Westmount Y offers course on king of card games

And starting next week, the Westmount YMCA will be giving people the chance to learn the game for themselves as they host a bridge course for new players.

“It’s the king of card games,” says instructor Eva Paulai. “It’s so much more complex than other games.”

Paulai, who taught a similar course at the Westmount Y in the fall, notes that bridge is a truly international and intergenerational phenomenon. “There is a social aspect to it ... you get hooked on it, you get really passionate about it.”

The course will be based around the instructional techniques of Audrey Grant, a Canadian author of books on bridge strategies.

“She’s the best,” says Paulai. “She explains very clearly, only you do need the experience of playing with others, you need the experience of opponents and partners.”

The course will mainly feature exercises rather than actual games, preparing players for the many facets of bridge. “You have to listen to the bidding," says Paulai. "There are so many factors, and you have to have a certain amount of intuition.”

Paulai’s primary aim is simply to introduce people to the complexity of bridge: “Just to get them hooked on it, that’s all. Then once they get hooked on it, they can read further books, take further instruction.”

The upcoming course will largely cover the same ground as the fall class, but will be longer, and include more theory. “I hope they will be good beginners ... I hope that those who listen to me read the book as well, that they will be good beginners.”

Bridge helps logical thinking

Paulai had the idea of offering the course through the YMCA when a friend asked her to find somewhere in Montreal to learn and play bridge. Unable to find such a place in central Montreal, and an experienced volunteer in other fields, Paulai decided to present a bridge course herself.

“It helps logical thinking,” says Paulai, noting that studies indicate that bridge significantly lowers the risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease. “Some people at 85 can’t dance anymore, but they can play bridge, so it gives them a hobby they can have for the rest of their lives, and allows them to maintain a social life.”

Paulai observes that bridge is “very big in Montreal. There are lots of bridge clubs ... there are also recreational clubs. I still play bridge, in clubs especially ... If it’s just for passing the time, then you can play social bridge, but I like the competitive element. You do it for the love of the game, the game we are hooked on.”

• Eva Paulai’s course on contract bridge will be held from 7 to 9 p.m. on alternate Thursdays from Jan. 24 to March 13. There are several spaces still available; those interested should contact Tracy Kamel, Community Development Coordinator of the YMCA, at 514-931-6770, ext. 248. There is no cost for the course, although the YMCA welcomes donations from participants.