Event Type : Chandlers House

Haydn String Quartet, Op.20 no.2

Ravel String Quartet

Selection of Traditional Melodies, arr. The Danish String Quartet

The Ulster Orchestra is delighted to visit Rathfriland for the first time as part of its On Your Doorstep series, bringing hidden gems for small ensemble to where you are!

With his set of Opus 20 string quartets, Haydn changed the way the genre would be written forever, paving the way for the other pieces that make up this lovely programme. Giving each player a distinctive solo voice, his Opus 20, No. 2 quartet starts in a mood that is poised and stately, led by the cello, finishing with a joyous, dancing fugue.

Ravel’s string quartet is elegant and glowing. It opens gently, full of cycling melodies that conjure up the motion of a rippling stream in the sun. The central movements owe more to shade than sun, flitting in and out of eerie shadow, before bursting out into glorious rays of light at the quartet’s end.

Closing the evening will be a selection of melodies arranged by the Danish String Quartet for their album Keel Road, a journey through traditional music of Northern Europe from Denmark and Norway to the Faroe Islands, and to Ireland and England.

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The Game

Bridge – What is it all about?

Bridge is a card game played by 220 million people world-wide and one in fifteen people in the UK alone – it is one of our favourite past-times and is currently enjoying a huge resurgence of popularity. In places like China and Poland, it now forms part of the National Curriculum and it has even been said to stave off degenerative diseases.

Four people play together using one pack of cards for each game, sitting around a table. Each person is on the same side as their opposite number – they are ‘partners’. If you imagine a compass, North plays with South and East plays with West. A normal pack of 52 cards is dealt out one at a time to each player so that all players have 13 cards each. Each player then arranges their cards into the four suits.

There are two stages to each ‘hand’ of bridge followed by the scoring.

The first stage of the game is the ‘Bidding’ (sometimes called the ‘Auction’) where each player takes it in turn to describe their hand to their partner so that they can work out how many of the thirteen possible ‘tricks’ it would be sensible to attempt. The bidding uses a special language of only 15 words so precision is needed and communication vital. A ‘trick’ is made up of one card from each player – Aces high. As with all auctions, the bidding ends when three players in a row ‘No bid’ and so one player becomes ‘declarer’ – they have to play the cards and make the number of tricks that they have bid in the auction. Their opponents have to stop them getting these tricks. So, if you bid to make eight out of thirteen tricks, your opponents can stop you by getting six.

The second stage of the game is the play of the cards. This only involves three of the four players – the fourth player, or ‘dummy’, who is declarer’s partner lays their cards face up on the table for their partner to play. The dummy plays no further part in the game and is then free to leave the table to make coffee, fetch a beer from the fridge or simply sit back and offer moral support.

There is always an eventual winner in bridge but for most players it is the social aspect of the game and particularly the partnership dynamic that gives bridge its main appeal. The game is scored in relation to the number of tricks taken, and the highest score at the end of the game wins.

There are two main forms of bridge – ‘Rubber’ bridge and ‘Duplicate’ bridge. Rubber bridge is played in homes throughout the land and is the way almost everybody starts out. The object of Rubber Bridge is to win the best of three games and it is probably the most sociable form of bridge. Duplicate bridge is the way in which most competitions are run – everyone has the same cards and you are compared to other players holding the same cards and whoever does best on each hand wins.

Bridge is a game that needs to be learnt but is enjoyed from the very outset. Whichever form you play, rubber or duplicate, bridge is hugely stimulating for the brain and highly addictive.

Why not join like-minded people to discuss Menopause in a safe and friendly environment. Join our monthly support group for a coffee and chat.

• Menopause is when your periods stop due to lower hormone levels. It usually affects women between the ages of 45 and 55, but it can happen earlier.
• It affects anyone who has periods.
• Menopause can happen naturally, or for reasons such as surgery to remove the ovaries (oophorectomy) or the uterus (hysterectomy), cancer treatments like chemotherapy, or a genetic reason. Sometimes the reason is unknown.
• Perimenopause is when you have symptoms of menopause but your periods have not stopped. Perimenopause ends and you reach menopause when you have not had a period for 12 months.
• Menopause and perimenopause can cause symptoms like anxiety, mood swings, brain fog, hot flushes and irregular periods. These symptoms can start years before your periods stop and carry on afterwards.
• Menopause and perimenopause symptoms can have a big impact on your life, including relationships and work.
• There are things you can do to help with symptoms. There are also medicines that can replace the missing hormones and help relieve your symptoms.

The Game

Bridge – What is it all about?

Bridge is a card game played by 220 million people world-wide and one in fifteen people in the UK alone – it is one of our favourite past-times and is currently enjoying a huge resurgence of popularity. In places like China and Poland, it now forms part of the National Curriculum and it has even been said to stave off degenerative diseases.

Four people play together using one pack of cards for each game, sitting around a table. Each person is on the same side as their opposite number – they are ‘partners’. If you imagine a compass, North plays with South and East plays with West. A normal pack of 52 cards is dealt out one at a time to each player so that all players have 13 cards each. Each player then arranges their cards into the four suits.

There are two stages to each ‘hand’ of bridge followed by the scoring.

The first stage of the game is the ‘Bidding’ (sometimes called the ‘Auction’) where each player takes it in turn to describe their hand to their partner so that they can work out how many of the thirteen possible ‘tricks’ it would be sensible to attempt. The bidding uses a special language of only 15 words so precision is needed and communication vital. A ‘trick’ is made up of one card from each player – Aces high. As with all auctions, the bidding ends when three players in a row ‘No bid’ and so one player becomes ‘declarer’ – they have to play the cards and make the number of tricks that they have bid in the auction. Their opponents have to stop them getting these tricks. So, if you bid to make eight out of thirteen tricks, your opponents can stop you by getting six.

The second stage of the game is the play of the cards. This only involves three of the four players – the fourth player, or ‘dummy’, who is declarer’s partner lays their cards face up on the table for their partner to play. The dummy plays no further part in the game and is then free to leave the table to make coffee, fetch a beer from the fridge or simply sit back and offer moral support.

There is always an eventual winner in bridge but for most players it is the social aspect of the game and particularly the partnership dynamic that gives bridge its main appeal. The game is scored in relation to the number of tricks taken, and the highest score at the end of the game wins.

There are two main forms of bridge – ‘Rubber’ bridge and ‘Duplicate’ bridge. Rubber bridge is played in homes throughout the land and is the way almost everybody starts out. The object of Rubber Bridge is to win the best of three games and it is probably the most sociable form of bridge. Duplicate bridge is the way in which most competitions are run – everyone has the same cards and you are compared to other players holding the same cards and whoever does best on each hand wins.

Bridge is a game that needs to be learnt but is enjoyed from the very outset. Whichever form you play, rubber or duplicate, bridge is hugely stimulating for the brain and highly addictive.

Experience the magic of words and music at *Mountain Notes*, an enchanting evening of prose, poetry, and jazz inspired by the breathtaking Dromara Hills.

