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#1 User is offline   CeciD 

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Posted 2021-April-01, 15:09

I somehow convinced my 20-something son to play bridge with me as a gift. He read the first Audrey Grant book and then uses the "Audrey Grant Bridge at a Glance" pamphlet. He has only played a few games, so he is a real beginner. I think he would be more apt to continue to play if he found other young people with whom to play. Is there any way for young players to find each other? It seems most of us are much older. I would love to encourage younger folks play so the game doesn't die out over time.
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#2 User is offline   manudude03 

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Posted 2021-April-02, 03:16

It may not be the best of environments for it with Covid-19 still being around (hopefully not for much longer), but most NBO's have a junior committee or some contact for a person who specifically coaches junior players (usually defined as under 26) who could help your son. I'm sure if you were to ask though, they could probably arrange a partnership on BBO. There used to a BBO Juniors group on the platform, though a quick search shows there is a BBO Juniors group on facebook which could be of interest to you.
Wayne Somerville
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#3 User is offline   AL78 

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Posted 2021-April-02, 03:38

The bias towards older people is extremely unlikely every to go away. Duplicate bridge is optimised for retired people, so it should be no surprise when most players you see in clubs are retired people.
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#4 User is offline   pescetom 

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Posted 2021-April-02, 15:34

View PostAL78, on 2021-April-02, 03:38, said:

Duplicate bridge is optimised for retired people


Could you please explain how?
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#5 User is offline   hrothgar 

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Posted 2021-April-02, 16:51

View Postpescetom, on 2021-April-02, 15:34, said:

Could you please explain how?


Here in ACBL, it's really difficult to find a club game when a non retired individual can play.
Alderaan delenda est
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#6 User is offline   AL78 

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Posted 2021-April-02, 17:08

View Postpescetom, on 2021-April-02, 15:34, said:

Could you please explain how?


The very rigid structure which often conflicts with work and meal times. You have to start at a specific time which is very close to a natural evening meal time and you have to stay there for the full session, and by the time the evening is over and I have got home, it can well past 11 pm if it has been an evening where the slowest players have all decided to turn up, not much time to wind down and relax before going to bed. When I used to play badminton socially, I could turn up and leave whenever was convenient between the hours of 8pm and 10 pm. If the session starts at 7pm which it does for some of my club games, it is almost impossible (I have to be lucky) to play on those evenings because I cannot get to the club in time straight from work, and I am only half an hour away by car. On the evenings that start at 7:30pm, if I want to play, I have to take an evening meal with me and eat at work before going straight to the club upon leaving (or else wait until I get home at 11 pm or later, do you fancy eating a meal minutes before going to bed?), and I have to hope my manager doesn't want a 30 minute discussion five minutes before I am about to leave. When you also add the potential issue of childcare (which I don't have), that can make things even more problematic for evening games. Retired people don't have full time jobs and don't do full time childcare in general, they can start cooking an evening meal at 5:30pm if they need to whilst I am still in the office.
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#7 User is online   pilowsky 

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Posted 2021-April-02, 23:09

Good thing that bridge is really a video game then.
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#8 User is offline   pescetom 

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Posted 2021-April-03, 15:24

View PostAL78, on 2021-April-02, 17:08, said:

The very rigid structure which often conflicts with work and meal times. You have to start at a specific time which is very close to a natural evening meal time and you have to stay there for the full session, and by the time the evening is over and I have got home, it can well past 11 pm if it has been an evening where the slowest players have all decided to turn up, not much time to wind down and relax before going to bed. When I used to play badminton socially, I could turn up and leave whenever was convenient between the hours of 8pm and 10 pm. If the session starts at 7pm which it does for some of my club games, it is almost impossible (I have to be lucky) to play on those evenings because I cannot get to the club in time straight from work, and I am only half an hour away by car. On the evenings that start at 7:30pm, if I want to play, I have to take an evening meal with me and eat at work before going straight to the club upon leaving (or else wait until I get home at 11 pm or later, do you fancy eating a meal minutes before going to bed?), and I have to hope my manager doesn't want a 30 minute discussion five minutes before I am about to leave. When you also add the potential issue of childcare (which I don't have), that can make things even more problematic for evening games. Retired people don't have full time jobs and don't do full time childcare in general, they can start cooking an evening meal at 5:30pm if they need to whilst I am still in the office.

Fair enough, although that sounds rather specific to UK.

