Bridge (the card game)

[Pangloss]

Back when I was at Georgia Tech in the early 1980s, this was the big social game that everyone played. Almost as popular (maybe more so) than chess. Engineers seemed to really take to it. But as video games took off I think this game has become somewhat relegated to the backwaters of retirement homes. None of my video game design students have ever played it; some had never even heard of it.

 

So, just out of curiosity, does anyone here play it?

[ecoli]

only people in their early 80s AFAIK

[Royston]

only people in their early 80s AFAIK

 

Not that I've played the game, but why is that though ? Other pursuits for the elderly e.g bowls, is understandable i.e you don't need to exert yourself too much. (not trying to sound ageist)

 

Do bridge games go on for a particularly long time...i.e it's a game if you have lots of time to kill ?

[ParanoiA]

I've never played it, but I've always wanted to. I never knew the rules nor had the drive to go learn them on my own and rally my own game together. My wife and I play gin alot and Spades with my parents as a matter of course, so it's not like card games are not attractive to us.

 

Good question.

[Mr Skeptic]

I play with my brothers, mother, and grandfather. I like the game, and I'm only 23. It's a good card game, though I don't know very many of them.

[Pangloss]

I think the rise of the video game has had a very detrimental effect on the popularity of classic games in general. There are some (like chess) that will never go out of style, and party games are quite popular, but serious board games and card games have really taken a hit. I'm not sure they'll ever recover.

[ParanoiA]

I think the rise of the video game has had a very detrimental effect on the popularity of classic games in general. There are some (like chess) that will never go out of style, and party games are quite popular, but serious board games and card games have really taken a hit. I'm not sure they'll ever recover.

 

I'm not sure either, but "family time" may attempt to help though. I was perfectly happy never seeing a board game again for the rest of my life, but after giving in for family time, we all enjoy it - even the teenager. Go figure.

 

You can't really do family things on the computer. Computers are an individual level interaction. Video games can alienate the older crowd. So the kids have to dumb themselves down to mom and dad's level of gaming.

[john5746]

So the kids have to dumb themselves down to mom and dad's level of gaming.

 

LOL, if you pick the right games, they will quickly learn they are not as smart as they think.

[Pangloss]

I teach an introductory game design course, and on the first day, after my introductory lecture, I whip out three old Steve Jackson games: Illuminati, Munchkin, and Ninja Burger. The students (rarely over the age of 20) look at them like they're relics of some bygone fantasy era. I might as well have pulled a rabit out of my hat. It's really quite amusing.

 

Anyway, I make them learn how to play the games on their own (amusing in itself -- they have to actually read the instructions!), then they play the games for a little while, write up an assessment along various assignment criteria, and then present their findings back to the rest of the class.

 

Mind you, this is just a first-day assignment, meant more for motivation and a bit of fun, rather than any real enlightenment, but I have to say the first couple times I got more out of the experiment than the kids did. It is a VERY novel experience for them, playing a "serious" board game, most of them for the first time in their young lives.

[PhDP]

I think the rise of the video game has had a very detrimental effect on the popularity of classic games in general. There are some (like chess) that will never go out of style, and party games are quite popular, but serious board games and card games have really taken a hit. I'm not sure they'll ever recover.

 

Yet, I think the board game industry is growing, most of my favorite board games are actually pretty recent;

 

Imperial (2006); Looks like a wargame, but it's actually a game about $$$. You invest in nations (France, Germany, Italy, UK, Russia, Austria), the player with the highest investment has the control. You need to tax, to invest, to wage war, and of course, you need to be sure that the armies you built in England to attack France won't be used against you (say, if the player controlling France invest in England, take control, and send the troops to your precious Germany). No dice, no cards, it's a perfect information game like chess.

 

Tigris & Euphrat (1997); A tile-placement game. The rules are a little weird, but when you get used to it you understand why it's nearly always considered among the top 10 board games. Lots of tension, dept and strategy.

 

Hive (2001); A simple, fast, and very original tactical board game (can be tried here).

[ecoli]

Yet, I think the board game industry is growing, most of my favorite board games are actually pretty recent;

 

Imperial (2006); Looks like a wargame, but it's actually a game about $$$. You invest in nations (France, Germany, Italy, UK, Russia, Austria), the player with the highest investment has the control. You need to tax, to invest, to wage war, and of course, you need to be sure that the armies you built in England to attack France won't be used against you (say, if the player controlling France invest in England, take control, and send the troops to your precious Germany). No dice, no cards, it's a perfect information game like chess.

 

Wow... that game looks perfect. I've been looking for something like this every since that Riskopoly game didn't work out.

[PhDP]

Wow... that game looks perfect. I've been looking for something like this every since that Riskopoly game didn't work out.

 

It's a great board game, in fact it's nearly perfect, except perhaps that the rule for *advanced start* should ALWAYS be used, otherwise the game can be unfair, and it's better with 3-4 players, IMHO.

 

It can be tried online at http://www.brettspielwelt.de/, but if you want to try it there you should probably do so with people you know.

[Pangloss]

Sweet, thanks for the tips!

[swansont]

I used to play bridge a lot when I was in the navy. It was a great catalyst for social interaction. We had a pool of maybe a dozen players, so getting a game together was pretty easy. Hang out with your friends for a few hours and drink a couple of beers.

 

My parents taught me pinochle when I was about 10, and I played that a lot, too.

[Pangloss]

That's interesting -- I've never heard about Bridge being popular in the armed forces. Thanks for passing that along.

[iNow]

Just because swansont played does not logically imply it was popular. Quite the opposite, actually.

[swansont]

Just because swansont played does not logically imply it was popular. Quite the opposite, actually.

 

You just made the list, buddy.

 

But to extrapolate that experience would be tenuous at best. The nuke school instructors with whom I served are in no way a representative sample of the armed forces, though one of that gang did stay in for 20 years.

[Pangloss]

I just thought it was impressive that you found 12 people in a local area to play Bridge with you.