David Bruce (bridge)
Encyclopedia
David Bruce was a leading tournament contract bridge
player of the 1930's who played under the name of David Burnstine. Born in New York City, he became Life Master #1 at the age of 36 regularly playing out of the Contract Bridge Club of New York
. Burnstine was a member of the Four Horsemen team captained by P. Hal Sims
and later left to create his own teams – the Bid-Rite team and subsequently the Four Aces. The Four Aces dominated tournament play in the later half of the 1930's. Burnstine moved to Los Angeles
in 1939 changing his name to David Bruce and retired from regular tournament play. He died in 1965 and was inducted into the ACBL
Hall of Fame in 1997.
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...
player of the 1930's who played under the name of David Burnstine. Born in New York City, he became Life Master #1 at the age of 36 regularly playing out of the Contract Bridge Club of New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
. Burnstine was a member of the Four Horsemen team captained by P. Hal Sims
P. Hal Sims
Philip Hal Sims was an American bridge player.In the early game, he was considered one of the best players in the United States. In 1931, he formed the Four Horsemen team composed of himself, Oswald Jacoby, Willard S...
and later left to create his own teams – the Bid-Rite team and subsequently the Four Aces. The Four Aces dominated tournament play in the later half of the 1930's. Burnstine moved to Los Angeles
Los Ángeles
Los Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants...
in 1939 changing his name to David Bruce and retired from regular tournament play. He died in 1965 and was inducted into the ACBL
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...
Hall of Fame in 1997.
Playing record
- Won 26 national titles by 1936, the year the rank of Life Master was established;
- VanderbiltVanderbilt TrophyThe trophy is awarded for the Vanderbilt Knockout Teams national bridge championship held at the spring American Contract Bridge League North American Bridge Championship ....
tournament victories came as a member of the Four Horsemen team in 1931 and the Four Aces team in 1934, 1935, 1937, 1938; - three wins in the SpingoldSpingoldThe Spingold national bridge championship is held at the summer American Contract Bridge League North American Bridge Championship ....
- 1934, 1936 and 1938; - first-place finish in the first official World Championship in 1935
- won the American Whist League (AWL) All-American Open Teams four times: 1932 (Contract); 1931, 1932 and 1933 (AuctionAuction bridgeThe card game auction bridge, the third step in the evolution of the general game of bridge, was developed from straight bridge in 1904. The precursor to contract bridge, its predecessors were whist and bridge whist....
); - won the United States Bridge Association (USBA) Open Teams in 1934 and 1937, the Open Pairs 1936
- won the American Bridge League’s (ABL) Challenge Teams in 1931, 1933 and 1937.
Publications
- Four Horsemen’s One Over One (1932) outlined the bidding systemBidding systemA 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...
of the Sims team. - The Four Aces System of Contract Bridge (1935) was co-written with other members of the team.
Game contributions
- invention of the strong artificial 2 opening, still used by the majority of tournament players; and
- creation of intermediate two-bids in the other suits, a prominent feature of the modern-day Acol system.
See also
- The David Bruce LM-5000 PairsBruce LM-5000 PairsThe David Bruce LM-5000 Pairs bridge event is held at the Summer American Contract Bridge League North American Bridge Championship. It is open to all players who have earned Life Master status up to 5,000 masterpoints....
bridge event, an 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...
competition