Free international conference for academics, bridge players, teachers, administrators and policymakers
More than 60 presenters and panelists from 20 countries
Case studies: Australia, China, Croatia, Czech Republic, Denmark, India, Ireland, Israel, Japan, Madeira, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, South Pacific, UK, USA
Day 1
28 June: Benefits of bridge as a sport
Welcome by: World Bridge Federation President
[Session 1A] Bridge as a Mindsport
13:00 (BST UK) / 08:00 (EDT)
[Session 1B] Wellbeing & Bridge
16:30 (BST UK) / 11:30 (EDT)
Keynote: Prof Martin Seligman (USA)
Bridge at the Top (Jill Levin & Chip Martel)
Day 3
30 June: How can bridge be more inclusive?
[Session 3A] Ageing, Intergenerationality & Bridge
10:00 (BST UK) / 05:00 (EDT)
[Session 3B] Gender, Sexism & Bridge
15:00 (BST UK) / 10:00 (EDT)
Panel 1 Women’s Bridge: Pros & Cons
Panel 2 Sexism within the Game: Solutions?
Online programme
The conference had eight sessions, two per day, and each day had its own theme.
Day 1: Bridge as a Mindsport
Day 2: Digital Bridge: Opportunities and Challenges
Day 3: Healthy Ageing, Intergenerationality and Gender
Day 4: Education, Development and Marketing
Each session has its own webpage with all the details of speakers and panelists, and links to pre-recorded presentations.
There were two hands-on-line bridge sessions during the conference. There was a pairs tournament and a bridge taster for first-timers.
Both practical sessions were held on RealBridge, the online bridge platform with integrated audio and video.
Acknowledgements
Thanks to all the participants, presenters and panelists, the steering group, chairs, facilitators and note-takers. Thanks also to the individuals and organisations who helped make this conference possible including: Scottish Bridge Union, Leisure Studies Association and American Contract Bridge League Educational Foundation for financial support; University of Stirling for administrative, technical and general support; RealBridge for advice on technology; the tournament directors for organising the tournament and taster session; BridgeCloud for publishing the tournament results; the volunteer teaching assistants at the taster session; Ying Piper for the English transcript for the Chinese video; Francesca Canali for photographs used on the conference web pages
Conference Organising Committee
Professor Samantha Punch (BAMSA Project Lead), Christina Ballinger (BAMSA Mind Sport Officer), Stephanie McConnell (Conference Administrator), Fred Phillips (IT), Tim Rees (Steering Group) and Stephen Peterkin (Steering Group)
BAMSA Team Members
Dr Miriam Snellgrove (BAMSA Research Fellow), Zoe Russell (Research Assistant), Jordan Maclean (Research Assistant), Dr Camilla Barnett (Research Assistant)
This was a free conference and all the materials are freely available to view, listen or download. If you enjoy the pre-recordings or the recordings of the sessions please consider making a donation towards the future work of Bridge: A MindSport for All. All contributions small and large are hugely appreciated.