Skills and Strategies at the Bridge Table

As we all know, bridge is a challenging, multi-faceted and fascinating game. In my first article, we looked at the emotional ups and downs that we can experience at the table. Playing bridge at the highest level requires an ability to read people and scenarios strategically, to be disciplined and calm under pressure, and to get the best out of oneself and one's partner.

This article focuses on the skills that players need to hone to be able to manage such interactions successfully at the bridge table. The ideas in this article are based on in-depth conversations I have had with 52 top players from the USA and Europe.

Reading people and playing strategically

A key bridge skill is the ability to read your opponents strategically. To succeed at the top levels of bridge, you need to be able to read your opponent's bodily mannerisms and card play. However, at the same time, you know that your opponents will also be reading you and your card play. This back and forth reading of your opponents and the situation is at the heart of strategic interaction. As English player Brian Senior says, it gives you an advantage when it comes to knowing the right cards to play at the right time:

"You need to be able to try and put yourself inside the head of your opponent just to see what problems they might have. For example, if you're playing a hand, it may be obvious to you what your weakness is, but it doesn't necessarily follow that the defender will be in a position to know what your problem is. And you can play on that and if you do things confidently and smoothly enough then they have a difficult guess and can get it wrong."

Brian Senior

By closely observing card play and body language, the best players learn to anticipate and often predict the cards their opponents hold and how they might play them. Thoughtful and logical analysis of situations at the table not only assess the best course of action to achieve their own objectives, but also to find ways to scupper their opponents' plans. Accurately reading a situation involves piecing together several pieces of information, in the same way that a detective follows a trail of clues to solve a mystery.

Responding with discipline

As we saw in my last article, top players need to be able to control their irritation with their own failings as well as those of their partner so as not to give their opponents an advantage through a verbal outburst. At the same time, they also need to stay flexible and change their game-plans in the light of emerging information. As Zia explains, problem-solving under time pressure is not necessarily straightforward:

"The ability to adjust and improvise when the circumstances change is a big ask. At the table, circumstances aren't exactly black and white and you have to work out what should I do to solve this particular problem?"

Zia

As we learn to cope with losing and try to recover when game plans do not go well, we can toughen up and build resilience. Bridge is a game of mistakes and learning from errors is an important part of becoming a better player.

In addition to reading people strategically, successful players respond to events in a disciplined manner and in turn manage their own body language. They learn to anticipate possible reactions and problems that might occur and to prepare accordingly. If (and when) things go wrong, bridge is a game that requires supportive silence in the face of mistakes, and a calm demeanour in the face of difficulties.

Developing trusting relationships

Building a strong bridge partnership takes time and effort. It requires empathy, understanding and an ability to support your partner through mistakes made from both sides of the table. When I asked US player Jill Meyers what are the key characteristics of a good partner, she replied:

"Keeping your mouth shut when something bad happens at the table and being able to take your ego out and discuss differences."

Jill Meyers

Bridge teaches the value of loyalty, cooperation and mutually supportive relationships. A key aspect of becoming a top player is to avoid mistakes whilst offering supportive silence to your partner when things go awry.

Life skills learnt through playing bridge

Several players are sure that the skills they develop through bridge, such as the ability to strategically plan, read people, be disciplined and focus on what is important at the bridge table, can translate to other areas of life. Nick Nickell, one of the most successful bridge sponsors in the US, says:

"I'm quite sure that the lessons I've learned at bridge have helped at business and lessons I've learned at business have helped at bridge. A lot of what you learn isn't applicable to the other but some of it is the same stuff. Being good team-mates, being a good partner or co-worker, if you're nice to them, they'll do better. In business, learning what is important and what isn't is very helpful."

Nick Nickell

Life skills such as decision-making under pressure, flexibility in problem-solving, concentration and focus can be developed through playing bridge. Players test, practise and negotiate such skills at the bridge table, which in turn can be an advantage in other areas of business, personal and social life.

An ability to weigh up different options and to calculate risk and probability, to make logical assessments of a situation and to plan accordingly are aspects of playing bridge at the highest level. In addition to analytical thinking, top players learn and practise interpersonal skills whilst developing resilience and emotional self-control. They try to put personal feelings aside in order to get better results for the partnership, and keep calm in the face of setbacks. Bridge encourages concentration, requiring us to remain focused and not to let distractions affect our play. Easy to say but harder to achieve! Given that these life skills can be learned and practised at the bridge table, it suggests there is wider potential for teaching and promoting bridge in schools. In my next article, we will explore different motivations for playing bridge. Why do you play and what type of bridge player are you?