Bermuda Bowl
Encyclopedia
The Bermuda Bowl is a trophy awarded to the winners of the Open series in the World Team Championship in contract bridge
and is named for the site of the inaugural tournament held in 1950. The term has since become synonymous with the World Team Championships now held in several player categories under the auspices of the World Bridge Federation
and is the oldest event that confers the title World Champion in bridge.
The first event was won by USA and after this, the Bermuda Bowl became a yearly challenge match between the USA and the European Champions. The format evolved allowing for progressivly more teams and the addition of events for women and seniors. Key milestones were:
won the first world championship tournaments of any kind, which were Open and Women flights of national teams categories, conducted 1937 in Budapest
, Hungary
. The open field comprised nineteen teams from eighteen countries – the USA had two teams, one lead by Ely Culbertson
which placed second.
The 1937 championships were organized by the International Bridge League (IBL), essentially the predecessor of both the European Bridge League
(est. 1947) and the WBF (est. 1958). World War II
practically destroyed the IBL and its nascent world championship tournament series.
With Austria the leading nation at the card table, the 1938 Anschluss
of Germany and Austria was a great disruption. The leading bridge theorist and mentor, Paul Stern
was an outspoken opponent of Nazism
who fled to London and later became a British subject. That same year, at least Rixi Scharfstein (Markus)
from the Ladies emigrated to Britain; from the Open team at least Karl von Bluhdorn to Paris, Edward Frischauer and Walter Herbert to the United States, eventually California.
The International Bridge League organized two more European championships (making eight annual tournaments for national open teams, 1932–1939) but no more tournaments or official matches involving any team from outside Europe.
, Netherlands
.
There are 22 national teams in the field, who represent the eight WBF zones as follows. The quota for Europe is six teams, but seven this year because the host Netherlands is in Europe and qualifies automatically.
The first stage is a single round-robin (21 rounds of 16 deals each at three rounds per day), scheduled in advance.Schedule of Play / Bermuda Bowl. 2011. WBF.
Given the single round-robin structure, the particular schedule should make little difference to the outcome of the first stage.
The zonal quotas and tournament structures are now identical for the Open, Women, and Seniors flights, and they play simultaneously. The World Transnational Open Teams Championship begins after most teams are eliminated from the three major events, and their players are welcome to enter the WTOTC.
1950 Hamilton
The first rendition featured three teams who played round-robin for raw scores or "total points". The US team won both of its matches and Europe, featuring two pairs from Sweden and one from Iceland, defeated Great Britain.
The next several contests would be head-on matches between representatives of the American Contract Bridge League
(North America) and the European Bridge League
.
1951 Naples
1953 New York City
The United States team won its third consecutive championship with Crawford, Rapee, Schenken, and Stayman in place throughout. The fourth US winner would be a wholly new team.
1954 Monte Carlo
France won the 1953 European championship with a six-man national team. For the Bermuda Bowl, Jean Besse of Switzerland and Karl Schneider of Austria replaced one of the French pairs. Schneider had been a member of the 1937 world champion Austrian team.
1955 New York City
Europe finally won the 5th Bermuda Bowl with a team of six men from Great Britain.
1956 Paris
France made it two in a row for Europe. Bacherich and Ghestem were veterans from 1954.
1957 New York City
Italy's Blue Team
won its first of ten consecutive Bermuda Bowls. Chiaradia, Forquet, Siniscalco, and captain Carl'Alberto Perroux
were veterans from the 1951 team. Avarelli, Belladona, D'Alelio, and Forquet would play in every one.
1958 Como
For 1958 the Bermuda Bowl tournament permanently included the champion of South America, whose federation and annual tournament were then ten years old. In the next several years, expansion covered other geographic zones and the defending champion.
1959 New York City
1961 Buenos Aires
The Blue Team won its fourth Bermuda Bowl, with Benito Garozzo now in the same lineup. This began a new string of annual world championships for Italy, after ranking only sixth in the inaugural World Team Olympiad
, won by France.
At the same time, the Bermuda Bowl tournament expanded to include the defending champions. Throughout the 1960s that would mean Italy plus one from the "rest of Europe". Italy would use the European Team Championships to give some international experience to new players or new partnerships.
Argentina finished fourth.
1962 New York City
Argentina finished fourth.
1963 St. Vincent
Italy won again. This was the last for "Professor" Eugenio Chiaradia and the only one of the ten in a row that Walter Avarelli missed.
Argentina finished fourth.
1965 Buenos Aires
Playing at home, Argentina represented South America for the sixth time and finally defeated one of the Europeans or Americans, namely Great Britain.
This was the fifth consecutive world championship for the Blue Team, as it had won the second Olympiad in 1964. Italy would continue to win annually with the identical lineup through 1969, plus a successful comeback in 1972.
Great Britain finished fourth.
1966 St. Vincent
The tournament expanded to five with Asia, represented by Thailand. Venezuela took Argentina's usual place and won another third for South America. Canadians Sami Kehela and Eric Murray joined four US Americans for North America.
Netherlands finished fourth and Thailand fifth.
1967 Miami Beach
Thailand and Venezuela returned to the field. More than forty years later, 1966/1967 remain their best national performances.
Thailand finished fourth and Venezuela fifth.
1969 Rio de Janeiro
Taiwan appeared on the world bridge scene with a shocking second-place performance, represented by six players using the Precision Club
bidding system
recently invented by C. C. Wei
.
The Blue Team of Italy retired after winning its tenth consecutive Bermuda Bowl (from 1957) and ninth consecutive annual world championship in open teams (from 1961).
The United State team included two members of the professional Dallas Aces
, Eisenberg–Goldman and two young players who would be Aces, Hamman and Kantar.
France finished fourth and Brazil fifth.
1970 Stockholm
The Aces won the 17th Bermuda Bowl, the first for a United States or North America team since they won the first four. Taiwan finished second again, with only five players and only two veterans from 1969. Norway and Brazil also finished ahead of Italy, the defending champion bridge nation represented by a wholly new team.
Brazil finished fourth and the new Italy fifth.
1971 Taipei
The Aces won as defending champions while the field expanded to include Australia.
Taiwan finished fourth at home, one year after finishing second.
1973 Guarujá
The Blue Team had successfully completed a comeback by winning the 1972 Olympiad with its 1964–69 lineup. Three then retired permanently but its three greatest players continued to play for Italy: Belladonna, Forquet, and Garozzo. And to win.
The second-place Aces were defending champions with one personnel change.
North America finished fourth, represented by a team of six men from the US.
1974 Venice
Italy defended its championship at home. The World Bridge Federation inaugurated the Venice Cup
tournament for "Women Teams", which increased in size and frequency to match the Bermuda Bowl in 1985. No woman had played for a Bermuda Bowl winner and Dorothy Hayden Truscott
alone had finished second, playing with B. J. Becker in 1965. Meanwhile the quadrennial Olympiad ran two tournaments side-by-side from its start in 1960.
Indonesia finished fourth.
1975 Southampton
For the 25th anniversary of the inaugural tournament, the 21st returned to Bermuda, as the 34th tournament would do for the 50th anniversary. Italy won its thirteenth Bermuda Bowl, its third in a row, and its last before 2005. Pietro Forquet missed this one, leaving Giorgio Belladonna alone with 13 Bowls.
Indonesia finished fourth, Brazil fifth.
1976 Monte Carlo
The 22nd was the only Bermuda Bowl contested during a World Team Olympiad
year. The two Open tournaments were played back to back during three weeks in May, with Italy beaten first by the United States and then by Brazil in the finals.
Israel finished third as the second representative of Europe.
Brazil finished fourth with the same lineup that placed third in 1973 and 1974. With one personnel change they won the Open Olympiad tournament that immediately following this exceptional Bermuda Bowl. It remains the only year with two world champion teams in the open category.
1977 Manila
Both teams "North America" and "Defending Champions" comprised six men from the US. The six defending champion players divided two and four, as the Aces with defending players Eisenberg and Soloway regrouped as "North America". (Under double representation for the United States beginning 1991, the two USA teams must face each other if both advance to the semifinal.)
Argentina finished fourth.
1979 Rio de Janeiro
The 24th Bermuda Bowl was the first to be decided by a margin that is commonly scored on a single deal, merely 5 IMPs. Malcolm Brachman's professional team of US Americans defeated Italy by that much.
The defending champion team was not invited after 1977, so the tournament again matched one team from each WBF geographic zone that chose to participate. The number of teams remained at six because "Central America & the Caribbean" sent a team for the first time, three players from Panama and three from Venezuela with a Guadeloupe captain. Brachman from North America and national teams from Italy, Australia, Taiwan, and host Brazil represented the other four zones.
Taiwan finished fourth.
1981 New York City
Pakistan represented "Asia and the Middle East", a novelty, and finished second, a shock. This was the third silver medal for teams from outside Europe and North America, joining Taiwan 1969–70. "Pakistani preempts" were notable and team's best player Zia Mahmood
was recognized as a great one.
For the United States, led by Bud Reinhold—who played, but not enough to qualify personally as a world champion— Levin, Rodwell, and Meckstroth made their international debuts at 23 to 25 years old, Levin being the youngest winner on record.
Europe was represented by both Poland and Great Britain, first and second in the 18-team open flight of the European championships.
Argentina finished fourth.
1983 Stockholm
Beginning 1983, North America joined Europe with double representation, and the host country was automatically included too, so the potential size of the field increased by two. United States teams finished first and second in North America while France, Italy, and world host Sweden ranked 1, 2, and 7 among 24 teams in the open European championship. Under the new structure, USA1 and France earned byes
to the Bermuda Bowl semifinal while USA2, Italy, and Sweden contended with the champions of other zones for two more semifinal slots. Five other zones were represented, ten teams in all.
USA2 and Italy won the preliminary stage; USA1 and Italy won semifinal matches to meet in the final, the international swan song
for Giorgio Belladonna and for the legendary Belladonna–Garozzo partnership.
USA 2 finished fourth.
The actual size of the field increased by three, not two, because "Asia and the Middle East" (debut 1981) and "Central America and the Caribbean" (debut 1979) were both represented, by Pakistan and a transnational squad including four men from Jamaica
. Only Africa among the eight modern geographic zones was not yet represented.
1985 São Paulo
Beginning 1985 the Bermuda Bowl and the Venice Cup for women have been side-by-side tournaments with the same structure. From 1985 to 2000 they were always sited outside Europe and North America.
For three cycles 1985 to 1989, one team each from the United States and Canada represented North America. All three US teams were based on the San Francisco-area team anchored by Chip Martel–Lew Stansby and Peter Pender–Hugh Ross. They won the annual US Grand National Teams
in 1982-83-85-87 (with another pair in '82, with Mike Lawrence in '87).
Austria and Israel finished 1-2 among 21 open teams in Europe and placed 2-3 behind USA in São Paulo.
Brazil finished fourth.
Infrequent participants Canada, New Zealand, and India finished 8-9-10 as "USA 2", Australia, and Pakistan stayed home.
1987 Ocho Ríos
The "San Francisco" GNT with world veterans Hamman–Wolff defended successfully. Great Britain and Sweden reversed their European finish.
Chinese Taipei finished fourth.
1989 Perth
Brazil won its first Bermuda Bowl, defeating a team of three "San Francisco" pairs in the final.
Australia finished fourth at home.
Egypt and Colombia represented Asia–Middle East and Central America–Caribbean. Poland and France, the best of 25 teams in Europe, finished only 3rd and 6th.
1991 Yokohama
Iceland won its first Bermuda Bowl after finishing fourth in the Europe, the last to qualify from Zone 1. Europe's fourth, third, and second place teams won all three medals while European champion Great Britain finished 5th to 8th in the world.
The tournament expanded from 10 teams with a 4-team knockout conclusion to 16 teams with an 8-team KO, without any playoffs to distinguish the four quarterfinal losers. Defending champion Brazil finished fourth, Argentina 5th to 8th. The two USA teams also finished 5th to 8th.
Brazil finished fourth with the same lineup that won in 1989. With expansion from 10 to 16 teams, a third entry was awarded to North America, and the American Contract Bridge League settled on two United States teams, who both finished 5th to 8th. (The two US teams are determined under the auspices of the United States Bridge Federation. The other team from Zone 2 is determined by a playoff of other national teams, if necessary.)
1993 Santiago
Netherlands won its first Bermuda Bowl. Netherlands and Norway were fourth and third in Europe, as finalists Iceland and Poland had been two years earlier.
Boer, Leufkens, and Westra had played on the Netherlands 1987 world champion junior team. Helgemo of Norway played on the contemporary junior team and thus won two silver medals in 1993.
USA 2 finished fourth.
South Africa represented Africa for the first time. Mexico won the third slot from North America. Host Chile finished last, as Japan and Jamaica had done.
1995 Beijing
This was the first win for Nick Nickell's professional team ("Nickell" in North American tournaments).
Canada made its best showing by far and South Africa finished fifth while the European and US champions did not reach the quarterfinal.
Sweden finished fourth.
1997 Hammamet, Tunisia
France won its first Bermuda Bowl as the fifth and last qualifier from Europe following another Bermuda Bowl tournament expansion.
USA 1 finished fourth.
Host Tunisia finished last and South Africa plummeted to second-last.
2000 Southampton
The Bermuda Bowl cycle continued as usual in 1998/1999 but the concluding tournament was in January 2000, marking the 50th anniversary of the inaugural contest in Hamilton
.Alan Truscott wrote "exactly half a century" without specifying exactly to the calendar year, month, weekday, or date.
Beside the expansion, "Britain" had been succeeded by England, Scotland, and Wales as three of about forty bridge nations in "Europe". In contrast to that three-way competition among teams representing America, Britain, and Europe, there were now eight geographic zones from which twenty teams qualified in numbers influenced by past bridge population and performance.
Norway finished fourth.
Europe's six teams all finished in the top ten but only Norway reached the semifinal. Bermuda finished last, the fifth time for six hosts since 1989.
2001 Paris
Italy finished fourth.
2003 Monte Carlo
Another expansion. Perennial Euro-champ Italy continued its slow advance in BB competition.
Norway finished fourth.
2005 Estoril
Italy's 14th Bermuda Bowl was its first since 1975.
Sweden finished fourth.
2007 Shanghai
The 38th Bermuda Bowl saw Norway win its first title, after two second, one third, and two fourth from 1993. Helgemo–Helness and Glenn Grøtheim were members of all six teams.
South Africa finished fourth.
Its advance to the quarterfinal was a surprise
and there it knocked out the defending champion and advance favourite Italy.
2009 São Paulo
This was the fourth win for Nick Nickell's professional teams representing the United States (1995, 2000, 2003, 2009). Meckstroth–Rodwell and Bob Hamman were also members of all four teams.
China "Long Zhu" finished fourth. Beside China and the American winners, the quarterfinalists were all six teams from Europe. Bulgaria placed third after winning the first European Small Federations Trophy in 2007, for national teams representing no more than 500 players.
2011 Veldhoven
The 40th Bermuda Bowl tournament concluded Saturday, October 29.
Italy had routed the USA champions 167–69 in a one-day match for the bronze medal while the host Netherlands faced USA 2 in a three-day final. The Dutch hosts led by 55 IMP after two days (96 deals) and scored very well in the first session on Saturday to lead by 83 and coast to victory.
The Bermuda Bowl is a trophy awarded to the winners of the Open series in the World Team Championship in contract bridge
and is named for the site of the inaugural tournament held in 1950. The term has since become synonymous with the World Team Championships now held in several player categories under the auspices of the World Bridge Federation
and is the oldest event that confers the title World Champion in bridge.
The first event was won by USA and after this, the Bermuda Bowl became a yearly challenge match between the USA and the European Champions. The format evolved allowing for progressivly more teams and the addition of events for women and seniors. Key milestones were:
won the first world championship tournaments of any kind, which were Open and Women flights of national teams categories, conducted 1937 in Budapest
, Hungary
. The open field comprised nineteen teams from eighteen countries – the USA had two teams, one lead by Ely Culbertson
which placed second.
The 1937 championships were organized by the International Bridge League (IBL), essentially the predecessor of both the European Bridge League
(est. 1947) and the WBF (est. 1958). World War II
practically destroyed the IBL and its nascent world championship tournament series.
With Austria the leading nation at the card table, the 1938 Anschluss
of Germany and Austria was a great disruption. The leading bridge theorist and mentor, Paul Stern
was an outspoken opponent of Nazism
who fled to London and later became a British subject. That same year, at least Rixi Scharfstein (Markus)
from the Ladies emigrated to Britain; from the Open team at least Karl von Bluhdorn to Paris, Edward Frischauer and Walter Herbert to the United States, eventually California.
The International Bridge League organized two more European championships (making eight annual tournaments for national open teams, 1932–1939) but no more tournaments or official matches involving any team from outside Europe.
, Netherlands
.
There are 22 national teams in the field, who represent the eight WBF zones as follows. The quota for Europe is six teams, but seven this year because the host Netherlands is in Europe and qualifies automatically.
The first stage is a single round-robin (21 rounds of 16 deals each at three rounds per day), scheduled in advance.Schedule of Play / Bermuda Bowl. 2011. WBF.
Given the single round-robin structure, the particular schedule should make little difference to the outcome of the first stage.
The zonal quotas and tournament structures are now identical for the Open, Women, and Seniors flights, and they play simultaneously. The World Transnational Open Teams Championship begins after most teams are eliminated from the three major events, and their players are welcome to enter the WTOTC.
1950 Hamilton
The first rendition featured three teams who played round-robin for raw scores or "total points". The US team won both of its matches and Europe, featuring two pairs from Sweden and one from Iceland, defeated Great Britain.
The next several contests would be head-on matches between representatives of the American Contract Bridge League
(North America) and the European Bridge League
.
1951 Naples
1953 New York City
The United States team won its third consecutive championship with Crawford, Rapee, Schenken, and Stayman in place throughout. The fourth US winner would be a wholly new team.
1954 Monte Carlo
France won the 1953 European championship with a six-man national team. For the Bermuda Bowl, Jean Besse of Switzerland and Karl Schneider of Austria replaced one of the French pairs. Schneider had been a member of the 1937 world champion Austrian team.
1955 New York City
Europe finally won the 5th Bermuda Bowl with a team of six men from Great Britain.
1956 Paris
France made it two in a row for Europe. Bacherich and Ghestem were veterans from 1954.
1957 New York City
Italy's Blue Team
won its first of ten consecutive Bermuda Bowls. Chiaradia, Forquet, Siniscalco, and captain Carl'Alberto Perroux
were veterans from the 1951 team. Avarelli, Belladona, D'Alelio, and Forquet would play in every one.
1958 Como
For 1958 the Bermuda Bowl tournament permanently included the champion of South America, whose federation and annual tournament were then ten years old. In the next several years, expansion covered other geographic zones and the defending champion.
1959 New York City
1961 Buenos Aires
The Blue Team won its fourth Bermuda Bowl, with Benito Garozzo now in the same lineup. This began a new string of annual world championships for Italy, after ranking only sixth in the inaugural World Team Olympiad
, won by France.
At the same time, the Bermuda Bowl tournament expanded to include the defending champions. Throughout the 1960s that would mean Italy plus one from the "rest of Europe". Italy would use the European Team Championships to give some international experience to new players or new partnerships.
Argentina finished fourth.
1962 New York City
Argentina finished fourth.
1963 St. Vincent
Italy won again. This was the last for "Professor" Eugenio Chiaradia and the only one of the ten in a row that Walter Avarelli missed.
Argentina finished fourth.
1965 Buenos Aires
Playing at home, Argentina represented South America for the sixth time and finally defeated one of the Europeans or Americans, namely Great Britain.
This was the fifth consecutive world championship for the Blue Team, as it had won the second Olympiad in 1964. Italy would continue to win annually with the identical lineup through 1969, plus a successful comeback in 1972.
Great Britain finished fourth.
1966 St. Vincent
The tournament expanded to five with Asia, represented by Thailand. Venezuela took Argentina's usual place and won another third for South America. Canadians Sami Kehela and Eric Murray joined four US Americans for North America.
Netherlands finished fourth and Thailand fifth.
1967 Miami Beach
Thailand and Venezuela returned to the field. More than forty years later, 1966/1967 remain their best national performances.
Thailand finished fourth and Venezuela fifth.
1969 Rio de Janeiro
Taiwan appeared on the world bridge scene with a shocking second-place performance, represented by six players using the Precision Club
bidding system
recently invented by C. C. Wei
.
The Blue Team of Italy retired after winning its tenth consecutive Bermuda Bowl (from 1957) and ninth consecutive annual world championship in open teams (from 1961).
The United State team included two members of the professional Dallas Aces
, Eisenberg–Goldman and two young players who would be Aces, Hamman and Kantar.
France finished fourth and Brazil fifth.
1970 Stockholm
The Aces won the 17th Bermuda Bowl, the first for a United States or North America team since they won the first four. Taiwan finished second again, with only five players and only two veterans from 1969. Norway and Brazil also finished ahead of Italy, the defending champion bridge nation represented by a wholly new team.
Brazil finished fourth and the new Italy fifth.
1971 Taipei
The Aces won as defending champions while the field expanded to include Australia.
Taiwan finished fourth at home, one year after finishing second.
1973 Guarujá
The Blue Team had successfully completed a comeback by winning the 1972 Olympiad with its 1964–69 lineup. Three then retired permanently but its three greatest players continued to play for Italy: Belladonna, Forquet, and Garozzo. And to win.
The second-place Aces were defending champions with one personnel change.
North America finished fourth, represented by a team of six men from the US.
1974 Venice
Italy defended its championship at home. The World Bridge Federation inaugurated the Venice Cup
tournament for "Women Teams", which increased in size and frequency to match the Bermuda Bowl in 1985. No woman had played for a Bermuda Bowl winner and Dorothy Hayden Truscott
alone had finished second, playing with B. J. Becker in 1965. Meanwhile the quadrennial Olympiad ran two tournaments side-by-side from its start in 1960.
Indonesia finished fourth.
1975 Southampton
For the 25th anniversary of the inaugural tournament, the 21st returned to Bermuda, as the 34th tournament would do for the 50th anniversary. Italy won its thirteenth Bermuda Bowl, its third in a row, and its last before 2005. Pietro Forquet missed this one, leaving Giorgio Belladonna alone with 13 Bowls.
Indonesia finished fourth, Brazil fifth.
1976 Monte Carlo
The 22nd was the only Bermuda Bowl contested during a World Team Olympiad
year. The two Open tournaments were played back to back during three weeks in May, with Italy beaten first by the United States and then by Brazil in the finals.
Israel finished third as the second representative of Europe.
Brazil finished fourth with the same lineup that placed third in 1973 and 1974. With one personnel change they won the Open Olympiad tournament that immediately following this exceptional Bermuda Bowl. It remains the only year with two world champion teams in the open category.
1977 Manila
Both teams "North America" and "Defending Champions" comprised six men from the US. The six defending champion players divided two and four, as the Aces with defending players Eisenberg and Soloway regrouped as "North America". (Under double representation for the United States beginning 1991, the two USA teams must face each other if both advance to the semifinal.)
Argentina finished fourth.
1979 Rio de Janeiro
The 24th Bermuda Bowl was the first to be decided by a margin that is commonly scored on a single deal, merely 5 IMPs. Malcolm Brachman's professional team of US Americans defeated Italy by that much.
The defending champion team was not invited after 1977, so the tournament again matched one team from each WBF geographic zone that chose to participate. The number of teams remained at six because "Central America & the Caribbean" sent a team for the first time, three players from Panama and three from Venezuela with a Guadeloupe captain. Brachman from North America and national teams from Italy, Australia, Taiwan, and host Brazil represented the other four zones.
Taiwan finished fourth.
1981 New York City
Pakistan represented "Asia and the Middle East", a novelty, and finished second, a shock. This was the third silver medal for teams from outside Europe and North America, joining Taiwan 1969–70. "Pakistani preempts" were notable and team's best player Zia Mahmood
was recognized as a great one.
For the United States, led by Bud Reinhold—who played, but not enough to qualify personally as a world champion— Levin, Rodwell, and Meckstroth made their international debuts at 23 to 25 years old, Levin being the youngest winner on record.
Europe was represented by both Poland and Great Britain, first and second in the 18-team open flight of the European championships.
Argentina finished fourth.
1983 Stockholm
Beginning 1983, North America joined Europe with double representation, and the host country was automatically included too, so the potential size of the field increased by two. United States teams finished first and second in North America while France, Italy, and world host Sweden ranked 1, 2, and 7 among 24 teams in the open European championship. Under the new structure, USA1 and France earned byes
to the Bermuda Bowl semifinal while USA2, Italy, and Sweden contended with the champions of other zones for two more semifinal slots. Five other zones were represented, ten teams in all.
USA2 and Italy won the preliminary stage; USA1 and Italy won semifinal matches to meet in the final, the international swan song
for Giorgio Belladonna and for the legendary Belladonna–Garozzo partnership.
USA 2 finished fourth.
The actual size of the field increased by three, not two, because "Asia and the Middle East" (debut 1981) and "Central America and the Caribbean" (debut 1979) were both represented, by Pakistan and a transnational squad including four men from Jamaica
. Only Africa among the eight modern geographic zones was not yet represented.
1985 São Paulo
Beginning 1985 the Bermuda Bowl and the Venice Cup for women have been side-by-side tournaments with the same structure. From 1985 to 2000 they were always sited outside Europe and North America.
For three cycles 1985 to 1989, one team each from the United States and Canada represented North America. All three US teams were based on the San Francisco-area team anchored by Chip Martel–Lew Stansby and Peter Pender–Hugh Ross. They won the annual US Grand National Teams
in 1982-83-85-87 (with another pair in '82, with Mike Lawrence in '87).
Austria and Israel finished 1-2 among 21 open teams in Europe and placed 2-3 behind USA in São Paulo.
Brazil finished fourth.
Infrequent participants Canada, New Zealand, and India finished 8-9-10 as "USA 2", Australia, and Pakistan stayed home.
1987 Ocho Ríos
The "San Francisco" GNT with world veterans Hamman–Wolff defended successfully. Great Britain and Sweden reversed their European finish.
Chinese Taipei finished fourth.
1989 Perth
Brazil won its first Bermuda Bowl, defeating a team of three "San Francisco" pairs in the final.
Australia finished fourth at home.
Egypt and Colombia represented Asia–Middle East and Central America–Caribbean. Poland and France, the best of 25 teams in Europe, finished only 3rd and 6th.
1991 Yokohama
Iceland won its first Bermuda Bowl after finishing fourth in the Europe, the last to qualify from Zone 1. Europe's fourth, third, and second place teams won all three medals while European champion Great Britain finished 5th to 8th in the world.
The tournament expanded from 10 teams with a 4-team knockout conclusion to 16 teams with an 8-team KO, without any playoffs to distinguish the four quarterfinal losers. Defending champion Brazil finished fourth, Argentina 5th to 8th. The two USA teams also finished 5th to 8th.
Brazil finished fourth with the same lineup that won in 1989. With expansion from 10 to 16 teams, a third entry was awarded to North America, and the American Contract Bridge League settled on two United States teams, who both finished 5th to 8th. (The two US teams are determined under the auspices of the United States Bridge Federation. The other team from Zone 2 is determined by a playoff of other national teams, if necessary.)
1993 Santiago
Netherlands won its first Bermuda Bowl. Netherlands and Norway were fourth and third in Europe, as finalists Iceland and Poland had been two years earlier.
Boer, Leufkens, and Westra had played on the Netherlands 1987 world champion junior team. Helgemo of Norway played on the contemporary junior team and thus won two silver medals in 1993.
USA 2 finished fourth.
South Africa represented Africa for the first time. Mexico won the third slot from North America. Host Chile finished last, as Japan and Jamaica had done.
1995 Beijing
This was the first win for Nick Nickell's professional team ("Nickell" in North American tournaments).
Canada made its best showing by far and South Africa finished fifth while the European and US champions did not reach the quarterfinal.
Sweden finished fourth.
1997 Hammamet, Tunisia
France won its first Bermuda Bowl as the fifth and last qualifier from Europe following another Bermuda Bowl tournament expansion.
USA 1 finished fourth.
Host Tunisia finished last and South Africa plummeted to second-last.
2000 Southampton
The Bermuda Bowl cycle continued as usual in 1998/1999 but the concluding tournament was in January 2000, marking the 50th anniversary of the inaugural contest in Hamilton
.Alan Truscott wrote "exactly half a century" without specifying exactly to the calendar year, month, weekday, or date.
Beside the expansion, "Britain" had been succeeded by England, Scotland, and Wales as three of about forty bridge nations in "Europe". In contrast to that three-way competition among teams representing America, Britain, and Europe, there were now eight geographic zones from which twenty teams qualified in numbers influenced by past bridge population and performance.
Norway finished fourth.
Europe's six teams all finished in the top ten but only Norway reached the semifinal. Bermuda finished last, the fifth time for six hosts since 1989.
2001 Paris
Italy finished fourth.
2003 Monte Carlo
Another expansion. Perennial Euro-champ Italy continued its slow advance in BB competition.
Norway finished fourth.
2005 Estoril
Italy's 14th Bermuda Bowl was its first since 1975.
Sweden finished fourth.
2007 Shanghai
The 38th Bermuda Bowl saw Norway win its first title, after two second, one third, and two fourth from 1993. Helgemo–Helness and Glenn Grøtheim were members of all six teams.
South Africa finished fourth.
Its advance to the quarterfinal was a surprise
and there it knocked out the defending champion and advance favourite Italy.
2009 São Paulo
This was the fourth win for Nick Nickell's professional teams representing the United States (1995, 2000, 2003, 2009). Meckstroth–Rodwell and Bob Hamman were also members of all four teams.
China "Long Zhu" finished fourth. Beside China and the American winners, the quarterfinalists were all six teams from Europe. Bulgaria placed third after winning the first European Small Federations Trophy in 2007, for national teams representing no more than 500 players.
2011 Veldhoven
The 40th Bermuda Bowl tournament concluded Saturday, October 29.
Italy had routed the USA champions 167–69 in a one-day match for the bronze medal while the host Netherlands faced USA 2 in a three-day final. The Dutch hosts led by 55 IMP after two days (96 deals) and scored very well in the first session on Saturday to lead by 83 and coast to victory.
The Bermuda Bowl is a trophy awarded to the winners of the Open series in the World Team Championship in contract bridge
and is named for the site of the inaugural tournament held in 1950. The term has since become synonymous with the World Team Championships now held in several player categories under the auspices of the World Bridge Federation
and is the oldest event that confers the title World Champion in bridge.
The first event was won by USA and after this, the Bermuda Bowl became a yearly challenge match between the USA and the European Champions. The format evolved allowing for progressivly more teams and the addition of events for women and seniors. Key milestones were:
won the first world championship tournaments of any kind, which were Open and Women flights of national teams categories, conducted 1937 in Budapest
, Hungary
. The open field comprised nineteen teams from eighteen countries – the USA had two teams, one lead by Ely Culbertson
which placed second.
The 1937 championships were organized by the International Bridge League (IBL), essentially the predecessor of both the European Bridge League
(est. 1947) and the WBF (est. 1958). World War II
practically destroyed the IBL and its nascent world championship tournament series.
With Austria the leading nation at the card table, the 1938 Anschluss
of Germany and Austria was a great disruption. The leading bridge theorist and mentor, Paul Stern
was an outspoken opponent of Nazism
who fled to London and later became a British subject. That same year, at least Rixi Scharfstein (Markus)
from the Ladies emigrated to Britain; from the Open team at least Karl von Bluhdorn to Paris, Edward Frischauer and Walter Herbert to the United States, eventually California.
The International Bridge League organized two more European championships (making eight annual tournaments for national open teams, 1932–1939) but no more tournaments or official matches involving any team from outside Europe.
, Netherlands
.
There are 22 national teams in the field, who represent the eight WBF zones as follows. The quota for Europe is six teams, but seven this year because the host Netherlands is in Europe and qualifies automatically.
The first stage is a single round-robin (21 rounds of 16 deals each at three rounds per day), scheduled in advance.Schedule of Play / Bermuda Bowl. 2011. WBF.
Given the single round-robin structure, the particular schedule should make little difference to the outcome of the first stage.
The zonal quotas and tournament structures are now identical for the Open, Women, and Seniors flights, and they play simultaneously. The World Transnational Open Teams Championship begins after most teams are eliminated from the three major events, and their players are welcome to enter the WTOTC.
1950 Hamilton
The first rendition featured three teams who played round-robin for raw scores or "total points". The US team won both of its matches and Europe, featuring two pairs from Sweden and one from Iceland, defeated Great Britain.
The next several contests would be head-on matches between representatives of the American Contract Bridge League
(North America) and the European Bridge League
.
1951 Naples
1953 New York City
The United States team won its third consecutive championship with Crawford, Rapee, Schenken, and Stayman in place throughout. The fourth US winner would be a wholly new team.
1954 Monte Carlo
France won the 1953 European championship with a six-man national team. For the Bermuda Bowl, Jean Besse of Switzerland and Karl Schneider of Austria replaced one of the French pairs. Schneider had been a member of the 1937 world champion Austrian team.
1955 New York City
Europe finally won the 5th Bermuda Bowl with a team of six men from Great Britain.
1956 Paris
France made it two in a row for Europe. Bacherich and Ghestem were veterans from 1954.
1957 New York City
Italy's Blue Team
won its first of ten consecutive Bermuda Bowls. Chiaradia, Forquet, Siniscalco, and captain Carl'Alberto Perroux
were veterans from the 1951 team. Avarelli, Belladona, D'Alelio, and Forquet would play in every one.
1958 Como
For 1958 the Bermuda Bowl tournament permanently included the champion of South America, whose federation and annual tournament were then ten years old. In the next several years, expansion covered other geographic zones and the defending champion.
1959 New York City
1961 Buenos Aires
The Blue Team won its fourth Bermuda Bowl, with Benito Garozzo now in the same lineup. This began a new string of annual world championships for Italy, after ranking only sixth in the inaugural World Team Olympiad
, won by France.
At the same time, the Bermuda Bowl tournament expanded to include the defending champions. Throughout the 1960s that would mean Italy plus one from the "rest of Europe". Italy would use the European Team Championships to give some international experience to new players or new partnerships.
Argentina finished fourth.
1962 New York City
Argentina finished fourth.
1963 St. Vincent
Italy won again. This was the last for "Professor" Eugenio Chiaradia and the only one of the ten in a row that Walter Avarelli missed.
Argentina finished fourth.
1965 Buenos Aires
Playing at home, Argentina represented South America for the sixth time and finally defeated one of the Europeans or Americans, namely Great Britain.
This was the fifth consecutive world championship for the Blue Team, as it had won the second Olympiad in 1964. Italy would continue to win annually with the identical lineup through 1969, plus a successful comeback in 1972.
Great Britain finished fourth.
1966 St. Vincent
The tournament expanded to five with Asia, represented by Thailand. Venezuela took Argentina's usual place and won another third for South America. Canadians Sami Kehela and Eric Murray joined four US Americans for North America.
Netherlands finished fourth and Thailand fifth.
1967 Miami Beach
Thailand and Venezuela returned to the field. More than forty years later, 1966/1967 remain their best national performances.
Thailand finished fourth and Venezuela fifth.
1969 Rio de Janeiro
Taiwan appeared on the world bridge scene with a shocking second-place performance, represented by six players using the Precision Club
bidding system
recently invented by C. C. Wei
.
The Blue Team of Italy retired after winning its tenth consecutive Bermuda Bowl (from 1957) and ninth consecutive annual world championship in open teams (from 1961).
The United State team included two members of the professional Dallas Aces
, Eisenberg–Goldman and two young players who would be Aces, Hamman and Kantar.
France finished fourth and Brazil fifth.
1970 Stockholm
The Aces won the 17th Bermuda Bowl, the first for a United States or North America team since they won the first four. Taiwan finished second again, with only five players and only two veterans from 1969. Norway and Brazil also finished ahead of Italy, the defending champion bridge nation represented by a wholly new team.
Brazil finished fourth and the new Italy fifth.
1971 Taipei
The Aces won as defending champions while the field expanded to include Australia.
Taiwan finished fourth at home, one year after finishing second.
1973 Guarujá
The Blue Team had successfully completed a comeback by winning the 1972 Olympiad with its 1964–69 lineup. Three then retired permanently but its three greatest players continued to play for Italy: Belladonna, Forquet, and Garozzo. And to win.
The second-place Aces were defending champions with one personnel change.
North America finished fourth, represented by a team of six men from the US.
1974 Venice
Italy defended its championship at home. The World Bridge Federation inaugurated the Venice Cup
tournament for "Women Teams", which increased in size and frequency to match the Bermuda Bowl in 1985. No woman had played for a Bermuda Bowl winner and Dorothy Hayden Truscott
alone had finished second, playing with B. J. Becker in 1965. Meanwhile the quadrennial Olympiad ran two tournaments side-by-side from its start in 1960.
Indonesia finished fourth.
1975 Southampton
For the 25th anniversary of the inaugural tournament, the 21st returned to Bermuda, as the 34th tournament would do for the 50th anniversary. Italy won its thirteenth Bermuda Bowl, its third in a row, and its last before 2005. Pietro Forquet missed this one, leaving Giorgio Belladonna alone with 13 Bowls.
Indonesia finished fourth, Brazil fifth.
1976 Monte Carlo
The 22nd was the only Bermuda Bowl contested during a World Team Olympiad
year. The two Open tournaments were played back to back during three weeks in May, with Italy beaten first by the United States and then by Brazil in the finals.
Israel finished third as the second representative of Europe.
Brazil finished fourth with the same lineup that placed third in 1973 and 1974. With one personnel change they won the Open Olympiad tournament that immediately following this exceptional Bermuda Bowl. It remains the only year with two world champion teams in the open category.
1977 Manila
Both teams "North America" and "Defending Champions" comprised six men from the US. The six defending champion players divided two and four, as the Aces with defending players Eisenberg and Soloway regrouped as "North America". (Under double representation for the United States beginning 1991, the two USA teams must face each other if both advance to the semifinal.)
Argentina finished fourth.
1979 Rio de Janeiro
The 24th Bermuda Bowl was the first to be decided by a margin that is commonly scored on a single deal, merely 5 IMPs. Malcolm Brachman's professional team of US Americans defeated Italy by that much.
The defending champion team was not invited after 1977, so the tournament again matched one team from each WBF geographic zone that chose to participate. The number of teams remained at six because "Central America & the Caribbean" sent a team for the first time, three players from Panama and three from Venezuela with a Guadeloupe captain. Brachman from North America and national teams from Italy, Australia, Taiwan, and host Brazil represented the other four zones.
Taiwan finished fourth.
1981 New York City
Pakistan represented "Asia and the Middle East", a novelty, and finished second, a shock. This was the third silver medal for teams from outside Europe and North America, joining Taiwan 1969–70. "Pakistani preempts" were notable and team's best player Zia Mahmood
was recognized as a great one.
For the United States, led by Bud Reinhold—who played, but not enough to qualify personally as a world champion— Levin, Rodwell, and Meckstroth made their international debuts at 23 to 25 years old, Levin being the youngest winner on record.
Europe was represented by both Poland and Great Britain, first and second in the 18-team open flight of the European championships.
Argentina finished fourth.
1983 Stockholm
Beginning 1983, North America joined Europe with double representation, and the host country was automatically included too, so the potential size of the field increased by two. United States teams finished first and second in North America while France, Italy, and world host Sweden ranked 1, 2, and 7 among 24 teams in the open European championship. Under the new structure, USA1 and France earned byes
to the Bermuda Bowl semifinal while USA2, Italy, and Sweden contended with the champions of other zones for two more semifinal slots. Five other zones were represented, ten teams in all.
USA2 and Italy won the preliminary stage; USA1 and Italy won semifinal matches to meet in the final, the international swan song
for Giorgio Belladonna and for the legendary Belladonna–Garozzo partnership.
USA 2 finished fourth.
The actual size of the field increased by three, not two, because "Asia and the Middle East" (debut 1981) and "Central America and the Caribbean" (debut 1979) were both represented, by Pakistan and a transnational squad including four men from Jamaica
. Only Africa among the eight modern geographic zones was not yet represented.
1985 São Paulo
Beginning 1985 the Bermuda Bowl and the Venice Cup for women have been side-by-side tournaments with the same structure. From 1985 to 2000 they were always sited outside Europe and North America.
For three cycles 1985 to 1989, one team each from the United States and Canada represented North America. All three US teams were based on the San Francisco-area team anchored by Chip Martel–Lew Stansby and Peter Pender–Hugh Ross. They won the annual US Grand National Teams
in 1982-83-85-87 (with another pair in '82, with Mike Lawrence in '87).
Austria and Israel finished 1-2 among 21 open teams in Europe and placed 2-3 behind USA in São Paulo.
Brazil finished fourth.
Infrequent participants Canada, New Zealand, and India finished 8-9-10 as "USA 2", Australia, and Pakistan stayed home.
1987 Ocho Ríos
The "San Francisco" GNT with world veterans Hamman–Wolff defended successfully. Great Britain and Sweden reversed their European finish.
Chinese Taipei finished fourth.
1989 Perth
Brazil won its first Bermuda Bowl, defeating a team of three "San Francisco" pairs in the final.
Australia finished fourth at home.
Egypt and Colombia represented Asia–Middle East and Central America–Caribbean. Poland and France, the best of 25 teams in Europe, finished only 3rd and 6th.
1991 Yokohama
Iceland won its first Bermuda Bowl after finishing fourth in the Europe, the last to qualify from Zone 1. Europe's fourth, third, and second place teams won all three medals while European champion Great Britain finished 5th to 8th in the world.
The tournament expanded from 10 teams with a 4-team knockout conclusion to 16 teams with an 8-team KO, without any playoffs to distinguish the four quarterfinal losers. Defending champion Brazil finished fourth, Argentina 5th to 8th. The two USA teams also finished 5th to 8th.
Brazil finished fourth with the same lineup that won in 1989. With expansion from 10 to 16 teams, a third entry was awarded to North America, and the American Contract Bridge League settled on two United States teams, who both finished 5th to 8th. (The two US teams are determined under the auspices of the United States Bridge Federation. The other team from Zone 2 is determined by a playoff of other national teams, if necessary.)
1993 Santiago
Netherlands won its first Bermuda Bowl. Netherlands and Norway were fourth and third in Europe, as finalists Iceland and Poland had been two years earlier.
Boer, Leufkens, and Westra had played on the Netherlands 1987 world champion junior team. Helgemo of Norway played on the contemporary junior team and thus won two silver medals in 1993.
USA 2 finished fourth.
South Africa represented Africa for the first time. Mexico won the third slot from North America. Host Chile finished last, as Japan and Jamaica had done.
1995 Beijing
This was the first win for Nick Nickell's professional team ("Nickell" in North American tournaments).
Canada made its best showing by far and South Africa finished fifth while the European and US champions did not reach the quarterfinal.
Sweden finished fourth.
1997 Hammamet, Tunisia
France won its first Bermuda Bowl as the fifth and last qualifier from Europe following another Bermuda Bowl tournament expansion.
USA 1 finished fourth.
Host Tunisia finished last and South Africa plummeted to second-last.
2000 Southampton
The Bermuda Bowl cycle continued as usual in 1998/1999 but the concluding tournament was in January 2000, marking the 50th anniversary of the inaugural contest in Hamilton
.Alan Truscott wrote "exactly half a century" without specifying exactly to the calendar year, month, weekday, or date.
Beside the expansion, "Britain" had been succeeded by England, Scotland, and Wales as three of about forty bridge nations in "Europe". In contrast to that three-way competition among teams representing America, Britain, and Europe, there were now eight geographic zones from which twenty teams qualified in numbers influenced by past bridge population and performance.
Norway finished fourth.
Europe's six teams all finished in the top ten but only Norway reached the semifinal. Bermuda finished last, the fifth time for six hosts since 1989.
2001 Paris
Italy finished fourth.
2003 Monte Carlo
Another expansion. Perennial Euro-champ Italy continued its slow advance in BB competition.
Norway finished fourth.
2005 Estoril
Italy's 14th Bermuda Bowl was its first since 1975.
Sweden finished fourth.
2007 Shanghai
The 38th Bermuda Bowl saw Norway win its first title, after two second, one third, and two fourth from 1993. Helgemo–Helness and Glenn Grøtheim were members of all six teams.
South Africa finished fourth.
Its advance to the quarterfinal was a surprise
and there it knocked out the defending champion and advance favourite Italy.
2009 São Paulo
This was the fourth win for Nick Nickell's professional teams representing the United States (1995, 2000, 2003, 2009). Meckstroth–Rodwell and Bob Hamman were also members of all four teams.
China "Long Zhu" finished fourth. Beside China and the American winners, the quarterfinalists were all six teams from Europe. Bulgaria placed third after winning the first European Small Federations Trophy in 2007, for national teams representing no more than 500 players.
2011 Veldhoven
The 40th Bermuda Bowl tournament concluded Saturday, October 29.
Italy had routed the USA champions 167–69 in a one-day match for the bronze medal while the host Netherlands faced USA 2 in a three-day final. The Dutch hosts led by 55 IMP after two days (96 deals) and scored very well in the first session on Saturday to lead by 83 and coast to victory.
USA 1 finished fourth. The losing quarterfinalists were Israel, Sweden, Iceland, and China.
China and Italy, fourth and second in 2009, played a close match. The other quarterfinals were comfortable wins.
Japan, New Zealand, and Australia made strong showings as the first three also-rans, thus beating two European teams Bulgaria and Poland.
Italy, Netherlands, USA 2, and Israel led the round-robin preliminary in that order, each almost one full match ahead of the next place. USA 1 enjoyed a comfortable position while six teams were in contention for three slots in the knockout stage with one round-robin match to play.
