Bridge | 7 February 2019

It can be hard to explain to people who don’t play bridge why it’s quite such a beautiful game. And yet, with fewer young people taking it up, and numbers declining, it’s vital that we do: otherwise, we face the heart-wrenching prospect that it might die out. Bridge organisations worldwide are doing what they can to reverse the trend, of course. And countless individuals are helping. But I don’t believe anyone is doing more than Sam Punch, professor of sociology at the University of Sterling.
 
Sam, who plays for Scotland, has decided to spend the next 15 years establishing a new academic field: the Sociology of Bridge. By exploring ‘how the bridge world works’ and highlighting its benefits to wider society, she hopes to develop enough evidence to persuade governments, teachers and employers to introduce more bridge into schools, universities  and community projects. I’m sure she will. Quite apart from connecting people and keeping brains healthy, think of the skills that are transferable to other areas: focus, problem-solving, communication, co-operation, patience, team-building.