Story by Mostafa (BBO: darsh99)

I am 31 years old, a professional chess player and coach. My journey into the world of bridge began approximately three years ago when one of the top chess coaches in the Middle East, Mohammad Ibrahim, introduced me to the game. Having supported me significantly in chess, he now embarked on a new adventure with me, diving into another intellectual game that, like chess, relies on calculations, analysis, and focus.

All my friends know how much I love chess, and no one expected me to find another game that could rival it. Yet, that's exactly what happened with bridge. Initially, learning the system was far from easy. I struggled to decode and understand the intricate rules, and at times, I felt that studying physics might have been simpler and quicker for me. However, with the persistent encouragement of Coach Mohammad Ibrahim, we successfully overcame these challenges. Now it is time for competitive play, having thoroughly studied every aspect of the game.

Our performance in competitions started off well, but it wasn't spectacular. I faced difficulties at first due to nervousness, making odd and illogical mistakes. Over time, I gained confidence and became quite proficient, perhaps even the most dominant player in the field. Concurrently, I played online and won first place multiple times, even against friends from around the world in our initial encounters. This proved my strong command of the game, and now I look forward to meeting these friends in person.

I also had the opportunity to meet Amelia from Syria, with whom I competed. Amelia, a former Argentine minister, is now learning from me as well. Additionally, I have a friend from Germany with whom I always enjoy playing. We are looking forward to participating in an upcoming global online competition together.

Last year, I traveled to the UAE and participated in bridge tournaments there. Despite being younger than most participants, my performance impressed everyone, and I won second place multiple times with Anita from India. I also attended the Dubai Festival. Though I didn’t get a chance to compete, it was still an enjoyable experience for the spectators. Subsequently, I had the chance to play in the Cairo Festival. Although the results were not as good as hoped, the experience was invaluable.

Upon returning to Egypt, I continued training and competing. I achieved first place again with Coach Mohammad Ibrahim, which was a significant accomplishment. I played in the Cairo Festival once more, and though the result was moderate, I remain committed to improving my level in every possible way, especially given my young age.

I now feel prepared to play bridge at a professional level, even though I know there is still much to learn, and I am ready for that challenge. I look forward to meeting a real-life partner in the game, someone with whom I can play, study, and achieve high results and rankings.

Bridge has become a profound source of enjoyment for me, offering a blend of fun and intense competition.

You might wonder how it feels as a chess player to play bridge. You can read our article here — and maybe you can try playing bridge too!

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