Contract Bridge Association to offer free sessions

The Antigua Contract Bridge Association (ACBA) will be offering free two-hour sessions to the public, mainly youths, to further the number of persons playing the sport.
According to President Deverel Forde, the hope is that by the end of a two-year period, the interest and number of players will increase significantly, not only for the development of the sport, but for good representation at regional tournaments. 
“The OECS tournament has been going on since 1987. The next tournament will be held in St. Kitts in 2019 and Antigua will be hosting in 2020, so we are really hoping that over a two-year period we can get new people involved and then they can be a part of our tournament because it is important that the host country can have a good feel.”
While speaking on the Good Morning JoJo Sports Show, the veteran however noted the ongoing issue of people not gravitating to the sport despite a number of initiatives because of its mathematical roots.
“Once people get interested in Bridge, they will become addicted because it’s fascinating. Sometimes people tend to take some time to come around to bridge because a lot of people seem to be intimidated because you talk about the mathematics, but at the end of the day, as one former national player would say, if you can count to 13 you can play Bridge.”
Those sentiments were also echoed by another veteran player, Theresa Matthews, who has been playing the sport for over 20 years.
“You have to be a little mathematical, but not so much because you are only adding up to 13…it is however a fun sport where you can just play anywhere around the world.”
In closing, Forde highlighted the impact that playing the sport had on his work life once he began playing.
“I use to meet Frank-I and Hyram playing Bridge before me, and I would be teasing them, and from the time I started, I realised the capacity-building process of this game. I mean Bridge is business, Bridge is life, Bridge is social.
“The whole thing about it is what you can accomplish in Bridge is what you can transfer to business, your everyday work.”
The six sessions will be held at the Association’s headquarters on Factory Road starting this Tuesday and Thursday at 5 p.m., while Saturdays will begin at 1 p.m.
The sessions will run for the last two weeks in August.