Mark Horton (bridge)
Encyclopedia
Mark Horton is a British
author, journalist and expert on bridge
, as well as a former lawyer and chess
champion. He has been the editor of Bridge Magazine since 1995. The magazine was founded in 1926 and is the world's oldest bridge magazine, and it is now distributed through Chess & Bridge in the UK. His regular blog can be found at http://mark.bridgeblogging.com.
He currently lives in Bath with his partner Liz.
and subsequently played for Great Britain in the European Team Correspondence Championship, winning the gold medal on his board as the team took the bronze. He penned a series of articles and booklets on Opening theory – and American legend Bobby Fischer
used one of his suggestions to win a game against Russian Mark Taimanov
on his way to the World title. His one full-length book on chess, published in 1977, is French Defence 1.
in the early seventies. Chess has taken a back seat ever since, and in 1993 he ended his law career to pursue bridge-related interests full time. He was fortunate to live in Nottingham
, which was the home of International Popular Bridge Monthly and also ensured that he could listen, learn and play with the pick of England’s players including Tony Sowter, Tony Forrester
, Graham Kirby, Brian Senior and Sally Brock.
On the advice of Forrester, Horton formed a partnership with Richard Winter and they rapidly rose to the top, winning in rapid succession a host of major events, including the Life Master Pairs, the Grandmaster Pairs, Crockford’s Cup and the Spring Foursomes. Their success earned them invitations to overseas events and they won both the famous Hoechst Team tournament and the Dunhill Cup. They represented England on numerous occasions and were on the Great Britain team in the World Championships in Albuquerque in 1994.
It was in that same year that Mark was asked by Patrick Jourdain to work at the European Mixed Championships in Barcelona
– the only snag was that it meant that he would not be allowed to play. He decided to accept and when Jourdain announced at the end of the event that he wanted to retire from working on the Bridge Bulletin, the European Bridge League (EBL) appointed him Chief Editor, a post he has held ever since.
In 1995 he was invited to become Editor of Bridge Magazine, the world’s oldest bridge publication (since in May 1926) and he has been doing that ever since. He started writing bridge books, and is now well into double figures. His latest, Misplay these Hands with Me, has earned rave reviews and was short listed for the 2008 Master Point Press
Book of the Year award, which his book I Love This Game, with Sabine Auken, won in 2006.
Although his partnership with Winter came to an end, Mark continued to play in International events. He has won events in such far-flung places as Australia
, France
, Germany
, The Netherlands, Romania
, the USA, Portugal
, Egypt
and Malta
, to name a few.
It was in Malta that he met the now legendary Rabbi Leonard Helman, and they formed a professional partnership. They were in the prize money in Malta, and ever since they have played in two or three events a year, at the Nationals and in some overseas events. A couple of years ago they won the Polish Team Championships in Sopot
along with their regular Bulgaria
n teammates Vladi Isporski, Valio Kovachev and Victor Aronov.
He has been an editor for numerous Daily Bulletins at tournaments, including the World Team Championships in Shanghai
in 2007. "No international tournament is complete without his presence as bulletin editor."
's Richard Sharpe
novels are amongst his favourites) or watching soccer, cricket
or baseball
. He enjoys restocking his wine cellar, and his latest acquisition is a bottle of Château Latour
1961.
British people
The British are citizens of the United Kingdom, of the Isle of Man, any of the Channel Islands, or of any of the British overseas territories, and their descendants...
author, journalist and expert on 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...
, as well as a former lawyer and chess
Chess
Chess is a two-player board game played on a chessboard, a square-checkered board with 64 squares arranged in an eight-by-eight grid. It is one of the world's most popular games, played by millions of people worldwide at home, in clubs, online, by correspondence, and in tournaments.Each player...
champion. He has been the editor of Bridge Magazine since 1995. The magazine was founded in 1926 and is the world's oldest bridge magazine, and it is now distributed through Chess & Bridge in the UK. His regular blog can be found at http://mark.bridgeblogging.com.
He currently lives in Bath with his partner Liz.
Chess Accomplishments
Horton was a powerful chess player who as a Junior represented EnglandEngland
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
and subsequently played for Great Britain in the European Team Correspondence Championship, winning the gold medal on his board as the team took the bronze. He penned a series of articles and booklets on Opening theory – and American legend Bobby Fischer
Bobby Fischer
Robert James "Bobby" Fischer was an American chess Grandmaster and the 11th World Chess Champion. He is widely considered one of the greatest chess players of all time. Fischer was also a best-selling chess author...
used one of his suggestions to win a game against Russian Mark Taimanov
Mark Taimanov
Mark Evgenievich Taimanov is a leading Soviet and Russian chess player and concert pianist.-Chess:He was awarded the International Grandmaster title in 1952 and played in the Candidates Tournament in Zurich in 1953, where he tied for eighth place. From 1946 to 1956, he was among the world's top...
on his way to the World title. His one full-length book on chess, published in 1977, is French Defence 1.
Bridge Career
Horton developed an interest in bridgeContract 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...
in the early seventies. Chess has taken a back seat ever since, and in 1993 he ended his law career to pursue bridge-related interests full time. He was fortunate to live in Nottingham
Nottingham
Nottingham is a city and unitary authority in the East Midlands of England. It is located in the ceremonial county of Nottinghamshire and represents one of eight members of the English Core Cities Group...