Join local writer and poet Maggie Doyle as she reads from her book *Mountain Notes – A Nature Diary*, a lyrical memoir of her return to her family’s farm in Dechomet, now home to Magy’s Farm jazz venue. Maggie’s evocative reflections on nature will be beautifully complemented by the soulful sounds of Dr. Linley Hamilton MBE and his jazz quartet, who will perform a selection of jazz favorites that evoke the natural world. Immerse yourself in this unique blend of storytelling and music, celebrating the landscape and natural world that inspire us all.

The performance will be followed by a Q&A with Maggie and Linley

This will be a journey through time in mythology, history, and musical performance. Anne will explore the roots of the fascinating Poetic traditions and how they helped to shape society. Her talk also examines some of our own important (but largely overlooked) Bardic heritage of poetry, music and landscape.

Anne Harper is a local musician, storyteller, and educator. Forever torn between archaeology and music, Anne opted to study music and graduated at the top of her class from the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland, going on to perform as a clarinettist with all the major orchestras in Scotland and Ireland. However, inspired by her Harper ancestry and a desire to explore the music of her homeland, these days she can just as frequently be found performing on the harp and telling stories!

Anne’s passion for archaeology and heritage came to the fore when the centre of Iveagh’s royal ritual landscape and a place dear to her own heart, Knock Iveagh round cairn, was damaged by unlawful development. Along with her colleagues in the ‘Friends of Knock Iveagh’, she has been instrumental in adding multiple new sites in the area to the archaeological record, including a likely C16th bawn house which may have belonged to Viscount Arthur Magennis. Their research has been published in Archaeology Ireland.

As part of her work to protect and promote the heritage of Iveagh, Anne has spent years researching the landscape, mythology and stories of Pre-Christian Ireland, the Magennis chieftains, and the Poets and Musicians they employed.

Anne runs popular ghost story tours of Rathfriland and Drumballyroney, along with the TikTok channel ‘Mythic Ulster’ and she presents the ‘Homespun History’ podcast with Dr Gavin Hughes. Inspired by the hereditary Poets of the area where she now lives and by her own ancestors, Anne blends music, history and storytelling, crafting an experience that is as educational as it is entertaining.’

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Dr Tony Macaulay is an author, peacebuilder and broadcaster. His memoirs of growing up in Belfast during the Troubles, Paperboy, Breadboy and All Growed Up have been adapted into hit musicals at the Lyric Theatre in Belfast. His autobiography Little House on the Peace Line tells the story of how he lived and worked on the Belfast peaceline in the 1980s.

His debut novel Belfast Gate was Book of the Week in the Irish News. His latest novel Kill the Devil: A Love Story from Rwanda, was co-authored with Rwandan screenwriter, Juvens Nsabimana. He was awarded an Honorary Doctorate by Ulster University for services to literature and peacebuilding at home and abroad.

Duke Special

By nature, Duke Special (aka Belfast’s Peter Wilson) is a curious person. He is curious about music, theatre, books, poetry, art, love, life, redemption, death and 78RPM records. All of this is evidenced by the variety of musical adventures throughout his career. He has released 14 albums and EPs, toured all over the world and has been involved in a diverse array of other projects, including writing the music for Deborah Warner’s critically acclaimed 2009 production of Mother Courage and Her Children at London’s National Theatre and being commissioned by
the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York to write a series of original songs based on photographs for their exhibition of the photographers Stieglitz, Steichen and Strand.

In the world of theatre, since Mother Courage, Duke has written music for four shows with Andrew Doyle: Gulliver’s Travels (BYMT, 2015), Paperboy, (BYMT, 2017), Huckleberry Finn (Lyric Theatre, Belfast, 2018)
and Breadboy (BYMT 2022) and with Bob Kelly: Breakfast on Pluto (Landmark Productions and Galway International Arts Festival, in development).

Performing live is still one of Duke Special’s main passions, and over the years he has played to captive audiences across the world. Whether he performs solo, as a duo with his long-time friend and percussionist Chip Bailey, with a full band, a string quartet or full orchestra, a Duke Special show is always a unique experience.

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www.dukespecial.com

Femina Culpa

Femina Culpa is a poetry collective bringing together 4 poets based in County Down and Belfast, Emma McKervey, Milena Williamson, Linda McKenna and Kelly Creighton. Their most recent poetry collections have all been inspired by the stories of nineteenth century women who were caught up in the criminal justice system or who were victims of crime. Their work has been based on archival research and seeks to uncover the voices of these
women through poetry.

Emma McKervey’s Highland Boundary Fault, includes poems based on a Scottish court case in her family history.

Milena Williamson’s Into The Night That Flies So Fast, deals with the case of Brigid Cleary murdered by her family who claimed she was a fairy changeling.

Linda McKenna’s Four Thousand Keys, includes poems inspired by the story of Elizabeth Dunham who was charged with the theft of the keys of the Bank of England.

Kelly Creighton’s Unbecoming, is based on the case of Polly Bodine, the ‘Staten Island.

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Shelagh will take you on a historical walking tour around Rathfriland’s blue plaques with stories of the famous and infamous inhabitants. Characters such as an Australian bushranger, a feisty heroine crossing the Canadian Rockies, as well as the debaucherous myth regarding a certain rumoured Hellfire Club in one of Rathfriland’s oldest buildings…

Shelagh Henry began her career in conservation with Ulster Wildlife in 2006, working as an Environmental Education Guide. She has also worked for the RSPB and the National Trust. She launched her own business, Red Kite Tours NI, in 2016.

Rathfriland Women’s Institute online ticket sales powered by TicketSource

The Game

Bridge – What is it all about?

Bridge is a card game played by 220 million people world-wide and one in fifteen people in the UK alone – it is one of our favourite past-times and is currently enjoying a huge resurgence of popularity. In places like China and Poland, it now forms part of the National Curriculum and it has even been said to stave off degenerative diseases.

Four people play together using one pack of cards for each game, sitting around a table. Each person is on the same side as their opposite number – they are ‘partners’. If you imagine a compass, North plays with South and East plays with West. A normal pack of 52 cards is dealt out one at a time to each player so that all players have 13 cards each. Each player then arranges their cards into the four suits.

There are two stages to each ‘hand’ of bridge followed by the scoring.

The first stage of the game is the ‘Bidding’ (sometimes called the ‘Auction’) where each player takes it in turn to describe their hand to their partner so that they can work out how many of the thirteen possible ‘tricks’ it would be sensible to attempt. The bidding uses a special language of only 15 words so precision is needed and communication vital. A ‘trick’ is made up of one card from each player – Aces high. As with all auctions, the bidding ends when three players in a row ‘No bid’ and so one player becomes ‘declarer’ – they have to play the cards and make the number of tricks that they have bid in the auction. Their opponents have to stop them getting these tricks. So, if you bid to make eight out of thirteen tricks, your opponents can stop you by getting six.

