Michael Lawrence (bridge player)
Encyclopedia
Michael Steven Lawrence (born May 28, 1940 in San Francisco
, California
) is an American bridge
player, teacher, theorist, and prolific writer.
student at the University of California
; as result of a self-inflicted hand injury, he had to postpone the final exams and started playing bridge as a pastime. Bridge became his major interest and he devoted his subsequent life to it.
In 1968, he was invited by Ira Corn to join the newly-formed Dallas Aces
team. He formed a partnership with Bobby Goldman
, with whom he played a 2/1 game forcing
system. They started by winning several North American Bridge Championships
and, after a long Italian Blue Team
reign, returned the world crown to America by winning the Bermuda Bowl
s in 1970 and 1971. Lawrence and James Jacoby left the Aces in 1973.
Under Ira Corn's mentorship, Lawrence started teaching bridge and subsequently writing books. He has written more than twenty books since. He received numerous book-of-the-year awards starting with his first book, How to Read Your Opponents' Cards. He contributed to the theory of 2/1 game forcing systems, and his "2/1 semi-forcing" approach competes with Max Hardy's "unconditional forcing" approach. Together, they wrote the book Standard Bridge Bidding for the 21st Century in 2000. He also helped develop educational bridge software with Fred Gitelman
.
In addition to his world championships with the Aces, Lawrence has won another Bermuda Bowl in 1987 in partnership with Hugh Ross along with teammates Hamman
, Wolff
, Martel, and Stansby.
San Francisco, California
San Francisco , officially the City and County of San Francisco, is the financial, cultural, and transportation center of the San Francisco Bay Area, a region of 7.15 million people which includes San Jose and Oakland...
, California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
) is an American 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...
player, teacher, theorist, and prolific writer.
Biography
Lawrence started playing bridge while he was a chemistryChemistry
Chemistry is the science of matter, especially its chemical reactions, but also its composition, structure and properties. Chemistry is concerned with atoms and their interactions with other atoms, and particularly with the properties of chemical bonds....
student at the University of California
University of California
The University of California is a public university system in the U.S. state of California. Under the California Master Plan for Higher Education, the University of California is a part of the state's three-tier public higher education system, which also includes the California State University...
; as result of a self-inflicted hand injury, he had to postpone the final exams and started playing bridge as a pastime. Bridge became his major interest and he devoted his subsequent life to it.
In 1968, he was invited by Ira Corn to join the newly-formed Dallas Aces
Dallas Aces
The Dallas Aces were the world's first professional bridge team, organized by Dallas businessman Ira Corn in 1968...
team. He formed a partnership with 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...
, with whom he played a 2/1 game forcing
2/1 game forcing
2/1 game forcing is a bidding system in modern contract bridge in which, after a one-level opening bid, a non-jump response in a new suit at the two level commits the partnership to bidding at least game....
system. They started by winning several North American Bridge Championships
North American Bridge Championships
North American Bridge Championships are three annual bridge conventions sponsored by the American Contract Bridge League . The "Spring", "Summer", and "Fall" NABCs are usually scheduled in March, July, and November for about eleven days. They comprise both championship and side contests of...
and, after a long Italian Blue Team
Blue 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...
reign, returned the world crown to America by winning the Bermuda Bowl
Bermuda Bowl
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...
s in 1970 and 1971. Lawrence and James Jacoby left the Aces in 1973.
Under Ira Corn's mentorship, Lawrence started teaching bridge and subsequently writing books. He has written more than twenty books since. He received numerous book-of-the-year awards starting with his first book, How to Read Your Opponents' Cards. He contributed to the theory of 2/1 game forcing systems, and his "2/1 semi-forcing" approach competes with Max Hardy's "unconditional forcing" approach. Together, they wrote the book Standard Bridge Bidding for the 21st Century in 2000. He also helped develop educational bridge software with Fred Gitelman
Fred Gitelman
Fred Gitelman is a leading American bridge player, as well as the founder and manager of , a bridge playing site....
.
In addition to his world championships with the Aces, Lawrence has won another Bermuda Bowl in 1987 in partnership with Hugh Ross along with teammates Hamman
Bob Hamman
Robert David Hamman is an American professional bridge player, among the greatest players of all time....
, 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...
, Martel, and Stansby.
Wins
- Bermuda BowlBermuda BowlThe 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...
(3) 1970, 1971, 1987 - North American Bridge ChampionshipsNorth American Bridge ChampionshipsNorth American Bridge Championships are three annual bridge conventions sponsored by the American Contract Bridge League . The "Spring", "Summer", and "Fall" NABCs are usually scheduled in March, July, and November for about eleven days. They comprise both championship and side contests of...
(16)- 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 ....
(5) 1967, 1971, 1973, 1977, 1985 - SpingoldSpingoldThe Spingold national bridge championship is held at the summer American Contract Bridge League North American Bridge Championship ....
(1) 1969 - ChicagoReisingerThe Reisinger national bridge championship is held at the fall American Contract Bridge League North American Bridge Championship .The Reisinger is a board-a-match event.-History:...
(now Reisinger) (1) 1965 - ReisingerReisingerThe Reisinger national bridge championship is held at the fall American Contract Bridge League North American Bridge Championship .The Reisinger is a board-a-match event.-History:...
