List of contract bridge people


This list is a compilation of contract bridge players, writers, administrators and personalities who have been recognized for their skills, achievements or contributions to the game as identified by various specific sources.

People recognized by bridge organizations

American Contract Bridge League

[|Hall of Fame]

Year
inducted		NameCategoryCitation
link		Video
link
2011 von Zedtwitz
2002 †Open
2012 †von Zedtwitz
1995 †Open
2006Open
2010Open
1995 †Open
2000 †Open
1997 †von Zedtwitz
2006 †von Zedtwitz
2002 †Blackwood
1995 †Open
1995 †Open
1964 †Open
1996 †Open
1998Open
1998Open
2000 †Open
2003Blackwood
2001 †Open
1997 †Open
1997 †Open
2002 †Open
1998 †Open
2006 †Blackwood
1999 †Open
2009 †von Zedtwitz
1964 †Open
1999 †von Zedtwitz
2003Open
1999Open
2004 †von Zedtwitz
2002 †Open
1997 †Blackwood
2010 †von Zedtwitz
1997 †Open
1965 †Open
1996Open
1995 †Open
1996 †Open
2004Blackwood
2001von Zedtwitz
2005Open
2011Blackwood
2009Open
1998 †von Zedtwitz
2012 †Open
2000Open
1965 †Open
2001 †Open
1999 †Open
2008 †Blackwood
2007Open
2004 †von Zedtwitz
2003 †Open
2012Blackwood
1997 †Open
2005 †Blackwood
2003Open
1996 †Open
1996 †Blackwood
1998 †Open
2001von Zedtwitz
2001 †Open
2008Open
2009 †Blackwood
2008Open
1998 †Open
1997 †Open
2003Open
1997 †Open
2015Open
2015Blackwood-
2016 †Open
2016Open
2017Open
2017 †Open
2017Blackwood
2000Blackwood
2002Open
1995 †Open
2004Blackwood
2000Open
2007Open
2002von Zedtwitz
2002 †von Zedtwitz
1966 †Open
2000 †von Zedtwitz
2005 †von Zedtwitz
1996 †Open
1966 †Open
1996 †von Zedtwitz
1999 †Open
1995 †Open
2000 †Open
2002 †Open
2007Open
2001Open
1996 †Open
2010 †Blackwood
2003 †von Zedtwitz
1998 †Blackwood
2001 †Blackwood
1998 †Open
1964 †Open
1966 †Open
1999 †Open
1999Blackwood
2004Open
1995Open
2005Open
1965 †Open
2001 †Open
2013von Zedtwitz
2013Blackwood
2014Open
2014Open
2014von Zedtwitz
2014Blackwood

The first bridge Hall of Fame was inaugurated by The Bridge World in 1964 and invested nine members between then and 1966 after which it ceased sponsorship. The American Contract Bridge League adopted the concept to recognize the achievements and contributions of those residing in its territory and inaugurated its own Hall of Fame in 1995 by accepting the original nine and adding eight others that year. Annually thereafter, new members have been added in as many as three award categories.
In 2008, ACBL established the Foundation for the Preservation and Advancement of Bridge "to support the preservation of bridge history, to recognize individuals for their excellence and service to the game of bridge and to inspire the participation of youth through scholarships and grants."

Most influential personalities

RankName
1 † ‡
2 † ‡
3 †
4 † ‡
5 ‡
6
7 ‡
8 † ‡
9 † ‡
10 † ‡
11 †
12 † ‡
13
14 † ‡
15 † ‡
16 † ‡
17
18 † ‡
19 ‡
20
21 †
22
23
24
24
25 † ‡
26 † ‡
27
27 †
28
29
30 ‡
31 † ‡
32 † ‡
33 † ‡
34 † ‡
35 ‡
36
37
38 †
39 ‡
40 † ‡
40
41 † ‡
42 † ‡
43
44 ‡
45
46 †
47 † ‡
48 †
49 † ‡
50 †
51
51 †
52 †
53 † ‡

In 2012, the American Contract Bridge League celebrated the 75th anniversary of its creation by the merger of the American Bridge League and the United States Bridge Association in October 1937. In partial recognition, the League published a list of the 52 most influential personalities during its history.
Criteria included:
Selections were not limited to ACBL members or North American residents.

Player of the Year

The Player of the Year is awarded to the ACBL player accumulating the most platinum masterpoints in the calendar year.

