The Challenges and Opportunities for Promoting Bridge — body (BBO house style)
Samantha Punch
In my last article, we saw that the various types of bridge players, the socialiser, competitor, self-improver and mind-gamer, resonate with many players. I suggested that marketing messages to attract new players could reflect these shifting types, tapping into different motivations that draw people to bridge. BAMSA's recent research has identified several barriers and enablers for promoting bridge and getting more people involved.
Barriers to Bridge Promotion
At an individual level: people have a variety of motivations for playing bridge. For duplicate players, the ability to find consistent partners at compatible times and skill levels is a challenge. For social players, the time required to play a session is a barrier. Several participants took breaks from playing and did not return to the game until later life because work and life commitments impacted their ability and desire to play bridge.
At an institutional level: it needs to be recognised that the first few club experiences for newcomers are crucial and they must be positive, but the (often unintentionally rude) actions of experienced players can hinder this. There is a need for a welcoming club and tournament culture, with a "zero tolerance" approach to poor behaviour. In addition, teaching methods are often traditional and formal in nature. Bridge's complexity is part of its appeal, but this could be off-putting for certain types of players.
At a cultural level: bridge is frequently associated with older age, and this perception can discourage younger players. There is also a perception of elitism, with an assumption that bridge players must be highly intelligent, well-educated and from relatively affluent backgrounds. Bridge marketing is an issue. Social media marketing to attract younger people is not widely used. Effective recruitment campaigns are difficult to identify.
In order to overcome some of the challenges facing the promotion of bridge, we could perhaps learn from other mindsports, like chess or poker. For example, more promotional social media content could be developed that dramatizes strategic moments in high-level games or explores the personal journeys of diverse bridge players. Short-form video content designed for platforms like TikTok, Instagram or YouTube could highlight the excitement, strategy and social dynamics of the game. Other opportunities for promoting bridge have also emerged from BAMSA's research and are outlined below.
Opportunities for Promoting Bridge
At an individual level: not all players aspire to master the game or compete in tournaments; many are drawn to bridge for its social aspects or leisure qualities. This needs to be borne in mind when recruiting players. Bridge clubs could also encourage competitive players to embrace occasional less serious and more casual games in line with the socialisers. For the self-improver or competitor, an emphasis on incorporating some social fun games could help to counteract the pressure of achieving progress or performing well.
At an institutional level: it is important to engage both social and competitive players across age groups, including through youth initiatives that encourage cross-generational participation. There is also value in connecting clubs with more informal, community-based spaces, such as café bridge or coffee mornings in local venues.
At a cultural level: social and digital media marketing has the potential to enhance visibility and reach more diverse audiences.
Coordinated strategies are important. Initiatives aimed solely at increasing individual motivation or advertising the cognitive benefits of bridge are unlikely to succeed if institutional structures and club cultures remain unchanged. Some strategies for marketing bridge targeted at different types of players include:
Education and Intergenerational Learning (for self-improvers): Promote bridge's intellectual and social benefits through education and intergenerational programmes. This could include developing flexible teaching pathways and expanding mentorship schemes.
Hybrid and Flexible Formats (for competitors): Combine online play with in-person meetups to reflect modern leisure habits.
Inclusive Club Cultures (for socialisers): Balance the social and competitive sides of bridge by ensuring new or casual players feel welcomed alongside more serious competitors.
Media and Digital Engagement (for mind-gamers): Create media content that highlights the intellectual challenge and social enjoyment of bridge.
Other practical suggestions include increasing the visibility of diverse and younger role models in promotional materials, and encouraging collaborative partnerships between clubs or organisations. These kinds of marketing strategies could help rebrand bridge as a vibrant, engaging activity that fits modern, hybrid leisure habits, without pushing older players away.
Revitalising bridge takes a multi-layered approach, one that looks at individual motivations and constraints as well as the broader cultural and institutional picture. It is vital to address barriers at all levels to ensure that bridge is welcoming to a wider spectrum of players, particularly those who just want to enjoy some relaxed, friendly competition. In this way, bridge can maintain its rich heritage while expanding participation and cultivating a more diverse and engaged community.
Efforts at one level need to line up with changes at the others. Recruitment campaigns, educational practices and club environments must consistently convey messages of accessibility, welcome and inclusion. The ultimate goal is to expand the reach of bridge to a new generation of players.
