The Youngest at the Table
Story by Jon Herman (BBO: Jonny Ace1) I first learned bridge by osmosis some 60-...
Story by Sarika (BBO: sarikam)
During my initial years of playing bridge, I constantly had mini emotional explosions—a mixture of feelings: confusion, uncertainty, stress, memory fatigue, and many more. But the biggest one of them all was fear of opponents with superior math skills. I have never been great at math, and for some strange reason, I equated great math skills as the main contributor to becoming a successful bridge player.
With time and playing experience, I had an "Aha!" moment—an epiphany. I realized I was equipped with basic math skills like calculations, laws of probability, logical reasoning, and an understanding of odds to make inferences. Yes, a non-math person can also excel at this game, and I'm living proof that a successful bridge player does not need to be a math expert.
My strengths include strong intuition, gut feeling, the ability to read opponents' body language, besides the basic math skills the game demands. So, no more fearing my opponents' superior math skills—besides, I can certainly count to 13! In fact, I'm so convinced by my analysis highlighted above that I decided to compose a poem about it.
Oft I face this dilemma weird,
Wishing my opponents are not the math whizzes I so feared…
My self-doubts always manifest,
What if I err and don’t play my best?
My reputation as a bridge player would be put to the test
But is bridge only about logic?
If so, my results would always be chaotic?
Agreed bridge is not all frolic,
And requires thinking grand like the Titanic,
I certainly need to analyze more on this topic!!
No matter how our logic makes us smart,
There is a certain element: playing with your heart.
This is what sets individual games apart.
Unlike robots, from human emotions we cannot depart,
And that's what makes playing bridge the most fun part!
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You have nailed it!
You are absolutely right! But, may I please share one other observation that can kill anything a person brings to the table? It's focus and concentration. When someone struggles to be able to focus and concentrate enough to be able to remember what they are counting, it's hard to play bridge. Same goes for "forgetting" what's been played and by which player or how the bidding went. And that's even if they remembered to notice it because, maybe they were focusing on, say, "table talk" or something else that distracted them. It's not as easy to control as one might think, even if the player cares and it makes for a very undesirable and inconsistent partner. And people don't even understand that you "can" play when so often, they observe just really crazy stuff. Fortunately, this person doesn't play with people.
Some of the worst Bridge players I know are accountants who seem unable to count to 13! I sometimes wonder whether it is bacause they are unable to cope with a base of 13 with the lowest number = 1 and the highest is 1?
If God had intended us to be able to count to 13, He'd have given us six-and-a-half fingers on each hand.
Enjoyed the story !
Très important l'intuition !
Pour que le bridge reste un jeu, il faut y mettre une touche de coeur...
Very nice and encouraging Saroja. I also went thru this but encourage others to join and learn basic rules of the game. Love it!
Sweet story.
Best bridge poem ever
Hmmm. Intuition. Good luck with that.
Well said Madam, it is not Mathematical rain but common sense, Intuition and body language. Words will not explain your thoughts but your face& body can!! Face is the Index of mind. Congrats Madam.
Nice one
Brave effort Sarika; very few Bridge players can write poems
I am a multi man; I know just what to do;
I always bid two diamonds when I haven’t a clue.
Opponents try their best; the contract they can wrest
; but only if they gamble that their 2no trump is best !