Testimonial
Bridge at the Top
Bridge at the Top: Behind the Screens Bridge at the Top explores the experiences of elite bridge players competing on the international tournament circuit. Players reflect on participating in bridge settings before, during and after the game. In one-to-one interviews with Professor Samantha Punch, a selection of the world’s greatest [...]
Bob Hamman
Bob Hamman (Multiple World Champion) "The (Per)forming Identity paper is very strong on the point of mindsports and I liked what I read. The next step is to see what we can do with it. You identified the important issues in relation to mindsports. The notion that sport has to be a strictly physical activity is nonsense. For it to be a sport, [...]
Zia Mahmood
Zia Mahmood (World Champion) "Bridge is difficult to resist - it’s a pleasure and it’s a passion and it’s something that if you enjoy it, you don’t put it down. Professor Punch’s research at the University of Stirling on the benefits of bridge is just what the bridge world needs to attract new players to our amazing card game." [...]
Testimonials
Bridge at the Top
Bridge at the Top: Behind the Screens Bridge at the Top explores the experiences of elite bridge players competing on the international tournament circuit. Players reflect on participating in bridge settings before, during and after the game. In one-to-one interviews with Professor Samantha Punch, a selection of the world’s greatest [...]
Bob Hamman
Bob Hamman (Multiple World Champion) "The (Per)forming Identity paper is very strong on the point of mindsports and I liked what I read. The next step is to see what we can do with it. You identified the important issues in relation to mindsports. The notion that sport has to be a strictly physical activity is nonsense. For it to be a sport, [...]
Zia Mahmood
Zia Mahmood (World Champion) "Bridge is difficult to resist - it’s a pleasure and it’s a passion and it’s something that if you enjoy it, you don’t put it down. Professor Punch’s research at the University of Stirling on the benefits of bridge is just what the bridge world needs to attract new players to our amazing card game." [...]
What is mindsport?
A mindsport is a game of skill that requires mental agility rather than physical ability. Bridge, chess, draughts (checkers), go, xianqi (Chinese chess), and mahjong are all mindsports.
About this website
This is an academic website for a research project that has national and international reach, involving stakeholders from policy and practice. The site presents academic findings and related information to the global bridge community with a view to achieving positive social impact. To give feedback, please email: [email protected]
Why is bridge different to other mindsports?
Bridge is the only mindsport that involves partnership in a competitive environment. It is the only mindsport in which a computer has never beaten a human.
As a four-player card game played by opposing pairs, bridge enables social interaction, bringing individuals together in a fun, engaging and stimulating way. As a game of incomplete information, it develops players’ deductive, analytical and reasoning skills.
Bridge is a mindsport for all ages with a role to play in reconnecting an increasingly disconnected society. The game fosters communication and a sense of belonging between people regardless of age, physical ability, gender or social background. For many people, bridge is the antidote to social isolation and loneliness.
Click Bridge Basics to watch a three-minute video about how to play bridge.