The second stage of the game is the play of the cards. This only involves three of the four players – the fourth player, or ‘dummy’, who is declarer’s partner lays their cards face up on the table for their partner to play. The dummy plays no further part in the game and is then free to leave the table to make coffee, fetch a beer from the fridge or simply sit back and offer moral support.

There is always an eventual winner in bridge but for most players it is the social aspect of the game and particularly the partnership dynamic that gives bridge its main appeal. The game is scored in relation to the number of tricks taken, and the highest score at the end of the game wins.

There are two main forms of bridge – ‘Rubber’ bridge and ‘Duplicate’ bridge. Rubber bridge is played in homes throughout the land and is the way almost everybody starts out. The object of Rubber Bridge is to win the best of three games and it is probably the most sociable form of bridge. Duplicate bridge is the way in which most competitions are run – everyone has the same cards and you are compared to other players holding the same cards and whoever does best on each hand wins.

Bridge is a game that needs to be learnt but is enjoyed from the very outset. Whichever form you play, rubber or duplicate, bridge is hugely stimulating for the brain and highly addictive.

The Game

Bridge – What is it all about?

Bridge is a card game played by 220 million people world-wide and one in fifteen people in the UK alone – it is one of our favourite past-times and is currently enjoying a huge resurgence of popularity. In places like China and Poland, it now forms part of the National Curriculum and it has even been said to stave off degenerative diseases.

Four people play together using one pack of cards for each game, sitting around a table. Each person is on the same side as their opposite number – they are ‘partners’. If you imagine a compass, North plays with South and East plays with West. A normal pack of 52 cards is dealt out one at a time to each player so that all players have 13 cards each. Each player then arranges their cards into the four suits.

There are two stages to each ‘hand’ of bridge followed by the scoring.

The first stage of the game is the ‘Bidding’ (sometimes called the ‘Auction’) where each player takes it in turn to describe their hand to their partner so that they can work out how many of the thirteen possible ‘tricks’ it would be sensible to attempt. The bidding uses a special language of only 15 words so precision is needed and communication vital. A ‘trick’ is made up of one card from each player – Aces high. As with all auctions, the bidding ends when three players in a row ‘No bid’ and so one player becomes ‘declarer’ – they have to play the cards and make the number of tricks that they have bid in the auction. Their opponents have to stop them getting these tricks. So, if you bid to make eight out of thirteen tricks, your opponents can stop you by getting six.

The second stage of the game is the play of the cards. This only involves three of the four players – the fourth player, or ‘dummy’, who is declarer’s partner lays their cards face up on the table for their partner to play. The dummy plays no further part in the game and is then free to leave the table to make coffee, fetch a beer from the fridge or simply sit back and offer moral support.

There is always an eventual winner in bridge but for most players it is the social aspect of the game and particularly the partnership dynamic that gives bridge its main appeal. The game is scored in relation to the number of tricks taken, and the highest score at the end of the game wins.

There are two main forms of bridge – ‘Rubber’ bridge and ‘Duplicate’ bridge. Rubber bridge is played in homes throughout the land and is the way almost everybody starts out. The object of Rubber Bridge is to win the best of three games and it is probably the most sociable form of bridge. Duplicate bridge is the way in which most competitions are run – everyone has the same cards and you are compared to other players holding the same cards and whoever does best on each hand wins.

Bridge is a game that needs to be learnt but is enjoyed from the very outset. Whichever form you play, rubber or duplicate, bridge is hugely stimulating for the brain and highly addictive.

The Last Waltz was a concert by the Canadian-American rock group The Band, held on American Thanksgiving Day, November 25, 1976, at Winterland Ballroom in San Francisco. The Last Waltz was advertised as the Band’s “farewell concert appearance”,[2] and the concert had the Band joined by more than a dozen special guests, including their previous employers Ronnie Hawkins and Bob Dylan, as well as Paul Butterfield, Bobby Charles, Eric Clapton, Neil Diamond, Emmylou Harris, Dr. John, Joni Mitchell, Van Morrison, The Staple Singers, Ringo Starr, Muddy Waters, Ronnie Wood, and Neil Young. The musical director for the concert was the Band’s original record producer, John Simon.

The concert was produced and managed by Bill Graham and was filmed by director Martin Scorsese, who made it into a documentary of the same title, released in 1978. Jonathan Taplin, who was the Band’s tour manager from 1969 to 1972 and later produced Scorsese’s film Mean Streets, suggested that Scorsese would be the ideal director for the project, and Rock Brynner introduced Robbie Robertson and Scorsese. Taplin served as executive producer. The film features concert performances, intermittent song renditions shot on a studio soundstage, and interviews by Scorsese with members of the Band. The soundtrack and DVD were later released.

The Last Waltz is hailed as one of the greatest documentary concert films ever made. In 2019, the film was selected by the Library of Congress for preservation in the United States National Film Registry for being “culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant”.

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Over the Rhine, is the Ohio-based, Americana duo of husband-and-wife, Karin Bergquist and Linford Detweiler. They have released 15 studio albums and toured extensively, opening concerts for Bob Dylan, Lucinda Williams, Cowboy Junkies and others.

Rolling Stone recently described Over the Rhine as a band “with no sign of fatigue, whose moment has finally arrived.” That’s quite a sentiment for a musical couple marking over 30 years of writing, recording and life on the road.

When you listen to Over the Rhine, you quickly fall under the spell of Karin’s timeless voice “which has the power to stop the world in its tracks” (Performing Songwriter). But then the songs start hitting you. Paste Magazine writes, “Over the Rhine creates true confessional masterpieces that know neither border nor boundary” and included Bergquist and Detweiler on their list of 100 Best Living Songwriters.

Over the Rhine eventually traded their namesake Cincinnati neighborhood for a small farm east of the city, and undertook the restoration of an 1870s barn. Linford and Karin now host concerts and workshops in the barn loft, and have founded an annual music and arts festival on their farm called Nowhere Else Festival.

For this concert, look for a career-spanning, extended evening of songs (both brand new, as well as tried and true) and stories that trace the many years and miles, tears and smiles.

The Game

Bridge – What is it all about?

Bridge is a card game played by 220 million people world-wide and one in fifteen people in the UK alone – it is one of our favourite past-times and is currently enjoying a huge resurgence of popularity. In places like China and Poland, it now forms part of the National Curriculum and it has even been said to stave off degenerative diseases.

Four people play together using one pack of cards for each game, sitting around a table. Each person is on the same side as their opposite number – they are ‘partners’. If you imagine a compass, North plays with South and East plays with West. A normal pack of 52 cards is dealt out one at a time to each player so that all players have 13 cards each. Each player then arranges their cards into the four suits.

There are two stages to each ‘hand’ of bridge followed by the scoring.

