Learn
to play the greatest game of all, Bridge
“Bri
- Wall St Journal.
“No matter where I go, I can always make new friends at the bridge table.”
- Martina
Navratilova
“It [Bridge] is the ultimate in intellectual competition.... Once you try it, you'll never give it up.”
- Bob Lipsitz
“Bridge is such a sensational game that I wouldn't mind being in jail if I had three cellmates who were decent players and who were willing to keep the game going 24 hours a day.”
- Warren Buffett (America's second wealthiest person and Bridge partner of Microsoft's Bill Gates)
“As people develop and grow they search out challenges suitable to their current situation. … those who seek the highest level of mental stimulation move on to activities such as Bridge”
Mike Lawrence.
♠ ♥ ♦ ♣
Bridge is a game of skill, logic and reasoning in which women and men compete on equal terms. It is also a lot of fun.
Bridge is a very social game, providing opportunities to meet large numbers of people. A session at South Perth Bridge Club may have 50 to 100 or more players.
Bridge players range in age from school children to retirees.
At South Perth Bridge Club Bridge is played every day of the year except Xmas Day (and two evenings a week as well!). Weekday sessions are attended mainly by retirees, but evening and weekend sessions are attended by a broad cross-section of age groups – working people, students and others.
Bridge is played by millions of people around the world, socially and with competition Bridge at Club, State, National and International level, including World Junior and School Championships. Some two or three day competitions in WA have total prize-money of more than $2000.
Bridge is played by highly successful people in very different fields; the two wealthiest men in the US, Bill Gates and Warren Buffet, tennis legend Martina Navratilova, actor Omar Sharif (Dr Zhivago, Lawrence of Arabia) are a small representation of the well known figures who are enthusiastic Bridge players. These are not the type of people to play trifling games, their lives prove that they enjoy challenges of the type offered by Bridge.
Cartoonist Charles Schulz was an avid player; his lovable character Snoopy is an Honorary Bridge Life Master (although it is Woodstock and his buddies who spend much more of their time playing bridge!)
Bridge is relatively easy to learn at the basic level. Inexperienced players can play in supervised sessions where they receive assistance from Bridge teachers to develop advanced skills as they learn more about the game. Even the most successful and most experienced players continue to improve their knowledge and skills, no matter how long they play.
South Perth Bridge Club members come from throughout the metropolitan area.
Bridge is an inexpensive recreation. An afternoon or evening of bridge at South Perth Bridge Club (3 hours) costs $4 for members, usually including tea/coffee and biscuits half way through the playing period.
Non-members pay a visitor’s fee of $6. Membership is currently $40 per year with a nomination fee of $50.
The club has an extensive library of books to help members to improve their play.
There is a bar to enable socialization among members after play.
There are many computerised Bridge games, which enable players to improve their ability at home between games played at the club.
There are thousands of registered Bridge players in WA, with the Bridge Association of WA (BAWA) maintaining standards and overall control. Nationally the governing body is the Australian Bridge Federation, which sets local rules and certifies the grading of players. The World Bridge Federation fulfils a similar role globally.
South Perth Bridge Club: has its own clubrooms at the corner of Barker Ave and Brittain St (just off Canning Hwy), Como www.spbc.asn.au
It is a
not-for-profit Club with a Management Committee of volunteers elected from the
membership of almost 400 members.
Beginners
courses, suitable for completely new players, are conducted on Saturday mornings
10.00 am to 12.30 pm. The eight weeks course costs $70, which includes a system
book and refreshments during lessons. Supervised play on Saturday mornings then
continues to provide ongoing instruction.
To enrol for classes please contact Nick Cantatore on 9313 1031 or email ncantato@yahoo.com.au
For further information about the game of Bridge, please contact the Club’s Publicity Officer on Tel: 9457 3759.
Information
correct January 2008.