# List of contract bridge people

This list is a compilation of contract bridge players, writers, administrators and personalities who have been recognized for their skills, achievements or contributions to the game as identified by various specific sources.

## People recognized by bridge organizations
### American Contract Bridge League
#### Hall of Fame

ACBL Hall of Fame members († deceased) :
| Year inducted | Name | Category | Citation link |
| 2011 | Russ Arnold † | von Zedtwitz | |
| 2002 | Hermine Baron † | Open | |
| 2012 | Grant Baze † | von Zedtwitz | |
| 1995 | B. Jay Becker † | Open | |
| 2006 | Mike Becker | Open | |
| 2010 | David Berkowitz | Open | |
| 1995 | Easley Blackwood, Sr. † | Open | |
| 2000 | Lou Bluhm † | Open | |
| 1997 | David Bruce (Burnstine) † | von Zedtwitz | |
| 2006 | S. Garton Churchill † | von Zedtwitz | |
| 2002 | Ira Corn † | Blackwood | |
| 1995 | Barry Crane † | Open | |
| 1995 | John R. Crawford † | Open | |
| 1964 | Ely Culbertson † | Open |align="center"| | |
| 1996 | Josephine Culbertson † | Open | |
| 1998 | Billy Eisenberg | Open |align="center"| | |
| 1998 | Mary Jane Farell † | Open | |
| 2000 | Harry Fishbein † | Open | |
| 2003 | Henry Francis † | Blackwood | |
| 2001 | Richard Freeman † | Open | |
| 1997 | Edith Kemp Freilich † | Open | |
| 1997 | Richard L. Frey † | Open | |
| 2002 | Sam Fry, Jr. † | Open | |
| 1998 | John Gerber † | Open | |
| 2006 | Richard Goldberg † | Blackwood | |
| 1999 | Bobby Goldman † | Open |align="center"| | |
| 2009 | Agnes Gordon † | von Zedtwitz | |
| 1964 | Charles Goren † | Open | |
| 1999 | Michael Gottlieb † | von Zedtwitz | |
| 2003 | Fred Hamilton | Open | |
| 1999 | Bob Hamman | Open |align="center"| | |
| 2004 | Harry Harkavy † | von Zedtwitz | |
| 2002 | Emma Jean Hawes † | Open | |
| 1997 | Lee Hazen † | Blackwood | |
| 2010 | Paul Hodge † | von Zedtwitz | |
| 1997 | James (Jim) Jacoby † | Open | |
| 1965 | Oswald Jacoby † | Open |align="center"| | |
| 1996 | Eddie Kantar † | Open |align="center"| | |
| 1995 | Edgar Kaplan † | Open |align="center"| | |
| 1996 | Norman Kay † | Open | |
| 2004 | Amalya Kearse | Blackwood | |
| 2001 | Sami Kehela | von Zedtwitz | |
| 2005 | Betty Ann Kennedy † | Open | |
| 2011 | Eric Kokish | Blackwood | |
| 2009 | Mark Lair | Open | |
| 1998 | Alvin Landy † | von Zedtwitz | |
| 2012 | Kyle Larsen † | Open | |
| 2000 | Sidney Lazard † | Open | |
| 1965 | Sidney Lenz † | Open | |
| 2001 | Peter Leventritt † | Open | |
| 1999 | Theodore Lightner † | Open | |
| 2008 | Jerome S. Machlin † | Blackwood | |
| 2007 | Zia Mahmood | Open | |
| 2004 | Merwyn Maier † | von Zedtwitz | |
| 2003 | Ed Manfield † | Open | |
| 2012 | Jan Martel | Blackwood | |
| 1997 | Lew Mathe † | Open | |
| 2005 | Marshall Miles † | Blackwood | |
| 2003 | Jacqui Mitchell | Open | |
| 1996 | Victor (Vic) Mitchell † | Open | |
| 1996 | Albert Morehead † | Blackwood | |
| 1998 | Alphonse (Sonny) Moyse † | Open | |
| 2001 | Eric Murray † | von Zedtwitz | |
| 2001 | G. Robert (Bobby) Nail † | Open | |
| 2008 | Nick Nickell | Open | |
| 2009 | Aileen Osofsky † | Blackwood | |
| 2008 | Mike Passell | Open | |
| 1998 | Peter Pender † | Open | |
| 1997 | George Rapée † | Open | |
| 2003 | Steve Robinson | Open | |
| 1997 | Bill Root † | Open | |
| 2015 | Michael Rosenberg | Open | |
| 2015 | Audrey Grant | Blackwood | | |
| 2016 | Thomas Smith † | Open | |
| 2016 | Eddie Wold | Open | |
| 2017 | Jeff Meckstroth | Open | |
| 2017 | Peter Nagy † | von Zedtwitz | |
| 2017 | Zeke Jabbour | Blackwood | |
| 2000 | George Rosenkranz † | Blackwood | |
| 2002 | Hugh Ross † | Open | |
| 1995 | Alvin Roth † | Open | |
| 2004 | Jeff Rubens | Blackwood | |
| 2000 | Ira Rubin † | Open | |
| 2007 | Kerri Sanborn | Open | |
