Is Bridge an exciting card game to learn and play?

Question

I play Texas hold em online all the time, but I'm really getting fed up with the luck factor of the game. Should I learn Bridge? Is it a fun, exciting game that I can play online, or is it boring?

Answer 1

I've played cards all my life and learned bridge about 9 years ago. In my opinion, it is the ultimate card game.

You can download some great starter lesson software from www.acbl.org

They have 2 programs. Depending on where you live, there should be lessons through your local bridge club. Or, you might be able to get some people together and learn how to play with a book like "Bridge for Dummies." (That's what I did.)

Answer 2

Well it is a matter of taste. Certainly, I share you preference of strategy in card play rather than the playing with money. However, I was disappointed with bridge when I tried it. I grew up on trick taking games such as whist or solo, where the emphasis is on playing out the hand - in bridge, the emphasis is clearly on the bidding system and the way it is used to convey information about players' hands.

It is not for nothing that people say that a good whist player may become a good bridge player but a good bridge player may always be a poor whist player.

Another problem that I had with bridge was that it seemed to reduce the social element for me, the focus on the bidding system had the effect of building in a kind of formality to the game.

A fair while ago now, I did discover an alternative that fit my social and strategic preferences. While I would urge you to give bridge a try - there are many, many players who enjoy it so much - I would also suggest the tarot family as an alternative (don't worry, most of the games are now played with French suited cards that you wouldn't recognize as tarot at all).