Kenneth Konstam
Encyclopedia
Kenneth W. Konstam often known as 'Konnie', was an English
international bridge
player, and in 1955 was one of the only British team to win the Bermuda Bowl
. He won more European Open teams championships than any other British player.
Konstam, educated at Oundle School
, was employed for a time in the London Stock Exchange
. He was for many years an exectutive of the De La Rue
company, which made playing cards, postage stamps and banknotes (the playing card business was eventually sold to Waddingtons
). He served in the British Army
during World War II
, reaching the rank of Major. His fluent French
qualified him to act as Liaison Officer to the French Army
after D-Day
.
bridge team which won the Bermuda Bowl
in 1955, the first occasion a European team had beaten the United States in this competition, and the only victory for a British team in this, the world championship for teams of four. His main partner in the event was Leslie Dodds
. Konnie was described by Ramsey that year as "about the best pragmatic player in the game today". His bidding and play was rapid and direct in style; he was known for bidding borderline games, and for his acute tactical awareness at the table.
Konstam also represented Great Britain in the World Championship 1937, the Bermuda Bowl 1950, 1962, 1965; the World Olympiad 1964, and the European Championship 12 times (a record), winning in 1948, 1949, 1950, 1954, 1961, 1963. He won the Gold Cup
five times: 1949, 1956, 1960, 1964 and 1965.
He was one of the proponents of a bidding system known as CAB, in which the responder to a strong artificial 2C opening had to give priority to bidding any ace he might have. The 'B' stood for Blackwood
; otherwise, the system was mostly natural, with strong no-trump opening bids, and forcing jump raises as in the older version of Standard American
. He was bridge editor for the Sunday Times for many years.
Konnie also played rubber bridge
, which for many years was a good source of income. He had one attribute not given to all experts, namely, a great ability to partner weaker players. Many clients were surprised and delighted to find themselves winning a tournament where they would normally be back-markers.
said of Konstam:
In 1962 he updated his article:
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
international bridge
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, and in 1955 was one of the only British team to win the 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...
. He won more European Open teams championships than any other British player.
Konstam, educated at Oundle School
Oundle School
Oundle School is a co-educational British public school located in the ancient market town of Oundle in Northamptonshire. The school has been maintained by the Worshipful Company of Grocers of the City of London since its foundation in 1556. Oundle has eight boys' houses, five girls' houses, a day...
, was employed for a time in the London Stock Exchange
London Stock Exchange
The London Stock Exchange is a stock exchange located in the City of London within the United Kingdom. , the Exchange had a market capitalisation of US$3.7495 trillion, making it the fourth-largest stock exchange in the world by this measurement...
. He was for many years an exectutive of the De La Rue
De La Rue
De La Rue plc is a British security printing, papermaking and cash handling systems company headquartered in Basingstoke, Hampshire. It also has a factory on the Team Valley Trading Estate, Gateshead, and other facilities at Loughton, Essex and Bathford, Somerset...
company, which made playing cards, postage stamps and banknotes (the playing card business was eventually sold to Waddingtons
Waddingtons
Waddingtons was a publisher of card and board games in the United Kingdom. The company was founded by John Waddington of Leeds, England and Wilson Barratt, under the name Waddingtons Limited...
). He served in the British Army
British Army
The British Army is the land warfare branch of Her Majesty's Armed Forces in the United Kingdom. It came into being with the unification of the Kingdom of England and Scotland into the Kingdom of Great Britain in 1707. The new British Army incorporated Regiments that had already existed in England...
during 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...
, reaching the rank of Major. His fluent French
French language
French is a Romance language spoken as a first language in France, the Romandy region in Switzerland, Wallonia and Brussels in Belgium, Monaco, the regions of Quebec and Acadia in Canada, and by various communities elsewhere. Second-language speakers of French are distributed throughout many parts...
qualified him to act as Liaison Officer to the French Army
French Army
The French Army, officially the Armée de Terre , is the land-based and largest component of the French Armed Forces.As of 2010, the army employs 123,100 regulars, 18,350 part-time reservists and 7,700 Legionnaires. All soldiers are professionals, following the suspension of conscription, voted in...
after D-Day
D-Day
D-Day is a term often used in military parlance to denote the day on which a combat attack or operation is to be initiated. "D-Day" often represents a variable, designating the day upon which some significant event will occur or has occurred; see Military designation of days and hours for similar...
.
Bridge career
Konstam was a key member of the London-based BritishGreat Britain
Great Britain or Britain is an island situated to the northwest of Continental Europe. It is the ninth largest island in the world, and the largest European island, as well as the largest of the British Isles...
bridge team which won the 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...
in 1955, the first occasion a European team had beaten the United States in this competition, and the only victory for a British team in this, the world championship for teams of four. His main partner in the event was Leslie Dodds
Leslie Dodds
Leslie William Dodds was an English international bridge player and, by profession, an import-export merchant. He was a member of the British team which won the Bermuda Bowl in 1955...
. Konnie was described by Ramsey that year as "about the best pragmatic player in the game today". His bidding and play was rapid and direct in style; he was known for bidding borderline games, and for his acute tactical awareness at the table.
Konstam also represented Great Britain in the World Championship 1937, the Bermuda Bowl 1950, 1962, 1965; the World Olympiad 1964, and the European Championship 12 times (a record), winning in 1948, 1949, 1950, 1954, 1961, 1963. 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...
five times: 1949, 1956, 1960, 1964 and 1965.
He was one of the proponents of a bidding system known as CAB, in which the responder to a strong artificial 2C opening had to give priority to bidding any ace he might have. The 'B' stood for Blackwood
Blackwood convention
In the partnership card game contract bridge, the Blackwood convention is a popular bidding convention that was developed by Easley Blackwood. It is used to explore the partnership's possession of aces, kings and in some variants, the queen of trumps, to judge more precisely whether slam is likely...
; otherwise, the system was mostly natural, with strong no-trump opening bids, and forcing jump raises as in the older version of Standard American
Standard American
Standard American is a common bidding system for the game of bridge in the United States, also widely used in the rest of the world. This system, or a slight variant, is learned first by most beginners in the U.S. and may be referred to as 'Goren'; a dominant version used in on-line computer...
. He was bridge editor for the Sunday Times for many years.
Konnie also played rubber bridge
Rubber bridge
Rubber bridge is a form of contract bridge and is played with four players. It is most often played for fun but is also played seriously for money...
, which for many years was a good source of income. He had one attribute not given to all experts, namely, a great ability to partner weaker players. Many clients were surprised and delighted to find themselves winning a tournament where they would normally be back-markers.
Schapiro's opinion
In an article written in 1951 Boris SchapiroBoris 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...
said of Konstam:
- "Superb dummy player and defender, erratic and undisciplined bidder; is liable to and does in fact 'bring in' a lot of points. Very difficult to play against but concentration is bad."
In 1962 he updated his article:
- "He is still a most formidable opponent, a very good dummy player and superb defender. He makes mistakes nowadays but is fast and hard to get the better of. I still prefer him on my side rather than against me."