Pensioners game. Reserved for a social elite… The reputation of bridge is not always glorious. However, this card game, quite complex it must be said, has intended to be rejuvenated for several years. Two young women from Nantes illustrate this change desired by the french bridge federation. At 14, Ninon Bens and Eulalie Bonin did not choose the easy way. But their logic and tactical sense make them outstanding players. From the French championship to the European championship, they also won the Channel Trophy with the French under-26 team on March 13th.
A competition which brings together the national youth bridge teams of four nations: France, England, the Netherlands and Belgium. They thus become the youngest French players to have won this trophy. “We were the youngest in the tournament,” says the duo, who have been performing in the Habs for almost three years. “The other players were all at least in their twenties,” explains the shock duo.
A bottle of wine as a prize
Club partners at Atlantic Bridge Association (B2A) from Nantes, the two young girls discovered this hobby, very popular in France (nearly 100,000 licensees, 2nd in the world), through their older brothers. “At first, I wasn’t even aware that there was a French bridge team! “says Ninon, who got his start in the card game through college. “You can’t start too early either, because that requires a very strong team spirit with your duo. It’s this two-player game that I really like,” adds Eulalie.
The two women from Nantes are a good illustration of the Federation’s desire to attract a new audience to this card game which requires logic, tactics and concentration. Because it’s a fact: bridge is widely practiced by people over 60 years old. “During certain tournaments, we tend to play against grandpas and grandmas! “, have fun the two young players. During its first tournament, the young team had surprised everyone by winning the first prize: “We had won a bottle of wine! “, they remember. The expected audience was not really that of two teenage girls. “The other players always ask us how old we are. They are often surprised to see us,” explains Ninon. As for their friends: “They wonder why we do this. Most don’t know bridge. »
“We have no plans to stop! »
For their part, Eulalie and Ninon have made it a real passion. Like top-level athletes, they train every day to refine their game tactics. Three online training sessions per week, training with the France group every Friday, two hours of play on Saturday morning at the club. Without forgetting the competitions on weekends…
Bridge, which dreams of becoming an Olympic sport, is now part of Ninon and Eulalie’s daily life. Both players are now preparing for the European Championship, which will take place next June in the Netherlands. And the duo intends to continue its momentum. “Bridge, casually, it liberates, you don’t think of anything else when you play. And we have no plans to stop! Retirement is still a long way off for the two Nantes women.
The Federation focused on young people
For several years, the French Bridge Federation has been trying to attract a new audience. To make this game more accessible, she decided to turn to the youngest. First considered as a pastime for bourgeois families, bridge is tending to become more democratic. Internally, the Federation has set up a program to train more bridge instructors. In parallel with this democratization, bridge has become established in schools. The French Bridge Federation has also just renewed an agreement with National Education. “Mathematics teachers use bridge in their lessons. We are also setting up introductory workshops with students on extracurricular times, ”explains Agnès Fabre, in charge of communication at the Federation. If the average age of practitioners remains around 65, the Fed wishes to work on this “intergenerational link that is bridge”.