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We bridge players are used to hearing comments made like

“My grandmother plays bridge.”

The comments we want to hear more of are ones like:

“My grandchildren are playing bridge…and love the game.”

 

New Zealand Bridge would love to have more schools like Auckland Grammar, Macleans College and Bucklands Beach Intermediate School where bridge is becoming for some students an important part of their school life.

Grammar and MacLeans have had regular lunchtime sessions for several years now. With the enthusiasm of a bridge playing teacher, Lance Bowden, Macleans have had beginners classes on Sunday mornings for the past two years with significant numbers attending… up to 24 students. At Grammar, thanks to another bridge playing member of staff, Peter Shore, there are twice a week sessions. We have just held a Pairs tournament with students mainly from these two schools taking part…..42 of them.

Some of these students are club members at Howick and are starting to be seen at tournaments, even Open ones. They are collecting prizes, too.

At Bucklands Beach Intermediate (BBI), it is really interesting. The students have to choose an Activity once a week in class/ period time. One of the options is to learn and play bridge. Every Thursday, Howick Club members, Neil Beckett, Kay Main (who has just left the area) and Susan Rowe go along to BBI and for 40 minutes or so, supervise as the students divide themselves in groups of 4 and play the game. They have had some brief lessons but it’s mainly about playing. Some weeks, they have to turn some students away as the table and floor space is all used up.

Susan Rowe gives some bidding advice

When there are no tables left, there is only one place to play, at floor level.

The atmosphere is lovely. The noise level…can be quite high but that does not really matter. Many of these students will continue on to Macleans College with the opportunity to continue playing the game. That continuity is a big plus factor.

It is possible to get bridge going at schools. Perhaps we should target the Intermediate level, maybe even Primary, before the students get too busy in their breaks.

What we need is some bridge players with a friendly attitude to students to take such groups, introduce them to the game. They may be teachers at schools but not necessarily. A contact at a school, though, is very handy.

If many of our regular bridge players approach retirement (we are all supposed to be aging, aren’t we?), then we should have time on our hands….and the reward of spending a small part of that time with students can be huge. The sight of the students at BBI makes it all so very worthwhile.

Maybe you can help. If so, drop me an email at richard.solomon@nzbridge.co.nz  or call me on 09 232 8494.  You do not have to be a star player, far from it. Patience, a smile, an ability to relate to the students…and a basic knowledge of the game are all you need…oh and a level of reliability.

Can you help?

Richard Solomon

 

The rest of the tricks are needed to make 5 but there is one ace too many left in a defender's hand. The winners here were the defenders but overall the winners are anyone involved in Schools Bridge, as shown by these Buckland Beach students.

Ps The above three schools are not the only ones in this country where bridge is being played. They are perhaps the best examples so far of what can be achieved.

 

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