There’s an old endorsement for card games, specifically bridge. Activities like dancing require vitality. Sports like tennis or golf require continued athleticism.
“But you can play bridge so long as you can sit up at a table and tell one card from another,” William Somerset Maugham, the famous English playwright, once said. “In fact, when all else fails — sport, love, ambition — bridge remains a solace and an entertainment.”
Indeed, for the members of the Flathead Valley Duplicate Bridge Club, the popular card game has been a source of community fun for decades. Founded in the 1950s, the local bridge club meets three times a week throughout the year to play the different variations of bridge. The club’s membership has fluctuated over the years and currently there are between 75 and 100 members.
Next week, more than 400 card players from across the Western U.S. and Canada are expected to attend the regional tournament hosted in Kalispell at the Hilton Garden Inn. The event, which is open to the public, is sanctioned by the American Contract Bridge League and will feature different variations of bridge. The games begin Sept. 24 at 7 p.m. and continue all week long at different times until Sept. 30.
“The Flathead Valley is excited to host this tournament,” said Jim Swab, the Flathead Valley club president. “The players and tournament directors will bring a tremendous amount of passion and talent to the table for this exciting event.”
Kalispell previously hosted the regional tournament in 2006.
“Six years ago, it was huge,” Swab said. “It was bigger than the national organization anticipated but we were able to accommodate everyone.”
Swab said there were 1,100 overall tables of bridge over the weeklong period at the 2006 event, which was 300 more than planned.
Players do not need to preregister for the regional tournament. Those needing to find a partner can call Linda Peterson at 406-862-3201 or 406-261-1047.
Participants will have the option to play stratified pairs, knockouts or Swiss teams. The times for these sessions are 8:45 a.m., 1 p.m. and 7 p.m. Players can choose to play in as many sessions as they choose.
No prizes will be awarded.
“Most play simply for the love of the game and the master points that are awarded for good play,” Swab said. “Master points allow players to reach various plateaus of achievement during their lifetime as well as earn prestige amongst their peers.”
The local bridge club plays Monday nights beginning at 5:30 p.m. and Wednesday and Friday afternoons at 12:30 p.m. Games are held at Epworth United Methodist Church on 329 Second Avenue E. in downtown. After Oct. 1, the group will play at the Masonic Temple on Main Street.
For more information about the local bridge club or about the regional event, contact Jim Swab at 406-250-4745.