| 2002 | Carol Sanders † | von Zedtwitz | |
| 2002 | Thomas Sanders † | von Zedtwitz | |
| 1966 | Howard Schenken † | Open | |
| 2000 | Meyer Schleifer † | von Zedtwitz | |
| 2005 | Percy Sheardown † | von Zedtwitz | |
| 1996 | Alfred Sheinwold † | Open | |
| 1966 | Sidney Silodor † | Open | |
| 1996 | P. Hal Sims † | von Zedtwitz | |
| 1999 | Al Sobel † | Open | |
| 1995 | Helen Sobel Smith † | Open | |
| 2000 | Charles Solomon † | Open | |
| 2002 | Paul Soloway † | Open | |
| 2007 | Alan Sontag | Open | |
| 2001 | Lew Stansby | Open | |
| 1996 | Sam Stayman † | Open | |
| 2010 | Tom Stoddard † | Blackwood | |
| 2003 | Tobias Stone † | von Zedtwitz | |
| 1998 | David Treadwell † | Blackwood | |
| 2001 | Alan Truscott † | Blackwood | |
| 1998 | Dorothy Truscott † | Open | |
| 1964 | Harold Vanderbilt † | Open |align="center"| | |
| 1966 | Waldemar von Zedtwitz † | Open | |
| 1999 | Margaret Wagar † | Open | |
| 1999 | Katherine Wei-Sender | Blackwood | |
| 2004 | Peter Weichsel | Open | |
| 1995 | Bobby Wolff | Open | |
| 2005 | Kit Woolsey | Open | |
| 1965 | Milton Work † | Open | |
| 2001 | Sally Young † | Open | |
| 2013 | Gail Moss Greenberg | von Zedtwitz | |
| 2013 | Max Hardy † | Blackwood | |
| 2014 | Chip Martel | Open | |
| 2014 | Jill Meyers | Open | |
| 2014 | Billy Rosen † | von Zedtwitz | |
| 2014 | Peggy Sutherlin | Blackwood | |
| 2018 | Bobby Levin | Open | |
| 2018 | Eric Rodwell | Open | |
| 2018 | Ralph Katz | Open | |
| 2018 | Mark Molson † | von Zedtwitz | |
| 2019 | Peter Boyd | Open | |
| 2019 | Bart Bramley | Open | |
| 2019 | Judy Radin | Open | |
| 2019 | Michael Seamon † | von Zedtwitz | |
| 2019 | Patty Tucker | Blackwood | |
| 2020 | Larry Cohen | Open | |
| 2020 | Lynn Deas | Open | |
| 2020 | Chuck Burger † | vonZedwitz | |
| 2020 | Beth Palmer † | von Zedtwitz | |
| 2020 | John Sutherlin † | von Zedwitz | |
| 2020 | Matt Smith | Blackwood | |
| 2020 | Sol Weinstein | Blackwood | |
The first bridge Hall of Fame was inaugurated by The Bridge World in 1964 and invested nine members between then and 1966 after which it ceased sponsorship. The American Contract Bridge League adopted the concept to recognize the achievements and contributions of those residing in its territory (USA, Canada, Mexico and Bermuda) and inaugurated its own Hall of Fame in 1995 by accepting the original nine and adding eight others that year. Annually thereafter, new members have been added in as many as three award categories.
* Open Award – "living individuals who have achieved prominence in the game of bridge and have an outstanding tournament record"
* von Zedtwitz Award – "living or deceased individuals who have achieved prominence in the game of bridge and have an outstanding tournament record but who may not have been in the limelight for a significant period of time" (20 people in 19 years to 2014)
* Blackwood Award – "individuals who have contributed greatly to the game of bridge without necessarily being world class players" (19 people to 2014)
   Nominees in the Open category must have attained the age of 60 by 1 January of the year of the induction ceremony. The primary basis for consideration in the Open and von Zedtwitz categories is the player's North American and international record and achievements as a member and representative of the ACBL. An individual's personal history, whether good or bad, should be considered in nominating candidates or selecting recipients.
In 2008, ACBL established the Foundation for the Preservation and Advancement of Bridge (FPAB) "to support the preservation of bridge history, to recognize individuals for their excellence and service to the game of bridge and to inspire the participation of youth through scholarships and grants."

