If I were an accredited 'agony uncle' responding to problems posed by troubled Bridge players, I imagine one of the most frequent questions would be 'How can I improve my game?'--exceeded perhaps by 'How can I improve my partner's game?'
Communicating well with your partner is, of course, the very essence of good Bridge. We all pay lip service, at least, to the idea for the duration of the session, he or she should be the most important person in your life. We know, too, that partners are only human and will from time to time err in the bidding, forget how many trumps are left, take an unnecessary finesse, etc. Even under these trying circumstances, we smile politely and offer reassurance that they have been the victims of a bad split or an uncommonly good piece of play by the opposition. Or do we?
How many times have you found yourself still brooding over your partner's inadequacies several hands later, hands during which your own play might have slipped from its normal high level? There is a very amusing series of books by Victor Mollo featuring different animal characters and their approach to Bridge. Perhaps the most constructive character is H.H., the aptly named Hideous Hog who, although he is the best player, does not bring out the best in his partners. He freely demeans and criticizes them, destroying their confidence. He even goes as far a prohibiting them from bidding NT before him as they might then get to play the contract!
In future columns, I plan to suggest methods by which your partner's, or even your own, play might be technically improved, but in this column my aim is less ambitious. Rather than simple assuming, like H.H., that your partner is now and will always be less gifted than yourself, I propose that you start making notes of where, together, you fall down and then actively engage your partner in tackling the problem areas.
Take a look at the 'Results" section of the Club website and you may get some valuable clues! Do you consistently underbid, for example? While other pairs are reaching game contracts, do you often finish in a part score with an overtrick? Are you not taking all the defensive tricks to which you are entitled? Do you and your partner agree to leads and basic signals?
Your partner may not, of course, share your views as to where the problems lie! For that reason, rather than trying to explain between hands or rounds how your partner might benefit from your new ideas, I suggest a meeting away from the hurly-burly of the Bridge Club, perhaps over coffee and cake, where calmness and mutually constructive criticism can flourish!
Anything you can do to improve communication with your partner, and please note that I am writing about legal methods here, will pay dividends. Like a good house, a good Bridge partnership requires constant effort and attention.
November 2021
Cliff
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