Andrew Robson
Encyclopedia
Andrew Robson is an English
professional bridge player
, writer and teacher. He is a British and English international. Robson is the bridge columnist
for The Times
and The Sunday Times
. Robson was a member of the Great Britain Juniors team which won the World Youth Team Championship in 1989 and of the Great Britain Open team which won the European Open Teams Championship in 1991.
at the University of Bristol
in 1985, and a Cert Ed the following year.
In 2001 he suffered serious injuries when he slipped on ice when hill-walking in the Lake District
and fell thirty feet. He broke many bones, spent two months in hospital and was in a wheelchair for much longer. Robson was able to return to the bridge table five months after the accident, the speed of his recovery astonishing his doctors. As a result he received the International Bridge Press Association (IBPA) Sportmanship Award in 2001 "for his spectacular recovery from adversity".
He is married and has two daughters.
On turning 25, later that year, he was no longer eligible for junior events, and Tony Forrester
proposed that they should form a partnership. This lasted for seven years and was highly successful. They were part of the team which won the European Open Championship in 1991, and amongst the pairs events which they won were the prestigious Cap Gemini and Sunday Times-Macallan.
Since his partnership with Forrester broke up, Robson has played on a number of occasions with Zia Mahmood
, with whom he won the Cap Gemini two more times. He has also partnered David Bakhshi, with whom he won the Gold Cup
in 2002, and most recently Alexander Allfrey, who was a teammate when he won the Gold Cup a second time in 2004. Robson has since had two further wins in 2007 and 2009. He has also played a large amount in the United States, partnering Rita Shugart. In 1998 he was the first Briton, with teammate Forrester, to win a prestigious US Major, the Reisinger
, and the same squad won the event a second time the following year.
As well as his daily column in The Times, Robson writes a column for the monthly magazine Country Life. In the past he has also written for The Oldie
, The Spectator
and the Express on Sunday.
In addition to the books that Robson has written (see Bibliography below), in 2008 he produced a DVD entitled Play Modern Bridge, and he is also responsible for five instructional CDs.
He opened his own bridge club, The Andrew Robson Bridge Club, in London in 1995.
Robson has put his training as a schoolteacher to good use by heading many instructional seminars around the UK, as well as hosting master classes and charity bridge events and teaching at his club.
English people
The English are a nation and ethnic group native to England, who speak English. The English identity is of early mediaeval origin, when they were known in Old English as the Anglecynn. England is now a country of the United Kingdom, and the majority of English people in England are British Citizens...
professional bridge player
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...
, writer and teacher. He is a British and English international. Robson is the bridge 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....
for The Times
The Times
The 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...
and The Sunday Times
The Sunday Times
The Sunday Times is a British Sunday newspaper.The Sunday Times may also refer to:*The Sunday Times *The Sunday Times *The Sunday Times *The Sunday Times...
. Robson was a member of the Great Britain Juniors team which won the World Youth Team Championship in 1989 and of the Great Britain Open team which won the European Open Teams Championship in 1991.
Personal life
Robson obtained a BScBachelor of Science
A Bachelor of Science is an undergraduate academic degree awarded for completed courses that generally last three to five years .-Australia:In Australia, the BSc is a 3 year degree, offered from 1st year on...
at the University of Bristol
University of Bristol
The University of Bristol is a public research university located in Bristol, United Kingdom. One of the so-called "red brick" universities, it received its Royal Charter in 1909, although its predecessor institution, University College, Bristol, had been in existence since 1876.The University is...
in 1985, and a Cert Ed the following year.
In 2001 he suffered serious injuries when he slipped on ice when hill-walking in the Lake District
Lake District
The Lake District, also commonly known as The Lakes or Lakeland, is a mountainous region in North West England. A popular holiday destination, it is famous not only for its lakes and its mountains but also for its associations with the early 19th century poetry and writings of William Wordsworth...
and fell thirty feet. He broke many bones, spent two months in hospital and was in a wheelchair for much longer. Robson was able to return to the bridge table five months after the accident, the speed of his recovery astonishing his doctors. As a result he received the International Bridge Press Association (IBPA) Sportmanship Award in 2001 "for his spectacular recovery from adversity".
He is married and has two daughters.
Bridge career
As well as winning the World Youth Team Championship in 1989 Robson was also a member of the team which won the junior Common Market Championship the same year, on both occasions partnering John Pottage.On turning 25, later that year, he was no longer eligible for junior events, and 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....
proposed that they should form a partnership. This lasted for seven years and was highly successful. They were part of the team which won the European Open Championship in 1991, and amongst the pairs events which they won were the prestigious Cap Gemini and Sunday Times-Macallan.
Since his partnership with Forrester broke up, Robson has played on a number of occasions with Zia Mahmood
Zia Mahmood
Zia Mahmood is a Pakistani professional bridge player. He is a World Bridge Federation and American Contract Bridge League Grand Life Master. He has a knack for bringing out the best in his partners and is regarded as one of the greatest players of the game...
, with whom he won the Cap Gemini two more times. He has also partnered David Bakhshi, with whom he won the Gold Cup
Gold Cup (bridge)
The Gold Cup is the premier open Britishcontract bridge competition for teams of four. It was first contested in the 1931/32 season, making it one of the oldest contract bridge tournaments anywhere...
in 2002, and most recently Alexander Allfrey, who was a teammate when he won the Gold Cup a second time in 2004. Robson has since had two further wins in 2007 and 2009. He has also played a large amount in the United States, partnering Rita Shugart. In 1998 he was the first Briton, with teammate Forrester, to win a prestigious US Major, the Reisinger
Reisinger
The 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:...
, and the same squad won the event a second time the following year.
As well as his daily column in The Times, Robson writes a column for the monthly magazine Country Life. In the past he has also written for The Oldie
The Oldie
The Oldie is a monthly magazine launched in 1992 by Richard Ingrams, who for 23 years was the editor of Private Eye. It carries general interest articles, humour and cartoons, and has an eclectic list of contributors, including James Le Fanu, John Sweeney, Thomas Stuttaford, Virginia Ironside,...
, The Spectator
The Spectator
The Spectator is a weekly British magazine first published on 6 July 1828. It is currently owned by David and Frederick Barclay, who also owns The Daily Telegraph. Its principal subject areas are politics and culture...
and the Express on Sunday.
In addition to the books that Robson has written (see Bibliography below), in 2008 he produced a DVD entitled Play Modern Bridge, and he is also responsible for five instructional CDs.
He opened his own bridge club, The Andrew Robson Bridge Club, in London in 1995.
Robson has put his training as a schoolteacher to good use by heading many instructional seminars around the UK, as well as hosting master classes and charity bridge events and teaching at his club.
External links
- Andrew Robson Bridge Club Retrieved 4 August 2011