, which was the home of International Popular Bridge Monthly and also ensured that he could listen, learn and play with the pick of England’s players including Tony Sowter, Tony Forrester
Tony Forrester
Anthony R. Forrester is an English bridge player and writer. He is a British and English international and a World International Master. Forrester is the bridge columnist for The Daily Telegraph and The Sunday Telegraph....
, Graham Kirby, Brian Senior and Sally Brock.
On the advice of Forrester, Horton formed a partnership with Richard Winter and they rapidly rose to the top, winning in rapid succession a host of major events, including the Life Master Pairs, the Grandmaster Pairs, Crockford’s Cup and the Spring Foursomes. Their success earned them invitations to overseas events and they won both the famous Hoechst Team tournament and the Dunhill Cup. They represented England on numerous occasions and were on the Great Britain team in the World Championships in Albuquerque in 1994.
It was in that same year that Mark was asked by Patrick Jourdain to work at the European Mixed Championships in Barcelona
Barcelona
Barcelona is the second largest city in Spain after Madrid, and the capital of Catalonia, with a population of 1,621,537 within its administrative limits on a land area of...
– the only snag was that it meant that he would not be allowed to play. He decided to accept and when Jourdain announced at the end of the event that he wanted to retire from working on the Bridge Bulletin, the European Bridge League (EBL) appointed him Chief Editor, a post he has held ever since.
In 1995 he was invited to become Editor of Bridge Magazine, the world’s oldest bridge publication (since in May 1926) and he has been doing that ever since. He started writing bridge books, and is now well into double figures. His latest, Misplay these Hands with Me, has earned rave reviews and was short listed for the 2008 Master Point Press
Master Point Press
Master Point Press is a Canadian book publishing company located in Toronto, Canada. It grew out of Canadian Master Point magazine , which was published by Ray and Linda Lee. The company began publishing books in 1994...
Book of the Year award, which his book I Love This Game, with Sabine Auken, won in 2006.
Although his partnership with Winter came to an end, Mark continued to play in International events. He has won events in such far-flung places as Australia
Australia
Australia , 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...
, France
France
The 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...
, Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
, The Netherlands, Romania
Romania
Romania is a country located at the crossroads of Central and Southeastern Europe, on the Lower Danube, within and outside the Carpathian arch, bordering on the Black Sea...
, the USA, Portugal
Portugal
Portugal , 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...
, Egypt
Egypt
Egypt , officially the Arab Republic of Egypt, Arabic: , is a country mainly in North Africa, with the Sinai Peninsula forming a land bridge in Southwest Asia. Egypt is thus a transcontinental country, and a major power in Africa, the Mediterranean Basin, the Middle East and the Muslim world...
and Malta
Malta
Malta , officially known as the Republic of Malta , is a Southern European country consisting of an archipelago situated in the centre of the Mediterranean, south of Sicily, east of Tunisia and north of Libya, with Gibraltar to the west and Alexandria to the east.Malta covers just over in...
, to name a few.
It was in Malta that he met the now legendary Rabbi Leonard Helman, and they formed a professional partnership. They were in the prize money in Malta, and ever since they have played in two or three events a year, at the Nationals and in some overseas events. A couple of years ago they won the Polish Team Championships in Sopot
Sopot
Sopot is a seaside town in Eastern Pomerania on the southern coast of the Baltic Sea in northern Poland, with a population of approximately 40,000....
along with their regular Bulgaria
Bulgaria
Bulgaria , officially the Republic of Bulgaria , is a parliamentary democracy within a unitary constitutional republic in Southeast Europe. The country borders Romania to the north, Serbia and Macedonia to the west, Greece and Turkey to the south, as well as the Black Sea to the east...
n teammates Vladi Isporski, Valio Kovachev and Victor Aronov.
He has been an editor for numerous Daily Bulletins at tournaments, including the World Team Championships in Shanghai
Shanghai
Shanghai 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...
in 2007. "No international tournament is complete without his presence as bulletin editor."
Interests
When he is not at his computer you might find him reading (Bernard CornwellBernard Cornwell
Bernard Cornwell OBE is an English author of historical novels. He is best known for his novels about Napoleonic Wars rifleman Richard Sharpe which were adapted into a series of Sharpe television films.-Biography:...
's Richard Sharpe
Richard Sharpe
Richard Sharpe may refer to:*Richard Sharpe *Richard Sharpe *Richard Sharpe , Professor of Diplomatic at the University of Oxford*Richard Sharpe , English football player...
novels are amongst his favourites) or watching soccer, cricket
Cricket
Cricket is a bat-and-ball game played between two teams of 11 players on an oval-shaped field, at the centre of which is a rectangular 22-yard long pitch. One team bats, trying to score as many runs as possible while the other team bowls and fields, trying to dismiss the batsmen and thus limit the...
or baseball
Baseball
Baseball is a bat-and-ball sport played between two teams of nine players each. The aim is to score runs by hitting a thrown ball with a bat and touching a series of four bases arranged at the corners of a ninety-foot diamond...
. He enjoys restocking his wine cellar, and his latest acquisition is a bottle of Château Latour
Château Latour
Château Latour is a French wine estate, rated as a First Growth under the 1855 Bordeaux Classification. Latour lies at the very southeastern tip of the commune of Pauillac in the Médoc region to the north-west of Bordeaux, at its border with Saint-Julien, and only a few hundred metres from the...
1961.