The game at the top level is tough. Very tough. It almost impossible to get anywhere worthwhile on the International scene these days unless you are either a serious professional, or an extremely talented and quite wealthy amateur. The competition is fierce. Players are constantly called upon to make difficult bidding decisions by opponents sticking their oar in with little more than thirteen cards and a smile. Sometimes there is no smile. When the bidding is over, the general standard of card play has improved out of all recognition within a single generation. You'll have to sweat for every trick.