The first stage of the game is the ‘Bidding’ (sometimes called the ‘Auction’) where each player takes it in turn to describe their hand to their partner so that they can work out how many of the thirteen possible ‘tricks’ it would be sensible to attempt. The bidding uses a special language of only 15 words so precision is needed and communication vital. A ‘trick’ is made up of one card from each player – Aces high. As with all auctions, the bidding ends when three players in a row ‘No bid’ and so one player becomes ‘declarer’ – they have to play the cards and make the number of tricks that they have bid in the auction. Their opponents have to stop them getting these tricks. So, if you bid to make eight out of thirteen tricks, your opponents can stop you by getting six.

The second stage of the game is the play of the cards. This only involves three of the four players – the fourth player, or ‘dummy’, who is declarer’s partner lays their cards face up on the table for their partner to play. The dummy plays no further part in the game and is then free to leave the table to make coffee, fetch a beer from the fridge or simply sit back and offer moral support.

There is always an eventual winner in bridge but for most players it is the social aspect of the game and particularly the partnership dynamic that gives bridge its main appeal. The game is scored in relation to the number of tricks taken, and the highest score at the end of the game wins.

There are two main forms of bridge – ‘Rubber’ bridge and ‘Duplicate’ bridge. Rubber bridge is played in homes throughout the land and is the way almost everybody starts out. The object of Rubber Bridge is to win the best of three games and it is probably the most sociable form of bridge. Duplicate bridge is the way in which most competitions are run – everyone has the same cards and you are compared to other players holding the same cards and whoever does best on each hand wins.

Bridge is a game that needs to be learnt but is enjoyed from the very outset. Whichever form you play, rubber or duplicate, bridge is hugely stimulating for the brain and highly addictive.

The Game

Bridge – What is it all about?

Bridge is a card game played by 220 million people world-wide and one in fifteen people in the UK alone – it is one of our favourite past-times and is currently enjoying a huge resurgence of popularity. In places like China and Poland, it now forms part of the National Curriculum and it has even been said to stave off degenerative diseases.

Four people play together using one pack of cards for each game, sitting around a table. Each person is on the same side as their opposite number – they are ‘partners’. If you imagine a compass, North plays with South and East plays with West. A normal pack of 52 cards is dealt out one at a time to each player so that all players have 13 cards each. Each player then arranges their cards into the four suits.

There are two stages to each ‘hand’ of bridge followed by the scoring.

The first stage of the game is the ‘Bidding’ (sometimes called the ‘Auction’) where each player takes it in turn to describe their hand to their partner so that they can work out how many of the thirteen possible ‘tricks’ it would be sensible to attempt. The bidding uses a special language of only 15 words so precision is needed and communication vital. A ‘trick’ is made up of one card from each player – Aces high. As with all auctions, the bidding ends when three players in a row ‘No bid’ and so one player becomes ‘declarer’ – they have to play the cards and make the number of tricks that they have bid in the auction. Their opponents have to stop them getting these tricks. So, if you bid to make eight out of thirteen tricks, your opponents can stop you by getting six.

The second stage of the game is the play of the cards. This only involves three of the four players – the fourth player, or ‘dummy’, who is declarer’s partner lays their cards face up on the table for their partner to play. The dummy plays no further part in the game and is then free to leave the table to make coffee, fetch a beer from the fridge or simply sit back and offer moral support.

There is always an eventual winner in bridge but for most players it is the social aspect of the game and particularly the partnership dynamic that gives bridge its main appeal. The game is scored in relation to the number of tricks taken, and the highest score at the end of the game wins.

There are two main forms of bridge – ‘Rubber’ bridge and ‘Duplicate’ bridge. Rubber bridge is played in homes throughout the land and is the way almost everybody starts out. The object of Rubber Bridge is to win the best of three games and it is probably the most sociable form of bridge. Duplicate bridge is the way in which most competitions are run – everyone has the same cards and you are compared to other players holding the same cards and whoever does best on each hand wins.

Bridge is a game that needs to be learnt but is enjoyed from the very outset. Whichever form you play, rubber or duplicate, bridge is hugely stimulating for the brain and highly addictive.

The Game

Bridge – What is it all about?

Bridge is a card game played by 220 million people world-wide and one in fifteen people in the UK alone – it is one of our favourite past-times and is currently enjoying a huge resurgence of popularity. In places like China and Poland, it now forms part of the National Curriculum and it has even been said to stave off degenerative diseases.

Four people play together using one pack of cards for each game, sitting around a table. Each person is on the same side as their opposite number – they are ‘partners’. If you imagine a compass, North plays with South and East plays with West. A normal pack of 52 cards is dealt out one at a time to each player so that all players have 13 cards each. Each player then arranges their cards into the four suits.

There are two stages to each ‘hand’ of bridge followed by the scoring.

The first stage of the game is the ‘Bidding’ (sometimes called the ‘Auction’) where each player takes it in turn to describe their hand to their partner so that they can work out how many of the thirteen possible ‘tricks’ it would be sensible to attempt. The bidding uses a special language of only 15 words so precision is needed and communication vital. A ‘trick’ is made up of one card from each player – Aces high. As with all auctions, the bidding ends when three players in a row ‘No bid’ and so one player becomes ‘declarer’ – they have to play the cards and make the number of tricks that they have bid in the auction. Their opponents have to stop them getting these tricks. So, if you bid to make eight out of thirteen tricks, your opponents can stop you by getting six.

The second stage of the game is the play of the cards. This only involves three of the four players – the fourth player, or ‘dummy’, who is declarer’s partner lays their cards face up on the table for their partner to play. The dummy plays no further part in the game and is then free to leave the table to make coffee, fetch a beer from the fridge or simply sit back and offer moral support.

There is always an eventual winner in bridge but for most players it is the social aspect of the game and particularly the partnership dynamic that gives bridge its main appeal. The game is scored in relation to the number of tricks taken, and the highest score at the end of the game wins.

There are two main forms of bridge – ‘Rubber’ bridge and ‘Duplicate’ bridge. Rubber bridge is played in homes throughout the land and is the way almost everybody starts out. The object of Rubber Bridge is to win the best of three games and it is probably the most sociable form of bridge. Duplicate bridge is the way in which most competitions are run – everyone has the same cards and you are compared to other players holding the same cards and whoever does best on each hand wins.

Bridge is a game that needs to be learnt but is enjoyed from the very outset. Whichever form you play, rubber or duplicate, bridge is hugely stimulating for the brain and highly addictive.

The Game

Bridge – What is it all about?

Bridge is a card game played by 220 million people world-wide and one in fifteen people in the UK alone – it is one of our favourite past-times and is currently enjoying a huge resurgence of popularity. In places like China and Poland, it now forms part of the National Curriculum and it has even been said to stave off degenerative diseases.

Four people play together using one pack of cards for each game, sitting around a table. Each person is on the same side as their opposite number – they are ‘partners’. If you imagine a compass, North plays with South and East plays with West. A normal pack of 52 cards is dealt out one at a time to each player so that all players have 13 cards each. Each player then arranges their cards into the four suits.

There are two stages to each ‘hand’ of bridge followed by the scoring.