Contract bridge
Contract bridge, usually known simply as bridge, is a trick-taking card game using a standard deck of 52 playing cards played by four players in two competing partnerships with partners sitting opposite each other around a small table...
and is named for the site of the inaugural tournament held in 1950. The term has since become synonymous with the World Team Championships now held in several player categories under the auspices of the World Bridge Federation
World Bridge Federation
The World Bridge Federation is the world governing body of contract bridge. The WBF is responsible for world championship competition, most of which is conducted at a few multi-event meets on a four-year cycle...
and is the oldest event that confers the title World Champion in bridge.
Inauguration and evolution
Organized principally by Norman Bach, an accountant and bridge player from Bermuda who played for Britain the Bermuda Bowl was the first world championship event held after World War II and started out as a competition between USA, Europe and Britain in 1950.The first event was won by USA and after this, the Bermuda Bowl became a yearly challenge match between the USA and the European Champions. The format evolved allowing for progressivly more teams and the addition of events for women and seniors. Key milestones were:
- 1950: The first open team event in Bermuda between the USA, Europe and Britain who played round-robin for raw scores or "total points".
- 1951: The next several contests were head-on matches between representatives of the American Contract Bridge LeagueAmerican Contract Bridge LeagueThe American Contract Bridge League is the largest contract bridge organization in North America. It promotes the game of bridge in the United States, Mexico, Bermuda, and Canada, and is a member of the World Bridge Federation...
(North America) and the European Bridge LeagueEuropean Bridge LeagueThe European Bridge League is a confederation of National Bridge Federations that organize the card game of contract bridge in European nations. In turn the EBL organizes bridge competition at the European level...
. - 1958: The tournament permanently included the champion of South America.
- 1961: Eligibility was expanded to include the defending champions.
- 1966: The tournament expanded to five with the addition of a representative from Asia.
- 1971: The field was expanded to include Australia.
- 1974: The World Bridge Federation inaugurated the Venice CupVenice CupThe World Teams Championship in contract bridge for women players only is also known as the Venice Cup, because the first edition was held in Venice, Italy in 1974.It is held every two years, in parallel to the Open World Teams Championship, the Bermuda Bowl....
tournament for Women Teams. - 1979: The defending champions were no longer eligible on that basis alone.
- 1981: Europe was awarded two places in the tournament. There would be nine teams if every WBF zone sent a champion.
- 1983: North America joined Europe with double representation, and the host country was automatically included too, so the potential size of the field increased by two. European and North American champions would have two places in the 4-team semifinal round. European and North American runners up would contend with champions of the other zones and the host country for two other semifinal slots.
- 1985: The Bermuda Bowl for open teams and Venice Cup for women would run side-by-side with the same structure in a venue outside Europe and North America (maintained until 2001).
Predecessor events
AustriaAustria
Austria , officially the Republic of Austria , is a landlocked country of roughly 8.4 million people in Central Europe. It is bordered by the Czech Republic and Germany to the north, Slovakia and Hungary to the east, Slovenia and Italy to the south, and Switzerland and Liechtenstein to the...
won the first world championship tournaments of any kind, which were Open and Women flights of national teams categories, conducted 1937 in Budapest
Budapest
Budapest is the capital of Hungary. As the largest city of Hungary, it is the country's principal political, cultural, commercial, industrial, and transportation centre. In 2011, Budapest had 1,733,685 inhabitants, down from its 1989 peak of 2,113,645 due to suburbanization. The Budapest Commuter...
, Hungary
Hungary
Hungary , officially the Republic of Hungary , is a landlocked country in Central Europe. It is situated in the Carpathian Basin and is bordered by Slovakia to the north, Ukraine and Romania to the east, Serbia and Croatia to the south, Slovenia to the southwest and Austria to the west. The...
. The open field comprised nineteen teams from eighteen countries – the USA had two teams, one lead by Ely Culbertson
Ely Culbertson
Ely Culbertson was an entreprenurial American contract bridge personality dominant during the Thirties and Forties. He played a major role in the early popularization of the game, and was widely regarded as "the man who made contract bridge"...
which placed second.
The 1937 championships were organized by the International Bridge League (IBL), essentially the predecessor of both the European Bridge League
European Bridge League
The European Bridge League is a confederation of National Bridge Federations that organize the card game of contract bridge in European nations. In turn the EBL organizes bridge competition at the European level...
(est. 1947) and the WBF (est. 1958). World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
practically destroyed the IBL and its nascent world championship tournament series.
With Austria the leading nation at the card table, the 1938 Anschluss
Anschluss
The Anschluss , also known as the ', was the occupation and annexation of Austria into Nazi Germany in 1938....
of Germany and Austria was a great disruption. The leading bridge theorist and mentor, Paul Stern
Paul Stern
Dr Paul Stern , lawyer and diplomat, was an Austrian international bridge player who fled to London in 1938. He was a bidding theorist and administrator who contributed to the early growth of the game...
was an outspoken opponent of Nazism
Nazism
Nazism, the common short form name of National Socialism was the ideology and practice of the Nazi Party and of Nazi Germany...
who fled to London and later became a British subject. That same year, at least Rixi Scharfstein (Markus)
Rixi Markus
Rixi Markus MBE was an Austrian and British international contract bridge player. She won five world titles, and was the first woman to become a World Grand Master within the World Bridge Federation...
from the Ladies emigrated to Britain; from the Open team at least Karl von Bluhdorn to Paris, Edward Frischauer and Walter Herbert to the United States, eventually California.
The International Bridge League organized two more European championships (making eight annual tournaments for national open teams, 1932–1939) but no more tournaments or official matches involving any team from outside Europe.
Current event
The 40th rendition was held on 15–29 October 2011 in VeldhovenVeldhoven
Veldhoven is a municipality and a town on the Gender stream in the southern Netherlands, located just south-west of Eindhoven.- Population centres :...
, Netherlands
Netherlands
The Netherlands is a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, located mainly in North-West Europe and with several islands in the Caribbean. Mainland Netherlands borders the North Sea to the north and west, Belgium to the south, and Germany to the east, and shares maritime borders...
.
There are 22 national teams in the field, who represent the eight WBF zones as follows. The quota for Europe is six teams, but seven this year because the host Netherlands is in Europe and qualifies automatically.
- Europe: Italy, Poland, Israel, Iceland, Sweden, Netherlands, Bulgaria —1st to 7th in the European championship
- North America: Canada, USA 1, USA 2
- South America: Brazil, Chile
- Asia & Middle East: India, Pakistan
- Central America & Caribbean: Guadeloupe
- Pacific Asia: China, Japan, Singapore
- South Pacific: Australia, New Zealand
- Africa: Egypt, South Africa
The first stage is a single round-robin (21 rounds of 16 deals each at three rounds per day), scheduled in advance.Schedule of Play / Bermuda Bowl. 2011. WBF.
Given the single round-robin structure, the particular schedule should make little difference to the outcome of the first stage.
The zonal quotas and tournament structures are now identical for the Open, Women, and Seniors flights, and they play simultaneously. The World Transnational Open Teams Championship begins after most teams are eliminated from the three major events, and their players are welcome to enter the WTOTC.
1950 HamiltonHamilton, BermudaHamilton is the capital of the British Overseas Territory of Bermuda. It is the territory's financial centre and a major port and tourist destination.-Geography:...
, BermudaBermudaBermuda is a British overseas territory in the North Atlantic Ocean. Located off the east coast of the United States, its nearest landmass is Cape Hatteras, North Carolina, about to the west-northwest. It is about south of Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada, and northeast of Miami, Florida...
The first rendition featured three teams who played round-robin for raw scores or "total points". The US team won both of its matches and Europe, featuring two pairs from Sweden and one from Iceland, defeated Great Britain.| Year | Entries | Rank | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1950 |
3 | 1. | USA John Crawford John R. Crawford John Randolph Crawford was an American bridge and backgammon player... , Charles Goren Charles Goren Charles Henry Goren was a world champion American bridge player and bestselling author who contributed significantly to the development and popularization of the game following upon the heels of Ely Culbertson in the 1940s and rising to prominence in the 1950s to the early 1960s.-Early years:Goren... , George Rapee, Howard Schenken Howard Schenken Howard Schenken was an American bridge player, writer, and long-time columnist. In his career, Schenken won three Bermuda Bowl titles, and set several North American records: he won the Life Master Pairs five times, and the Spingold and Vanderbilt Trophy twelve and ten times, respectively... , Sidney Silodor, Samuel Stayman Samuel Stayman Samuel M. Stayman was an American bridge player, author and administrator. A graduate of the Amos Tuck School of Business Administration at Dartmouth College, he was also a successful textile executive and portfolio investment manager.He was the eponym of the Stayman convention... |
| |2. |  EuropeGunnar Guðmundsson (ISL), Rudolf Kock Putte Kock Rudolf "Putte" Kock was a Swedish football, ice hockey and bridge player who won a bronze medal in the 1924 Summer Olympics as a football player, being voted the World's best left winger after the tournament... (SWE), Nils-Olof Lilliehöök (SWE), Einar Þorfinnsson (ISL), Einar Werner (SWE), Jan Wohlin (SWE) |
||
| |3. | Great Britain Leslie Dodds Leslie Dodds Leslie William Dodds was an English international bridge player and, by profession, an import-export merchant. He was a member of the British team which won the Bermuda Bowl in 1955... , Nico Gardener Nico Gardener Nico Gardener was a British international bridge player, born in Riga, Latvia .After the Russian Revolution his family moved to the Ukraine, and then to Moscow, where he trained as a ballet dancer. He later moved to Berlin, where he read languages and history at Berlin University, and played... , Maurice Harrison-Gray Maurice Harrison-Gray Maurice Harrison-Gray , known always as 'Gray', was an English professional contract bridge player. For about thirty years from the mid-thirties to the mid sixties he was one of the top players, and won the European Championship four times - in 1948, 1949, 1950 and 1963.- Life :Gray was the child... , Kenneth Konstam Kenneth Konstam Kenneth W. Konstam , often known as 'Konnie', was an English international bridge player, and in 1955 was one of the only British team to win the Bermuda Bowl. He won more European Open teams championships than any other British player.Konstam, educated at Oundle School, was employed for a time in... , Joel Tarlo, Louis Tarlo |
The next several contests would be head-on matches between representatives of the American Contract Bridge League
American Contract Bridge League
The American Contract Bridge League is the largest contract bridge organization in North America. It promotes the game of bridge in the United States, Mexico, Bermuda, and Canada, and is a member of the World Bridge Federation...
(North America) and the European Bridge League
European Bridge League
The European Bridge League is a confederation of National Bridge Federations that organize the card game of contract bridge in European nations. In turn the EBL organizes bridge competition at the European level...
.
1951 NaplesNaplesNaples is a city in Southern Italy, situated on the country's west coast by the Gulf of Naples. Lying between two notable volcanic regions, Mount Vesuvius and the Phlegraean Fields, it is the capital of the region of Campania and of the province of Naples...
, ItalyItalyItaly , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
| 1951 |
2 | 1. | USA B. Jay Becker, John Crawford John R. Crawford John Randolph Crawford was an American bridge and backgammon player... , George Rapee, Howard Schenken Howard Schenken Howard Schenken was an American bridge player, writer, and long-time columnist. In his career, Schenken won three Bermuda Bowl titles, and set several North American records: he won the Life Master Pairs five times, and the Spingold and Vanderbilt Trophy twelve and ten times, respectively... , Samuel Stayman Samuel Stayman Samuel M. Stayman was an American bridge player, author and administrator. A graduate of the Amos Tuck School of Business Administration at Dartmouth College, he was also a successful textile executive and portfolio investment manager.He was the eponym of the Stayman convention... |
| |2. | Italy Paolo Baroni, Eugenio Chiaradia, Pietro Forquet Pietro Forquet Pietro Forquet is an Italian bridge player, one of the most famous in bridge history. He won 15 World championship titles with Blue Team, playing with Eugenio Chiaradia, Guglielmo Siniscalco and, for the most part, Benito Garozzo. Apart from his excellent play, he was renowned for his nerves of... , Mario Franco, Augusto Ricci, Guglielmo Siniscalco |
1953 New York CityNew York CityNew York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
, United StatesUnited StatesThe United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
The United States team won its third consecutive championship with Crawford, Rapee, Schenken, and Stayman in place throughout. The fourth US winner would be a wholly new team.| 1953 |
2 | 1. | USA B. Jay Becker, John Crawford John R. Crawford John Randolph Crawford was an American bridge and backgammon player... , Theodore Lightner, George Rapee, Howard Schenken Howard Schenken Howard Schenken was an American bridge player, writer, and long-time columnist. In his career, Schenken won three Bermuda Bowl titles, and set several North American records: he won the Life Master Pairs five times, and the Spingold and Vanderbilt Trophy twelve and ten times, respectively... , Samuel Stayman Samuel Stayman Samuel M. Stayman was an American bridge player, author and administrator. A graduate of the Amos Tuck School of Business Administration at Dartmouth College, he was also a successful textile executive and portfolio investment manager.He was the eponym of the Stayman convention... |
| |2. | Sweden Gunnar Anulf, Rudolf Kock Putte Kock Rudolf "Putte" Kock was a Swedish football, ice hockey and bridge player who won a bronze medal in the 1924 Summer Olympics as a football player, being voted the World's best left winger after the tournament... , Robert Larsen, Nils-Olof Lilliehöök, Einar Werner, Jan Wohlin |
1954 Monte CarloMonte CarloMonte Carlo is an administrative area of the Principality of Monaco....
, MonacoMonacoMonaco , officially the Principality of Monaco , is a sovereign city state on the French Riviera. It is bordered on three sides by its neighbour, France, and its centre is about from Italy. Its area is with a population of 35,986 as of 2011 and is the most densely populated country in the...
France won the 1953 European championship with a six-man national team. For the Bermuda Bowl, Jean Besse of Switzerland and Karl Schneider of Austria replaced one of the French pairs. Schneider had been a member of the 1937 world champion Austrian team.| 1954 |
2 | 1. | USA Clifford Bishop, Milton Ellenby, Lew Mathe, Don Oakie, William Rosen William Rosen William Albert Rosen is an American bridge player, best known for winning the 1954 Bermuda Bowl world championship.... , Douglas Steen |
| |2. |   EuropeJacques Amouraben (FRA), René Bacherich (FRA), Jean Besse (SUI), Pierre Ghestem Pierre Ghestem Pierre Ghestem was a French bridge and checkers player. In 1947 he became the world champion in checkers... (FRA), Marcel Kornblum (FRA), Karl Schneider (AUT) |
1955 New York CityNew York CityNew York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
, United StatesUnited StatesThe United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
Europe finally won the 5th Bermuda Bowl with a team of six men from Great Britain.| 1955 |
2 | 1. | Europe Leslie Dodds Leslie Dodds Leslie William Dodds was an English international bridge player and, by profession, an import-export merchant. He was a member of the British team which won the Bermuda Bowl in 1955... (GBR), Kenneth Konstam Kenneth Konstam Kenneth W. Konstam , often known as 'Konnie', was an English international bridge player, and in 1955 was one of the only British team to win the Bermuda Bowl. He won more European Open teams championships than any other British player.Konstam, educated at Oundle School, was employed for a time in... (GBR), Adam Meredith Adam Meredith Adam 'Plum' Meredith was a British professional bridge player. His origin was in County Down, Ireland. He was a key member of the British team which won the Bermuda Bowl in 1955. He won the European Championship in 1949 and 1954, and also played in 1955, 1957 and 1959... (GBR), Jordanis Pavlides Jordanis Pavlides Jordanis T. Pavlides was a British contract bridge player who won the British Bridge League Master Pairs in 1948, the Gold Cup in 1949, the European championship in 1954, and the Bermuda Bowl in 1955. He also represented Britain in the European championships of 1955... (GBR), Terence Reese Terence Reese John Terence Reese was a British bridge player and writer, regarded as one of the finest of all time in both fields... (GBR), Boris Schapiro Boris Schapiro Boris Schapiro was a British international bridge player. He was a Grandmaster of the World Bridge Federation, and the only player to have won both the Bermuda Bowl and the World Senior Pairs championship... (GBR) |
| |2. | USA Clifford Bishop, Milton Ellenby, Lew Mathe, John Moran, William Rosen William Rosen William Albert Rosen is an American bridge player, best known for winning the 1954 Bermuda Bowl world championship.... , Alvin Roth Alvin Roth Alvin L. Roth was an American bridge player, considered one of the greatest of all time. He wrote several books on the game, and invented various bridge conventions that have become commonplace, including five-card majors, negative doubles, forcing notrump, and the unusual notrump.-Biography:Roth... |
1956 ParisParisParis is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
, FranceFranceThe French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
France made it two in a row for Europe. Bacherich and Ghestem were veterans from 1954.| 1956 |
2 | 1. | France René Bacherich, Pierre Ghestem Pierre Ghestem Pierre Ghestem was a French bridge and checkers player. In 1947 he became the world champion in checkers... , Pierre Jaïs Pierre Jaïs Pierre Jaïs was a famous French bridge player. A World Bridge Federation Grand Master, he was the winner of World Team Olympiad in Turin 1960, Bermuda Bowl in Paris 1956, and World Open Pairs Championship in Cannes 1962. He is one of only 10 players who collected the Triple Crown of Bridge... , Robert Lattès, Bertrand Romanet, Roger Trézel Roger Trezel Roger Trézel was a famous French bridge player. A World Bridge Federation Grand Master, he was the winner of World Team Olympiad in Turin 1960, Bermuda Bowl in Paris 1956, and World Open Pairs Championship in Cannes 1962. He is one of only 10 players who collected the Triple Crown of Bridge... |
| |2. | USA Myron Field, Charles Goren Charles Goren Charles Henry Goren was a world champion American bridge player and bestselling author who contributed significantly to the development and popularization of the game following upon the heels of Ely Culbertson in the 1940s and rising to prominence in the 1950s to the early 1960s.-Early years:Goren... , Lee Hazen, Richard Kahn, Charles Solomon, Samuel Stayman Samuel Stayman Samuel M. Stayman was an American bridge player, author and administrator. A graduate of the Amos Tuck School of Business Administration at Dartmouth College, he was also a successful textile executive and portfolio investment manager.He was the eponym of the Stayman convention... |
1957 New York CityNew York CityNew York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
, United StatesUnited StatesThe United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
Italy's Blue TeamBlue team (bridge)
The Blue Team represented Italy in international contract bridge tournaments, winning sixteen world titles from 1957 through 1975. From 1964 to 1969 and during a 1972 comeback, the team comprised three regular pairs: Walter Avarelli–Giorgio Belladonna, Pietro Forquet–Benito Garozzo, and Massimo...
won its first of ten consecutive Bermuda Bowls. Chiaradia, Forquet, Siniscalco, and captain Carl'Alberto Perroux
Carl'Alberto Perroux
Carl'Alberto Perroux was Italian contract bridge official, founder and long-time non-playing captain of the Blue Team, the most successful team in bridge history...
were veterans from the 1951 team. Avarelli, Belladona, D'Alelio, and Forquet would play in every one.
| 1957 |
2 | 1. | Italy Walter Avarelli Walter Avarelli Walter Avarelli was an Italian bridge player, a member of the famous Blue Team, with whom he won 9 Bermuda Bowls and 3 World Team Olympiads in the period 1956-1972.... , Giorgio Belladonna Giorgio Belladonna Giorgio Belladonna was an Italian bridge player, one of the most famous in bridge history. He won 16 World championship titles with the Blue Team, playing with Walter Avarelli and Benito Garozzo... , Eugenio Chiaradia, Massimo D'Alelio Massimo D'Alelio Massimo D'Alelio neapolitan, was a famous Italian bridge player. He won 10 world championship titles with the Blue Team, playing with Eugenio Chiaradia and Camillo Pabis Ticci.-External links:* *... , Pietro Forquet Pietro Forquet Pietro Forquet is an Italian bridge player, one of the most famous in bridge history. He won 15 World championship titles with Blue Team, playing with Eugenio Chiaradia, Guglielmo Siniscalco and, for the most part, Benito Garozzo. Apart from his excellent play, he was renowned for his nerves of... , Guglielmo Siniscalco |
| |2. | USA Charles Goren Charles Goren Charles Henry Goren was a world champion American bridge player and bestselling author who contributed significantly to the development and popularization of the game following upon the heels of Ely Culbertson in the 1940s and rising to prominence in the 1950s to the early 1960s.-Early years:Goren... , Boris Koytchou, Peter Leventritt, Harold Ogust, William Seamon, Helen Sobel Helen Sobel Smith Helen Sobel Smith was an American bridge player. She is said to have been the "greatest woman bridge player of all time". She won 35 North American Bridge Championships, and was the first woman to play in the Bermuda Bowl... |
1958 ComoComoComo is a city and comune in Lombardy, Italy.It is the administrative capital of the Province of Como....
, ItalyItalyItaly , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
For 1958 the Bermuda Bowl tournament permanently included the champion of South America, whose federation and annual tournament were then ten years old. In the next several years, expansion covered other geographic zones and the defending champion.| 1958 |
3 | 1. | Italy Walter Avarelli Walter Avarelli Walter Avarelli was an Italian bridge player, a member of the famous Blue Team, with whom he won 9 Bermuda Bowls and 3 World Team Olympiads in the period 1956-1972.... , Giorgio Belladonna Giorgio Belladonna Giorgio Belladonna was an Italian bridge player, one of the most famous in bridge history. He won 16 World championship titles with the Blue Team, playing with Walter Avarelli and Benito Garozzo... , Eugenio Chiaradia, Massimo D'Alelio Massimo D'Alelio Massimo D'Alelio neapolitan, was a famous Italian bridge player. He won 10 world championship titles with the Blue Team, playing with Eugenio Chiaradia and Camillo Pabis Ticci.-External links:* *... , Pietro Forquet Pietro Forquet Pietro Forquet is an Italian bridge player, one of the most famous in bridge history. He won 15 World championship titles with Blue Team, playing with Eugenio Chiaradia, Guglielmo Siniscalco and, for the most part, Benito Garozzo. Apart from his excellent play, he was renowned for his nerves of... , Guglielmo Siniscalco |
| |2. | USA B. Jay Becker, John Crawford John R. Crawford John Randolph Crawford was an American bridge and backgammon player... , George Rapee, Alvin Roth Alvin Roth Alvin L. Roth was an American bridge player, considered one of the greatest of all time. He wrote several books on the game, and invented various bridge conventions that have become commonplace, including five-card majors, negative doubles, forcing notrump, and the unusual notrump.-Biography:Roth... , Sidney Silodor, Tobias Stone |
||
| |3. | Argentina Alberto Blousson, Carlos Cabanne, Ricardo Calvente, Alejandro Castro, Marcelo Lerner |
1959 New York CityNew York CityNew York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
, United StatesUnited StatesThe United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
| 1959 |
3 | 1. | Italy Walter Avarelli Walter Avarelli Walter Avarelli was an Italian bridge player, a member of the famous Blue Team, with whom he won 9 Bermuda Bowls and 3 World Team Olympiads in the period 1956-1972.... , Giorgio Belladonna Giorgio Belladonna Giorgio Belladonna was an Italian bridge player, one of the most famous in bridge history. He won 16 World championship titles with the Blue Team, playing with Walter Avarelli and Benito Garozzo... , Eugenio Chiaradia, Massimo D'Alelio Massimo D'Alelio Massimo D'Alelio neapolitan, was a famous Italian bridge player. He won 10 world championship titles with the Blue Team, playing with Eugenio Chiaradia and Camillo Pabis Ticci.-External links:* *... , Pietro Forquet Pietro Forquet Pietro Forquet is an Italian bridge player, one of the most famous in bridge history. He won 15 World championship titles with Blue Team, playing with Eugenio Chiaradia, Guglielmo Siniscalco and, for the most part, Benito Garozzo. Apart from his excellent play, he was renowned for his nerves of... , Guglielmo Siniscalco |
| |2. | North America Harry Fishbein (USA), Sam Fry Jr. (USA), Leonard Harmon (USA), Lee Hazen (USA), Sidney Lazard (USA), Ivar Stakgold (USA) |
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| |3. | Argentina Alberto Berisso, Ricardo Calvente, Alejandro Castro, Carlos Dibar, Arturo Jaques, Egisto Rocchi |
1961 Buenos AiresBuenos AiresBuenos Aires is the capital and largest city of Argentina, and the second-largest metropolitan area in South America, after São Paulo. It is located on the western shore of the estuary of the Río de la Plata, on the southeastern coast of the South American continent...
, ArgentinaArgentinaArgentina , officially the Argentine Republic , is the second largest country in South America by land area, after Brazil. It is constituted as a federation of 23 provinces and an autonomous city, Buenos Aires...
The Blue Team won its fourth Bermuda Bowl, with Benito Garozzo now in the same lineup. This began a new string of annual world championships for Italy, after ranking only sixth in the inaugural World Team OlympiadWorld Team Olympiad
The World Team Olympiad was a contract bridge meet organized by the World Bridge Federation every four years from 1960 to 2004. Its main events were world championships for national teams, always including one open and one restricted to women...
, won by France.
At the same time, the Bermuda Bowl tournament expanded to include the defending champions. Throughout the 1960s that would mean Italy plus one from the "rest of Europe". Italy would use the European Team Championships to give some international experience to new players or new partnerships.
| 1961 |
4 | 1. | Italy Walter Avarelli Walter Avarelli Walter Avarelli was an Italian bridge player, a member of the famous Blue Team, with whom he won 9 Bermuda Bowls and 3 World Team Olympiads in the period 1956-1972.... , Giorgio Belladonna Giorgio Belladonna Giorgio Belladonna was an Italian bridge player, one of the most famous in bridge history. He won 16 World championship titles with the Blue Team, playing with Walter Avarelli and Benito Garozzo... , Eugenio Chiaradia, Massimo D'Alelio Massimo D'Alelio Massimo D'Alelio neapolitan, was a famous Italian bridge player. He won 10 world championship titles with the Blue Team, playing with Eugenio Chiaradia and Camillo Pabis Ticci.-External links:* *... , Pietro Forquet Pietro Forquet Pietro Forquet is an Italian bridge player, one of the most famous in bridge history. He won 15 World championship titles with Blue Team, playing with Eugenio Chiaradia, Guglielmo Siniscalco and, for the most part, Benito Garozzo. Apart from his excellent play, he was renowned for his nerves of... , Benito Garozzo Benito Garozzo Benito Garozzo is one of the most famous bridge players in the history of the game. He has won 13 world championship titles with the Italian Blue Team, playing with Pietro Forquet and later Giorgio Belladonna... |
| |2. | North America John Gerber (USA), Paul Hodge (USA), Norman Kay (USA), Peter Leventritt (USA), Howard Schenken Howard Schenken Howard Schenken was an American bridge player, writer, and long-time columnist. In his career, Schenken won three Bermuda Bowl titles, and set several North American records: he won the Life Master Pairs five times, and the Spingold and Vanderbilt Trophy twelve and ten times, respectively... (USA), Sidney Silodor (USA) |
||
| |3. | France René Bacherich, Claude Deruy, Pierre Ghestem Pierre Ghestem Pierre Ghestem was a French bridge and checkers player. In 1947 he became the world champion in checkers... , José Le Dentu, Roger Trézel Roger Trezel Roger Trézel was a famous French bridge player. A World Bridge Federation Grand Master, he was the winner of World Team Olympiad in Turin 1960, Bermuda Bowl in Paris 1956, and World Open Pairs Championship in Cannes 1962. He is one of only 10 players who collected the Triple Crown of Bridge... |
Argentina finished fourth.1962 New York CityNew York CityNew York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
, United StatesUnited StatesThe United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
| 1962 |
4 | 1. | Italy Walter Avarelli Walter Avarelli Walter Avarelli was an Italian bridge player, a member of the famous Blue Team, with whom he won 9 Bermuda Bowls and 3 World Team Olympiads in the period 1956-1972.... , Giorgio Belladonna Giorgio Belladonna Giorgio Belladonna was an Italian bridge player, one of the most famous in bridge history. He won 16 World championship titles with the Blue Team, playing with Walter Avarelli and Benito Garozzo... , Eugenio Chiaradia, Massimo D'Alelio Massimo D'Alelio Massimo D'Alelio neapolitan, was a famous Italian bridge player. He won 10 world championship titles with the Blue Team, playing with Eugenio Chiaradia and Camillo Pabis Ticci.-External links:* *... , Pietro Forquet Pietro Forquet Pietro Forquet is an Italian bridge player, one of the most famous in bridge history. He won 15 World championship titles with Blue Team, playing with Eugenio Chiaradia, Guglielmo Siniscalco and, for the most part, Benito Garozzo. Apart from his excellent play, he was renowned for his nerves of... , Benito Garozzo Benito Garozzo Benito Garozzo is one of the most famous bridge players in the history of the game. He has won 13 world championship titles with the Italian Blue Team, playing with Pietro Forquet and later Giorgio Belladonna... |
| |2. |  North AmericaCharles Coon (USA), Mervin Key (USA), Lew Mathe (USA), Eric Murray (CAN), G. Robert Nail (USA), Ron Von der Porten (USA) |
||
| |3. | Great Britain Nico Gardener Nico Gardener Nico Gardener was a British international bridge player, born in Riga, Latvia .After the Russian Revolution his family moved to the Ukraine, and then to Moscow, where he trained as a ballet dancer. He later moved to Berlin, where he read languages and history at Berlin University, and played... , Kenneth Konstam Kenneth Konstam Kenneth W. Konstam , often known as 'Konnie', was an English international bridge player, and in 1955 was one of the only British team to win the Bermuda Bowl. He won more European Open teams championships than any other British player.Konstam, educated at Oundle School, was employed for a time in... , Tony Priday Tony Priday Richard Anthony Priday is an English bridge player and journalist, who had a longstanding and successful partnership with Claude Rodrigue... , Claude Rodrigue, Albert Rose, Alan Truscott Alan Truscott Alan Fraser Truscott was a bridge player, author and columnist. He wrote the daily bridge column for The New York Times for 41 years, from 1964 to 2005 and served as Executive Editor for all six editions of The Official Encyclopedia of Bridge, 1964 to 2002.- Britain :Truscott was born in Brixton,... |
Argentina finished fourth.1963 St. VincentSaint-Vincent, ItalySaint-Vincent is a town and comune in the Aosta Valley region of north-western Italy. Saint-Vincent , is a popular summer holiday resort with mineral springs .-Geography:...
, ItalyItalyItaly , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
Italy won again. This was the last for "Professor" Eugenio Chiaradia and the only one of the ten in a row that Walter Avarelli missed.| 1963 |
4 | 1. | Italy Giorgio Belladonna Giorgio Belladonna Giorgio Belladonna was an Italian bridge player, one of the most famous in bridge history. He won 16 World championship titles with the Blue Team, playing with Walter Avarelli and Benito Garozzo... , Eugenio Chiaradia, Massimo D'Alelio Massimo D'Alelio Massimo D'Alelio neapolitan, was a famous Italian bridge player. He won 10 world championship titles with the Blue Team, playing with Eugenio Chiaradia and Camillo Pabis Ticci.-External links:* *... , Pietro Forquet Pietro Forquet Pietro Forquet is an Italian bridge player, one of the most famous in bridge history. He won 15 World championship titles with Blue Team, playing with Eugenio Chiaradia, Guglielmo Siniscalco and, for the most part, Benito Garozzo. Apart from his excellent play, he was renowned for his nerves of... , Benito Garozzo Benito Garozzo Benito Garozzo is one of the most famous bridge players in the history of the game. He has won 13 world championship titles with the Italian Blue Team, playing with Pietro Forquet and later Giorgio Belladonna... , Camillo Pabis Ticci |
| |2. | North America James Jacoby (USA), Robert Jordan (USA), Peter Leventritt (USA), G. Robert Nail (USA), Arthur Robinson (USA), Howard Schenken Howard Schenken Howard Schenken was an American bridge player, writer, and long-time columnist. In his career, Schenken won three Bermuda Bowl titles, and set several North American records: he won the Life Master Pairs five times, and the Spingold and Vanderbilt Trophy twelve and ten times, respectively... (USA) |
||
| |3. | France René Bacherich, Gérard Desrousseaux, Pierre Ghestem Pierre Ghestem Pierre Ghestem was a French bridge and checkers player. In 1947 he became the world champion in checkers... , Jacques Stetten, Georges Théron, Léon Tintner |
Argentina finished fourth.1965 Buenos AiresBuenos AiresBuenos Aires is the capital and largest city of Argentina, and the second-largest metropolitan area in South America, after São Paulo. It is located on the western shore of the estuary of the Río de la Plata, on the southeastern coast of the South American continent...
, ArgentinaArgentinaArgentina , officially the Argentine Republic , is the second largest country in South America by land area, after Brazil. It is constituted as a federation of 23 provinces and an autonomous city, Buenos Aires...
Playing at home, Argentina represented South America for the sixth time and finally defeated one of the Europeans or Americans, namely Great Britain.This was the fifth consecutive world championship for the Blue Team, as it had won the second Olympiad in 1964. Italy would continue to win annually with the identical lineup through 1969, plus a successful comeback in 1972.
| 1965 |
4 | 1. | Italy Walter Avarelli Walter Avarelli Walter Avarelli was an Italian bridge player, a member of the famous Blue Team, with whom he won 9 Bermuda Bowls and 3 World Team Olympiads in the period 1956-1972.... , Giorgio Belladonna Giorgio Belladonna Giorgio Belladonna was an Italian bridge player, one of the most famous in bridge history. He won 16 World championship titles with the Blue Team, playing with Walter Avarelli and Benito Garozzo... , Massimo D'Alelio Massimo D'Alelio Massimo D'Alelio neapolitan, was a famous Italian bridge player. He won 10 world championship titles with the Blue Team, playing with Eugenio Chiaradia and Camillo Pabis Ticci.-External links:* *... , Pietro Forquet Pietro Forquet Pietro Forquet is an Italian bridge player, one of the most famous in bridge history. He won 15 World championship titles with Blue Team, playing with Eugenio Chiaradia, Guglielmo Siniscalco and, for the most part, Benito Garozzo. Apart from his excellent play, he was renowned for his nerves of... , Benito Garozzo Benito Garozzo Benito Garozzo is one of the most famous bridge players in the history of the game. He has won 13 world championship titles with the Italian Blue Team, playing with Pietro Forquet and later Giorgio Belladonna... , Camillo Pabis Ticci |
| |2. | North America B. Jay Becker (USA), Ivan Erdos (USA), Dorothy Hayden Dorothy Hayden Truscott Dorothy Hayden Truscott was the top-ranked woman in bridge for many years and authored or co-authored books on the game.-Career:... (USA), Peter Leventritt (USA), Kelsey Petterson (USA), Howard Schenken Howard Schenken Howard Schenken was an American bridge player, writer, and long-time columnist. In his career, Schenken won three Bermuda Bowl titles, and set several North American records: he won the Life Master Pairs five times, and the Spingold and Vanderbilt Trophy twelve and ten times, respectively... (USA) |
||
| |3. | Argentina Luis Attaguile, Alberto Berisso, Carlos Cabanne, Marcelo Lerner, Egisto Rocchi, Agustín Santamarina |
Great Britain finished fourth.1966 St. VincentSaint-Vincent, ItalySaint-Vincent is a town and comune in the Aosta Valley region of north-western Italy. Saint-Vincent , is a popular summer holiday resort with mineral springs .-Geography:...
, ItalyItalyItaly , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
The tournament expanded to five with Asia, represented by Thailand. Venezuela took Argentina's usual place and won another third for South America. Canadians Sami Kehela and Eric Murray joined four US Americans for North America.| 1966 |
5 | 1. | Italy Walter Avarelli Walter Avarelli Walter Avarelli was an Italian bridge player, a member of the famous Blue Team, with whom he won 9 Bermuda Bowls and 3 World Team Olympiads in the period 1956-1972.... , Giorgio Belladonna Giorgio Belladonna Giorgio Belladonna was an Italian bridge player, one of the most famous in bridge history. He won 16 World championship titles with the Blue Team, playing with Walter Avarelli and Benito Garozzo... , Massimo D'Alelio Massimo D'Alelio Massimo D'Alelio neapolitan, was a famous Italian bridge player. He won 10 world championship titles with the Blue Team, playing with Eugenio Chiaradia and Camillo Pabis Ticci.-External links:* *... , Pietro Forquet Pietro Forquet Pietro Forquet is an Italian bridge player, one of the most famous in bridge history. He won 15 World championship titles with Blue Team, playing with Eugenio Chiaradia, Guglielmo Siniscalco and, for the most part, Benito Garozzo. Apart from his excellent play, he was renowned for his nerves of... , Benito Garozzo Benito Garozzo Benito Garozzo is one of the most famous bridge players in the history of the game. He has won 13 world championship titles with the Italian Blue Team, playing with Pietro Forquet and later Giorgio Belladonna... , Camillo Pabis Ticci |
| |2. | North America Phillip Feldesman (USA), Bob Hamman Bob Hamman Robert David Hamman is an American professional bridge player, among the greatest players of all time.... (USA), Sami Kehela Sami Kehela Sami Kehela is a Canadian contract bridge player. A member of the Hall of Fame of both the American Contract Bridge League and of the Canadian Bridge Federation, he is considered, along with his partner Eric Murray, one of the top Canadians ever to have played the game.Between 1966 and 1974,... (CAN), Lew Mathe (USA), Eric Murray Eric Murray Eric Claude Murray was a South African cricketer who played first class cricket for Derbyshire in 1911 and for Transvaal between 1912 and 1923.... (CAN), Ira Rubin (USA) |
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| |3. |  VenezuelaRoberto Benaim, David Berah, Mario Onorati, Roger Rossignol, Renato Straziota, Francis Vernon |
Netherlands finished fourth and Thailand fifth.1967 Miami BeachMiami Beach, FloridaMiami Beach is a coastal resort city in Miami-Dade County, Florida, United States, incorporated on March 26, 1915. The municipality is located on a barrier island between the Atlantic Ocean and Biscayne Bay, the latter which separates the Beach from Miami city proper...
, United StatesUnited StatesThe United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
Thailand and Venezuela returned to the field. More than forty years later, 1966/1967 remain their best national performances.| 1967 |
5 | 1. | Italy Walter Avarelli Walter Avarelli Walter Avarelli was an Italian bridge player, a member of the famous Blue Team, with whom he won 9 Bermuda Bowls and 3 World Team Olympiads in the period 1956-1972.... , Giorgio Belladonna Giorgio Belladonna Giorgio Belladonna was an Italian bridge player, one of the most famous in bridge history. He won 16 World championship titles with the Blue Team, playing with Walter Avarelli and Benito Garozzo... , Massimo D'Alelio Massimo D'Alelio Massimo D'Alelio neapolitan, was a famous Italian bridge player. He won 10 world championship titles with the Blue Team, playing with Eugenio Chiaradia and Camillo Pabis Ticci.-External links:* *... , Pietro Forquet Pietro Forquet Pietro Forquet is an Italian bridge player, one of the most famous in bridge history. He won 15 World championship titles with Blue Team, playing with Eugenio Chiaradia, Guglielmo Siniscalco and, for the most part, Benito Garozzo. Apart from his excellent play, he was renowned for his nerves of... , Benito Garozzo Benito Garozzo Benito Garozzo is one of the most famous bridge players in the history of the game. He has won 13 world championship titles with the Italian Blue Team, playing with Pietro Forquet and later Giorgio Belladonna... , Camillo Pabis Ticci |
| |2. | North America Edgar Kaplan Edgar Kaplan Edgar Kaplan was an American bridge player and one of the principal contributors to the game. His career spanned six decades and covered every aspect of bridge. He was a teacher, author, editor, administrator, champion player, theorist, expert Vugraph commentator, coach/captain and authority on... (USA), Norman Kay (USA), Sami Kehela Sami Kehela Sami Kehela is a Canadian contract bridge player. A member of the Hall of Fame of both the American Contract Bridge League and of the Canadian Bridge Federation, he is considered, along with his partner Eric Murray, one of the top Canadians ever to have played the game.Between 1966 and 1974,... (CAN), Eric Murray Eric Murray Eric Claude Murray was a South African cricketer who played first class cricket for Derbyshire in 1911 and for Transvaal between 1912 and 1923.... (CAN), Bill Root (USA), Alvin Roth Alvin Roth Alvin L. Roth was an American bridge player, considered one of the greatest of all time. He wrote several books on the game, and invented various bridge conventions that have become commonplace, including five-card majors, negative doubles, forcing notrump, and the unusual notrump.-Biography:Roth... (USA) |
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| |3. | France Jean-Michel Boulenger, Jacques Parienté, Jean-Marc Roudinesco, Jacques Stetten, Henri Szwarc, Léon Tintner |
Thailand finished fourth and Venezuela fifth.1969 Rio de JaneiroRio de JaneiroRio de Janeiro , commonly referred to simply as Rio, is the capital city of the State of Rio de Janeiro, the second largest city of Brazil, and the third largest metropolitan area and agglomeration in South America, boasting approximately 6.3 million people within the city proper, making it the 6th...
, BrazilBrazilBrazil , officially the Federative Republic of Brazil , is the largest country in South America. It is the world's fifth largest country, both by geographical area and by population with over 192 million people...
Taiwan appeared on the world bridge scene with a shocking second-place performance, represented by six players using the Precision ClubPrecision club
Precision Club is a bidding system in the game of contract bridge. It is a type of strong club system that was invented by C. C. Wei and used to good effect by Taiwan teams in the early 1970s...
bidding system
Bidding system
A bidding system in contract bridge is the set of agreements and understandings assigned to calls and sequences of calls used by a partnership, and includes a full description of the meaning of each treatment and convention...
recently invented by C. C. Wei
C. C. Wei
Chung Ching Wei was a Chinese-born American, inventor of the Precision Club bidding system in contract bridge.-Biography:...
.
The Blue Team of Italy retired after winning its tenth consecutive Bermuda Bowl (from 1957) and ninth consecutive annual world championship in open teams (from 1961).
The United State team included two members of the professional Dallas Aces
Dallas Aces
The Dallas Aces were the world's first professional bridge team, organized by Dallas businessman Ira Corn in 1968...
, Eisenberg–Goldman and two young players who would be Aces, Hamman and Kantar.
| 1969 |
5 | 1. | Italy Walter Avarelli Walter Avarelli Walter Avarelli was an Italian bridge player, a member of the famous Blue Team, with whom he won 9 Bermuda Bowls and 3 World Team Olympiads in the period 1956-1972.... , Giorgio Belladonna Giorgio Belladonna Giorgio Belladonna was an Italian bridge player, one of the most famous in bridge history. He won 16 World championship titles with the Blue Team, playing with Walter Avarelli and Benito Garozzo... , Massimo D'Alelio Massimo D'Alelio Massimo D'Alelio neapolitan, was a famous Italian bridge player. He won 10 world championship titles with the Blue Team, playing with Eugenio Chiaradia and Camillo Pabis Ticci.-External links:* *... , Pietro Forquet Pietro Forquet Pietro Forquet is an Italian bridge player, one of the most famous in bridge history. He won 15 World championship titles with Blue Team, playing with Eugenio Chiaradia, Guglielmo Siniscalco and, for the most part, Benito Garozzo. Apart from his excellent play, he was renowned for his nerves of... , Benito Garozzo Benito Garozzo Benito Garozzo is one of the most famous bridge players in the history of the game. He has won 13 world championship titles with the Italian Blue Team, playing with Pietro Forquet and later Giorgio Belladonna... , Camillo Pabis Ticci |
| |2. | Taiwan Frank Huang, Patrick Huang, C. S. Shen Shen Chun-shan Shen Chun-shan is a retired academic in Taiwan, most noted for his position as the former head of National Tsing Hua University... , K. W. Shen (THA), Kovit Suchartkul (THA), M. F. Tai |
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| |3. | North America Billy Eisenberg Billy Eisenberg William Eisenberg is an American bridge and backgammon professional. In bridge, Eisenberg has won five Bermuda Bowl world team titles and in backgammon he won the world title in 1975... (USA), Bobby Goldman Bobby Goldman Robert Goldman was an American bridge player, teacher and author. He won three Bermuda Bowls , Olympiad Mixed Teams 1972, and 20 North American Bridge Championships... (USA), Bob Hamman Bob Hamman Robert David Hamman is an American professional bridge player, among the greatest players of all time.... (USA), Edwin Kantar Edwin Kantar Edwin Bruce Kantar is an American bridge player, 2-time World Teams Bridge Champion and prolific author of bridge books.-Biography:... (USA), Sidney Lazard (USA), George Rapee (USA) |
France finished fourth and Brazil fifth.1970 StockholmStockholmStockholm is the capital and the largest city of Sweden and constitutes the most populated urban area in Scandinavia. Stockholm is the most populous city in Sweden, with a population of 851,155 in the municipality , 1.37 million in the urban area , and around 2.1 million in the metropolitan area...
, SwedenSwedenSweden , officially the Kingdom of Sweden , is a Nordic country on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe. Sweden borders with Norway and Finland and is connected to Denmark by a bridge-tunnel across the Öresund....
The Aces won the 17th Bermuda Bowl, the first for a United States or North America team since they won the first four. Taiwan finished second again, with only five players and only two veterans from 1969. Norway and Brazil also finished ahead of Italy, the defending champion bridge nation represented by a wholly new team.| 1970 |
5 | 1. | North America Billy Eisenberg Billy Eisenberg William Eisenberg is an American bridge and backgammon professional. In bridge, Eisenberg has won five Bermuda Bowl world team titles and in backgammon he won the world title in 1975... (USA), Bobby Goldman Bobby Goldman Robert Goldman was an American bridge player, teacher and author. He won three Bermuda Bowls , Olympiad Mixed Teams 1972, and 20 North American Bridge Championships... (USA), Bob Hamman Bob Hamman Robert David Hamman is an American professional bridge player, among the greatest players of all time.... (USA), James Jacoby (USA), Mike Lawrence (USA), Bobby Wolff Bobby Wolff Robert S. Wolff is an American bridge player and 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... (USA) |
| |2. | Taiwan Conrad Cheng, Elmer Hsiao, Patrick Huang, Harry Lin, M. F. Tai |
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| |3. | Norway Erik Høie, Tore Jensen, Knut Koppang, Bjørn Larsen, Louis André Strøm, Willy Varnås |
Brazil finished fourth and the new Italy fifth.1971 TaipeiTaipeiTaipei City is the capital of the Republic of China and the central city of the largest metropolitan area of Taiwan. Situated at the northern tip of the island, Taipei is located on the Tamsui River, and is about 25 km southwest of Keelung, its port on the Pacific Ocean...
