Bridge popularity around the world
#1
Posted 2013-December-05, 17:36
In which countries is Bridge most popular? Why is it so? I've heard that Bridge is quite popular in Poland and on BBO there are many Italians and Turkish people too.
Are there any historic reasons for this?
If you know a website which discusses bridge popularity around the world (or at least Europe) that would be highly appreciated.
Thanks
#3
Posted 2013-December-06, 04:59
Bridge is also very popular in Iceland.
#4
Posted 2013-December-06, 05:08
#5
Posted 2013-December-06, 05:23
But I don't think many of the upper class couples who take up bridge when they retire do so because it is too cold for playing football. Maybe because it is too cold/wet for playing golf. Here in England, bridge is a game which is played in the lunch rooms of golf clubs when it is raining.
#6
Posted 2013-December-07, 00:01
What we can do is look at the bridge organization membership numbers by country. See http://www.worldbrid...phic-zones.aspx as a source.
Then think in terms of current population. Netherlands and Francs stand out - I understand they have well developed school instruction programs. Sweden's Players/1000 population should be high too.
I seem to recall historical information that suggested 10% of HHs in North America the USA play bridge. There are 114.7 MM HHs in the USA, so we might expect anywhere from 23-36 MM people play the game in the USA. Of these nearly 160000 are members of the ACBL. That's 0.7-1.0% of the playing population. Hmmmmm.......
Trust demands integrity, balance and collaboration.
District 11
Unit 124
Steve Moese
#7
Posted 2013-December-07, 03:45
Lesh18, on 2013-December-05, 17:36, said:
In which countries is Bridge most popular? Why is it so? I've heard that Bridge is quite popular in Poland and on BBO there are many Italians and Turkish people too.
Are there any historic reasons for this?
If you know a website which discusses bridge popularity around the world (or at least Europe) that would be highly appreciated.
Thanks
It is mostly popular in countries which produces more BBO experts than others. Of course my mainland (Turkey) will win the contest by far
Joke aside, i think the popularity should be calculated via bridge players/ population ratio, rather than the number of players each country have.
"It's only when a mosquito lands on your testicles that you realize there is always a way to solve problems without using violence!"
"Well to be perfectly honest, in my humble opinion, of course without offending anyone who thinks differently from my point of view, but also by looking into this matter in a different perspective and without being condemning of one's view's and by trying to make it objectified, and by considering each and every one's valid opinion, I honestly believe that I completely forgot what I was going to say."
#8
Posted 2013-December-08, 02:36
#9
Posted 2013-December-08, 06:57
mr1303, on 2013-December-08, 02:36, said:
Looking at your profile, I expect that it will be significantly easier to find a place to play bridge than go surfing...
#10
Posted 2013-December-08, 07:47
SteveMoe, on 2013-December-07, 00:01, said:
What we can do is look at the bridge organization membership numbers by country. See http://www.worldbrid...phic-zones.aspx as a source.
Then think in terms of current population. Netherlands and Francs stand out - I understand they have well developed school instruction programs. Sweden's Players/1000 population should be high too.
I seem to recall historical information that suggested 10$ of HHs in North America the USA play bridge. There are 114.7 MM HHs in the USA, so we might expect anywhere from 23-36 MM people play the game in the USA. Of these nearly 160000 are members of the ACBL. That's 0.7-1.0% of the playing population. Hmmmmm.......
I find amazing that Botswana has more members than any south american country, Argentina having less than 500 is amazing.
#11
Posted 2013-December-08, 12:29
#12
Posted 2013-December-09, 00:13
Fluffy, on 2013-December-08, 07:47, said:
Perhaps we can't overlook the capacity/ability of the home organizations to recruit and retain members.....
Trust demands integrity, balance and collaboration.
District 11
Unit 124
Steve Moese
#13
Posted 2013-December-09, 00:18
#14
Posted 2013-December-09, 10:57
Fluffy, on 2013-December-08, 07:47, said:
Perhaps former British colony vs. former Spanish colony is a factor?
EDIT: It appears it is. From Phillip Alder's NYT column in 2008:
Quote
Pain was building on a solid foundation. Bridge has enjoyed popularity in Botswana for nearly 30 years. It was introduced to high school students by expatriate British teachers. Now the Botswana Bridge Federation has more than 800 members, out of a population of nearly two million. There are also several hundred children playing, more than in any other African nation. Botswana will even send three teams, open, under-28 and under-21, to Beijing in October to the first World Mind Sports Games.
#15
Posted 2013-December-09, 21:30
#17
Posted 2013-December-10, 03:27
#18
Posted 2013-December-10, 04:37
*: the most notable exception to this was Victor Korchnoi who was a very late bloomer in chess terms. This probably explains his unusual, and sometimes unfathomable, style of play.
#19
Posted 2013-December-11, 15:54
Free, on 2013-December-08, 12:29, said:
Doesn't Belgium have some kind of national bridge association*, or is everything divided by language? Is the bilingual Brussel/Bruxelles included in your statistics?
* According to the European Bridge League website, the "Belgian Bridge Federation" has 7,561 members.
#20
Posted 2013-December-11, 18:17