The Bridge to Marriage
Story by Milly (BBO: PlayTime4) Fifty-two years ago today was a Sunday afternoon...
Story by BBO: vanindya
It all started during campus orientation when I saw a poster inviting students to join the bridge extracurricular activities. At the time, I was drawn to it as a way to unwind after long days of classes.
I am quite a perfectionist—I always strive to do everything as flawlessly as possible. Then came the day of my first university bridge tournament, hosted by one of the universities in Indonesia. My partner was a guy, and we competed in the mixed category. That first experience was unforgettable, as I immediately felt the weight of my own expectations. I didn’t want to lose, but I was still a beginner, and my mental resilience in competition hadn’t yet developed. I made several mistakes and was even called out by the Tournament Director for playing the wrong card (I played a club while the opponent was playing a spade).
Despite that setback, I was determined to learn from my mistakes and improve in the next match. I participated in several more tournaments after that, but victory remained out of reach. Every time I made a mistake on one board, I couldn’t stop thinking about it, which affected my performance in the following boards. Then, my senior came up with the idea of forming a women's team, and I switched partners to a female player—Aida20—who has been my main partner ever since.
It turned out that Aida had been playing bridge since middle school, so she had plenty of experience to guide me, especially in managing my mindset during competitions. Time and again, she encouraged and supported me, always reminding me to play to the best of my ability. She would tell me, “Whatever happens at the table, I will always trust you, because trust between partners leads to victory.” Thanks to her, I learned to control my thoughts and emotions, ensuring that my mental state wouldn’t disrupt our game.
As time passed and after several more competitions, I realized that Aida was the partner I trusted most. We made it a priority to maintain that trust to avoid conflicts or bidding misunderstandings. My best experience with her was when we won the silver medal at the ASEAN University Games in 2024. But beyond the medal, what stood out the most was the journey we shared at the table—the way we prayed together, supported each other, and reminded ourselves to believe in our partnership before every match.
To all bridge players, I want to share this: Trust yourself and your partner. Every mistake is a lesson, and every victory is the result of hard work and mutual trust. With Aida, I learned that behind every card played, there is strength in the partnership built on support and belief in each other. So, let’s build trust with our partners at every table we sit at.
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