, Republic of ChinaRepublic of ChinaThe Republic of China , commonly known as Taiwan , is a unitary sovereign state located in East Asia. Originally based in mainland China, the Republic of China currently governs the island of Taiwan , which forms over 99% of its current territory, as well as Penghu, Kinmen, Matsu and other minor...
The Aces won as defending champions while the field expanded to include Australia.| 1971 |
6 | 1. | Aces Billy Eisenberg Billy Eisenberg William Eisenberg is an American bridge and backgammon professional. In bridge, Eisenberg has won five Bermuda Bowl world team titles and in backgammon he won the world title in 1975... (USA), Bobby Goldman Bobby Goldman Robert Goldman was an American bridge player, teacher and author. He won three Bermuda Bowls , Olympiad Mixed Teams 1972, and 20 North American Bridge Championships... (USA), Bob Hamman Bob Hamman Robert David Hamman is an American professional bridge player, among the greatest players of all time.... (USA), James Jacoby (USA), Mike Lawrence (USA), Bobby Wolff Bobby Wolff Robert S. Wolff is an American bridge player and 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... (USA) |
| |2. | France Jean-Michel Boulenger, Pierre Jaïs Pierre Jaïs Pierre Jaïs was a famous French bridge player. A World Bridge Federation Grand Master, he was the winner of World Team Olympiad in Turin 1960, Bermuda Bowl in Paris 1956, and World Open Pairs Championship in Cannes 1962. He is one of only 10 players who collected the Triple Crown of Bridge... , Jean-Marc Roudinesco, Jean-Louis Stoppa, Henri Szwarc, Roger Trézel Roger Trezel Roger Trézel was a famous French bridge player. A World Bridge Federation Grand Master, he was the winner of World Team Olympiad in Turin 1960, Bermuda Bowl in Paris 1956, and World Open Pairs Championship in Cannes 1962. He is one of only 10 players who collected the Triple Crown of Bridge... |
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| |3. | Australia Jim Borin, Norma Borin, Richard Cummings, Denis Howard, Tim Seres, Roelof Smilde |
Taiwan finished fourth at home, one year after finishing second.1973 GuarujáGuarujáGuarujá is a municipality in the São Paulo state of Brazil. The population in 2006 was 305,171, the population density is 1,969.47/km² and the area is 143 km². This place name comes from the Tupi language, and mean "narrow path". The population is highly urbanized.-Geography:Guarujá is...
, BrazilBrazilBrazil , officially the Federative Republic of Brazil , is the largest country in South America. It is the world's fifth largest country, both by geographical area and by population with over 192 million people...
The Blue Team had successfully completed a comeback by winning the 1972 Olympiad with its 1964–69 lineup. Three then retired permanently but its three greatest players continued to play for Italy: Belladonna, Forquet, and Garozzo. And to win.The second-place Aces were defending champions with one personnel change.
| 1973 |
5 | 1. | Italy Giorgio Belladonna Giorgio Belladonna Giorgio Belladonna was an Italian bridge player, one of the most famous in bridge history. He won 16 World championship titles with the Blue Team, playing with Walter Avarelli and Benito Garozzo... , Benito Bianchi, Pietro Forquet Pietro Forquet Pietro Forquet is an Italian bridge player, one of the most famous in bridge history. He won 15 World championship titles with Blue Team, playing with Eugenio Chiaradia, Guglielmo Siniscalco and, for the most part, Benito Garozzo. Apart from his excellent play, he was renowned for his nerves of... , Giuseppe Garabello, Benito Garozzo Benito Garozzo Benito Garozzo is one of the most famous bridge players in the history of the game. He has won 13 world championship titles with the Italian Blue Team, playing with Pietro Forquet and later Giorgio Belladonna... , Vito Pittalà |
| |2. | Aces Mark Blumenthal (USA), Bobby Goldman Bobby Goldman Robert Goldman was an American bridge player, teacher and author. He won three Bermuda Bowls , Olympiad Mixed Teams 1972, and 20 North American Bridge Championships... (USA), Bob Hamman Bob Hamman Robert David Hamman is an American professional bridge player, among the greatest players of all time.... (USA), James Jacoby (USA), Mike Lawrence (USA), Bobby Wolff Bobby Wolff Robert S. Wolff is an American bridge player and 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... (USA) |
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| |3. | Brazil Pedro Paulo Assumpção, Marcelo Branco Marcelo Branco Marcelo Branco is famous Brazilian bridge player. Among other successes, he was the winner of World Team Olympiad in Monte Carlo 1976, Bermuda Bowl in Perth 1989, and World Open pairs Championship in New Orleans 1978 and Geneva 1990. He is one of 10 players who collected the Triple Crown of Bridge... , Pedro Paulo Branco, Gabriel Chagas Gabriel Chagas Gabriel Pinheiro Chagas Filho is a famous Brazilian bridge player. He was the winner of World Team Olympiad in Monte Carlo 1976, Bermuda Bowl in Perth 1989, World Open Pairs Championship in Geneva 1990, as well as Transnational Teams in Paris 2001... , Gabino Cintra, Christiano Fonseca |
North America finished fourth, represented by a team of six men from the US.
1974 VeniceVeniceVenice is a city in northern Italy which is renowned for the beauty of its setting, its architecture and its artworks. It is the capital of the Veneto region...
, ItalyItalyItaly , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
Italy defended its championship at home. The World Bridge Federation inaugurated the Venice CupVenice Cup
The World Teams Championship in contract bridge for women players only is also known as the Venice Cup, because the first edition was held in Venice, Italy in 1974.It is held every two years, in parallel to the Open World Teams Championship, the Bermuda Bowl....
tournament for "Women Teams", which increased in size and frequency to match the Bermuda Bowl in 1985. No woman had played for a Bermuda Bowl winner and Dorothy Hayden Truscott
Dorothy Hayden Truscott
Dorothy Hayden Truscott was the top-ranked woman in bridge for many years and authored or co-authored books on the game.-Career:...
alone had finished second, playing with B. J. Becker in 1965. Meanwhile the quadrennial Olympiad ran two tournaments side-by-side from its start in 1960.
| 1974 |
6 | 1. | Italy Giorgio Belladonna Giorgio Belladonna Giorgio Belladonna was an Italian bridge player, one of the most famous in bridge history. He won 16 World championship titles with the Blue Team, playing with Walter Avarelli and Benito Garozzo... , Benito Bianchi, Pietro Forquet Pietro Forquet Pietro Forquet is an Italian bridge player, one of the most famous in bridge history. He won 15 World championship titles with Blue Team, playing with Eugenio Chiaradia, Guglielmo Siniscalco and, for the most part, Benito Garozzo. Apart from his excellent play, he was renowned for his nerves of... , Benito Garozzo Benito Garozzo Benito Garozzo is one of the most famous bridge players in the history of the game. He has won 13 world championship titles with the Italian Blue Team, playing with Pietro Forquet and later Giorgio Belladonna... , (Dano De Falco, Arturo Franco)* |
| |2. | North America Mark Blumenthal (USA), Bobby Goldman Bobby Goldman Robert Goldman was an American bridge player, teacher and author. He won three Bermuda Bowls , Olympiad Mixed Teams 1972, and 20 North American Bridge Championships... (USA), Bob Hamman Bob Hamman Robert David Hamman is an American professional bridge player, among the greatest players of all time.... (USA), Sami Kehela (CAN), Eric Murray (CAN), Bobby Wolff Bobby Wolff Robert S. Wolff is an American bridge player and 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... (USA) |
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| |3. | Brazil Pedro Paulo Assumpção, Marcelo Branco Marcelo Branco Marcelo Branco is famous Brazilian bridge player. Among other successes, he was the winner of World Team Olympiad in Monte Carlo 1976, Bermuda Bowl in Perth 1989, and World Open pairs Championship in New Orleans 1978 and Geneva 1990. He is one of 10 players who collected the Triple Crown of Bridge... , Pedro Paulo Branco, Gabriel Chagas Gabriel Chagas Gabriel Pinheiro Chagas Filho is a famous Brazilian bridge player. He was the winner of World Team Olympiad in Monte Carlo 1976, Bermuda Bowl in Perth 1989, World Open Pairs Championship in Geneva 1990, as well as Transnational Teams in Paris 2001... , Gabino Cintra, Christiano Fonseca |
* De Falco and Franco did not play enough boards to qualify for the title of World Champion.
Indonesia finished fourth.1975 SouthamptonSouthampton Parish, BermudaSouthampton Parish is one of the nine parishes of Bermuda. It is named for Henry Wriothesley, 3rd Earl of Southampton .It is located in the southwest of the island chain, occupying all of the western part of the main island, except for the westernmost tip...
, BermudaBermudaBermuda is a British overseas territory in the North Atlantic Ocean. Located off the east coast of the United States, its nearest landmass is Cape Hatteras, North Carolina, about to the west-northwest. It is about south of Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada, and northeast of Miami, Florida...
For the 25th anniversary of the inaugural tournament, the 21st returned to Bermuda, as the 34th tournament would do for the 50th anniversary. Italy won its thirteenth Bermuda Bowl, its third in a row, and its last before 2005. Pietro Forquet missed this one, leaving Giorgio Belladonna alone with 13 Bowls.| 1975 |
5 | 1. | Italy Giorgio Belladonna Giorgio Belladonna Giorgio Belladonna was an Italian bridge player, one of the most famous in bridge history. He won 16 World championship titles with the Blue Team, playing with Walter Avarelli and Benito Garozzo... , Gianfranco Facchini, Arturo Franco, Benito Garozzo Benito Garozzo Benito Garozzo is one of the most famous bridge players in the history of the game. He has won 13 world championship titles with the Italian Blue Team, playing with Pietro Forquet and later Giorgio Belladonna... , Vito Pittalà, Sergio Zucchelli |
| |2. | North America Billy Eisenberg Billy Eisenberg William Eisenberg is an American bridge and backgammon professional. In bridge, Eisenberg has won five Bermuda Bowl world team titles and in backgammon he won the world title in 1975... (USA), Bob Hamman Bob Hamman Robert David Hamman is an American professional bridge player, among the greatest players of all time.... (USA), Edwin Kantar Edwin Kantar Edwin Bruce Kantar is an American bridge player, 2-time World Teams Bridge Champion and prolific author of bridge books.-Biography:... (USA), Paul Soloway Paul Soloway Paul Soloway was a world champion American bridge player. He won the Bermuda Bowl world team championship five times and won 30 national championships. Soloway was inducted into the American Contract Bridge League's Hall of Fame in 2002... (USA), John C. Swanson (USA), Bobby Wolff Bobby Wolff Robert S. Wolff is an American bridge player and 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... (USA) |
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| |3. | France Jean-Michel Boulenger, Michel Lebel, François Leenhardt, Christian Mari, Henri Szwarc, Edmond Vial |
Indonesia finished fourth, Brazil fifth.1976 Monte CarloMonte CarloMonte Carlo is an administrative area of the Principality of Monaco....
, MonacoMonacoMonaco , officially the Principality of Monaco , is a sovereign city state on the French Riviera. It is bordered on three sides by its neighbour, France, and its centre is about from Italy. Its area is with a population of 35,986 as of 2011 and is the most densely populated country in the...
The 22nd was the only Bermuda Bowl contested during a World Team OlympiadWorld Team Olympiad
The World Team Olympiad was a contract bridge meet organized by the World Bridge Federation every four years from 1960 to 2004. Its main events were world championships for national teams, always including one open and one restricted to women...
year. The two Open tournaments were played back to back during three weeks in May, with Italy beaten first by the United States and then by Brazil in the finals.
Israel finished third as the second representative of Europe.
| 1976 |
6 | 1. | North America Billy Eisenberg Billy Eisenberg William Eisenberg is an American bridge and backgammon professional. In bridge, Eisenberg has won five Bermuda Bowl world team titles and in backgammon he won the world title in 1975... (USA), Fred Hamilton (USA), Erik Paulsen (USA), Hugh Ross (USA), Ira Rubin (USA), Paul Soloway Paul Soloway Paul Soloway was a world champion American bridge player. He won the Bermuda Bowl world team championship five times and won 30 national championships. Soloway was inducted into the American Contract Bridge League's Hall of Fame in 2002... (USA) |
| |2. | Italy Giorgio Belladonna Giorgio Belladonna Giorgio Belladonna was an Italian bridge player, one of the most famous in bridge history. He won 16 World championship titles with the Blue Team, playing with Walter Avarelli and Benito Garozzo... , Pietro Forquet Pietro Forquet Pietro Forquet is an Italian bridge player, one of the most famous in bridge history. He won 15 World championship titles with Blue Team, playing with Eugenio Chiaradia, Guglielmo Siniscalco and, for the most part, Benito Garozzo. Apart from his excellent play, he was renowned for his nerves of... , Arturo Franco, Benito Garozzo Benito Garozzo Benito Garozzo is one of the most famous bridge players in the history of the game. He has won 13 world championship titles with the Italian Blue Team, playing with Pietro Forquet and later Giorgio Belladonna... , Vito Pittalà, Antonio Vivaldi |
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| |3. |  IsraelJulian Frydrich, Michael Hochzeit, Sam Lev, Yeshayahu Levit, Pinhas Romik, Eliakim Shaufel |
Brazil finished fourth with the same lineup that placed third in 1973 and 1974. With one personnel change they won the Open Olympiad tournament that immediately following this exceptional Bermuda Bowl. It remains the only year with two world champion teams in the open category.1977 ManilaManilaManila is the capital of the Philippines. It is one of the sixteen cities forming Metro Manila.Manila is located on the eastern shores of Manila Bay and is bordered by Navotas and Caloocan to the north, Quezon City to the northeast, San Juan and Mandaluyong to the east, Makati on the southeast,...
, PhilippinesPhilippinesThe Philippines , officially known as the Republic of the Philippines , is a country in Southeast Asia in the western Pacific Ocean. To its north across the Luzon Strait lies Taiwan. West across the South China Sea sits Vietnam...
Both teams "North America" and "Defending Champions" comprised six men from the US. The six defending champion players divided two and four, as the Aces with defending players Eisenberg and Soloway regrouped as "North America". (Under double representation for the United States beginning 1991, the two USA teams must face each other if both advance to the semifinal.)| 1977 |
6 | 1. | North America Billy Eisenberg Billy Eisenberg William Eisenberg is an American bridge and backgammon professional. In bridge, Eisenberg has won five Bermuda Bowl world team titles and in backgammon he won the world title in 1975... (USA), Edwin Kantar Edwin Kantar Edwin Bruce Kantar is an American bridge player, 2-time World Teams Bridge Champion and prolific author of bridge books.-Biography:... (USA), Bob Hamman Bob Hamman Robert David Hamman is an American professional bridge player, among the greatest players of all time.... (USA), Paul Soloway Paul Soloway Paul Soloway was a world champion American bridge player. He won the Bermuda Bowl world team championship five times and won 30 national championships. Soloway was inducted into the American Contract Bridge League's Hall of Fame in 2002... (USA), John C. Swanson (USA), Bobby Wolff Bobby Wolff Robert S. Wolff is an American bridge player and 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... (USA) |
| |2. | Defending Champions Fred Hamilton (USA), Mike Passell (USA), Erik Paulsen (USA), Hugh Ross (USA), Ira Rubin (USA), Ron Von der Porten (USA) |
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| |3. | Sweden Anders Brunzell, Sven-Olov Flodqvist, Hans Göthe, Jörgen Lindqvist, Anders Morath, Per Olof Sundelin |
Argentina finished fourth.1979 Rio de JaneiroRio de JaneiroRio de Janeiro , commonly referred to simply as Rio, is the capital city of the State of Rio de Janeiro, the second largest city of Brazil, and the third largest metropolitan area and agglomeration in South America, boasting approximately 6.3 million people within the city proper, making it the 6th...
, BrazilBrazilBrazil , officially the Federative Republic of Brazil , is the largest country in South America. It is the world's fifth largest country, both by geographical area and by population with over 192 million people...
The 24th Bermuda Bowl was the first to be decided by a margin that is commonly scored on a single deal, merely 5 IMPs. Malcolm Brachman's professional team of US Americans defeated Italy by that much.The defending champion team was not invited after 1977, so the tournament again matched one team from each WBF geographic zone that chose to participate. The number of teams remained at six because "Central America & the Caribbean" sent a team for the first time, three players from Panama and three from Venezuela with a Guadeloupe captain. Brachman from North America and national teams from Italy, Australia, Taiwan, and host Brazil represented the other four zones.
| 1979 |
6 | 1. | North America Malcolm Brachman (USA), Billy Eisenberg Billy Eisenberg William Eisenberg is an American bridge and backgammon professional. In bridge, Eisenberg has won five Bermuda Bowl world team titles and in backgammon he won the world title in 1975... (USA), Bobby Goldman Bobby Goldman Robert Goldman was an American bridge player, teacher and author. He won three Bermuda Bowls , Olympiad Mixed Teams 1972, and 20 North American Bridge Championships... (USA), Edwin Kantar Edwin Kantar Edwin Bruce Kantar is an American bridge player, 2-time World Teams Bridge Champion and prolific author of bridge books.-Biography:... (USA), Mike Passell (USA), Paul Soloway Paul Soloway Paul Soloway was a world champion American bridge player. He won the Bermuda Bowl world team championship five times and won 30 national championships. Soloway was inducted into the American Contract Bridge League's Hall of Fame in 2002... (USA) |
| |2. | Italy Giorgio Belladonna Giorgio Belladonna Giorgio Belladonna was an Italian bridge player, one of the most famous in bridge history. He won 16 World championship titles with the Blue Team, playing with Walter Avarelli and Benito Garozzo... , Dano De Falco, Arturo Franco, Benito Garozzo Benito Garozzo Benito Garozzo is one of the most famous bridge players in the history of the game. He has won 13 world championship titles with the Italian Blue Team, playing with Pietro Forquet and later Giorgio Belladonna... , Lorenzo Lauria, Vito Pittalà |
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| |3. | Australia Jim Borin, Norma Borin, Richard Cummings, Andrew Reiner, Bobby Richman, Tim Seres |
Taiwan finished fourth.1980s-2000s
The Bermuda Bowl made several changes around 1980. The defending champion team was dropped in 1979. For 1981 Europe was awarded two places in the tournament, the first expansion beyond zonal champions (plus the world champion, 1961 to 1977). There would be nine teams if every WBF zone sent a champion. For 1983, European and North American champions would have two places in the 4-team semifinal round. European and North American runners up would contend with champions of the other zones and the host country for two other semifinal slots. (Europe and North America had won all the Bermuda Bowls. Outsiders had finished second in 1969–70 and 1981.) Beginning 1985, the Bermuda Bowl for open teams and Venice Cup for women would run side-by-side with the same structure in a venue outside Europe and North America (maintained until 2001).1981 New York CityNew York CityNew York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
, United StatesUnited StatesThe United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
Pakistan represented "Asia and the Middle East", a novelty, and finished second, a shock. This was the third silver medal for teams from outside Europe and North America, joining Taiwan 1969–70. "Pakistani preempts" were notable and team's best player Zia MahmoodZia Mahmood
Zia Mahmood is a Pakistani professional bridge player. He is a World Bridge Federation and American Contract Bridge League Grand Life Master. He has a knack for bringing out the best in his partners and is regarded as one of the greatest players of the game...
was recognized as a great one.
For the United States, led by Bud Reinhold—who played, but not enough to qualify personally as a world champion— Levin, Rodwell, and Meckstroth made their international debuts at 23 to 25 years old, Levin being the youngest winner on record.
Europe was represented by both Poland and Great Britain, first and second in the 18-team open flight of the European championships.
| 1981 |
7 | 1. | USA Russell Arnold, Bobby Levin Bobby Levin Robert J. Levin is an American professional bridge player. He is best known as the youngest winner of the world championship for national teams, namely the 1981 Bermuda Bowl, and as five-time winner of the Cavendish Invitational with his regular partner Steve Weinstein... , Jeff Meckstroth Jeff Meckstroth Jeffrey John Meckstroth is a multiple world champion in contract bridge, winning the Bermuda Bowl representing the U.S. five times. He is one of only ten players who have won the so-called triple crown of bridge: the Bermuda Bowl, the World Open Pairs and the World Team Olympiad... , Eric Rodwell Eric Rodwell Eric Victor Rodwell is an American professional bridge player. He has won the Bermuda Bowl representing the U.S. five times and is one of ten players who have won the so-called triple crown of bridge: the Bermuda Bowl, the World Open Pairs and the World Team Olympiad... , John Solodar, (Bud Reinhold)* |
| |2. |  PakistanNishat Abedi, Nisar Ahmed, Munir Attaullah, Jan-e-Alam Fazli, Zia Mahmood Zia Mahmood Zia Mahmood is a Pakistani professional bridge player. He is a World Bridge Federation and American Contract Bridge League Grand Life Master. He has a knack for bringing out the best in his partners and is regarded as one of the greatest players of the game... , Masood Saleem |
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| |3-4. |  PolandAleksander Jezioro, Julian Klukowski, Marek Kudła, Krzysztof Martens, Andrzej Milde, Tomasz Przybora |
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* Reinhold did not play enough boards to qualify for the title of World Champion.
Argentina finished fourth.1983 StockholmStockholmStockholm is the capital and the largest city of Sweden and constitutes the most populated urban area in Scandinavia. Stockholm is the most populous city in Sweden, with a population of 851,155 in the municipality , 1.37 million in the urban area , and around 2.1 million in the metropolitan area...
, SwedenSwedenSweden , officially the Kingdom of Sweden , is a Nordic country on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe. Sweden borders with Norway and Finland and is connected to Denmark by a bridge-tunnel across the Öresund....
Beginning 1983, North America joined Europe with double representation, and the host country was automatically included too, so the potential size of the field increased by two. United States teams finished first and second in North America while France, Italy, and world host Sweden ranked 1, 2, and 7 among 24 teams in the open European championship. Under the new structure, USA1 and France earned byesBye (sports)
A bye, in sports and other competitive activities, most commonly refers to the practice of allowing a player or team to advance to the next round of a playoff tournament without playing...
to the Bermuda Bowl semifinal while USA2, Italy, and Sweden contended with the champions of other zones for two more semifinal slots. Five other zones were represented, ten teams in all.
USA2 and Italy won the preliminary stage; USA1 and Italy won semifinal matches to meet in the final, the international swan song
Swan song
"Swan song" is a metaphorical phrase for a final gesture, effort, or performance given just before death or retirement. The phrase refers to an ancient belief that the Mute Swan is completely silent during its lifetime until the moment just before death, when it sings one beautiful song...
for Giorgio Belladonna and for the legendary Belladonna–Garozzo partnership.
| 1983 |
10 | 1. | USA 1 Michael Becker, Bob Hamman Bob Hamman Robert David Hamman is an American professional bridge player, among the greatest players of all time.... , Ron Rubin, Alan Sontag Alan Sontag Alan M. Sontag is a world champion American bridge player and author of bridge books.-Bridge career:Although he is a six-time world champion in contract bridge, winning the prestige Bermuda Bowl twice, Sontag is best known as the author of The Bridge Bum, a book "on everybody's list of the top ten... , Peter Weichsel, Bobby Wolff Bobby Wolff Robert S. Wolff is an American bridge player and 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... |
| |2. | Italy Giorgio Belladonna Giorgio Belladonna Giorgio Belladonna was an Italian bridge player, one of the most famous in bridge history. He won 16 World championship titles with the Blue Team, playing with Walter Avarelli and Benito Garozzo... , Dano De Falco, Arturo Franco, Benito Garozzo Benito Garozzo Benito Garozzo is one of the most famous bridge players in the history of the game. He has won 13 world championship titles with the Italian Blue Team, playing with Pietro Forquet and later Giorgio Belladonna... , Lorenzo Lauria, Carlo Mosca |
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| |3. | France Michel Corn, Philippe Cronier, Michel Lebel, Hervé Mouiel, Philippe Soulet, Henri Szwarc |
USA 2 finished fourth.The actual size of the field increased by three, not two, because "Asia and the Middle East" (debut 1981) and "Central America and the Caribbean" (debut 1979) were both represented, by Pakistan and a transnational squad including four men from Jamaica
Jamaica
Jamaica is an island nation of the Greater Antilles, in length, up to in width and 10,990 square kilometres in area. It is situated in the Caribbean Sea, about south of Cuba, and west of Hispaniola, the island harbouring the nation-states Haiti and the Dominican Republic...
. Only Africa among the eight modern geographic zones was not yet represented.
1985 São PauloSão PauloSão Paulo is the largest city in Brazil, the largest city in the southern hemisphere and South America, and the world's seventh largest city by population. The metropolis is anchor to the São Paulo metropolitan area, ranked as the second-most populous metropolitan area in the Americas and among...
, BrazilBrazilBrazil , officially the Federative Republic of Brazil , is the largest country in South America. It is the world's fifth largest country, both by geographical area and by population with over 192 million people...
Beginning 1985 the Bermuda Bowl and the Venice Cup for women have been side-by-side tournaments with the same structure. From 1985 to 2000 they were always sited outside Europe and North America.For three cycles 1985 to 1989, one team each from the United States and Canada represented North America. All three US teams were based on the San Francisco-area team anchored by Chip Martel–Lew Stansby and Peter Pender–Hugh Ross. They won the annual US Grand National Teams
Grand National Teams
The Grand National Teams national bridge championship is held at the summer American Contract Bridge League North American Bridge Championship ....
in 1982-83-85-87 (with another pair in '82, with Mike Lawrence in '87).
Austria and Israel finished 1-2 among 21 open teams in Europe and placed 2-3 behind USA in São Paulo.
| 1985 |
10 | 1. | USA Bob Hamman Bob Hamman Robert David Hamman is an American professional bridge player, among the greatest players of all time.... , Chip Martel, Peter Pender, Hugh Ross, Lew Stansby, Bobby Wolff Bobby Wolff Robert S. Wolff is an American bridge player and 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... |
| |2. | Austria Heinrich Berger, Kurt Feichtinger, Jan Fucik, Wolfgang Meinl, Karl Rohan, Franz Terraneo |
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| |3. | Israel David Birman, Sam Lev, Eliakim Shaufel, Shalom Zeligman, (Julian Frydrich, Michael Hochzeit)* |
* Frydrich and Hochzeit did not play enough boards to qualify for third place.
Brazil finished fourth.Infrequent participants Canada, New Zealand, and India finished 8-9-10 as "USA 2", Australia, and Pakistan stayed home.
1987 Ocho RíosOcho RiosOcho Ríos is a town in the parish of Saint Ann on the north coast of Jamaica. Although he landed in many spots along the Jamaican coast, many believe that Christopher Columbus first set foot on land in Ocho Rios...
, JamaicaJamaicaJamaica is an island nation of the Greater Antilles, in length, up to in width and 10,990 square kilometres in area. It is situated in the Caribbean Sea, about south of Cuba, and west of Hispaniola, the island harbouring the nation-states Haiti and the Dominican Republic...
The "San Francisco" GNT with world veterans Hamman–Wolff defended successfully. Great Britain and Sweden reversed their European finish.| 1987 |
10 | 1. | USA Bob Hamman Bob Hamman Robert David Hamman is an American professional bridge player, among the greatest players of all time.... , Mike Lawrence, Chip Martel, Hugh Ross, Lew Stansby, Bobby Wolff Bobby Wolff Robert S. Wolff is an American bridge player and 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... |
| |2. | Great Britain John Armstrong, Raymond Brock, Jeremy Flint Jeremy Flint Jeremy Flint , an English bridge player, author and horse racing enthusiast, was one of the world's leading professional players.- Life & bridge career :... , Tony Forrester, Graham Kirby, Robert Sheehan |
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| |3. | Sweden Björn Fallenius, Sven-Olov Flodqvist, Hans Göthe, Tommy Gullberg, Magnus Lindkvist, Per Olof Sundelin |
Chinese Taipei finished fourth.1989 PerthPerth, Western AustraliaPerth is the capital and largest city of the Australian state of Western Australia and the fourth most populous city in Australia. The Perth metropolitan area has an estimated population of almost 1,700,000....
, AustraliaAustraliaAustralia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
Brazil won its first Bermuda Bowl, defeating a team of three "San Francisco" pairs in the final.| 1989 |
10 | 1. | Brazil Marcelo Branco Marcelo Branco Marcelo Branco is famous Brazilian bridge player. Among other successes, he was the winner of World Team Olympiad in Monte Carlo 1976, Bermuda Bowl in Perth 1989, and World Open pairs Championship in New Orleans 1978 and Geneva 1990. He is one of 10 players who collected the Triple Crown of Bridge... , Pedro Paulo Branco, Carlos Camacho, Gabriel Chagas Gabriel Chagas Gabriel Pinheiro Chagas Filho is a famous Brazilian bridge player. He was the winner of World Team Olympiad in Monte Carlo 1976, Bermuda Bowl in Perth 1989, World Open Pairs Championship in Geneva 1990, as well as Transnational Teams in Paris 2001... , Ricardo Janz, Roberto Mello |
| |2. | USA Mike Lawrence, Chip Martel, Peter Pender, Hugh Ross, Lew Stansby, Kit Woolsey Kit Woolsey Kit Woolsey is an American bridge and backgammon player. He graduated from Oberlin College in 1964. He earned a master's degree in mathematics from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign in 1965.... |
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| |3. | Poland Cezary Balicki Cezary Balicki Cezary Balicki is a Polish bridge player holding the title of World Grand Master. Balicki won the World Transnational Open Teams in 2000 and 2009, European Open Teams in 1989 and 1993 as well as the prestige London Sunday Times Invitational Pairs in 1994. His team finished second in the 2000 World... , Julian Klukowski, Krzysztof Martens, Krzysztof Moszczyński, Marek Szymanowski, Adam Żmudziński Adam Zmudzinski Adam Żmudziński is a Polish bridge player holding the title of World Grand Master. Żmudziński won the World Transnational Open Teams in 2000 and 2009, European Open Teams in 1989 and 1993 as well as the prestige London Sunday Times Invitational Pairs in 1994. His team finished second in the 2000... |
Australia finished fourth at home.Egypt and Colombia represented Asia–Middle East and Central America–Caribbean. Poland and France, the best of 25 teams in Europe, finished only 3rd and 6th.
1991 YokohamaYokohamais the capital city of Kanagawa Prefecture and the second largest city in Japan by population after Tokyo and most populous municipality of Japan. It lies on Tokyo Bay, south of Tokyo, in the Kantō region of the main island of Honshu...
, JapanJapanJapan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
Iceland won its first Bermuda Bowl after finishing fourth in the Europe, the last to qualify from Zone 1. Europe's fourth, third, and second place teams won all three medals while European champion Great Britain finished 5th to 8th in the world.The tournament expanded from 10 teams with a 4-team knockout conclusion to 16 teams with an 8-team KO, without any playoffs to distinguish the four quarterfinal losers. Defending champion Brazil finished fourth, Argentina 5th to 8th. The two USA teams also finished 5th to 8th.
| 1991 |
16 | 1. | Iceland Guðmundur Páll Arnarson, Örn Arnþórsson, Jón Baldursson, Guðlaugur Jóhannsson, Þorlákur Jónsson, Aðalsteinn Jörgensen |
| |2. | Poland Cezary Balicki Cezary Balicki Cezary Balicki is a Polish bridge player holding the title of World Grand Master. Balicki won the World Transnational Open Teams in 2000 and 2009, European Open Teams in 1989 and 1993 as well as the prestige London Sunday Times Invitational Pairs in 1994. His team finished second in the 2000 World... , Piotr Gawryś Piotr Gawrys Piotr Gawryś is a Polish bridge player. Gawrys, WBF Grand Master, has won 3 world championships; World Team Olympics in 1984, Transnational Mixed Teams 2000 and Transnational Open Teams 2005. His other first places include; World Masters Individual in 1992 , European Teams Championships 1993 and... , Krzysztof Lasocki, Krzysztof Martens, Marek Szymanowski, Adam Żmudziński Adam Zmudzinski Adam Żmudziński is a Polish bridge player holding the title of World Grand Master. Żmudziński won the World Transnational Open Teams in 2000 and 2009, European Open Teams in 1989 and 1993 as well as the prestige London Sunday Times Invitational Pairs in 1994. His team finished second in the 2000... |
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| |3. | Sweden Sven-Åke Bjerregård, Björn Fallenius, Tommy Gullberg, Anders Morath, Mats Nilsland, Per Olof Sundelin |
Brazil finished fourth with the same lineup that won in 1989. With expansion from 10 to 16 teams, a third entry was awarded to North America, and the American Contract Bridge League settled on two United States teams, who both finished 5th to 8th. (The two US teams are determined under the auspices of the United States Bridge Federation. The other team from Zone 2 is determined by a playoff of other national teams, if necessary.)1993 SantiagoSantiago, ChileSantiago , also known as Santiago de Chile, is the capital and largest city of Chile, and the center of its largest conurbation . It is located in the country's central valley, at an elevation of above mean sea level...
, ChileChileChile ,officially the Republic of Chile , is a country in South America occupying a long, narrow coastal strip between the Andes mountains to the east and the Pacific Ocean to the west. It borders Peru to the north, Bolivia to the northeast, Argentina to the east, and the Drake Passage in the far...
Netherlands won its first Bermuda Bowl. Netherlands and Norway were fourth and third in Europe, as finalists Iceland and Poland had been two years earlier.Boer, Leufkens, and Westra had played on the Netherlands 1987 world champion junior team. Helgemo of Norway played on the contemporary junior team and thus won two silver medals in 1993.
| 1993 |
16 | 1. | Netherlands Wubbo de Boer, Piet Jansen, Enri Leufkens, Bauke Muller Bauke Muller Bauke Muller is a Dutch bridge player living in Hoorn.Muller was World Champion Open Teams in 1993 and European Champion Open Teams in 2005. In 2007 he won the bronze medal at both the European Open Team Championships in Antalya and the World Open Teams Championships in Shanghai... , Jan Westerhof, Berry Westra Berry Westra Berry Westra is a Dutch bridge professional. At age of 18 Westra made his debut with former bridge world champion Hans Kreijns in the meesterklasse . In 1986 Westra became European champion youth bridge. The world championship in the same category followed a year later... |
| |2. | Norway Terje Aa Terje Aa Terje Aa is a Norwegian bridge player, WBF World Life Master, and regular member of the Norwegian team since 1993. Teams on which he was a member have placed in the top three of the World Bridge Federation European and World Championships 11 times between 1984 and 2008.In 1993, Aa debuted as the... , Glenn Grøtheim Glenn Grøtheim Glenn Grøtheim is a Norwegian bridge player, WBF World Grand Master, winner of the 2007 Bermuda Bowl and a regular member of the Norwegian team since 1987.... , Geir Helgemo Geir Helgemo Geir Helgemo is a Norwegian professional bridge player. As of April 2011 he ranks number 11 among Open World Grand Masters.... , Tor Helness, Arild Rasmussen, Jon Sveindal |
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| |3. | Brazil Marcelo Amaral, José Barbosa, Pedro Paulo Branco, Carlos Camacho, Gabriel Chagas Gabriel Chagas Gabriel Pinheiro Chagas Filho is a famous Brazilian bridge player. He was the winner of World Team Olympiad in Monte Carlo 1976, Bermuda Bowl in Perth 1989, World Open Pairs Championship in Geneva 1990, as well as Transnational Teams in Paris 2001... , Roberto Mello |
USA 2 finished fourth.South Africa represented Africa for the first time. Mexico won the third slot from North America. Host Chile finished last, as Japan and Jamaica had done.
1995 BeijingBeijingBeijing , also known as Peking , is the capital of the People's Republic of China and one of the most populous cities in the world, with a population of 19,612,368 as of 2010. The city is the country's political, cultural, and educational center, and home to the headquarters for most of China's...
, ChinaChinaChinese civilization may refer to:* China for more general discussion of the country.* Chinese culture* Greater China, the transnational community of ethnic Chinese.* History of China* Sinosphere, the area historically affected by Chinese culture...
This was the first win for Nick Nickell's professional team ("Nickell" in North American tournaments). Canada made its best showing by far and South Africa finished fifth while the European and US champions did not reach the quarterfinal.
| 1995 |
16 | 1. | USA 2Annual rankings published by the WBF show double representation for the US in 1983 and from 1991 to date. Select "Venue" links at "World Team Championships to Date". Confirmed 2011-08-17. Some years before 1983, there was one "North America" team representing the American Contract Bridge League American Contract Bridge League The American Contract Bridge League is the largest contract bridge organization in North America. It promotes the game of bridge in the United States, Mexico, Bermuda, and Canada, and is a member of the World Bridge Federation... rather than any national team representing USA, Canada, Mexico, or Bermuda. Richard Freeman Richard Freeman (bridge) Richard Freeman was a world champion American bridge player holding the title of World Grand Master. He won the Bermuda Bowl world team championship and won many national championships. Freeman was inducted into the American Contract Bridge League's Hall of Fame in 2001... , Bob Hamman Bob Hamman Robert David Hamman is an American professional bridge player, among the greatest players of all time.... , Jeff Meckstroth Jeff Meckstroth Jeffrey John Meckstroth is a multiple world champion in contract bridge, winning the Bermuda Bowl representing the U.S. five times. He is one of only ten players who have won the so-called triple crown of bridge: the Bermuda Bowl, the World Open Pairs and the World Team Olympiad... , Nick Nickell, Eric Rodwell Eric Rodwell Eric Victor Rodwell is an American professional bridge player. He has won the Bermuda Bowl representing the U.S. five times and is one of ten players who have won the so-called triple crown of bridge: the Bermuda Bowl, the World Open Pairs and the World Team Olympiad... , Bobby Wolff Bobby Wolff Robert S. Wolff is an American bridge player and 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... |
| |2. | Canada Boris Baran, Fred Gitelman Fred Gitelman Fred Gitelman is a leading American bridge player, as well as the founder and manager of , a bridge playing site.... , Eric Kokish, George Mittelman, Mark Molson, Joey Silver |
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| |3. | France Paul Chemla Paul Chemla Paul Chemla is a famous French bridge player.Chemla was born in Tunis. He studied at the École Normale Supérieure in Paris where he took up playing bridge. His wins include three European Pairs Championships , two World Team Olympiads , and the 1997 Bermuda Bowl... , Philippe Cronier, Michel Lebel, Michel Perron, Robert Reiplinger, Philippe Soulet |
Sweden finished fourth.1997 Hammamet, TunisiaTunisiaTunisia , officially the Tunisian RepublicThe long name of Tunisia in other languages used in the country is: , is the northernmost country in Africa. It is a Maghreb country and is bordered by Algeria to the west, Libya to the southeast, and the Mediterranean Sea to the north and east. Its area...
France won its first Bermuda Bowl as the fifth and last qualifier from Europe following another Bermuda Bowl tournament expansion.| 1997 |
18 | 1. | France Paul Chemla Paul Chemla Paul Chemla is a famous French bridge player.Chemla was born in Tunis. He studied at the École Normale Supérieure in Paris where he took up playing bridge. His wins include three European Pairs Championships , two World Team Olympiads , and the 1997 Bermuda Bowl... , Alain Lévy, Christian Mari, Hervé Mouiel, Franck Multon, Michel Perron |
| |2. | USA 2 Richard Freeman Richard Freeman (bridge) Richard Freeman was a world champion American bridge player holding the title of World Grand Master. He won the Bermuda Bowl world team championship and won many national championships. Freeman was inducted into the American Contract Bridge League's Hall of Fame in 2001... , Bob Hamman Bob Hamman Robert David Hamman is an American professional bridge player, among the greatest players of all time.... , Jeff Meckstroth Jeff Meckstroth Jeffrey John Meckstroth is a multiple world champion in contract bridge, winning the Bermuda Bowl representing the U.S. five times. He is one of only ten players who have won the so-called triple crown of bridge: the Bermuda Bowl, the World Open Pairs and the World Team Olympiad... , Nick Nickell, Eric Rodwell Eric Rodwell Eric Victor Rodwell is an American professional bridge player. He has won the Bermuda Bowl representing the U.S. five times and is one of ten players who have won the so-called triple crown of bridge: the Bermuda Bowl, the World Open Pairs and the World Team Olympiad... , Bobby Wolff Bobby Wolff Robert S. Wolff is an American bridge player and 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... |
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| |3. | Norway Terje Aa Terje Aa Terje Aa is a Norwegian bridge player, WBF World Life Master, and regular member of the Norwegian team since 1993. Teams on which he was a member have placed in the top three of the World Bridge Federation European and World Championships 11 times between 1984 and 2008.In 1993, Aa debuted as the... , Boye Brogeland, Glenn Grøtheim Glenn Grøtheim Glenn Grøtheim is a Norwegian bridge player, WBF World Grand Master, winner of the 2007 Bermuda Bowl and a regular member of the Norwegian team since 1987.... , Geir Helgemo Geir Helgemo Geir Helgemo is a Norwegian professional bridge player. As of April 2011 he ranks number 11 among Open World Grand Masters.... , Tor Helness, Erik Sælensminde |
USA 1 finished fourth.Host Tunisia finished last and South Africa plummeted to second-last.
2000 SouthamptonSouthampton Parish, BermudaSouthampton Parish is one of the nine parishes of Bermuda. It is named for Henry Wriothesley, 3rd Earl of Southampton .It is located in the southwest of the island chain, occupying all of the western part of the main island, except for the westernmost tip...
, BermudaBermudaBermuda is a British overseas territory in the North Atlantic Ocean. Located off the east coast of the United States, its nearest landmass is Cape Hatteras, North Carolina, about to the west-northwest. It is about south of Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada, and northeast of Miami, Florida...
The Bermuda Bowl cycle continued as usual in 1998/1999 but the concluding tournament was in January 2000, marking the 50th anniversary of the inaugural contest in HamiltonHamilton, Bermuda
Hamilton is the capital of the British Overseas Territory of Bermuda. It is the territory's financial centre and a major port and tourist destination.-Geography:...
.Alan Truscott wrote "exactly half a century" without specifying exactly to the calendar year, month, weekday, or date.
Beside the expansion, "Britain" had been succeeded by England, Scotland, and Wales as three of about forty bridge nations in "Europe". In contrast to that three-way competition among teams representing America, Britain, and Europe, there were now eight geographic zones from which twenty teams qualified in numbers influenced by past bridge population and performance.
- Europe: Italy, Sweden, Norway, Bulgaria, France, Poland —1st to 6th in the European championship
- North America: USA 1, USA 2, Canada, and Bermuda as the host country
- South America: Argentina, Brazil
- Asia & Middle East: Pakistan
- C. America & Carib.: Guadeloupe
- Pacific Asia: China, Taiwan, Indonesia
- South Pacific: Australia, New Zealand
- Africa: South Africa
| Year | Entries | Rank | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 |
20 | 1. | USA 1 Richard Freeman Richard Freeman (bridge) Richard Freeman was a world champion American bridge player holding the title of World Grand Master. He won the Bermuda Bowl world team championship and won many national championships. Freeman was inducted into the American Contract Bridge League's Hall of Fame in 2001... , Bob Hamman Bob Hamman Robert David Hamman is an American professional bridge player, among the greatest players of all time.... , Jeff Meckstroth Jeff Meckstroth Jeffrey John Meckstroth is a multiple world champion in contract bridge, winning the Bermuda Bowl representing the U.S. five times. He is one of only ten players who have won the so-called triple crown of bridge: the Bermuda Bowl, the World Open Pairs and the World Team Olympiad... , Nick Nickell, Eric Rodwell Eric Rodwell Eric Victor Rodwell is an American professional bridge player. He has won the Bermuda Bowl representing the U.S. five times and is one of ten players who have won the so-called triple crown of bridge: the Bermuda Bowl, the World Open Pairs and the World Team Olympiad... , Paul Soloway Paul Soloway Paul Soloway was a world champion American bridge player. He won the Bermuda Bowl world team championship five times and won 30 national championships. Soloway was inducted into the American Contract Bridge League's Hall of Fame in 2002... |
| |2. | Brazil Marcelo Branco Marcelo Branco Marcelo Branco is famous Brazilian bridge player. Among other successes, he was the winner of World Team Olympiad in Monte Carlo 1976, Bermuda Bowl in Perth 1989, and World Open pairs Championship in New Orleans 1978 and Geneva 1990. He is one of 10 players who collected the Triple Crown of Bridge... , João Paulo Campos, Gabriel Chagas Gabriel Chagas Gabriel Pinheiro Chagas Filho is a famous Brazilian bridge player. He was the winner of World Team Olympiad in Monte Carlo 1976, Bermuda Bowl in Perth 1989, World Open Pairs Championship in Geneva 1990, as well as Transnational Teams in Paris 2001... , Ricardo Janz, Roberto Mello, Miguel Villasboas |
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| |3. | USA 2 Chip Martel, Lew Stansby, Zia Mahmood Zia Mahmood Zia Mahmood is a Pakistani professional bridge player. He is a World Bridge Federation and American Contract Bridge League Grand Life Master. He has a knack for bringing out the best in his partners and is regarded as one of the greatest players of the game... , Michael Rosenberg Michael Rosenberg Michael Rosenberg is one of the top bridge players in the United States. He moved to Scotland as a child and returned to New York in 1990 where he lives with his wife Debbie, also a top player.... , Neil Silverman, Jeff Wolfson |
Norway finished fourth.Europe's six teams all finished in the top ten but only Norway reached the semifinal. Bermuda finished last, the fifth time for six hosts since 1989.