(3) 1970, 1977, 1980 - Grand National TeamsGrand National TeamsThe Grand National Teams national bridge championship is held at the summer American Contract Bridge League North American Bridge Championship ....
(1) 1987 - Men's Board-a-Match TeamsMitchell Board-a-Match TeamsThe Mitchell Board-a-Match Teams national bridge championship is held at the fall American Contract Bridge League North American Bridge Championship ....
(2) 1964, 1968 - Master Mixed TeamsChicago Mixed Board-a-MatchThe Chicago Mixed Board-a-Match teams national bridge championship is held at the summer American Contract Bridge League North American Bridge Championship .The event is a board-a-match team event....
(1) 1992 - Life Master PairsVon Zedtwitz Life Master PairsThe Von Zedtwitz Life Master Pairs national bridge championship is held at the summer American Contract Bridge League North American Bridge Championship ....
(1) 1984 - Men's PairsWernher Open PairsThe Wernher Open Pairs national bridge championship is held at the summer American Contract Bridge League North American Bridge Championship .The Wernher Open Pairs is a four session MP pairs event, two qualifying sessions and two final sessions....
(1) 1984
- Vanderbilt
- United States Bridge Championships (3)
- Open Team Trials (3) 1969, 1971, 1989
- Other notable wins:
- Cavendish Invitational TeamsCavendish InvitationalThe Cavendish Invitational is the largest money bridge tournament in the world. The , which concludes the tournament.-History and format:The Cavendish Club, whose name is associated with the event, was founded in 1925 in New York City...
(1) 1985
- Cavendish Invitational Teams
Runner-ups
- Bermuda BowlBermuda BowlThe 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...
(2) 1973, 1989 - World Open Team OlympiadWorld Team OlympiadThe 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...
(1) 1972 - North American Bridge ChampionshipsNorth American Bridge ChampionshipsNorth American Bridge Championships are three annual bridge conventions sponsored by the American Contract Bridge League . The "Spring", "Summer", and "Fall" NABCs are usually scheduled in March, July, and November for about eleven days. They comprise both championship and side contests of...
(14)- 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 ....
(1) 1970 - SpingoldSpingoldThe Spingold national bridge championship is held at the summer American Contract Bridge League North American Bridge Championship ....
(4) 1970, 1976, 1980, 1985 - ReisingerReisingerThe Reisinger national bridge championship is held at the fall American Contract Bridge League North American Bridge Championship .The Reisinger is a board-a-match event.-History:...
(1) 1983 - Men's Board-a-Match TeamsMitchell Board-a-Match TeamsThe Mitchell Board-a-Match Teams national bridge championship is held at the fall American Contract Bridge League North American Bridge Championship ....
(1) 1969 - North American Swiss TeamsKeohane North American Swiss TeamsThe Keohane North American Swiss Teams national bridge championship is held at the fall American Contract Bridge League North American Bridge Championship ....
(1) 1996 - Jacoby Open Swiss TeamsJacoby Open Swiss TeamsThe Jacoby Open Swiss Teams national bridge championship is held at the spring American Contract Bridge League North American Bridge Championship ....
(1) 1994 - Blue Ribbon PairsBlue Ribbon PairsThe Edgar Kaplan Blue Ribbon Pairs national bridge championship is held at the fall American Contract Bridge League North American Bridge Championship ....
(4) 1965, 1968, 1971, 1983 - Life Master Men's PairsNail Life Master Open PairsThe Nail Life Master Open Pairs national bridge championship is held at the fall American Contract Bridge League North American Bridge Championship ....
(1) 1978
- Vanderbilt
Publications
Dates indicate first and most recent publication.- How to Read Your Opponent's Cards (1974, 1986)
- Introduction to Contract Bridge and Point Count Bidding (with Gerald Fox, 1975)
- Judgment at Bridge (1976, 1986)
- The Complete Book on Overcalls in Contract Bridge (1979, 2009)
- True Bridge Humor (1980)
- The Complete Book on Balancing in Contract Bridge (1981, 1993)
- Dynamic Defense (1982)
- Play a Swiss Teams of Four with Mike Lawrence (1982, 1993)
- The Complete Book on Hand Evaluation in Contract Bridge (1983, 1993)
- The Jacoby and Texas Transfers Convention (1983)
- The Lebensohl Convention (1983)
- Major Suit Raises (1983)
- Partnership Understandings (1983, 1990)
- Play Bridge with Mike Lawrence (1983)
- Winning Bridge Intangibles (with Keith Hanson, 1985)
- Falsecards (1986, 2003)
- Mike Lawrence's Workbook on the Two Over One System (1987, 1993)
- How to Play Card Combinations (1988)
- The Complete Guide to Passed Hand Bidding (1989)
- Mike Lawrences's Bidding Quizzes Volume 1: the Uncontested Auction (1990)
- Topics on Bridge - Series 1-30 (1990, 1992)
- The Complete Guide to Contested Auctions (1992)
- The Complete Book on Takeout Doubles (1994)
- Disturbing Opponents No Trump (1995)
- Mike Lawrence's Opening Leads (1996)
- Opening Leads for Acol Players (with Ron Klinger, 1997)
- Double! New Meaning for an Old Bid (2002)
- I Fought the Law of Total Tricks (with Anders Wirgen, 2004)