Bridge, a card game where four people sit around a small table well within one and a half metres of each other was one of the first activities curtailed by the Coronavirus lockdown. A solution to the problem of no more bridge for who knows how long was found “online”.

Over seventy percent of Grafton Bridge Club members have joined Stepbridge Australia (the only on-line bridge club in Australia) which has allowed them to continue playing the game they love in the comfort of their own homes. A GBC Whatsapp group has allowed members to organise games and remain socially connected whilst in isolation which is great for everyone’s mental health.

Club members have continued to play on Tuesday nights and Thursday afternoons socially on Stepbridge. For those members of a more competitive nature Stepbridge has tournaments for all skill levels of players from Novices to Open and members can play in about four different time slots everyday of the week.

These online tournaments can have up to one hundred pairs playing with players from all over Australia. As you wait for the tournament to begin it is not uncommon to find the temperature is 29 in Airlie Beach, 3 degrees in Yass and sunny in Clontarf West Australia. Some of our members have taken to tournament play like ducks to water and are playing two a day almost every day.

We have had varied successes in these tournaments but a highlight for the club was Carolyn Seymour and Dennis Ford winning an Open tournament last week.

If you have lots of time on your hands (self isolating) and would like to learn the game of bridge, check out our website and contact a committee member for details on how we can help.

Bob Northam