Emotions run high when people are caught up in the excitement of a really good bridge game. There’s tension, suspense, sometimes frustration and just a little tinge of fear mixed in with it.

I choose to live in an interactive way, and most of the things in my head are set to a clear soundtrack.

What are your chosen songs for the emotional heights of your bridge game? If you don’t mind, I would like to share some of mine.

Here are some spare thoughts about emotions, bridge, & the music that’ll play in your head.

1. Danse macabre

Classical music has a long tradition of being used to improve the brain’s capacity to think – and yes, it does improve spatial reasoning, and some tracks are even great to help you sleep.

Danse Macabre is great for visualising an intense, exciting game – and of course, for winning it.

It’s also the theme song of Rachet, a Netflix prequel that precedes the great Kesey story.

2. NIB

There isn’t a single card reference to be found in this classic Black Sabbath song, but I still find myself adding it to the playlist when I’m playing cards.

The bass intro is, well, sublime. (If you’ve ever played it, it’s also pretty difficult…)

The rest brings up images of sorcery: what’s better for adding some atmosphere to your bridge game?

3. Budapest

The length of this track is what gets to me. It’s far longer than average radio length, and the song goes through several instrumentals and verses in more than 7 minutes.

Jethro Tull’s Budapest starts off slow, and eventually peaks before it comes down.

That’s how a great bridge game goes, too.

4. Somebody told me

The Killers has more than just a handful of great songs. If you haven’t discovered any of their tracks yet, now is the perfect time to start – and that’s a personal tip from me.

Somebody Told Me is electric, tragic, and incredible: everything you can expect from a damn good song.

I listen to it often as a tribute to the moon while I’m playing cards.

List some of your best chosen songs for bridge, and let’s see what you’ve got!