competition bridge - they are registered with the Australian Bridge Federation (ABF), and are members of over 300 bridge clubs around the country. There are probably as many, or more, who just play socially. Most of our major cities conduct annual events or "congresses" each year, and these attract over 1000 competitors including many overseas visitors. The largest of these annual events are held in Canberra and the Gold Coast. They cater for players of all standards, and include sections reserved for players with limited experience (so they are not overwhelmed by the "experts").
If you already have some experience in bridge, you may be interested in playing face-to-face at a bridge club near you. There is also now an Online option, called RealBridge, where you can see and hear your partner and opponents, and where you don't need to travel to any particular location. I play at several clubs in Sydney - including the North Shore Bridge Club. You can see their schedule of games by clicking on NSBC. They also have an extensive program of lessons, both for absolute beginners, and those who have played before. Links to other clubs in all Australian states, are included in the right sidebar.
In forthcoming posts, we shall start looking at the format, rules and conventions of Bridge. In particular the Auction, Scoring and the Play of the hand. I welcome any comments you may have about the content - or anything else!. You can do this via the "Post a Comment" feature at the bottom of each post, or the Contact Form in the right sidebar.
Now move on to Lesson 1(b) - the next post.
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If you have already been exposed to bridge, and would like to move at a more accelerated pace, you may wish to inspect the companion website
https://bridgeforbeginners18.blogspot.com/
As I said before, this blog is analogous to watching a TV series episode by episode – while the Lessons website allows you to move at a faster pace.
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