GAMESMANSHIP & PSYCHOLOGY

BY

G. MOHAN RAO

Mere technical excellence and sound game alone are not a sire formula for success in any game and that applies to Bridge too.

A little of ‘ Gamesmanship ‘ and a little bit of ‘ Psychology’ are necessary.

‘ Gamesmanship “ can be described as putting your opponent off his usual stride but not by unethical means. ‘Psychology ‘ of course consists in knowing your opponents and misleading them, These are in general terms, but to use them in actual play you not only need certain skills, but you have also to be very alert lest they should boomerang.

In Golf, gamesmanship is very common and many good players are misled to faulty strokes by a comment or a remark. For instance, you find your opponent getting the better of you and you feel that on that day he is outplaying you; you make a very innocent remark that he is hitting the ball so well in spite of an ‘ out of swing ‘. This works on his mind and he invariably tries to correct himself and loses his tempo, unless he is an alert opponent to see through your gamesmanship.

Gamesmanship is practiced in test cricket and other games, sometimes intimating the umpires and sometimes going into tantrums for no reason, which in most of the cases puts off the opponent. I am not advising you to reactive this as a standard formula for every game. But this is one aspect which one should know if not to practice but to see through the gambit.

Similarly, Psychology works in many ways for which you should be in a position to learn and study your opponent in quick time. Even an expert does not like to be ‘psyched’ by a ‘ palooka’ and in retaliation may completely spoil his fine rhythm resulting in huge swings either way.

There are many types of rich players, slow, fast, aggressive, timid, boisterous etc. If you know these characteristics you can work on their habits to great advantage. Of course, all these should be well within the bounds of ethics and noting should be done to attract the director and put you on the mat.

Gamesmanship and psychology cannot be taught by a book or by a tutor. They have to be a part of your “ armour” in any game, Bridge included.