Bridge play is new to thousands of people, but familiar to thousands of others who used to play bridge and then stopped participating in the game.
Places change, people move, life gets in the way and people find the gaps between their bridge games getting larger. But then, the same people often have something that sparks their interest in The Great Game a second time around.
I’ve often heard the phrase, “I (we/they) used to play bridge. How do we start again?”
I’m glad to say that it’s good to hear.
Have you previously played bridge – but not for a while?
Here are 5 tips for freshening up bridge play.
#1: Back to basics first
Previous bridge players are likely to be familiar with the most basic concepts of bridge (e.g. tricks, bidding, points and contracts), but are also likely to have forgotten some of the details surrounding the rules, play and different conventions over time.
A quick refresher course in how to play is advised.
It’s just for clearing the debris around the information you already have – and thereby ensuring your knowledge is up to date for playing again.
If you have a favorite bridge book from your beginning bridge days, return back to it and see whether it jogs your memory.
#2: A Lesson (or Two) Saves Nine
A piece of advice that I used to extend to self-taught guitar players hoping to play guitar again was this, “Take at least one or two lessons.”
Sometimes self-taught techniques mean self-taught mistakes, or gaps and questions in your knowledge that could be filled in with a simple question-and-answer session with an expert. Bridge is much the same.
It’s for all those little things that you might not be able to remember – and you’re likely to learn a few extra things, too.
#3: Play Online
Online play is convenient and easy; online play also gives you access to bridge bots who are programmed not to give a rat’s hindquarters how long it’s been since you last played bridge (or how your bidding might be at the start).
Bridge play online can also set users up with opponents and partnerships with a couple of clicks, and you can take a closer look at your hand record analysis to see how your bridge playing has changed over time.
If you haven’t played in a while, online play gets you right back into the game.
#4: Get Involved (& Discuss the Game)
Bridge Base Online has a vibrant forum and thousands of users who discuss the game of bridge every day – and if you’re a player hoping to re-introduce themselves to bridge, then stop by and introduce yourself first and foremost.
Talking about bridge can answer questions, pose more questions and overall, get you involved in the game.
It’s one of the best things to learn without a physical game being present.
If you’d like to talk about things other than bridge, there’s even the Water Cooler thread for unrelated discussions.
#5: Take a Kibitz of Advice
Looking for play techniques and bridge strategy?
Watch other players doing it.
Kibitzing (as well as live bridge streaming and recorded games) give players an opportunity to see games at a glance, including every play that gets made on the table and how other players respond to it.