Inside the Mind of a Bridge Champion: Interview with Liam Milne
For many players, bridge enters their lives by chance. For Liam Milne, it arrived during a Friday lunchtime in New Zealand – an unexpected introduction that set the course for a lifelong passion and an international career.
“I learnt bridge in New Zealand when I was 15,” Liam recalls. “I was lucky enough to be attending one of two schools in the country that offered bridge as an extracurricular activity. A group of friends and I would go along on Fridays at lunchtime to pick up the game. I was already keen on card games, and I was hooked immediately.”
That early enthusiasm has never waned. In fact, Liam hopes one day to return the favour: “One day, I hope to be able to find time to teach bridge at schools myself and pass the game on to the next generation.”
A Game Like No Other
Ask Liam what keeps him engaged with bridge after decades at the top, and he doesn’t hesitate.
“What’s not to love? It’s the perfect game – plenty of technique involved, of course, but more importantly, cooperation and working with a partner. There’s psychology, bluffing, and a bit of rolling the dice… it’s better than any other game I’ve played. And I’m always learning something new.”
From New Zealand to Australia: A Competitive Journey
Liam’s competitive career began early. At 20, he represented New Zealand in the under-25 team, playing alongside the young and rising Michael Whibley. “Michael taught me most of what I knew,” he says. “After a few years, he made the move to the bigger pond of Australia.”
The pair reunited the following year at an international event—Michael now playing for Australia, Liam still for New Zealand. Over a candid conversation, Michael raised an unexpected proposal: Would Liam consider moving to Australia to restart their partnership?
“So the following year, under the guise of completing my honours degree at the University of Melbourne, I relocated to Australia and started representing my new home,” Liam says. Since then, he has played for Australia eight times. “I’m very proud to call myself an Australian bridge player. Beating New Zealand is always one of the goals at the world championships!”
A Favourite Victory
Among his many achievements, one win stands above the rest: the 2012 New Zealand Open Pairs Championship. “This was the year after I moved to Australia, and I flew back to play in the NZ Congress to try to win one of the titles I had never managed to win while living there.”
Liam and Michael scraped into the final in 28th place- just making the cut. What followed was a day of steady, determined climbing. “We knew it was very close going into the last round, as we had a huge crowd of people around our table watching the last few hands. We had some good scores at the end, and we thought we must have a chance. In the end we won by a single point! I’ve won plenty of bigger events since then, but the first is always the sweetest.”
Inside a Championship Table
For social players at RSGC, the professional tournament environment can feel like another world. Liam explains one of the biggest differences: the use of “screens”.
“The screen is a wooden panel that comes down the diagonal of the table so you can’t see your partner while playing,” he explains. “It minimises the passing of unauthorised information—facial expressions, tempo, shrugs, grimaces, all those human things we do without realising.”
Paradoxically, the screen creates a sense of calm. “It’s very relaxing in its own way. You play in your own little bubble, sharing one side of the screen with an opponent. You can take your time and think without giving anything away.”
Liam’s Advice for Improving Your Bridge
For players keen to lift their game, Liam boils success down to three essential qualities:
1. Be competitive. “To be a winning bridge player, sometimes you need to be a bit ruthless!”
2. Stay focused. Concentration, he says, is everything: “Focus on what’s essential in the hand you’re playing, and forget about the mistakes from previous ones.”
3. Be a good partner. Perhaps the simplest, and most important, advice: “Everyone can be a good partner if they try. That means not telling your partner off at the table, and avoiding ‘helpful advice’ that’s really just distracting.”