Further Reading
McCutcheon A. and Punch S. (2026) Promoting Traditional Leisure: Barriers and Enablers for the Mindsport Bridge, Leisure Studies, 1-22. doi.org/10.1080/02614367.2026.2692685
Samantha Punch is Professor of Sociology at the University of Stirling in Scotland. She leads the Bridge: A MindSport for All (BAMSA) research project (bridgemindsport.org), which explores the social, non-technical, and cultural aspects of bridge, including wellbeing, partnerships, and player development.
26 comments on “Barriers and Opportunities in Bridge”
Beginners are often put off in their early club life because of the perceived "attitude" of more "experienced" players. That's usually a euphemism for "better".
However, becoming better at the game means more to think about in limited time. It is simply that, more than being "too serious", that drives the apparent attitude.
Finding a way to keep players of different levels apart seems essential. My spouse learned the game late in life and loved the early lessons, beginner competitions etc. When you win, you enjoy it. But is was all IMP or MP scoring so there were also losers, who enjoyed it less. Solving that problem is difficult - keeping players stratified leads to them staying in small ponds of their comfort zone. Pushing them on to better standard games risks losing them.
Needing partners of the same level is a problem, as noted in the piece, but that's a duplicate issue not a social bridge one.
One of the central dynamics in the ACBL — and similarly on platforms like BBO — is that the ecosystem is built around awarding and selling Masterpoints, which naturally creates a revenue‑driven model. Teachers operate within that same structure. When Masterpoints and profit become the primary focus, it can unintentionally narrow the ways bridge is shared and experienced.
If the goal shifts from making money to growing the game, I believe bridge could spread much more widely. For example, I would love to see a club that offers both duplicate and purely social bridge. A club(s) could even focus entirely on social play, charging modest fees for drinks, refreshments, or membership, without tying the experience to Masterpoints. That kind of environment might attract players who simply want to enjoy the game.
Just a thought
I started playing with just the rules gained from encyclopedia. Unencumbered by all the conventions like needing 4 card to bid a suit or 13 points or 3,5 tricks or point ranges for NT. This really helped when 2 years later I encountered these conventions and could compare their efficacy with how I played with following these rules.
I believe KEVIN WILSON is one of the best Bridge teachers around. His love for the game and his wonderful teaching style is abundantly indicative of this. He addresses three important modalities of learning…visual, written, and auditory presentations.
Kevin offers classes thru BBO at a modest amount of money, $40 for 4 classes. He provides an hour long video of the class. The format is especially helpful, insofar, as during the presentation, one must write their question(s). This keeps the focus on the class topic. Kevin is organized and If a person goes off topic, Kevin encourages them to contact him for further help.
In addition, when one is playing Bride with friends, and a problem or concern arises in an unrelated subject area, Kevin welcomes contacting him. He shares answers as to what was done correctly and where you may have gone astray. Kevin is approachable!
It would be great if BBO could hire him to teach on line classes to students.
He has a terrific way with people, and he would be ideal as a mentor. He started playing at 14 so can provide insights to ways of acceptance to these young students. Just a thought…
I believe KEVIN WILSON is one of the best Bridge teachers around. His love for the game and his wonderful teaching style is abundantly indicative of this. He addresses three important modalities of learning…visual, written, and auditory presentations.
Kevin offers classes thru BBO at a modest amount of money, $40 for 4 classes. He provides an hour long video of the class. The format is especially helpful, insofar, as during the presentation, one must write their question(s). This keeps the focus on the class topic. Kevin is organized and If a person goes off topic, Kevin encourages them to contact him for further help.
In addition, when one is playing Bride with friends, and a problem or concern arises in an unrelated subject area, Kevin welcomes contacting him. He shares answers as to what was done correctly and where you may have gone astray. Kevin is approachable!
It would be great if BBO could hire him to teach on line classes to students.
He has a great way with people, and he would be ideal as a mentor. He started play at 14 so can provide insights to ways of acceptance to these young students. Just a thought…
I think courses in bridge focus on too much information for the beginner - see the Australian bridge teacher Paul Marston and his «Introduction to bridge» for one who has understood this!
Program called SCHOOL BRIDGE LEAGUE is one way to get younger people involved in the game of BRIDGE and is thought to help these students in both Science and Mathematics
I had bridge lessons for beginners. Nine months later I joined a group of players and while most were friendly there were some who objected to playing with beginners. These ladies have been playing for 30+ years and they have no interest in helping newcomers.
Unfortunately this is true of many older players. It is up to the teacher to encourage a supportive culture in the club, calling on the more experienced players to share their expertise with beginners.
