By David Nagel
When it comes to auctions – bids, calls and contracts are more commonly associated with the real estate market – but the Berwick Bridge Club has been using those exact terms for years.
Bridge is a game played with four players, who get dealt 13 cards each, and play in pairs, first bidding and calling for a contract, that once won by the bidding pair, needs to be achieved to win points.
That’s the very simple and brief description (from a journalist with little idea) of a game that never fails to challenge even the most experienced of players.
Berwick Bridge Club President Rob Osborne, a member of the club for the last 11 years, said it is the consistent but unique challenge that keeps him coming back for more.
“It’s the challenge of the game that appeals to me so much,” Osborne said.
“I’ve been playing for 10 years and I’ve only scratched the surface when it comes to the tactics and understanding of the game.
“Every single hand is different, there’s always a new challenge, and that happens several times during our three-hour sessions.”
Berwick Bridge Club is fully operational again after a nine-month shutdown in 2020. The club has roughly 90 members, a decline from before the Covid-pandemic as some members have chosen not to return.
The club caters for a range of abilities, from beginners to very experienced players, and since re-opening in January has maintained Covid-safe conditions under protocols developed by the committee.
The club plays four times a week at the Brentwood Park Community Centre, 21(a) Bemersyde Drive, Berwick. The three-hour sessions start on Monday at 7pm, and at 1pm for day sessions on Tuesday, Wednesday, and the most popular session on Friday.
The club also has beginner lessons and assisted play on Friday mornings to help less experienced members develop their skills.
And beginning on Friday, 18 June – at the Bunjil Place Library in Narre Warren – the club will conduct a 10-week beginners’ program that will run from 10am to 12noon every Friday.
The course is already proving popular, but places are still available.
“People who do want to learn will need patience and perseverance,” Osborne said.
“It’s a game that doesn’t come quickly to most, but becomes enjoyable and more satisfying as the understanding of the person grows. We are a very welcoming club that is happy to take on new members and welcome visiting pairs to our sessions.”
The committee and directors ensure that playing conditions and rules of conduct and etiquette are maintained, thus creating a friendly and enjoyable atmosphere at the club.
For all enquiries, contact Rob on 0422 277 274 or robosborne@optusnet.com.au