2001 ParisParisParis is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
, FranceFranceThe French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
| 2001 |
18 | 1. | USA 2 Kyle Larsen, Chip Martel, Rose Meltzer, Alan Sontag Alan Sontag Alan M. Sontag is a world champion American bridge player and author of bridge books.-Bridge career:Although he is a six-time world champion in contract bridge, winning the prestige Bermuda Bowl twice, Sontag is best known as the author of The Bridge Bum, a book "on everybody's list of the top ten... , Lew Stansby, Peter Weichsel |
| |2. | Norway Terje Aa Terje Aa Terje Aa is a Norwegian bridge player, WBF World Life Master, and regular member of the Norwegian team since 1993. Teams on which he was a member have placed in the top three of the World Bridge Federation European and World Championships 11 times between 1984 and 2008.In 1993, Aa debuted as the... , Boye Brogeland, Glenn Grøtheim Glenn Grøtheim Glenn Grøtheim is a Norwegian bridge player, WBF World Grand Master, winner of the 2007 Bermuda Bowl and a regular member of the Norwegian team since 1987.... , Geir Helgemo Geir Helgemo Geir Helgemo is a Norwegian professional bridge player. As of April 2011 he ranks number 11 among Open World Grand Masters.... , Tor Helness, Erik Sælensminde |
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| |3. | Poland Cezary Balicki Cezary Balicki Cezary Balicki is a Polish bridge player holding the title of World Grand Master. Balicki won the World Transnational Open Teams in 2000 and 2009, European Open Teams in 1989 and 1993 as well as the prestige London Sunday Times Invitational Pairs in 1994. His team finished second in the 2000 World... , Michał Kwiecień, Marcin Leśniewski, Krzysztof Martens, Jacek Pszczoła, Adam Żmudziński Adam Zmudzinski Adam Żmudziński is a Polish bridge player holding the title of World Grand Master. Żmudziński won the World Transnational Open Teams in 2000 and 2009, European Open Teams in 1989 and 1993 as well as the prestige London Sunday Times Invitational Pairs in 1994. His team finished second in the 2000... |
Italy finished fourth.2003 Monte CarloMonte CarloMonte Carlo is an administrative area of the Principality of Monaco....
, MonacoMonacoMonaco , officially the Principality of Monaco , is a sovereign city state on the French Riviera. It is bordered on three sides by its neighbour, France, and its centre is about from Italy. Its area is with a population of 35,986 as of 2011 and is the most densely populated country in the...
Another expansion. Perennial Euro-champ Italy continued its slow advance in BB competition.| 2003 |
22 | 1. | USA 1 Richard Freeman Richard Freeman (bridge) Richard Freeman was a world champion American bridge player holding the title of World Grand Master. He won the Bermuda Bowl world team championship and won many national championships. Freeman was inducted into the American Contract Bridge League's Hall of Fame in 2001... , Bob Hamman Bob Hamman Robert David Hamman is an American professional bridge player, among the greatest players of all time.... , Jeff Meckstroth Jeff Meckstroth Jeffrey John Meckstroth is a multiple world champion in contract bridge, winning the Bermuda Bowl representing the U.S. five times. He is one of only ten players who have won the so-called triple crown of bridge: the Bermuda Bowl, the World Open Pairs and the World Team Olympiad... , Nick Nickell, Eric Rodwell Eric Rodwell Eric Victor Rodwell is an American professional bridge player. He has won the Bermuda Bowl representing the U.S. five times and is one of ten players who have won the so-called triple crown of bridge: the Bermuda Bowl, the World Open Pairs and the World Team Olympiad... , Paul Soloway Paul Soloway Paul Soloway was a world champion American bridge player. He won the Bermuda Bowl world team championship five times and won 30 national championships. Soloway was inducted into the American Contract Bridge League's Hall of Fame in 2002... |
| |2. | Italy Norberto Bocchi Norberto Bocchi Norberto Bocchi is an Italian bridge player. Bocchi has won four World teams championships along with six consecutive European teams championships and a seventh European in 2010. For many years his regular partner was Giorgio Duboin... , Giorgio Duboin Giorgio Duboin Giorgio Duboin is an Italian professional bridge player. He has won four world teams championships along with six consecutive European teams championships and a seventh European in 2010... , Fulvio Fantoni Fulvio Fantoni Fulvio Fantoni is an Italian international bridge player. He is a six-time world champion, a World Grand Master of the World Bridge Federation , and the WBF first-ranked player as of April 2011... , Lorenzo Lauria, Claudio Nunes Claudio Nunes Claudio Nunes is an Italian bridge international. He is a five-time world champion, a World Grand Master of the World Bridge Federation , and the WBF second-ranked player as of April 2011... , Alfredo Versace |
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| |The WBF current list of final rankings is corrupt: Poland and USA 2 tie third, Norway 4, followed by 5-6-7 with no eighth place. 36th World Team Championships: Results & Participants, 2003. Contemporary coverage shows that USA 2 and Norway finished 3-4 with Poland and three others 5th to 8th. Results: Bermuda Bowl: Quarterfinals, Daily Bulletin 9, 2003-11-11, page 2. Results: Bermuda Bowl: Play-Off, Daily Bulletin 12, 2003-11-14, page 2. |
3. | USA 2 Doug Doub, Steve Landen, Pratap Rajadhyaksha, Adam Wildavsky, (Dan Morse, Bobby Wolff Bobby Wolff Robert S. Wolff is an American bridge player and 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... )* |
* Morse and Wolff did not play enough boards to qualify for third place.
Norway finished fourth.2005 EstorilEstorilEstoril is a seaside resort and civil parish of the Portuguese municipality of Cascais, Lisboa District. The Estoril coast is close to Lisbon, the capital of Portugal. It starts in Carcavelos, 15 kilometres from Lisbon, and stretches as far as Guincho, often known as Costa de Estoril-Sintra or...
, PortugalPortugalPortugal , officially the Portuguese Republic is a country situated in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula. Portugal is the westernmost country of Europe, and is bordered by the Atlantic Ocean to the West and South and by Spain to the North and East. The Atlantic archipelagos of the...
Italy's 14th Bermuda Bowl was its first since 1975.| 2005 |
22 | 1. | Italy Norberto Bocchi Norberto Bocchi Norberto Bocchi is an Italian bridge player. Bocchi has won four World teams championships along with six consecutive European teams championships and a seventh European in 2010. For many years his regular partner was Giorgio Duboin... , Giorgio Duboin Giorgio Duboin Giorgio Duboin is an Italian professional bridge player. He has won four world teams championships along with six consecutive European teams championships and a seventh European in 2010... , Fulvio Fantoni Fulvio Fantoni Fulvio Fantoni is an Italian international bridge player. He is a six-time world champion, a World Grand Master of the World Bridge Federation , and the WBF first-ranked player as of April 2011... , Lorenzo Lauria, Claudio Nunes Claudio Nunes Claudio Nunes is an Italian bridge international. He is a five-time world champion, a World Grand Master of the World Bridge Federation , and the WBF second-ranked player as of April 2011... , Alfredo Versace |
| |2. | USA 1 Richard Freeman Richard Freeman (bridge) Richard Freeman was a world champion American bridge player holding the title of World Grand Master. He won the Bermuda Bowl world team championship and won many national championships. Freeman was inducted into the American Contract Bridge League's Hall of Fame in 2001... , Bob Hamman Bob Hamman Robert David Hamman is an American professional bridge player, among the greatest players of all time.... , Jeff Meckstroth Jeff Meckstroth Jeffrey John Meckstroth is a multiple world champion in contract bridge, winning the Bermuda Bowl representing the U.S. five times. He is one of only ten players who have won the so-called triple crown of bridge: the Bermuda Bowl, the World Open Pairs and the World Team Olympiad... , Nick Nickell, Eric Rodwell Eric Rodwell Eric Victor Rodwell is an American professional bridge player. He has won the Bermuda Bowl representing the U.S. five times and is one of ten players who have won the so-called triple crown of bridge: the Bermuda Bowl, the World Open Pairs and the World Team Olympiad... , Paul Soloway Paul Soloway Paul Soloway was a world champion American bridge player. He won the Bermuda Bowl world team championship five times and won 30 national championships. Soloway was inducted into the American Contract Bridge League's Hall of Fame in 2002... |
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| |3. | USA 2 Fred Gitelman Fred Gitelman Fred Gitelman is a leading American bridge player, as well as the founder and manager of , a bridge playing site.... , Eric Greco, Geoff Hampson, Russ Ekeblad, Brad Moss, Ron Rubin |
Sweden finished fourth.2007 ShanghaiShanghaiShanghai is the largest city by population in China and the largest city proper in the world. It is one of the four province-level municipalities in the People's Republic of China, with a total population of over 23 million as of 2010...
, ChinaChinaChinese civilization may refer to:* China for more general discussion of the country.* Chinese culture* Greater China, the transnational community of ethnic Chinese.* History of China* Sinosphere, the area historically affected by Chinese culture...
The 38th Bermuda Bowl saw Norway win its first title, after two second, one third, and two fourth from 1993. Helgemo–Helness and Glenn Grøtheim were members of all six teams.| 2007 |
22 | 1. | Norway Boye Brogeland, Glenn Grøtheim Glenn Grøtheim Glenn Grøtheim is a Norwegian bridge player, WBF World Grand Master, winner of the 2007 Bermuda Bowl and a regular member of the Norwegian team since 1987.... , Geir Helgemo Geir Helgemo Geir Helgemo is a Norwegian professional bridge player. As of April 2011 he ranks number 11 among Open World Grand Masters.... , Tor Helness, Erik Sælensminde, Ulf Håkon Tundal |
| |2. | USA 1 Steve Garner, George Jacobs, Ralph Katz Ralph Katz Ralph Katz is an American bridge player.Domestically, he has won 20 North American Bridge Championships and twice the Open Team Trials. Internationally, he has many top finishes, highlighted by a win in the 2009 Bermuda Bowl... , Zia Mahmood Zia Mahmood Zia Mahmood is a Pakistani professional bridge player. He is a World Bridge Federation and American Contract Bridge League Grand Life Master. He has a knack for bringing out the best in his partners and is regarded as one of the greatest players of the game... , Michael Rosenberg Michael Rosenberg Michael Rosenberg is one of the top bridge players in the United States. He moved to Scotland as a child and returned to New York in 1990 where he lives with his wife Debbie, also a top player.... , Howard Weinstein |
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| |3. | Netherlands Ton Bakkeren, Huub Bertens Huub Bertens Hubertus Bertens"Huub" is a Dutch bridge player from Tilburg, Netherlands. Huub has won numerous national and some international tournaments including the Cavendish Invitational, NEC Cup, the Yeh Brothers Cup, the European Open Team Championships... , Sjoert Brink, Bas Drijver, Simon de Wijs, Bauke Muller Bauke Muller Bauke Muller is a Dutch bridge player living in Hoorn.Muller was World Champion Open Teams in 1993 and European Champion Open Teams in 2005. In 2007 he won the bronze medal at both the European Open Team Championships in Antalya and the World Open Teams Championships in Shanghai... |
South Africa finished fourth.Its advance to the quarterfinal was a surprise
and there it knocked out the defending champion and advance favourite Italy.
2009 São PauloSão PauloSão Paulo is the largest city in Brazil, the largest city in the southern hemisphere and South America, and the world's seventh largest city by population. The metropolis is anchor to the São Paulo metropolitan area, ranked as the second-most populous metropolitan area in the Americas and among...
, BrazilBrazilBrazil , officially the Federative Republic of Brazil , is the largest country in South America. It is the world's fifth largest country, both by geographical area and by population with over 192 million people...
This was the fourth win for Nick Nickell's professional teams representing the United States (1995, 2000, 2003, 2009). Meckstroth–Rodwell and Bob Hamman were also members of all four teams.| 2009 |
22 | 1. | USA 2 Bob Hamman Bob Hamman Robert David Hamman is an American professional bridge player, among the greatest players of all time.... , Zia Mahmood Zia Mahmood Zia Mahmood is a Pakistani professional bridge player. He is a World Bridge Federation and American Contract Bridge League Grand Life Master. He has a knack for bringing out the best in his partners and is regarded as one of the greatest players of the game... , Jeff Meckstroth Jeff Meckstroth Jeffrey John Meckstroth is a multiple world champion in contract bridge, winning the Bermuda Bowl representing the U.S. five times. He is one of only ten players who have won the so-called triple crown of bridge: the Bermuda Bowl, the World Open Pairs and the World Team Olympiad... , Eric Rodwell Eric Rodwell Eric Victor Rodwell is an American professional bridge player. He has won the Bermuda Bowl representing the U.S. five times and is one of ten players who have won the so-called triple crown of bridge: the Bermuda Bowl, the World Open Pairs and the World Team Olympiad... , Nick Nickell, Ralph Katz Ralph Katz Ralph Katz is an American bridge player.Domestically, he has won 20 North American Bridge Championships and twice the Open Team Trials. Internationally, he has many top finishes, highlighted by a win in the 2009 Bermuda Bowl... * |
| |2. | Italy Antonio Sementa, Giorgio Duboin Giorgio Duboin Giorgio Duboin is an Italian professional bridge player. He has won four world teams championships along with six consecutive European teams championships and a seventh European in 2010... , Fulvio Fantoni Fulvio Fantoni Fulvio Fantoni is an Italian international bridge player. He is a six-time world champion, a World Grand Master of the World Bridge Federation , and the WBF first-ranked player as of April 2011... , Claudio Nunes Claudio Nunes Claudio Nunes is an Italian bridge international. He is a five-time world champion, a World Grand Master of the World Bridge Federation , and the WBF second-ranked player as of April 2011... , Lorenzo Lauria, Alfredo Versace |
||
| |3. |  Bulgaria Victor Aronov, Diyan Danailov, Kalin Karaivanov, Georgi Karakolev, Julian Stefanov, Roumen Trendafilov |
* Katz was the replacement for Richard Freeman, who passed away after USA 2 qualified for the Bermuda Bowl.
China "Long Zhu" finished fourth. Beside China and the American winners, the quarterfinalists were all six teams from Europe. Bulgaria placed third after winning the first European Small Federations Trophy in 2007, for national teams representing no more than 500 players.2011 VeldhovenVeldhovenVeldhoven is a municipality and a town on the Gender stream in the southern Netherlands, located just south-west of Eindhoven.- Population centres :...
, NetherlandsNetherlandsThe Netherlands is a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, located mainly in North-West Europe and with several islands in the Caribbean. Mainland Netherlands borders the North Sea to the north and west, Belgium to the south, and Germany to the east, and shares maritime borders...
The 40th Bermuda Bowl tournament concluded Saturday, October 29.Italy had routed the USA champions 167–69 in a one-day match for the bronze medal while the host Netherlands faced USA 2 in a three-day final. The Dutch hosts led by 55 IMP after two days (96 deals) and scored very well in the first session on Saturday to lead by 83 and coast to victory.
The Bermuda Bowl is a trophy awarded to the winners of the Open series in the World Team Championship in contract bridge
Contract bridge
Contract bridge, usually known simply as bridge, is a trick-taking card game using a standard deck of 52 playing cards played by four players in two competing partnerships with partners sitting opposite each other around a small table...
and is named for the site of the inaugural tournament held in 1950. The term has since become synonymous with the World Team Championships now held in several player categories under the auspices of the World Bridge Federation
World Bridge Federation
The World Bridge Federation is the world governing body of contract bridge. The WBF is responsible for world championship competition, most of which is conducted at a few multi-event meets on a four-year cycle...
and is the oldest event that confers the title World Champion in bridge.
Inauguration and evolution
Organized principally by Norman Bach, an accountant and bridge player from Bermuda who played for Britain the Bermuda Bowl was the first world championship event held after World War II and started out as a competition between USA, Europe and Britain in 1950.The first event was won by USA and after this, the Bermuda Bowl became a yearly challenge match between the USA and the European Champions. The format evolved allowing for progressivly more teams and the addition of events for women and seniors. Key milestones were:
- 1950: The first open team event in Bermuda between the USA, Europe and Britain who played round-robin for raw scores or "total points".
- 1951: The next several contests were head-on matches between representatives of the American Contract Bridge LeagueAmerican Contract Bridge LeagueThe American Contract Bridge League is the largest contract bridge organization in North America. It promotes the game of bridge in the United States, Mexico, Bermuda, and Canada, and is a member of the World Bridge Federation...
(North America) and the European Bridge LeagueEuropean Bridge LeagueThe European Bridge League is a confederation of National Bridge Federations that organize the card game of contract bridge in European nations. In turn the EBL organizes bridge competition at the European level...
. - 1958: The tournament permanently included the champion of South America.
- 1961: Eligibility was expanded to include the defending champions.
- 1966: The tournament expanded to five with the addition of a representative from Asia.
- 1971: The field was expanded to include Australia.
- 1974: The World Bridge Federation inaugurated the Venice CupVenice CupThe World Teams Championship in contract bridge for women players only is also known as the Venice Cup, because the first edition was held in Venice, Italy in 1974.It is held every two years, in parallel to the Open World Teams Championship, the Bermuda Bowl....
tournament for Women Teams. - 1979: The defending champions were no longer eligible on that basis alone.
- 1981: Europe was awarded two places in the tournament. There would be nine teams if every WBF zone sent a champion.
- 1983: North America joined Europe with double representation, and the host country was automatically included too, so the potential size of the field increased by two. European and North American champions would have two places in the 4-team semifinal round. European and North American runners up would contend with champions of the other zones and the host country for two other semifinal slots.
- 1985: The Bermuda Bowl for open teams and Venice Cup for women would run side-by-side with the same structure in a venue outside Europe and North America (maintained until 2001).
Predecessor events
AustriaAustria
Austria , officially the Republic of Austria , is a landlocked country of roughly 8.4 million people in Central Europe. It is bordered by the Czech Republic and Germany to the north, Slovakia and Hungary to the east, Slovenia and Italy to the south, and Switzerland and Liechtenstein to the...
won the first world championship tournaments of any kind, which were Open and Women flights of national teams categories, conducted 1937 in Budapest
Budapest
Budapest is the capital of Hungary. As the largest city of Hungary, it is the country's principal political, cultural, commercial, industrial, and transportation centre. In 2011, Budapest had 1,733,685 inhabitants, down from its 1989 peak of 2,113,645 due to suburbanization. The Budapest Commuter...
, Hungary
Hungary
Hungary , officially the Republic of Hungary , is a landlocked country in Central Europe. It is situated in the Carpathian Basin and is bordered by Slovakia to the north, Ukraine and Romania to the east, Serbia and Croatia to the south, Slovenia to the southwest and Austria to the west. The...
. The open field comprised nineteen teams from eighteen countries – the USA had two teams, one lead by Ely Culbertson
Ely Culbertson
Ely Culbertson was an entreprenurial American contract bridge personality dominant during the Thirties and Forties. He played a major role in the early popularization of the game, and was widely regarded as "the man who made contract bridge"...
which placed second.
The 1937 championships were organized by the International Bridge League (IBL), essentially the predecessor of both the European Bridge League
European Bridge League
The European Bridge League is a confederation of National Bridge Federations that organize the card game of contract bridge in European nations. In turn the EBL organizes bridge competition at the European level...
(est. 1947) and the WBF (est. 1958). World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
practically destroyed the IBL and its nascent world championship tournament series.
With Austria the leading nation at the card table, the 1938 Anschluss
Anschluss
The Anschluss , also known as the ', was the occupation and annexation of Austria into Nazi Germany in 1938....
of Germany and Austria was a great disruption. The leading bridge theorist and mentor, Paul Stern
Paul Stern
Dr Paul Stern , lawyer and diplomat, was an Austrian international bridge player who fled to London in 1938. He was a bidding theorist and administrator who contributed to the early growth of the game...
was an outspoken opponent of Nazism
Nazism
Nazism, the common short form name of National Socialism was the ideology and practice of the Nazi Party and of Nazi Germany...
who fled to London and later became a British subject. That same year, at least Rixi Scharfstein (Markus)
Rixi Markus
Rixi Markus MBE was an Austrian and British international contract bridge player. She won five world titles, and was the first woman to become a World Grand Master within the World Bridge Federation...
from the Ladies emigrated to Britain; from the Open team at least Karl von Bluhdorn to Paris, Edward Frischauer and Walter Herbert to the United States, eventually California.
The International Bridge League organized two more European championships (making eight annual tournaments for national open teams, 1932–1939) but no more tournaments or official matches involving any team from outside Europe.
Current event
The 40th rendition was held on 15–29 October 2011 in VeldhovenVeldhoven
Veldhoven is a municipality and a town on the Gender stream in the southern Netherlands, located just south-west of Eindhoven.- Population centres :...
, Netherlands
Netherlands
The Netherlands is a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, located mainly in North-West Europe and with several islands in the Caribbean. Mainland Netherlands borders the North Sea to the north and west, Belgium to the south, and Germany to the east, and shares maritime borders...
.
There are 22 national teams in the field, who represent the eight WBF zones as follows. The quota for Europe is six teams, but seven this year because the host Netherlands is in Europe and qualifies automatically.
- Europe: Italy, Poland, Israel, Iceland, Sweden, Netherlands, Bulgaria —1st to 7th in the European championship
- North America: Canada, USA 1, USA 2
- South America: Brazil, Chile
- Asia & Middle East: India, Pakistan
- Central America & Caribbean: Guadeloupe
- Pacific Asia: China, Japan, Singapore
- South Pacific: Australia, New Zealand
- Africa: Egypt, South Africa
The first stage is a single round-robin (21 rounds of 16 deals each at three rounds per day), scheduled in advance.Schedule of Play / Bermuda Bowl. 2011. WBF.
Given the single round-robin structure, the particular schedule should make little difference to the outcome of the first stage.
The zonal quotas and tournament structures are now identical for the Open, Women, and Seniors flights, and they play simultaneously. The World Transnational Open Teams Championship begins after most teams are eliminated from the three major events, and their players are welcome to enter the WTOTC.
1950 HamiltonHamilton, BermudaHamilton is the capital of the British Overseas Territory of Bermuda. It is the territory's financial centre and a major port and tourist destination.-Geography:...
, BermudaBermudaBermuda is a British overseas territory in the North Atlantic Ocean. Located off the east coast of the United States, its nearest landmass is Cape Hatteras, North Carolina, about to the west-northwest. It is about south of Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada, and northeast of Miami, Florida...
The first rendition featured three teams who played round-robin for raw scores or "total points". The US team won both of its matches and Europe, featuring two pairs from Sweden and one from Iceland, defeated Great Britain.
| Year | Entries | Rank | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1950 |
3 | 1. | USA John Crawford John R. Crawford John Randolph Crawford was an American bridge and backgammon player... , Charles Goren Charles Goren Charles Henry Goren was a world champion American bridge player and bestselling author who contributed significantly to the development and popularization of the game following upon the heels of Ely Culbertson in the 1940s and rising to prominence in the 1950s to the early 1960s.-Early years:Goren... , George Rapee, Howard Schenken Howard Schenken Howard Schenken was an American bridge player, writer, and long-time columnist. In his career, Schenken won three Bermuda Bowl titles, and set several North American records: he won the Life Master Pairs five times, and the Spingold and Vanderbilt Trophy twelve and ten times, respectively... , Sidney Silodor, Samuel Stayman Samuel Stayman Samuel M. Stayman was an American bridge player, author and administrator. A graduate of the Amos Tuck School of Business Administration at Dartmouth College, he was also a successful textile executive and portfolio investment manager.He was the eponym of the Stayman convention... |
| |2. | Europe Gunnar Guðmundsson (ISL), Rudolf Kock Putte Kock Rudolf "Putte" Kock was a Swedish football, ice hockey and bridge player who won a bronze medal in the 1924 Summer Olympics as a football player, being voted the World's best left winger after the tournament... (SWE), Nils-Olof Lilliehöök (SWE), Einar Þorfinnsson (ISL), Einar Werner (SWE), Jan Wohlin (SWE) |
||
| |3. | Great Britain Leslie Dodds Leslie Dodds Leslie William Dodds was an English international bridge player and, by profession, an import-export merchant. He was a member of the British team which won the Bermuda Bowl in 1955... , Nico Gardener Nico Gardener Nico Gardener was a British international bridge player, born in Riga, Latvia .After the Russian Revolution his family moved to the Ukraine, and then to Moscow, where he trained as a ballet dancer. He later moved to Berlin, where he read languages and history at Berlin University, and played... , Maurice Harrison-Gray Maurice Harrison-Gray Maurice Harrison-Gray , known always as 'Gray', was an English professional contract bridge player. For about thirty years from the mid-thirties to the mid sixties he was one of the top players, and won the European Championship four times - in 1948, 1949, 1950 and 1963.- Life :Gray was the child... , Kenneth Konstam Kenneth Konstam Kenneth W. Konstam , often known as 'Konnie', was an English international bridge player, and in 1955 was one of the only British team to win the Bermuda Bowl. He won more European Open teams championships than any other British player.Konstam, educated at Oundle School, was employed for a time in... , Joel Tarlo, Louis Tarlo |
The next several contests would be head-on matches between representatives of the American Contract Bridge League
American Contract Bridge League
The American Contract Bridge League is the largest contract bridge organization in North America. It promotes the game of bridge in the United States, Mexico, Bermuda, and Canada, and is a member of the World Bridge Federation...
(North America) and the European Bridge League
European Bridge League
The European Bridge League is a confederation of National Bridge Federations that organize the card game of contract bridge in European nations. In turn the EBL organizes bridge competition at the European level...
.
1951 NaplesNaplesNaples is a city in Southern Italy, situated on the country's west coast by the Gulf of Naples. Lying between two notable volcanic regions, Mount Vesuvius and the Phlegraean Fields, it is the capital of the region of Campania and of the province of Naples...
, ItalyItalyItaly , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
| 1951 |
2 | 1. | USA B. Jay Becker, John Crawford John R. Crawford John Randolph Crawford was an American bridge and backgammon player... , George Rapee, Howard Schenken Howard Schenken Howard Schenken was an American bridge player, writer, and long-time columnist. In his career, Schenken won three Bermuda Bowl titles, and set several North American records: he won the Life Master Pairs five times, and the Spingold and Vanderbilt Trophy twelve and ten times, respectively... , Samuel Stayman Samuel Stayman Samuel M. Stayman was an American bridge player, author and administrator. A graduate of the Amos Tuck School of Business Administration at Dartmouth College, he was also a successful textile executive and portfolio investment manager.He was the eponym of the Stayman convention... |
| |2. | Italy Paolo Baroni, Eugenio Chiaradia, Pietro Forquet Pietro Forquet Pietro Forquet is an Italian bridge player, one of the most famous in bridge history. He won 15 World championship titles with Blue Team, playing with Eugenio Chiaradia, Guglielmo Siniscalco and, for the most part, Benito Garozzo. Apart from his excellent play, he was renowned for his nerves of... , Mario Franco, Augusto Ricci, Guglielmo Siniscalco |
1953 New York CityNew York CityNew York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
, United StatesUnited StatesThe United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
The United States team won its third consecutive championship with Crawford, Rapee, Schenken, and Stayman in place throughout. The fourth US winner would be a wholly new team.| 1953 |
2 | 1. | USA B. Jay Becker, John Crawford John R. Crawford John Randolph Crawford was an American bridge and backgammon player... , Theodore Lightner, George Rapee, Howard Schenken Howard Schenken Howard Schenken was an American bridge player, writer, and long-time columnist. In his career, Schenken won three Bermuda Bowl titles, and set several North American records: he won the Life Master Pairs five times, and the Spingold and Vanderbilt Trophy twelve and ten times, respectively... , Samuel Stayman Samuel Stayman Samuel M. Stayman was an American bridge player, author and administrator. A graduate of the Amos Tuck School of Business Administration at Dartmouth College, he was also a successful textile executive and portfolio investment manager.He was the eponym of the Stayman convention... |
| |2. | Sweden Gunnar Anulf, Rudolf Kock Putte Kock Rudolf "Putte" Kock was a Swedish football, ice hockey and bridge player who won a bronze medal in the 1924 Summer Olympics as a football player, being voted the World's best left winger after the tournament... , Robert Larsen, Nils-Olof Lilliehöök, Einar Werner, Jan Wohlin |
1954 Monte CarloMonte CarloMonte Carlo is an administrative area of the Principality of Monaco....
, MonacoMonacoMonaco , officially the Principality of Monaco , is a sovereign city state on the French Riviera. It is bordered on three sides by its neighbour, France, and its centre is about from Italy. Its area is with a population of 35,986 as of 2011 and is the most densely populated country in the...
France won the 1953 European championship with a six-man national team. For the Bermuda Bowl, Jean Besse of Switzerland and Karl Schneider of Austria replaced one of the French pairs. Schneider had been a member of the 1937 world champion Austrian team.| 1954 |
2 | 1. | USA Clifford Bishop, Milton Ellenby, Lew Mathe, Don Oakie, William Rosen William Rosen William Albert Rosen is an American bridge player, best known for winning the 1954 Bermuda Bowl world championship.... , Douglas Steen |
| |2. | Europe Jacques Amouraben (FRA), René Bacherich (FRA), Jean Besse (SUI), Pierre Ghestem Pierre Ghestem Pierre Ghestem was a French bridge and checkers player. In 1947 he became the world champion in checkers... (FRA), Marcel Kornblum (FRA), Karl Schneider (AUT) |
1955 New York CityNew York CityNew York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
, United StatesUnited StatesThe United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
Europe finally won the 5th Bermuda Bowl with a team of six men from Great Britain.| 1955 |
2 | 1. | Europe Leslie Dodds Leslie Dodds Leslie William Dodds was an English international bridge player and, by profession, an import-export merchant. He was a member of the British team which won the Bermuda Bowl in 1955... (GBR), Kenneth Konstam Kenneth Konstam Kenneth W. Konstam , often known as 'Konnie', was an English international bridge player, and in 1955 was one of the only British team to win the Bermuda Bowl. He won more European Open teams championships than any other British player.Konstam, educated at Oundle School, was employed for a time in... (GBR), Adam Meredith Adam Meredith Adam 'Plum' Meredith was a British professional bridge player. His origin was in County Down, Ireland. He was a key member of the British team which won the Bermuda Bowl in 1955. He won the European Championship in 1949 and 1954, and also played in 1955, 1957 and 1959... (GBR), Jordanis Pavlides Jordanis Pavlides Jordanis T. Pavlides was a British contract bridge player who won the British Bridge League Master Pairs in 1948, the Gold Cup in 1949, the European championship in 1954, and the Bermuda Bowl in 1955. He also represented Britain in the European championships of 1955... (GBR), Terence Reese Terence Reese John Terence Reese was a British bridge player and writer, regarded as one of the finest of all time in both fields... (GBR), Boris Schapiro Boris Schapiro Boris Schapiro was a British international bridge player. He was a Grandmaster of the World Bridge Federation, and the only player to have won both the Bermuda Bowl and the World Senior Pairs championship... (GBR) |
| |2. | USA Clifford Bishop, Milton Ellenby, Lew Mathe, John Moran, William Rosen William Rosen William Albert Rosen is an American bridge player, best known for winning the 1954 Bermuda Bowl world championship.... , Alvin Roth Alvin Roth Alvin L. Roth was an American bridge player, considered one of the greatest of all time. He wrote several books on the game, and invented various bridge conventions that have become commonplace, including five-card majors, negative doubles, forcing notrump, and the unusual notrump.-Biography:Roth... |
1956 ParisParisParis is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
, FranceFranceThe French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
France made it two in a row for Europe. Bacherich and Ghestem were veterans from 1954.| 1956 |
2 | 1. | France René Bacherich, Pierre Ghestem Pierre Ghestem Pierre Ghestem was a French bridge and checkers player. In 1947 he became the world champion in checkers... , Pierre Jaïs Pierre Jaïs Pierre Jaïs was a famous French bridge player. A World Bridge Federation Grand Master, he was the winner of World Team Olympiad in Turin 1960, Bermuda Bowl in Paris 1956, and World Open Pairs Championship in Cannes 1962. He is one of only 10 players who collected the Triple Crown of Bridge... , Robert Lattès, Bertrand Romanet, Roger Trézel Roger Trezel Roger Trézel was a famous French bridge player. A World Bridge Federation Grand Master, he was the winner of World Team Olympiad in Turin 1960, Bermuda Bowl in Paris 1956, and World Open Pairs Championship in Cannes 1962. He is one of only 10 players who collected the Triple Crown of Bridge... |
| |2. | USA Myron Field, Charles Goren Charles Goren Charles Henry Goren was a world champion American bridge player and bestselling author who contributed significantly to the development and popularization of the game following upon the heels of Ely Culbertson in the 1940s and rising to prominence in the 1950s to the early 1960s.-Early years:Goren... , Lee Hazen, Richard Kahn, Charles Solomon, Samuel Stayman Samuel Stayman Samuel M. Stayman was an American bridge player, author and administrator. A graduate of the Amos Tuck School of Business Administration at Dartmouth College, he was also a successful textile executive and portfolio investment manager.He was the eponym of the Stayman convention... |
1957 New York CityNew York CityNew York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
, United StatesUnited StatesThe United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
Italy's Blue TeamBlue team (bridge)
The Blue Team represented Italy in international contract bridge tournaments, winning sixteen world titles from 1957 through 1975. From 1964 to 1969 and during a 1972 comeback, the team comprised three regular pairs: Walter Avarelli–Giorgio Belladonna, Pietro Forquet–Benito Garozzo, and Massimo...
won its first of ten consecutive Bermuda Bowls. Chiaradia, Forquet, Siniscalco, and captain Carl'Alberto Perroux
Carl'Alberto Perroux
Carl'Alberto Perroux was Italian contract bridge official, founder and long-time non-playing captain of the Blue Team, the most successful team in bridge history...
were veterans from the 1951 team. Avarelli, Belladona, D'Alelio, and Forquet would play in every one.
| 1957 |
2 | 1. | Italy Walter Avarelli Walter Avarelli Walter Avarelli was an Italian bridge player, a member of the famous Blue Team, with whom he won 9 Bermuda Bowls and 3 World Team Olympiads in the period 1956-1972.... , Giorgio Belladonna Giorgio Belladonna Giorgio Belladonna was an Italian bridge player, one of the most famous in bridge history. He won 16 World championship titles with the Blue Team, playing with Walter Avarelli and Benito Garozzo... , Eugenio Chiaradia, Massimo D'Alelio Massimo D'Alelio Massimo D'Alelio neapolitan, was a famous Italian bridge player. He won 10 world championship titles with the Blue Team, playing with Eugenio Chiaradia and Camillo Pabis Ticci.-External links:* *... , Pietro Forquet Pietro Forquet Pietro Forquet is an Italian bridge player, one of the most famous in bridge history. He won 15 World championship titles with Blue Team, playing with Eugenio Chiaradia, Guglielmo Siniscalco and, for the most part, Benito Garozzo. Apart from his excellent play, he was renowned for his nerves of... , Guglielmo Siniscalco |
| |2. | USA Charles Goren Charles Goren Charles Henry Goren was a world champion American bridge player and bestselling author who contributed significantly to the development and popularization of the game following upon the heels of Ely Culbertson in the 1940s and rising to prominence in the 1950s to the early 1960s.-Early years:Goren... , Boris Koytchou, Peter Leventritt, Harold Ogust, William Seamon, Helen Sobel Helen Sobel Smith Helen Sobel Smith was an American bridge player. She is said to have been the "greatest woman bridge player of all time". She won 35 North American Bridge Championships, and was the first woman to play in the Bermuda Bowl... |
1958 ComoComoComo is a city and comune in Lombardy, Italy.It is the administrative capital of the Province of Como....
, ItalyItalyItaly , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
For 1958 the Bermuda Bowl tournament permanently included the champion of South America, whose federation and annual tournament were then ten years old. In the next several years, expansion covered other geographic zones and the defending champion.| 1958 |
3 | 1. | Italy Walter Avarelli Walter Avarelli Walter Avarelli was an Italian bridge player, a member of the famous Blue Team, with whom he won 9 Bermuda Bowls and 3 World Team Olympiads in the period 1956-1972.... , Giorgio Belladonna Giorgio Belladonna Giorgio Belladonna was an Italian bridge player, one of the most famous in bridge history. He won 16 World championship titles with the Blue Team, playing with Walter Avarelli and Benito Garozzo... , Eugenio Chiaradia, Massimo D'Alelio Massimo D'Alelio Massimo D'Alelio neapolitan, was a famous Italian bridge player. He won 10 world championship titles with the Blue Team, playing with Eugenio Chiaradia and Camillo Pabis Ticci.-External links:* *... , Pietro Forquet Pietro Forquet Pietro Forquet is an Italian bridge player, one of the most famous in bridge history. He won 15 World championship titles with Blue Team, playing with Eugenio Chiaradia, Guglielmo Siniscalco and, for the most part, Benito Garozzo. Apart from his excellent play, he was renowned for his nerves of... , Guglielmo Siniscalco |
| |2. | USA B. Jay Becker, John Crawford John R. Crawford John Randolph Crawford was an American bridge and backgammon player... , George Rapee, Alvin Roth Alvin Roth Alvin L. Roth was an American bridge player, considered one of the greatest of all time. He wrote several books on the game, and invented various bridge conventions that have become commonplace, including five-card majors, negative doubles, forcing notrump, and the unusual notrump.-Biography:Roth... , Sidney Silodor, Tobias Stone |
||
| |3. | Argentina Alberto Blousson, Carlos Cabanne, Ricardo Calvente, Alejandro Castro, Marcelo Lerner |
1959 New York CityNew York CityNew York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
, United StatesUnited StatesThe United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
| 1959 |
3 | 1. | Italy Walter Avarelli Walter Avarelli Walter Avarelli was an Italian bridge player, a member of the famous Blue Team, with whom he won 9 Bermuda Bowls and 3 World Team Olympiads in the period 1956-1972.... , Giorgio Belladonna Giorgio Belladonna Giorgio Belladonna was an Italian bridge player, one of the most famous in bridge history. He won 16 World championship titles with the Blue Team, playing with Walter Avarelli and Benito Garozzo... , Eugenio Chiaradia, Massimo D'Alelio Massimo D'Alelio Massimo D'Alelio neapolitan, was a famous Italian bridge player. He won 10 world championship titles with the Blue Team, playing with Eugenio Chiaradia and Camillo Pabis Ticci.-External links:* *... , Pietro Forquet Pietro Forquet Pietro Forquet is an Italian bridge player, one of the most famous in bridge history. He won 15 World championship titles with Blue Team, playing with Eugenio Chiaradia, Guglielmo Siniscalco and, for the most part, Benito Garozzo. Apart from his excellent play, he was renowned for his nerves of... , Guglielmo Siniscalco |
| |2. | North America Harry Fishbein (USA), Sam Fry Jr. (USA), Leonard Harmon (USA), Lee Hazen (USA), Sidney Lazard (USA), Ivar Stakgold (USA) |
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| |3. | Argentina Alberto Berisso, Ricardo Calvente, Alejandro Castro, Carlos Dibar, Arturo Jaques, Egisto Rocchi |
1961 Buenos AiresBuenos AiresBuenos Aires is the capital and largest city of Argentina, and the second-largest metropolitan area in South America, after São Paulo. It is located on the western shore of the estuary of the Río de la Plata, on the southeastern coast of the South American continent...
, ArgentinaArgentinaArgentina , officially the Argentine Republic , is the second largest country in South America by land area, after Brazil. It is constituted as a federation of 23 provinces and an autonomous city, Buenos Aires...
The Blue Team won its fourth Bermuda Bowl, with Benito Garozzo now in the same lineup. This began a new string of annual world championships for Italy, after ranking only sixth in the inaugural World Team OlympiadWorld Team Olympiad
The World Team Olympiad was a contract bridge meet organized by the World Bridge Federation every four years from 1960 to 2004. Its main events were world championships for national teams, always including one open and one restricted to women...
, won by France.
At the same time, the Bermuda Bowl tournament expanded to include the defending champions. Throughout the 1960s that would mean Italy plus one from the "rest of Europe". Italy would use the European Team Championships to give some international experience to new players or new partnerships.
| 1961 |
4 | 1. | Italy Walter Avarelli Walter Avarelli Walter Avarelli was an Italian bridge player, a member of the famous Blue Team, with whom he won 9 Bermuda Bowls and 3 World Team Olympiads in the period 1956-1972.... , Giorgio Belladonna Giorgio Belladonna Giorgio Belladonna was an Italian bridge player, one of the most famous in bridge history. He won 16 World championship titles with the Blue Team, playing with Walter Avarelli and Benito Garozzo... , Eugenio Chiaradia, Massimo D'Alelio Massimo D'Alelio Massimo D'Alelio neapolitan, was a famous Italian bridge player. He won 10 world championship titles with the Blue Team, playing with Eugenio Chiaradia and Camillo Pabis Ticci.-External links:* *... , Pietro Forquet Pietro Forquet Pietro Forquet is an Italian bridge player, one of the most famous in bridge history. He won 15 World championship titles with Blue Team, playing with Eugenio Chiaradia, Guglielmo Siniscalco and, for the most part, Benito Garozzo. Apart from his excellent play, he was renowned for his nerves of... , Benito Garozzo Benito Garozzo Benito Garozzo is one of the most famous bridge players in the history of the game. He has won 13 world championship titles with the Italian Blue Team, playing with Pietro Forquet and later Giorgio Belladonna... |
| |2. | North America John Gerber (USA), Paul Hodge (USA), Norman Kay (USA), Peter Leventritt (USA), Howard Schenken Howard Schenken Howard Schenken was an American bridge player, writer, and long-time columnist. In his career, Schenken won three Bermuda Bowl titles, and set several North American records: he won the Life Master Pairs five times, and the Spingold and Vanderbilt Trophy twelve and ten times, respectively... (USA), Sidney Silodor (USA) |
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| |3. | France René Bacherich, Claude Deruy, Pierre Ghestem Pierre Ghestem Pierre Ghestem was a French bridge and checkers player. In 1947 he became the world champion in checkers... , José Le Dentu, Roger Trézel Roger Trezel Roger Trézel was a famous French bridge player. A World Bridge Federation Grand Master, he was the winner of World Team Olympiad in Turin 1960, Bermuda Bowl in Paris 1956, and World Open Pairs Championship in Cannes 1962. He is one of only 10 players who collected the Triple Crown of Bridge... |
Argentina finished fourth.1962 New York CityNew York CityNew York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
, United StatesUnited StatesThe United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
| 1962 |
4 | 1. | Italy Walter Avarelli Walter Avarelli Walter Avarelli was an Italian bridge player, a member of the famous Blue Team, with whom he won 9 Bermuda Bowls and 3 World Team Olympiads in the period 1956-1972.... , Giorgio Belladonna Giorgio Belladonna Giorgio Belladonna was an Italian bridge player, one of the most famous in bridge history. He won 16 World championship titles with the Blue Team, playing with Walter Avarelli and Benito Garozzo... , Eugenio Chiaradia, Massimo D'Alelio Massimo D'Alelio Massimo D'Alelio neapolitan, was a famous Italian bridge player. He won 10 world championship titles with the Blue Team, playing with Eugenio Chiaradia and Camillo Pabis Ticci.-External links:* *... , Pietro Forquet Pietro Forquet Pietro Forquet is an Italian bridge player, one of the most famous in bridge history. He won 15 World championship titles with Blue Team, playing with Eugenio Chiaradia, Guglielmo Siniscalco and, for the most part, Benito Garozzo. Apart from his excellent play, he was renowned for his nerves of... , Benito Garozzo Benito Garozzo Benito Garozzo is one of the most famous bridge players in the history of the game. He has won 13 world championship titles with the Italian Blue Team, playing with Pietro Forquet and later Giorgio Belladonna... |
| |2. | North America Charles Coon (USA), Mervin Key (USA), Lew Mathe (USA), Eric Murray (CAN), G. Robert Nail (USA), Ron Von der Porten (USA) |
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| |3. | Great Britain Nico Gardener Nico Gardener Nico Gardener was a British international bridge player, born in Riga, Latvia .After the Russian Revolution his family moved to the Ukraine, and then to Moscow, where he trained as a ballet dancer. He later moved to Berlin, where he read languages and history at Berlin University, and played... , Kenneth Konstam Kenneth Konstam Kenneth W. Konstam , often known as 'Konnie', was an English international bridge player, and in 1955 was one of the only British team to win the Bermuda Bowl. He won more European Open teams championships than any other British player.Konstam, educated at Oundle School, was employed for a time in... , Tony Priday Tony Priday Richard Anthony Priday is an English bridge player and journalist, who had a longstanding and successful partnership with Claude Rodrigue... , Claude Rodrigue, Albert Rose, Alan Truscott Alan Truscott Alan Fraser Truscott was a bridge player, author and columnist. He wrote the daily bridge column for The New York Times for 41 years, from 1964 to 2005 and served as Executive Editor for all six editions of The Official Encyclopedia of Bridge, 1964 to 2002.- Britain :Truscott was born in Brixton,... |
Argentina finished fourth.1963 St. VincentSaint-Vincent, ItalySaint-Vincent is a town and comune in the Aosta Valley region of north-western Italy. Saint-Vincent , is a popular summer holiday resort with mineral springs .-Geography:...
