With Diwali in the air, everyone was trying to be nice to each other exchanging sweets in their new dresses. Our foursome also assembled at the club, and it was Prabha who spoke first, “I wish every day of the year is Diwali. Everyone is no nice to each other.”
Kaushik jumped in, “Bridge can be played with more joy if everyone plays it like a game. Unfortunately, it is not a game when played at the competitive level – It is War”. We need to maintain basic etiquette at the table.
Padma related her experience, “We had a bad board in one of the tournaments and the opponents started browbeating us and educating us on how we should have handled the situation. I thought it was not required.”
Prabha narrated her story – “We defended a contract incorrectly allowing opponents to make the contract. The dummy started praising his partner how well he played the hand when everyone at the table including the declarer knew it was a defence error. There was nothing we could but hoped that the clock would move faster and the move to the next round is called”.
Kingo was exasperated and said, “I still remember the face of the stupid person who asked me three times if I had entered doubled on the contract as they took us 3 down. It was irritating and I just decided to take a walk to the coffee table as I could not stand his crowing around – Very irritable character.”
Kaushik was red-faced when he said, “Opponents intentionally slow down the play when they know they are going to get a bad board. It is more irritating if you don’t have a competent enough director to correct the score. I have lost count of the number of boards I have lost due to slow play by opponents and director giving us Average plus when we should have got a top.”
Everybody agreed that some people have irritating manners and behaviour at the table. When you have had a bad experience with a pair, you are always worried the same will repeat when you meet them a second time.
Everyone wished each other a Happy Diwali and parted saying that they will maintain the Diwali spirit at the Bridge table.
Tailpiece:
Goofy remarked, “Every dog has its day. All of you should forget bad experiences
and move on with life.