Great article and very constructive suggestions and information.I believe that being supportive to new players is vital.As to those who are snobbish or rude what can I say except that in every home there is a garbage bin.
Employ regional people to ;advertise,market and sell bridge in their area . Tennis suffers in a similar way . It’s a great game but clubs prove a barrier to expansion rather than an enjoyment of life
. Excellent article by Samantha.
Very perceptive . Shows a thorough understanding of the complexities involved. Very sound recommendations. However, implementation is hard and needs dedicated application by bridge enthusiasts,
A focus at school level about this fascinating game game, its mental challenges, social and comprtitive aspects, achievement motivation with involvement of parents may go a long way in promoting the game,
Guess this game is "cursed", but don't panic! It requires a lot of time, which young people usually don't have(!), then a good memory, a bit of maths, some psychology and a good concentration...which are not really attributes of the elder...sry! Plus I think it is a game better suited to men...and it's mostly women playing it?
Aye, there's the rub...
All this is quite interesting and well thought of. I think however that 2 key points are missed:
- involve schools with inter-class and inter-schools competitions. Bridge can start very early: as soon as the pupils can add up to 13.
- teach bridge a fully different way to show how creative this game is, instead of feeding a flock of sheep with incorrect static material. The real rules of bridge are quite simple. What is not and not fitting the purpose of good play and attraction to the game is all the trimmings that are cluttered on top: most conventions, rules of the thumb, and so on. Get back to the basics of Culbertson, then teach 2/1 for instance in a pure logical way, without involving at all the memory of the students.
I think focusing on these 2 areas for improvement + zero tolerance for rude behavior + much fewer MP tourneys vs total point will do the job. This requires teaching the teachers as well...
Very good article- This younger generation is spoiled by the speed of internet games and the themes We had bridge after school to get kids into the challenge of bridge. They had too many activities plus homework! Our young society is less sociable and desires to excel in action sports individually! I hate to see bridge falling apart! Rewarding players monetarily is a plus online perhaps! We need players!
As a sociologist, you are probably aware of an earlier bridge culture ... the culture in which I spent the first five decades of my long life in bridge. There were no duplicate bridge clubs in the Bronx in the early 1950s. I knew only of the Paradise Bridge Studio, a rubber bridge club, which I visited in the autumn of 1952 to play duplicate bridge on Thursday nights when they held a pre-game calcutta. As a young man, I played more rubber bridge than duplicate. I neither knew nor played many conventions. Only Blackwood and Stayman were commonly used, so I could walk into a rubber bridge club, cut into a game with strangers, and assume that everyone played Culbertson as translated by Goren from Honor Trick to Point-Count terms. For 40 years from 1953 on, until the last rubber bridge in town folded, I played much more rubber bridge than duplicate. From childhood through middle age, I was a rubber bridge player first, a duplicate bridge player second. Alas, those days are gone. My last rubber bridge was about 20 years ago when Eddie Kantar invited Marshall Miles and Mitch Dunitz to his home for an evening of threepenny rubber bridge---complicated only slightly by our use of conventions (Marshall and I played the 1994 version of Bridge World Standard, as the then current 2002 version was too complicated even for us. I'll say this for Culbertson and Goren---they popularized the game and made it accessible to all.
I don't think many new players will be attracted to bridge if it involves learning Inverted Two-Way Reverse Drury or having to defend against Phantom Hamilton at the table.
You, as a sociologist, might study the social aspects if the game. You might be able, better than I, to explain why rubber bridge become nearly extinct. More interestingly still, you might be able to study why some systems and conventions came into vogue and others either never caught on or virtually disappeared. The study of only one topic---such as different Notrump Defenses---might be fascinating. Why did ASTRO enjoy a brief vogue only to be replaced by Hamilton, for example?
From personal experience I think they should come up with one partner seeking platform … where one can use different filters.I gave up club bridge because just couldn’t get the right fit with partners
Beginners are often put off in their early club life because of the perceived "attitude" of more "experienced" players. That's usually a euphemism for "better".
However, becoming better at the game means more to think about in limited time. It is simply that, more than being "too serious", that drives the apparent attitude.
Finding a way to keep players of different levels apart seems essential. My spouse learned the game late in life and loved the early lessons, beginner competitions etc. When you win, you enjoy it. But is was all IMP or MP scoring so there were also losers, who enjoyed it less. Solving that problem is difficult - keeping players stratified leads to them staying in small ponds of their comfort zone. Pushing them on to better standard games risks losing them.
