Game of Bridge on Revival Mode- No more just for fuddy duddys

The old game of Bridge has many new takers

Bridge or Contract bridge that came to India with the British seems to be getting popular all over again, with dedicated bridge teachers fuelling a renewed interest in the card game.

In its long history, the game was always known to be an elitist game played amongst the landed or those who held high positions during the British reign, and that generation is probably the first or the oldest torchbearers of the game in India.

The 2015 World Bridge Championship was infact held in Chennai last October, with india  continuing to be a  hotspot for the game. One of the sponsors was Kiran Nadar  (Shiv Nadar's wife) Director, HCL Corporation who is a very proficient player and propagator of the game.

It is much like mental aerobics and often regarded as the king of all card games. In bridge, two pairs of partners take turns bidding how many tricks, or rounds of cards, they think they will win. Partners signal to each other what kind of cards they hold and which suit of cards they want to be "trump," or winner over all other suits.

Vijit Bery, a Bridge teacher of repute, was a senior marketing professional who worked across the world for thirty odd years but on retirement craved to do something that interested him, yet combined his social nature where he could meet and interact with people. Little did he know, his whim of becoming a bridge teacher would garner such keen response. He says, “Someone above must have overheard my wish made in jest because a few days later, a club I am a member of made a request asking me to teach bridge and introduce the basics of the game to interested members. Life plays some strange games and from a statement made in jest I had a roomful of twenty interested members wanting to learn.” In the span of last four years he has taught hundreds and continues to be approached by first time players interested to pick up the game. Also, the mushrooming of a number of clubs in the recent past with new colonies and condominiums coming up, the demand seems to have grown.

According to Vijit, the interest is brewing more amongst ladies, 40 years of age onward who find themselves with more time at hand and want to do something other than just high-teas and kitty parties.  Bridge brings people together and helps people make friends and have a circle. A glaring example is when a divorced lady living alone, with her kids studying abroad, came up to Vijit and exclaimed, her life had changed with bridge. She had made new friends and was no more lonely. This is the time when Vijit realized his decision to teach had a far reaching impact, he had not conceived.

Bridge has somehow always suffered from one image problem though; that of folks perceiving it to be an “old” people’s game. However bridge teachers, who are themselves passionate players, are determined to create an interest and stir a passion among youngsters in this mind sport .Vijit says, “There should be a school programme of bridge. It’s as much a hobby as art, craft, dancing, piano or needlework or a sport like hockey, football or athletics.” In the U.S.A, Warren Buffett and Bill Gates passion for the game, had them launching a bridge program for public schools.

Vijit had the privilege to teach three 18 years olds who had finished their board exam. “I jumped at the opportunity as wasn’t common till recently. Three kids of 18 years of age, not yet allowed to drive and in less than 10 sessions they were running rings around me on the bridgetable – They were so sharp, I just hope I managed to kindle a lifelong interest in this game in the few sessions I had to coach them”, he says.

The fact that the game cuts in between today’s times of divided attention between the many gadgets, bridge offers that perfect balance.

One of the youngest Bridge teachers in the country, at 42, Vivan Khubchand, an erstwhile banker is on one such quest to keep the game alive by fuelling its interest in the present generation. Vivan says, “A lot of young ladies from well placed families are keen to learn, not only in keeping with tradition but want to be gainfully occupied and bond as a group”. Known to charge almost Rs 1500 per person, per session he teaches many high profile cliques made up of young scions and their friends and associates; who want to be a part of the bridge evolution. “Bridge is something that you can’t just learn enough of and can go on improving. No two hands are the same and you are constantly learning, so it keeps you hooked once you start playing”, says Vivan. To learn the game, he feels one needs at least minimum of two years of coaching. However, there are enough number of new converts to the game, to keep Vivan in business.

A clear sign of the game’s growing popularity is the number of online websites offering an opportunity to play with real time players. While experts might have some reservations about the trend, it gets the attention of the young and it allows one to play at any time of the day or night as per one’s own convenience.

There was a threat to the game, with the advent of computers that saw people to people interaction fade, same time, says Finton Lewis, a bridge teacher, the number of websites dedicated to bridge has proved to be a handy resource base of knowledge encouraging interest in the game.

While Goa is synonymous with a holiday destination, many bridge loving holiday makers headed to Goa make it a point to fix a few lessons with Mr Finton who is a many times tournament champ and is happy to help sharpen skills, if only one has taken a prior appointment.

Having played internationally and taught over three decades, he observes, “Indians are too focused on the technicalities and systems, they keep staring into their cards and most often over concentrate, what they really need to do is, use common sense”. His advice to be a good bridge player- “Have an open mind and have the willingness to think on your feet. Systems don’t matter and whether you play Club diamond convention or the American convention, instead of defending a hand, how to handle an opponent needs more tact. The thinking needs to be done in the head and then one needs to move swiftly.”

While the price money in tournaments is not big, the game continues to be played socially and one can’t help but get competitive. However in high echelons of society, the newer generation is bidding high stakes which was not happening earlier, but as long as it keeps them engaged, and the game alive, it is all good.