The first stage of the game is the ‘Bidding’ (sometimes called the ‘Auction’) where each player takes it in turn to describe their hand to their partner so that they can work out how many of the thirteen possible ‘tricks’ it would be sensible to attempt. The bidding uses a special language of only 15 words so precision is needed and communication vital. A ‘trick’ is made up of one card from each player – Aces high. As with all auctions, the bidding ends when three players in a row ‘No bid’ and so one player becomes ‘declarer’ – they have to play the cards and make the number of tricks that they have bid in the auction. Their opponents have to stop them getting these tricks. So, if you bid to make eight out of thirteen tricks, your opponents can stop you by getting six.

The second stage of the game is the play of the cards. This only involves three of the four players – the fourth player, or ‘dummy’, who is declarer’s partner lays their cards face up on the table for their partner to play. The dummy plays no further part in the game and is then free to leave the table to make coffee, fetch a beer from the fridge or simply sit back and offer moral support.

There is always an eventual winner in bridge but for most players it is the social aspect of the game and particularly the partnership dynamic that gives bridge its main appeal. The game is scored in relation to the number of tricks taken, and the highest score at the end of the game wins.

There are two main forms of bridge – ‘Rubber’ bridge and ‘Duplicate’ bridge. Rubber bridge is played in homes throughout the land and is the way almost everybody starts out. The object of Rubber Bridge is to win the best of three games and it is probably the most sociable form of bridge. Duplicate bridge is the way in which most competitions are run – everyone has the same cards and you are compared to other players holding the same cards and whoever does best on each hand wins.

Bridge is a game that needs to be learnt but is enjoyed from the very outset. Whichever form you play, rubber or duplicate, bridge is hugely stimulating for the brain and highly addictive.

The Game

Bridge – What is it all about?

Bridge is a card game played by 220 million people world-wide and one in fifteen people in the UK alone – it is one of our favourite past-times and is currently enjoying a huge resurgence of popularity. In places like China and Poland, it now forms part of the National Curriculum and it has even been said to stave off degenerative diseases.

Four people play together using one pack of cards for each game, sitting around a table. Each person is on the same side as their opposite number – they are ‘partners’. If you imagine a compass, North plays with South and East plays with West. A normal pack of 52 cards is dealt out one at a time to each player so that all players have 13 cards each. Each player then arranges their cards into the four suits.

There are two stages to each ‘hand’ of bridge followed by the scoring.

The first stage of the game is the ‘Bidding’ (sometimes called the ‘Auction’) where each player takes it in turn to describe their hand to their partner so that they can work out how many of the thirteen possible ‘tricks’ it would be sensible to attempt. The bidding uses a special language of only 15 words so precision is needed and communication vital. A ‘trick’ is made up of one card from each player – Aces high. As with all auctions, the bidding ends when three players in a row ‘No bid’ and so one player becomes ‘declarer’ – they have to play the cards and make the number of tricks that they have bid in the auction. Their opponents have to stop them getting these tricks. So, if you bid to make eight out of thirteen tricks, your opponents can stop you by getting six.

The second stage of the game is the play of the cards. This only involves three of the four players – the fourth player, or ‘dummy’, who is declarer’s partner lays their cards face up on the table for their partner to play. The dummy plays no further part in the game and is then free to leave the table to make coffee, fetch a beer from the fridge or simply sit back and offer moral support.

There is always an eventual winner in bridge but for most players it is the social aspect of the game and particularly the partnership dynamic that gives bridge its main appeal. The game is scored in relation to the number of tricks taken, and the highest score at the end of the game wins.

There are two main forms of bridge – ‘Rubber’ bridge and ‘Duplicate’ bridge. Rubber bridge is played in homes throughout the land and is the way almost everybody starts out. The object of Rubber Bridge is to win the best of three games and it is probably the most sociable form of bridge. Duplicate bridge is the way in which most competitions are run – everyone has the same cards and you are compared to other players holding the same cards and whoever does best on each hand wins.

Bridge is a game that needs to be learnt but is enjoyed from the very outset. Whichever form you play, rubber or duplicate, bridge is hugely stimulating for the brain and highly addictive.

The Game

Bridge – What is it all about?

Bridge is a card game played by 220 million people world-wide and one in fifteen people in the UK alone – it is one of our favourite past-times and is currently enjoying a huge resurgence of popularity. In places like China and Poland, it now forms part of the National Curriculum and it has even been said to stave off degenerative diseases.

Four people play together using one pack of cards for each game, sitting around a table. Each person is on the same side as their opposite number – they are ‘partners’. If you imagine a compass, North plays with South and East plays with West. A normal pack of 52 cards is dealt out one at a time to each player so that all players have 13 cards each. Each player then arranges their cards into the four suits.

There are two stages to each ‘hand’ of bridge followed by the scoring.

The first stage of the game is the ‘Bidding’ (sometimes called the ‘Auction’) where each player takes it in turn to describe their hand to their partner so that they can work out how many of the thirteen possible ‘tricks’ it would be sensible to attempt. The bidding uses a special language of only 15 words so precision is needed and communication vital. A ‘trick’ is made up of one card from each player – Aces high. As with all auctions, the bidding ends when three players in a row ‘No bid’ and so one player becomes ‘declarer’ – they have to play the cards and make the number of tricks that they have bid in the auction. Their opponents have to stop them getting these tricks. So, if you bid to make eight out of thirteen tricks, your opponents can stop you by getting six.

The second stage of the game is the play of the cards. This only involves three of the four players – the fourth player, or ‘dummy’, who is declarer’s partner lays their cards face up on the table for their partner to play. The dummy plays no further part in the game and is then free to leave the table to make coffee, fetch a beer from the fridge or simply sit back and offer moral support.

There is always an eventual winner in bridge but for most players it is the social aspect of the game and particularly the partnership dynamic that gives bridge its main appeal. The game is scored in relation to the number of tricks taken, and the highest score at the end of the game wins.

There are two main forms of bridge – ‘Rubber’ bridge and ‘Duplicate’ bridge. Rubber bridge is played in homes throughout the land and is the way almost everybody starts out. The object of Rubber Bridge is to win the best of three games and it is probably the most sociable form of bridge. Duplicate bridge is the way in which most competitions are run – everyone has the same cards and you are compared to other players holding the same cards and whoever does best on each hand wins.

Bridge is a game that needs to be learnt but is enjoyed from the very outset. Whichever form you play, rubber or duplicate, bridge is hugely stimulating for the brain and highly addictive.

The Game

Bridge – What is it all about?

Bridge is a card game played by 220 million people world-wide and one in fifteen people in the UK alone – it is one of our favourite past-times and is currently enjoying a huge resurgence of popularity. In places like China and Poland, it now forms part of the National Curriculum and it has even been said to stave off degenerative diseases.

Four people play together using one pack of cards for each game, sitting around a table. Each person is on the same side as their opposite number – they are ‘partners’. If you imagine a compass, North plays with South and East plays with West. A normal pack of 52 cards is dealt out one at a time to each player so that all players have 13 cards each. Each player then arranges their cards into the four suits.