Needing partners of the same level is a problem, as noted in the piece, but that's a duplicate issue not a social bridge one.
Nobody has found the answer yet. It's not easy.
👌
Bridge and instagram don't mix. Bridge and TikTok definitely don't mix.
One of the central dynamics in the ACBL — and similarly on platforms like BBO — is that the ecosystem is built around awarding and selling Masterpoints, which naturally creates a revenue‑driven model. Teachers operate within that same structure. When Masterpoints and profit become the primary focus, it can unintentionally narrow the ways bridge is shared and experienced.
If the goal shifts from making money to growing the game, I believe bridge could spread much more widely. For example, I would love to see a club that offers both duplicate and purely social bridge. A club(s) could even focus entirely on social play, charging modest fees for drinks, refreshments, or membership, without tying the experience to Masterpoints. That kind of environment might attract players who simply want to enjoy the game.
Just a thought
I started playing with just the rules gained from encyclopedia. Unencumbered by all the conventions like needing 4 card to bid a suit or 13 points or 3,5 tricks or point ranges for NT. This really helped when 2 years later I encountered these conventions and could compare their efficacy with how I played with following these rules.
I believe KEVIN WILSON is one of the best Bridge teachers around. His love for the game and his wonderful teaching style is abundantly indicative of this. He addresses three important modalities of learning…visual, written, and auditory presentations.
Kevin offers classes thru BBO at a modest amount of money, $40 for 4 classes. He provides an hour long video of the class. The format is especially helpful, insofar, as during the presentation, one must write their question(s). This keeps the focus on the class topic. Kevin is organized and If a person goes off topic, Kevin encourages them to contact him for further help.
In addition, when one is playing Bride with friends, and a problem or concern arises in an unrelated subject area, Kevin welcomes contacting him. He shares answers as to what was done correctly and where you may have gone astray. Kevin is approachable!
It would be great if BBO could hire him to teach on line classes to students.
He has a terrific way with people, and he would be ideal as a mentor. He started playing at 14 so can provide insights to ways of acceptance to these young students. Just a thought…
I believe KEVIN WILSON is one of the best Bridge teachers around. His love for the game and his wonderful teaching style is abundantly indicative of this. He addresses three important modalities of learning…visual, written, and auditory presentations.
Kevin offers classes thru BBO at a modest amount of money, $40 for 4 classes. He provides an hour long video of the class. The format is especially helpful, insofar, as during the presentation, one must write their question(s). This keeps the focus on the class topic. Kevin is organized and If a person goes off topic, Kevin encourages them to contact him for further help.
In addition, when one is playing Bride with friends, and a problem or concern arises in an unrelated subject area, Kevin welcomes contacting him. He shares answers as to what was done correctly and where you may have gone astray. Kevin is approachable!
It would be great if BBO could hire him to teach on line classes to students.
He has a great way with people, and he would be ideal as a mentor. He started play at 14 so can provide insights to ways of acceptance to these young students. Just a thought…
chess boomed partly because film Queens Gambit portrsyed it as cool. bridge needs similar
I think courses in bridge focus on too much information for the beginner - see the Australian bridge teacher Paul Marston and his «Introduction to bridge» for one who has understood this!
Excellent article,
I’ll share it with our committee members here in Newcastle NSW
Newcastle bridge club Broadmeadow.
intelligent article about a very fun and exciting game...thank you!
Hi Sam, from Hollywood Fla. Xoxo. Lee and Mark
Program called SCHOOL BRIDGE LEAGUE is one way to get younger people involved in the game of BRIDGE and is thought to help these students in both Science and Mathematics
I had bridge lessons for beginners. Nine months later I joined a group of players and while most were friendly there were some who objected to playing with beginners. These ladies have been playing for 30+ years and they have no interest in helping newcomers.
Unfortunately this is true of many older players. It is up to the teacher to encourage a supportive culture in the club, calling on the more experienced players to share their expertise with beginners.
We have great success at our club in Taree.
Great article and very constructive suggestions and information.I believe that being supportive to new players is vital.As to those who are snobbish or rude what can I say except that in every home there is a garbage bin.
Employ regional people to ;advertise,market and sell bridge in their area . Tennis suffers in a similar way . It’s a great game but clubs prove a barrier to expansion rather than an enjoyment of life
Thought provoking article but very true.Two things that stand out to me are elitism and age barrier.
. Excellent article by Samantha.
