I’ve heard from (and about) many people who know someone who “used to play bridge” and then, for whatever reasons their life might have involved, stopped or slowed down.

Broken connections between people (or moving away, getting divorced, and health) are just some of the reasons people distance slightly from their favourite game for a while.

How do you get them back to bridge after a several-years’ absence? 

Here are ways to rekindle an old love of bridge, for anyone that you might notice hasn’t played the game in what seems like a while.

Archive Bridge Issues

You would be very surprised what just that little bit of nostalgia might be able to do for someone who hasn’t read about the game for years. Find out what bridge magazine used to be their favourite, and order an issue they might have fond memories about.

It might be just what they need to bring them back.

Bridge Prints

Prints of appropriate bridge cartoons, posters, and paintings are available from image and art retailers. Search engines are a huge help.

Track down a bridge-related print that is enough to jog someone’s memory about why bridge used to be a regular part of their life. It might be something quirky, or it can be something more serious.

Remind them, at least a little, of their love for the game.

Bridge Challenges

I would say that there are few things which get old bridge players on their feet as fast as a challenge.

If you have a friend or contact who hasn’t played in some time, introduce them to BBO and the wonder of the online bridge game. It’s a whole new way to play bridge for those who left the game before online games took off.

Challenge them, and light the flame again.

Bridge Fiction

Buy them some bridge fiction.

It’s as simple as that. Reading is a pastime that people continue with throughout their lives, and finding the best bridge book to capture their individual mind could get them back to thinking about the game again.

There are excellent (and I really mean excellent) bridge fiction story collections and novels out there. Mystery? Horror? Romance? You’ll be covered.

Free Bridge Booklets

There are plenty of excellent and completely free bridge booklets out there. (Just type the term “bridge booklets” with “PDF” into your search engine – I’ve even written a post for BBO Prime about it before).

Download some, and forward them to your best bridge-playing contact.

It turns out that it’s always possible to teach someone new tricks.

Recommend Three Websites

If you have been out of the loop and away from the table for a while, it’s common for players to forget (or simply, not know) where to take up the game again.

A helping hand can be offered to the seeking player by suggesting your favourite three bridge websites.

While it sounds simple, it can feel like walking into the world’s biggest candy store for the hungry bridge player who needs resources.

Oh, and remember to make BBO the very first recommendation!