Bridge was initially known as Biritch, which was also called Russian Whist, and today it remains a game of skill played with randomly dealt cards, which also makes it a game of chance, but not without the need for some tactics by those involved.

It is also interesting to know that Bridge and Chess are the only ‘mind sports’ recognised by the International Olympic Committee, even though they remain ineligible for the main Olympic program.

In simple terms Bridge is a trick taking card game of skill and chance and is played by four people who form two partnerships. The partners sit opposite each other at a table with one player’s hand displayed face up on the table as what is termed ‘the dummy’.

A session of Bridge consists of several deals of cards and the goal of a single deal is to achieve the highest score with given cards. The actual score is affected by two principal factors: the number of tricks bid in the auction and those taken during play.

Played with a standard deck of 52 cards which can be shuffled before each deal with aces the highest scorer followed by Kings, Queens, Jacks and so on down to Two’s.

The goal for each pair of players is to make as high a score as possible. They must also try to communicate to each other sufficient information about their hands, but this is restricted to calls made and the cards played.

Oh, and I wonder if 007 really played the game in true life whether he’d have been as deadly as he was in other ways, and would those beautiful women have been hanging off him?

Don’t get in the way

There’s one distinct rule where Darts are concerned, and that is for spectators not to venture into the dart thrower’s path.

Quite simply it is a game/sport where darts are thrown at a circular target hung on a wall.

As well as being a professional competitive activity Darts is a traditional pub game played mainly in the United Kingdom, across the Commonwealth, and in Holland, Ireland, the United States, Canada and the Scandinavian countries.

And it is popular with women, too, with quite a number involved locally in team contests and social games.

In the standard game the dartboard is hung so the bullseye is 1.7 metres from the floor and players generally stand 2.37 metres away to make their throws.

There is speculation that the game originated among soldiers throwing short arrows at the bottom of trunks of trees.

The standard dartboard is divided into 20 numbered sections from one to 20 with the master shot – the ‘bull’ – worth 50 points.

Normally two players compete taking it in turns to throw three darts each, although there are variations to this, particularly where social games are concerned.

Still going strong

The sport of Billiards dates back to at least the 19th century, and even today it remains a popular competition sport and pastime, particularly at the various licensed clubs around the country.

What’s more there are many hundreds of people out there who have a pool table in the garage or a suitable ‘sports’ room at their home.

And it’s a game for all ages.

There are offshoots of Billiards such as Pocket Billiards or Pool and Snooker that are also popular with the latter, particularly well supported in our local clubs.

The many famous enthusiasts of this sport include Mozart, Marie Antoinette, Napoleon, Abraham Lincoln, George Washington, Babe Ruth, Bob Hope and, of course, the great Walter Lindrum, not to forget either our most recent world best Eddie Charlton.

A Billiards category was included in the 2005 World Games held in Germany, and the 2006 Asian Games also saw the introduction of a cue sports category.

The balls used in the game can vary in size, design and number and there are also many sizes of Pool and Billiard tables although generally they are rectangular and are twice as long as they are wide, and the tables generally have six pockets which can either be three on each side or four corner pockets and two on the side.

One of the most difficult variations of the game is Three–cushion Billiards, which requires a player to make contact with the other two balls on the table and contact three rail cushions in the process. It is so difficult that even the best players can only manage to average one to two points per turn.

In the United States the most commonly played game is Eight Ball, which has also become popular internationally with the establishment of the World Pool – Billiard Association International.

‘Bar pool’ is also popular and is played on smaller, coin operated tables mainly in hotels and smaller clubs.

You can find out more about where you can play competitively or socially simply by contacting your local licensed club.