The Perpetual Tourist

Anyone who’s been following along knows that I am a bridge player. I’m one of the handful of young people involved in the game today, and I love it. Computer and console gaming have really pushed bridge out of the social scene for kids, which is a real tragedy, because young people have so much to gain from the game, from scholarships to networking opportunities and — you guessed it — travel.

Duplicate bridge is a card game of skill (the “duplicate” part means luck is all but completely eliminated) that takes a few hours to learn the basics and a lifetime to master, if mastery is even possible. It’s great for anyone who loves competition and challenges, and because there are so few young people in the game today, the American Contract Bridge League and the World Bridge Federation are working hard to lure fresh faces to the bridge world. This means free lessons, free money, and lots and lots of travel. You don’t have to be a champion to take advantage of all that’s offered to juniors (bridge players under 26), and you don’t have to be a junior to get a lot out of the game of bridge, either.

There are four main competition formats in the US. First are club games, which are weekly games run by local groups of anywhere from three to fifty tables. These are social events as much as they are competition, and you tend to make a lot of good friends playing regularly in a bridge club. Use this page to find a bridge club near you — visitors are always welcome. Sectionals are small tournaments, usually held annually, that draw crowds of nearby players for the two to four day events.

Regional tournaments are where the travel side of bridge really picks up. Regionals are week-long tournaments with several concurrent games, so you can choose your format of competition and your level. Because of their size, regionals are usually held in big hotels in big cities that are easy to get to, since people will travel from all over the world to attend these tournaments. For me, going to regionals is like going to camp. You form social groups with the others that you meet at the tournaments, and you may not see each other for months in between, but whenever you meet up again, you pick up right where you left off, usually staying up into the wee hours having a good time. It’s not just bridge we love — the after hours social scene may involve dozens more card games, usually some booze, and maybe even a little philosophy.

The biggest tournaments in the ACBL are the three annual North American Bridge Championships. The locations change each tournament, but these events are usually held in North America’s favorite cities — Las Vegas is next on the agenda, Boston is coming up, and other stops include places like Orlando, Honolulu, Chicago, and more. Some of the game’s most elite events are held at the NABC’s, but you don’t have to be an elite player to enjoy these tournaments. Games are available daily for beginners and all levels of skill up to world champions. If you want to improve your game, NABC’s are a great place to study, as you can attend expert panels and lectures and watch some of the premier competition live. There is always free entertainment at these tournaments, and of course you’re visiting some of the greatest cities on Earth, so it shouldn’t be difficult to find your own entertainment for the times you’re not throwing cards around.

Bridge has opened so many doors for me, and I can’t praise it enough. I met my husband, a professional bridge player, at a tournament a few years ago, and since latching onto him, I’ve been able to tag along wherever his clients hire him to play. I never participated much in the junior scene, but when McKenzie was a junior, he traveled on a sponsor’s dime to Ireland to compete in a junior championship, and other young friends of mine have played bridge in China, Thailand, Italy, Germany, and all over the world. Bridge organizations worldwide are working hard to get kids into the game, and trips like this are part of the appeal — these are all paid for by sponsors. Learn more about opportunities for juniors here.

Even though I’m not (yet) good enough to play professionally, and I’m not young enough to compete in most junior events, I still get a lot out of the game, and would recommend it to anyone with time enough to learn the rules. (Admittedly, there is a lot to learn when you first get started.) This competition — this card game, this hobby — has taken me all over the world. I go to places I love with people I love, playing a game that I love. If there’s a better way to live life, I don’t know it.

If you’re interested in reading more about life as a young bridge player, my friend Mike keeps a great blog about his experiences here. If you’re interested in bridge lessons, you can find a teacher here. And if you ever want to hire a pro, well, I might just know someone…

See you at the table!