The Tyler Senior Center was filled last week with nearly 50 enthusiastic bridge players to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the Tyler Duplicate Bridge Club. (Jennifer Scott/Tyler Morning Telegraph)

The air at Tyler’s Senior Center was abuzz with excitement as members of the Tyler’s Duplicate Bridge Club gathered Oct. 18 to celebrate 50 years of strategic plays, spirited competition, and cherished friendships, marking a golden anniversary that honors not just the game, but the community built around it.

“Duplicate bridge became a very popular game right after World War II,” said Shreedhara Ramarathnam, a member of the club. “When people went overseas, many others got involved in social activities and bridge was the one that happened to take off.”

According to the American Contract Bridge League, bridge is a trick-taking card game typically played with four players in two partnerships. Each player is dealt 13 cards from a standard 52-card deck. The game begins with a bidding phase, where players take turns indicating how many tricks they believe their team can win. The highest bid determines the trump suit, which is stronger than the other suits.

After bidding, the declarer (the player who won the bid) leads the first card. Players must follow suit if possible; if they can’t, they may play any card. The highest card of the led suit wins the trick unless a trump card is played. The objective is to win as many tricks as declared in the bid. The game consists of several rounds, and points are scored based on successful bids and any overtricks (extra tricks won beyond the bid). While the basics are straightforward, players often develop strategies to enhance their gameplay over time.

“It’s a very challenging game,” said Mary Bartley, of Emerald Bay. “You have to keep your mind concentrating on the game.”

Bartley has been playing bridge since the 1960s as a way to socialize and enjoy some time away from home.

“I had small children and I could play bridge in the evening while my husband kept the children,” she said. “He had golf and I had bridge, so it worked out. Then as the children got older, my husband started playing bridge as well, then we played together.”

Bridge not only challenges players intellectually but also creates a sense of connection and friendship among them.

“If you have other problems, those problems disappear at the bridge table,” Bartley said. “You make marvelous friends and the players are very accommodating. They would go the extra mile. It’s a fabulous game.”

The golden anniversary attracted over 50 members from Nacogdoches, Texarkana, Pittsburg, Athens and Canton, who gathered to celebrate with a day of play that highlighted the camaraderie and shared love for bridge that has united the club for decades.

Brenda Baker had been living in Tyler since the mid-1960s when she married her husband after meeting at Texas Christian University. They had a daughter who was born with a rare debilitating disease and the couple was told she would not live beyond her teenage years.

“I had to take care of her around the clock or have help at all times because her troubles were… pretty severe,” Baker said. “But… she lived to be 25 years old.”

Throughout this journey, bridge provided Baker with an opportunity to unwind and engage with a community, helping her navigate the emotional challenges she faced.

“I didn’t know how to play bridge very well (at first) but I heard about duplicates so I began to play some,” she said. “But taking care of my daughter was the most important thing so… I probably played bridge once a month.”

The more she played, the more she surrounded herself in a community of enthusiastic players and the love of the game.

“It’s always nice to have something to celebrate and be around a big crowd like this,” Baker said.

One of the club’s favorite aspects that brings members together is the food, which adds a delightful social element to each gathering. Members often share homemade dishes and snacks, creating a warm and inviting atmosphere.

“We always have food,” Ramarathnam chuckled. “Granted, what we have isn’t always healthy, but we’re here for a good time.”

Despite the joy it brings, the Tyler Duplicate Bridge Club faces the challenge of declining membership. Many longtime members are aging and passing away, while the younger generation shows limited interest in the game.

“That’s the unfortunate part… the average age is 72, 73,” Ramarathnam said. “And it doesn’t seem like the younger generation is interested in sitting face to face and playing the game.”

However, there are exceptions. As a member of the younger generation, Ethan Collins appreciates the competitiveness that bridge offers.

“It’s different from any other card game I’ve played because you have a partner and then… the bidding conventions,” Collins said. “It’s all about knowing your partner in a way, and it’s very competitive.”

He learned about the game from his economics professor during a welcome speech, where she mentioned her interest in playing bridge. Intrigued by the game, Collins shared his enjoyment of card games, and the professor brought him to the bridge club a few years ago.

“A lot of these people are older, but they’re very good. They’ve been playing for double or triple the time I’ve been alive,” he said. “It’s just completely different from any other game… and it’s kind of got this really competitive appeal.”

Collins encourages younger generations to step away from their computers, video games, and cell phones, suggesting they try bridge instead for a fun and engaging social experience.

“There’s a human aspect to it that a lot of people need,” Collins said. “As you play people, you get to know who they are and you get to know their story and to me that’s really interesting. So I encourage people to try that out.”

The golden anniversary of the Tyler Duplicate Bridge Club serves as a celebration of not only the game itself but also the strong community that has developed over the past 50 years. The bridge club meets at 12:30 p.m. on Monday, Wednesday and Friday each week at the Tyler Senior Center, located at 1915 Garden Valley Road in Tyler.