‘Bridge is a life lesson, not just a game’

Ask anyone what they think is Lefkara’s claim to fame, and everyone will likely say ‘lace’. A lesser-known fact is that the card game of Bridge first appeared in the same Larnaca village over 100 years ago.

With a rich global history, Bridge has a dominant presence on the island and a passionate following. It was brought to the island from central Europe, and while a committed group of players has kept the club alive for decades, the search for new, younger contestants to carry on its legacy is the federation’s main concern.

Bridge first appeared on the island in Lefkara village, brought to Cyprus by lace merchants who began playing at ‘kafenedes’ at the start of the 20th century. The merchants used to hang out at cafes and clubs around Paris, Vienna and Berlin, where Bridge was a frequent pastime, where they picked up the game and brought it here.

“A really funny situation happened back in the day in a kafenio in Lefkara,” said Demetris Savva, a committee member. “During the Second World War, lace merchants gathered playing Bridge, and every once in a while, they put a few coins in a little plate as a tip for the establishment owner,” he said.

Savva said a police officer stormed in, saying he had received reports from a British officer about ongoing gambling, which was illegal. The men were summoned to court, where the judge was British. The lawyer for the defendants explained that the men were not gambling but rather playing Bridge.

“The judge just laughed! He couldn’t believe that Bridge was played in a tiny Cypriot village,” said Savva. “In the end, he just made a snarky comment to ‘keep on playing’ this incredible game and ordered that all trial expenses be covered by the administration,” he added.

By 1960, Bridge was well-established in Cyprus, and the club went from a local community to being part of the International Bridge Federation, winning multiple awards and distinctions globally. Bridge was established all over the island with six clubs – two in Nicosia and Limassol, and one in Lefkara, Larnaca and Paphos – garnering around 270 registered members.

Bridge was historically played by the upper class, the only people with the time on their hands to master the rules and sit around and play.

Today it’s accessible to everyone, but busy schedules, jobs and family responsibilities are only a few of the reasons why it’s rare for younger players to show an interest.

The majority of the current bridge players are seniors, who have dedicated decades to learning this “sport of the mind”.

“Some of our club members are well into their 80s and 90s but you would never be able to guess that,” said Angelina Paraliki, the club’s president. Similar to other mind sports, research shows that playing Bridge can significantly reduce the chance of developing dementia by stimulating the brain in memory engagement.

The atmosphere in the Bridge Club is warm. It feels like entering a relative’s house or a restaurant you’ve been visiting for years. It’s welcoming and loud in a way that feels alive.

The walls are filled with hand-drawn cartoons of the players and leaderboards dating back to 1978, while drinks and snacks are available. The players gather around half an hour before the start of the game to catch up and to share family news and updates. For most, the club has been part of their lives for decades.

Once the game begins, there is a noticeable shift in behaviour. “It’s very competitive. There is a director who’s in charge of the game, and everybody must follow their instructions. Silence is golden. If people misbehave, they can get penalised”, said Paraliki.

On an international level, Bridge is widely recognised for promoting team building and mind-development, but that does not seem to be the case in Cyprus. “Bringing younger people into the mind sport is so important,” Paraliki said.

To continue the Bridge club’s legacy, they have been attempting to bring the game to more people. Members approached 20 embassies, the education ministry and different federations, but they were disappointed that it never really caught on.

One of the main reasons for this was the unfortunate similarities between Bridge and other card games associated with gambling. To play Bridge, you need a whole deck of playing cards, the ubiquitous green felt baize, and a tactical mindset.

The committee hopes to reach a new audience through their growing social media presence. “We are going to put up a Facebook group, as we are very happy to give a series of Bridge lessons to newcomers,” Paraliki said.

Bridge is known to hone the memory and increase mental capabilities.

“Every Tuesday and Thursday, we teach the advanced groups, as they have been taking lessons for some time, but of course, we are expecting more people to show interest,” Savva said. The Nicosia Bridge club already has a group who have shown an interest in learning, and once it is formed, they will decide on teaching hours.

A committed player, Annita spoke about her experience playing Bridge. “For me, this is a community, not just a pastime.” For many of these players, Bridge has been a significant part of their lives for decades, and that goes to show the impact a mind sport can have on one’s life.

A different player who wished to remain unnamed said: “The rules are a very small part of the game, we’re talking statistics, arithmetic, logic and countless possibilities, it’s a lesson not just a game.”

“Do you know how many times in your life you can find the same hand [card combination]? Zero.” Player and teacher Errikos Leonidou said, “For the last 20 years, since I retired, Bridge has been my life, I’m involved every day, it’s a way of keeping alive.”