THE WONDER OF BRIDGE...................... ( A short article by Dr.Sigmund T. Schukelgruber )

The wonder of bridge is the infinite number of mysteries one has to unravel and solve. So many hands where elusive games and slams are missed, quietly slipping by , despite our best efforts to find them in competitive bidding auctions. So many secrets to discover in the art of making tricks out of nothing. Lots more to fathom out when deceptive bids and plays simply add to the confusion and complexity that already exist. Indeed it is the mysteries of bridge which have made the game into the most sublimely beautiful and intriguing one ever devised. Time and time again we set off on a short journey completely " in the dark ", looking for information, evidence, clues, inferences and our sixth sense to help " shed some light " on the best way to proceed in order to reach our goal.

As Albert Einstein once said, and clearly he had bridge in mind, " The most beautiful experience we can have is the mysterious. It is the fundamental emotion which stands at the cradle of true art and true science. Whoever does not know it, and can no longer wonder, no longer marvel, is as good as dead, and his eyes are dimmed ."

So yes, Bridge indeed is both a science and an art. The game's exquisite beauty can never be fully appreciated or seen until years of experience begin to open our eyes. Each hand in itself is a mystery to explore and solve. Each path we take is full of hidden traps and unexpected consequences. Success of course depends on discovering all the hidden truths, and then like a skilled magician using this knowledge to conjure up an even more amazing trick.