#### Most influential personalities

ACBL's Most Influential Personalities († deceased, ‡ ACBL Hall of Fame member) :
| Rank | Name |
| 1 | Charles Goren † ‡ |
| 2 | Ely Culbertson † ‡ |
| 3 | William McKenney † |
| 4 | Edgar Kaplan † ‡ |
| 5 | Bobby Wolff ‡ |
| 6 | Fred Gitelman |
| 7 | Eddie Kantar ‡ |
| 8 | Albert H. Morehead † ‡ |
| 9 | Alfred Sheinwold † ‡ |
| 10 | Waldemar von Zedtwitz † ‡ |
| 11 | Nathan B. Spingold † |
| 12 | Al Roth † ‡ |
| 13 | Bracketed KO inventor(s) |
| 14 | Oswald Jacoby † ‡ |
| 15 | Barry Crane † ‡ |
| 16 | Howard Schenken † ‡ |
| 17 | The Italian Blue Team |
| 18 | Helen Sobel Smith † ‡ |
| 19 | Bob Hamman ‡ |
| 20 | Mike Lawrence |
| 21 | Terence Reese † |
| 22 | Marty Bergen |
| 23 | Larry Cohen |
| 24 | Jaime Ortiz-Patiño |
| 24 | José Damiani |
| 25 | Dorothy Truscott † ‡ |
| 26 | George Rapée † ‡ |
| 27 | Marc Low |
| 27 | Paul Heitner † |
| 28 | Richard Walsh |
| 29 | Jim Lopushinsky |
| 30 | Eric Murray ‡ |
| 31 | Richard L. Frey † ‡ |
| 32 | Albert Morehead † ‡ |
| 33 | Alan Truscott † ‡ |
| 34 | Josephine Culbertson † ‡ |
| 35 | Zia Mahmood ‡ |
| 36 | Eric Rodwell |
| 37 | Jeff Meckstroth |
| 38 | Victor Mollo † |
| 39 | Eric Kokish ‡ |
| 40 | Aileen Osofsky † ‡ |
| 40 | Barbara Seagram |
| 41 | Al Sobel † ‡ |
| 42 | Alphonse Moyse † ‡ |
| 43 | Audrey Grant |
| 44 | Kathie Wei-Sender ‡ |
| 45 | Rose Meltzer |
| 46 | Grant Baze † |
| 47 | Tom Stoddard † ‡ |
| 48 | S. J. (Skid) Simon † |
| 49 | Lee Hazen † ‡ |
| 50 | Norman Squire † |
| 51 | Gosta Nordenson |
| 51 | Eric Jannersten † |
| 52 | Louis H. Watson † |
| 53 | Harold Vanderbilt † ‡ |
In 2012, the American Contract Bridge League celebrated the 75th anniversary of its creation by the merger of the American Bridge League and the United States Bridge Association in October 1937. In partial recognition, the League published a list of the 52 most influential personalities during its history.
Criteria included:
* contributions to bidding theory that have stood the test of time;
* contributions to bridge literature of enduring importance;
* contributions to law, regulation or administration making bridge more accessible or more fun;
* charisma that has broadened the appeal of bridge to non-players.
Selections were not limited to ACBL members or North American residents.

