Playing bridge around the world!
Story by Jane Simpson (BBO: jhs) I learned to play bridge at the table. Bridge p...
Story by Sathi Moses (BBO: sathimoses)
I first took up bridge out of curiosity—wondering why my husband was so keen on the game. Apart from a single session of Whist, I had never played bridge until I enrolled in an eight-week beginner’s course taught by the illustrious Nigel Rosendorff back in 1978 or 1979.
By then, I was a single mother, and I was eager to master this fascinating game at every opportunity. I read many bridge books and was fortunate to find experienced partners who generously shared their knowledge and helped me develop my skills.
I also introduced my son to this brilliant game and was a proud mother when, as a partnership, we won a nightly club session and the coveted monthly trophy at a well-regarded bridge club in Perth, Western Australia—outplaying many far more experienced players. My son was just eight years old at the time!
I must mention another interesting chapter in my bridge journey from the early 1980s. Although my husband and I had separated before I took up bridge, we became amicable partners at the table not long after I began playing competitively. We were both deeply passionate about the game—he was an experienced player who preferred a complex Match Point Precision system with his regular partner, while I had learned bridge through Acol and had a working knowledge of both basic Precision and Standard American.
One weekend, we decided to enter a Day-Long Two-Session Congress event together. We managed just one practice session before the tournament—and funnily enough, when we played Acol, I found his bidding wasn’t quite up to scratch! So we struck a compromise and agreed to play basic Precision on the day of the event. To our great surprise and delight, we won First Prize! It was our very first tournament together, and the victory brought immense joy to us both.
We went on to win a few more events, usually playing in the same team but with different partners of our own choosing. Sadly, our time playing together came to an end when my husband passed away suddenly in 1982 from a malignant brain tumor. Bridge remained his passion until the very end.
I tend to babble, but I must share that later in life, after my son had relocated to Melbourne to complete his Chemical Engineering degree and secured a good job, he played a key role in helping me achieve my Grand Master ranking. He accompanied me as my bridge partner to a National Championship in Canberra—the only way I could obtain the final 2.75 gold points I needed. That event took place just before the turn of the century, which had been my goal. As it turned out, we earned nearly 15 gold points on that trip. It remains one of the most joyful times in my life.
Between 1982 and 1989, I was fortunate to win several interstate trips to participate in the Nationals. One memorable achievement during that period was receiving a beautiful golden clock from Paris for securing third place in declarer play in the Epsom World Wide Simultaneous Bridge Competition.
After taking a voluntary redundancy from my government job in 1989, I gave up bridge entirely for six years to focus on furthering my education. I returned to TAFE and university to earn an Associate Diploma and a second degree in Accounting. My original degree from India was a Bachelor of Arts in History, so I was pleased to add these qualifications to my résumé.
When I returned to bridge in 1995, many things had changed—including the introduction of bidding boxes. I rekindled some old partnerships, and my local club encouraged me to start teaching new players and overseeing supervised play. I also began directing club sessions during this time. Perhaps the pinnacle of my bridge journey came in 2005, when our Seniors Team from Western Australia earned the silver medal for finishing second in the Nationals held in Sydney.
Sadly, in 2012 I had to give up bridge again due to vision loss in one eye and difficulty driving. I took a complete break for 12 years. Then, in December 2024, I was diagnosed with terminal cancer and given a prognosis of just three months to live. My son moved me to Melbourne so I could spend my remaining days with him and my four wonderful grandchildren.
Over the past six months, I have undergone a full course of chemotherapy and feel truly blessed for each day I am still alive. During this time, I returned to playing casual bridge on BBO (Bridge Base Online), which has helped me pass the time and ease my mind. I play for hours each day with random partners—and occasionally, when he has a spare moment, my very busy son joins me online for a hand or two. I’m so grateful that he still enjoys bridge and remembers how to play, even after so many years away from the game.
I hope my story serves as an inspiration to aspiring bridge players everywhere. Give it a go—you won’t regret it.
Happy Days!
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Hi all,
Here's a message from Sathi:
"I value and appreciate every single positive comment from each and everyone and I am truly grateful to all for your kind words and wishes. And in particular it was a great pleasure to hear from Jill Del Piccolo who used to be one of my fierce opponents at the table in the past. I wish her all the best in her future bridge ventures."
