The Chattanooga Bridge Center on Dayton Boulevard might not look like a hub of intense competition, but contenders arrive prepared for endurance events. At the Bridge Center, nearly four hours of highly competitive cards await players, many of whom show up five days a week.
“Our bridge players are 80-somethings,” said Myra Reneau, manager of the Chattanooga Bridge Club. “They are way more high-performing than the average 85-year-old or 80-year-old, because it engages your mind.”
Players come armed with limber minds, quick wits and their own gear — seat cushions and convention cards.
Dan Chandler, a retired actuary whose brow remained furrowed in focus for the duration of a recent game, said he has been playing bridge for 70 years. Chandler just reached the Diamond Life Master rank, four ranks away from the coveted Grand Life Master title.