40th Anniversary of the Zug Bridge Club

The Zug Bridge Club celebrated its 40th anniversary on 4th June at the Villette in Cham, nestled in the beautiful lakeside park.
 

Fortunately, a sunny spell opened up around midday between the rain clouds, of which the members took advantage for a meal together on the terrace before 18 cheerful pairs took to the historic hall for the Anniversary Tournament.

The victory went to long-time member Craig Smith and his partner Rolf Nussbaumer - a remarkable achievement, especially considering that Rolf Nussbaumer only discovered the challenging game of bridge a few years ago. The afternoon's celebrations not only honoured the performances of the players, but also those of board members Marianne Burlet, Teresa Hedinger, and Vreni Wälti, together with members Bruno Rhomberg and Peter Steiner, who have dedicated themselves to the club's IT for many years.

Rolf Nussbaumer (left) and Craig Smith were as yet unaware of their brilliant victory at the anniversary tournament as they enjoyed lunch. They were cheered on by founding member Karin Zürcher (second from right                  Photo provided / Ingrid Hieronymi

The Zug Bridge Club was founded in 1986, and Karin Zürcher is the only founding member still active. She and her partner achieved an honourable sixth place at the anniversary tournament, and she recalled how it all began: with around ten bridge enthusiasts, mostly native English speakers and women, who met at the Guggital Restaurant in Zug for a friendly game of cards. Membership once reached 130, but now stands at 64. Despite the declining membership, the club is well-equipped in terms of infrastructure. While many clubs still use Bridgemates, the Zug Bridge Club has long been recording its results via tablet. At the same time, the club places a strong emphasis on youth development and further training, for example, with introductory courses.

After the tournament, the participants gathered for a convivial reception and reminisced about various anecdotes. The anniversary celebration vividly demonstrated what has defined the Zug Bridge Club since its founding: community, passion, and the joy of a game that never ceases to challenge.

Report for the Zug Bridge Club by Ingrid Hieronymi

The Bridge Club Zug plays every Thursday at the Restaurant Vivino in Martinspark, Baar from 2:00 pm.
More information (in German) can be found on the website:
https://www.bridgeclubzug.ch/