Alan Truscott
Encyclopedia
Alan Fraser Truscott was a bridge
player, author and columnist
. He wrote the daily bridge column for The New York Times
for 41 years, from 1964 to 2005 and served as Executive Editor for all six editions of The Official Encyclopedia of Bridge
, 1964 to 2002.
, south London
, and showed early prowess at chess
. He attended Whitgift School
in Croydon and served in the Royal Navy
for three years around the end of World War II
. From 1947 he studied at the University of Oxford
, which he represented at both chess and bridge. With Oxford partner Robert d'Unienville, he was on the British team (along with Terence Reese
and Boris Schapiro
) that won a bronze medal at the European bridge championships in 1951, age only 26. He represented Britain in the same event twice more, finishing second with partner Maurice Harrison-Gray in 1958 (again along with Reese–Schapiro) and first with partner Tony Priday in 1961. He was in charge of organizing the 1961 rendition hosted by Torquay
in Devon
shire, England. As European champions that British team finished third in the 1962 Bermuda Bowl
held in New York City
. The 1961 European teams was his only international championship.
Richard L. Frey, the American Contract Bridge League
publications director, recruited Truscott to help edit the ACBL's membership magazine and its Official Encyclopedia of Bridge, whose first edition was underway. Truscott moved to New York City, then the ACBL headquarters, and succeeded Albert Morehead as bridge editor of the New York Times 1 January 1964. Frey, Truscott, and the editorial board led by Morehead completed the first Encyclopedia later that year.
Alan Truscott had three children Frances, Fraser and Philip with his first wife Gloria Gilling. That marriage was dissolved 1971 (Hiron) and in 1972 he married the American bridge expert and internationalist Dorothy Hayden
, born Johnson, a former math teacher and actuary, who had four children from two previous marriages.(Alder)
Dorothy Truscott continued to compete at the highest levels after their marriage, winning all four of her world championships and achieving the world number one rank among women.(Alder) She had written "two best-selling bridge books" in 1969 and 1970 and they later wrote two books together.
Alan Truscott wrote thirteen books himself. He died of cancer at their vacation home in New Russia, New York
, near Lake Champlain. Mrs. Truscott died the following year.
in Buenos Aires and became a chief witness in a cheating scandal where Terence Reese
and Boris Schapiro
, representing Europe, were accused of using their fingers to pass information about their cards. The initial accusers were the American partnership of B. Jay Becker and Dorothy Hayden
; the two confided their suspicions to Truscott, a close friend of Hayden's (and later his wife) and to John Gerber, then captain of the USA team. After an investigation, Reese and Schapiro were judged guilty by the World Bridge Federation
authorities at the tournament in Buenos Aires. The British Bridge League (BBL) convened its own inquiry, and next year judged them not guilty by the "reasonable doubt" standard.
Both Truscott and Reese published books on the affair, The Great Bridge Scandal and The Story of an Accusation.
Bridge columns featuring Alan Truscott by his successor Phillip Alder:
Chess column by his fellow Robert Byrne:
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, author and columnist
Columnist
A columnist is a journalist who writes for publication in a series, creating an article that usually offers commentary and opinions. Columns appear in newspapers, magazines and other publications, including blogs....
. He wrote the daily bridge column for The New York Times
The New York Times
The New York Times is an American daily newspaper founded and continuously published in New York City since 1851. The New York Times has won 106 Pulitzer Prizes, the most of any news organization...
for 41 years, from 1964 to 2005 and served as Executive Editor for all six editions of The Official Encyclopedia of Bridge
The Official Encyclopedia of Bridge
The Official Encyclopedia of Bridge presents comprehensive information on the card game contract bridge with limited information on related games and on playing cards...
, 1964 to 2002.
Britain
Truscott was born in BrixtonBrixton
Brixton is a district in the London Borough of Lambeth in south London, England. It is south south-east of Charing Cross. The area is identified in the London Plan as one of 35 major centres in Greater London....
, south London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
, and showed early prowess at 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...
. He attended Whitgift School
Whitgift School
Whitgift School is an independent day school educating approximately 1,400 boys aged 10 to 18 in South Croydon, London in a parkland site.- History and grounds :...
in Croydon and served in the Royal Navy
Royal Navy
The Royal Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Founded in the 16th century, it is the oldest service branch and is known as the Senior Service...
for three years around the end of World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
. From 1947 he studied at the University of Oxford
University of Oxford
The University of Oxford is a university located in Oxford, United Kingdom. It is the second-oldest surviving university in the world and the oldest in the English-speaking world. Although its exact date of foundation is unclear, there is evidence of teaching as far back as 1096...