There are two stages to each ‘hand’ of bridge followed by the scoring.

The first stage of the game is the ‘Bidding’ (sometimes called the ‘Auction’) where each player takes it in turn to describe their hand to their partner so that they can work out how many of the thirteen possible ‘tricks’ it would be sensible to attempt. The bidding uses a special language of only 15 words so precision is needed and communication vital. A ‘trick’ is made up of one card from each player – Aces high. As with all auctions, the bidding ends when three players in a row ‘No bid’ and so one player becomes ‘declarer’ – they have to play the cards and make the number of tricks that they have bid in the auction. Their opponents have to stop them getting these tricks. So, if you bid to make eight out of thirteen tricks, your opponents can stop you by getting six.

The second stage of the game is the play of the cards. This only involves three of the four players – the fourth player, or ‘dummy’, who is declarer’s partner lays their cards face up on the table for their partner to play. The dummy plays no further part in the game and is then free to leave the table to make coffee, fetch a beer from the fridge or simply sit back and offer moral support.

There is always an eventual winner in bridge but for most players it is the social aspect of the game and particularly the partnership dynamic that gives bridge its main appeal. The game is scored in relation to the number of tricks taken, and the highest score at the end of the game wins.

There are two main forms of bridge – ‘Rubber’ bridge and ‘Duplicate’ bridge. Rubber bridge is played in homes throughout the land and is the way almost everybody starts out. The object of Rubber Bridge is to win the best of three games and it is probably the most sociable form of bridge. Duplicate bridge is the way in which most competitions are run – everyone has the same cards and you are compared to other players holding the same cards and whoever does best on each hand wins.

Bridge is a game that needs to be learnt but is enjoyed from the very outset. Whichever form you play, rubber or duplicate, bridge is hugely stimulating for the brain and highly addictive.

The Game

Bridge – What is it all about?

Bridge is a card game played by 220 million people world-wide and one in fifteen people in the UK alone – it is one of our favourite past-times and is currently enjoying a huge resurgence of popularity. In places like China and Poland, it now forms part of the National Curriculum and it has even been said to stave off degenerative diseases.

Four people play together using one pack of cards for each game, sitting around a table. Each person is on the same side as their opposite number – they are ‘partners’. If you imagine a compass, North plays with South and East plays with West. A normal pack of 52 cards is dealt out one at a time to each player so that all players have 13 cards each. Each player then arranges their cards into the four suits.

There are two stages to each ‘hand’ of bridge followed by the scoring.

The first stage of the game is the ‘Bidding’ (sometimes called the ‘Auction’) where each player takes it in turn to describe their hand to their partner so that they can work out how many of the thirteen possible ‘tricks’ it would be sensible to attempt. The bidding uses a special language of only 15 words so precision is needed and communication vital. A ‘trick’ is made up of one card from each player – Aces high. As with all auctions, the bidding ends when three players in a row ‘No bid’ and so one player becomes ‘declarer’ – they have to play the cards and make the number of tricks that they have bid in the auction. Their opponents have to stop them getting these tricks. So, if you bid to make eight out of thirteen tricks, your opponents can stop you by getting six.

The second stage of the game is the play of the cards. This only involves three of the four players – the fourth player, or ‘dummy’, who is declarer’s partner lays their cards face up on the table for their partner to play. The dummy plays no further part in the game and is then free to leave the table to make coffee, fetch a beer from the fridge or simply sit back and offer moral support.

There is always an eventual winner in bridge but for most players it is the social aspect of the game and particularly the partnership dynamic that gives bridge its main appeal. The game is scored in relation to the number of tricks taken, and the highest score at the end of the game wins.

There are two main forms of bridge – ‘Rubber’ bridge and ‘Duplicate’ bridge. Rubber bridge is played in homes throughout the land and is the way almost everybody starts out. The object of Rubber Bridge is to win the best of three games and it is probably the most sociable form of bridge. Duplicate bridge is the way in which most competitions are run – everyone has the same cards and you are compared to other players holding the same cards and whoever does best on each hand wins.

Bridge is a game that needs to be learnt but is enjoyed from the very outset. Whichever form you play, rubber or duplicate, bridge is hugely stimulating for the brain and highly addictive.

The Game

Bridge – What is it all about?

Bridge is a card game played by 220 million people world-wide and one in fifteen people in the UK alone – it is one of our favourite past-times and is currently enjoying a huge resurgence of popularity. In places like China and Poland, it now forms part of the National Curriculum and it has even been said to stave off degenerative diseases.

Four people play together using one pack of cards for each game, sitting around a table. Each person is on the same side as their opposite number – they are ‘partners’. If you imagine a compass, North plays with South and East plays with West. A normal pack of 52 cards is dealt out one at a time to each player so that all players have 13 cards each. Each player then arranges their cards into the four suits.

There are two stages to each ‘hand’ of bridge followed by the scoring.

The first stage of the game is the ‘Bidding’ (sometimes called the ‘Auction’) where each player takes it in turn to describe their hand to their partner so that they can work out how many of the thirteen possible ‘tricks’ it would be sensible to attempt. The bidding uses a special language of only 15 words so precision is needed and communication vital. A ‘trick’ is made up of one card from each player – Aces high. As with all auctions, the bidding ends when three players in a row ‘No bid’ and so one player becomes ‘declarer’ – they have to play the cards and make the number of tricks that they have bid in the auction. Their opponents have to stop them getting these tricks. So, if you bid to make eight out of thirteen tricks, your opponents can stop you by getting six.

The second stage of the game is the play of the cards. This only involves three of the four players – the fourth player, or ‘dummy’, who is declarer’s partner lays their cards face up on the table for their partner to play. The dummy plays no further part in the game and is then free to leave the table to make coffee, fetch a beer from the fridge or simply sit back and offer moral support.

There is always an eventual winner in bridge but for most players it is the social aspect of the game and particularly the partnership dynamic that gives bridge its main appeal. The game is scored in relation to the number of tricks taken, and the highest score at the end of the game wins.

There are two main forms of bridge – ‘Rubber’ bridge and ‘Duplicate’ bridge. Rubber bridge is played in homes throughout the land and is the way almost everybody starts out. The object of Rubber Bridge is to win the best of three games and it is probably the most sociable form of bridge. Duplicate bridge is the way in which most competitions are run – everyone has the same cards and you are compared to other players holding the same cards and whoever does best on each hand wins.

Bridge is a game that needs to be learnt but is enjoyed from the very outset. Whichever form you play, rubber or duplicate, bridge is hugely stimulating for the brain and highly addictive.

The Game

Bridge – What is it all about?

Bridge is a card game played by 220 million people world-wide and one in fifteen people in the UK alone – it is one of our favourite past-times and is currently enjoying a huge resurgence of popularity. In places like China and Poland, it now forms part of the National Curriculum and it has even been said to stave off degenerative diseases.