Very perceptive . Shows a thorough understanding of the complexities involved. Very sound recommendations. However, implementation is hard and needs dedicated application by bridge enthusiasts,
A focus at school level about this fascinating game game, its mental challenges, social and comprtitive aspects, achievement motivation with involvement of parents may go a long way in promoting the game,
Thank you
Guess this game is "cursed", but don't panic! It requires a lot of time, which young people usually don't have(!), then a good memory, a bit of maths, some psychology and a good concentration...which are not really attributes of the elder...sry! Plus I think it is a game better suited to men...and it's mostly women playing it?
Aye, there's the rub...
Is there any possibility of showing that wonderful video, with sub-titles, of a bridge match decades ago, that included Zia Mahmood?
Wordle and Connections can copy a small success picture you can easily post on social media.
Wordle 1,928 4/6
⬛⬛⬛🟨⬛
🟩⬛⬛⬛⬛
🟩⬛🟨⬛⬛
🟩🟩🟩🟩🟩
Connections
Puzzle #1205
🟩🟩🟩🟩
🟪🟪🟪🟪
🟦🟦🟦🟦
🟨🟨🟨🟨
Could BBO develop a similar display?
venki62 Tourney 12345 board 11 6 Spades +1
🟨🟨🟨🟨🟨🟨🟦🟦🟦🟦🟦🟦🟪
or
venki62 Tourney 12345 board 11 6 Spades -2
🟨🟨🟨🟨🟨🟨🟦🟦🟦🟦⬛⬛🟪
or Somehow comparing with double dummy results?
All this is quite interesting and well thought of. I think however that 2 key points are missed:
- involve schools with inter-class and inter-schools competitions. Bridge can start very early: as soon as the pupils can add up to 13.
- teach bridge a fully different way to show how creative this game is, instead of feeding a flock of sheep with incorrect static material. The real rules of bridge are quite simple. What is not and not fitting the purpose of good play and attraction to the game is all the trimmings that are cluttered on top: most conventions, rules of the thumb, and so on. Get back to the basics of Culbertson, then teach 2/1 for instance in a pure logical way, without involving at all the memory of the students.
I think focusing on these 2 areas for improvement + zero tolerance for rude behavior + much fewer MP tourneys vs total point will do the job. This requires teaching the teachers as well...
Very good article- This younger generation is spoiled by the speed of internet games and the themes We had bridge after school to get kids into the challenge of bridge. They had too many activities plus homework! Our young society is less sociable and desires to excel in action sports individually! I hate to see bridge falling apart! Rewarding players monetarily is a plus online perhaps! We need players!
Dear Samantha,
As a sociologist, you are probably aware of an earlier bridge culture ... the culture in which I spent the first five decades of my long life in bridge. There were no duplicate bridge clubs in the Bronx in the early 1950s. I knew only of the Paradise Bridge Studio, a rubber bridge club, which I visited in the autumn of 1952 to play duplicate bridge on Thursday nights when they held a pre-game calcutta. As a young man, I played more rubber bridge than duplicate. I neither knew nor played many conventions. Only Blackwood and Stayman were commonly used, so I could walk into a rubber bridge club, cut into a game with strangers, and assume that everyone played Culbertson as translated by Goren from Honor Trick to Point-Count terms. For 40 years from 1953 on, until the last rubber bridge in town folded, I played much more rubber bridge than duplicate. From childhood through middle age, I was a rubber bridge player first, a duplicate bridge player second. Alas, those days are gone. My last rubber bridge was about 20 years ago when Eddie Kantar invited Marshall Miles and Mitch Dunitz to his home for an evening of threepenny rubber bridge---complicated only slightly by our use of conventions (Marshall and I played the 1994 version of Bridge World Standard, as the then current 2002 version was too complicated even for us. I'll say this for Culbertson and Goren---they popularized the game and made it accessible to all.
I don't think many new players will be attracted to bridge if it involves learning Inverted Two-Way Reverse Drury or having to defend against Phantom Hamilton at the table.
You, as a sociologist, might study the social aspects if the game. You might be able, better than I, to explain why rubber bridge become nearly extinct. More interestingly still, you might be able to study why some systems and conventions came into vogue and others either never caught on or virtually disappeared. The study of only one topic---such as different Notrump Defenses---might be fascinating. Why did ASTRO enjoy a brief vogue only to be replaced by Hamilton, for example?
Yours,
Danny
From personal experience I think they should come up with one partner seeking platform … where one can use different filters.I gave up club bridge because just couldn’t get the right fit with partners