, which he represented at both chess and bridge. With Oxford partner Robert d'Unienville, he was on the British team (along with Terence Reese
Terence Reese
John Terence Reese was a British bridge player and writer, regarded as one of the finest of all time in both fields...
and Boris Schapiro
Boris Schapiro
Boris Schapiro was a British international bridge player. He was a Grandmaster of the World Bridge Federation, and the only player to have won both the Bermuda Bowl and the World Senior Pairs championship...
) that won a bronze medal at the European bridge championships in 1951, age only 26. He represented Britain in the same event twice more, finishing second with partner Maurice Harrison-Gray in 1958 (again along with Reese–Schapiro) and first with partner Tony Priday in 1961. He was in charge of organizing the 1961 rendition hosted by Torquay
Torquay
Torquay is a town in the unitary authority area of Torbay and ceremonial county of Devon, England. It lies south of Exeter along the A380 on the north of Torbay, north-east of Plymouth and adjoins the neighbouring town of Paignton on the west of the bay. Torquay’s population of 63,998 during the...
in Devon
Devon
Devon is a large county in southwestern England. The county is sometimes referred to as Devonshire, although the term is rarely used inside the county itself as the county has never been officially "shired", it often indicates a traditional or historical context.The county shares borders with...
shire, England. As European champions that British team finished third in the 1962 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...
held in New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
. The 1961 European teams was his only international championship.
America
According to Maureen Hiron, bridge columnist for The Independent of London, in New York City "he fell in love with one of the scorers, in particular, and America in general, and decided to cross the Atlantic."Richard L. Frey, the American Contract Bridge League
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...
publications director, recruited Truscott to help edit the ACBL's membership magazine and its Official Encyclopedia of Bridge, whose first edition was underway. Truscott moved to New York City, then the ACBL headquarters, and succeeded Albert Morehead as bridge editor of the New York Times 1 January 1964. Frey, Truscott, and the editorial board led by Morehead completed the first Encyclopedia later that year.
Alan Truscott had three children Frances, Fraser and Philip with his first wife Gloria Gilling. That marriage was dissolved 1971 (Hiron) and in 1972 he married the American bridge expert and internationalist Dorothy Hayden
Dorothy Hayden Truscott
Dorothy Hayden Truscott was the top-ranked woman in bridge for many years and authored or co-authored books on the game.-Career:...
, born Johnson, a former math teacher and actuary, who had four children from two previous marriages.(Alder)
Dorothy Truscott continued to compete at the highest levels after their marriage, winning all four of her world championships and achieving the world number one rank among women.(Alder) She had written "two best-selling bridge books" in 1969 and 1970 and they later wrote two books together.
Alan Truscott wrote thirteen books himself. He died of cancer at their vacation home in New Russia, New York
Elizabethtown, New York
Elizabethtown is a town in Essex County, New York, United States. The population was 1,315 at the 2000 census. The county seat of Essex County is a hamlet also called Elizabethtown. The name is derived from Elizabeth Gilliland, the wife of an early settler....
, near Lake Champlain. Mrs. Truscott died the following year.
Buenos Aires affair
As New York Times correspondent, Truscott covered the 1965 contract bridge world championship Bermuda BowlBermuda 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...
in Buenos Aires and became a chief witness in a cheating scandal where Terence Reese
Terence Reese
John Terence Reese was a British bridge player and writer, regarded as one of the finest of all time in both fields...
and Boris Schapiro
Boris Schapiro
Boris Schapiro was a British international bridge player. He was a Grandmaster of the World Bridge Federation, and the only player to have won both the Bermuda Bowl and the World Senior Pairs championship...
, representing Europe, were accused of using their fingers to pass information about their cards. The initial accusers were the American partnership of B. Jay Becker and Dorothy Hayden
Dorothy Hayden Truscott
Dorothy Hayden Truscott was the top-ranked woman in bridge for many years and authored or co-authored books on the game.-Career:...
; the two confided their suspicions to Truscott, a close friend of Hayden's (and later his wife) and to John Gerber, then captain of the USA team. After an investigation, Reese and Schapiro were judged guilty by the World Bridge Federation
World Bridge Federation
The World Bridge Federation is the world governing body of contract bridge. The WBF is responsible for world championship competition, most of which is conducted at a few multi-event meets on a four-year cycle...
authorities at the tournament in Buenos Aires. The British Bridge League (BBL) convened its own inquiry, and next year judged them not guilty by the "reasonable doubt" standard.
Both Truscott and Reese published books on the affair, The Great Bridge Scandal and The Story of an Accusation.
