Els Cochrane, left, and Sue Keating surprised themselves and others with a recent win at the Cambridge Bridge Club.
A pair of relative newcomers to bridge are earning their stripes with the Cambridge Bridge Club.
Sue Keating and Els Cochrane joined at the start of last year’s beginner bridge lessons series. After quickly getting to grips with the trick-taking card game they have become regulars, and their April 15 win in a Cambridge Novice Pairs competition game left many of the club’s more established players impressed. Sue and another partner went on to score another win a couple of weeks ago, this time without Els who was unwell at the time.
Club secretary Ailsa Henderson said it was ‘quite rare’ for such new players to do as well.
Sue and Els have been firm friends since flatting together in London in their early 20s. They both ended up in Cambridge and last year, when they saw that a series of free bridge lessons was on offer, they decided to join the club.
“I had no idea what I was doing,” said Sue. While there had been some family exposure to bridge – and to the game ‘500’ – both she and Els started from scratch but made steady progress.
“The club was so friendly and supportive,” she added. “We never felt under any pressure… and that competition win was very exciting.”
Sue said she had become ‘addicted’ and was even playing online when not at the club. She reckons it’s one of the best fun things you can do to keep the mind sharp.
The next free tuition sessions for new bridge players starts on June 6. Kim Grounds, who took Sue and Els through their paces early on, will be teaching newcomers.
- Those interested should contact Linda Littlemore on 07 871 5127.
