Your mental toolbox to a better game
A few months ago, I wrote about momentum swings in matches. It is funny how crazy bridge can be at times and a recent pennant match in Melbourne showed just how fickle the game can be. Bridge in Melbourne is still recovering from the downturn in numbers following all the lockdowns and restrictions we experienced […]
Bridge players are notorious for discussing the boards where imps were lost. While it is important to learn from our mistakes, dwelling on them will do little to help our overall confidence levels. Those who have read my book will have noted my acknowledgement of the Olympic champion Lanny Bassham whose work on mental management […]
I had planned to contest the Asia Pacific Bridge Federation Championships, which were to be held in Perth in April 2020. Everything was booked. Without warning, my plans were thrown into disarray because of a little bug which has created a world-wide crisis – Covid-19. The disruption to my plans pales somewhat when compared with some […]
I contested the pairs event in shooting at my first Commonwealth Games. In that event my partner was having a poor day. The format meant all competitors shot their match at the same time, with the scores for the pair added together. I was a quick shooter so finished ahead of most, and was thus […]
One of the best-known examples of an event horizon (sometimes called the point of no return) derives from general relativity’s description of a black hole, a celestial object so massive that no nearby matter or radiation can escape its gravitational field. Often, this is described as the boundary within which the black hole’s escape velocity […]
In previous articles I have written about comfort zones and maintaining a positive outlook at the table. Sometimes circumstances combine at the bridge table to create a challenging and unfamiliar environment for players which stretches our comfort zone and tests our ability to stay positive. Recently my comfort zone was stretched when I lined up […]
In my last article I wrote about how good preparation before the start of play can help with overcoming opening round nerves. However, nerves are not the only aspect which might affect a bridge player’s ability to focus effectively. Keeping a positive mindset when faced with a difficult contract is an important mental skill to […]
Recently I read an article about the leading golfer Rory McIlroy. In it he described the circumstances around his implosion in the US Masters Golf tournament when he was well in the lead and poised to win his first major. He described how his thoughts on the night before were all about the round the […]
I hate playing in no trumps. I don’t play well against Pair x. I have heard comments like this from many players. Whether you verbalise this or simply think it, the same effect on your mind will apply. A key issue for many sports people is the little voice inside the head that prevents a […]
Years ago, I was having a particularly good season in shooting competitions winning almost every event I entered. I recall arriving at a competition venue one morning to be greeted by an opponent with the comment “oh you’re here, we’ll all be competing for second now.” With opponents who had an attitude like that, is […]