New York Times articles
Even after 1980, there was significant coverage of the Buenos Aires affair in the New York Times bridge columns by Truscott and his successor Alder.- Alder, Philip. "Cheating Scandal From '65 Rears Head Again" — David Rex-Taylor's communication on 40th anniversary. New York Times, 20 Jun 2005. Retrieved 2010-12-22.
- Truscott, Alan. "BRIDGE; Schapiro's Death Recalls An Accusation of Cheating" — Schapiro died "at the beginning of this month" at 93. New York Times, 14 Dec 2002. Retrieved 2010-12-22.
- Truscott, Alan. "Bridge; A Captain Whose Team Was Caught Cheating" — 1965 British captain Ralph Swimer died recently at 85. New York Times, 12 Mar 1998. Retrieved 2010-12-22.
- Truscott, Alan. "Bridge" — Reese died two weeks ago at 82. New York Times 12 Feb 1996. Retrieved 2010-12-22.
- Truscott, Alan. "Rixi Markus, 81, Bridge Grandmaster and Author" — Markus supported Reese and Schapiro. New York Times, 6 Apr 1992. Retrieved 2010-12-22.
Winner
- 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...
(3)- Mixed Pairs (1) 1989
- Master Mixed Teams (1) 1985
- North American Swiss Teams (1) 1987
- European Championships (1)
- Open Teams (1) 1961
- British Championships (2)
- Masters Individual (2) 1953, 1958
Runners-up
- 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...
(2)- Master Mixed Teams (1) 1972
- North American Swiss Teams (1) 1994
- European Championships (1)
- Open Teams (1) 1958
Publications
- Index of New York Times articles by Alan Truscott. When first linked here, that listed 6587 hits for "bridge" from February 19th 1981 to March 5th 2005; it lists 6532 hits for "Alan Truscott" and 6272 for "by Alan Truscott". Phillip Alder continues the "Bridge" column so its number of hits continues to increase. Truscott estimated that his byline appeared more than 12000 times. That implies about half before 1981, which suggests a 7-days-weekly column. ISBN 0-312-33107-X}}
External links
Obituaries:- Alder, Phillip. "Dorothy Hayden Truscott, 80, Bridge Champion and Author, Is Dead". The New York Times, 7 Jul 2006. Retrieved 2010-12-22.
- Hiron, Maureen. "Alan Truscott, bridge player and columnist". The IndependentThe IndependentThe Independent is a British national morning newspaper published in London by Independent Print Limited, owned by Alexander Lebedev since 2010. It is nicknamed the Indy, while the Sunday edition, The Independent on Sunday, is the Sindy. Launched in 1986, it is one of the youngest UK national daily...
, 10 September 2005. Confirmed 2010-12-22. - Jourdain, P.D. "Alan Truscott (1925–2005)". English Bridge UnionEnglish Bridge UnionThe English Bridge Union or EBU is a player-funded organisation that promotes and organises the card game of duplicate bridge in England. It has an office in Aylesbury with a staff of more than twenty people...
. Confirmed 2010-12-22. - Pollak, Michael. "Alan Truscott, Times Bridge Editor Since 1964, Dies at 80". The New York Times, 5 September 2005. Confirmed 2011-09-03.
- "Alan Truscott". The TelegraphThe Daily TelegraphThe Daily Telegraph is a daily morning broadsheet newspaper distributed throughout the United Kingdom and internationally. The newspaper was founded by Arthur B...
, 6 September 2005. Confirmed 2010-12-22. - "Alan Truscott". TimesOnline - The TimesThe TimesThe Times is a British daily national newspaper, first published in London in 1785 under the title The Daily Universal Register . The Times and its sister paper The Sunday Times are published by Times Newspapers Limited, a subsidiary since 1981 of News International...
, 9 September 2005. Confirmed 2010-12-22.
Bridge columns featuring Alan Truscott by his successor Phillip Alder:
- Alder, Phillip."Bridge; A Life of Cards Began With a Missed Slam at 15" — biography with Alder's illustration of restricted choice, one subject of Truscott's original writings. The New York Times, 8 September 2005.
- Alder, Phillip."BRIDGE; Playing in a European Fishbowl To Faintly Heard Applause" — biographical leftovers with one deal played by Truscott. The New York Times, 10 September 2005.
Chess column by his fellow Robert Byrne:
- Byrne, Robert."Chess; Wary of 'Hotshot' Youngsters? Then Steer Clear of Radjabov" — friendly remarks by fellow columnist and recreational tennis player, with chess column that does not feature Truscott. The New York Times, 18 September 2005.