Thank you Sathi for sharing your story with the game you and I both love. your story is an inspiration to everybody who reads it. It was my pleasure reading about your Bridge experiences. You are an inspiration to all.
What a beautiful story. Thanks for sharing and may you enjoy your precious times with your son and his family.
Que hermosa historia de vida. Y que justo viene a mí en este momento de la mía para inspirarme. Gracias Sathi! Gracias por compartir.
Dear Sathi what a wonderful journey : we are all so lucky to have found this most wonderful game. I hope I will meet up with you on b b. It would be my pleasure to have a game with you. Barbara saltsman montreal Canada.
Thank you for sharing your story
Lovely journey of bridge you have taken! Enjoy everyday with family as you continue life’s journey.
Sending love your way💖
Thanks heaps Jill
Thank you Sathi. I started learning through Covid - and I forget so many things as I try to learn new conventions and how to improve my game. I am so glad that BBO allows you to play online at anytime, day or night. I really was inspired by your story.
That is truly an amazing story. Such a great testimony. Thank you for sharing.
Thanks heaps, your input is much appreciated
Not only is bridge wonderful exercise for the brain but it’s a great way to make new friends!
lovely story; you must have crossed paths with mum (jacqueline tiley) who also played in perth and was among the top 50 pairs in australia in 2001. i played with her and we won a couple of (very minor) events, but the pleasure one gets from the game is terrific. i wish you many more games and much satisfaction!
Very inspiring. I wish you well.
Magnifique ! Vive le Bridge qui nous accompagne dans les moments difficiles
Dear Sathi,
Your wonderful story touched me deeply. I’m so glad the bridge games and tournaments give you so many memorable times in your life.
Your son and his support are admirable.
I hope you beat the cancer and have many more bridge success stories. Thx for sharing
So sorry to hear about your diagnosis - hang in there & enjoy your family & “Kudos” to being an inspiration to your family & many others that read your story.
Lovely, lovely. I love you and your story.
Wow. Very very inspiring !!
Sathi
Your story teaches us many things and resilience is one of them. I will look for you on the net and hope that I’ll be a lucky one to be one of your random partner.
Good luck - you are very brave. Bid bless you!
truly inspiring
Thank you so much for your sweet and inspiring story!
I too enjoy bridge and bridgebase.
Do you know Jesus?I want you to go to Heaven when you die! Thanks again for taking the time to tell your story!!!
Thank you for sharing your story, I so enjoyed reading it.
playing bridge gives a meaningful life to persons particularly to those aged as it remains brain active preventing many neuro-diseases.fun and enjoyment in the game
brings happiness, achievements in big tournaments earn pride and satisfaction. youngsters may also chose bridge as a carrier option.
Thanks heaps. You are spot on about bridge keeping brain active and winning bridge tournaments bringing pride and satisfaction. One important factor I forgot to emphasise in my article was about the many lovely intelligent people I met through bridge a few of whom became my long lasting friends even after I have been away from bridge for so long. And when one of my bridge students later in life became the President of a bridge club and another became a bridge teacher himself, my satisfaction was even greater. I wish you all much success and happiness from bridge and just the same kind of joy I have had from bridge. Love to all. Sathi.
Thank you for sharing your wonderful story. Bridge is a challenging
sedentary hobby that keeps the mind alert....every hand is a new set of analyzing decisions...that's probably why you are so sharp!!
Lovely story, thanks for sharing!
Inspiring
WOW. What a inspiring story
What a touching story! It will help me to persist playing bridge cause sometimes, when I dont play well, I feel discouraged and feel like giving up.
I am 75 years old and learned to play 4 years ago with my brother and sisters.
Thanks Sathi for your encouragement to persiste.
Thanks heaps for your lovely comments.
Thank you Sathi for the story of your wonderful bridge journey filled with love and accomplishment! Bridge is excellent for the mind but exceeding that benefit is the communal sharing with strangers who become friends, friends whom we come to love and the cherished memories of engagement that bring temporary relief from the difficulties of life.
Wishing you peace and all the best in your new challenges.
What an inspiring story!
True, Bridge gave you a lot, but you too, have honoured the game admirably!