CHENNAI: The glossy deck of playing cards has always been synonymous with leisure, enjoyment, and the drive to triumph. Whether whipped out during a school picnic, a family trip, or a social gathering with friends, cards always promise to pick the player’s brain and present a night of possibilities. A hand, whether with the queen of hearts, ace of spades, or the joker, then kickstarts the brain to strategise, whether in Rummy, Poker, or Bluff.
Not as popular in the mainstream, the card game of Bridge evolved from the 17th-century Whist. Popular among the English noble class of the time, the rules of Whist dictate four players (who comprise two partnerships) are each dealt 13 cards from a deck of 52 cards. The objective was to win as many tricks as possible.
Over the years, this game has obtained a competitive edge, with international tournaments like The Bermuda Bowl and The Venice Cup. In the city, Bridge players frequent clubs like the Madras Gymkhana, Mylapore Club, and the T Nagar Club to attempt their hand at and sharpen the game.
Bridge ensures our mental faculty is active, explains Krishnamoorthy Kalyanasundaram, a Bridge trainer. Since 2019, the former engineer has introduced the game to batches of students, sharing his joy and passion through the deck. “When we were young, in our 20s and 30s, we could take to games like cricket. But when you get to your 50s, to keep yourself busy, you can play Bridge,” he says adding that it also boosts sociability as it’s a team game.
Unlike most sports, Bridge is inexpensive, requiring only a deck and a few people across a table. Laughing that this game might sound like French and Latin to beginners, the trainer explains that Bridge is transparent and every bid has a meaning. “My own game has improved considerably since I started teaching.”
Across ages, classes, and mediums
From the old and wizened to the young or middle-aged, this card game can be mastered by all. Kalyanasundaram adds that the game could be played by children who are not inclined to outdoor sports and ones with conditions that might not allow them to relish PT periods or sporting events.
While Bridge may be perceived as a game for the elites, he points out that the best bridge players are rickshaw pullers in Kolkata. They often congregate for a tricky game after a long day of labour or during their break. During the lockdown, many turned to online bridge, forging new partnerships across the web. “This platform BBO, where people can play Bridge 24x7 has been there for a long time, with computer-generated deals. It never caught up in a big way in India but during Covid, the physical Bridge went out of the window then,” he says.
There is a growing movement in Europe and America to introduce Bridge in progressive schools. UNESCO has resolved: “Bridge can develop, as an awakening sport and through its factor of conviviality, one’s intellectual faculties and a better knowledge of others.” In the European countries, the World Bridge Federation charted a course to develop Bridge at schools. The Bridge Federation of India (BFI) is taking proactive steps to encourage the game of Bridge for school-going children from class 5 upwards.
In India, the possibilities of Bridge are many — like cricket, this game could eventually lead to a stable career. “But for this to happen, the social structure needs to change. The only game that has become that popular with a chance to earn is cricket. There needs to be confidence in students that can make a livelihood in sports” he adds.
As for the future, plans are brewing for a Chennai Bridge Academy to open a space where players can frequent. “There can be schools in local areas and anyone interested in the game can learn. It is time to seriously think about ways to make it popular —for more people who have no way apart from coming to a club, and becoming a member,” says Kalyanasundaram, Meanwhile, following fervent appeals, the Sports Development Authority of Tamil Nadu has allotted a room for the game in their new complex. As the adage goes, “The game is like mental gymnastics. The more you play, the brawnier your brain gets.”