Canadian Bridge Federation – Hall of Fame

The Canadian Bridge Federation is the national bridge organization for Canada and established the in 2010 to recognize the achievements and contributions of Canadian bridge personalities.

European Bridge League – Awards and Distinctions

The European Bridge League is a confederation of national bridge organizations for European countries, established 1947.
NameNationalityYear
Aubry, YvesFrance2008
Bardach, DavidIsrael1994
Beineix, Jean-ClaudeFrance2010
Butler, Geoffrey R.England1975
Damiani, JoséFrance1995
De Pauw, MarcBelgium2010
Jensen, Nils E.Sweden1987
Kielbasinski, RadoslawPoland2006
Kooijman, TonNetherlands2010
Magerman, PaulBelgium2002
Melander, MickeSweden2010
Oliveira, Jose Manuel dePortugal2003
Ortiz-Patiño, JaimeEngland1983
Pencharz, BillEngland1999
Rona, GianarrigoItaly2010
Torlontano, Anna MariaItaly1999

NameNationalityYear
Bardach, DavidIsrael1989
Blanken-Burgers, MarijkeNetherlands2010
Boekhorst, AndreNetherlands1989
Frenkiel, MarianPoland1989
Gerontopoulos, PanosGreece1991
Helm, Emmy van derNetherlands1989
Helm, Harry van derNetherlands1989
Hodler, MarcSwitzerland1979
Jensen, Nils E.Sweden1977
Kramer, JutNetherlands1979
Kunin, ReubenIsrael1985
Latala, SlawekPoland2011
Levy, EitanIsrael2012
Melander, MickeSweden2004
Oliveira, Jose Manuel dePortugal1999
Parnis-England, MargaretMalta1999
Pencharz, BillEngland1989
Rohan, KarlAustria1989
Torlontano, Anna MariaItaly1991
Zabel, GunnarDenmark1977

NameNationalityYear
Auken, SabineGermany2010
Dix, MarioMalta1999
Gruber, HansAustria1992
Mattsson, GoranGermany2010
Resta, GuidoItaly2010
Schroeder, DirkGermany2010
Szappanos, GezaHungary2010
Yanes, AurelianoSpain2001

World Bridge Federation – Awards and Distinctions

The World Bridge Federation is the world governing body for bridge, established in 1958.
Numerous biographical entries are contained in the Encyclopedia of Bridge, the various editions of The Official Encyclopedia of Bridge, The Bridge Players' Encyclopedia, and in the British Bridge Almanack.
In addition, the following books provide biographical information about bridge people as of the date of publication.

''Aces All'' by Guy Ramsey (1955)

In the Foreword of Aces All, Ramsey writes that "it is a book about some, though by no means all, of the leading players of today and the immediate yesterday..." He presents biographies of the following :
The Bridge Immortals gives brief biographies of the "greatest bridge people living today", listed here in alphabetical order.
World Class: conversations with the bridge masters features "the crème de la crème of the world of bridge" in their own words. Here is Smith's classification of his interviews.
All-time Greats:
Stars of Today:
Women Stars:
Rising Stars:
Star Writers:
The Editor's Choice nominations are listed alphabetically as follows:
20 Greatest Players of All Time
19 Greatest Partnerships of the last 30 Years
16 Greatest Female Partnerships of All Time
Greatest Player Ever:
Greatest Authors:
In this seventy-page booklet, Senior provides commentary about twenty individuals he regards as the best bridge players or personalities of all time.

American Contract Bridge League

Grand Life Masters defined by lifetime ACBL master points, with some condition on major achievements
Players of the Decade – defined by ACBL platinum master points

World Bridge Federation

The World Bridge Federation measures achievement in tournament play by a dual system of Master Points and Placing Points
and provides ranked lists in Open, Women, and Seniors categories.
Short colloquialisms like "Fulvio Fantoni is number one in the world" refer to the WBF Open Ranking. It ranks by Master Points those all-time players whose Placing Points accord "World Grand Master" status. MPs decay but PPs do not, so retired and deceased World Grand Masters remain on the list but drift toward the bottom.

Other listings

Video interviews

The American Contract Bridge League has published at YouTube audio-video interviews of numerous players including almost 30 members of its Hall of Fame. These listings include some other videos of bridge personalities published at YouTube.
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