Why Bridge Is The Best Card Game That Everyone’s Forgotten

Let's bring back the classic pastime.

Growing up, games were a constant pastime in my family. Whether we were huddled around a table of dominoes on a regular Sunday night or doling out decks of cards on a rainy beach trip, playing games was always a big part of my childhood, and we still break out the competition when we’re all together. It no longer ends in tears, mostly.

As we got older, I asked my grandmother—who was the instigator and instructor of almost all of our game nights—how she knew so many games and why she loved them so much. Her answer: “Well, everyone used to play games, especially bridge.” She grew up watching her mother play endless rounds of bridge, and later learned herself before delving into many other card and domino games.

In more recent years, less and less people know how to play bridge anymore, and so my grandmother stopped playing frequently as well. Her weekly game groups instead consisted of rummy and mahjong, which she still plays. Every now and then, she’ll strike up a bridge game with friends, even if just for memory’s sake. There's no rhyme or reason why bridge slowly started dying out. Perhaps, the rise of technology contributed. However, it inspired her to teach us how to play, like a dying art. So that if we were ever to have the opportunity, we’d know the best strategies just like her mother first taught her. After finding how instantly captivating and challenging it is, I’m formally requesting that we bring back the classic card game.

Bridge is the perfect balance of fun and logic. You get easily drawn in by the many rounds and thoroughly invested with your teammate. Since bridge is a partner game, it’s perfect for a small group of friends. There’s a misconception that bridge is very difficult to learn, but it really just requires practice to become familiar with it. The rules start out simple, but progressively get a little more complicated. A basic game requires just four people, a deck of cards, and something to keep score on.

My grandmother says a proper bridge game was customarily played at a card table, which is a nostalgic home piece I’d also happily welcome back into the fold. She also said that even in her mother’s era, people would get ferociously competitive, sometimes throwing decorum to the wind during a particularly heated round.

At the core, I love that bridge was once an important bonding experience for friends, or mothers and daughters. It’s something I’d like to keep going, along with other fun games that made up my childhood. For those who don’t have a competitive, game-savvy grandmother to teach you how to play bridge, luckily there are many resources online that can help you and your friends learn before your next game night. Bridge might not be as commonly known nowadays, but it’s never too late to bring it back.

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