John Stell, British bridge educator

ID

Funbridge username: John Stell

Nationality: British

Playing style: Thoughtful… I try to get into other people’s minds to think what problems they are having or I can create.

At what age did you start playing bridge?

I started playing bridge when I was 17. Ever since I was little, I loved playing cards — a passion passed down by my grandfather, who taught me how to play cribbage. It’s a traditional British card game where you keep score on a wooden board by moving little pegs. It combines strategy, mental arithmetic, and memory — a bit like bridge! I still treasure my grandfather’s cribbage board to this day.

If you had to encourage someone to play bridge, what would you say?

Start as early as you can because ALL my students say they wish they had taken up this game when they were young.

What is your best bridge memory?

I was playing in the Gold Cup against a well-known Manchester team and the bidding went something like 1♠ – (p) – 4NT (ace ask).
I had x, JTxxxx, JTxxxx, void. It felt like they were going to at least 6♠, so I calmly bid a natural 5♣. They bid to 7♠ and after an announcement by my partner that he better lead my suit (phew), we took it one off where they had the top 17 tricks in 7 No Trump.

What are your dreams and goals as a bridge player?

My dream would be to represent my country.

What inspired you to become a bridge influencer?

I love bridge, and I thought it would be really helpful for less experienced players to see how I think at the table. Understanding my step-by-step reasoning can help them improve more quickly and avoid some common mistakes.

What do you like most about Funbridge?

I’m still getting used to the platform if I’m honest, but it seems like there is a lot to do as well as having some pro bridge players new players can learn from.