Playing cards was basically the unofficial family religion in our house. As kids, we cut our teeth on Go Fish and War, graduated to Rummy 500 and Gin Rummy, and by the time we hit puberty, we were throwing down in games like Poker, Hearts, and Whist.
Family gatherings were always predictable: eat first, deal cards second, talk trash throughout. Grandparents, aunts, uncles, cousins, even family friends who “just dropped by” would somehow end up elbow-deep in cards and snacks.
But while we kids were having fun with our own games, the adults were playing that most difficult of all card games, Bridge.
My mom and her college friends would often meet for evenings of Bridge and raucous laughter, but in those days, it was less about the bidding and more about the laughs. So when my parents retired, they decided to level up their game to duplicate bridge—and they loved it. They traveled, they played, they competed with the intensity of Olympic athletes—but with more sitting and fewer injuries.
I was inspired watching my parents have fun while staying social and staying sharp.
While I’d had a vague idea how to play Bridge, I’d always found the bidding mystifying. In 2018 I decided I wanted in on the action, so I found a bridge class through the Assabet After Dark program in Marlborough, MA. It sounded perfect: evening classes, a relaxed vibe, and best of all, my husband agreed to come with me. Date night, but with more strategy and fewer calories.
Our instructor, Jim Culhane, was patient, thorough, funny, and somehow made learning the rules of duplicate bridge feel like adult summer camp. He broke down the basics, never made us feel dumb, and even managed to make bidding slightly less terrifying. Our classmates were fantastic too—equal parts friendly and competitive, which is the sweet spot in any card group.
The highlight? We finally got to play with my parents. It was like the family circle was complete—multi-generational bonding over bidding conventions and passive-aggressive table talk. I still play with others from the class—sometimes as partners, sometimes as opponents, but always with a laugh.
Long live bridge—and long live the people who make it more than just a game.
Players' Corner is a monthly feature which spotlights a CMBA player who tells what got them started playing the great game of bridge.
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