Story by Linda Barwick (BBO: sook54)
I remember being taught to play bridge as a young Australian child by my grandmother, Marjorie Barwick (née Millard, 1907–1987). The daughter of an American immigrant, Mama (as we called her) was a glamorous and accomplished woman, interested in the latest trends in fashion, cookery, and interior decoration. Perhaps it was her American heritage, as well as her lively mind, that led her to join the New South Wales Bridge Club in Sydney in the late 1930s. I believe this was just a few years after the club was founded. It wasn’t long before my grandfather, a teacher, was posted away from Sydney, and throughout her life Mama continued to play bridge in the many different country towns where his teaching career took them. I remember her studying hands with her partner and bringing home many trophies.
One of her many bridge-related sayings was, "You’d be shot for that in the NSW Bridge Club!" She would say this whenever anyone made a social faux pas. This referred to a probably apocryphal story about someone having been shot at the bridge table for making a bad bid.
Other bridge sayings she taught my siblings and me as we were learning, which I remember and repeat to this day when the occasion warrants, included the classics: "You have to lose tricks to win them," "Eight ever, nine never," and "When in doubt, lead trumps." Her personal favorite was, "One down is good bridge."
I inherited many bridge books from her, including Contract Bridge by Ely Culbertson (1948 edition), Defensive Bridge Play by Eddie Kantar, and How to Win at Duplicate Bridge by Marshall Miles.
My own bridge career, like my grandmother’s, was interrupted by a busy work and family life. But when I retired in 2020, I was delighted to join the South Australian Bridge Club in Adelaide, where I now live. Like my grandmother, I have made many good friends through bridge, though I doubt I will ever earn as many masterpoints!
I enjoyed your story, Linda! “Down one is good bridge” is one of my favorite sayings, and I often add that by that measure I play a LOT of good bridge.
Bridge, like baseball, has many old sayings, and I learn new ones every so often. Recently, I added “Nativity Scene” (a dummy containing three kings) to my repertoire. .
Great story! Thank you!
Thanks Linda - enjoyed your story about bridge in your family.
Thanks Linda for sharing with us your bridge story- btw I learned bridge with my grandma in Sydney in late 1960s!
Ooh how did we miss each other! She was living in Terrigal by then I think 🙂
Just wish to play better bridge please !!!
Je n'ai pas tout compris, bien que le langage du bridge 5ème majeure soit assez clair !
Quoi qu'il en soit, l'intérêt et le plaisir de la connaissance du bridge est bien réel et très important surtout à la retraite.
Merci aux parents et grand-parents initiateurs.
Merci Claire! A cette époque (les années 60) on enseignait le système Goren en quatrième majeure. Mais les règles ou bien les lignes directrices étaient plus ou moins les mêmes.
I'm afraid "4th best from longest and strongest" and "lead trump" are some of the worst advice ever in bridge.
They're like a cancer that never goes away.
There are exceptions where say at IMP's your desparate to set a 3nt contract and opps seem to have extras.
Or when all other suit leads have broken honors you might lead trump or you have a good holding in RHO's side suit you might want to lead trumps as you know they want to take ruffs in that suit.
But otherwise those are two of the many actively conter-productive addages in bridge.
Also, 9 never is a rather weak rule. 9 never is barely over 50% so only do it if you have no other information. Things like vacant spaces will often over-ride 9 never.
Thank you for your comment! The “4th best from longest and strongest” was not mentioned in my story but I’m pretty sure that was another guideline she taught. Of course all these sayings are most useful for beginners, we all keep learning as we go along, don’t we!
Tubli vanaema!
Sounds like your grandmother was a very good bridge teacher. Thank you for sharing.