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Why do you play bridge?


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Lately, a few incidents (some personal ones and some on the international stage) has set me thinking a bit about the game, and what I want to do with regards to how/where I plan to play bridge.

 

Competitively, I've been involved in choral singing and chess before, so some of my experiences has influenced my thinking to a large extent.

 

So, I would like to hear from you guys (non-experts and experts alike) why do you all play bridge, what do you think is your aim in playing bridge and why do you keep returning to the table for more.

 

Hopefully this would benefit some of you as well.

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Why do I play: Because it's fun, meeting lots of nice people. With Bridge, you have friends in every town :)

What is my aim: To play in the 1st national league & win a national OPEN championship

Why do I keep playing: See 1st question :)

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I have tried around 25 different card games, and for me bridge is by far the most challenging of them all. Furthermore, bridge is also a universal "language". In reality complete strangers from say Kirkenes in Norway can sit down and play with people from Andorra, Tibet and Botswana without saying one word other than "bridge?".

 

A nod is enough, no common language necessary. Get on with the game and enjoy.

 

Roland

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So, I would like to hear from you guys (non-experts and experts alike) why do you all play bridge, what do you think is your aim in playing bridge and why do you keep returning to the table for more.

Ummm... Mortification and humiliation? And what Roland said...

 

As an aside, I've learned "You suck, Dluxe" in many new languages as a result. :)

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Why do I play? Because it's fun, because I like the people around me, because I know I'm still improving,... And I need material for my blog :)

What's my aim? No realistic aims at the moment (like being world champion)

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Because its the only sport and game I can play with my father.

 

Becuase I dreamed once of representing my country on olympic event (I might be too old if bridge ever comes to olympic games :))

 

Because I earn money playing it.

 

Because it lets me meet some nice people from around the world (some Han's as well, you can't have it all), and improve my english.

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I enjoy the challenges posed by competitive bridge. It's much more social than chess, and it has an unusually strong ethical dimension that I value.

 

As others have expressed, I hope to continue improving my game as long as I live. I also appreciate the chance to share and debate new ideas about the game as they arise.

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I play to not only keep my mind sharp, but to allow myself to be the free spirit that I am. Also, it's nice having the old ladies say.."You're such a fine young man, my grandson is your age...".
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one down side, does seem to attract a lot of people that do not have any manners or social skills

I wonder if that is so, or if it is just that it exposes bad social skills.

 

Personally I think I'm slightly less bitchy at the bridge table than in other aspects of my life, but self-assessment is a difficult thing, I might be wrong.

 

Anyway, I just found a very nice club where people congratulate opps for there good defense instead of yelling at p how s/he could be so stupid not to make the contract. Sorta pity that I'm about to leave the country. I hope the club in Lancaster will be nice as well. Until now my impression of British bridge culture is very positive.

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you wait till you get into Lancaster, they will start pinching your bum and alsorts of weird behaviour us Brits are a strange lot

Right, one of my English teammates in Pula said "Don't worry, I won't take advantage of you". His p confirmed: "Yes, he's a perfect gentleman .... until the third pint".

 

They both got four pints that evening. Had some adverse effect on their play (my assessment, I would never blame our results on my p and myself, of course), but otherwise they were jolly and friendly people.

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Fluffy you've made me very sad :P .

 

I play bridge because I like puzzles and there are always new puzzles to solve in bridge. I like the people in the game, and how they interact. I like the team aspect, working on getting better with a regular partner. I like noticing that I figured something out that I couldn't have seen a year ago. I like competition. I like working with probabilities and trying to read people's thoughts.

 

I don't have a clear goal. I don't want to become a professional bridge player, I don't think it is competible with my job and I like my job a lot. So I don't think I will ever play in the Bermuda Bowl for the Netherlands or the US. I do make goals for the tournaments I play in.

 

Trying to get better is very important to me but I think the process to achieve these goals is more important than the final achievement. For example, if I work many years to become good enough to have a chance to win the Spingold, then I should enjoy those years regardless of whether I actually win or not.

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I've always enjoyed problem solving and strategy games. This includes a lot of board games, card games, computer strategy games. But competing is a lot more fun on a team -- there's someone to share the joy of victory or to commiserate with after a defeat. Most of these games are "every player for himself (or herself)."

 

Bridge combines strategy with teamwork. :P

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