When lockdown began, all those months ago, I remember chatting to a few of England’s top players about the shift to online bridge. They were dubious, to say the least. They didn’t really enjoy it; nor did they think they were much good at it. Other experts shared their concerns. The inferences and clues they picked up face-to-face — their ‘table presence’ — were such a big part of their game; how could online bridge be anything but a pale imitation of the real thing?
Roll on a year, and their fears have largely been allayed. The great players have found their form. They can still ‘read’ their opponents and get a feel for the cards; they can be as dazzling onscreen as they are in the flesh. This hand, played by the young American Adam Grossack in a recent ‘Alt’ invitational tournament, is an example of online prowess at its best.
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