I’ve spent some more time this month thinking about bridge games and losing.

Losing is a natural part of competitive sports. Simultaneously, the act of losing is what all of us practice for and learn how to avoid. While I admit that it can teach, losing isn’t necessarily the best part of a game or tournament (and can’t be called the highlight of anyone’s day).

Whenever a chess or bridge game is lost, I step back to ask why.

The question might linger for weeks before I’ll actively imagine the match and its circumstances again. There are uncountable elements at play when a match happens, almost like the Butterfly Effect.

Why are some games lost?

Here’s an examination of 3 different ways you can lose your next bridge game – and why everyone still loses games, but can learn how to adapt.

1. Loss by that one wrong trick

If you’ve lost, examine the entire game from the bidding to the last trick that was played. The important element to look for is where the game all went South; at which trick did the opponent suddenly slam your team into the ground?

Sometimes, and only sometimes, it points to that one wrong trick. If a singular card had been played differently, it could have changed the trajectory of the game.

You might see the move during play, or might have to take a much closer look at the scores for it.

Finding that one wrong trick that changed the game is one reason why postmortem match examinations are important. From there, plan your game differently, and improve on your playing in the future.

2. Loss by distraction

There are clear days when players will know their focus isn’t at the table.

Distractions can be anywhere. Sometimes, they’re just a little pin-prick of inconvenience, and other times there’s a serious gaping hole in your life (and the situation is more of a disaster).

Could you have lost for any environmental factors that have less to do with bridge, and more to do with life?

It’s always a question worth asking when a loss occurs. Sometimes, it can even point out what you can work on before being able to relax.

3. Loss by miscommunication

Bridge is a partnership endeavour, even when playing with or against bots.

There are going to be times when a partner’s bid or move makes no sense. Other times, the move/bid in question might be your own – and baffling within the game’s context to your partner.

When bridge partners don’t communicate well on that particular day or moment, it can spill over into how they’re playing their cards. Always discuss your loss with your partner, or take a very close look at the plays when up against bots. You might discover that miscommunication was to blame. That’s a good starting point for knowing how to remedy it.