By chess grandmaster Ray Keene, chess columnist for The Times, Sunday Times and Spectator and author of over 100 books on mind sports.
Bridge is a social game which tests partnership skills as well as pure playing strategy.
Since mind sports players are notorious individualists it is hardly surprising that an entire arsenal of withering insult has been built up around the game. But the game is also a ritual, a social device, to meet people in a friendly but structured setting. Bridge is not what you think. It is almost like a metaphor for life. Some years ago I was invited to make up a four and found myself partnering a woman I had not met before.