"Bridge is the most entertaining and intelligent card game the wit of man has so far devised." - W. Somerset Maugham

 

"Bridge is such a sensational game that I wouldn't mind being in jail if I had three cell-mates who were decent players and who were willing to keep the game going 24 hours a day." - Warren Buffett

 

"Bridge is my passion. Many games provide fun, but bridge grips you. It exercises your mind. Your mind can rust, you know, but bridge prevents the rust from forming." -  Omar Sharif

 

Played by over 220 million people worldwide, bridge is the most popular card game in the world. James Bond, wilt Chamberlain, George Burns, Bill Gates, Martina Navratilova, Charles Shulz, Mike Gatting, John Paul Stevens, Radiohead and Blur are numbered among its devotees.

 

 

Just what is it about bridge that inspires such passion?

 

 

• Bridge is social. As a social game, bridge is unparalleled and a great way to meet new people. It can be played at many different levels, ranging from a social foursome, right up to local, national and international competitions. At whatever level you play, you are guaranteed to make a new network of friends. 

 

• Bridge is a game for all ages. Bridge is probably the only competitive activity that all generations can do together and all have an equal chance of winning. It is a myth that bridge is an old person's game. It is a game that you can spend your whole life studying, learning and playing yet never fully master!

 

• Bridge is good for the mind. It is a mental workout unlike any other and is one of the few activities to stimulate both halves of the brain in equal measure. Playing bridge uses and develops logical thinking, inferential analysis, problem solving skills, sequencing, visualization, lateral thinking, long and short-term memory, observation and psychology (or cunning).

 

• Bridge brings health benefits. It is believed that bridge can boost the immune system through its stimulation of the dorsolateral cortex, which is involved in the higher order brain functions needed to play the game. Playing bridge regularly will keep your brain young and your mind alert and recent research has suggested that it may even stave off degenerative diseases such as Alzheimer's.

 

• Bridge is great fun & Bridge is exciting! If you can play bridge you will never be bored. It combines the best qualities of all games - the cerebral challenges of chess, the suspense and psychology of poker and the excitement of a competitive football match. Bridge truly offers a unique combination of challenges and with every deal different, success depends on a combination of technique, teamwork and tactics.

 

• Bridge is good value for money. It requires very little in the way of equipment and is thus a relatively inexpensive pastime. Unlike poker, it is not usually played for money.

 

• Bridge is a great leveler. Bridge is played by people of all ages, from all walks of life and from all social and ethnic backgrounds. When four people sit down at a table to play bridge together, none of the usual prejudices apply, all that matters is the game and the challenge it presents. Bridge is probably the on game in the world where ordinary players can rub shoulders with champions. If you play tennis it is unlikely that you will ever end up playing against Roger Federer, or indeed enjoy the experience if you do. However, you might well find yourself at the same table as his bridge counterpart and even win the odd deal!