FAIRBANKS — In the 1950s, it was a game played by college students. In the 1980s, it was a game played by grandmothers.

Today, the game of bridge is enjoyed by many people throughout Fairbanks — young couples just passing through Alaska and retired couples looking for a challenge.

The game derived from a Russian game called whist and was picked up by members of the British Royal Navy in the early 19th century. It is a trick-taking card game of skill and chance that uses multiple decks and is played by four players. The game has been said to be the favorite of people such as George Washington, the nation’s first president, and American multi-millionaire Harold Vanderbilt.

Here in Fairbanks on any given Wednesday or Friday evening, more than 50 bridge players gather to test their skills as part of the Farthest North Bridge Club, which has been at it in Fairbanks since 1986.

“People have been playing duplicate bridge here in Fairbanks since before we had an official club in the 1930s,” club president Gordon Bower said. Bower picked up the game in 1993 and has played weekly ever since.

In the last few years, the club has made an effort to draw in more young players, as membership has wavered since the 1980s.

“In the last two years, our numbers have really increased, especially with younger couples,” Bower said.

Today, club members range in age from 19 to 85.

“We’re a very laid-back club compared to more serious bridge clubs in the country, but I still think there is a stigma to the game that keeps younger people away,” he said.

Mention bridge, and people might imagine a group of elderly professionals dressed to the nines and drinking martinis. But the Farthest North Bridge Club is anything but pretentious.

“It’s not exactly a wild party atmosphere, but as far as gaming clubs go, we’re a friendly casual group,” Bower said. “If you just want to relax and learn the basics, you can, but if you like solving logic puzzles and challenging your mind, you can do that, too.”

Game veterans such as Bower and Patty Meritt said that while the game can be a little intimidating for a first-timer, club members offer a series of classes that teach the game across several weeks.

Meritt picked up the game about five years ago after a long hiatus.

“It’s such a good game for keeping your brain active,” she said. She recommended first-timers come with a partner.

Meritt and some of her fellow club members attend bridge games whenever they travel Outside. “People are playing bridge all over the country these days. You just have to find them,” she said.

For more information on joining the Farthest North Bridge Club or learning the game, contact Penny Wakefield at 457-4124.

Contact staff writer Rebecca George at 459-7504.