Finkle (91) is still playing cards after 84 years and will compete in the euchre competition at the New Zealand Masters Games this weekend.
''Dad taught me the game when I was 7. He was very patient,'' she said.
Finkle, the oldest sibling, is the only surviving member of a family of seven sons and three daughters.
''We lived in the country and there was no television. Playing cards was a way we amused ourselves.
''It gave me a good start in life. No matter where you go, there is always someone keen to play cards.''
Finkle won two gold medals and a silver and bronze medal at the South Island Masters Games in Timaru in 2008 and 2013.
This is the first time she has contested the New Zealand Masters Games.
She is a member of the Dunedin Card Group and plays euchre at the club each week and in Mosgiel twice a month. There are occasional trips to Oamaru and Waimate.
''I enjoy playing cards,'' Finkle said.
''I enjoy getting out of the house and meeting people. It's just wonderful. It keeps me going.''
Finkle is the oldest member of the Dunedin Card Group. The youngest is in her early 50s.
Finkle's mental agility matches that of her younger opponents. She does not have any secret recipe for her longevity.
''It depends on the cards you're dealt. But I know how to shuffle them around a bit.
''I just love the game and the companionship it gives me. I look forward to going out with other people.''
Finkle had a hip-replacement operation six years ago and it has given her a new lease of life.
''It was a life-saver for me. I would have been in a wheelchair today if it wasn't for that.''
Finkle is playing in the singles and pairs at the Mosgiel RSA Community Club at the New Zealand Masters Games.
