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Alternate Forms of the Game

Bridge exists in several forms other than auction and contract, including party bridge, minibridge and Chicago bridge – but for variation’s sake, I propose a few alternate forms of the game. (Jokingly, of course.)

Absence Bridge

Too many good bridge games have been spoiled because of one player’s absence. Thus, Absence Bridge is designed for when the fourth player can’t make it.

Little changes are made to the rules and scoring, but the empty spot at the table can be taken up by an AI-powered smartphone, or a placeholder like a vase, a tea cozy or throw pillow with a face drawn on it – and automatically assigned as the Dummy player throughout.

Battle Bridge

Owing to the popularity of battle chess and stories like The Running Game, the aspect of unbridled anger can be brought forth in bridge.

Each player is issued weapons – candlesticks, guns, nooses – before the game. Losing partnerships have to face one another on the battlefield. All games are televised.

Alternatively, players can be issued with razor sharp playing cards. Instead of placing tricks in the middle of the table, players stand a few feet away and aim.

Strip Bridge

Strip bridge is best played as a form of two-player bridge, but more players are allowed for the really adventurous. Instead of points or best-of-three, players sacrifice clothing. Why not? It’s a great idea in theory for bridge-playing couples.

There’s strip poker and strip snap: Either strip bridge isn’t a thing yet, or it’s been a thing for years and nobody has told us about it.

Seance Bridge

Seances achieved wide popularity at more or less the same time as early bridge, and it’s surprising that the two were never combined into the same activity.

Of course, a special Ouija board might have to be designed – one that helps ghouls, ghosts and dead relatives to point to their chosen bids and card choices. Depending on how long they’ve been dead, you might have to explain the rules first.

Wizard’s Bridge

  • “Playing cards seem to be as popular and widespread in the wizarding world as they are with Muggles, albeit with the added convenience of Self-Shuffling packs.”

JK Rowling’s Harry Potter universe tells us that card games are a pastime well-known to the wizarding world; they have the benefit of self-shuffling packs and exploding snap.

But what about bridge? At a glance, there’s plenty of opportunity for enchanted gadgets in the game. Self-dealing tables, self-shuffling decks, charms for tallying up score, possibly even a bridge table that would have kicked back in the event of the famous foot-tapping scasndal.