Alvin Roth

For the American economist (born 1951), see Alvin E. Roth.

Alvin L. (Al) Roth (November 6, 1914 – April 18, 2007) was an American bridge player, considered one of the greatest of all time.[1] 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.[2]

Contents

Biography

Roth was born in The Bronx. He graduated from Stuyvesant High School and studied mathematics at City College of New York, where he discovered bridge.[2] Roth then took a job as a government statistician in Washington, D.C.[1] He served in the United States Army in World War II (where he met future bridge partner Tobias Stone), then returned to New York City.

He played for the United States in the three Bermuda Bowl world team championships, in 1955, 1958 and 1967, winning the silver medal each time.[2] He also came second in the 1968 World Team Olympiad.[1]

Roth was a Grand Life Master of the American Contract Bridge League, and a World Life Master of the World Bridge Federation.[1]

After attending a bridge tournament in Miami Beach, Roth moved there and ran a bridge club for five years. He then founded the Charles Goren School of Bridge in Washington, D.C. and ran it for ten years. Roth then purchased the Mayfair Club in New York, which he managed until retiring to Florida in 1995.

Roth married twice. He was first married to Fay Edelstein in 1940. They had a son, but were divorced in 1963, and she died in 1995. He married his second wife, Jean Farrell, in 1980.

Roth died of natural causes in Boca Raton, Florida.[1]

Bridge accomplishments

Honors

Awards

Wins

Runner-ups

Selected bibliography

References

  1. ^ a b c d e Alder, Phillip (April 19, 2007). Alvin Roth, Bridge Champion, Dies at 92. New York Times
  2. ^ a b c Obituary, The Times, May 26, 2007.

External links