Fritzi Gordon
Encyclopedia
Fritzi Gordon was one half of the most famous and tempestuous female partnership in bridge
. She was the second woman to attain the rank of World
Grand Master, her partner Rixi Markus
being the first. She won four world titles, seven European championships and numerous other tournament victories. Her brothers Hans and Paul Leist became, respectively, British and Argentinian international bridge players.
to middle-class Jewish parents. After school, she became the buyer for a Salzburg
store, married Paul Gordon and moved to Graz
. The Nazi Anschluss
in 1938 disrupted her life, as it did to so many others. She fled to London with her husband, though the details of this abrupt transition are not known. Her brother, Dr. Hans Leist, also came to Britain. (Also a fine bridge player, he was a member of five Gold Cup
-winning teams between 1946 and 1953.
According to Rixi Markus, published in the magazine English Bridge in April, 1992, at the time of Gordon's leaving Austria she "was not known in the bridge world while I was already a world champion. But she made up for it soon after arriving in Britain... Paul served in the war with the Pioneer Corps so Fritzi was freed of all restrictions imposed on aliens."
Despite their shared cultural heritage and experiences, Gordon and Markus were not personal friends. Success tied them together, but they were often at odds despite their success. Their 'discussions' at the table were quite famous, and earned them the soubriquets Frisky and Bitchy. Mrs Gordon was not a bridge author, and her private life remained private. She is consequently the less well known of the pair.
The actress Tara Summers
is her granddaughter.
, and her first partnership with Markus began half-way through the European Championships of 1950. In 1955 they agreed to form a regular partnership, which became one of the most successful women's pairs in bridge history. The partnership lasted until 1975.
Gordon won the World Women's teams 1964; World Mixed teams 1962; World Women's pairs 1962 and 1974 (placed second in 1970). She won the European Women's teams in 1950, 1951, 1952, 1959, 1961, 1963, 1966 and 1975. She represented Britain on nine other occasions and toured the USA in 1953 as part of the British women's team. Her national successes include the Gold Cup
in 1957 and 1961.
Ewart Kempson thought she was
Victor Mollo
agreed that she played like a man:
Terence Reese
thought she was at least as good as her more famous partner:
Rixi Markus herself wrote:
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...
. She was the second woman to attain the rank of World
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...
Grand Master, her partner Rixi Markus
Rixi Markus
Rixi Markus MBE was an Austrian and British international contract bridge player. She won five world titles, and was the first woman to become a World Grand Master within the World Bridge Federation...
being the first. She won four world titles, seven European championships and numerous other tournament victories. Her brothers Hans and Paul Leist became, respectively, British and Argentinian international bridge players.
Life
Gordon was born Frederika Leist in ViennaVienna
Vienna is the capital and largest city of the Republic of Austria and one of the nine states of Austria. Vienna is Austria's primary city, with a population of about 1.723 million , and is by far the largest city in Austria, as well as its cultural, economic, and political centre...
to middle-class Jewish parents. After school, she became the buyer for a Salzburg
Salzburg
-Population development:In 1935, the population significantly increased when Salzburg absorbed adjacent municipalities. After World War II, numerous refugees found a new home in the city. New residential space was created for American soldiers of the postwar Occupation, and could be used for...
store, married Paul Gordon and moved to Graz
Graz
The more recent population figures do not give the whole picture as only people with principal residence status are counted and people with secondary residence status are not. Most of the people with secondary residence status in Graz are students...
. The Nazi Anschluss
Anschluss
The Anschluss , also known as the ', was the occupation and annexation of Austria into Nazi Germany in 1938....
in 1938 disrupted her life, as it did to so many others. She fled to London with her husband, though the details of this abrupt transition are not known. Her brother, Dr. Hans Leist, also came to Britain. (Also a fine bridge player, he was a member of five 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...
-winning teams between 1946 and 1953.
According to Rixi Markus, published in the magazine English Bridge in April, 1992, at the time of Gordon's leaving Austria she "was not known in the bridge world while I was already a world champion. But she made up for it soon after arriving in Britain... Paul served in the war with the Pioneer Corps so Fritzi was freed of all restrictions imposed on aliens."
Despite their shared cultural heritage and experiences, Gordon and Markus were not personal friends. Success tied them together, but they were often at odds despite their success. Their 'discussions' at the table were quite famous, and earned them the soubriquets Frisky and Bitchy. Mrs Gordon was not a bridge author, and her private life remained private. She is consequently the less well known of the pair.
The actress Tara Summers
Tara Summers
Tara Summers is an English actress.The granddaughter of bridge player Fritzi Gordon, Summers was educated at Heathfield St Mary's School, in Berkshire. A graduate of Brown University Tara Summers (born December 19, 1979) is an English actress.The granddaughter of bridge player Fritzi Gordon,...
is her granddaughter.
Bridge career
Gordon's tournament bridge career began after World War IIWorld 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...
, and her first partnership with Markus began half-way through the European Championships of 1950. In 1955 they agreed to form a regular partnership, which became one of the most successful women's pairs in bridge history. The partnership lasted until 1975.
Gordon won the World Women's teams 1964; World Mixed teams 1962; World Women's pairs 1962 and 1974 (placed second in 1970). She won the European Women's teams in 1950, 1951, 1952, 1959, 1961, 1963, 1966 and 1975. She represented Britain on nine other occasions and toured the USA in 1953 as part of the British women's team. Her national successes include 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 1957 and 1961.
Ewart Kempson thought she was
- "Our own greatest woman player, [able] to play on equal terms with the greatest men players".
Victor Mollo
Victor Mollo
Victor Mollo was a British bridge journalist and writer. He is most famous for his "Bridge in the Menagerie" series of books, depicting vivid characters of bridge players with animal names through a series of exciting and entertaining deals, bridge fables of a sort.-Biography:Mollo was born in St....
agreed that she played like a man:
- "Few men play as well as Fritzi Gordon. No woman plays better. But it is with the men... that she should be compared for Fritzi's bridge is intensely masculine and he-man stuff at that."
- "Where Rixi Markus is fiery, Fritzi Gordon is icy cold. Where Rixi takes her contracts by storm, Fritzi makes hers through merciless efficiency..."
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...
thought she was at least as good as her more famous partner:
- "Fritzi played like a top-class man – like her brother Hans Leist, in fact. To tell the truth – and why not? – Rixi was not quite the equal of Fritzi as an all round player."
Rixi Markus herself wrote:
- "Fritzi Gordon was a wonderful player. She may even have had a slight advantage over me in that she was more controlled and less impetuous."
External links
- Women Stars at the World Bridge FederationWorld Bridge FederationThe 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...
—with biography