, ItalyItalyItaly , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
Italy won again. This was the last for "Professor" Eugenio Chiaradia and the only one of the ten in a row that Walter Avarelli missed.| 1963 |
4 | 1. | Italy Giorgio Belladonna Giorgio Belladonna Giorgio Belladonna was an Italian bridge player, one of the most famous in bridge history. He won 16 World championship titles with the Blue Team, playing with Walter Avarelli and Benito Garozzo... , Eugenio Chiaradia, Massimo D'Alelio Massimo D'Alelio Massimo D'Alelio neapolitan, was a famous Italian bridge player. He won 10 world championship titles with the Blue Team, playing with Eugenio Chiaradia and Camillo Pabis Ticci.-External links:* *... , Pietro Forquet Pietro Forquet Pietro Forquet is an Italian bridge player, one of the most famous in bridge history. He won 15 World championship titles with Blue Team, playing with Eugenio Chiaradia, Guglielmo Siniscalco and, for the most part, Benito Garozzo. Apart from his excellent play, he was renowned for his nerves of... , Benito Garozzo Benito Garozzo Benito Garozzo is one of the most famous bridge players in the history of the game. He has won 13 world championship titles with the Italian Blue Team, playing with Pietro Forquet and later Giorgio Belladonna... , Camillo Pabis Ticci |
| |2. | North America James Jacoby (USA), Robert Jordan (USA), Peter Leventritt (USA), G. Robert Nail (USA), Arthur Robinson (USA), Howard Schenken Howard Schenken Howard Schenken was an American bridge player, writer, and long-time columnist. In his career, Schenken won three Bermuda Bowl titles, and set several North American records: he won the Life Master Pairs five times, and the Spingold and Vanderbilt Trophy twelve and ten times, respectively... (USA) |
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| |3. | France René Bacherich, Gérard Desrousseaux, Pierre Ghestem Pierre Ghestem Pierre Ghestem was a French bridge and checkers player. In 1947 he became the world champion in checkers... , Jacques Stetten, Georges Théron, Léon Tintner |
Argentina finished fourth.1965 Buenos AiresBuenos AiresBuenos Aires is the capital and largest city of Argentina, and the second-largest metropolitan area in South America, after São Paulo. It is located on the western shore of the estuary of the Río de la Plata, on the southeastern coast of the South American continent...
, ArgentinaArgentinaArgentina , officially the Argentine Republic , is the second largest country in South America by land area, after Brazil. It is constituted as a federation of 23 provinces and an autonomous city, Buenos Aires...
Playing at home, Argentina represented South America for the sixth time and finally defeated one of the Europeans or Americans, namely Great Britain.
This was the fifth consecutive world championship for the Blue Team, as it had won the second Olympiad in 1964. Italy would continue to win annually with the identical lineup through 1969, plus a successful comeback in 1972.
| 1965 |
4 | 1. | Italy Walter Avarelli Walter Avarelli Walter Avarelli was an Italian bridge player, a member of the famous Blue Team, with whom he won 9 Bermuda Bowls and 3 World Team Olympiads in the period 1956-1972.... , Giorgio Belladonna Giorgio Belladonna Giorgio Belladonna was an Italian bridge player, one of the most famous in bridge history. He won 16 World championship titles with the Blue Team, playing with Walter Avarelli and Benito Garozzo... , Massimo D'Alelio Massimo D'Alelio Massimo D'Alelio neapolitan, was a famous Italian bridge player. He won 10 world championship titles with the Blue Team, playing with Eugenio Chiaradia and Camillo Pabis Ticci.-External links:* *... , Pietro Forquet Pietro Forquet Pietro Forquet is an Italian bridge player, one of the most famous in bridge history. He won 15 World championship titles with Blue Team, playing with Eugenio Chiaradia, Guglielmo Siniscalco and, for the most part, Benito Garozzo. Apart from his excellent play, he was renowned for his nerves of... , Benito Garozzo Benito Garozzo Benito Garozzo is one of the most famous bridge players in the history of the game. He has won 13 world championship titles with the Italian Blue Team, playing with Pietro Forquet and later Giorgio Belladonna... , Camillo Pabis Ticci |
| |2. | North America B. Jay Becker (USA), Ivan Erdos (USA), Dorothy Hayden Dorothy Hayden Truscott Dorothy Hayden Truscott was the top-ranked woman in bridge for many years and authored or co-authored books on the game.-Career:... (USA), Peter Leventritt (USA), Kelsey Petterson (USA), Howard Schenken Howard Schenken Howard Schenken was an American bridge player, writer, and long-time columnist. In his career, Schenken won three Bermuda Bowl titles, and set several North American records: he won the Life Master Pairs five times, and the Spingold and Vanderbilt Trophy twelve and ten times, respectively... (USA) |
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| |3. | Argentina Luis Attaguile, Alberto Berisso, Carlos Cabanne, Marcelo Lerner, Egisto Rocchi, Agustín Santamarina |
Great Britain finished fourth.1966 St. VincentSaint-Vincent, ItalySaint-Vincent is a town and comune in the Aosta Valley region of north-western Italy. Saint-Vincent , is a popular summer holiday resort with mineral springs .-Geography:...
, ItalyItalyItaly , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
The tournament expanded to five with Asia, represented by Thailand. Venezuela took Argentina's usual place and won another third for South America. Canadians Sami Kehela and Eric Murray joined four US Americans for North America.| 1966 |
5 | 1. | Italy Walter Avarelli Walter Avarelli Walter Avarelli was an Italian bridge player, a member of the famous Blue Team, with whom he won 9 Bermuda Bowls and 3 World Team Olympiads in the period 1956-1972.... , Giorgio Belladonna Giorgio Belladonna Giorgio Belladonna was an Italian bridge player, one of the most famous in bridge history. He won 16 World championship titles with the Blue Team, playing with Walter Avarelli and Benito Garozzo... , Massimo D'Alelio Massimo D'Alelio Massimo D'Alelio neapolitan, was a famous Italian bridge player. He won 10 world championship titles with the Blue Team, playing with Eugenio Chiaradia and Camillo Pabis Ticci.-External links:* *... , Pietro Forquet Pietro Forquet Pietro Forquet is an Italian bridge player, one of the most famous in bridge history. He won 15 World championship titles with Blue Team, playing with Eugenio Chiaradia, Guglielmo Siniscalco and, for the most part, Benito Garozzo. Apart from his excellent play, he was renowned for his nerves of... , Benito Garozzo Benito Garozzo Benito Garozzo is one of the most famous bridge players in the history of the game. He has won 13 world championship titles with the Italian Blue Team, playing with Pietro Forquet and later Giorgio Belladonna... , Camillo Pabis Ticci |
| |2. | North America Phillip Feldesman (USA), Bob Hamman Bob Hamman Robert David Hamman is an American professional bridge player, among the greatest players of all time.... (USA), Sami Kehela Sami Kehela Sami Kehela is a Canadian contract bridge player. A member of the Hall of Fame of both the American Contract Bridge League and of the Canadian Bridge Federation, he is considered, along with his partner Eric Murray, one of the top Canadians ever to have played the game.Between 1966 and 1974,... (CAN), Lew Mathe (USA), Eric Murray Eric Murray Eric Claude Murray was a South African cricketer who played first class cricket for Derbyshire in 1911 and for Transvaal between 1912 and 1923.... (CAN), Ira Rubin (USA) |
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| |3. | Venezuela Roberto Benaim, David Berah, Mario Onorati, Roger Rossignol, Renato Straziota, Francis Vernon |
Netherlands finished fourth and Thailand fifth.1967 Miami BeachMiami Beach, FloridaMiami Beach is a coastal resort city in Miami-Dade County, Florida, United States, incorporated on March 26, 1915. The municipality is located on a barrier island between the Atlantic Ocean and Biscayne Bay, the latter which separates the Beach from Miami city proper...
, United StatesUnited StatesThe United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
Thailand and Venezuela returned to the field. More than forty years later, 1966/1967 remain their best national performances.
| 1967 |
5 | 1. | Italy Walter Avarelli Walter Avarelli Walter Avarelli was an Italian bridge player, a member of the famous Blue Team, with whom he won 9 Bermuda Bowls and 3 World Team Olympiads in the period 1956-1972.... , Giorgio Belladonna Giorgio Belladonna Giorgio Belladonna was an Italian bridge player, one of the most famous in bridge history. He won 16 World championship titles with the Blue Team, playing with Walter Avarelli and Benito Garozzo... , Massimo D'Alelio Massimo D'Alelio Massimo D'Alelio neapolitan, was a famous Italian bridge player. He won 10 world championship titles with the Blue Team, playing with Eugenio Chiaradia and Camillo Pabis Ticci.-External links:* *... , Pietro Forquet Pietro Forquet Pietro Forquet is an Italian bridge player, one of the most famous in bridge history. He won 15 World championship titles with Blue Team, playing with Eugenio Chiaradia, Guglielmo Siniscalco and, for the most part, Benito Garozzo. Apart from his excellent play, he was renowned for his nerves of... , Benito Garozzo Benito Garozzo Benito Garozzo is one of the most famous bridge players in the history of the game. He has won 13 world championship titles with the Italian Blue Team, playing with Pietro Forquet and later Giorgio Belladonna... , Camillo Pabis Ticci |
| |2. | North America Edgar Kaplan Edgar Kaplan Edgar Kaplan was an American bridge player and one of the principal contributors to the game. His career spanned six decades and covered every aspect of bridge. He was a teacher, author, editor, administrator, champion player, theorist, expert Vugraph commentator, coach/captain and authority on... (USA), Norman Kay (USA), Sami Kehela Sami Kehela Sami Kehela is a Canadian contract bridge player. A member of the Hall of Fame of both the American Contract Bridge League and of the Canadian Bridge Federation, he is considered, along with his partner Eric Murray, one of the top Canadians ever to have played the game.Between 1966 and 1974,... (CAN), Eric Murray Eric Murray Eric Claude Murray was a South African cricketer who played first class cricket for Derbyshire in 1911 and for Transvaal between 1912 and 1923.... (CAN), Bill Root (USA), Alvin Roth Alvin Roth Alvin L. Roth was an American bridge player, considered one of the greatest of all time. He wrote several books on the game, and invented various bridge conventions that have become commonplace, including five-card majors, negative doubles, forcing notrump, and the unusual notrump.-Biography:Roth... (USA) |
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| |3. | France Jean-Michel Boulenger, Jacques Parienté, Jean-Marc Roudinesco, Jacques Stetten, Henri Szwarc, Léon Tintner |
Thailand finished fourth and Venezuela fifth.1969 Rio de JaneiroRio de JaneiroRio de Janeiro , commonly referred to simply as Rio, is the capital city of the State of Rio de Janeiro, the second largest city of Brazil, and the third largest metropolitan area and agglomeration in South America, boasting approximately 6.3 million people within the city proper, making it the 6th...
, BrazilBrazilBrazil , officially the Federative Republic of Brazil , is the largest country in South America. It is the world's fifth largest country, both by geographical area and by population with over 192 million people...
Taiwan appeared on the world bridge scene with a shocking second-place performance, represented by six players using the Precision ClubPrecision club
Precision Club is a bidding system in the game of contract bridge. It is a type of strong club system that was invented by C. C. Wei and used to good effect by Taiwan teams in the early 1970s...
bidding system
Bidding system
A bidding system in contract bridge is the set of agreements and understandings assigned to calls and sequences of calls used by a partnership, and includes a full description of the meaning of each treatment and convention...
recently invented by C. C. Wei
C. C. Wei
Chung Ching Wei was a Chinese-born American, inventor of the Precision Club bidding system in contract bridge.-Biography:...
.
The Blue Team of Italy retired after winning its tenth consecutive Bermuda Bowl (from 1957) and ninth consecutive annual world championship in open teams (from 1961).
The United State team included two members of the professional Dallas Aces
Dallas Aces
The Dallas Aces were the world's first professional bridge team, organized by Dallas businessman Ira Corn in 1968...
, Eisenberg–Goldman and two young players who would be Aces, Hamman and Kantar.
| 1969 |
5 | 1. | Italy Walter Avarelli Walter Avarelli Walter Avarelli was an Italian bridge player, a member of the famous Blue Team, with whom he won 9 Bermuda Bowls and 3 World Team Olympiads in the period 1956-1972.... , Giorgio Belladonna Giorgio Belladonna Giorgio Belladonna was an Italian bridge player, one of the most famous in bridge history. He won 16 World championship titles with the Blue Team, playing with Walter Avarelli and Benito Garozzo... , Massimo D'Alelio Massimo D'Alelio Massimo D'Alelio neapolitan, was a famous Italian bridge player. He won 10 world championship titles with the Blue Team, playing with Eugenio Chiaradia and Camillo Pabis Ticci.-External links:* *... , Pietro Forquet Pietro Forquet Pietro Forquet is an Italian bridge player, one of the most famous in bridge history. He won 15 World championship titles with Blue Team, playing with Eugenio Chiaradia, Guglielmo Siniscalco and, for the most part, Benito Garozzo. Apart from his excellent play, he was renowned for his nerves of... , Benito Garozzo Benito Garozzo Benito Garozzo is one of the most famous bridge players in the history of the game. He has won 13 world championship titles with the Italian Blue Team, playing with Pietro Forquet and later Giorgio Belladonna... , Camillo Pabis Ticci |
| |2. | Taiwan Frank Huang, Patrick Huang, C. S. Shen Shen Chun-shan Shen Chun-shan is a retired academic in Taiwan, most noted for his position as the former head of National Tsing Hua University... , K. W. Shen (THA), Kovit Suchartkul (THA), M. F. Tai |
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| |3. | North America Billy Eisenberg Billy Eisenberg William Eisenberg is an American bridge and backgammon professional. In bridge, Eisenberg has won five Bermuda Bowl world team titles and in backgammon he won the world title in 1975... (USA), Bobby Goldman Bobby Goldman Robert Goldman was an American bridge player, teacher and author. He won three Bermuda Bowls , Olympiad Mixed Teams 1972, and 20 North American Bridge Championships... (USA), Bob Hamman Bob Hamman Robert David Hamman is an American professional bridge player, among the greatest players of all time.... (USA), Edwin Kantar Edwin Kantar Edwin Bruce Kantar is an American bridge player, 2-time World Teams Bridge Champion and prolific author of bridge books.-Biography:... (USA), Sidney Lazard (USA), George Rapee (USA) |
France finished fourth and Brazil fifth.1970 StockholmStockholmStockholm is the capital and the largest city of Sweden and constitutes the most populated urban area in Scandinavia. Stockholm is the most populous city in Sweden, with a population of 851,155 in the municipality , 1.37 million in the urban area , and around 2.1 million in the metropolitan area...
, SwedenSwedenSweden , officially the Kingdom of Sweden , is a Nordic country on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe. Sweden borders with Norway and Finland and is connected to Denmark by a bridge-tunnel across the Öresund....
The Aces won the 17th Bermuda Bowl, the first for a United States or North America team since they won the first four. Taiwan finished second again, with only five players and only two veterans from 1969. Norway and Brazil also finished ahead of Italy, the defending champion bridge nation represented by a wholly new team.| 1970 |
5 | 1. | North America Billy Eisenberg Billy Eisenberg William Eisenberg is an American bridge and backgammon professional. In bridge, Eisenberg has won five Bermuda Bowl world team titles and in backgammon he won the world title in 1975... (USA), Bobby Goldman Bobby Goldman Robert Goldman was an American bridge player, teacher and author. He won three Bermuda Bowls , Olympiad Mixed Teams 1972, and 20 North American Bridge Championships... (USA), Bob Hamman Bob Hamman Robert David Hamman is an American professional bridge player, among the greatest players of all time.... (USA), James Jacoby (USA), Mike Lawrence (USA), Bobby Wolff Bobby Wolff Robert S. Wolff is an American bridge player and 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... (USA) |
| |2. | Taiwan Conrad Cheng, Elmer Hsiao, Patrick Huang, Harry Lin, M. F. Tai |
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| |3. | Norway Erik Høie, Tore Jensen, Knut Koppang, Bjørn Larsen, Louis André Strøm, Willy Varnås |
Brazil finished fourth and the new Italy fifth.1971 TaipeiTaipeiTaipei City is the capital of the Republic of China and the central city of the largest metropolitan area of Taiwan. Situated at the northern tip of the island, Taipei is located on the Tamsui River, and is about 25 km southwest of Keelung, its port on the Pacific Ocean...
, Republic of ChinaRepublic of ChinaThe Republic of China , commonly known as Taiwan , is a unitary sovereign state located in East Asia. Originally based in mainland China, the Republic of China currently governs the island of Taiwan , which forms over 99% of its current territory, as well as Penghu, Kinmen, Matsu and other minor...
The Aces won as defending champions while the field expanded to include Australia.| 1971 |
6 | 1. | Aces Billy Eisenberg Billy Eisenberg William Eisenberg is an American bridge and backgammon professional. In bridge, Eisenberg has won five Bermuda Bowl world team titles and in backgammon he won the world title in 1975... (USA), Bobby Goldman Bobby Goldman Robert Goldman was an American bridge player, teacher and author. He won three Bermuda Bowls , Olympiad Mixed Teams 1972, and 20 North American Bridge Championships... (USA), Bob Hamman Bob Hamman Robert David Hamman is an American professional bridge player, among the greatest players of all time.... (USA), James Jacoby (USA), Mike Lawrence (USA), Bobby Wolff Bobby Wolff Robert S. Wolff is an American bridge player and 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... (USA) |
| |2. | France Jean-Michel Boulenger, Pierre Jaïs Pierre Jaïs Pierre Jaïs was a famous French bridge player. A World Bridge Federation Grand Master, he was the winner of World Team Olympiad in Turin 1960, Bermuda Bowl in Paris 1956, and World Open Pairs Championship in Cannes 1962. He is one of only 10 players who collected the Triple Crown of Bridge... , Jean-Marc Roudinesco, Jean-Louis Stoppa, Henri Szwarc, Roger Trézel Roger Trezel Roger Trézel was a famous French bridge player. A World Bridge Federation Grand Master, he was the winner of World Team Olympiad in Turin 1960, Bermuda Bowl in Paris 1956, and World Open Pairs Championship in Cannes 1962. He is one of only 10 players who collected the Triple Crown of Bridge... |
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| |3. | Australia Jim Borin, Norma Borin, Richard Cummings, Denis Howard, Tim Seres, Roelof Smilde |
Taiwan finished fourth at home, one year after finishing second.1973 GuarujáGuarujáGuarujá is a municipality in the São Paulo state of Brazil. The population in 2006 was 305,171, the population density is 1,969.47/km² and the area is 143 km². This place name comes from the Tupi language, and mean "narrow path". The population is highly urbanized.-Geography:Guarujá is...
, BrazilBrazilBrazil , officially the Federative Republic of Brazil , is the largest country in South America. It is the world's fifth largest country, both by geographical area and by population with over 192 million people...
The Blue Team had successfully completed a comeback by winning the 1972 Olympiad with its 1964–69 lineup. Three then retired permanently but its three greatest players continued to play for Italy: Belladonna, Forquet, and Garozzo. And to win.The second-place Aces were defending champions with one personnel change.
| 1973 |
5 | 1. | Italy Giorgio Belladonna Giorgio Belladonna Giorgio Belladonna was an Italian bridge player, one of the most famous in bridge history. He won 16 World championship titles with the Blue Team, playing with Walter Avarelli and Benito Garozzo... , Benito Bianchi, Pietro Forquet Pietro Forquet Pietro Forquet is an Italian bridge player, one of the most famous in bridge history. He won 15 World championship titles with Blue Team, playing with Eugenio Chiaradia, Guglielmo Siniscalco and, for the most part, Benito Garozzo. Apart from his excellent play, he was renowned for his nerves of... , Giuseppe Garabello, Benito Garozzo Benito Garozzo Benito Garozzo is one of the most famous bridge players in the history of the game. He has won 13 world championship titles with the Italian Blue Team, playing with Pietro Forquet and later Giorgio Belladonna... , Vito Pittalà |
| |2. | Aces Mark Blumenthal (USA), Bobby Goldman Bobby Goldman Robert Goldman was an American bridge player, teacher and author. He won three Bermuda Bowls , Olympiad Mixed Teams 1972, and 20 North American Bridge Championships... (USA), Bob Hamman Bob Hamman Robert David Hamman is an American professional bridge player, among the greatest players of all time.... (USA), James Jacoby (USA), Mike Lawrence (USA), Bobby Wolff Bobby Wolff Robert S. Wolff is an American bridge player and 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... (USA) |
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| |3. | Brazil Pedro Paulo Assumpção, Marcelo Branco Marcelo Branco Marcelo Branco is famous Brazilian bridge player. Among other successes, he was the winner of World Team Olympiad in Monte Carlo 1976, Bermuda Bowl in Perth 1989, and World Open pairs Championship in New Orleans 1978 and Geneva 1990. He is one of 10 players who collected the Triple Crown of Bridge... , Pedro Paulo Branco, Gabriel Chagas Gabriel Chagas Gabriel Pinheiro Chagas Filho is a famous Brazilian bridge player. He was the winner of World Team Olympiad in Monte Carlo 1976, Bermuda Bowl in Perth 1989, World Open Pairs Championship in Geneva 1990, as well as Transnational Teams in Paris 2001... , Gabino Cintra, Christiano Fonseca |
North America finished fourth, represented by a team of six men from the US.
1974 VeniceVeniceVenice is a city in northern Italy which is renowned for the beauty of its setting, its architecture and its artworks. It is the capital of the Veneto region...
, ItalyItalyItaly , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
Italy defended its championship at home. The World Bridge Federation inaugurated the Venice CupVenice Cup
The World Teams Championship in contract bridge for women players only is also known as the Venice Cup, because the first edition was held in Venice, Italy in 1974.It is held every two years, in parallel to the Open World Teams Championship, the Bermuda Bowl....
tournament for "Women Teams", which increased in size and frequency to match the Bermuda Bowl in 1985. No woman had played for a Bermuda Bowl winner and Dorothy Hayden Truscott
Dorothy Hayden Truscott
Dorothy Hayden Truscott was the top-ranked woman in bridge for many years and authored or co-authored books on the game.-Career:...
alone had finished second, playing with B. J. Becker in 1965. Meanwhile the quadrennial Olympiad ran two tournaments side-by-side from its start in 1960.
| 1974 |
6 | 1. | Italy Giorgio Belladonna Giorgio Belladonna Giorgio Belladonna was an Italian bridge player, one of the most famous in bridge history. He won 16 World championship titles with the Blue Team, playing with Walter Avarelli and Benito Garozzo... , Benito Bianchi, Pietro Forquet Pietro Forquet Pietro Forquet is an Italian bridge player, one of the most famous in bridge history. He won 15 World championship titles with Blue Team, playing with Eugenio Chiaradia, Guglielmo Siniscalco and, for the most part, Benito Garozzo. Apart from his excellent play, he was renowned for his nerves of... , Benito Garozzo Benito Garozzo Benito Garozzo is one of the most famous bridge players in the history of the game. He has won 13 world championship titles with the Italian Blue Team, playing with Pietro Forquet and later Giorgio Belladonna... , (Dano De Falco, Arturo Franco)* |
| |2. | North America Mark Blumenthal (USA), Bobby Goldman Bobby Goldman Robert Goldman was an American bridge player, teacher and author. He won three Bermuda Bowls , Olympiad Mixed Teams 1972, and 20 North American Bridge Championships... (USA), Bob Hamman Bob Hamman Robert David Hamman is an American professional bridge player, among the greatest players of all time.... (USA), Sami Kehela (CAN), Eric Murray (CAN), Bobby Wolff Bobby Wolff Robert S. Wolff is an American bridge player and 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... (USA) |
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| |3. | Brazil Pedro Paulo Assumpção, Marcelo Branco Marcelo Branco Marcelo Branco is famous Brazilian bridge player. Among other successes, he was the winner of World Team Olympiad in Monte Carlo 1976, Bermuda Bowl in Perth 1989, and World Open pairs Championship in New Orleans 1978 and Geneva 1990. He is one of 10 players who collected the Triple Crown of Bridge... , Pedro Paulo Branco, Gabriel Chagas Gabriel Chagas Gabriel Pinheiro Chagas Filho is a famous Brazilian bridge player. He was the winner of World Team Olympiad in Monte Carlo 1976, Bermuda Bowl in Perth 1989, World Open Pairs Championship in Geneva 1990, as well as Transnational Teams in Paris 2001... , Gabino Cintra, Christiano Fonseca |
* De Falco and Franco did not play enough boards to qualify for the title of World Champion.
Indonesia finished fourth.1975 SouthamptonSouthampton Parish, BermudaSouthampton Parish is one of the nine parishes of Bermuda. It is named for Henry Wriothesley, 3rd Earl of Southampton .It is located in the southwest of the island chain, occupying all of the western part of the main island, except for the westernmost tip...
, BermudaBermudaBermuda is a British overseas territory in the North Atlantic Ocean. Located off the east coast of the United States, its nearest landmass is Cape Hatteras, North Carolina, about to the west-northwest. It is about south of Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada, and northeast of Miami, Florida...
For the 25th anniversary of the inaugural tournament, the 21st returned to Bermuda, as the 34th tournament would do for the 50th anniversary. Italy won its thirteenth Bermuda Bowl, its third in a row, and its last before 2005. Pietro Forquet missed this one, leaving Giorgio Belladonna alone with 13 Bowls.| 1975 |
5 | 1. | Italy Giorgio Belladonna Giorgio Belladonna Giorgio Belladonna was an Italian bridge player, one of the most famous in bridge history. He won 16 World championship titles with the Blue Team, playing with Walter Avarelli and Benito Garozzo... , Gianfranco Facchini, Arturo Franco, Benito Garozzo Benito Garozzo Benito Garozzo is one of the most famous bridge players in the history of the game. He has won 13 world championship titles with the Italian Blue Team, playing with Pietro Forquet and later Giorgio Belladonna... , Vito Pittalà, Sergio Zucchelli |
| |2. | North America Billy Eisenberg Billy Eisenberg William Eisenberg is an American bridge and backgammon professional. In bridge, Eisenberg has won five Bermuda Bowl world team titles and in backgammon he won the world title in 1975... (USA), Bob Hamman Bob Hamman Robert David Hamman is an American professional bridge player, among the greatest players of all time.... (USA), Edwin Kantar Edwin Kantar Edwin Bruce Kantar is an American bridge player, 2-time World Teams Bridge Champion and prolific author of bridge books.-Biography:... (USA), Paul Soloway Paul Soloway Paul Soloway was a world champion American bridge player. He won the Bermuda Bowl world team championship five times and won 30 national championships. Soloway was inducted into the American Contract Bridge League's Hall of Fame in 2002... (USA), John C. Swanson (USA), Bobby Wolff Bobby Wolff Robert S. Wolff is an American bridge player and 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... (USA) |
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| |3. | France Jean-Michel Boulenger, Michel Lebel, François Leenhardt, Christian Mari, Henri Szwarc, Edmond Vial |
Indonesia finished fourth, Brazil fifth.1976 Monte CarloMonte CarloMonte Carlo is an administrative area of the Principality of Monaco....
, MonacoMonacoMonaco , officially the Principality of Monaco , is a sovereign city state on the French Riviera. It is bordered on three sides by its neighbour, France, and its centre is about from Italy. Its area is with a population of 35,986 as of 2011 and is the most densely populated country in the...
The 22nd was the only Bermuda Bowl contested during a World Team OlympiadWorld Team Olympiad
The World Team Olympiad was a contract bridge meet organized by the World Bridge Federation every four years from 1960 to 2004. Its main events were world championships for national teams, always including one open and one restricted to women...
year. The two Open tournaments were played back to back during three weeks in May, with Italy beaten first by the United States and then by Brazil in the finals.
Israel finished third as the second representative of Europe.
| 1976 |
6 | 1. | North America Billy Eisenberg Billy Eisenberg William Eisenberg is an American bridge and backgammon professional. In bridge, Eisenberg has won five Bermuda Bowl world team titles and in backgammon he won the world title in 1975... (USA), Fred Hamilton (USA), Erik Paulsen (USA), Hugh Ross (USA), Ira Rubin (USA), Paul Soloway Paul Soloway Paul Soloway was a world champion American bridge player. He won the Bermuda Bowl world team championship five times and won 30 national championships. Soloway was inducted into the American Contract Bridge League's Hall of Fame in 2002... (USA) |
| |2. | Italy Giorgio Belladonna Giorgio Belladonna Giorgio Belladonna was an Italian bridge player, one of the most famous in bridge history. He won 16 World championship titles with the Blue Team, playing with Walter Avarelli and Benito Garozzo... , Pietro Forquet Pietro Forquet Pietro Forquet is an Italian bridge player, one of the most famous in bridge history. He won 15 World championship titles with Blue Team, playing with Eugenio Chiaradia, Guglielmo Siniscalco and, for the most part, Benito Garozzo. Apart from his excellent play, he was renowned for his nerves of... , Arturo Franco, Benito Garozzo Benito Garozzo Benito Garozzo is one of the most famous bridge players in the history of the game. He has won 13 world championship titles with the Italian Blue Team, playing with Pietro Forquet and later Giorgio Belladonna... , Vito Pittalà, Antonio Vivaldi |
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| |3. | Israel Julian Frydrich, Michael Hochzeit, Sam Lev, Yeshayahu Levit, Pinhas Romik, Eliakim Shaufel |
Brazil finished fourth with the same lineup that placed third in 1973 and 1974. With one personnel change they won the Open Olympiad tournament that immediately following this exceptional Bermuda Bowl. It remains the only year with two world champion teams in the open category.1977 ManilaManilaManila is the capital of the Philippines. It is one of the sixteen cities forming Metro Manila.Manila is located on the eastern shores of Manila Bay and is bordered by Navotas and Caloocan to the north, Quezon City to the northeast, San Juan and Mandaluyong to the east, Makati on the southeast,...
, PhilippinesPhilippinesThe Philippines , officially known as the Republic of the Philippines , is a country in Southeast Asia in the western Pacific Ocean. To its north across the Luzon Strait lies Taiwan. West across the South China Sea sits Vietnam...
Both teams "North America" and "Defending Champions" comprised six men from the US. The six defending champion players divided two and four, as the Aces with defending players Eisenberg and Soloway regrouped as "North America". (Under double representation for the United States beginning 1991, the two USA teams must face each other if both advance to the semifinal.)| 1977 |
6 | 1. | North America Billy Eisenberg Billy Eisenberg William Eisenberg is an American bridge and backgammon professional. In bridge, Eisenberg has won five Bermuda Bowl world team titles and in backgammon he won the world title in 1975... (USA), Edwin Kantar Edwin Kantar Edwin Bruce Kantar is an American bridge player, 2-time World Teams Bridge Champion and prolific author of bridge books.-Biography:... (USA), Bob Hamman Bob Hamman Robert David Hamman is an American professional bridge player, among the greatest players of all time.... (USA), Paul Soloway Paul Soloway Paul Soloway was a world champion American bridge player. He won the Bermuda Bowl world team championship five times and won 30 national championships. Soloway was inducted into the American Contract Bridge League's Hall of Fame in 2002... (USA), John C. Swanson (USA), Bobby Wolff Bobby Wolff Robert S. Wolff is an American bridge player and 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... (USA) |
| |2. | Defending Champions Fred Hamilton (USA), Mike Passell (USA), Erik Paulsen (USA), Hugh Ross (USA), Ira Rubin (USA), Ron Von der Porten (USA) |
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| |3. | Sweden Anders Brunzell, Sven-Olov Flodqvist, Hans Göthe, Jörgen Lindqvist, Anders Morath, Per Olof Sundelin |
Argentina finished fourth.1979 Rio de JaneiroRio de JaneiroRio de Janeiro , commonly referred to simply as Rio, is the capital city of the State of Rio de Janeiro, the second largest city of Brazil, and the third largest metropolitan area and agglomeration in South America, boasting approximately 6.3 million people within the city proper, making it the 6th...
, BrazilBrazilBrazil , officially the Federative Republic of Brazil , is the largest country in South America. It is the world's fifth largest country, both by geographical area and by population with over 192 million people...
The 24th Bermuda Bowl was the first to be decided by a margin that is commonly scored on a single deal, merely 5 IMPs. Malcolm Brachman's professional team of US Americans defeated Italy by that much.The defending champion team was not invited after 1977, so the tournament again matched one team from each WBF geographic zone that chose to participate. The number of teams remained at six because "Central America & the Caribbean" sent a team for the first time, three players from Panama and three from Venezuela with a Guadeloupe captain. Brachman from North America and national teams from Italy, Australia, Taiwan, and host Brazil represented the other four zones.
| 1979 |
6 | 1. | North America Malcolm Brachman (USA), Billy Eisenberg Billy Eisenberg William Eisenberg is an American bridge and backgammon professional. In bridge, Eisenberg has won five Bermuda Bowl world team titles and in backgammon he won the world title in 1975... (USA), Bobby Goldman Bobby Goldman Robert Goldman was an American bridge player, teacher and author. He won three Bermuda Bowls , Olympiad Mixed Teams 1972, and 20 North American Bridge Championships... (USA), Edwin Kantar Edwin Kantar Edwin Bruce Kantar is an American bridge player, 2-time World Teams Bridge Champion and prolific author of bridge books.-Biography:... (USA), Mike Passell (USA), Paul Soloway Paul Soloway Paul Soloway was a world champion American bridge player. He won the Bermuda Bowl world team championship five times and won 30 national championships. Soloway was inducted into the American Contract Bridge League's Hall of Fame in 2002... (USA) |
| |2. | Italy Giorgio Belladonna Giorgio Belladonna Giorgio Belladonna was an Italian bridge player, one of the most famous in bridge history. He won 16 World championship titles with the Blue Team, playing with Walter Avarelli and Benito Garozzo... , Dano De Falco, Arturo Franco, Benito Garozzo Benito Garozzo Benito Garozzo is one of the most famous bridge players in the history of the game. He has won 13 world championship titles with the Italian Blue Team, playing with Pietro Forquet and later Giorgio Belladonna... , Lorenzo Lauria, Vito Pittalà |
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| |3. | Australia Jim Borin, Norma Borin, Richard Cummings, Andrew Reiner, Bobby Richman, Tim Seres |
Taiwan finished fourth.1980s-2000s
The Bermuda Bowl made several changes around 1980. The defending champion team was dropped in 1979. For 1981 Europe was awarded two places in the tournament, the first expansion beyond zonal champions (plus the world champion, 1961 to 1977). There would be nine teams if every WBF zone sent a champion. For 1983, European and North American champions would have two places in the 4-team semifinal round. European and North American runners up would contend with champions of the other zones and the host country for two other semifinal slots. (Europe and North America had won all the Bermuda Bowls. Outsiders had finished second in 1969–70 and 1981.) Beginning 1985, the Bermuda Bowl for open teams and Venice Cup for women would run side-by-side with the same structure in a venue outside Europe and North America (maintained until 2001).1981 New York CityNew York CityNew York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
, United StatesUnited StatesThe United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
Pakistan represented "Asia and the Middle East", a novelty, and finished second, a shock. This was the third silver medal for teams from outside Europe and North America, joining Taiwan 1969–70. "Pakistani preempts" were notable and team's best player Zia MahmoodZia Mahmood
Zia Mahmood is a Pakistani professional bridge player. He is a World Bridge Federation and American Contract Bridge League Grand Life Master. He has a knack for bringing out the best in his partners and is regarded as one of the greatest players of the game...
was recognized as a great one.
For the United States, led by Bud Reinhold—who played, but not enough to qualify personally as a world champion— Levin, Rodwell, and Meckstroth made their international debuts at 23 to 25 years old, Levin being the youngest winner on record.
Europe was represented by both Poland and Great Britain, first and second in the 18-team open flight of the European championships.
| 1981 |
7 | 1. | USA Russell Arnold, Bobby Levin Bobby Levin Robert J. Levin is an American professional bridge player. He is best known as the youngest winner of the world championship for national teams, namely the 1981 Bermuda Bowl, and as five-time winner of the Cavendish Invitational with his regular partner Steve Weinstein... , Jeff Meckstroth Jeff Meckstroth Jeffrey John Meckstroth is a multiple world champion in contract bridge, winning the Bermuda Bowl representing the U.S. five times. He is one of only ten players who have won the so-called triple crown of bridge: the Bermuda Bowl, the World Open Pairs and the World Team Olympiad... , Eric Rodwell Eric Rodwell Eric Victor Rodwell is an American professional bridge player. He has won the Bermuda Bowl representing the U.S. five times and is one of ten players who have won the so-called triple crown of bridge: the Bermuda Bowl, the World Open Pairs and the World Team Olympiad... , John Solodar, (Bud Reinhold)* |
| |2. | Pakistan Nishat Abedi, Nisar Ahmed, Munir Attaullah, Jan-e-Alam Fazli, Zia Mahmood Zia Mahmood Zia Mahmood is a Pakistani professional bridge player. He is a World Bridge Federation and American Contract Bridge League Grand Life Master. He has a knack for bringing out the best in his partners and is regarded as one of the greatest players of the game... , Masood Saleem |
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| |3-4. | Poland Aleksander Jezioro, Julian Klukowski, Marek Kudła, Krzysztof Martens, Andrzej Milde, Tomasz Przybora |
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* Reinhold did not play enough boards to qualify for the title of World Champion.
Argentina finished fourth.1983 StockholmStockholmStockholm is the capital and the largest city of Sweden and constitutes the most populated urban area in Scandinavia. Stockholm is the most populous city in Sweden, with a population of 851,155 in the municipality , 1.37 million in the urban area , and around 2.1 million in the metropolitan area...
, SwedenSwedenSweden , officially the Kingdom of Sweden , is a Nordic country on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe. Sweden borders with Norway and Finland and is connected to Denmark by a bridge-tunnel across the Öresund....
Beginning 1983, North America joined Europe with double representation, and the host country was automatically included too, so the potential size of the field increased by two. United States teams finished first and second in North America while France, Italy, and world host Sweden ranked 1, 2, and 7 among 24 teams in the open European championship. Under the new structure, USA1 and France earned byesBye (sports)
A bye, in sports and other competitive activities, most commonly refers to the practice of allowing a player or team to advance to the next round of a playoff tournament without playing...
to the Bermuda Bowl semifinal while USA2, Italy, and Sweden contended with the champions of other zones for two more semifinal slots. Five other zones were represented, ten teams in all.
USA2 and Italy won the preliminary stage; USA1 and Italy won semifinal matches to meet in the final, the international swan song
Swan song
"Swan song" is a metaphorical phrase for a final gesture, effort, or performance given just before death or retirement. The phrase refers to an ancient belief that the Mute Swan is completely silent during its lifetime until the moment just before death, when it sings one beautiful song...
for Giorgio Belladonna and for the legendary Belladonna–Garozzo partnership.
| 1983 |
10 | 1. | USA 1 Michael Becker, Bob Hamman Bob Hamman Robert David Hamman is an American professional bridge player, among the greatest players of all time.... , Ron Rubin, Alan Sontag Alan Sontag Alan M. Sontag is a world champion American bridge player and author of bridge books.-Bridge career:Although he is a six-time world champion in contract bridge, winning the prestige Bermuda Bowl twice, Sontag is best known as the author of The Bridge Bum, a book "on everybody's list of the top ten... , Peter Weichsel, Bobby Wolff Bobby Wolff Robert S. Wolff is an American bridge player and 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... |
| |2. | Italy Giorgio Belladonna Giorgio Belladonna Giorgio Belladonna was an Italian bridge player, one of the most famous in bridge history. He won 16 World championship titles with the Blue Team, playing with Walter Avarelli and Benito Garozzo... , Dano De Falco, Arturo Franco, Benito Garozzo Benito Garozzo Benito Garozzo is one of the most famous bridge players in the history of the game. He has won 13 world championship titles with the Italian Blue Team, playing with Pietro Forquet and later Giorgio Belladonna... , Lorenzo Lauria, Carlo Mosca |
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| |3. | France Michel Corn, Philippe Cronier, Michel Lebel, Hervé Mouiel, Philippe Soulet, Henri Szwarc |
USA 2 finished fourth.The actual size of the field increased by three, not two, because "Asia and the Middle East" (debut 1981) and "Central America and the Caribbean" (debut 1979) were both represented, by Pakistan and a transnational squad including four men from Jamaica
Jamaica
Jamaica is an island nation of the Greater Antilles, in length, up to in width and 10,990 square kilometres in area. It is situated in the Caribbean Sea, about south of Cuba, and west of Hispaniola, the island harbouring the nation-states Haiti and the Dominican Republic...
. Only Africa among the eight modern geographic zones was not yet represented.
1985 São PauloSão PauloSão Paulo is the largest city in Brazil, the largest city in the southern hemisphere and South America, and the world's seventh largest city by population. The metropolis is anchor to the São Paulo metropolitan area, ranked as the second-most populous metropolitan area in the Americas and among...
, BrazilBrazilBrazil , officially the Federative Republic of Brazil , is the largest country in South America. It is the world's fifth largest country, both by geographical area and by population with over 192 million people...
Beginning 1985 the Bermuda Bowl and the Venice Cup for women have been side-by-side tournaments with the same structure. From 1985 to 2000 they were always sited outside Europe and North America.For three cycles 1985 to 1989, one team each from the United States and Canada represented North America. All three US teams were based on the San Francisco-area team anchored by Chip Martel–Lew Stansby and Peter Pender–Hugh Ross. They won the annual US Grand National Teams
Grand National Teams
The Grand National Teams national bridge championship is held at the summer American Contract Bridge League North American Bridge Championship ....
in 1982-83-85-87 (with another pair in '82, with Mike Lawrence in '87).
Austria and Israel finished 1-2 among 21 open teams in Europe and placed 2-3 behind USA in São Paulo.
| 1985 |
10 | 1. | USA Bob Hamman Bob Hamman Robert David Hamman is an American professional bridge player, among the greatest players of all time.... , Chip Martel, Peter Pender, Hugh Ross, Lew Stansby, Bobby Wolff Bobby Wolff Robert S. Wolff is an American bridge player and 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... |
| |2. | Austria Heinrich Berger, Kurt Feichtinger, Jan Fucik, Wolfgang Meinl, Karl Rohan, Franz Terraneo |
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| |3. | Israel David Birman, Sam Lev, Eliakim Shaufel, Shalom Zeligman, (Julian Frydrich, Michael Hochzeit)* |
* Frydrich and Hochzeit did not play enough boards to qualify for third place.
Brazil finished fourth.Infrequent participants Canada, New Zealand, and India finished 8-9-10 as "USA 2", Australia, and Pakistan stayed home.
1987 Ocho RíosOcho RiosOcho Ríos is a town in the parish of Saint Ann on the north coast of Jamaica. Although he landed in many spots along the Jamaican coast, many believe that Christopher Columbus first set foot on land in Ocho Rios...
, JamaicaJamaicaJamaica is an island nation of the Greater Antilles, in length, up to in width and 10,990 square kilometres in area. It is situated in the Caribbean Sea, about south of Cuba, and west of Hispaniola, the island harbouring the nation-states Haiti and the Dominican Republic...
The "San Francisco" GNT with world veterans Hamman–Wolff defended successfully. Great Britain and Sweden reversed their European finish.| 1987 |
10 | 1. | USA Bob Hamman Bob Hamman Robert David Hamman is an American professional bridge player, among the greatest players of all time.... , Mike Lawrence, Chip Martel, Hugh Ross, Lew Stansby, Bobby Wolff Bobby Wolff Robert S. Wolff is an American bridge player and 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... |
| |2. | Great Britain John Armstrong, Raymond Brock, Jeremy Flint Jeremy Flint Jeremy Flint , an English bridge player, author and horse racing enthusiast, was one of the world's leading professional players.- Life & bridge career :... , Tony Forrester, Graham Kirby, Robert Sheehan |
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| |3. | Sweden Björn Fallenius, Sven-Olov Flodqvist, Hans Göthe, Tommy Gullberg, Magnus Lindkvist, Per Olof Sundelin |
Chinese Taipei finished fourth.1989 PerthPerth, Western AustraliaPerth is the capital and largest city of the Australian state of Western Australia and the fourth most populous city in Australia. The Perth metropolitan area has an estimated population of almost 1,700,000....
, AustraliaAustraliaAustralia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
Brazil won its first Bermuda Bowl, defeating a team of three "San Francisco" pairs in the final.| 1989 |
10 | 1. | Brazil Marcelo Branco Marcelo Branco Marcelo Branco is famous Brazilian bridge player. Among other successes, he was the winner of World Team Olympiad in Monte Carlo 1976, Bermuda Bowl in Perth 1989, and World Open pairs Championship in New Orleans 1978 and Geneva 1990. He is one of 10 players who collected the Triple Crown of Bridge... , Pedro Paulo Branco, Carlos Camacho, Gabriel Chagas Gabriel Chagas Gabriel Pinheiro Chagas Filho is a famous Brazilian bridge player. He was the winner of World Team Olympiad in Monte Carlo 1976, Bermuda Bowl in Perth 1989, World Open Pairs Championship in Geneva 1990, as well as Transnational Teams in Paris 2001... , Ricardo Janz, Roberto Mello |
| |2. | USA Mike Lawrence, Chip Martel, Peter Pender, Hugh Ross, Lew Stansby, Kit Woolsey Kit Woolsey Kit Woolsey is an American bridge and backgammon player. He graduated from Oberlin College in 1964. He earned a master's degree in mathematics from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign in 1965.... |
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| |3. | Poland Cezary Balicki Cezary Balicki Cezary Balicki is a Polish bridge player holding the title of World Grand Master. Balicki won the World Transnational Open Teams in 2000 and 2009, European Open Teams in 1989 and 1993 as well as the prestige London Sunday Times Invitational Pairs in 1994. His team finished second in the 2000 World... , Julian Klukowski, Krzysztof Martens, Krzysztof Moszczyński, Marek Szymanowski, Adam Żmudziński Adam Zmudzinski Adam Żmudziński is a Polish bridge player holding the title of World Grand Master. Żmudziński won the World Transnational Open Teams in 2000 and 2009, European Open Teams in 1989 and 1993 as well as the prestige London Sunday Times Invitational Pairs in 1994. His team finished second in the 2000... |
Australia finished fourth at home.Egypt and Colombia represented Asia–Middle East and Central America–Caribbean. Poland and France, the best of 25 teams in Europe, finished only 3rd and 6th.
1991 YokohamaYokohamais the capital city of Kanagawa Prefecture and the second largest city in Japan by population after Tokyo and most populous municipality of Japan. It lies on Tokyo Bay, south of Tokyo, in the Kantō region of the main island of Honshu...
