Local Game Creator Puts Her Own FINESSE on Bridge and Beyond For local game creator Carole Coplea, inspiration comes from a lifelong love of cards, creativity, and connection. Her newest creation, FINESSE , is a board game designed to make bridge more accessible, but it turns out it’s a great game in its own right. “I grew up in the 1950s in a rural area where you made your own fun,” says Carole. “We played a lot of games -- board games, card games, marbles, crokinole; that was our entertainment.” That early love of games never faded. Later, while studying journalism and English at university in Ottawa, Carole discovered bridge. “My parents played bridge, but I never learned from them. When my dorm floor needed a fourth player, I got roped in and was hooked immediately.” Carole and her husband eventually settled in St. Thomas after years in Ottawa and abroad. While living in Italy, she began teaching bridge to others and quickly realized how challenging the game can be to learn later in life. “Bridge has a big learning curve,” she says. “So, I thought, what if I created a way to teach people visually, without all the memorization? That’s how FINESSE began.” The result is a clever board game that simplifies the mechanics of bridge bidding and play. What started as a teaching tool became a full-fledged game. “During testing,” says Carole, I discovered that FINESSE isn’t just educational; it’s really fun to play. Some of my students love it so much they don’t even want to move on to bridge!” Carole has produced 250 prototype copies of FINESSE and even sent materials to Hasbro for review. Each of the first 100 games is numbered, adding a touch of collectability. “Who knows where it might go,” she says. Her creative streak doesn’t end there. Carole has also written a murder mystery novel called Death in Duplicate , which blends her love of bridge and storytelling. “It’s set in a bridge club where two players mysteriously collapse mid- game,” she explains. “It’s a mystery, but readers also learn a lot about bridge along the way.” She’s now developing a companion game based on the book, combining elements of Clue and Monopoly .
If you’d like to try FINESSE yourself, you can find Carole at upcoming Christmas Markets, including the Columbus Club Market on December 5th -- or email her directly at copleac@gmail.com. “Publicity is great,” Carole says, smiling. “For me, it’s all about sharing something I love and connecting with people over a good game.”
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Boomers and Beyond – Elgin • December 2025 Page 3
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