The Butterfly Effect describes the idea that everything in the world is inter-connected – and an action can trigger a reaction anywhere else in the world that might seem unrelated to what happened first, but isn’t.

When a butterfly moves its wings, can it cause a storm in another part of the world?

That’s the theory.

It would make sense that the same should count in bridge.

The things that happen around the bridge table can very well have an impact on how people act, how they play, and probably even how the cards are dealt on that very specific day.

Here are some of the unlikely things that might be affecting your bridge game today.

1: The Light

Light can make the same image appear bright and happy, or dark and morbid – and all it has to be is a trick of the light. How light falls can affect everything from someone’s mood to their perception of time.

If your bridge game isn’t going your way, play it in different light.

It might make a huge difference.

2: The Temperature

If you have ever stretched, strained, or broken anything in your life, colder weather will make you feel it just ever-so-slightly more. Temperature can have a lot to do with what mood you are in at the bridge table, too.

If you’re playing in the cold and feel like it’s freezing up your strategy, take a moment to stretch and warm up.

Just the same, if you can’t play bridge while dealing with heat, invest in a powerful fan for the purposes of better bridge.

3: The Planets

If you spend a few days every so-often feeling restless, annoyed, or unable to sit still, mark it on your calendar and check it against the phase of the moon when it happens.

While it sounds esoteric, it isn’t – and the moon can have a huge impact on mental states worldwide.

Remember to check your partner, too.

They’re not a vampire, they’re not a werewolf. They just happen to feel the draw of the moon a little more than others.

4: The Weather

Weather can affect everything in the course of your day, and weather can certainly affect what mood you’re in at the bridge table. Weather that you would consider “bad” (or which your body considers painful) might override how much you can think about strategy at that very moment – and good weather, could make you feel like you’ve got some really good cards on the way.

Map your scores against the local weather report. Do you notice any statistical overlap?

Now, change up your environment and include some creature comforts that make the weather conditions more comfortable.

5: The Traffic

Even if you are playing mostly online bridge, you’ll find that your playing and that of others is affected by what the traffic report had to say.

The traffic affects moods of people around you, might affect or delay supply chains, and will generally affect how days in commerce go.

What are some of the most unlikely things that you swear have impacted how you, your partner, and your opponents play bridge?