I really love early autumn when everything slows down, and one can enjoy lazy afternoons with a cup of tea and cookies or a glass of Chardonnay and peanuts—whatever you prefer. But this October is unusually busy for me. The university year started earlier, and there are many things to do before I leave for the World Bridge Games in Buenos Aires, where I’ll represent Croatia in the mixed teams competition. I’m super excited as I have never been this far from home, so I’m working frantically to get everything ready for this adventure while singing, “Lord I'm one, Lord I'm two, Lord I'm three, Lord I'm four, Lord I’m eight thousand miles…”

Still, it’s not only Argentina that thrills me. Even more exciting is the fact that I’m going there with my team. Though we’ve regularly played together for years, it's the shared anticipation of a big event like this that strengthens the bonds between us, as we start to see ourselves as part of a team.

There are many wonderful things about participating in such an important international event, but boosting team spirit is certainly at the top. I keep recalling that fabulous feeling of running towards my teammates after a tough match to tally the results—nervously reading the scoresheet: 5 in, 3 out, push (thank God they bid that tiny slam too!). The excitement in the air is palpable. Yes, of course, you can see the results on big displays, but nothing beats the feeling of scoring up with your team.

Our team has been playing together for about five years. We play regularly once a week at a club and participate in other major Croatian events. However, when we commit to an international championship like this, I can literally feel the energy between us flowing. We suddenly put the team ahead of personal needs and start thinking as a unit rather than as individuals. It may seem intimidating, but in reality, it’s very comforting.

As you know, bridge isn’t exclusively a team game, like football or volleyball. In fact, pairs tournaments are far more popular, probably because it's easier to find a partner than to form a team. However, it’s easy to prove that team bridge, where your performance and that of your teammates directly affect the score, is by far a more objective way of scoring. There may still be some luck involved, but much less than in pairs, where the field can crush you. For me, team bridge is a sport; everything else is just a game—no better or worse, just completely different.

However, in bridge, there’s no direct interaction between teammates during the game since each partnership plays at its own table, unaware of what’s happening in the other room. When we talk about social interaction, mutual understanding, and empathy, we often refer to partnerships rather than teams. Indeed, I’ve discussed the psychological aspects of partnerships in my previous articles. Rarely does anyone bring up the topic of team spirit as an integral part of the game.

So, do you think team spirit is important in bridge? If each partnership brings in a good score, the team’s performance will be satisfactory. On the other hand, if someone consistently generates huge minuses, not even Rodwell and Meckstroth could save them. If you’ve never experienced a long-lasting team, you might assume that team play in bridge is cumulative and not interactive. But is that really the case? Too many times in my 25 years of competitive international bridge, I’ve witnessed top players underperform because of stressful team conditions, and promising partnerships fall apart due to a poor team climate.

When I’m playing an important match and the opponents bid a slam and make it on a criss-cross squeeze, I feel much more confident knowing I have Vedran and Nikica on the other side. When there’s an awkward 3NT, I trust that Marina will somehow trick the opponents into giving us nine tricks. And if anyone is going to find the killing switch, it’ll be Dubo, playing for our team at the other table. Although we all have our bad days, knowing that we’re all in this together, giving our best, is incredibly encouraging and reassuring.

A team is a lot like a family. As I wrote in one of my previous columns, a partnership is more like a romantic relationship - full of emotions and turbulence - while a team is more like a family: safe and supportive. You don’t need to be friends with all your teammates, and it’s absolutely normal for everyone to be very different individuals. But once you’re recognized as a team, you have to put the team’s well-being above everything else. Throughout history, the most famous bridge teams had unique names they were recognized by (everyone has heard of the Dallas Aces or Squadra Azzurra), much like how family members share the same surname. I’m not particularly patriotic, but playing for my country does evoke national pride, and I’m honored and grateful for every opportunity I’ve had. Once we step foot in Argentina, we become Croatia, and that’s truly overwhelming.

In many of my psychology research projects, I’ve been part of teams. Though the atmosphere in those teams was always enjoyable, and we worked together toward a common goal, the bonds between us were never as strong. That’s because none of those teams ever felt endangered - we never had an “outside enemy,” except perhaps time. In bridge, once the competition starts, you’re up against all the others: it’s either you or them. It’s a well-known psychological fact that when a group feels threatened, cohesion between its members can increase dramatically.

I know there are many players who prefer pairs, and some who’ve never played in the same team for longer than a single tournament. Some may even say that team bridge is only for advanced players. However, you don’t have to be an expert to enjoy the benefits of team play. In my experience, for team spirit to flourish, it’s best to have either a group of players with similar skills or a group of weaker players with one “tutor” who enjoys helping others improve. In our club, we only play team bridge. There are teams of varying skill levels, from beginners to Croatian national teams, and some have been playing together for years. One of the most enduring teams, Abeloth - named after one of the most malicious beings from Star Wars - is made up of five players with such benign personalities that the name is almost comical. They started playing together because they liked each other and shared the belief that bridge should be both a challenge and fun. Besides playing together, they meet regularly to discuss hands and learn, but they also enjoy drinks after the game and attending nearby tournaments. Two years ago, they even qualified for Croatia’s first division. I’m sure they are much stronger as a team than as a group of individual players or partnerships, and because of their playful but devoted team spirit, they certainly have many years and adventures ahead of them.

I’m on my way to Argentina now. Just a reminder: there will be live broadcasts on BBO, and you can follow all the best players in the open, women’s, seniors, and mixed competitions and root for your favorites. You know, a cup of tea or a glass of Chardonnay, a blanket, and a laptop, with the best of bridge unfolding right before your eyes. What a treat!

About the author

Tihana Brkljačić is a psychologist and a bridge player. She teaches psychology and bridge at Zagreb university. She represented Croatia at multiple European championships and at The World Championship (Wuhan cup) in 2022. As a psychologist, her main areas of interest are in quality of life, well-being and communication. Additionally, she studies the psychology of games (focusing on bridge in particular) and consults players on various topics.