Chilli started life as the White Club. It was a little like Blue Club – a strong club system with four-card majors – but it was going to be simpler and purer, so White. But frankly it was an uninspired name. Explaining it brought no insight or joy to the listener. And sometimes it sounded like a racist organisation.
The final blow came when a stronger diamond bid was introduced, and at that point a new name became imperative (although in Chilli Two the diamond bid has become more modest again).
I wanted something more memorable, warmer and sexier, and I wasn't worried if the name had no bridge meaning. When the word 'chilli' came into sight, it seemed perfect.
A few minutes later, serendipidity – I realised that the three most common forms of chilli were yellow, red and green and that these could be used to represent the three auction types. From there it was short step to the Chilli logo you see on every page of this website. The new name, backed up with some suitably colourful convention cards, was an immediate hit. Amongst other things, we quickly became 'the Peppers' at the club.
I do feel slightly guilty about casting off an old but boring friend in favour of the brash young newcomer. But only slightly.