Bridge is one of the best forms of mental exercise in the world. I’m glad that playing bridge doesn’t need to involve running, jousting, or tackling (at most clubs). The mental workout from bridge is more than enough for me, thanks.

What else do you do to exercise your mind?

Any mental exercise is good for the brain. As you should know, what’s good for the brain will be good for your bridge game.

Here are 4 exercise tips for the bridge player’s mind.

1. Resist the temptation (to look up the answer for puzzles).

I’ve been stuck on the same crossword puzzle for a month. I have it taped next to the fridge in the kitchen, and I’ve told myself that I’m determined to complete it the old-fashioned way.

Puzzles are meant to make the brain think. Is a puzzle still a brain exercise if you immediately go to Google for the answer? Not as much, and that’s why I resist the urge to check.

While it can be tempting to look up the answer for puzzles when you’re stuck, it takes a lot of the mental exercise out of it.

It applies to crosswords, and it definitely applies here in bridge.

2. Make puzzles part of your routine.

People who solve puzzles often have an advantage above anyone who does not. Which category would you rather say that you are part of as a bridge player?

Bridge puzzles are everywhere, although not all players utilize them. Here’s some advice: If you don’t, start now. Regular puzzles should be part of your routine for better mental longevity and health.

It doesn’t take a lot of time out of your day. In fact, you can spend most of your day doing other things, and just keep the puzzle right there in the back of your head to think about.

I literally taped a crossword to a wall. There’s always time for a daily puzzle, quiz, or riddle somewhere.

3. Click the random button on Wikipedia.

It’s surprising just how much there is to be learned from random things on the internet.

If you want to exercise your brain in whole new ways, learn to use the random button on Wikipedia.

Using Wikipedia-at-random is a good way to learn about things you never thought you’d know. Sometimes, it’s also a great way to develop nightmares about entirely new things (depending, of course, on which Wikipedia pages you end up at).

Websites like Reddit can also be just as useful for expanding your general knowledge about weird things: Pay attention to the Today-I-Learned subreddit for a daily updated list of random facts you might not have known yet.

4. Discover the wonder of weird adventure games.

Bridgeurs are very often also fans of other games and tabletop endeavours. Monopoly isn’t the only other board game out there, and I encourage the serious bridge player to expand their strategic experience with more games whenever it’s possible.

When was the last time you played a weird adventure game?

Adventure games that fall into the “weird” category are a special kind of mental exercise. Point-and-click games as well as the typical escape-the-room game can really work your mind.

What do you do for mental exercise to better your general puzzle-solving abilities?