Four people play together using one pack of cards for each game, sitting around a table. Each person is on the same side as their opposite number – they are ‘partners’. If you imagine a compass, North plays with South and East plays with West. A normal pack of 52 cards is dealt out one at a time to each player so that all players have 13 cards each. Each player then arranges their cards into the four suits.

There are two stages to each ‘hand’ of bridge followed by the scoring.

The first stage of the game is the ‘Bidding’ (sometimes called the ‘Auction’) where each player takes it in turn to describe their hand to their partner so that they can work out how many of the thirteen possible ‘tricks’ it would be sensible to attempt. The bidding uses a special language of only 15 words so precision is needed and communication vital. A ‘trick’ is made up of one card from each player – Aces high. As with all auctions, the bidding ends when three players in a row ‘No bid’ and so one player becomes ‘declarer’ – they have to play the cards and make the number of tricks that they have bid in the auction. Their opponents have to stop them getting these tricks. So, if you bid to make eight out of thirteen tricks, your opponents can stop you by getting six.

The second stage of the game is the play of the cards. This only involves three of the four players – the fourth player, or ‘dummy’, who is declarer’s partner lays their cards face up on the table for their partner to play. The dummy plays no further part in the game and is then free to leave the table to make coffee, fetch a beer from the fridge or simply sit back and offer moral support.

There is always an eventual winner in bridge but for most players it is the social aspect of the game and particularly the partnership dynamic that gives bridge its main appeal. The game is scored in relation to the number of tricks taken, and the highest score at the end of the game wins.

There are two main forms of bridge – ‘Rubber’ bridge and ‘Duplicate’ bridge. Rubber bridge is played in homes throughout the land and is the way almost everybody starts out. The object of Rubber Bridge is to win the best of three games and it is probably the most sociable form of bridge. Duplicate bridge is the way in which most competitions are run – everyone has the same cards and you are compared to other players holding the same cards and whoever does best on each hand wins.

Bridge is a game that needs to be learnt but is enjoyed from the very outset. Whichever form you play, rubber or duplicate, bridge is hugely stimulating for the brain and highly addictive.

The Game

Bridge – What is it all about?

Bridge is a card game played by 220 million people world-wide and one in fifteen people in the UK alone – it is one of our favourite past-times and is currently enjoying a huge resurgence of popularity. In places like China and Poland, it now forms part of the National Curriculum and it has even been said to stave off degenerative diseases.

Four people play together using one pack of cards for each game, sitting around a table. Each person is on the same side as their opposite number – they are ‘partners’. If you imagine a compass, North plays with South and East plays with West. A normal pack of 52 cards is dealt out one at a time to each player so that all players have 13 cards each. Each player then arranges their cards into the four suits.

There are two stages to each ‘hand’ of bridge followed by the scoring.

The first stage of the game is the ‘Bidding’ (sometimes called the ‘Auction’) where each player takes it in turn to describe their hand to their partner so that they can work out how many of the thirteen possible ‘tricks’ it would be sensible to attempt. The bidding uses a special language of only 15 words so precision is needed and communication vital. A ‘trick’ is made up of one card from each player – Aces high. As with all auctions, the bidding ends when three players in a row ‘No bid’ and so one player becomes ‘declarer’ – they have to play the cards and make the number of tricks that they have bid in the auction. Their opponents have to stop them getting these tricks. So, if you bid to make eight out of thirteen tricks, your opponents can stop you by getting six.

The second stage of the game is the play of the cards. This only involves three of the four players – the fourth player, or ‘dummy’, who is declarer’s partner lays their cards face up on the table for their partner to play. The dummy plays no further part in the game and is then free to leave the table to make coffee, fetch a beer from the fridge or simply sit back and offer moral support.

There is always an eventual winner in bridge but for most players it is the social aspect of the game and particularly the partnership dynamic that gives bridge its main appeal. The game is scored in relation to the number of tricks taken, and the highest score at the end of the game wins.

There are two main forms of bridge – ‘Rubber’ bridge and ‘Duplicate’ bridge. Rubber bridge is played in homes throughout the land and is the way almost everybody starts out. The object of Rubber Bridge is to win the best of three games and it is probably the most sociable form of bridge. Duplicate bridge is the way in which most competitions are run – everyone has the same cards and you are compared to other players holding the same cards and whoever does best on each hand wins.

Bridge is a game that needs to be learnt but is enjoyed from the very outset. Whichever form you play, rubber or duplicate, bridge is hugely stimulating for the brain and highly addictive.

The Game

Bridge – What is it all about?

Bridge is a card game played by 220 million people world-wide and one in fifteen people in the UK alone – it is one of our favourite past-times and is currently enjoying a huge resurgence of popularity. In places like China and Poland, it now forms part of the National Curriculum and it has even been said to stave off degenerative diseases.

Four people play together using one pack of cards for each game, sitting around a table. Each person is on the same side as their opposite number – they are ‘partners’. If you imagine a compass, North plays with South and East plays with West. A normal pack of 52 cards is dealt out one at a time to each player so that all players have 13 cards each. Each player then arranges their cards into the four suits.

There are two stages to each ‘hand’ of bridge followed by the scoring.

The first stage of the game is the ‘Bidding’ (sometimes called the ‘Auction’) where each player takes it in turn to describe their hand to their partner so that they can work out how many of the thirteen possible ‘tricks’ it would be sensible to attempt. The bidding uses a special language of only 15 words so precision is needed and communication vital. A ‘trick’ is made up of one card from each player – Aces high. As with all auctions, the bidding ends when three players in a row ‘No bid’ and so one player becomes ‘declarer’ – they have to play the cards and make the number of tricks that they have bid in the auction. Their opponents have to stop them getting these tricks. So, if you bid to make eight out of thirteen tricks, your opponents can stop you by getting six.

The second stage of the game is the play of the cards. This only involves three of the four players – the fourth player, or ‘dummy’, who is declarer’s partner lays their cards face up on the table for their partner to play. The dummy plays no further part in the game and is then free to leave the table to make coffee, fetch a beer from the fridge or simply sit back and offer moral support.

There is always an eventual winner in bridge but for most players it is the social aspect of the game and particularly the partnership dynamic that gives bridge its main appeal. The game is scored in relation to the number of tricks taken, and the highest score at the end of the game wins.

There are two main forms of bridge – ‘Rubber’ bridge and ‘Duplicate’ bridge. Rubber bridge is played in homes throughout the land and is the way almost everybody starts out. The object of Rubber Bridge is to win the best of three games and it is probably the most sociable form of bridge. Duplicate bridge is the way in which most competitions are run – everyone has the same cards and you are compared to other players holding the same cards and whoever does best on each hand wins.

Bridge is a game that needs to be learnt but is enjoyed from the very outset. Whichever form you play, rubber or duplicate, bridge is hugely stimulating for the brain and highly addictive.

The Game

Bridge – What is it all about?

Bridge is a card game played by 220 million people world-wide and one in fifteen people in the UK alone – it is one of our favourite past-times and is currently enjoying a huge resurgence of popularity. In places like China and Poland, it now forms part of the National Curriculum and it has even been said to stave off degenerative diseases.

