The Reminder is making its archives back to 2003 available on our website. Please note that, due to technical limitations, archive articles are presented without the usual formatting.
Submitted by Buz Trevor What if you, the reader, were asked, "What three things do Bill Gates and Warren Buffet have in common?" I am sure every one would answer they are both enormously wealthy. Most people would get the second commonality: they are both huge philanthropists. But how many people know that the chief recreational pursuit of both men is playing bridge? "What?" you may say. "They don't own a fancy yacht, a stable of racehorses or an NHL team?" It is the truth. These men get their entertainment from a game that requires no more than a deck of cards and three other people! So what is the attraction? People have played cards for centuries. The variety of games is staggering. Some of them are played very locally and some of them have an appeal across large areas of the globe. Many of the games rely almost entirely on luck and others incorporate varying degrees of skill. Not surprisingly, games that call for a level of skill have become popular in gambling. People have always known that card games are a good way of separating less skilled players from their money! But it is a funny thing Ð once somebody has learnt to play bridge, it is almost certain to become that person's preferred card game. Luck and skill Bill Gates and Warren Buffet are just two of the millions of people who are fascinated by this card game which blends "the luck of the draw" with card-playing skill. So what is the attraction? Bridge is a pastime that you can enjoy wherever you are at any stage in your life. Age is no barrier. In many parts of the world kids in elementary school are discovering the game. Contrary to what many people think, it does not require superior education or knowledge. Basic counting skills and commonsense are the only skills needed. Bridge is a continuous learning experience. You can learn how to play bridge in a few hours but the game offers so many possibilities that players find that they never stop learning! This has huge importance. There is strong evidence that people who play bridge (along with other brain stimulating pastimes like chess and Sudoku) have lower incidences of Alzheimer's than the general population. Some studies also suggest that brain stimulation encourages the body to produce more white blood corpuscles, which enhances the immune system! Bridge is one of the few pastimes that uses both left and right sides of the brain and this provides a vigorous mental workout which, strangely, is not only stimulating but also relaxing. The game is never boring and highly social. It is a partnership game and success demands that you and your partner get along well. If, over time, you play with many partners, you find that you have a network of friends in many different places. Online bridge is accessible everywhere at negligible cost, thanks primarily to Bill Gates. Among all competitive pastimes, bridge is alone in enabling you to meet and play against top players. Ordinary people are not going to play tennis against Nadal or golf against Phil Mickelsen but if you play competitive bridge, it is not unusual to come up against top players. Cheap Bridge is cheap! An evening of bridge at a club will cost you a few dollars. A session at a tournament is cheaper than going to a movie. You do not need any fancy clothing or specialized equipment. The Flin Flon Duplicate Bridge Clubs meets on Thursday evenings at the Northminster Memorial United Church on Bracken Street. New players are always welcome. In addition, a course of lessons will be offered in September for anyone who would like to join the company of Bill Gates and Warren Buffet! For more information, contact Buz Trevor at 362-2530.
