Bridge at the Senior Center

         I've been playing bridge a few months now at the McKinleyville Senior Center; no one my age (I'm 41) seems to know anything about the game.  I've been welcomed into this group by friendly folks who are serious about their cards. Although I've played for over 20 years (taught by loving and bridge-addicted parents), I'm more interested now than ever.  I ask myself "why?" and realize it's because bridge mirrors the complexity and drama of life.
         In bridge, there's always, always more to learn.  Definite patterns emerge, but yet no two situations are ever exactly alike.  Bridge requires careful thought and planning, yet intuition is often the key.  Caution is important, but so is boldness--at the right time.  Above all, bridge is about communication--you play with a partner, and the whole is definitely more (or less!) than the sum of the parts.  Honesty is paramount, yet you must sometimes lie--just a little.  You must trust your partner, respect your partner, inspire your partner, humor your partner, listen to your partner; yet sometimes you must take charge and tell your partner to hang on.  All this is done through a symbolic language of bidding and playing the cards.  Successful partners learn from their mistakes, but then let go of them and move on.  Forgiveness is crucial.
         "Damn it, Ethyl--Middle, Up, Down with those discards--M-U-D--how many times do I have to tell you?"  My brother and I used to compete with this couple in small tournaments, years ago.  After this interchange, we just started calling the guy "Mud" when we discussed the hands between ourselves later.  It was hard to watch this darker side of bridge, with some people greedy only to win and abusive of their partners.  Thank God they aren't like this where I play now.
         The truly successful players, of course, treasure their partners and always remember that it is, after all, only a game.  Perhaps from some larger perspective, life itself is no different.
 
 

        Bridge World provides voluminous information about the game, from beginning to advanced.
        OK Bridge is a club where you can play online.  Membership fees are involved, although apparently there is a free trial period.
          The American Contract Bridge League (ACBL) is a large organization overseeing many tournaments and local bridge clubs.  This organization administers the "master point" system in which players can accumulate points by placing high in local or regional tournaments.

 

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