When I tell people I play bridge, they often look at me like I have two heads. If they have heard of the game at all, they typically associate it with older white women such as the characters in the sitcoms The Golden Girls and I Love Lucy. That association is unfortunate because African Americans of all ages, male and female, have a rich tradition of playing and excelling in the game.
In 1932, a group of African American tennis players in Buckroe Beach, Virginia (near Hampton) formed the American Bridge Association (ABA). This was in response to the refusal of mainstream (white) bridge leagues to allow blacks to play at their tournaments. The ABA still exists with approximately 3,000 members nationwide. ABA bridge clubs are located in all of the major cities in the USA.
Bridge is a card game that exercises critical reasoning skills, much like Chess and Sudoku. In fact, it has been called the chess of card games. It bears a family resemblance to the games Spades, Bid Whist and Hearts (a.k.a. Dirty Hearts), but it requires more strategy, tactics and less luck than those other games. If you think you are good at any of those other games, I encourage you to try bridge. It is a bit more challenging, but more rewarding.
Bridge is played by highly successful people like Warren Buffet, Bill Gates and the Supreme Court Justice Stephen Breyer. In the African American community, there are no household names who play the game but there are countless African American doctors, lawyers, teachers and everyday people who enjoy the game. There are bridge tournaments held all over the world and many lifetime friendships are developed through the game. My own mother met my father when he was teaching a bridge class and they both met many of their dearest friends at bridge tournaments.
The benefits of playing bridge include improved concentration, math skills, problem-solving skills, logic skills, communication skills and social skills. I can personally attest to an improved attention span, better concentration and less distractibility since I started learning the game. It also provides unique opportunities for scholarships, awards and recognition of your accomplishments. If you are young, it is a fun way to build your problem-solving skills. If you are in your prime or past your prime, it is a fun way to meet people and stave off dementia. I strongly encourage everyone to learn the game. It is a priceless endeavor that never stops giving back.
The national headquarters for the ABA is located in Atlanta, Georgia. Anyone interested in locating an ABA club near you can call the headquarters at 404-768-5517 or visit the website www.ababridge.org.
Jawanza Phoenix is an avid bridge player and a lawyer.
