Story by Jan Szynczewski (BBO: AKUNApl)

Bridge was present in my home long before I even understood what “trump” meant. It was the 1950s, the radio buzzed in the background, and my parents—full of passion, dedication, and unflagging enthusiasm—played evening games with their friends. For me, a child, it was a kind of secret magic: four people at a table, nods of the head, smiles, sighs, bursts of laughter, and sometimes a quiet tension when everything hinged on a single card. I didn’t understand the rules, but I could feel the emotions.

With time, something changed. They needed a fourth. They sat me down.

At first hesitantly, then with growing excitement, I waited for my turn. The first time I held cards in my hands, I felt like an adult. Like a teammate. Like a member of an older community, where words don’t always mean what they say, and gestures are a code. Of course, at the beginning “everything was wrong,” but that only fueled my ambition.

In high school, we played with my parents “as an appetizer”—before dinner, before classes, before life. Then came university. Bridge became a ritual—daily, in the evenings, like dinner and conversation. The dorm echoed with laughter, debate, and games that lasted into the night. (And since I studied for 13 years… I collected quite a few deals.)

After university, life—well, life happened. Work, responsibilities, family. Bridge took a back seat. But it never left. It waited patiently for its turn to return to the stage.

Today, I’m retired—and I have time. I completed a tournament director and instructor course, and I organize regular online tournaments on BBO under the BKZ Lokator banner, every day at 8:30 AM. It's become a little tradition. I founded a Bridge Association, which we’re now transforming into an Online Association. Our website is available at: www.bkzlokator.pl/bridge.

Sadly, in-person bridge is slowly fading—halls are emptying, tables are falling silent. But online, life still pulses. We have so many participants that we often run out of space—the limit is 80 players. Sometimes, some have to be turned away. But we manage. And we will keep managing.

Thanks to bridge, I’m still active. Thanks to bridge, I haven’t disappeared from life. I meet new people, I laugh, I learn, and I pass on what I once observed at the kitchen table. And in my heart, I carry many stories—funny, touching, full of passion and drama. Stories that are now a part of me.

Because bridge isn’t just a game.
It’s life.
Deal after deal.

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