Michael Lawrence (bridge player)

Michael Lawrence (bridge player)

Michael S. (Mike) Lawrence (born May, 1940 in San Francisco, California) is an American bridge player, teacher, theoretist and prolific writer.

Biography

Lawrence started playing bridge while he was a chemistry student at the University of California; as result of a self-inflicted hand injury, he had to postpone the final exams and started playing bridge as a pastime. Bridge became his major interest and he devoted his subsequent life to it.

In 1968, he was invited by Ira Corn to join the newly-formed Dallas Aces team. He formed a partnership with Bobby Goldman, with whom he played a 2/1 game forcing system. They started by winning several North American Bridge Championships and, after a long Italian Blue Team reign, returned the world crown to America by winning the Bermuda Bowls in 1970 and 1971. Lawrence and James Jacoby left the Aces in 1973.

Under Ira Corn's mentorship, Lawrence started teaching bridge and subsequently writing books. He has written more than twenty books since. He received numerous book-of-the-year awards starting with his first book, "How to Read Your Opponents' Cards". He contributed to the theory of 2/1 game forcing systems, and his "2/1 semi-forcing" approach competes with Max Hardy's "unconditional forcing" approach. Together, they wrote the book "Standard Bridge Bidding for the 21st Century" in 2000. He also helped develop educational bridge software with Fred Gitelman. In addition to his world championships with the Aces, Lawrence has won another Bermuda Bowl in 1987 in partnership with Hugh Ross along with teammates Hamman, Wolff, Martel, and Stansby.

Awards

* Herman Trophy 1965

Tournament record

Wins

* Bermuda Bowl (3) 1970, 1971, 1987
* North American Bridge Championships (16)
** Vanderbilt (5) 1967, 1971, 1973, 1977, 1985
** Spingold (1) 1969
** Chicago (now Reisinger) (1) 1965
** Reisinger (3) 1970, 1977, 1980
** Grand National Teams (1) 1987
** Men's Board-a-Match Teams (2) 1964, 1968
** Master Mixed Teams (1) 1992
** Life Master Pairs (1) 1984
** Men's Pairs (1) 1984
* United States Bridge Championships (3)
** Open Trials (3) 1969, 1971, 1989
* Other notable wins:
** Cavendish Invitational Teams (1) 1985

Runner-ups

* Bermuda Bowl (2) 1973, 1989
* World Open Team Olympiad (1) 1972
* North American Bridge Championships (14)
** Vanderbilt (1) 1970
** Spingold (4) 1970, 1976, 1980, 1985
** Reisinger (1) 1983
** Men's Board-a-Match Teams (1) 1969
** North American Swiss Teams (1) 1996
** Jacoby Open Swiss Teams (1) 1994
** Blue Ribbon Pairs (4) 1965, 1968, 1971, 1983
** Life Master Men's Pairs (1) 1978

References

* [http://www.michaelslawrence.com/About/about.html Biography, Lawrence's home page]

External links

* [http://www.worldbridge.org/people/person.asp?qryid=559 World Bridge Federation profile]
* [http://www.bridgeguys.com/Books/LawrenceMichael/MLBooks.html Complete bibliography, BridgeGuys.com]


Wikimedia Foundation. 2010.

Игры ⚽ Поможем решить контрольную работу

Look at other dictionaries:

  • Michael Lawrence (bridge) — For other people named Michael Lawrence, see Michael Lawrence (disambiguation). Michael Steven (Mike) Lawrence (born May 28, 1940 in San Francisco, California)[1] is an American bridge player, teacher, theorist, and prolific writer. Contents 1… …   Wikipedia

  • Michael Lawrence — may refer to: Michael Lawrence (bridge), American bridge player and author Michael Lawrence (writer), English children s books writer Michael Lawrence (rugby league) Michael Lawrence (musician), jazz trumpeter Michael Lawrence (filmmaker),… …   Wikipedia

  • Glossary of contract bridge terms — These terms are used in Contract bridge[1][2] , or the earlier game Auction bridge, using duplicate or rubber scoring. Some of them are also used in Whist, Bid whist, and other trick taking games. This glossary supplements the Glossary of card… …   Wikipedia

  • Contract bridge — Bridge declarer play Alternative name(s) Bridge Type trick taking Players 4 Skill(s) require …   Wikipedia

  • Duplicate bridge — tournament playing area Duplicate bridge is the most widely used variation of contract bridge in club and tournament play. It is called duplicate because the same bridge deal (i.e. the specific arrangement of the 52 cards into the four hands) is… …   Wikipedia

  • Norman Kay (bridge) — Norman Kay (August 11, 1927 – January 17, 2002) was an American bridge player. He partnered Sidney Silodor until Silodor s death in 1963. With Edgar Kaplan, Kay formed one of the most successful and longest lasting partnerships in organized… …   Wikipedia

  • Signal (bridge) — In the card game of contract bridge, partners defending against a contract may play particular cards in a manner which gives a signal or coded meaning to guide their subsequent card play; also referred to as carding. Contents 1 Standard signals 1 …   Wikipedia

  • Michael Daugherty — Michael Kevin Daugherty (born April 28, 1954) is an American composer, pianist, and teacher. Influenced by popular culture, Romanticism, and Postmodernism, Daugherty is one of the most colorful and widely performed American concert music… …   Wikipedia

  • Michael Chopra — playing for Cardiff City Personal information Full name …   Wikipedia

  • Squeeze play (bridge) — A squeeze play (or squeeze) is a type of play late in the hand of contract bridge and other trick taking game in which the play of a card (the squeeze card) forces an opponent to discard a card that gives up one or more tricks. The discarded card …   Wikipedia

Share the article and excerpts

Direct link
… Do a right-click on the link above
and select “Copy Link”