American contract bridge players

Ron_Andersen

Ronald Eugene Andersen (May 26, 1941 – July 3, 1997) was an American bridge player. He won 11 "national"-rated events at North American Bridge Championships, thrice-annual 10-day meets organized by the American Contract Bridge League, where he became known best as a superior live commentator in the vugraph room.
Andersen was born in Cedar Falls, Iowa, and studied at the University of Iowa before beginning a professional bridge career. Eventually he owned a seat on the Chicago Board Options Exchange and he died in a Chicago hospital at age 56.Andersen finally became a favorite commentator for European Bridge League and World Bridge Federation championships, as well as major ACBL tournaments. In the month before his death, June 1997, he worked the European Championships in Italy, from which he was flown home to Chicago after suffering two strokes in consequence of kidney failure.Andersen co-wrote seven books related to the Precision Club bidding system with C. C. Wei, inventor of the system, or Kathie Wei.Andersen and Sabine Zenkel traveled the world as a partnership during 1991–1992, based in Chicago. They also wrote a book, Preempts from A to Z (1993; 2nd, 1996).

Malcolm_Brachman

Malcolm Katzenstein Brachman (December 9, 1926 – January 11, 2005) was an American bridge player who won a world championship.Brachman was born in Fort Worth, Texas.Brachman was married to Minda Delugach Brachman, a high-ranking player in the ACBL who won its annual mixed teams championship (Master Mixed Teams) in 1968 playing with Helen Sobel Smith, Oswald Jacoby, and Jim Jacoby. She died on March 19, 2003.He graduated from Yale University (BA) and Harvard University (Ph.D. physics), and later instructed at the University of Chicago and Southern Methodist University.

Seymon_Deutsch

Seymon Deutsch (May 18, 1935 – June 12, 2013) was an American bridge player. He started playing bridge as a student at the Trinity University in San Antonio, Texas, alongside Bobby Wolff, but afterwards focused on a career in business. He returned to competitive bridge in 1980s, when he started gaining successes, which include titles in Grand National Teams (1986), the Spingold Knockout Teams (1991) and three Vanderbilt Knockout Teams (1994, 1996 and 2006). He won two world titles: the 1988 World Team Olympiad in Venice and 1994 Rosenblum Cup. Deutsch was 2007 recipient of Sidney H. Lazard Jr. Sportsmanship Award. ACBL Hall of Fame player Zia Mahmood told The New York Times at the time, "There are a few people about whom never a bad word is said ... Seymon is one of them".Deutsch was born and spent most of his life in Laredo, Texas. He ran a fashion store chain, Joe Brand, as well as a cattle ranch with large operation in South Texas. He was survived by his wife Linda née Brand and their four children.

Bobby_Wolff

Robert S. (Bobby) Wolff (born October 14, 1932, San Antonio, Texas) is an American bridge player, writer, and administrator. He is the only person to win world championships in five different categories. He is a graduate of Trinity University.Wolff was an original member of the Dallas Aces team, which was formed in 1968 to compete against the Italian Blue Team which was dominant at the time. The Aces were successful and won their first world championship in 1970. Wolff has won 11 world championships, over 30 North American championships, and was the president of World Bridge Federation (WBF) 1992–1994, and served as president of American Contract Bridge League (ACBL) 1987. He is the author of a tell-all on bridge chronicling 60 years on the scene, entitled The Lone Wolff, published by Master Point Press. His column, The Aces on Bridge has been appearing daily for over 32 years, is syndicated by United Feature Syndicate in more than 130 newspapers worldwide and is available online two weeks in arrears.
Wolff lived in Dallas at the time of his induction into the ACBL Hall of Fame in 1995.