By Bridge Club EXCO’22
Hey there! Welcome to Raffles Institution Bridge Club, where you will get a chance to experience one of the coolest card games the world has to offer. If the idea of playing card games for your CCA sounds great, you have come to the right place!
Did you know that Warren Buffet plays Bridge 8 hours a week? Out of countless forms of entertainment he has at his fingertips, why would he play Bridge? The simplest answer would be that it’s just fun to play. It offers the suspense of poker, the cerebral qualities of chess and the excitement of athletic sports, all in a sociable setting where you’re a participant, not just a spectator.
Bridge is the king of all card games.
Bill Gates
If you have heard of Floating Bridge, or even played it before, that’s awesome! Here at Bridge Club, we play an equally, if not cooler version of Bridge — Contract Bridge!
In Contract bridge, you have a set partner at the start of the game, who is the player sitting opposite you. Your partnership will have to work as a team to make your contract. The play goes through 2 stages, the bidding and the cardplay. Bidding is the phase where you decide on a contract, and cardplay is the process of trying to make it.
Compared to Floating bridge, Contract Bridge relies a lot less on luck, and is much more skills-based, so you, the player, get to decide the success of the game. You have to communicate effectively with your partner through your bidding, and use various techniques during the cardplay in order to make your contract. Of course, there is still an element of chance in this game, but that is where you have to use your superior deductive prowess to maximise your chances of winning.
Do not fear if these terms sound unfamiliar to you, because no experience is required. We have many bridge-related resources and notes, and we welcome all new members as long as you’re willing to put in the effort to play and improve together. Our coach is also friendly and will take you under his wing if you need any help.
Our CCA is held every Wednesday, from 8.30-11.00am. During CCA time, we play Bridge (obviously), attend lessons by our coach, as well play in friendly mini-tournaments. During this time, we focus on learning new bidding and cardplay strategies, and get a chance to put whatever we learn into good use by playing against one other.
If you feel that CCA time is too short, we frequently play Bridge online outside of school hours, and various alumni also host online lessons for those interested to improve their skills. There are also a multitude of Bridge puzzles available for those interested, so there will be no shortage of Bridge-related opportunities in your life!
For those who wish to dabble in competitive Bridge, there are numerous competitions we participate in, such as National Schools Teams, Matchpoint Teams, Hwa Chong Cup, and our very own Raffles Pairs. Here you can compete with players of your skill level and see where you stand, and not to mention, get a chance to win some money!
So, what are you waiting for? It’s time for Bridge to grand slam into your life!
*Cover image taken in accordance with SMMs during the prior phase of Covid-19 measures.