, JapanJapanJapan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
Iceland won its first Bermuda Bowl after finishing fourth in the Europe, the last to qualify from Zone 1. Europe's fourth, third, and second place teams won all three medals while European champion Great Britain finished 5th to 8th in the world.The tournament expanded from 10 teams with a 4-team knockout conclusion to 16 teams with an 8-team KO, without any playoffs to distinguish the four quarterfinal losers. Defending champion Brazil finished fourth, Argentina 5th to 8th. The two USA teams also finished 5th to 8th.
| 1991 |
16 | 1. | Iceland Guðmundur Páll Arnarson, Örn Arnþórsson, Jón Baldursson, Guðlaugur Jóhannsson, Þorlákur Jónsson, Aðalsteinn Jörgensen |
| |2. | Poland Cezary Balicki Cezary Balicki Cezary Balicki is a Polish bridge player holding the title of World Grand Master. Balicki won the World Transnational Open Teams in 2000 and 2009, European Open Teams in 1989 and 1993 as well as the prestige London Sunday Times Invitational Pairs in 1994. His team finished second in the 2000 World... , Piotr Gawryś Piotr Gawrys Piotr Gawryś is a Polish bridge player. Gawrys, WBF Grand Master, has won 3 world championships; World Team Olympics in 1984, Transnational Mixed Teams 2000 and Transnational Open Teams 2005. His other first places include; World Masters Individual in 1992 , European Teams Championships 1993 and... , Krzysztof Lasocki, Krzysztof Martens, Marek Szymanowski, Adam Żmudziński Adam Zmudzinski Adam Żmudziński is a Polish bridge player holding the title of World Grand Master. Żmudziński won the World Transnational Open Teams in 2000 and 2009, European Open Teams in 1989 and 1993 as well as the prestige London Sunday Times Invitational Pairs in 1994. His team finished second in the 2000... |
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| |3. | Sweden Sven-Åke Bjerregård, Björn Fallenius, Tommy Gullberg, Anders Morath, Mats Nilsland, Per Olof Sundelin |
Brazil finished fourth with the same lineup that won in 1989. With expansion from 10 to 16 teams, a third entry was awarded to North America, and the American Contract Bridge League settled on two United States teams, who both finished 5th to 8th. (The two US teams are determined under the auspices of the United States Bridge Federation. The other team from Zone 2 is determined by a playoff of other national teams, if necessary.)1993 SantiagoSantiago, ChileSantiago , also known as Santiago de Chile, is the capital and largest city of Chile, and the center of its largest conurbation . It is located in the country's central valley, at an elevation of above mean sea level...
, ChileChileChile ,officially the Republic of Chile , is a country in South America occupying a long, narrow coastal strip between the Andes mountains to the east and the Pacific Ocean to the west. It borders Peru to the north, Bolivia to the northeast, Argentina to the east, and the Drake Passage in the far...
Netherlands won its first Bermuda Bowl. Netherlands and Norway were fourth and third in Europe, as finalists Iceland and Poland had been two years earlier.Boer, Leufkens, and Westra had played on the Netherlands 1987 world champion junior team. Helgemo of Norway played on the contemporary junior team and thus won two silver medals in 1993.
| 1993 |
16 | 1. | Netherlands Wubbo de Boer, Piet Jansen, Enri Leufkens, Bauke Muller Bauke Muller Bauke Muller is a Dutch bridge player living in Hoorn.Muller was World Champion Open Teams in 1993 and European Champion Open Teams in 2005. In 2007 he won the bronze medal at both the European Open Team Championships in Antalya and the World Open Teams Championships in Shanghai... , Jan Westerhof, Berry Westra Berry Westra Berry Westra is a Dutch bridge professional. At age of 18 Westra made his debut with former bridge world champion Hans Kreijns in the meesterklasse . In 1986 Westra became European champion youth bridge. The world championship in the same category followed a year later... |
| |2. | Norway Terje Aa Terje Aa Terje Aa is a Norwegian bridge player, WBF World Life Master, and regular member of the Norwegian team since 1993. Teams on which he was a member have placed in the top three of the World Bridge Federation European and World Championships 11 times between 1984 and 2008.In 1993, Aa debuted as the... , Glenn Grøtheim Glenn Grøtheim Glenn Grøtheim is a Norwegian bridge player, WBF World Grand Master, winner of the 2007 Bermuda Bowl and a regular member of the Norwegian team since 1987.... , Geir Helgemo Geir Helgemo Geir Helgemo is a Norwegian professional bridge player. As of April 2011 he ranks number 11 among Open World Grand Masters.... , Tor Helness, Arild Rasmussen, Jon Sveindal |
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| |3. | Brazil Marcelo Amaral, José Barbosa, Pedro Paulo Branco, Carlos Camacho, Gabriel Chagas Gabriel Chagas Gabriel Pinheiro Chagas Filho is a famous Brazilian bridge player. He was the winner of World Team Olympiad in Monte Carlo 1976, Bermuda Bowl in Perth 1989, World Open Pairs Championship in Geneva 1990, as well as Transnational Teams in Paris 2001... , Roberto Mello |
USA 2 finished fourth.South Africa represented Africa for the first time. Mexico won the third slot from North America. Host Chile finished last, as Japan and Jamaica had done.
1995 BeijingBeijingBeijing , also known as Peking , is the capital of the People's Republic of China and one of the most populous cities in the world, with a population of 19,612,368 as of 2010. The city is the country's political, cultural, and educational center, and home to the headquarters for most of China's...
, ChinaChinaChinese civilization may refer to:* China for more general discussion of the country.* Chinese culture* Greater China, the transnational community of ethnic Chinese.* History of China* Sinosphere, the area historically affected by Chinese culture...
This was the first win for Nick Nickell's professional team ("Nickell" in North American tournaments). Canada made its best showing by far and South Africa finished fifth while the European and US champions did not reach the quarterfinal.
| 1995 |
16 | 1. | USA 2Annual rankings published by the WBF show double representation for the US in 1983 and from 1991 to date. Select "Venue" links at "World Team Championships to Date". Confirmed 2011-08-17. Some years before 1983, there was one "North America" team representing the American Contract Bridge League American Contract Bridge League The American Contract Bridge League is the largest contract bridge organization in North America. It promotes the game of bridge in the United States, Mexico, Bermuda, and Canada, and is a member of the World Bridge Federation... rather than any national team representing USA, Canada, Mexico, or Bermuda. Richard Freeman Richard Freeman (bridge) Richard Freeman was a world champion American bridge player holding the title of World Grand Master. He won the Bermuda Bowl world team championship and won many national championships. Freeman was inducted into the American Contract Bridge League's Hall of Fame in 2001... , Bob Hamman Bob Hamman Robert David Hamman is an American professional bridge player, among the greatest players of all time.... , Jeff Meckstroth Jeff Meckstroth Jeffrey John Meckstroth is a multiple world champion in contract bridge, winning the Bermuda Bowl representing the U.S. five times. He is one of only ten players who have won the so-called triple crown of bridge: the Bermuda Bowl, the World Open Pairs and the World Team Olympiad... , Nick Nickell, Eric Rodwell Eric Rodwell Eric Victor Rodwell is an American professional bridge player. He has won the Bermuda Bowl representing the U.S. five times and is one of ten players who have won the so-called triple crown of bridge: the Bermuda Bowl, the World Open Pairs and the World Team Olympiad... , Bobby Wolff Bobby Wolff Robert S. Wolff is an American bridge player and 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... |
| |2. | Canada Boris Baran, Fred Gitelman Fred Gitelman Fred Gitelman is a leading American bridge player, as well as the founder and manager of , a bridge playing site.... , Eric Kokish, George Mittelman, Mark Molson, Joey Silver |
||
| |3. | France Paul Chemla Paul Chemla Paul Chemla is a famous French bridge player.Chemla was born in Tunis. He studied at the École Normale Supérieure in Paris where he took up playing bridge. His wins include three European Pairs Championships , two World Team Olympiads , and the 1997 Bermuda Bowl... , Philippe Cronier, Michel Lebel, Michel Perron, Robert Reiplinger, Philippe Soulet |
Sweden finished fourth.1997 Hammamet, TunisiaTunisiaTunisia , officially the Tunisian RepublicThe long name of Tunisia in other languages used in the country is: , is the northernmost country in Africa. It is a Maghreb country and is bordered by Algeria to the west, Libya to the southeast, and the Mediterranean Sea to the north and east. Its area...
France won its first Bermuda Bowl as the fifth and last qualifier from Europe following another Bermuda Bowl tournament expansion.| 1997 |
18 | 1. | France Paul Chemla Paul Chemla Paul Chemla is a famous French bridge player.Chemla was born in Tunis. He studied at the École Normale Supérieure in Paris where he took up playing bridge. His wins include three European Pairs Championships , two World Team Olympiads , and the 1997 Bermuda Bowl... , Alain Lévy, Christian Mari, Hervé Mouiel, Franck Multon, Michel Perron |
| |2. | USA 2 Richard Freeman Richard Freeman (bridge) Richard Freeman was a world champion American bridge player holding the title of World Grand Master. He won the Bermuda Bowl world team championship and won many national championships. Freeman was inducted into the American Contract Bridge League's Hall of Fame in 2001... , Bob Hamman Bob Hamman Robert David Hamman is an American professional bridge player, among the greatest players of all time.... , Jeff Meckstroth Jeff Meckstroth Jeffrey John Meckstroth is a multiple world champion in contract bridge, winning the Bermuda Bowl representing the U.S. five times. He is one of only ten players who have won the so-called triple crown of bridge: the Bermuda Bowl, the World Open Pairs and the World Team Olympiad... , Nick Nickell, Eric Rodwell Eric Rodwell Eric Victor Rodwell is an American professional bridge player. He has won the Bermuda Bowl representing the U.S. five times and is one of ten players who have won the so-called triple crown of bridge: the Bermuda Bowl, the World Open Pairs and the World Team Olympiad... , Bobby Wolff Bobby Wolff Robert S. Wolff is an American bridge player and 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... |
||
| |3. | Norway Terje Aa Terje Aa Terje Aa is a Norwegian bridge player, WBF World Life Master, and regular member of the Norwegian team since 1993. Teams on which he was a member have placed in the top three of the World Bridge Federation European and World Championships 11 times between 1984 and 2008.In 1993, Aa debuted as the... , Boye Brogeland, Glenn Grøtheim Glenn Grøtheim Glenn Grøtheim is a Norwegian bridge player, WBF World Grand Master, winner of the 2007 Bermuda Bowl and a regular member of the Norwegian team since 1987.... , Geir Helgemo Geir Helgemo Geir Helgemo is a Norwegian professional bridge player. As of April 2011 he ranks number 11 among Open World Grand Masters.... , Tor Helness, Erik Sælensminde |
USA 1 finished fourth.Host Tunisia finished last and South Africa plummeted to second-last.
2000 SouthamptonSouthampton Parish, BermudaSouthampton Parish is one of the nine parishes of Bermuda. It is named for Henry Wriothesley, 3rd Earl of Southampton .It is located in the southwest of the island chain, occupying all of the western part of the main island, except for the westernmost tip...
, BermudaBermudaBermuda is a British overseas territory in the North Atlantic Ocean. Located off the east coast of the United States, its nearest landmass is Cape Hatteras, North Carolina, about to the west-northwest. It is about south of Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada, and northeast of Miami, Florida...
The Bermuda Bowl cycle continued as usual in 1998/1999 but the concluding tournament was in January 2000, marking the 50th anniversary of the inaugural contest in HamiltonHamilton, Bermuda
Hamilton is the capital of the British Overseas Territory of Bermuda. It is the territory's financial centre and a major port and tourist destination.-Geography:...
.Alan Truscott wrote "exactly half a century" without specifying exactly to the calendar year, month, weekday, or date.
Beside the expansion, "Britain" had been succeeded by England, Scotland, and Wales as three of about forty bridge nations in "Europe". In contrast to that three-way competition among teams representing America, Britain, and Europe, there were now eight geographic zones from which twenty teams qualified in numbers influenced by past bridge population and performance.
- Europe: Italy, Sweden, Norway, Bulgaria, France, Poland —1st to 6th in the European championship
- North America: USA 1, USA 2, Canada, and Bermuda as the host country
- South America: Argentina, Brazil
- Asia & Middle East: Pakistan
- C. America & Carib.: Guadeloupe
- Pacific Asia: China, Taiwan, Indonesia
- South Pacific: Australia, New Zealand
- Africa: South Africa
| Year | Entries | Rank | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 |
20 | 1. | USA 1 Richard Freeman Richard Freeman (bridge) Richard Freeman was a world champion American bridge player holding the title of World Grand Master. He won the Bermuda Bowl world team championship and won many national championships. Freeman was inducted into the American Contract Bridge League's Hall of Fame in 2001... , Bob Hamman Bob Hamman Robert David Hamman is an American professional bridge player, among the greatest players of all time.... , Jeff Meckstroth Jeff Meckstroth Jeffrey John Meckstroth is a multiple world champion in contract bridge, winning the Bermuda Bowl representing the U.S. five times. He is one of only ten players who have won the so-called triple crown of bridge: the Bermuda Bowl, the World Open Pairs and the World Team Olympiad... , Nick Nickell, Eric Rodwell Eric Rodwell Eric Victor Rodwell is an American professional bridge player. He has won the Bermuda Bowl representing the U.S. five times and is one of ten players who have won the so-called triple crown of bridge: the Bermuda Bowl, the World Open Pairs and the World Team Olympiad... , Paul Soloway Paul Soloway Paul Soloway was a world champion American bridge player. He won the Bermuda Bowl world team championship five times and won 30 national championships. Soloway was inducted into the American Contract Bridge League's Hall of Fame in 2002... |
| |2. | Brazil Marcelo Branco Marcelo Branco Marcelo Branco is famous Brazilian bridge player. Among other successes, he was the winner of World Team Olympiad in Monte Carlo 1976, Bermuda Bowl in Perth 1989, and World Open pairs Championship in New Orleans 1978 and Geneva 1990. He is one of 10 players who collected the Triple Crown of Bridge... , João Paulo Campos, Gabriel Chagas Gabriel Chagas Gabriel Pinheiro Chagas Filho is a famous Brazilian bridge player. He was the winner of World Team Olympiad in Monte Carlo 1976, Bermuda Bowl in Perth 1989, World Open Pairs Championship in Geneva 1990, as well as Transnational Teams in Paris 2001... , Ricardo Janz, Roberto Mello, Miguel Villasboas |
||
| |3. | USA 2 Chip Martel, Lew Stansby, Zia Mahmood Zia Mahmood Zia Mahmood is a Pakistani professional bridge player. He is a World Bridge Federation and American Contract Bridge League Grand Life Master. He has a knack for bringing out the best in his partners and is regarded as one of the greatest players of the game... , Michael Rosenberg Michael Rosenberg Michael Rosenberg is one of the top bridge players in the United States. He moved to Scotland as a child and returned to New York in 1990 where he lives with his wife Debbie, also a top player.... , Neil Silverman, Jeff Wolfson |
Norway finished fourth.Europe's six teams all finished in the top ten but only Norway reached the semifinal. Bermuda finished last, the fifth time for six hosts since 1989.
2001 ParisParisParis is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
, FranceFranceThe French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
| 2001 |
18 | 1. | USA 2 Kyle Larsen, Chip Martel, Rose Meltzer, Alan Sontag Alan Sontag Alan M. Sontag is a world champion American bridge player and author of bridge books.-Bridge career:Although he is a six-time world champion in contract bridge, winning the prestige Bermuda Bowl twice, Sontag is best known as the author of The Bridge Bum, a book "on everybody's list of the top ten... , Lew Stansby, Peter Weichsel |
| |2. | Norway Terje Aa Terje Aa Terje Aa is a Norwegian bridge player, WBF World Life Master, and regular member of the Norwegian team since 1993. Teams on which he was a member have placed in the top three of the World Bridge Federation European and World Championships 11 times between 1984 and 2008.In 1993, Aa debuted as the... , Boye Brogeland, Glenn Grøtheim Glenn Grøtheim Glenn Grøtheim is a Norwegian bridge player, WBF World Grand Master, winner of the 2007 Bermuda Bowl and a regular member of the Norwegian team since 1987.... , Geir Helgemo Geir Helgemo Geir Helgemo is a Norwegian professional bridge player. As of April 2011 he ranks number 11 among Open World Grand Masters.... , Tor Helness, Erik Sælensminde |
||
| |3. | Poland Cezary Balicki Cezary Balicki Cezary Balicki is a Polish bridge player holding the title of World Grand Master. Balicki won the World Transnational Open Teams in 2000 and 2009, European Open Teams in 1989 and 1993 as well as the prestige London Sunday Times Invitational Pairs in 1994. His team finished second in the 2000 World... , Michał Kwiecień, Marcin Leśniewski, Krzysztof Martens, Jacek Pszczoła, Adam Żmudziński Adam Zmudzinski Adam Żmudziński is a Polish bridge player holding the title of World Grand Master. Żmudziński won the World Transnational Open Teams in 2000 and 2009, European Open Teams in 1989 and 1993 as well as the prestige London Sunday Times Invitational Pairs in 1994. His team finished second in the 2000... |
Italy finished fourth.2003 Monte CarloMonte CarloMonte Carlo is an administrative area of the Principality of Monaco....
, MonacoMonacoMonaco , officially the Principality of Monaco , is a sovereign city state on the French Riviera. It is bordered on three sides by its neighbour, France, and its centre is about from Italy. Its area is with a population of 35,986 as of 2011 and is the most densely populated country in the...
Another expansion. Perennial Euro-champ Italy continued its slow advance in BB competition.| 2003 |
22 | 1. | USA 1 Richard Freeman Richard Freeman (bridge) Richard Freeman was a world champion American bridge player holding the title of World Grand Master. He won the Bermuda Bowl world team championship and won many national championships. Freeman was inducted into the American Contract Bridge League's Hall of Fame in 2001... , Bob Hamman Bob Hamman Robert David Hamman is an American professional bridge player, among the greatest players of all time.... , Jeff Meckstroth Jeff Meckstroth Jeffrey John Meckstroth is a multiple world champion in contract bridge, winning the Bermuda Bowl representing the U.S. five times. He is one of only ten players who have won the so-called triple crown of bridge: the Bermuda Bowl, the World Open Pairs and the World Team Olympiad... , Nick Nickell, Eric Rodwell Eric Rodwell Eric Victor Rodwell is an American professional bridge player. He has won the Bermuda Bowl representing the U.S. five times and is one of ten players who have won the so-called triple crown of bridge: the Bermuda Bowl, the World Open Pairs and the World Team Olympiad... , Paul Soloway Paul Soloway Paul Soloway was a world champion American bridge player. He won the Bermuda Bowl world team championship five times and won 30 national championships. Soloway was inducted into the American Contract Bridge League's Hall of Fame in 2002... |
| |2. | Italy Norberto Bocchi Norberto Bocchi Norberto Bocchi is an Italian bridge player. Bocchi has won four World teams championships along with six consecutive European teams championships and a seventh European in 2010. For many years his regular partner was Giorgio Duboin... , Giorgio Duboin Giorgio Duboin Giorgio Duboin is an Italian professional bridge player. He has won four world teams championships along with six consecutive European teams championships and a seventh European in 2010... , Fulvio Fantoni Fulvio Fantoni Fulvio Fantoni is an Italian international bridge player. He is a six-time world champion, a World Grand Master of the World Bridge Federation , and the WBF first-ranked player as of April 2011... , Lorenzo Lauria, Claudio Nunes Claudio Nunes Claudio Nunes is an Italian bridge international. He is a five-time world champion, a World Grand Master of the World Bridge Federation , and the WBF second-ranked player as of April 2011... , Alfredo Versace |
||
| |The WBF current list of final rankings is corrupt: Poland and USA 2 tie third, Norway 4, followed by 5-6-7 with no eighth place. 36th World Team Championships: Results & Participants, 2003. Contemporary coverage shows that USA 2 and Norway finished 3-4 with Poland and three others 5th to 8th. Results: Bermuda Bowl: Quarterfinals, Daily Bulletin 9, 2003-11-11, page 2. Results: Bermuda Bowl: Play-Off, Daily Bulletin 12, 2003-11-14, page 2. |
3. | USA 2 Doug Doub, Steve Landen, Pratap Rajadhyaksha, Adam Wildavsky, (Dan Morse, Bobby Wolff Bobby Wolff Robert S. Wolff is an American bridge player and 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... )* |
* Morse and Wolff did not play enough boards to qualify for third place.
Norway finished fourth.2005 EstorilEstorilEstoril is a seaside resort and civil parish of the Portuguese municipality of Cascais, Lisboa District. The Estoril coast is close to Lisbon, the capital of Portugal. It starts in Carcavelos, 15 kilometres from Lisbon, and stretches as far as Guincho, often known as Costa de Estoril-Sintra or...
, PortugalPortugalPortugal , officially the Portuguese Republic is a country situated in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula. Portugal is the westernmost country of Europe, and is bordered by the Atlantic Ocean to the West and South and by Spain to the North and East. The Atlantic archipelagos of the...
Italy's 14th Bermuda Bowl was its first since 1975.| 2005 |
22 | 1. | Italy Norberto Bocchi Norberto Bocchi Norberto Bocchi is an Italian bridge player. Bocchi has won four World teams championships along with six consecutive European teams championships and a seventh European in 2010. For many years his regular partner was Giorgio Duboin... , Giorgio Duboin Giorgio Duboin Giorgio Duboin is an Italian professional bridge player. He has won four world teams championships along with six consecutive European teams championships and a seventh European in 2010... , Fulvio Fantoni Fulvio Fantoni Fulvio Fantoni is an Italian international bridge player. He is a six-time world champion, a World Grand Master of the World Bridge Federation , and the WBF first-ranked player as of April 2011... , Lorenzo Lauria, Claudio Nunes Claudio Nunes Claudio Nunes is an Italian bridge international. He is a five-time world champion, a World Grand Master of the World Bridge Federation , and the WBF second-ranked player as of April 2011... , Alfredo Versace |
| |2. | USA 1 Richard Freeman Richard Freeman (bridge) Richard Freeman was a world champion American bridge player holding the title of World Grand Master. He won the Bermuda Bowl world team championship and won many national championships. Freeman was inducted into the American Contract Bridge League's Hall of Fame in 2001... , Bob Hamman Bob Hamman Robert David Hamman is an American professional bridge player, among the greatest players of all time.... , Jeff Meckstroth Jeff Meckstroth Jeffrey John Meckstroth is a multiple world champion in contract bridge, winning the Bermuda Bowl representing the U.S. five times. He is one of only ten players who have won the so-called triple crown of bridge: the Bermuda Bowl, the World Open Pairs and the World Team Olympiad... , Nick Nickell, Eric Rodwell Eric Rodwell Eric Victor Rodwell is an American professional bridge player. He has won the Bermuda Bowl representing the U.S. five times and is one of ten players who have won the so-called triple crown of bridge: the Bermuda Bowl, the World Open Pairs and the World Team Olympiad... , Paul Soloway Paul Soloway Paul Soloway was a world champion American bridge player. He won the Bermuda Bowl world team championship five times and won 30 national championships. Soloway was inducted into the American Contract Bridge League's Hall of Fame in 2002... |
||
| |3. | USA 2 Fred Gitelman Fred Gitelman Fred Gitelman is a leading American bridge player, as well as the founder and manager of , a bridge playing site.... , Eric Greco, Geoff Hampson, Russ Ekeblad, Brad Moss, Ron Rubin |
Sweden finished fourth.2007 ShanghaiShanghaiShanghai is the largest city by population in China and the largest city proper in the world. It is one of the four province-level municipalities in the People's Republic of China, with a total population of over 23 million as of 2010...
, ChinaChinaChinese civilization may refer to:* China for more general discussion of the country.* Chinese culture* Greater China, the transnational community of ethnic Chinese.* History of China* Sinosphere, the area historically affected by Chinese culture...
The 38th Bermuda Bowl saw Norway win its first title, after two second, one third, and two fourth from 1993. Helgemo–Helness and Glenn Grøtheim were members of all six teams.| 2007 |
22 | 1. | Norway Boye Brogeland, Glenn Grøtheim Glenn Grøtheim Glenn Grøtheim is a Norwegian bridge player, WBF World Grand Master, winner of the 2007 Bermuda Bowl and a regular member of the Norwegian team since 1987.... , Geir Helgemo Geir Helgemo Geir Helgemo is a Norwegian professional bridge player. As of April 2011 he ranks number 11 among Open World Grand Masters.... , Tor Helness, Erik Sælensminde, Ulf Håkon Tundal |
| |2. | USA 1 Steve Garner, George Jacobs, Ralph Katz Ralph Katz Ralph Katz is an American bridge player.Domestically, he has won 20 North American Bridge Championships and twice the Open Team Trials. Internationally, he has many top finishes, highlighted by a win in the 2009 Bermuda Bowl... , Zia Mahmood Zia Mahmood Zia Mahmood is a Pakistani professional bridge player. He is a World Bridge Federation and American Contract Bridge League Grand Life Master. He has a knack for bringing out the best in his partners and is regarded as one of the greatest players of the game... , Michael Rosenberg Michael Rosenberg Michael Rosenberg is one of the top bridge players in the United States. He moved to Scotland as a child and returned to New York in 1990 where he lives with his wife Debbie, also a top player.... , Howard Weinstein |
||
| |3. | Netherlands Ton Bakkeren, Huub Bertens Huub Bertens Hubertus Bertens"Huub" is a Dutch bridge player from Tilburg, Netherlands. Huub has won numerous national and some international tournaments including the Cavendish Invitational, NEC Cup, the Yeh Brothers Cup, the European Open Team Championships... , Sjoert Brink, Bas Drijver, Simon de Wijs, Bauke Muller Bauke Muller Bauke Muller is a Dutch bridge player living in Hoorn.Muller was World Champion Open Teams in 1993 and European Champion Open Teams in 2005. In 2007 he won the bronze medal at both the European Open Team Championships in Antalya and the World Open Teams Championships in Shanghai... |
South Africa finished fourth.Its advance to the quarterfinal was a surprise
and there it knocked out the defending champion and advance favourite Italy.
2009 São PauloSão PauloSão Paulo is the largest city in Brazil, the largest city in the southern hemisphere and South America, and the world's seventh largest city by population. The metropolis is anchor to the São Paulo metropolitan area, ranked as the second-most populous metropolitan area in the Americas and among...
, BrazilBrazilBrazil , officially the Federative Republic of Brazil , is the largest country in South America. It is the world's fifth largest country, both by geographical area and by population with over 192 million people...
This was the fourth win for Nick Nickell's professional teams representing the United States (1995, 2000, 2003, 2009). Meckstroth–Rodwell and Bob Hamman were also members of all four teams.| 2009 |
22 | 1. | USA 2 Bob Hamman Bob Hamman Robert David Hamman is an American professional bridge player, among the greatest players of all time.... , Zia Mahmood Zia Mahmood Zia Mahmood is a Pakistani professional bridge player. He is a World Bridge Federation and American Contract Bridge League Grand Life Master. He has a knack for bringing out the best in his partners and is regarded as one of the greatest players of the game... , Jeff Meckstroth Jeff Meckstroth Jeffrey John Meckstroth is a multiple world champion in contract bridge, winning the Bermuda Bowl representing the U.S. five times. He is one of only ten players who have won the so-called triple crown of bridge: the Bermuda Bowl, the World Open Pairs and the World Team Olympiad... , Eric Rodwell Eric Rodwell Eric Victor Rodwell is an American professional bridge player. He has won the Bermuda Bowl representing the U.S. five times and is one of ten players who have won the so-called triple crown of bridge: the Bermuda Bowl, the World Open Pairs and the World Team Olympiad... , Nick Nickell, Ralph Katz Ralph Katz Ralph Katz is an American bridge player.Domestically, he has won 20 North American Bridge Championships and twice the Open Team Trials. Internationally, he has many top finishes, highlighted by a win in the 2009 Bermuda Bowl... * |
| |2. | Italy Antonio Sementa, Giorgio Duboin Giorgio Duboin Giorgio Duboin is an Italian professional bridge player. He has won four world teams championships along with six consecutive European teams championships and a seventh European in 2010... , Fulvio Fantoni Fulvio Fantoni Fulvio Fantoni is an Italian international bridge player. He is a six-time world champion, a World Grand Master of the World Bridge Federation , and the WBF first-ranked player as of April 2011... , Claudio Nunes Claudio Nunes Claudio Nunes is an Italian bridge international. He is a five-time world champion, a World Grand Master of the World Bridge Federation , and the WBF second-ranked player as of April 2011... , Lorenzo Lauria, Alfredo Versace |
||
| |3. | Bulgaria Victor Aronov, Diyan Danailov, Kalin Karaivanov, Georgi Karakolev, Julian Stefanov, Roumen Trendafilov |
* Katz was the replacement for Richard Freeman, who passed away after USA 2 qualified for the Bermuda Bowl.
China "Long Zhu" finished fourth. Beside China and the American winners, the quarterfinalists were all six teams from Europe. Bulgaria placed third after winning the first European Small Federations Trophy in 2007, for national teams representing no more than 500 players.2011 VeldhovenVeldhovenVeldhoven is a municipality and a town on the Gender stream in the southern Netherlands, located just south-west of Eindhoven.- Population centres :...
, NetherlandsNetherlandsThe Netherlands is a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, located mainly in North-West Europe and with several islands in the Caribbean. Mainland Netherlands borders the North Sea to the north and west, Belgium to the south, and Germany to the east, and shares maritime borders...
The 40th Bermuda Bowl tournament concluded Saturday, October 29.Italy had routed the USA champions 167–69 in a one-day match for the bronze medal while the host Netherlands faced USA 2 in a three-day final. The Dutch hosts led by 55 IMP after two days (96 deals) and scored very well in the first session on Saturday to lead by 83 and coast to victory.
The Bermuda Bowl is a trophy awarded to the winners of the Open series in the World Team Championship in contract bridge
Contract bridge
Contract bridge, usually known simply as bridge, is a trick-taking card game using a standard deck of 52 playing cards played by four players in two competing partnerships with partners sitting opposite each other around a small table...
and is named for the site of the inaugural tournament held in 1950. The term has since become synonymous with the World Team Championships now held in several player categories under the auspices of the World Bridge Federation
World Bridge Federation
The World Bridge Federation is the world governing body of contract bridge. The WBF is responsible for world championship competition, most of which is conducted at a few multi-event meets on a four-year cycle...
and is the oldest event that confers the title World Champion in bridge.
Inauguration and evolution
Organized principally by Norman Bach, an accountant and bridge player from Bermuda who played for Britain the Bermuda Bowl was the first world championship event held after World War II and started out as a competition between USA, Europe and Britain in 1950.The first event was won by USA and after this, the Bermuda Bowl became a yearly challenge match between the USA and the European Champions. The format evolved allowing for progressivly more teams and the addition of events for women and seniors. Key milestones were:
- 1950: The first open team event in Bermuda between the USA, Europe and Britain who played round-robin for raw scores or "total points".
- 1951: The next several contests were head-on matches between representatives of the American Contract Bridge LeagueAmerican Contract Bridge LeagueThe American Contract Bridge League is the largest contract bridge organization in North America. It promotes the game of bridge in the United States, Mexico, Bermuda, and Canada, and is a member of the World Bridge Federation...
(North America) and the European Bridge LeagueEuropean Bridge LeagueThe European Bridge League is a confederation of National Bridge Federations that organize the card game of contract bridge in European nations. In turn the EBL organizes bridge competition at the European level...
. - 1958: The tournament permanently included the champion of South America.
- 1961: Eligibility was expanded to include the defending champions.
- 1966: The tournament expanded to five with the addition of a representative from Asia.
- 1971: The field was expanded to include Australia.
- 1974: The World Bridge Federation inaugurated the Venice CupVenice CupThe World Teams Championship in contract bridge for women players only is also known as the Venice Cup, because the first edition was held in Venice, Italy in 1974.It is held every two years, in parallel to the Open World Teams Championship, the Bermuda Bowl....
tournament for Women Teams. - 1979: The defending champions were no longer eligible on that basis alone.
- 1981: Europe was awarded two places in the tournament. There would be nine teams if every WBF zone sent a champion.
- 1983: North America joined Europe with double representation, and the host country was automatically included too, so the potential size of the field increased by two. European and North American champions would have two places in the 4-team semifinal round. European and North American runners up would contend with champions of the other zones and the host country for two other semifinal slots.
- 1985: The Bermuda Bowl for open teams and Venice Cup for women would run side-by-side with the same structure in a venue outside Europe and North America (maintained until 2001).
Predecessor events
AustriaAustria
Austria , officially the Republic of Austria , is a landlocked country of roughly 8.4 million people in Central Europe. It is bordered by the Czech Republic and Germany to the north, Slovakia and Hungary to the east, Slovenia and Italy to the south, and Switzerland and Liechtenstein to the...
won the first world championship tournaments of any kind, which were Open and Women flights of national teams categories, conducted 1937 in Budapest
Budapest
Budapest is the capital of Hungary. As the largest city of Hungary, it is the country's principal political, cultural, commercial, industrial, and transportation centre. In 2011, Budapest had 1,733,685 inhabitants, down from its 1989 peak of 2,113,645 due to suburbanization. The Budapest Commuter...
, Hungary
Hungary
Hungary , officially the Republic of Hungary , is a landlocked country in Central Europe. It is situated in the Carpathian Basin and is bordered by Slovakia to the north, Ukraine and Romania to the east, Serbia and Croatia to the south, Slovenia to the southwest and Austria to the west. The...
. The open field comprised nineteen teams from eighteen countries – the USA had two teams, one lead by Ely Culbertson
Ely Culbertson
Ely Culbertson was an entreprenurial American contract bridge personality dominant during the Thirties and Forties. He played a major role in the early popularization of the game, and was widely regarded as "the man who made contract bridge"...
which placed second.
The 1937 championships were organized by the International Bridge League (IBL), essentially the predecessor of both the European Bridge League
European Bridge League
The European Bridge League is a confederation of National Bridge Federations that organize the card game of contract bridge in European nations. In turn the EBL organizes bridge competition at the European level...
(est. 1947) and the WBF (est. 1958). World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
practically destroyed the IBL and its nascent world championship tournament series.
With Austria the leading nation at the card table, the 1938 Anschluss
Anschluss
The Anschluss , also known as the ', was the occupation and annexation of Austria into Nazi Germany in 1938....
of Germany and Austria was a great disruption. The leading bridge theorist and mentor, Paul Stern
Paul Stern
Dr Paul Stern , lawyer and diplomat, was an Austrian international bridge player who fled to London in 1938. He was a bidding theorist and administrator who contributed to the early growth of the game...
was an outspoken opponent of Nazism
Nazism
Nazism, the common short form name of National Socialism was the ideology and practice of the Nazi Party and of Nazi Germany...
who fled to London and later became a British subject. That same year, at least Rixi Scharfstein (Markus)
Rixi Markus
Rixi Markus MBE was an Austrian and British international contract bridge player. She won five world titles, and was the first woman to become a World Grand Master within the World Bridge Federation...
from the Ladies emigrated to Britain; from the Open team at least Karl von Bluhdorn to Paris, Edward Frischauer and Walter Herbert to the United States, eventually California.
The International Bridge League organized two more European championships (making eight annual tournaments for national open teams, 1932–1939) but no more tournaments or official matches involving any team from outside Europe.
Current event
The 40th rendition was held on 15–29 October 2011 in VeldhovenVeldhoven
Veldhoven is a municipality and a town on the Gender stream in the southern Netherlands, located just south-west of Eindhoven.- Population centres :...
, Netherlands
Netherlands
The Netherlands is a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, located mainly in North-West Europe and with several islands in the Caribbean. Mainland Netherlands borders the North Sea to the north and west, Belgium to the south, and Germany to the east, and shares maritime borders...
.
There are 22 national teams in the field, who represent the eight WBF zones as follows. The quota for Europe is six teams, but seven this year because the host Netherlands is in Europe and qualifies automatically.
- Europe: Italy, Poland, Israel, Iceland, Sweden, Netherlands, Bulgaria —1st to 7th in the European championship
- North America: Canada, USA 1, USA 2
- South America: Brazil, Chile
- Asia & Middle East: India, Pakistan
- Central America & Caribbean: Guadeloupe
- Pacific Asia: China, Japan, Singapore
- South Pacific: Australia, New Zealand
- Africa: Egypt, South Africa
The first stage is a single round-robin (21 rounds of 16 deals each at three rounds per day), scheduled in advance.Schedule of Play / Bermuda Bowl. 2011. WBF.
Given the single round-robin structure, the particular schedule should make little difference to the outcome of the first stage.
The zonal quotas and tournament structures are now identical for the Open, Women, and Seniors flights, and they play simultaneously. The World Transnational Open Teams Championship begins after most teams are eliminated from the three major events, and their players are welcome to enter the WTOTC.
1950 HamiltonHamilton, BermudaHamilton is the capital of the British Overseas Territory of Bermuda. It is the territory's financial centre and a major port and tourist destination.-Geography:...
, BermudaBermudaBermuda is a British overseas territory in the North Atlantic Ocean. Located off the east coast of the United States, its nearest landmass is Cape Hatteras, North Carolina, about to the west-northwest. It is about south of Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada, and northeast of Miami, Florida...
The first rendition featured three teams who played round-robin for raw scores or "total points". The US team won both of its matches and Europe, featuring two pairs from Sweden and one from Iceland, defeated Great Britain.
| Year | Entries | Rank | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1950 |
3 | 1. | USA John Crawford John R. Crawford John Randolph Crawford was an American bridge and backgammon player... , Charles Goren Charles Goren Charles Henry Goren was a world champion American bridge player and bestselling author who contributed significantly to the development and popularization of the game following upon the heels of Ely Culbertson in the 1940s and rising to prominence in the 1950s to the early 1960s.-Early years:Goren... , George Rapee, Howard Schenken Howard Schenken Howard Schenken was an American bridge player, writer, and long-time columnist. In his career, Schenken won three Bermuda Bowl titles, and set several North American records: he won the Life Master Pairs five times, and the Spingold and Vanderbilt Trophy twelve and ten times, respectively... , Sidney Silodor, Samuel Stayman Samuel Stayman Samuel M. Stayman was an American bridge player, author and administrator. A graduate of the Amos Tuck School of Business Administration at Dartmouth College, he was also a successful textile executive and portfolio investment manager.He was the eponym of the Stayman convention... |
| |2. | Europe Gunnar Guðmundsson (ISL), Rudolf Kock Putte Kock Rudolf "Putte" Kock was a Swedish football, ice hockey and bridge player who won a bronze medal in the 1924 Summer Olympics as a football player, being voted the World's best left winger after the tournament... (SWE), Nils-Olof Lilliehöök (SWE), Einar Þorfinnsson (ISL), Einar Werner (SWE), Jan Wohlin (SWE) |
||
| |3. | Great Britain Leslie Dodds Leslie Dodds Leslie William Dodds was an English international bridge player and, by profession, an import-export merchant. He was a member of the British team which won the Bermuda Bowl in 1955... , Nico Gardener Nico Gardener Nico Gardener was a British international bridge player, born in Riga, Latvia .After the Russian Revolution his family moved to the Ukraine, and then to Moscow, where he trained as a ballet dancer. He later moved to Berlin, where he read languages and history at Berlin University, and played... , Maurice Harrison-Gray Maurice Harrison-Gray Maurice Harrison-Gray , known always as 'Gray', was an English professional contract bridge player. For about thirty years from the mid-thirties to the mid sixties he was one of the top players, and won the European Championship four times - in 1948, 1949, 1950 and 1963.- Life :Gray was the child... , Kenneth Konstam Kenneth Konstam Kenneth W. Konstam , often known as 'Konnie', was an English international bridge player, and in 1955 was one of the only British team to win the Bermuda Bowl. He won more European Open teams championships than any other British player.Konstam, educated at Oundle School, was employed for a time in... , Joel Tarlo, Louis Tarlo |
The next several contests would be head-on matches between representatives of the American Contract Bridge League
American Contract Bridge League
The American Contract Bridge League is the largest contract bridge organization in North America. It promotes the game of bridge in the United States, Mexico, Bermuda, and Canada, and is a member of the World Bridge Federation...
(North America) and the European Bridge League
European Bridge League
The European Bridge League is a confederation of National Bridge Federations that organize the card game of contract bridge in European nations. In turn the EBL organizes bridge competition at the European level...
.
1951 NaplesNaplesNaples is a city in Southern Italy, situated on the country's west coast by the Gulf of Naples. Lying between two notable volcanic regions, Mount Vesuvius and the Phlegraean Fields, it is the capital of the region of Campania and of the province of Naples...
, ItalyItalyItaly , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
| 1951 |
2 | 1. | USA B. Jay Becker, John Crawford John R. Crawford John Randolph Crawford was an American bridge and backgammon player... , George Rapee, Howard Schenken Howard Schenken Howard Schenken was an American bridge player, writer, and long-time columnist. In his career, Schenken won three Bermuda Bowl titles, and set several North American records: he won the Life Master Pairs five times, and the Spingold and Vanderbilt Trophy twelve and ten times, respectively... , Samuel Stayman Samuel Stayman Samuel M. Stayman was an American bridge player, author and administrator. A graduate of the Amos Tuck School of Business Administration at Dartmouth College, he was also a successful textile executive and portfolio investment manager.He was the eponym of the Stayman convention... |
| |2. | Italy Paolo Baroni, Eugenio Chiaradia, Pietro Forquet Pietro Forquet Pietro Forquet is an Italian bridge player, one of the most famous in bridge history. He won 15 World championship titles with Blue Team, playing with Eugenio Chiaradia, Guglielmo Siniscalco and, for the most part, Benito Garozzo. Apart from his excellent play, he was renowned for his nerves of... , Mario Franco, Augusto Ricci, Guglielmo Siniscalco |
1953 New York CityNew York CityNew York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
, United StatesUnited StatesThe United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
The United States team won its third consecutive championship with Crawford, Rapee, Schenken, and Stayman in place throughout. The fourth US winner would be a wholly new team.| 1953 |
2 | 1. | USA B. Jay Becker, John Crawford John R. Crawford John Randolph Crawford was an American bridge and backgammon player... , Theodore Lightner, George Rapee, Howard Schenken Howard Schenken Howard Schenken was an American bridge player, writer, and long-time columnist. In his career, Schenken won three Bermuda Bowl titles, and set several North American records: he won the Life Master Pairs five times, and the Spingold and Vanderbilt Trophy twelve and ten times, respectively... , Samuel Stayman Samuel Stayman Samuel M. Stayman was an American bridge player, author and administrator. A graduate of the Amos Tuck School of Business Administration at Dartmouth College, he was also a successful textile executive and portfolio investment manager.He was the eponym of the Stayman convention... |
| |2. | Sweden Gunnar Anulf, Rudolf Kock Putte Kock Rudolf "Putte" Kock was a Swedish football, ice hockey and bridge player who won a bronze medal in the 1924 Summer Olympics as a football player, being voted the World's best left winger after the tournament... , Robert Larsen, Nils-Olof Lilliehöök, Einar Werner, Jan Wohlin |
1954 Monte CarloMonte CarloMonte Carlo is an administrative area of the Principality of Monaco....
, MonacoMonacoMonaco , officially the Principality of Monaco , is a sovereign city state on the French Riviera. It is bordered on three sides by its neighbour, France, and its centre is about from Italy. Its area is with a population of 35,986 as of 2011 and is the most densely populated country in the...
