Bridge is a game that’s best played when everyone at the table is alive; when they aren’t, you’ve got a séance instead. I might say that with a lighthearted edge, but the truth behind it is serious and something you should pay attention to: Health is extremely important, even though bridge isn’t a traditionally “physical” sport.

Online bridge and face-to-face table games can attract anyone.

People with cardiac health issues, people with respiratory problems, people with connective tissue disorders, and occasionally, people who are in absolutely perfect health.

How often do you consider your health as a bridge player?

How frequently do you think of the things that could impact it in the most negative ways?

I’d say most people don’t think about it often enough.

Here’s a look at some of the worst potential health dangers at the bridge table (and how you can play bridge safer).

1. Mold

If you notice a changing smell hanging around the bridge table long after its players have left, consider checking the immediate environment for mold.

Mold is likely to happen in dark, damp environments. If that can describe any corners or crevices of your playing card room, you might already have a problem worth writing home about.

When mold takes root, it can cause serious health problems. Mold can knock down the body’s immune system, cause heart and respiratory and it’s definitely not something bridge players need in their systems.
Getting rid of mold for good can require the services of a trained expert. If you are already sensitive to it, trying to remove mold yourself can only increase the likelihood of triggering health problems.

2. Heat

Heat is essential, but too much of it in a closed space becomes an immediate health danger to bridge players.

Have you ever been stuck in a car on a hot day?

Excess heat dehydrates, and could place additional pressure on the body. When the body is unable to regulate its own temperature (and the environment doesn’t adjust), you’re looking at conditions that have become potentially fatal.

Make sure that your card room is monitored for temperature changes throughout games. Can you adjust the room if things get too hot? For health, the answer should always be yes.

3. Heart Rates

Competitive sports are exciting: Even when they aren’t physical sports, an increase in heart rate can be expected when tension increases at the table.

Increased heart rates can be dangerous when mixed with other factors, including any health conditions that might strain the heart. Could you have a player at your club who fits the definition – and who could be affected by the sheer excitement of the game?

Encourage players at your club to wear heart monitors. These days, apps and smart watches can provide fairly accurate measurements. If there’s a dangerous spike in a player’s heart rate, they can spot the increase sooner – and for healthier bridge players, this is a safer alternative.

It is also – and always – important to know who to contact in a health emergency. Keep a list of hospitals and medical professionals close to anywhere bridge players plan to gather.

Are you prepared enough for the potential of health dangers at the bridge table?