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Bridge and Card Game History
The card game of bridge derived from the British game of Whist which was played by royalty and aristocracy in Britain way back in the 17th century and onwards. Some bridge historians claim that this whist derivative was already present in the 1800's in Constantinople (known as Istanbul today). It was a card game played by the sultans and their courts and by the wealthy classes.
According to the U.S. Bridge Federation the word "bridge" as the name of the game comes from the Galata Bridge which spans the Golden Horn linking the old and new parts of Istanbul. Bridge players would cross the Galata everyday to play the card game in a coffeehouse. Others say that the name stems from a Russian type of the card game which the Russians called "biritch" or "britch". However, the U.S. Federation claims that the players were educated people that would have known how to spell and pronounce the word.
When Bridge made it to the U.S. at the beginning of the 20th century, the wealthy Cornelius Vanderbilt, who was enamored of this card game, devised set rules and a system of scoring. Then in the 1930's Ely Culbertson actually published a set of rules and regulations for "contract bridge" which is more or less the card game that is widely played today. Charles Goren added some of his methods in the 1950's and that helped to popularize the game.
In 1958 the World Bridge Federation was founded and they pretty well oversee bridge tournaments around the world which just goes to show how bridge has become one of the really popular card games played today.
Some Bridge Discussion and Gossip
The card game is essentially a "contract" trick-taking game. It is played with four players who are two sets of partners. The partners sit across from each other at the table, and their eventual contract is made through bidding calls. Once one set of partners has won the contract, one of them puts his hand open on the table (as the dummy) and his partner then plays the hand, trying to achieve the number of "tricks" he has stated in the bidding.
A friend of mine, who is a member of a bridge group that meets twice a week to play, has vehemently stated that bridge is the one and only intelligent card game in existence.
However, when I asked another friend of mine if she knows anything about bridge, her reply was: "Oh, yes. It is one of those card games played by old and rich women."
Really serious players, usually those found in any bridge group, can get very upset if their partners make mistakes during a hand, resulting in the loss of tricks or points. This kind of situation can lead to out and out arguments at the table and even to blows.
There is a famous story about two couples who were playing bridge in Kansas City in the year 1931. One couple, Mr. and Mrs. Bennett, were making very unpleasant remarks about the bidding and playing abilities of each other. Finally, when Mr. Bennett lost the hand for them, his wife became so angry that she seemed hysterical. Mr. Bennett slapped her several times, so said witnesses, and she immediately ran into another room, returned with a revolver and killed her husband.
Whether this story is true or not, it does demonstrate how heated a bridge game can be.
To Learn Bridge Join a Bridge Group
Because the card game of Bridge is very complicated, it requires intense powers of concentration, a very good memory and a thorough knowledge of the rules of the game.
For this reason, a novice, wishing to learn the game, should join a bridge group at least for a period of several months. These groups generally have "beginners" tables and an instructor who will teach you how to play.
One doesn't learn to play in one or two sittings and practice is definitely a necessary item. There are very few people who can teach themselves the game just by reading Goren's or any other reliable person's books. It takes an instructor and many sessions of practice play to become a good Bridge player.
But once you have learned, bridge is a very challenging and satisfying game to play. Furthermore, it is often recommended as a way to improve one's memory.
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