#### Player of the Year

ACBL Player of the Year :
| Year | Name |
| 2019 | Jacek Pszczoła |
| 2018 | Eric Greco |
| 2017 | Dennis Bilde |
| 2016 | Eric Greco |
| 2015 | Cedric Lorenzini |
| 2014 | Bobby Levin |
| 2013 | Martin Fleisher |
| 2012 | Zia Mahmood |
| 2011 | Joel Wooldridge |
| 2010 | Brad Moss |
| 2009 | Jeff Meckstroth |
| 2008 | Eric Rodwell |
| 2007 | Roy Welland |
| 2006 | Bob Hamman |
| 2005 | Zia Mahmood |
| 2004 | Jeff Meckstroth |
| 2003 | Michael Rosenberg |
| 2002 | Larry Cohen |
| 2001 | Ralph Katz |
| 2000 | Zia Mahmood |
| 1999 | John Mohan |
| 1998 | Paul Soloway |
| 1997 | Bart Bramley |
| 1996 | Zia Mahmood |
| 1995 | Fred Stewart |
| 1995 | Steve Weinstein |
| 1994 | Mike Rosenberg |
| 1993 | Bob Hamman |
| 1992 | Jeff Meckstroth |
| 1991 | Zia Mahmood |
| 1990 | Bob Hamman |
The Player of the Year is awarded to the ACBL player accumulating the most platinum masterpoints in the calendar year.

### Canadian Bridge Federation – Hall of Fame

CBF Hall of Fame Members († deceased) :
| Year inducted | Name |
| 2010 | Bruce Elliott |
| 2010 | Sam Gold † |
| 2010 | Sami Kehela |
| 2010 | Eric Murray |
| 2010 | Percy Sheardown † |
| 2011 | Diana Gordon |
| 2011 | Eric Kokish |
| 2011 | George Mittelman |
| 2011 | Doug Drew |
| 2011 | Ralph Cohen † |
| 2012 | William Anderson † |
| 2012 | Boris Baran |
| 2012 | Mark Molson † |
| 2012 | Peter Nagy † |
| 2013 | Joey Silver |
| 2013 | Audrey Grant |
| 2013 | Francine Cimone |
| 2015 | John Carruthers |
The Canadian Bridge Federation (CBF) is the national bridge organization for Canada and established the CBF Hall of Fame in 2010 to recognize the achievements and contributions of Canadian bridge personalities.

### European Bridge League – Awards and Distinctions

The European Bridge League (EBL) is a confederation of national bridge organizations for European countries, established 1947.
* Honorary Titles
* Plaques
* Medals. Since 1975, the EBL recognizes distinguished bridge people.
Gold Medal :
| Name | Nationality | Year |
| Aubry, Yves | France | 2008 |
| Bardach, David | Israel | 1994 |
| Beineix, Jean-Claude | France | 2010 |
| Butler, Geoffrey R. | England | 1975 |
| Damiani, José | France | 1995 |
| De Pauw, Marc | Belgium | 2010 |
| Jensen, Nils E. | Sweden | 1987 |
| Kielbasinski, Radoslaw | Poland | 2006 |
| Kooijman, Ton | Netherlands | 2010 |
| Magerman, Paul | Belgium | 2002 |
| Melander, Micke | Sweden | 2010 |
| Oliveira, Jose Manuel de | Portugal | 2003 |
| Ortiz-Patiño, Jaime | England | 1983 |
| Pencharz, Bill | England | 1999 |
| Rona, Gianarrigo | Italy | 2010 |
| Torlontano, Anna Maria | Italy | 1999 |
Silver Medal :
| Name | Nationality | Year |
| Bardach, David | Israel | 1989 |
| Blanken-Burgers, Marijke | Netherlands | 2010 |
| Boekhorst, Andre | Netherlands | 1989 |
| Frenkiel, Marian | Poland | 1989 |
| Gerontopoulos, Panos | Greece | 1991 |
| Helm, Emmy van der | Netherlands | 1989 |
| Helm, Harry van der | Netherlands | 1989 |
| Hodler, Marc | Switzerland | 1979 |
| Jensen, Nils E. | Sweden | 1977 |
| Kramer, Jut | Netherlands | 1979 |
| Kunin, Reuben | Israel | 1985 |
| Latala, Slawek | Poland | 2011 |
| Levy, Eitan | Israel | 2012 |
| Melander, Micke | Sweden | 2004 |
| Oliveira, Jose Manuel de | Portugal | 1999 |
| Parnis-England, Margaret | Malta | 1999 |
| Pencharz, Bill | England | 1989 |
| Rohan, Karl | Austria | 1989 |
| Torlontano, Anna Maria | Italy | 1991 |
| Zabel, Gunnar | Denmark | 1977 |
Bronze Medal :
| Name | Nationality | Year |
| Auken, Sabine | Germany | 2010 |
| Dix, Mario | Malta | 1999 |
| Gruber, Hans | Austria | 1992 |
| Mattsson, Goran | Germany | 2010 |
| Resta, Guido | Italy | 2010 |
| Schroeder, Dirk | Germany | 2010 |
| Szappanos, Geza | Hungary | 2010 |
| Yanes, Aureliano | Spain | 2001 |

