When a bridge partnership has been together for long enough, they start to look a bit like a married couple.

Have you noticed?

Bridge partners develop relationships. They fight, they make up, they might spend a few days glaring at one another opposite the table. Some partnerships are together for years, while others end as soon as they started.

Bridge partnerships can also have jealousy.

Would you let your partner watch?

Kibitzing can be one of the best things you can do for your partnership. That is, if they’ll agree with it.

Here’s why you should kick the jealousy, get to BBO, and let your partner watch.

It’s Like Playing Along (But Not)      

Watching someone else perform an action provokes a sympathetic response in the brain. When we see another person cry, we are likely to react by either asking why – or by crying ourselves.

When seeing another person play a game and win (or lose), our brains react.

It’s why people watch sports flicks and feel inspired.

It’s also why it’s a great idea for your bridge partner to watch you play your games with and against other people.

For the brain, it’s like memorizing the road to the nearest fuel stop, but from the back-seat. You’ll still get the idea of where you want to go, even if you aren’t in the driver’s seat.

They’ll Learn New Tricks At The Table

Bridge partners can get used to one another over time.

You know your partner well. You know their plays, you know their counters, and you generally know their responses at the table.

It’s an advantage, but it can be the opposite. It’s not a good idea to get too used to one another – and it can make games seem too routine over a long period of time.

When you let your partner watch, they (and you, in turn) might learn some new tricks.

See your partner playing against or with someone else, and you might imagine, “Hey, I didn’t know they could do that.”

Just like that, you and your partner have learned some new tricks.

You Can Apply It Together

The most important part of learning new things is how you learn to apply them.

When you and your bridge partner have spent some time apart, get together again. Watch games, and make it a regular thing.

Then, apply your skills to a casual game.

Compare your statistics. Have your moves changed or improved in any way since you’ve let your partner watch?

Most instances, the answer will be yes.

Try it.

You Might Get Along Better

Partnerships who spend some time apart, will realize the value of their merit once re-connecting.

Many successful marriages rekindle – and just the same, many bridge partnerships are better off after a trial separation where watching your partner with someone else was involved. (This is not true for all marriages.)

In bridge, you might very well get along (and play together) better with the addition of kibitzing to your partnership.

Have you let your partner watch any of your games with another bridge player? How did it affect your play together – for better or for worse?