France won the 1953 European championship with a six-man national team. For the Bermuda Bowl, Jean Besse of Switzerland and Karl Schneider of Austria replaced one of the French pairs. Schneider had been a member of the 1937 world champion Austrian team.| 1954 |
2 | 1. | USA Clifford Bishop, Milton Ellenby, Lew Mathe, Don Oakie, William Rosen William Rosen William Albert Rosen is an American bridge player, best known for winning the 1954 Bermuda Bowl world championship.... , Douglas Steen |
| |2. | Europe Jacques Amouraben (FRA), René Bacherich (FRA), Jean Besse (SUI), Pierre Ghestem Pierre Ghestem Pierre Ghestem was a French bridge and checkers player. In 1947 he became the world champion in checkers... (FRA), Marcel Kornblum (FRA), Karl Schneider (AUT) |
1955 New York CityNew York CityNew York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
, United StatesUnited StatesThe United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
Europe finally won the 5th Bermuda Bowl with a team of six men from Great Britain.| 1955 |
2 | 1. | Europe Leslie Dodds Leslie Dodds Leslie William Dodds was an English international bridge player and, by profession, an import-export merchant. He was a member of the British team which won the Bermuda Bowl in 1955... (GBR), Kenneth Konstam Kenneth Konstam Kenneth W. Konstam , often known as 'Konnie', was an English international bridge player, and in 1955 was one of the only British team to win the Bermuda Bowl. He won more European Open teams championships than any other British player.Konstam, educated at Oundle School, was employed for a time in... (GBR), Adam Meredith Adam Meredith Adam 'Plum' Meredith was a British professional bridge player. His origin was in County Down, Ireland. He was a key member of the British team which won the Bermuda Bowl in 1955. He won the European Championship in 1949 and 1954, and also played in 1955, 1957 and 1959... (GBR), Jordanis Pavlides Jordanis Pavlides Jordanis T. Pavlides was a British contract bridge player who won the British Bridge League Master Pairs in 1948, the Gold Cup in 1949, the European championship in 1954, and the Bermuda Bowl in 1955. He also represented Britain in the European championships of 1955... (GBR), Terence Reese Terence Reese John Terence Reese was a British bridge player and writer, regarded as one of the finest of all time in both fields... (GBR), Boris Schapiro Boris Schapiro Boris Schapiro was a British international bridge player. He was a Grandmaster of the World Bridge Federation, and the only player to have won both the Bermuda Bowl and the World Senior Pairs championship... (GBR) |
| |2. | USA Clifford Bishop, Milton Ellenby, Lew Mathe, John Moran, William Rosen William Rosen William Albert Rosen is an American bridge player, best known for winning the 1954 Bermuda Bowl world championship.... , Alvin Roth Alvin Roth Alvin L. Roth was an American bridge player, considered one of the greatest of all time. He wrote several books on the game, and invented various bridge conventions that have become commonplace, including five-card majors, negative doubles, forcing notrump, and the unusual notrump.-Biography:Roth... |
1956 ParisParisParis is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
, FranceFranceThe French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
France made it two in a row for Europe. Bacherich and Ghestem were veterans from 1954.| 1956 |
2 | 1. | France René Bacherich, Pierre Ghestem Pierre Ghestem Pierre Ghestem was a French bridge and checkers player. In 1947 he became the world champion in checkers... , Pierre Jaïs Pierre Jaïs Pierre Jaïs was a famous French bridge player. A World Bridge Federation Grand Master, he was the winner of World Team Olympiad in Turin 1960, Bermuda Bowl in Paris 1956, and World Open Pairs Championship in Cannes 1962. He is one of only 10 players who collected the Triple Crown of Bridge... , Robert Lattès, Bertrand Romanet, Roger Trézel Roger Trezel Roger Trézel was a famous French bridge player. A World Bridge Federation Grand Master, he was the winner of World Team Olympiad in Turin 1960, Bermuda Bowl in Paris 1956, and World Open Pairs Championship in Cannes 1962. He is one of only 10 players who collected the Triple Crown of Bridge... |
| |2. | USA Myron Field, Charles Goren Charles Goren Charles Henry Goren was a world champion American bridge player and bestselling author who contributed significantly to the development and popularization of the game following upon the heels of Ely Culbertson in the 1940s and rising to prominence in the 1950s to the early 1960s.-Early years:Goren... , Lee Hazen, Richard Kahn, Charles Solomon, Samuel Stayman Samuel Stayman Samuel M. Stayman was an American bridge player, author and administrator. A graduate of the Amos Tuck School of Business Administration at Dartmouth College, he was also a successful textile executive and portfolio investment manager.He was the eponym of the Stayman convention... |
1957 New York CityNew York CityNew York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
, United StatesUnited StatesThe United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
Italy's Blue TeamBlue team (bridge)
The Blue Team represented Italy in international contract bridge tournaments, winning sixteen world titles from 1957 through 1975. From 1964 to 1969 and during a 1972 comeback, the team comprised three regular pairs: Walter Avarelli–Giorgio Belladonna, Pietro Forquet–Benito Garozzo, and Massimo...
won its first of ten consecutive Bermuda Bowls. Chiaradia, Forquet, Siniscalco, and captain Carl'Alberto Perroux
Carl'Alberto Perroux
Carl'Alberto Perroux was Italian contract bridge official, founder and long-time non-playing captain of the Blue Team, the most successful team in bridge history...
were veterans from the 1951 team. Avarelli, Belladona, D'Alelio, and Forquet would play in every one.
| 1957 |
2 | 1. | Italy Walter Avarelli Walter Avarelli Walter Avarelli was an Italian bridge player, a member of the famous Blue Team, with whom he won 9 Bermuda Bowls and 3 World Team Olympiads in the period 1956-1972.... , Giorgio Belladonna Giorgio Belladonna Giorgio Belladonna was an Italian bridge player, one of the most famous in bridge history. He won 16 World championship titles with the Blue Team, playing with Walter Avarelli and Benito Garozzo... , Eugenio Chiaradia, Massimo D'Alelio Massimo D'Alelio Massimo D'Alelio neapolitan, was a famous Italian bridge player. He won 10 world championship titles with the Blue Team, playing with Eugenio Chiaradia and Camillo Pabis Ticci.-External links:* *... , Pietro Forquet Pietro Forquet Pietro Forquet is an Italian bridge player, one of the most famous in bridge history. He won 15 World championship titles with Blue Team, playing with Eugenio Chiaradia, Guglielmo Siniscalco and, for the most part, Benito Garozzo. Apart from his excellent play, he was renowned for his nerves of... , Guglielmo Siniscalco |
| |2. | USA Charles Goren Charles Goren Charles Henry Goren was a world champion American bridge player and bestselling author who contributed significantly to the development and popularization of the game following upon the heels of Ely Culbertson in the 1940s and rising to prominence in the 1950s to the early 1960s.-Early years:Goren... , Boris Koytchou, Peter Leventritt, Harold Ogust, William Seamon, Helen Sobel Helen Sobel Smith Helen Sobel Smith was an American bridge player. She is said to have been the "greatest woman bridge player of all time". She won 35 North American Bridge Championships, and was the first woman to play in the Bermuda Bowl... |
1958 ComoComoComo is a city and comune in Lombardy, Italy.It is the administrative capital of the Province of Como....
, ItalyItalyItaly , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
For 1958 the Bermuda Bowl tournament permanently included the champion of South America, whose federation and annual tournament were then ten years old. In the next several years, expansion covered other geographic zones and the defending champion.| 1958 |
3 | 1. | Italy Walter Avarelli Walter Avarelli Walter Avarelli was an Italian bridge player, a member of the famous Blue Team, with whom he won 9 Bermuda Bowls and 3 World Team Olympiads in the period 1956-1972.... , Giorgio Belladonna Giorgio Belladonna Giorgio Belladonna was an Italian bridge player, one of the most famous in bridge history. He won 16 World championship titles with the Blue Team, playing with Walter Avarelli and Benito Garozzo... , Eugenio Chiaradia, Massimo D'Alelio Massimo D'Alelio Massimo D'Alelio neapolitan, was a famous Italian bridge player. He won 10 world championship titles with the Blue Team, playing with Eugenio Chiaradia and Camillo Pabis Ticci.-External links:* *... , Pietro Forquet Pietro Forquet Pietro Forquet is an Italian bridge player, one of the most famous in bridge history. He won 15 World championship titles with Blue Team, playing with Eugenio Chiaradia, Guglielmo Siniscalco and, for the most part, Benito Garozzo. Apart from his excellent play, he was renowned for his nerves of... , Guglielmo Siniscalco |
| |2. | USA B. Jay Becker, John Crawford John R. Crawford John Randolph Crawford was an American bridge and backgammon player... , George Rapee, Alvin Roth Alvin Roth Alvin L. Roth was an American bridge player, considered one of the greatest of all time. He wrote several books on the game, and invented various bridge conventions that have become commonplace, including five-card majors, negative doubles, forcing notrump, and the unusual notrump.-Biography:Roth... , Sidney Silodor, Tobias Stone |
||
| |3. | Argentina Alberto Blousson, Carlos Cabanne, Ricardo Calvente, Alejandro Castro, Marcelo Lerner |
1959 New York CityNew York CityNew York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
, United StatesUnited StatesThe United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
| 1959 |
3 | 1. | Italy Walter Avarelli Walter Avarelli Walter Avarelli was an Italian bridge player, a member of the famous Blue Team, with whom he won 9 Bermuda Bowls and 3 World Team Olympiads in the period 1956-1972.... , Giorgio Belladonna Giorgio Belladonna Giorgio Belladonna was an Italian bridge player, one of the most famous in bridge history. He won 16 World championship titles with the Blue Team, playing with Walter Avarelli and Benito Garozzo... , Eugenio Chiaradia, Massimo D'Alelio Massimo D'Alelio Massimo D'Alelio neapolitan, was a famous Italian bridge player. He won 10 world championship titles with the Blue Team, playing with Eugenio Chiaradia and Camillo Pabis Ticci.-External links:* *... , Pietro Forquet Pietro Forquet Pietro Forquet is an Italian bridge player, one of the most famous in bridge history. He won 15 World championship titles with Blue Team, playing with Eugenio Chiaradia, Guglielmo Siniscalco and, for the most part, Benito Garozzo. Apart from his excellent play, he was renowned for his nerves of... , Guglielmo Siniscalco |
| |2. | North America Harry Fishbein (USA), Sam Fry Jr. (USA), Leonard Harmon (USA), Lee Hazen (USA), Sidney Lazard (USA), Ivar Stakgold (USA) |
||
| |3. | Argentina Alberto Berisso, Ricardo Calvente, Alejandro Castro, Carlos Dibar, Arturo Jaques, Egisto Rocchi |
1961 Buenos AiresBuenos AiresBuenos Aires is the capital and largest city of Argentina, and the second-largest metropolitan area in South America, after São Paulo. It is located on the western shore of the estuary of the Río de la Plata, on the southeastern coast of the South American continent...
, ArgentinaArgentinaArgentina , officially the Argentine Republic , is the second largest country in South America by land area, after Brazil. It is constituted as a federation of 23 provinces and an autonomous city, Buenos Aires...
The Blue Team won its fourth Bermuda Bowl, with Benito Garozzo now in the same lineup. This began a new string of annual world championships for Italy, after ranking only sixth in the inaugural World Team OlympiadWorld Team Olympiad
The World Team Olympiad was a contract bridge meet organized by the World Bridge Federation every four years from 1960 to 2004. Its main events were world championships for national teams, always including one open and one restricted to women...
, won by France.
At the same time, the Bermuda Bowl tournament expanded to include the defending champions. Throughout the 1960s that would mean Italy plus one from the "rest of Europe". Italy would use the European Team Championships to give some international experience to new players or new partnerships.
| 1961 |
4 | 1. | Italy Walter Avarelli Walter Avarelli Walter Avarelli was an Italian bridge player, a member of the famous Blue Team, with whom he won 9 Bermuda Bowls and 3 World Team Olympiads in the period 1956-1972.... , Giorgio Belladonna Giorgio Belladonna Giorgio Belladonna was an Italian bridge player, one of the most famous in bridge history. He won 16 World championship titles with the Blue Team, playing with Walter Avarelli and Benito Garozzo... , Eugenio Chiaradia, Massimo D'Alelio Massimo D'Alelio Massimo D'Alelio neapolitan, was a famous Italian bridge player. He won 10 world championship titles with the Blue Team, playing with Eugenio Chiaradia and Camillo Pabis Ticci.-External links:* *... , Pietro Forquet Pietro Forquet Pietro Forquet is an Italian bridge player, one of the most famous in bridge history. He won 15 World championship titles with Blue Team, playing with Eugenio Chiaradia, Guglielmo Siniscalco and, for the most part, Benito Garozzo. Apart from his excellent play, he was renowned for his nerves of... , Benito Garozzo Benito Garozzo Benito Garozzo is one of the most famous bridge players in the history of the game. He has won 13 world championship titles with the Italian Blue Team, playing with Pietro Forquet and later Giorgio Belladonna... |
| |2. | North America John Gerber (USA), Paul Hodge (USA), Norman Kay (USA), Peter Leventritt (USA), Howard Schenken Howard Schenken Howard Schenken was an American bridge player, writer, and long-time columnist. In his career, Schenken won three Bermuda Bowl titles, and set several North American records: he won the Life Master Pairs five times, and the Spingold and Vanderbilt Trophy twelve and ten times, respectively... (USA), Sidney Silodor (USA) |
||
| |3. | France René Bacherich, Claude Deruy, Pierre Ghestem Pierre Ghestem Pierre Ghestem was a French bridge and checkers player. In 1947 he became the world champion in checkers... , José Le Dentu, Roger Trézel Roger Trezel Roger Trézel was a famous French bridge player. A World Bridge Federation Grand Master, he was the winner of World Team Olympiad in Turin 1960, Bermuda Bowl in Paris 1956, and World Open Pairs Championship in Cannes 1962. He is one of only 10 players who collected the Triple Crown of Bridge... |
Argentina finished fourth.1962 New York CityNew York CityNew York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
, United StatesUnited StatesThe United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
| 1962 |
4 | 1. | Italy Walter Avarelli Walter Avarelli Walter Avarelli was an Italian bridge player, a member of the famous Blue Team, with whom he won 9 Bermuda Bowls and 3 World Team Olympiads in the period 1956-1972.... , Giorgio Belladonna Giorgio Belladonna Giorgio Belladonna was an Italian bridge player, one of the most famous in bridge history. He won 16 World championship titles with the Blue Team, playing with Walter Avarelli and Benito Garozzo... , Eugenio Chiaradia, Massimo D'Alelio Massimo D'Alelio Massimo D'Alelio neapolitan, was a famous Italian bridge player. He won 10 world championship titles with the Blue Team, playing with Eugenio Chiaradia and Camillo Pabis Ticci.-External links:* *... , Pietro Forquet Pietro Forquet Pietro Forquet is an Italian bridge player, one of the most famous in bridge history. He won 15 World championship titles with Blue Team, playing with Eugenio Chiaradia, Guglielmo Siniscalco and, for the most part, Benito Garozzo. Apart from his excellent play, he was renowned for his nerves of... , Benito Garozzo Benito Garozzo Benito Garozzo is one of the most famous bridge players in the history of the game. He has won 13 world championship titles with the Italian Blue Team, playing with Pietro Forquet and later Giorgio Belladonna... |
| |2. | North America Charles Coon (USA), Mervin Key (USA), Lew Mathe (USA), Eric Murray (CAN), G. Robert Nail (USA), Ron Von der Porten (USA) |
||
| |3. | Great Britain Nico Gardener Nico Gardener Nico Gardener was a British international bridge player, born in Riga, Latvia .After the Russian Revolution his family moved to the Ukraine, and then to Moscow, where he trained as a ballet dancer. He later moved to Berlin, where he read languages and history at Berlin University, and played... , Kenneth Konstam Kenneth Konstam Kenneth W. Konstam , often known as 'Konnie', was an English international bridge player, and in 1955 was one of the only British team to win the Bermuda Bowl. He won more European Open teams championships than any other British player.Konstam, educated at Oundle School, was employed for a time in... , Tony Priday Tony Priday Richard Anthony Priday is an English bridge player and journalist, who had a longstanding and successful partnership with Claude Rodrigue... , Claude Rodrigue, Albert Rose, Alan Truscott Alan Truscott Alan Fraser Truscott was a bridge player, author and columnist. He wrote the daily bridge column for The New York Times for 41 years, from 1964 to 2005 and served as Executive Editor for all six editions of The Official Encyclopedia of Bridge, 1964 to 2002.- Britain :Truscott was born in Brixton,... |
Argentina finished fourth.1963 St. VincentSaint-Vincent, ItalySaint-Vincent is a town and comune in the Aosta Valley region of north-western Italy. Saint-Vincent , is a popular summer holiday resort with mineral springs .-Geography:...
, ItalyItalyItaly , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
Italy won again. This was the last for "Professor" Eugenio Chiaradia and the only one of the ten in a row that Walter Avarelli missed.| 1963 |
4 | 1. | Italy Giorgio Belladonna Giorgio Belladonna Giorgio Belladonna was an Italian bridge player, one of the most famous in bridge history. He won 16 World championship titles with the Blue Team, playing with Walter Avarelli and Benito Garozzo... , Eugenio Chiaradia, Massimo D'Alelio Massimo D'Alelio Massimo D'Alelio neapolitan, was a famous Italian bridge player. He won 10 world championship titles with the Blue Team, playing with Eugenio Chiaradia and Camillo Pabis Ticci.-External links:* *... , Pietro Forquet Pietro Forquet Pietro Forquet is an Italian bridge player, one of the most famous in bridge history. He won 15 World championship titles with Blue Team, playing with Eugenio Chiaradia, Guglielmo Siniscalco and, for the most part, Benito Garozzo. Apart from his excellent play, he was renowned for his nerves of... , Benito Garozzo Benito Garozzo Benito Garozzo is one of the most famous bridge players in the history of the game. He has won 13 world championship titles with the Italian Blue Team, playing with Pietro Forquet and later Giorgio Belladonna... , Camillo Pabis Ticci |
| |2. | North America James Jacoby (USA), Robert Jordan (USA), Peter Leventritt (USA), G. Robert Nail (USA), Arthur Robinson (USA), Howard Schenken Howard Schenken Howard Schenken was an American bridge player, writer, and long-time columnist. In his career, Schenken won three Bermuda Bowl titles, and set several North American records: he won the Life Master Pairs five times, and the Spingold and Vanderbilt Trophy twelve and ten times, respectively... (USA) |
||
| |3. | France René Bacherich, Gérard Desrousseaux, Pierre Ghestem Pierre Ghestem Pierre Ghestem was a French bridge and checkers player. In 1947 he became the world champion in checkers... , Jacques Stetten, Georges Théron, Léon Tintner |
Argentina finished fourth.1965 Buenos AiresBuenos AiresBuenos Aires is the capital and largest city of Argentina, and the second-largest metropolitan area in South America, after São Paulo. It is located on the western shore of the estuary of the Río de la Plata, on the southeastern coast of the South American continent...
, ArgentinaArgentinaArgentina , officially the Argentine Republic , is the second largest country in South America by land area, after Brazil. It is constituted as a federation of 23 provinces and an autonomous city, Buenos Aires...
Playing at home, Argentina represented South America for the sixth time and finally defeated one of the Europeans or Americans, namely Great Britain.
This was the fifth consecutive world championship for the Blue Team, as it had won the second Olympiad in 1964. Italy would continue to win annually with the identical lineup through 1969, plus a successful comeback in 1972.
| 1965 |
4 | 1. | Italy Walter Avarelli Walter Avarelli Walter Avarelli was an Italian bridge player, a member of the famous Blue Team, with whom he won 9 Bermuda Bowls and 3 World Team Olympiads in the period 1956-1972.... , Giorgio Belladonna Giorgio Belladonna Giorgio Belladonna was an Italian bridge player, one of the most famous in bridge history. He won 16 World championship titles with the Blue Team, playing with Walter Avarelli and Benito Garozzo... , Massimo D'Alelio Massimo D'Alelio Massimo D'Alelio neapolitan, was a famous Italian bridge player. He won 10 world championship titles with the Blue Team, playing with Eugenio Chiaradia and Camillo Pabis Ticci.-External links:* *... , Pietro Forquet Pietro Forquet Pietro Forquet is an Italian bridge player, one of the most famous in bridge history. He won 15 World championship titles with Blue Team, playing with Eugenio Chiaradia, Guglielmo Siniscalco and, for the most part, Benito Garozzo. Apart from his excellent play, he was renowned for his nerves of... , Benito Garozzo Benito Garozzo Benito Garozzo is one of the most famous bridge players in the history of the game. He has won 13 world championship titles with the Italian Blue Team, playing with Pietro Forquet and later Giorgio Belladonna... , Camillo Pabis Ticci |
| |2. | North America B. Jay Becker (USA), Ivan Erdos (USA), Dorothy Hayden Dorothy Hayden Truscott Dorothy Hayden Truscott was the top-ranked woman in bridge for many years and authored or co-authored books on the game.-Career:... (USA), Peter Leventritt (USA), Kelsey Petterson (USA), Howard Schenken Howard Schenken Howard Schenken was an American bridge player, writer, and long-time columnist. In his career, Schenken won three Bermuda Bowl titles, and set several North American records: he won the Life Master Pairs five times, and the Spingold and Vanderbilt Trophy twelve and ten times, respectively... (USA) |
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| |3. | Argentina Luis Attaguile, Alberto Berisso, Carlos Cabanne, Marcelo Lerner, Egisto Rocchi, Agustín Santamarina |
Great Britain finished fourth.1966 St. VincentSaint-Vincent, ItalySaint-Vincent is a town and comune in the Aosta Valley region of north-western Italy. Saint-Vincent , is a popular summer holiday resort with mineral springs .-Geography:...
, ItalyItalyItaly , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
The tournament expanded to five with Asia, represented by Thailand. Venezuela took Argentina's usual place and won another third for South America. Canadians Sami Kehela and Eric Murray joined four US Americans for North America.| 1966 |
5 | 1. | Italy Walter Avarelli Walter Avarelli Walter Avarelli was an Italian bridge player, a member of the famous Blue Team, with whom he won 9 Bermuda Bowls and 3 World Team Olympiads in the period 1956-1972.... , Giorgio Belladonna Giorgio Belladonna Giorgio Belladonna was an Italian bridge player, one of the most famous in bridge history. He won 16 World championship titles with the Blue Team, playing with Walter Avarelli and Benito Garozzo... , Massimo D'Alelio Massimo D'Alelio Massimo D'Alelio neapolitan, was a famous Italian bridge player. He won 10 world championship titles with the Blue Team, playing with Eugenio Chiaradia and Camillo Pabis Ticci.-External links:* *... , Pietro Forquet Pietro Forquet Pietro Forquet is an Italian bridge player, one of the most famous in bridge history. He won 15 World championship titles with Blue Team, playing with Eugenio Chiaradia, Guglielmo Siniscalco and, for the most part, Benito Garozzo. Apart from his excellent play, he was renowned for his nerves of... , Benito Garozzo Benito Garozzo Benito Garozzo is one of the most famous bridge players in the history of the game. He has won 13 world championship titles with the Italian Blue Team, playing with Pietro Forquet and later Giorgio Belladonna... , Camillo Pabis Ticci |
| |2. | North America Phillip Feldesman (USA), Bob Hamman Bob Hamman Robert David Hamman is an American professional bridge player, among the greatest players of all time.... (USA), Sami Kehela Sami Kehela Sami Kehela is a Canadian contract bridge player. A member of the Hall of Fame of both the American Contract Bridge League and of the Canadian Bridge Federation, he is considered, along with his partner Eric Murray, one of the top Canadians ever to have played the game.Between 1966 and 1974,... (CAN), Lew Mathe (USA), Eric Murray Eric Murray Eric Claude Murray was a South African cricketer who played first class cricket for Derbyshire in 1911 and for Transvaal between 1912 and 1923.... (CAN), Ira Rubin (USA) |
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| |3. | Venezuela Roberto Benaim, David Berah, Mario Onorati, Roger Rossignol, Renato Straziota, Francis Vernon |
Netherlands finished fourth and Thailand fifth.1967 Miami BeachMiami Beach, FloridaMiami Beach is a coastal resort city in Miami-Dade County, Florida, United States, incorporated on March 26, 1915. The municipality is located on a barrier island between the Atlantic Ocean and Biscayne Bay, the latter which separates the Beach from Miami city proper...
, United StatesUnited StatesThe United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
Thailand and Venezuela returned to the field. More than forty years later, 1966/1967 remain their best national performances.
| 1967 |
5 | 1. | Italy Walter Avarelli Walter Avarelli Walter Avarelli was an Italian bridge player, a member of the famous Blue Team, with whom he won 9 Bermuda Bowls and 3 World Team Olympiads in the period 1956-1972.... , Giorgio Belladonna Giorgio Belladonna Giorgio Belladonna was an Italian bridge player, one of the most famous in bridge history. He won 16 World championship titles with the Blue Team, playing with Walter Avarelli and Benito Garozzo... , Massimo D'Alelio Massimo D'Alelio Massimo D'Alelio neapolitan, was a famous Italian bridge player. He won 10 world championship titles with the Blue Team, playing with Eugenio Chiaradia and Camillo Pabis Ticci.-External links:* *... , Pietro Forquet Pietro Forquet Pietro Forquet is an Italian bridge player, one of the most famous in bridge history. He won 15 World championship titles with Blue Team, playing with Eugenio Chiaradia, Guglielmo Siniscalco and, for the most part, Benito Garozzo. Apart from his excellent play, he was renowned for his nerves of... , Benito Garozzo Benito Garozzo Benito Garozzo is one of the most famous bridge players in the history of the game. He has won 13 world championship titles with the Italian Blue Team, playing with Pietro Forquet and later Giorgio Belladonna... , Camillo Pabis Ticci |
| |2. | North America Edgar Kaplan Edgar Kaplan Edgar Kaplan was an American bridge player and one of the principal contributors to the game. His career spanned six decades and covered every aspect of bridge. He was a teacher, author, editor, administrator, champion player, theorist, expert Vugraph commentator, coach/captain and authority on... (USA), Norman Kay (USA), Sami Kehela Sami Kehela Sami Kehela is a Canadian contract bridge player. A member of the Hall of Fame of both the American Contract Bridge League and of the Canadian Bridge Federation, he is considered, along with his partner Eric Murray, one of the top Canadians ever to have played the game.Between 1966 and 1974,... (CAN), Eric Murray Eric Murray Eric Claude Murray was a South African cricketer who played first class cricket for Derbyshire in 1911 and for Transvaal between 1912 and 1923.... (CAN), Bill Root (USA), Alvin Roth Alvin Roth Alvin L. Roth was an American bridge player, considered one of the greatest of all time. He wrote several books on the game, and invented various bridge conventions that have become commonplace, including five-card majors, negative doubles, forcing notrump, and the unusual notrump.-Biography:Roth... (USA) |
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| |3. | France Jean-Michel Boulenger, Jacques Parienté, Jean-Marc Roudinesco, Jacques Stetten, Henri Szwarc, Léon Tintner |
Thailand finished fourth and Venezuela fifth.1969 Rio de JaneiroRio de JaneiroRio de Janeiro , commonly referred to simply as Rio, is the capital city of the State of Rio de Janeiro, the second largest city of Brazil, and the third largest metropolitan area and agglomeration in South America, boasting approximately 6.3 million people within the city proper, making it the 6th...
, BrazilBrazilBrazil , officially the Federative Republic of Brazil , is the largest country in South America. It is the world's fifth largest country, both by geographical area and by population with over 192 million people...
Taiwan appeared on the world bridge scene with a shocking second-place performance, represented by six players using the Precision ClubPrecision club
Precision Club is a bidding system in the game of contract bridge. It is a type of strong club system that was invented by C. C. Wei and used to good effect by Taiwan teams in the early 1970s...
bidding system
Bidding system
A bidding system in contract bridge is the set of agreements and understandings assigned to calls and sequences of calls used by a partnership, and includes a full description of the meaning of each treatment and convention...
recently invented by C. C. Wei
C. C. Wei
Chung Ching Wei was a Chinese-born American, inventor of the Precision Club bidding system in contract bridge.-Biography:...
.
The Blue Team of Italy retired after winning its tenth consecutive Bermuda Bowl (from 1957) and ninth consecutive annual world championship in open teams (from 1961).
The United State team included two members of the professional Dallas Aces
Dallas Aces
The Dallas Aces were the world's first professional bridge team, organized by Dallas businessman Ira Corn in 1968...
, Eisenberg–Goldman and two young players who would be Aces, Hamman and Kantar.
| 1969 |
5 | 1. | Italy Walter Avarelli Walter Avarelli Walter Avarelli was an Italian bridge player, a member of the famous Blue Team, with whom he won 9 Bermuda Bowls and 3 World Team Olympiads in the period 1956-1972.... , Giorgio Belladonna Giorgio Belladonna Giorgio Belladonna was an Italian bridge player, one of the most famous in bridge history. He won 16 World championship titles with the Blue Team, playing with Walter Avarelli and Benito Garozzo... , Massimo D'Alelio Massimo D'Alelio Massimo D'Alelio neapolitan, was a famous Italian bridge player. He won 10 world championship titles with the Blue Team, playing with Eugenio Chiaradia and Camillo Pabis Ticci.-External links:* *... , Pietro Forquet Pietro Forquet Pietro Forquet is an Italian bridge player, one of the most famous in bridge history. He won 15 World championship titles with Blue Team, playing with Eugenio Chiaradia, Guglielmo Siniscalco and, for the most part, Benito Garozzo. Apart from his excellent play, he was renowned for his nerves of... , Benito Garozzo Benito Garozzo Benito Garozzo is one of the most famous bridge players in the history of the game. He has won 13 world championship titles with the Italian Blue Team, playing with Pietro Forquet and later Giorgio Belladonna... , Camillo Pabis Ticci |
| |2. | Taiwan Frank Huang, Patrick Huang, C. S. Shen Shen Chun-shan Shen Chun-shan is a retired academic in Taiwan, most noted for his position as the former head of National Tsing Hua University... , K. W. Shen (THA), Kovit Suchartkul (THA), M. F. Tai |
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| |3. | North America Billy Eisenberg Billy Eisenberg William Eisenberg is an American bridge and backgammon professional. In bridge, Eisenberg has won five Bermuda Bowl world team titles and in backgammon he won the world title in 1975... (USA), Bobby Goldman Bobby Goldman Robert Goldman was an American bridge player, teacher and author. He won three Bermuda Bowls , Olympiad Mixed Teams 1972, and 20 North American Bridge Championships... (USA), Bob Hamman Bob Hamman Robert David Hamman is an American professional bridge player, among the greatest players of all time.... (USA), Edwin Kantar Edwin Kantar Edwin Bruce Kantar is an American bridge player, 2-time World Teams Bridge Champion and prolific author of bridge books.-Biography:... (USA), Sidney Lazard (USA), George Rapee (USA) |
France finished fourth and Brazil fifth.1970 StockholmStockholmStockholm is the capital and the largest city of Sweden and constitutes the most populated urban area in Scandinavia. Stockholm is the most populous city in Sweden, with a population of 851,155 in the municipality , 1.37 million in the urban area , and around 2.1 million in the metropolitan area...
, SwedenSwedenSweden , officially the Kingdom of Sweden , is a Nordic country on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe. Sweden borders with Norway and Finland and is connected to Denmark by a bridge-tunnel across the Öresund....
The Aces won the 17th Bermuda Bowl, the first for a United States or North America team since they won the first four. Taiwan finished second again, with only five players and only two veterans from 1969. Norway and Brazil also finished ahead of Italy, the defending champion bridge nation represented by a wholly new team.| 1970 |
5 | 1. | North America Billy Eisenberg Billy Eisenberg William Eisenberg is an American bridge and backgammon professional. In bridge, Eisenberg has won five Bermuda Bowl world team titles and in backgammon he won the world title in 1975... (USA), Bobby Goldman Bobby Goldman Robert Goldman was an American bridge player, teacher and author. He won three Bermuda Bowls , Olympiad Mixed Teams 1972, and 20 North American Bridge Championships... (USA), Bob Hamman Bob Hamman Robert David Hamman is an American professional bridge player, among the greatest players of all time.... (USA), James Jacoby (USA), Mike Lawrence (USA), Bobby Wolff Bobby Wolff Robert S. Wolff is an American bridge player and 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... (USA) |
| |2. | Taiwan Conrad Cheng, Elmer Hsiao, Patrick Huang, Harry Lin, M. F. Tai |
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| |3. | Norway Erik Høie, Tore Jensen, Knut Koppang, Bjørn Larsen, Louis André Strøm, Willy Varnås |
Brazil finished fourth and the new Italy fifth.1971 TaipeiTaipeiTaipei City is the capital of the Republic of China and the central city of the largest metropolitan area of Taiwan. Situated at the northern tip of the island, Taipei is located on the Tamsui River, and is about 25 km southwest of Keelung, its port on the Pacific Ocean...
, Republic of ChinaRepublic of ChinaThe Republic of China , commonly known as Taiwan , is a unitary sovereign state located in East Asia. Originally based in mainland China, the Republic of China currently governs the island of Taiwan , which forms over 99% of its current territory, as well as Penghu, Kinmen, Matsu and other minor...
The Aces won as defending champions while the field expanded to include Australia.| 1971 |
6 | 1. | Aces Billy Eisenberg Billy Eisenberg William Eisenberg is an American bridge and backgammon professional. In bridge, Eisenberg has won five Bermuda Bowl world team titles and in backgammon he won the world title in 1975... (USA), Bobby Goldman Bobby Goldman Robert Goldman was an American bridge player, teacher and author. He won three Bermuda Bowls , Olympiad Mixed Teams 1972, and 20 North American Bridge Championships... (USA), Bob Hamman Bob Hamman Robert David Hamman is an American professional bridge player, among the greatest players of all time.... (USA), James Jacoby (USA), Mike Lawrence (USA), Bobby Wolff Bobby Wolff Robert S. Wolff is an American bridge player and 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... (USA) |
| |2. | France Jean-Michel Boulenger, Pierre Jaïs Pierre Jaïs Pierre Jaïs was a famous French bridge player. A World Bridge Federation Grand Master, he was the winner of World Team Olympiad in Turin 1960, Bermuda Bowl in Paris 1956, and World Open Pairs Championship in Cannes 1962. He is one of only 10 players who collected the Triple Crown of Bridge... , Jean-Marc Roudinesco, Jean-Louis Stoppa, Henri Szwarc, Roger Trézel Roger Trezel Roger Trézel was a famous French bridge player. A World Bridge Federation Grand Master, he was the winner of World Team Olympiad in Turin 1960, Bermuda Bowl in Paris 1956, and World Open Pairs Championship in Cannes 1962. He is one of only 10 players who collected the Triple Crown of Bridge... |
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| |3. | Australia Jim Borin, Norma Borin, Richard Cummings, Denis Howard, Tim Seres, Roelof Smilde |
Taiwan finished fourth at home, one year after finishing second.1973 GuarujáGuarujáGuarujá is a municipality in the São Paulo state of Brazil. The population in 2006 was 305,171, the population density is 1,969.47/km² and the area is 143 km². This place name comes from the Tupi language, and mean "narrow path". The population is highly urbanized.-Geography:Guarujá is...
, BrazilBrazilBrazil , officially the Federative Republic of Brazil , is the largest country in South America. It is the world's fifth largest country, both by geographical area and by population with over 192 million people...
The Blue Team had successfully completed a comeback by winning the 1972 Olympiad with its 1964–69 lineup. Three then retired permanently but its three greatest players continued to play for Italy: Belladonna, Forquet, and Garozzo. And to win.The second-place Aces were defending champions with one personnel change.
| 1973 |
5 | 1. | Italy Giorgio Belladonna Giorgio Belladonna Giorgio Belladonna was an Italian bridge player, one of the most famous in bridge history. He won 16 World championship titles with the Blue Team, playing with Walter Avarelli and Benito Garozzo... , Benito Bianchi, Pietro Forquet Pietro Forquet Pietro Forquet is an Italian bridge player, one of the most famous in bridge history. He won 15 World championship titles with Blue Team, playing with Eugenio Chiaradia, Guglielmo Siniscalco and, for the most part, Benito Garozzo. Apart from his excellent play, he was renowned for his nerves of... , Giuseppe Garabello, Benito Garozzo Benito Garozzo Benito Garozzo is one of the most famous bridge players in the history of the game. He has won 13 world championship titles with the Italian Blue Team, playing with Pietro Forquet and later Giorgio Belladonna... , Vito Pittalà |
| |2. | Aces Mark Blumenthal (USA), Bobby Goldman Bobby Goldman Robert Goldman was an American bridge player, teacher and author. He won three Bermuda Bowls , Olympiad Mixed Teams 1972, and 20 North American Bridge Championships... (USA), Bob Hamman Bob Hamman Robert David Hamman is an American professional bridge player, among the greatest players of all time.... (USA), James Jacoby (USA), Mike Lawrence (USA), Bobby Wolff Bobby Wolff Robert S. Wolff is an American bridge player and 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... (USA) |
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| |3. | Brazil Pedro Paulo Assumpção, Marcelo Branco Marcelo Branco Marcelo Branco is famous Brazilian bridge player. Among other successes, he was the winner of World Team Olympiad in Monte Carlo 1976, Bermuda Bowl in Perth 1989, and World Open pairs Championship in New Orleans 1978 and Geneva 1990. He is one of 10 players who collected the Triple Crown of Bridge... , Pedro Paulo Branco, Gabriel Chagas Gabriel Chagas Gabriel Pinheiro Chagas Filho is a famous Brazilian bridge player. He was the winner of World Team Olympiad in Monte Carlo 1976, Bermuda Bowl in Perth 1989, World Open Pairs Championship in Geneva 1990, as well as Transnational Teams in Paris 2001... , Gabino Cintra, Christiano Fonseca |
North America finished fourth, represented by a team of six men from the US.
1974 VeniceVeniceVenice is a city in northern Italy which is renowned for the beauty of its setting, its architecture and its artworks. It is the capital of the Veneto region...
, ItalyItalyItaly , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
Italy defended its championship at home. The World Bridge Federation inaugurated the Venice CupVenice Cup
The World Teams Championship in contract bridge for women players only is also known as the Venice Cup, because the first edition was held in Venice, Italy in 1974.It is held every two years, in parallel to the Open World Teams Championship, the Bermuda Bowl....
tournament for "Women Teams", which increased in size and frequency to match the Bermuda Bowl in 1985. No woman had played for a Bermuda Bowl winner and Dorothy Hayden Truscott
Dorothy Hayden Truscott
Dorothy Hayden Truscott was the top-ranked woman in bridge for many years and authored or co-authored books on the game.-Career:...
alone had finished second, playing with B. J. Becker in 1965. Meanwhile the quadrennial Olympiad ran two tournaments side-by-side from its start in 1960.
| 1974 |
6 | 1. | Italy Giorgio Belladonna Giorgio Belladonna Giorgio Belladonna was an Italian bridge player, one of the most famous in bridge history. He won 16 World championship titles with the Blue Team, playing with Walter Avarelli and Benito Garozzo... , Benito Bianchi, Pietro Forquet Pietro Forquet Pietro Forquet is an Italian bridge player, one of the most famous in bridge history. He won 15 World championship titles with Blue Team, playing with Eugenio Chiaradia, Guglielmo Siniscalco and, for the most part, Benito Garozzo. Apart from his excellent play, he was renowned for his nerves of... , Benito Garozzo Benito Garozzo Benito Garozzo is one of the most famous bridge players in the history of the game. He has won 13 world championship titles with the Italian Blue Team, playing with Pietro Forquet and later Giorgio Belladonna... , (Dano De Falco, Arturo Franco)* |
| |2. | North America Mark Blumenthal (USA), Bobby Goldman Bobby Goldman Robert Goldman was an American bridge player, teacher and author. He won three Bermuda Bowls , Olympiad Mixed Teams 1972, and 20 North American Bridge Championships... (USA), Bob Hamman Bob Hamman Robert David Hamman is an American professional bridge player, among the greatest players of all time.... (USA), Sami Kehela (CAN), Eric Murray (CAN), Bobby Wolff Bobby Wolff Robert S. Wolff is an American bridge player and 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... (USA) |
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| |3. | Brazil Pedro Paulo Assumpção, Marcelo Branco Marcelo Branco Marcelo Branco is famous Brazilian bridge player. Among other successes, he was the winner of World Team Olympiad in Monte Carlo 1976, Bermuda Bowl in Perth 1989, and World Open pairs Championship in New Orleans 1978 and Geneva 1990. He is one of 10 players who collected the Triple Crown of Bridge... , Pedro Paulo Branco, Gabriel Chagas Gabriel Chagas Gabriel Pinheiro Chagas Filho is a famous Brazilian bridge player. He was the winner of World Team Olympiad in Monte Carlo 1976, Bermuda Bowl in Perth 1989, World Open Pairs Championship in Geneva 1990, as well as Transnational Teams in Paris 2001... , Gabino Cintra, Christiano Fonseca |
* De Falco and Franco did not play enough boards to qualify for the title of World Champion.
Indonesia finished fourth.1975 SouthamptonSouthampton Parish, BermudaSouthampton Parish is one of the nine parishes of Bermuda. It is named for Henry Wriothesley, 3rd Earl of Southampton .It is located in the southwest of the island chain, occupying all of the western part of the main island, except for the westernmost tip...
, BermudaBermudaBermuda is a British overseas territory in the North Atlantic Ocean. Located off the east coast of the United States, its nearest landmass is Cape Hatteras, North Carolina, about to the west-northwest. It is about south of Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada, and northeast of Miami, Florida...
For the 25th anniversary of the inaugural tournament, the 21st returned to Bermuda, as the 34th tournament would do for the 50th anniversary. Italy won its thirteenth Bermuda Bowl, its third in a row, and its last before 2005. Pietro Forquet missed this one, leaving Giorgio Belladonna alone with 13 Bowls.| 1975 |
5 | 1. | Italy Giorgio Belladonna Giorgio Belladonna Giorgio Belladonna was an Italian bridge player, one of the most famous in bridge history. He won 16 World championship titles with the Blue Team, playing with Walter Avarelli and Benito Garozzo... , Gianfranco Facchini, Arturo Franco, Benito Garozzo Benito Garozzo Benito Garozzo is one of the most famous bridge players in the history of the game. He has won 13 world championship titles with the Italian Blue Team, playing with Pietro Forquet and later Giorgio Belladonna... , Vito Pittalà, Sergio Zucchelli |
| |2. | North America Billy Eisenberg Billy Eisenberg William Eisenberg is an American bridge and backgammon professional. In bridge, Eisenberg has won five Bermuda Bowl world team titles and in backgammon he won the world title in 1975... (USA), Bob Hamman Bob Hamman Robert David Hamman is an American professional bridge player, among the greatest players of all time.... (USA), Edwin Kantar Edwin Kantar Edwin Bruce Kantar is an American bridge player, 2-time World Teams Bridge Champion and prolific author of bridge books.-Biography:... (USA), Paul Soloway Paul Soloway Paul Soloway was a world champion American bridge player. He won the Bermuda Bowl world team championship five times and won 30 national championships. Soloway was inducted into the American Contract Bridge League's Hall of Fame in 2002... (USA), John C. Swanson (USA), Bobby Wolff Bobby Wolff Robert S. Wolff is an American bridge player and 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... (USA) |
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| |3. | France Jean-Michel Boulenger, Michel Lebel, François Leenhardt, Christian Mari, Henri Szwarc, Edmond Vial |
Indonesia finished fourth, Brazil fifth.1976 Monte CarloMonte CarloMonte Carlo is an administrative area of the Principality of Monaco....
, MonacoMonacoMonaco , officially the Principality of Monaco , is a sovereign city state on the French Riviera. It is bordered on three sides by its neighbour, France, and its centre is about from Italy. Its area is with a population of 35,986 as of 2011 and is the most densely populated country in the...
The 22nd was the only Bermuda Bowl contested during a World Team OlympiadWorld Team Olympiad
The World Team Olympiad was a contract bridge meet organized by the World Bridge Federation every four years from 1960 to 2004. Its main events were world championships for national teams, always including one open and one restricted to women...
year. The two Open tournaments were played back to back during three weeks in May, with Italy beaten first by the United States and then by Brazil in the finals.
Israel finished third as the second representative of Europe.
| 1976 |
6 | 1. | North America Billy Eisenberg Billy Eisenberg William Eisenberg is an American bridge and backgammon professional. In bridge, Eisenberg has won five Bermuda Bowl world team titles and in backgammon he won the world title in 1975... (USA), Fred Hamilton (USA), Erik Paulsen (USA), Hugh Ross (USA), Ira Rubin (USA), Paul Soloway Paul Soloway Paul Soloway was a world champion American bridge player. He won the Bermuda Bowl world team championship five times and won 30 national championships. Soloway was inducted into the American Contract Bridge League's Hall of Fame in 2002... (USA) |
| |2. | Italy Giorgio Belladonna Giorgio Belladonna Giorgio Belladonna was an Italian bridge player, one of the most famous in bridge history. He won 16 World championship titles with the Blue Team, playing with Walter Avarelli and Benito Garozzo... , Pietro Forquet Pietro Forquet Pietro Forquet is an Italian bridge player, one of the most famous in bridge history. He won 15 World championship titles with Blue Team, playing with Eugenio Chiaradia, Guglielmo Siniscalco and, for the most part, Benito Garozzo. Apart from his excellent play, he was renowned for his nerves of... , Arturo Franco, Benito Garozzo Benito Garozzo Benito Garozzo is one of the most famous bridge players in the history of the game. He has won 13 world championship titles with the Italian Blue Team, playing with Pietro Forquet and later Giorgio Belladonna... , Vito Pittalà, Antonio Vivaldi |
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| |3. | Israel Julian Frydrich, Michael Hochzeit, Sam Lev, Yeshayahu Levit, Pinhas Romik, Eliakim Shaufel |
Brazil finished fourth with the same lineup that placed third in 1973 and 1974. With one personnel change they won the Open Olympiad tournament that immediately following this exceptional Bermuda Bowl. It remains the only year with two world champion teams in the open category.1977 ManilaManilaManila is the capital of the Philippines. It is one of the sixteen cities forming Metro Manila.Manila is located on the eastern shores of Manila Bay and is bordered by Navotas and Caloocan to the north, Quezon City to the northeast, San Juan and Mandaluyong to the east, Makati on the southeast,...
, PhilippinesPhilippinesThe Philippines , officially known as the Republic of the Philippines , is a country in Southeast Asia in the western Pacific Ocean. To its north across the Luzon Strait lies Taiwan. West across the South China Sea sits Vietnam...
Both teams "North America" and "Defending Champions" comprised six men from the US. The six defending champion players divided two and four, as the Aces with defending players Eisenberg and Soloway regrouped as "North America". (Under double representation for the United States beginning 1991, the two USA teams must face each other if both advance to the semifinal.)| 1977 |
6 | 1. | North America Billy Eisenberg Billy Eisenberg William Eisenberg is an American bridge and backgammon professional. In bridge, Eisenberg has won five Bermuda Bowl world team titles and in backgammon he won the world title in 1975... (USA), Edwin Kantar Edwin Kantar Edwin Bruce Kantar is an American bridge player, 2-time World Teams Bridge Champion and prolific author of bridge books.-Biography:... (USA), Bob Hamman Bob Hamman Robert David Hamman is an American professional bridge player, among the greatest players of all time.... (USA), Paul Soloway Paul Soloway Paul Soloway was a world champion American bridge player. He won the Bermuda Bowl world team championship five times and won 30 national championships. Soloway was inducted into the American Contract Bridge League's Hall of Fame in 2002... (USA), John C. Swanson (USA), Bobby Wolff Bobby Wolff Robert S. Wolff is an American bridge player and 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... (USA) |
| |2. | Defending Champions Fred Hamilton (USA), Mike Passell (USA), Erik Paulsen (USA), Hugh Ross (USA), Ira Rubin (USA), Ron Von der Porten (USA) |
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| |3. | Sweden Anders Brunzell, Sven-Olov Flodqvist, Hans Göthe, Jörgen Lindqvist, Anders Morath, Per Olof Sundelin |
Argentina finished fourth.1979 Rio de JaneiroRio de JaneiroRio de Janeiro , commonly referred to simply as Rio, is the capital city of the State of Rio de Janeiro, the second largest city of Brazil, and the third largest metropolitan area and agglomeration in South America, boasting approximately 6.3 million people within the city proper, making it the 6th...
, BrazilBrazilBrazil , officially the Federative Republic of Brazil , is the largest country in South America. It is the world's fifth largest country, both by geographical area and by population with over 192 million people...