### World Bridge Federation – Awards and Distinctions

The World Bridge Federation (WBF) is the world governing body for bridge, established in 1958.
* Women Stars
* WBF Master Point Records including titles such as "World Grand Master" (directory; some lists maintained infrequently or not at all)
* Medals (to 2006)
* Hall of Fame (inactive)
* Plaques & Trophies (to 2006)
* Youth Awards (to 2006)

## People recognized in bridge books

Numerous biographical entries are contained in the Encyclopedia of Bridge (1935), the various editions of The Official Encyclopedia of Bridge (1964–2011), The Bridge Players' Encyclopedia (1967), and in the British Bridge Almanack (2004).
In addition, the following books provide biographical information about bridge people as of the date of publication.

### Aces All by Guy Ramsey (1955)

In the foreword of Aces All, Ramsey writes that "it is a book about some, though by no means all, of the leading players of today and the immediate yesterday..." He presents biographies of the following (all either British or playing in Britain):

### The Bridge Immortals by Victor Mollo (1968)

The Bridge Immortals gives brief biographies of the "greatest bridge people living today", listed here in alphabetical order.

### World Class by Marc Smith (1999)

World Class: conversations with the bridge masters features "the crème de la crème of the world of bridge" in their own words. Here is Smith's classification of his interviews.

### British Bridge Almanack by Peter Hasenson (2004)

The Editor's Choice nominations are listed alphabetically as follows:

### Simply the Best - 20 of the Greatest Bridge Players of all Time by Brian Senior (2015)

In this seventy-page booklet, Senior provides commentary about twenty individuals he regards as the best bridge players or personalities of all time.

## Point leaders
### American Contract Bridge League

Grand Life Masters (GLM) defined by lifetime ACBL master points (MP), with some condition on major achievements
* MP leaders all-time, including deceased members, GLM only
Players of the Decade – defined by ACBL platinum master points
* 1990s
* 2000s
* 2010s – Leaders, 2010 to present

### European Bridge League

Lists of the top European Master Points (EMP) holders in various categories and for various periods

### World Bridge Federation

The World Bridge Federation measures achievement in tournament play by a dual system of Master Points and Placing Points and provides ranked lists in Open, Women, and Seniors categories. Short colloquialisms like "Fulvio Fantoni is number one in the world" refer to the WBF Open Ranking. It ranks by Master Points those all-time players whose Placing Points accord "World Grand Master" status. MPs decay but PPs do not, so retired and deceased World Grand Masters remain on the list but drift toward the bottom.

## Other listings
### Video interviews

The American Contract Bridge League has published at YouTube audio-video interviews of numerous players including almost 30 members of its Hall of Fame. These listings include some other videos of bridge personalities published at YouTube. (Those marked "ACBL Hall of Fame" may be interviews conducted by Audrey Grant, as are the ones so marked.)

### Famous people and bridge

* Warren Buffett
* George Burns
* Winston Churchill
* Deng Xiaoping
* Dwight Eisenhower
* Gandhi (Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi)
* Bill Gates
* George S. Kaufman
* Buster Keaton
* Chico Marx
* W. Somerset Maugham
* Lauritz Melchior
* Martina Navratilova
* Charles M. Schulz
* Omar Sharif
* Margaret Thatcher
* Everton Weekes
* John Paul Stevens
* Harold E. Talbott
* Fred M. Vinson
* Wan Li
* H. H. Asquith
* F. W. de Klerk
* Pervez Musharraf
* Janusz Korwin-Mikke
* John H. Caldwell (American Nordic skier)
* Forest Evashevski
* James Holzhauer
* Perry Johnson (2024 U.S. presidential candidate)
* John F. Kennedy