Four people play together using one pack of cards for each game, sitting around a table. Each person is on the same side as their opposite number – they are ‘partners’. If you imagine a compass, North plays with South and East plays with West. A normal pack of 52 cards is dealt out one at a time to each player so that all players have 13 cards each. Each player then arranges their cards into the four suits.

There are two stages to each ‘hand’ of bridge followed by the scoring.

The first stage of the game is the ‘Bidding’ (sometimes called the ‘Auction’) where each player takes it in turn to describe their hand to their partner so that they can work out how many of the thirteen possible ‘tricks’ it would be sensible to attempt. The bidding uses a special language of only 15 words so precision is needed and communication vital. A ‘trick’ is made up of one card from each player – Aces high. As with all auctions, the bidding ends when three players in a row ‘No bid’ and so one player becomes ‘declarer’ – they have to play the cards and make the number of tricks that they have bid in the auction. Their opponents have to stop them getting these tricks. So, if you bid to make eight out of thirteen tricks, your opponents can stop you by getting six.

The second stage of the game is the play of the cards. This only involves three of the four players – the fourth player, or ‘dummy’, who is declarer’s partner lays their cards face up on the table for their partner to play. The dummy plays no further part in the game and is then free to leave the table to make coffee, fetch a beer from the fridge or simply sit back and offer moral support.

There is always an eventual winner in bridge but for most players it is the social aspect of the game and particularly the partnership dynamic that gives bridge its main appeal. The game is scored in relation to the number of tricks taken, and the highest score at the end of the game wins.

There are two main forms of bridge – ‘Rubber’ bridge and ‘Duplicate’ bridge. Rubber bridge is played in homes throughout the land and is the way almost everybody starts out. The object of Rubber Bridge is to win the best of three games and it is probably the most sociable form of bridge. Duplicate bridge is the way in which most competitions are run – everyone has the same cards and you are compared to other players holding the same cards and whoever does best on each hand wins.

Bridge is a game that needs to be learnt but is enjoyed from the very outset. Whichever form you play, rubber or duplicate, bridge is hugely stimulating for the brain and highly addictive.

The Game

Bridge – What is it all about?

Bridge is a card game played by 220 million people world-wide and one in fifteen people in the UK alone – it is one of our favourite past-times and is currently enjoying a huge resurgence of popularity. In places like China and Poland, it now forms part of the National Curriculum and it has even been said to stave off degenerative diseases.

Four people play together using one pack of cards for each game, sitting around a table. Each person is on the same side as their opposite number – they are ‘partners’. If you imagine a compass, North plays with South and East plays with West. A normal pack of 52 cards is dealt out one at a time to each player so that all players have 13 cards each. Each player then arranges their cards into the four suits.

There are two stages to each ‘hand’ of bridge followed by the scoring.

The first stage of the game is the ‘Bidding’ (sometimes called the ‘Auction’) where each player takes it in turn to describe their hand to their partner so that they can work out how many of the thirteen possible ‘tricks’ it would be sensible to attempt. The bidding uses a special language of only 15 words so precision is needed and communication vital. A ‘trick’ is made up of one card from each player – Aces high. As with all auctions, the bidding ends when three players in a row ‘No bid’ and so one player becomes ‘declarer’ – they have to play the cards and make the number of tricks that they have bid in the auction. Their opponents have to stop them getting these tricks. So, if you bid to make eight out of thirteen tricks, your opponents can stop you by getting six.

The second stage of the game is the play of the cards. This only involves three of the four players – the fourth player, or ‘dummy’, who is declarer’s partner lays their cards face up on the table for their partner to play. The dummy plays no further part in the game and is then free to leave the table to make coffee, fetch a beer from the fridge or simply sit back and offer moral support.

There is always an eventual winner in bridge but for most players it is the social aspect of the game and particularly the partnership dynamic that gives bridge its main appeal. The game is scored in relation to the number of tricks taken, and the highest score at the end of the game wins.

There are two main forms of bridge – ‘Rubber’ bridge and ‘Duplicate’ bridge. Rubber bridge is played in homes throughout the land and is the way almost everybody starts out. The object of Rubber Bridge is to win the best of three games and it is probably the most sociable form of bridge. Duplicate bridge is the way in which most competitions are run – everyone has the same cards and you are compared to other players holding the same cards and whoever does best on each hand wins.

Bridge is a game that needs to be learnt but is enjoyed from the very outset. Whichever form you play, rubber or duplicate, bridge is hugely stimulating for the brain and highly addictive.

The Game

Bridge – What is it all about?

Bridge is a card game played by 220 million people world-wide and one in fifteen people in the UK alone – it is one of our favourite past-times and is currently enjoying a huge resurgence of popularity. In places like China and Poland, it now forms part of the National Curriculum and it has even been said to stave off degenerative diseases.

Four people play together using one pack of cards for each game, sitting around a table. Each person is on the same side as their opposite number – they are ‘partners’. If you imagine a compass, North plays with South and East plays with West. A normal pack of 52 cards is dealt out one at a time to each player so that all players have 13 cards each. Each player then arranges their cards into the four suits.

There are two stages to each ‘hand’ of bridge followed by the scoring.

The first stage of the game is the ‘Bidding’ (sometimes called the ‘Auction’) where each player takes it in turn to describe their hand to their partner so that they can work out how many of the thirteen possible ‘tricks’ it would be sensible to attempt. The bidding uses a special language of only 15 words so precision is needed and communication vital. A ‘trick’ is made up of one card from each player – Aces high. As with all auctions, the bidding ends when three players in a row ‘No bid’ and so one player becomes ‘declarer’ – they have to play the cards and make the number of tricks that they have bid in the auction. Their opponents have to stop them getting these tricks. So, if you bid to make eight out of thirteen tricks, your opponents can stop you by getting six.

The second stage of the game is the play of the cards. This only involves three of the four players – the fourth player, or ‘dummy’, who is declarer’s partner lays their cards face up on the table for their partner to play. The dummy plays no further part in the game and is then free to leave the table to make coffee, fetch a beer from the fridge or simply sit back and offer moral support.

There is always an eventual winner in bridge but for most players it is the social aspect of the game and particularly the partnership dynamic that gives bridge its main appeal. The game is scored in relation to the number of tricks taken, and the highest score at the end of the game wins.

There are two main forms of bridge – ‘Rubber’ bridge and ‘Duplicate’ bridge. Rubber bridge is played in homes throughout the land and is the way almost everybody starts out. The object of Rubber Bridge is to win the best of three games and it is probably the most sociable form of bridge. Duplicate bridge is the way in which most competitions are run – everyone has the same cards and you are compared to other players holding the same cards and whoever does best on each hand wins.

Bridge is a game that needs to be learnt but is enjoyed from the very outset. Whichever form you play, rubber or duplicate, bridge is hugely stimulating for the brain and highly addictive.