The 24th Bermuda Bowl was the first to be decided by a margin that is commonly scored on a single deal, merely 5 IMPs. Malcolm Brachman's professional team of US Americans defeated Italy by that much.The defending champion team was not invited after 1977, so the tournament again matched one team from each WBF geographic zone that chose to participate. The number of teams remained at six because "Central America & the Caribbean" sent a team for the first time, three players from Panama and three from Venezuela with a Guadeloupe captain. Brachman from North America and national teams from Italy, Australia, Taiwan, and host Brazil represented the other four zones.
| 1979 |
6 | 1. | North America Malcolm Brachman (USA), Billy Eisenberg Billy Eisenberg William Eisenberg is an American bridge and backgammon professional. In bridge, Eisenberg has won five Bermuda Bowl world team titles and in backgammon he won the world title in 1975... (USA), Bobby Goldman Bobby Goldman Robert Goldman was an American bridge player, teacher and author. He won three Bermuda Bowls , Olympiad Mixed Teams 1972, and 20 North American Bridge Championships... (USA), Edwin Kantar Edwin Kantar Edwin Bruce Kantar is an American bridge player, 2-time World Teams Bridge Champion and prolific author of bridge books.-Biography:... (USA), Mike Passell (USA), Paul Soloway Paul Soloway Paul Soloway was a world champion American bridge player. He won the Bermuda Bowl world team championship five times and won 30 national championships. Soloway was inducted into the American Contract Bridge League's Hall of Fame in 2002... (USA) |
| |2. | Italy Giorgio Belladonna Giorgio Belladonna Giorgio Belladonna was an Italian bridge player, one of the most famous in bridge history. He won 16 World championship titles with the Blue Team, playing with Walter Avarelli and Benito Garozzo... , Dano De Falco, Arturo Franco, Benito Garozzo Benito Garozzo Benito Garozzo is one of the most famous bridge players in the history of the game. He has won 13 world championship titles with the Italian Blue Team, playing with Pietro Forquet and later Giorgio Belladonna... , Lorenzo Lauria, Vito Pittalà |
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| |3. | Australia Jim Borin, Norma Borin, Richard Cummings, Andrew Reiner, Bobby Richman, Tim Seres |
Taiwan finished fourth.1980s-2000s
The Bermuda Bowl made several changes around 1980. The defending champion team was dropped in 1979. For 1981 Europe was awarded two places in the tournament, the first expansion beyond zonal champions (plus the world champion, 1961 to 1977). There would be nine teams if every WBF zone sent a champion. For 1983, European and North American champions would have two places in the 4-team semifinal round. European and North American runners up would contend with champions of the other zones and the host country for two other semifinal slots. (Europe and North America had won all the Bermuda Bowls. Outsiders had finished second in 1969–70 and 1981.) Beginning 1985, the Bermuda Bowl for open teams and Venice Cup for women would run side-by-side with the same structure in a venue outside Europe and North America (maintained until 2001).1981 New York CityNew York CityNew York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
, United StatesUnited StatesThe United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
Pakistan represented "Asia and the Middle East", a novelty, and finished second, a shock. This was the third silver medal for teams from outside Europe and North America, joining Taiwan 1969–70. "Pakistani preempts" were notable and team's best player Zia MahmoodZia Mahmood
Zia Mahmood is a Pakistani professional bridge player. He is a World Bridge Federation and American Contract Bridge League Grand Life Master. He has a knack for bringing out the best in his partners and is regarded as one of the greatest players of the game...
was recognized as a great one.
For the United States, led by Bud Reinhold—who played, but not enough to qualify personally as a world champion— Levin, Rodwell, and Meckstroth made their international debuts at 23 to 25 years old, Levin being the youngest winner on record.
Europe was represented by both Poland and Great Britain, first and second in the 18-team open flight of the European championships.
| 1981 |
7 | 1. | USA Russell Arnold, Bobby Levin Bobby Levin Robert J. Levin is an American professional bridge player. He is best known as the youngest winner of the world championship for national teams, namely the 1981 Bermuda Bowl, and as five-time winner of the Cavendish Invitational with his regular partner Steve Weinstein... , Jeff Meckstroth Jeff Meckstroth Jeffrey John Meckstroth is a multiple world champion in contract bridge, winning the Bermuda Bowl representing the U.S. five times. He is one of only ten players who have won the so-called triple crown of bridge: the Bermuda Bowl, the World Open Pairs and the World Team Olympiad... , Eric Rodwell Eric Rodwell Eric Victor Rodwell is an American professional bridge player. He has won the Bermuda Bowl representing the U.S. five times and is one of ten players who have won the so-called triple crown of bridge: the Bermuda Bowl, the World Open Pairs and the World Team Olympiad... , John Solodar, (Bud Reinhold)* |
| |2. | Pakistan Nishat Abedi, Nisar Ahmed, Munir Attaullah, Jan-e-Alam Fazli, Zia Mahmood Zia Mahmood Zia Mahmood is a Pakistani professional bridge player. He is a World Bridge Federation and American Contract Bridge League Grand Life Master. He has a knack for bringing out the best in his partners and is regarded as one of the greatest players of the game... , Masood Saleem |
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| |3-4. | Poland Aleksander Jezioro, Julian Klukowski, Marek Kudła, Krzysztof Martens, Andrzej Milde, Tomasz Przybora |
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* Reinhold did not play enough boards to qualify for the title of World Champion.
Argentina finished fourth.1983 StockholmStockholmStockholm is the capital and the largest city of Sweden and constitutes the most populated urban area in Scandinavia. Stockholm is the most populous city in Sweden, with a population of 851,155 in the municipality , 1.37 million in the urban area , and around 2.1 million in the metropolitan area...
, SwedenSwedenSweden , officially the Kingdom of Sweden , is a Nordic country on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe. Sweden borders with Norway and Finland and is connected to Denmark by a bridge-tunnel across the Öresund....
Beginning 1983, North America joined Europe with double representation, and the host country was automatically included too, so the potential size of the field increased by two. United States teams finished first and second in North America while France, Italy, and world host Sweden ranked 1, 2, and 7 among 24 teams in the open European championship. Under the new structure, USA1 and France earned byesBye (sports)
A bye, in sports and other competitive activities, most commonly refers to the practice of allowing a player or team to advance to the next round of a playoff tournament without playing...
to the Bermuda Bowl semifinal while USA2, Italy, and Sweden contended with the champions of other zones for two more semifinal slots. Five other zones were represented, ten teams in all.
USA2 and Italy won the preliminary stage; USA1 and Italy won semifinal matches to meet in the final, the international swan song
Swan song
"Swan song" is a metaphorical phrase for a final gesture, effort, or performance given just before death or retirement. The phrase refers to an ancient belief that the Mute Swan is completely silent during its lifetime until the moment just before death, when it sings one beautiful song...
for Giorgio Belladonna and for the legendary Belladonna–Garozzo partnership.
| 1983 |
10 | 1. | USA 1 Michael Becker, Bob Hamman Bob Hamman Robert David Hamman is an American professional bridge player, among the greatest players of all time.... , Ron Rubin, Alan Sontag Alan Sontag Alan M. Sontag is a world champion American bridge player and author of bridge books.-Bridge career:Although he is a six-time world champion in contract bridge, winning the prestige Bermuda Bowl twice, Sontag is best known as the author of The Bridge Bum, a book "on everybody's list of the top ten... , Peter Weichsel, Bobby Wolff Bobby Wolff Robert S. Wolff is an American bridge player and 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... |
| |2. | Italy Giorgio Belladonna Giorgio Belladonna Giorgio Belladonna was an Italian bridge player, one of the most famous in bridge history. He won 16 World championship titles with the Blue Team, playing with Walter Avarelli and Benito Garozzo... , Dano De Falco, Arturo Franco, Benito Garozzo Benito Garozzo Benito Garozzo is one of the most famous bridge players in the history of the game. He has won 13 world championship titles with the Italian Blue Team, playing with Pietro Forquet and later Giorgio Belladonna... , Lorenzo Lauria, Carlo Mosca |
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| |3. | France Michel Corn, Philippe Cronier, Michel Lebel, Hervé Mouiel, Philippe Soulet, Henri Szwarc |
USA 2 finished fourth.The actual size of the field increased by three, not two, because "Asia and the Middle East" (debut 1981) and "Central America and the Caribbean" (debut 1979) were both represented, by Pakistan and a transnational squad including four men from Jamaica
Jamaica
Jamaica is an island nation of the Greater Antilles, in length, up to in width and 10,990 square kilometres in area. It is situated in the Caribbean Sea, about south of Cuba, and west of Hispaniola, the island harbouring the nation-states Haiti and the Dominican Republic...
. Only Africa among the eight modern geographic zones was not yet represented.
1985 São PauloSão PauloSão Paulo is the largest city in Brazil, the largest city in the southern hemisphere and South America, and the world's seventh largest city by population. The metropolis is anchor to the São Paulo metropolitan area, ranked as the second-most populous metropolitan area in the Americas and among...
, BrazilBrazilBrazil , officially the Federative Republic of Brazil , is the largest country in South America. It is the world's fifth largest country, both by geographical area and by population with over 192 million people...
Beginning 1985 the Bermuda Bowl and the Venice Cup for women have been side-by-side tournaments with the same structure. From 1985 to 2000 they were always sited outside Europe and North America.For three cycles 1985 to 1989, one team each from the United States and Canada represented North America. All three US teams were based on the San Francisco-area team anchored by Chip Martel–Lew Stansby and Peter Pender–Hugh Ross. They won the annual US Grand National Teams
Grand National Teams
The Grand National Teams national bridge championship is held at the summer American Contract Bridge League North American Bridge Championship ....
in 1982-83-85-87 (with another pair in '82, with Mike Lawrence in '87).
Austria and Israel finished 1-2 among 21 open teams in Europe and placed 2-3 behind USA in São Paulo.
| 1985 |
10 | 1. | USA Bob Hamman Bob Hamman Robert David Hamman is an American professional bridge player, among the greatest players of all time.... , Chip Martel, Peter Pender, Hugh Ross, Lew Stansby, Bobby Wolff Bobby Wolff Robert S. Wolff is an American bridge player and 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... |
| |2. | Austria Heinrich Berger, Kurt Feichtinger, Jan Fucik, Wolfgang Meinl, Karl Rohan, Franz Terraneo |
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| |3. | Israel David Birman, Sam Lev, Eliakim Shaufel, Shalom Zeligman, (Julian Frydrich, Michael Hochzeit)* |
* Frydrich and Hochzeit did not play enough boards to qualify for third place.
Brazil finished fourth.Infrequent participants Canada, New Zealand, and India finished 8-9-10 as "USA 2", Australia, and Pakistan stayed home.
1987 Ocho RíosOcho RiosOcho Ríos is a town in the parish of Saint Ann on the north coast of Jamaica. Although he landed in many spots along the Jamaican coast, many believe that Christopher Columbus first set foot on land in Ocho Rios...
, JamaicaJamaicaJamaica is an island nation of the Greater Antilles, in length, up to in width and 10,990 square kilometres in area. It is situated in the Caribbean Sea, about south of Cuba, and west of Hispaniola, the island harbouring the nation-states Haiti and the Dominican Republic...
The "San Francisco" GNT with world veterans Hamman–Wolff defended successfully. Great Britain and Sweden reversed their European finish.| 1987 |
10 | 1. | USA Bob Hamman Bob Hamman Robert David Hamman is an American professional bridge player, among the greatest players of all time.... , Mike Lawrence, Chip Martel, Hugh Ross, Lew Stansby, Bobby Wolff Bobby Wolff Robert S. Wolff is an American bridge player and 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... |
| |2. | Great Britain John Armstrong, Raymond Brock, Jeremy Flint Jeremy Flint Jeremy Flint , an English bridge player, author and horse racing enthusiast, was one of the world's leading professional players.- Life & bridge career :... , Tony Forrester, Graham Kirby, Robert Sheehan |
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| |3. | Sweden Björn Fallenius, Sven-Olov Flodqvist, Hans Göthe, Tommy Gullberg, Magnus Lindkvist, Per Olof Sundelin |
Chinese Taipei finished fourth.1989 PerthPerth, Western AustraliaPerth is the capital and largest city of the Australian state of Western Australia and the fourth most populous city in Australia. The Perth metropolitan area has an estimated population of almost 1,700,000....
, AustraliaAustraliaAustralia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
Brazil won its first Bermuda Bowl, defeating a team of three "San Francisco" pairs in the final.| 1989 |
10 | 1. | Brazil Marcelo Branco Marcelo Branco Marcelo Branco is famous Brazilian bridge player. Among other successes, he was the winner of World Team Olympiad in Monte Carlo 1976, Bermuda Bowl in Perth 1989, and World Open pairs Championship in New Orleans 1978 and Geneva 1990. He is one of 10 players who collected the Triple Crown of Bridge... , Pedro Paulo Branco, Carlos Camacho, Gabriel Chagas Gabriel Chagas Gabriel Pinheiro Chagas Filho is a famous Brazilian bridge player. He was the winner of World Team Olympiad in Monte Carlo 1976, Bermuda Bowl in Perth 1989, World Open Pairs Championship in Geneva 1990, as well as Transnational Teams in Paris 2001... , Ricardo Janz, Roberto Mello |
| |2. | USA Mike Lawrence, Chip Martel, Peter Pender, Hugh Ross, Lew Stansby, Kit Woolsey Kit Woolsey Kit Woolsey is an American bridge and backgammon player. He graduated from Oberlin College in 1964. He earned a master's degree in mathematics from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign in 1965.... |
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| |3. | Poland Cezary Balicki Cezary Balicki Cezary Balicki is a Polish bridge player holding the title of World Grand Master. Balicki won the World Transnational Open Teams in 2000 and 2009, European Open Teams in 1989 and 1993 as well as the prestige London Sunday Times Invitational Pairs in 1994. His team finished second in the 2000 World... , Julian Klukowski, Krzysztof Martens, Krzysztof Moszczyński, Marek Szymanowski, Adam Żmudziński Adam Zmudzinski Adam Żmudziński is a Polish bridge player holding the title of World Grand Master. Żmudziński won the World Transnational Open Teams in 2000 and 2009, European Open Teams in 1989 and 1993 as well as the prestige London Sunday Times Invitational Pairs in 1994. His team finished second in the 2000... |
Australia finished fourth at home.Egypt and Colombia represented Asia–Middle East and Central America–Caribbean. Poland and France, the best of 25 teams in Europe, finished only 3rd and 6th.
1991 YokohamaYokohamais the capital city of Kanagawa Prefecture and the second largest city in Japan by population after Tokyo and most populous municipality of Japan. It lies on Tokyo Bay, south of Tokyo, in the Kantō region of the main island of Honshu...
, JapanJapanJapan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
Iceland won its first Bermuda Bowl after finishing fourth in the Europe, the last to qualify from Zone 1. Europe's fourth, third, and second place teams won all three medals while European champion Great Britain finished 5th to 8th in the world.The tournament expanded from 10 teams with a 4-team knockout conclusion to 16 teams with an 8-team KO, without any playoffs to distinguish the four quarterfinal losers. Defending champion Brazil finished fourth, Argentina 5th to 8th. The two USA teams also finished 5th to 8th.
| 1991 |
16 | 1. | Iceland Guðmundur Páll Arnarson, Örn Arnþórsson, Jón Baldursson, Guðlaugur Jóhannsson, Þorlákur Jónsson, Aðalsteinn Jörgensen |
| |2. | Poland Cezary Balicki Cezary Balicki Cezary Balicki is a Polish bridge player holding the title of World Grand Master. Balicki won the World Transnational Open Teams in 2000 and 2009, European Open Teams in 1989 and 1993 as well as the prestige London Sunday Times Invitational Pairs in 1994. His team finished second in the 2000 World... , Piotr Gawryś Piotr Gawrys Piotr Gawryś is a Polish bridge player. Gawrys, WBF Grand Master, has won 3 world championships; World Team Olympics in 1984, Transnational Mixed Teams 2000 and Transnational Open Teams 2005. His other first places include; World Masters Individual in 1992 , European Teams Championships 1993 and... , Krzysztof Lasocki, Krzysztof Martens, Marek Szymanowski, Adam Żmudziński Adam Zmudzinski Adam Żmudziński is a Polish bridge player holding the title of World Grand Master. Żmudziński won the World Transnational Open Teams in 2000 and 2009, European Open Teams in 1989 and 1993 as well as the prestige London Sunday Times Invitational Pairs in 1994. His team finished second in the 2000... |
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| |3. | Sweden Sven-Åke Bjerregård, Björn Fallenius, Tommy Gullberg, Anders Morath, Mats Nilsland, Per Olof Sundelin |
Brazil finished fourth with the same lineup that won in 1989. With expansion from 10 to 16 teams, a third entry was awarded to North America, and the American Contract Bridge League settled on two United States teams, who both finished 5th to 8th. (The two US teams are determined under the auspices of the United States Bridge Federation. The other team from Zone 2 is determined by a playoff of other national teams, if necessary.)1993 SantiagoSantiago, ChileSantiago , also known as Santiago de Chile, is the capital and largest city of Chile, and the center of its largest conurbation . It is located in the country's central valley, at an elevation of above mean sea level...
, ChileChileChile ,officially the Republic of Chile , is a country in South America occupying a long, narrow coastal strip between the Andes mountains to the east and the Pacific Ocean to the west. It borders Peru to the north, Bolivia to the northeast, Argentina to the east, and the Drake Passage in the far...
Netherlands won its first Bermuda Bowl. Netherlands and Norway were fourth and third in Europe, as finalists Iceland and Poland had been two years earlier.Boer, Leufkens, and Westra had played on the Netherlands 1987 world champion junior team. Helgemo of Norway played on the contemporary junior team and thus won two silver medals in 1993.
| 1993 |
16 | 1. | Netherlands Wubbo de Boer, Piet Jansen, Enri Leufkens, Bauke Muller Bauke Muller Bauke Muller is a Dutch bridge player living in Hoorn.Muller was World Champion Open Teams in 1993 and European Champion Open Teams in 2005. In 2007 he won the bronze medal at both the European Open Team Championships in Antalya and the World Open Teams Championships in Shanghai... , Jan Westerhof, Berry Westra Berry Westra Berry Westra is a Dutch bridge professional. At age of 18 Westra made his debut with former bridge world champion Hans Kreijns in the meesterklasse . In 1986 Westra became European champion youth bridge. The world championship in the same category followed a year later... |
| |2. | Norway Terje Aa Terje Aa Terje Aa is a Norwegian bridge player, WBF World Life Master, and regular member of the Norwegian team since 1993. Teams on which he was a member have placed in the top three of the World Bridge Federation European and World Championships 11 times between 1984 and 2008.In 1993, Aa debuted as the... , Glenn Grøtheim Glenn Grøtheim Glenn Grøtheim is a Norwegian bridge player, WBF World Grand Master, winner of the 2007 Bermuda Bowl and a regular member of the Norwegian team since 1987.... , Geir Helgemo Geir Helgemo Geir Helgemo is a Norwegian professional bridge player. As of April 2011 he ranks number 11 among Open World Grand Masters.... , Tor Helness, Arild Rasmussen, Jon Sveindal |
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| |3. | Brazil Marcelo Amaral, José Barbosa, Pedro Paulo Branco, Carlos Camacho, Gabriel Chagas Gabriel Chagas Gabriel Pinheiro Chagas Filho is a famous Brazilian bridge player. He was the winner of World Team Olympiad in Monte Carlo 1976, Bermuda Bowl in Perth 1989, World Open Pairs Championship in Geneva 1990, as well as Transnational Teams in Paris 2001... , Roberto Mello |
USA 2 finished fourth.South Africa represented Africa for the first time. Mexico won the third slot from North America. Host Chile finished last, as Japan and Jamaica had done.
1995 BeijingBeijingBeijing , also known as Peking , is the capital of the People's Republic of China and one of the most populous cities in the world, with a population of 19,612,368 as of 2010. The city is the country's political, cultural, and educational center, and home to the headquarters for most of China's...
, ChinaChinaChinese civilization may refer to:* China for more general discussion of the country.* Chinese culture* Greater China, the transnational community of ethnic Chinese.* History of China* Sinosphere, the area historically affected by Chinese culture...
This was the first win for Nick Nickell's professional team ("Nickell" in North American tournaments). Canada made its best showing by far and South Africa finished fifth while the European and US champions did not reach the quarterfinal.
| 1995 |
16 | 1. | USA 2Annual rankings published by the WBF show double representation for the US in 1983 and from 1991 to date. Select "Venue" links at "World Team Championships to Date". Confirmed 2011-08-17. Some years before 1983, there was one "North America" team representing the American Contract Bridge League American Contract Bridge League The American Contract Bridge League is the largest contract bridge organization in North America. It promotes the game of bridge in the United States, Mexico, Bermuda, and Canada, and is a member of the World Bridge Federation... rather than any national team representing USA, Canada, Mexico, or Bermuda. Richard Freeman Richard Freeman (bridge) Richard Freeman was a world champion American bridge player holding the title of World Grand Master. He won the Bermuda Bowl world team championship and won many national championships. Freeman was inducted into the American Contract Bridge League's Hall of Fame in 2001... , Bob Hamman Bob Hamman Robert David Hamman is an American professional bridge player, among the greatest players of all time.... , Jeff Meckstroth Jeff Meckstroth Jeffrey John Meckstroth is a multiple world champion in contract bridge, winning the Bermuda Bowl representing the U.S. five times. He is one of only ten players who have won the so-called triple crown of bridge: the Bermuda Bowl, the World Open Pairs and the World Team Olympiad... , Nick Nickell, Eric Rodwell Eric Rodwell Eric Victor Rodwell is an American professional bridge player. He has won the Bermuda Bowl representing the U.S. five times and is one of ten players who have won the so-called triple crown of bridge: the Bermuda Bowl, the World Open Pairs and the World Team Olympiad... , Bobby Wolff Bobby Wolff Robert S. Wolff is an American bridge player and 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... |
| |2. | Canada Boris Baran, Fred Gitelman Fred Gitelman Fred Gitelman is a leading American bridge player, as well as the founder and manager of , a bridge playing site.... , Eric Kokish, George Mittelman, Mark Molson, Joey Silver |
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| |3. | France Paul Chemla Paul Chemla Paul Chemla is a famous French bridge player.Chemla was born in Tunis. He studied at the École Normale Supérieure in Paris where he took up playing bridge. His wins include three European Pairs Championships , two World Team Olympiads , and the 1997 Bermuda Bowl... , Philippe Cronier, Michel Lebel, Michel Perron, Robert Reiplinger, Philippe Soulet |
Sweden finished fourth.1997 Hammamet, TunisiaTunisiaTunisia , officially the Tunisian RepublicThe long name of Tunisia in other languages used in the country is: , is the northernmost country in Africa. It is a Maghreb country and is bordered by Algeria to the west, Libya to the southeast, and the Mediterranean Sea to the north and east. Its area...
France won its first Bermuda Bowl as the fifth and last qualifier from Europe following another Bermuda Bowl tournament expansion.| 1997 |
18 | 1. | France Paul Chemla Paul Chemla Paul Chemla is a famous French bridge player.Chemla was born in Tunis. He studied at the École Normale Supérieure in Paris where he took up playing bridge. His wins include three European Pairs Championships , two World Team Olympiads , and the 1997 Bermuda Bowl... , Alain Lévy, Christian Mari, Hervé Mouiel, Franck Multon, Michel Perron |
| |2. | USA 2 Richard Freeman Richard Freeman (bridge) Richard Freeman was a world champion American bridge player holding the title of World Grand Master. He won the Bermuda Bowl world team championship and won many national championships. Freeman was inducted into the American Contract Bridge League's Hall of Fame in 2001... , Bob Hamman Bob Hamman Robert David Hamman is an American professional bridge player, among the greatest players of all time.... , Jeff Meckstroth Jeff Meckstroth Jeffrey John Meckstroth is a multiple world champion in contract bridge, winning the Bermuda Bowl representing the U.S. five times. He is one of only ten players who have won the so-called triple crown of bridge: the Bermuda Bowl, the World Open Pairs and the World Team Olympiad... , Nick Nickell, Eric Rodwell Eric Rodwell Eric Victor Rodwell is an American professional bridge player. He has won the Bermuda Bowl representing the U.S. five times and is one of ten players who have won the so-called triple crown of bridge: the Bermuda Bowl, the World Open Pairs and the World Team Olympiad... , Bobby Wolff Bobby Wolff Robert S. Wolff is an American bridge player and 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... |
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| |3. | Norway Terje Aa Terje Aa Terje Aa is a Norwegian bridge player, WBF World Life Master, and regular member of the Norwegian team since 1993. Teams on which he was a member have placed in the top three of the World Bridge Federation European and World Championships 11 times between 1984 and 2008.In 1993, Aa debuted as the... , Boye Brogeland, Glenn Grøtheim Glenn Grøtheim Glenn Grøtheim is a Norwegian bridge player, WBF World Grand Master, winner of the 2007 Bermuda Bowl and a regular member of the Norwegian team since 1987.... , Geir Helgemo Geir Helgemo Geir Helgemo is a Norwegian professional bridge player. As of April 2011 he ranks number 11 among Open World Grand Masters.... , Tor Helness, Erik Sælensminde |
USA 1 finished fourth.Host Tunisia finished last and South Africa plummeted to second-last.
2000 SouthamptonSouthampton Parish, BermudaSouthampton Parish is one of the nine parishes of Bermuda. It is named for Henry Wriothesley, 3rd Earl of Southampton .It is located in the southwest of the island chain, occupying all of the western part of the main island, except for the westernmost tip...
, BermudaBermudaBermuda is a British overseas territory in the North Atlantic Ocean. Located off the east coast of the United States, its nearest landmass is Cape Hatteras, North Carolina, about to the west-northwest. It is about south of Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada, and northeast of Miami, Florida...
The Bermuda Bowl cycle continued as usual in 1998/1999 but the concluding tournament was in January 2000, marking the 50th anniversary of the inaugural contest in HamiltonHamilton, Bermuda
Hamilton is the capital of the British Overseas Territory of Bermuda. It is the territory's financial centre and a major port and tourist destination.-Geography:...
.Alan Truscott wrote "exactly half a century" without specifying exactly to the calendar year, month, weekday, or date.
Beside the expansion, "Britain" had been succeeded by England, Scotland, and Wales as three of about forty bridge nations in "Europe". In contrast to that three-way competition among teams representing America, Britain, and Europe, there were now eight geographic zones from which twenty teams qualified in numbers influenced by past bridge population and performance.
- Europe: Italy, Sweden, Norway, Bulgaria, France, Poland —1st to 6th in the European championship
- North America: USA 1, USA 2, Canada, and Bermuda as the host country
- South America: Argentina, Brazil
- Asia & Middle East: Pakistan
- C. America & Carib.: Guadeloupe
- Pacific Asia: China, Taiwan, Indonesia
- South Pacific: Australia, New Zealand
- Africa: South Africa
| Year | Entries | Rank | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 |
20 | 1. | USA 1 Richard Freeman Richard Freeman (bridge) Richard Freeman was a world champion American bridge player holding the title of World Grand Master. He won the Bermuda Bowl world team championship and won many national championships. Freeman was inducted into the American Contract Bridge League's Hall of Fame in 2001... , Bob Hamman Bob Hamman Robert David Hamman is an American professional bridge player, among the greatest players of all time.... , Jeff Meckstroth Jeff Meckstroth Jeffrey John Meckstroth is a multiple world champion in contract bridge, winning the Bermuda Bowl representing the U.S. five times. He is one of only ten players who have won the so-called triple crown of bridge: the Bermuda Bowl, the World Open Pairs and the World Team Olympiad... , Nick Nickell, Eric Rodwell Eric Rodwell Eric Victor Rodwell is an American professional bridge player. He has won the Bermuda Bowl representing the U.S. five times and is one of ten players who have won the so-called triple crown of bridge: the Bermuda Bowl, the World Open Pairs and the World Team Olympiad... , Paul Soloway Paul Soloway Paul Soloway was a world champion American bridge player. He won the Bermuda Bowl world team championship five times and won 30 national championships. Soloway was inducted into the American Contract Bridge League's Hall of Fame in 2002... |
| |2. | Brazil Marcelo Branco Marcelo Branco Marcelo Branco is famous Brazilian bridge player. Among other successes, he was the winner of World Team Olympiad in Monte Carlo 1976, Bermuda Bowl in Perth 1989, and World Open pairs Championship in New Orleans 1978 and Geneva 1990. He is one of 10 players who collected the Triple Crown of Bridge... , João Paulo Campos, Gabriel Chagas Gabriel Chagas Gabriel Pinheiro Chagas Filho is a famous Brazilian bridge player. He was the winner of World Team Olympiad in Monte Carlo 1976, Bermuda Bowl in Perth 1989, World Open Pairs Championship in Geneva 1990, as well as Transnational Teams in Paris 2001... , Ricardo Janz, Roberto Mello, Miguel Villasboas |
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| |3. | USA 2 Chip Martel, Lew Stansby, Zia Mahmood Zia Mahmood Zia Mahmood is a Pakistani professional bridge player. He is a World Bridge Federation and American Contract Bridge League Grand Life Master. He has a knack for bringing out the best in his partners and is regarded as one of the greatest players of the game... , Michael Rosenberg Michael Rosenberg Michael Rosenberg is one of the top bridge players in the United States. He moved to Scotland as a child and returned to New York in 1990 where he lives with his wife Debbie, also a top player.... , Neil Silverman, Jeff Wolfson |
Norway finished fourth.Europe's six teams all finished in the top ten but only Norway reached the semifinal. Bermuda finished last, the fifth time for six hosts since 1989.
2001 ParisParisParis is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
, FranceFranceThe French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
| 2001 |
18 | 1. | USA 2 Kyle Larsen, Chip Martel, Rose Meltzer, Alan Sontag Alan Sontag Alan M. Sontag is a world champion American bridge player and author of bridge books.-Bridge career:Although he is a six-time world champion in contract bridge, winning the prestige Bermuda Bowl twice, Sontag is best known as the author of The Bridge Bum, a book "on everybody's list of the top ten... , Lew Stansby, Peter Weichsel |
| |2. | Norway Terje Aa Terje Aa Terje Aa is a Norwegian bridge player, WBF World Life Master, and regular member of the Norwegian team since 1993. Teams on which he was a member have placed in the top three of the World Bridge Federation European and World Championships 11 times between 1984 and 2008.In 1993, Aa debuted as the... , Boye Brogeland, Glenn Grøtheim Glenn Grøtheim Glenn Grøtheim is a Norwegian bridge player, WBF World Grand Master, winner of the 2007 Bermuda Bowl and a regular member of the Norwegian team since 1987.... , Geir Helgemo Geir Helgemo Geir Helgemo is a Norwegian professional bridge player. As of April 2011 he ranks number 11 among Open World Grand Masters.... , Tor Helness, Erik Sælensminde |
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| |3. | Poland Cezary Balicki Cezary Balicki Cezary Balicki is a Polish bridge player holding the title of World Grand Master. Balicki won the World Transnational Open Teams in 2000 and 2009, European Open Teams in 1989 and 1993 as well as the prestige London Sunday Times Invitational Pairs in 1994. His team finished second in the 2000 World... , Michał Kwiecień, Marcin Leśniewski, Krzysztof Martens, Jacek Pszczoła, Adam Żmudziński Adam Zmudzinski Adam Żmudziński is a Polish bridge player holding the title of World Grand Master. Żmudziński won the World Transnational Open Teams in 2000 and 2009, European Open Teams in 1989 and 1993 as well as the prestige London Sunday Times Invitational Pairs in 1994. His team finished second in the 2000... |
Italy finished fourth.2003 Monte CarloMonte CarloMonte Carlo is an administrative area of the Principality of Monaco....
, MonacoMonacoMonaco , officially the Principality of Monaco , is a sovereign city state on the French Riviera. It is bordered on three sides by its neighbour, France, and its centre is about from Italy. Its area is with a population of 35,986 as of 2011 and is the most densely populated country in the...
Another expansion. Perennial Euro-champ Italy continued its slow advance in BB competition.| 2003 |
22 | 1. | USA 1 Richard Freeman Richard Freeman (bridge) Richard Freeman was a world champion American bridge player holding the title of World Grand Master. He won the Bermuda Bowl world team championship and won many national championships. Freeman was inducted into the American Contract Bridge League's Hall of Fame in 2001... , Bob Hamman Bob Hamman Robert David Hamman is an American professional bridge player, among the greatest players of all time.... , Jeff Meckstroth Jeff Meckstroth Jeffrey John Meckstroth is a multiple world champion in contract bridge, winning the Bermuda Bowl representing the U.S. five times. He is one of only ten players who have won the so-called triple crown of bridge: the Bermuda Bowl, the World Open Pairs and the World Team Olympiad... , Nick Nickell, Eric Rodwell Eric Rodwell Eric Victor Rodwell is an American professional bridge player. He has won the Bermuda Bowl representing the U.S. five times and is one of ten players who have won the so-called triple crown of bridge: the Bermuda Bowl, the World Open Pairs and the World Team Olympiad... , Paul Soloway Paul Soloway Paul Soloway was a world champion American bridge player. He won the Bermuda Bowl world team championship five times and won 30 national championships. Soloway was inducted into the American Contract Bridge League's Hall of Fame in 2002... |
| |2. | Italy Norberto Bocchi Norberto Bocchi Norberto Bocchi is an Italian bridge player. Bocchi has won four World teams championships along with six consecutive European teams championships and a seventh European in 2010. For many years his regular partner was Giorgio Duboin... , Giorgio Duboin Giorgio Duboin Giorgio Duboin is an Italian professional bridge player. He has won four world teams championships along with six consecutive European teams championships and a seventh European in 2010... , Fulvio Fantoni Fulvio Fantoni Fulvio Fantoni is an Italian international bridge player. He is a six-time world champion, a World Grand Master of the World Bridge Federation , and the WBF first-ranked player as of April 2011... , Lorenzo Lauria, Claudio Nunes Claudio Nunes Claudio Nunes is an Italian bridge international. He is a five-time world champion, a World Grand Master of the World Bridge Federation , and the WBF second-ranked player as of April 2011... , Alfredo Versace |
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| |The WBF current list of final rankings is corrupt: Poland and USA 2 tie third, Norway 4, followed by 5-6-7 with no eighth place. 36th World Team Championships: Results & Participants, 2003. Contemporary coverage shows that USA 2 and Norway finished 3-4 with Poland and three others 5th to 8th. Results: Bermuda Bowl: Quarterfinals, Daily Bulletin 9, 2003-11-11, page 2. Results: Bermuda Bowl: Play-Off, Daily Bulletin 12, 2003-11-14, page 2. |
3. | USA 2 Doug Doub, Steve Landen, Pratap Rajadhyaksha, Adam Wildavsky, (Dan Morse, Bobby Wolff Bobby Wolff Robert S. Wolff is an American bridge player and 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... )* |
* Morse and Wolff did not play enough boards to qualify for third place.
Norway finished fourth.2005 EstorilEstorilEstoril is a seaside resort and civil parish of the Portuguese municipality of Cascais, Lisboa District. The Estoril coast is close to Lisbon, the capital of Portugal. It starts in Carcavelos, 15 kilometres from Lisbon, and stretches as far as Guincho, often known as Costa de Estoril-Sintra or...
, PortugalPortugalPortugal , officially the Portuguese Republic is a country situated in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula. Portugal is the westernmost country of Europe, and is bordered by the Atlantic Ocean to the West and South and by Spain to the North and East. The Atlantic archipelagos of the...
Italy's 14th Bermuda Bowl was its first since 1975.| 2005 |
22 | 1. | Italy Norberto Bocchi Norberto Bocchi Norberto Bocchi is an Italian bridge player. Bocchi has won four World teams championships along with six consecutive European teams championships and a seventh European in 2010. For many years his regular partner was Giorgio Duboin... , Giorgio Duboin Giorgio Duboin Giorgio Duboin is an Italian professional bridge player. He has won four world teams championships along with six consecutive European teams championships and a seventh European in 2010... , Fulvio Fantoni Fulvio Fantoni Fulvio Fantoni is an Italian international bridge player. He is a six-time world champion, a World Grand Master of the World Bridge Federation , and the WBF first-ranked player as of April 2011... , Lorenzo Lauria, Claudio Nunes Claudio Nunes Claudio Nunes is an Italian bridge international. He is a five-time world champion, a World Grand Master of the World Bridge Federation , and the WBF second-ranked player as of April 2011... , Alfredo Versace |
| |2. | USA 1 Richard Freeman Richard Freeman (bridge) Richard Freeman was a world champion American bridge player holding the title of World Grand Master. He won the Bermuda Bowl world team championship and won many national championships. Freeman was inducted into the American Contract Bridge League's Hall of Fame in 2001... , Bob Hamman Bob Hamman Robert David Hamman is an American professional bridge player, among the greatest players of all time.... , Jeff Meckstroth Jeff Meckstroth Jeffrey John Meckstroth is a multiple world champion in contract bridge, winning the Bermuda Bowl representing the U.S. five times. He is one of only ten players who have won the so-called triple crown of bridge: the Bermuda Bowl, the World Open Pairs and the World Team Olympiad... , Nick Nickell, Eric Rodwell Eric Rodwell Eric Victor Rodwell is an American professional bridge player. He has won the Bermuda Bowl representing the U.S. five times and is one of ten players who have won the so-called triple crown of bridge: the Bermuda Bowl, the World Open Pairs and the World Team Olympiad... , Paul Soloway Paul Soloway Paul Soloway was a world champion American bridge player. He won the Bermuda Bowl world team championship five times and won 30 national championships. Soloway was inducted into the American Contract Bridge League's Hall of Fame in 2002... |
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| |3. | USA 2 Fred Gitelman Fred Gitelman Fred Gitelman is a leading American bridge player, as well as the founder and manager of , a bridge playing site.... , Eric Greco, Geoff Hampson, Russ Ekeblad, Brad Moss, Ron Rubin |
Sweden finished fourth.2007 ShanghaiShanghaiShanghai is the largest city by population in China and the largest city proper in the world. It is one of the four province-level municipalities in the People's Republic of China, with a total population of over 23 million as of 2010...
, ChinaChinaChinese civilization may refer to:* China for more general discussion of the country.* Chinese culture* Greater China, the transnational community of ethnic Chinese.* History of China* Sinosphere, the area historically affected by Chinese culture...
The 38th Bermuda Bowl saw Norway win its first title, after two second, one third, and two fourth from 1993. Helgemo–Helness and Glenn Grøtheim were members of all six teams.| 2007 |
22 | 1. | Norway Boye Brogeland, Glenn Grøtheim Glenn Grøtheim Glenn Grøtheim is a Norwegian bridge player, WBF World Grand Master, winner of the 2007 Bermuda Bowl and a regular member of the Norwegian team since 1987.... , Geir Helgemo Geir Helgemo Geir Helgemo is a Norwegian professional bridge player. As of April 2011 he ranks number 11 among Open World Grand Masters.... , Tor Helness, Erik Sælensminde, Ulf Håkon Tundal |
| |2. | USA 1 Steve Garner, George Jacobs, Ralph Katz Ralph Katz Ralph Katz is an American bridge player.Domestically, he has won 20 North American Bridge Championships and twice the Open Team Trials. Internationally, he has many top finishes, highlighted by a win in the 2009 Bermuda Bowl... , Zia Mahmood Zia Mahmood Zia Mahmood is a Pakistani professional bridge player. He is a World Bridge Federation and American Contract Bridge League Grand Life Master. He has a knack for bringing out the best in his partners and is regarded as one of the greatest players of the game... , Michael Rosenberg Michael Rosenberg Michael Rosenberg is one of the top bridge players in the United States. He moved to Scotland as a child and returned to New York in 1990 where he lives with his wife Debbie, also a top player.... , Howard Weinstein |
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| |3. | Netherlands Ton Bakkeren, Huub Bertens Huub Bertens Hubertus Bertens"Huub" is a Dutch bridge player from Tilburg, Netherlands. Huub has won numerous national and some international tournaments including the Cavendish Invitational, NEC Cup, the Yeh Brothers Cup, the European Open Team Championships... , Sjoert Brink, Bas Drijver, Simon de Wijs, Bauke Muller Bauke Muller Bauke Muller is a Dutch bridge player living in Hoorn.Muller was World Champion Open Teams in 1993 and European Champion Open Teams in 2005. In 2007 he won the bronze medal at both the European Open Team Championships in Antalya and the World Open Teams Championships in Shanghai... |
South Africa finished fourth.Its advance to the quarterfinal was a surprise
and there it knocked out the defending champion and advance favourite Italy.
2009 São PauloSão PauloSão Paulo is the largest city in Brazil, the largest city in the southern hemisphere and South America, and the world's seventh largest city by population. The metropolis is anchor to the São Paulo metropolitan area, ranked as the second-most populous metropolitan area in the Americas and among...
, BrazilBrazilBrazil , officially the Federative Republic of Brazil , is the largest country in South America. It is the world's fifth largest country, both by geographical area and by population with over 192 million people...
This was the fourth win for Nick Nickell's professional teams representing the United States (1995, 2000, 2003, 2009). Meckstroth–Rodwell and Bob Hamman were also members of all four teams.| 2009 |
22 | 1. | USA 2 Bob Hamman Bob Hamman Robert David Hamman is an American professional bridge player, among the greatest players of all time.... , Zia Mahmood Zia Mahmood Zia Mahmood is a Pakistani professional bridge player. He is a World Bridge Federation and American Contract Bridge League Grand Life Master. He has a knack for bringing out the best in his partners and is regarded as one of the greatest players of the game... , Jeff Meckstroth Jeff Meckstroth Jeffrey John Meckstroth is a multiple world champion in contract bridge, winning the Bermuda Bowl representing the U.S. five times. He is one of only ten players who have won the so-called triple crown of bridge: the Bermuda Bowl, the World Open Pairs and the World Team Olympiad... , Eric Rodwell Eric Rodwell Eric Victor Rodwell is an American professional bridge player. He has won the Bermuda Bowl representing the U.S. five times and is one of ten players who have won the so-called triple crown of bridge: the Bermuda Bowl, the World Open Pairs and the World Team Olympiad... , Nick Nickell, Ralph Katz Ralph Katz Ralph Katz is an American bridge player.Domestically, he has won 20 North American Bridge Championships and twice the Open Team Trials. Internationally, he has many top finishes, highlighted by a win in the 2009 Bermuda Bowl... * |
| |2. | Italy Antonio Sementa, Giorgio Duboin Giorgio Duboin Giorgio Duboin is an Italian professional bridge player. He has won four world teams championships along with six consecutive European teams championships and a seventh European in 2010... , Fulvio Fantoni Fulvio Fantoni Fulvio Fantoni is an Italian international bridge player. He is a six-time world champion, a World Grand Master of the World Bridge Federation , and the WBF first-ranked player as of April 2011... , Claudio Nunes Claudio Nunes Claudio Nunes is an Italian bridge international. He is a five-time world champion, a World Grand Master of the World Bridge Federation , and the WBF second-ranked player as of April 2011... , Lorenzo Lauria, Alfredo Versace |
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| |3. | Bulgaria Victor Aronov, Diyan Danailov, Kalin Karaivanov, Georgi Karakolev, Julian Stefanov, Roumen Trendafilov |
* Katz was the replacement for Richard Freeman, who passed away after USA 2 qualified for the Bermuda Bowl.
China "Long Zhu" finished fourth. Beside China and the American winners, the quarterfinalists were all six teams from Europe. Bulgaria placed third after winning the first European Small Federations Trophy in 2007, for national teams representing no more than 500 players.2011 VeldhovenVeldhovenVeldhoven is a municipality and a town on the Gender stream in the southern Netherlands, located just south-west of Eindhoven.- Population centres :...
, NetherlandsNetherlandsThe Netherlands is a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, located mainly in North-West Europe and with several islands in the Caribbean. Mainland Netherlands borders the North Sea to the north and west, Belgium to the south, and Germany to the east, and shares maritime borders...
The 40th Bermuda Bowl tournament concluded Saturday, October 29.Italy had routed the USA champions 167–69 in a one-day match for the bronze medal while the host Netherlands faced USA 2 in a three-day final. The Dutch hosts led by 55 IMP after two days (96 deals) and scored very well in the first session on Saturday to lead by 83 and coast to victory.
| 2011 |
22 | 1. | Netherlands Sjoert Brink, Bas Drijver, Bauke Muller Bauke Muller Bauke Muller is a Dutch bridge player living in Hoorn.Muller was World Champion Open Teams in 1993 and European Champion Open Teams in 2005. In 2007 he won the bronze medal at both the European Open Team Championships in Antalya and the World Open Teams Championships in Shanghai... , Ricco van Prooijen, Louk Verhees, Simon de Wijs |
| |2. | USA 2 Kevin Bathurst, Joe Grue, John Hurd, Justin Lall, Joel Wooldridge, Daniel Zagorin |
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| | |3. |
Italy Norberto Bocchi Norberto Bocchi Norberto Bocchi is an Italian bridge player. Bocchi has won four World teams championships along with six consecutive European teams championships and a seventh European in 2010. For many years his regular partner was Giorgio Duboin... , Agustín Madala , Giorgio Duboin Giorgio Duboin Giorgio Duboin is an Italian professional bridge player. He has won four world teams championships along with six consecutive European teams championships and a seventh European in 2010... , Antonio Sementa, Lorenzo Lauria, Alfredo Versace |
USA 1 finished fourth. The losing quarterfinalists were Israel, Sweden, Iceland, and China.China and Italy, fourth and second in 2009, played a close match. The other quarterfinals were comfortable wins.
Japan, New Zealand, and Australia made strong showings as the first three also-rans, thus beating two European teams Bulgaria and Poland.
Italy, Netherlands, USA 2, and Israel led the round-robin preliminary in that order, each almost one full match ahead of the next place. USA 1 enjoyed a comfortable position while six teams were in contention for three slots in the knockout stage with one round-robin match to play.
External links
- World Team Championships at the World Bridge Federation. Confirmed 2010-11-07.
- 40th World Team Championships. 2011 tournament dedicated website. Retrieved 2011-05-26.