Here in Italy our club games usually start at 9pm, which f2f is already too close to evening meal for the tastes of some, but for most gives time to arrive and enjoy an espresso before playing. The games still tend to finish around midnight, which is a bit late for those who have an early job start, but not the end of the world.
The retired/employed split becomes more telling in the case of afternoon games, but we only have one precisely for this reason. Other clubs have more and the split is wider. From what I understand, afternoon sessions predominate in the US, and I imagine that will be the trend here too (particularly now that lockdown has trained a much wider range of people to play online in the evenings).
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#9 User is offline   Douglas43 

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Posted 2021-April-04, 02:55

View PostAL78, on 2021-April-02, 17:08, said:

The very rigid structure which often conflicts with work and meal times. You have to start at a specific time which is very close to a natural evening meal time and you have to stay there for the full session, and by the time the evening is over and I have got home, it can well past 11 pm if it has been an evening where the slowest players have all decided to turn up, not much time to wind down and relax before going to bed. When I used to play badminton socially, I could turn up and leave whenever was convenient between the hours of 8pm and 10 pm. If the session starts at 7pm which it does for some of my club games, it is almost impossible (I have to be lucky) to play on those evenings because I cannot get to the club in time straight from work, and I am only half an hour away by car. On the evenings that start at 7:30pm, if I want to play, I have to take an evening meal with me and eat at work before going straight to the club upon leaving (or else wait until I get home at 11 pm or later, do you fancy eating a meal minutes before going to bed?), and I have to hope my manager doesn't want a 30 minute discussion five minutes before I am about to leave. When you also add the potential issue of childcare (which I don't have), that can make things even more problematic for evening games. Retired people don't have full time jobs and don't do full time childcare in general, they can start cooking an evening meal at 5:30pm if they need to whilst I am still in the office.


No easy answer to that one, I found the same when I was working (retired last year). Maybe online games have unearthed consumer demand for shorter sessions? The EBU Lockdown League is 8 boards and our club has a 16/18 board BBO duplicate on Wednesdays. Some of the older players find 24/27 boards a bit much.
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#10 User is offline   Winstonm 

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Posted 2021-April-04, 08:25

View PostCeciD, on 2021-April-01, 15:09, said:

I somehow convinced my 20-something son to play bridge with me as a gift. He read the first Audrey Grant book and then uses the "Audrey Grant Bridge at a Glance" pamphlet. He has only played a few games, so he is a real beginner. I think he would be more apt to continue to play if he found other young people with whom to play. Is there any way for young players to find each other? It seems most of us are much older. I would love to encourage younger folks play so the game doesn't die out over time.


My thinking has long been that the best promotion for the game is the game itself. The issue is overcoming inertia.

The play is the thing. IMO, the best way to teach this game is still the way Charles Goren taught this game - simple, simple, simple. I would like to see free introductions to bridge (not lessons) where the basics of the game are shown - suit ranks, scoring, order of play, etc., with crib sheets posted on the table beside every player showing what bids mean and then let them go - let them play the game.

We who have become more advanced know that bidding is critical - but it is like learning a foreign language to novices. The whole purpose of introducing the game is to show how much fun it is - and the fun is in the playing!

This is when interest grows - which it will among those with a knack and a curiosity about the game. Let them seek more advanced teaching. But first, for the masses, keep it simple, simple, simple, and the play's the thing.
"Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere." Black Lives Matter. / "I need ammunition, not a ride." Zelensky
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#11 User is offline   AL78 

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Posted 2021-April-04, 17:13

View PostDouglas43, on 2021-April-04, 02:55, said:

Some of the older players find 24/27 boards a bit much.


I often enjoy the EBU 12 board sessions starting at 7:30 pm, finishing at 9 pm. Gives me a chance after the session to do some food shopping at my local supermarket, and have enough time to wind down before going to bed. It is certainly preferable to playing on the Friday club session with its 3 or four table movement and (if you are unlucky) a four or five board sitout (last Friday they only had two tables and abandoned the session).
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#12 User is offline   AL78 

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Posted 2021-April-05, 06:28

View PostDouglas43, on 2021-April-04, 02:55, said:

No easy answer to that one, I found the same when I was working (retired last year). Maybe online games have unearthed consumer demand for shorter sessions? The EBU Lockdown League is 8 boards and our club has a 16/18 board BBO duplicate on Wednesdays. Some of the older players find 24/27 boards a bit much.


Rubber bridge would be best for working people, where you can cut in and out when you like. There are very few rubber bridge evenings in my area, the dominant bridge variety is duplicate with a bit of teams.
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#13 User is offline   mycroft 

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Posted 2021-April-05, 09:48

From my (very limited) experience in the rubber room:
  • 25-40 minute drive to the club, depending on traffic
  • 10-20 minute wait to cut in
  • 20 minute play, maybe even 3x20 minute play, maybe cut out for 20 minutes
  • 20 minute drive home, traffic lighter later
  • supper, see family, whatever. This can happen before going to the club, but adds another drive time.

If you're a playing family, of course, you can't guarantee playing with your spouse.

Duplicate is an issue, but rubber has its issues, too. Plus, if you don't play all that much, as a newer working player, it has its costs, likely more than duplicate fees.
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