Bridge brings people together.

It teaches new skills, sharpens up old ones and connects people through online and offline bridge clubs. It also has the ability to do a lot for community outreach projects – many of which might have no idea just how much bridge can do for them.

I’ve seen a lot of people introduced to chess as a way of outreach, and I’ve wondered if many of these outreach projects – sometimes youth-related, but not every time – could also draw some benefits out of bridge.

Do you have spare time or access to resources?

Here are some practical tips for bringing BBO and bridge to your community.

Connect with Local Bridge Clubs

Many bridge clubs have something to contribute, whether it’s their knowledge, contacts or funds.

Connect with local bridge clubs before approaching outreach projects to find out if they would like to join you: They might be able to add a few useful elements to the approach.

Contact Outreach Projects

There are many outreach projects out there that might be able to benefit from the game of bridge. The first step is to find out what outreach projects there are in your community – and which ones would be interested in picking up the game.

Of course, which type of outreach project you choose is up to you and your environment.

Make a list and get in touch with them. “How do you feel about introducing the best game in the world to your group?”

It takes some effort, it might take some cold calling and you might get a handful of people who asked why you called in the first place, but it’s a goal that will be worth it.

Check and Double Check

Always double-check the legitimacy of an outreach project or charity before committing your funds or time.

This means ask each one for their legal registration info and make sure you double-check this with the right authority to be entirely certain the details they provided are legitimate.

If you find any outreach projects and groups during your search that claim the proper registration but don’t come up on the system as accredited, the responsible thing to do is to report them to the right association, department or authority.

Do They Have Computer and Smartphone Access?

Remember to ask the individual outreach project: Do you have computer and smartphone access? It doesn’t take much to run BBO, but many outreach projects might not have the most basic access for all of their members.

Also, remember that the entire point of outreach is reaching out: In cases where your chosen project doesn’t have access to phones, smartphones or computers, see where you can connect them to resources that might help.

The Rules of Bridge

For anyone who doesn’t know the game of bridge, it’s important to start with the rules: Just Declare makes for a great first introduction to bridge play sans the bidding – and ACBL’s Learn to Play Bridge is an easy online bridge-learner program powered by BBO.

Volunteer Teachers

If you have access to teachers willing to volunteer their services to show a few newer card players the ropes, now is the time to reach out to them to ask – and if you’re that teacher, good on you!

Organize a Bridge Event

Bridge events – in the form of an “open day” where people get to see how the inner-mechanics of the game works and functions – together with bridge clubs on specific days of the week could be one way to introduce outreach projects (and new players in general) to the game.

Could outreach projects be part of the key to introducing the game to a whole new generation?