Bridge as Grief Therapy
Story by Marcy Kelly (BBO: sierra11) My son Michael, my only child, had been dea...
Story by BBO: BooksBridg
When I was growing up, we occasionally played bridge at home. If I'm going to be totally honest, I'd say we played a game we called bridge. In reality it bore only a passing resemblance to what most people call bridge. Since my mother didn't really like the game and my dad loved it, we didn't play often. Somehow my siblings managed to avoid being drafted into playing. So, yes, there were usually only three of us participating.
When we did, we'd deal out the four hands and the three of us would bid wildly for the dummy, which was not revealed until the "winner" got to turn the cards over. What we based our bidding on is also something of a mystery since concepts like point count, vulnerability, partials, game and slam were not in our vocabulary. In hindsight, it probably would have made more sense to reveal the dummy before we started bidding. We might have played in more accurate contracts. But, hey, who doesn't love having a 6-3 side suit, when playing a hand where your side is 5-0 in the trump suit.
A few years after I finished college, I noticed a sign for bridge classes at the local high school. I thought it might be good for my dad and suggested it to him. He said he'd like to go but didn't want to go alone and would I go with him. For the following eight weeks, we spent Thursday nights learning how to count points, bid accurately (all right, semi-accurately might be a more precise description), make reasonable opening leads, defend etc. The instructor also introduced us to the ACBL, local bridge clubs and novice games.
The Saturday following our last class we showed up at the local club in Flushing NY for their weekly novice game. We arrived five minutes before the game was scheduled to start with no idea of what to expect - and no convention card. The instructor had neglected to mention those. But the woman running the club took pity on us and told us to wait. She quickly added a sit-out to the novice game and we had the first sit-out. While everyone else played the first round, she explained the role of the convention card and helped us fill one out. The club is gone and I forget her last name. But, Jeannette's kindness was instrumental in helping us relax and enjoy our first "real" game of bridge.
In those days, the results were tallied by hand. We waited with bated breath hoping not to be last. When the final results were shown, we were first. Of course we were ecstatic. To this day, I wonder if we were that good or we were so bad, we totally confused everyone we played against. I suspect the latter. But, there was on inescapable outcome. By the end of that afternoon, we were both hooked. Thus began a lifelong fascination that not only led to many enjoyable afternoons and evenings but also many meaningful friendships.
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Nice article
The dummy in the middle . 4 cards face up , each player looks at 3 cards and places them in dummy by suits. Now all three players know the distribution of dummy , and all players know 7 cards specifically….
Great article. I grew up in Queens and spent most of high school and college at Kissena Bridge Studio. I probably annoyed Jeannette more than she liked but she was a sweetheart. Fun memories, thanks for the article!
My father loved Bridge but my mother didn't! our version of "Kitchen Bridge" had the dummy fully exposed prior to bidding which I think led to more accurate contracts without disadvantaging the defence. I recently played this with two friends in a pub in London after our fourth went missing!
In our version of kitchen bridge each player got 3 cards from dummy and placed them upside down correctly by suit so we all knew the distribution with one mystery card and 3 of the cards.
I really like this idea! Must try it next time we have a threesome
Comment ne pas être accro au Bridge... C'est même surprenant qu'il n'y ait pas plus d'adeptes !
Bridge club in Flushing was on Kissena Blvd near Main St. Run by Jeanette and her husband. Card fee was about $1.50.
Hey, I love this version!
Lovely story!
Great Ma'am. I am now a days hooked to Bridge and play every day. Back in my College days, I with my partner upset many seasoned players and reached later rounds in knock out tournament and finished 2nd in a Swiss League.
Now I have improved and enjoy with various partners and regularly participate in tournaments with reasonable high position.
So sweet!!!
How Nice to read this. Life is too short not to play bridge.
I love "life is too short not to play bridge." I started playing at age 62 and am so thankful for the people it's introduced me to and the mental stimulation it has been provided. Each time I pick up my hand it's like a "box of chocolates." You never know what you're going to get and how it might fit with partner's hand. It's always interesting!
I never heard of "kitchen" bridge before, but my husband and I used to play "honeymoon" bridge. All I remember is that there were only two players, so I guess we both played two hands.
I also started at home with my mother playing honeymoon bridge. 13 cards for each player and one card turned up as Trump. I forget if there was any bidding. Each player alternate play of two cards per trick. Then each player drew two cards. Play continued until 13 tricks were played.
In my family's version of kitchen bridge for 3 (it was called "cutthroat") half the dummy was revealed during the bidding. The other half was only exposed when play began.
So slightly less wild than yours.
I then read of another version and we started playing it. In this all three players were dealt 17 cards, and everyone discarded their highest card (Ace of spades if you had it etc) and any three others. So dummy became more predictable in point count, but not in distribution. I remember a dummy with eleven hearts, and Aces of Spade and Diamond!
All good fun for my 12 year old self, my dad and my grandmom...
Hey, I love this version!