BRIDGING THE GAP

Louise Hargens, left, and Jessie MaeLottes, right, played out a hand during their bridge game.

Players kept track of their points, hoping to win the game.

When Mary Alice Regenhardt and Mary O'Neil moved to Cape Girardeau, knowledge of the game of bridge proved to be an invaluable asset for both of them.

Joining a bridge club can help newcomers acclimate themselves to their new surroundings.

"I was able to meet a lot of people that I wouldn't have otherwise met," said O'Neil.

Both women are avid bridge players participating in a variety of games throughout the city.

"Bridge is a game that requires a deep, hard concentration, but only for a couple of minutes at a time," said Paul Gilbert, another Cape Girardeau bridge player.

Gilbert has been playing bridge since his college days. He now plays in a duplicate bridge game held at the Osage Centre on the first Thursday of the month.

"We're sponsored by the city," he said. Prizes are donated by local merchants which makes the game more interesting.

Gilbert says playing at the Centre is one of the few things people can do for free and still walk off with a prize.

Regenhardt's introduction to the game dates to her high school days.

"My mother made me learn the game," she said. "We couldn't go out on Sunday nights; we had to stay home and play bridge."

Regenhardt spent time with her husband in Central America and played bridge there as well. "We played with people from different countries," she said. It was a great way to learn about other cultures.

The game of bridge is highly appealing because it combines so many features. Bridge is first and foremost a game of skill. The more time you're willing to spend, the better you'll become, of course. But anyone willing to invest some time and effort can learn to play.

Luck is sometimes defined as the place where preparation meets opportunity. Bridge is a game at these crossroads. The opportunity presents itself in the cards you are dealt. What you do with those cards depends on how prepared you are.

Because the game pits partners against partners, learning to "play the people" is also important. Bridge players often develop predictable patterns and a sharp eye helps to pick up on a player's "quirks."

Both party and duplicate bridge games are played locally.

Party bridge is a little less intense and quite a bit more social. Players move from table to table after a designated number of hands. After a hand is played it's over and players begin again.

Duplicate bridge can be more of a learning experience. Everyone plays the same hand and players are able to learn various strategies from each other.

A women's group of duplicate bridge players meets at Barnes and Noble the second Tuesday of each month.

O'Neil also participates in a bridge marathon here in Cape Girardeau. Twelve couples participate in the marathon and meet to play once a month. Whoever has the highest score at the end of the year wins.

Unfortunately, the game does not seem to be catching on with the younger generation. Most players are middle aged and older.

"We played in college because the game was intriguing and made us think," said Gilbert. Today's computer technology gives young people other avenues to keep their minds alert.

But computers can be a valuable tool even to the game of bridge.

"I know some people who play bridge on the computer and are quite good at it," said Regenhardt.

By logging on, would-be players can learn the ins and outs of the game. Seasoned players can even participate in a world-wide game from the comfort of their home.