Kit Woolsey
Encyclopedia
Kit Woolsey is an American
bridge
and backgammon
player. He graduated from Oberlin College
in 1964. He earned a master's degree in mathematics from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign in 1965.
In bridge, he was the winner of the 1986 Rosenblum Cup
world teams championship. He was also runner-up in the 1982 Rosenblum Cup, 1989 Bermuda Bowl
and won the Senior Teams at the 2000 World Team Olympiad
, and another gold at the 2003 Senior Bowl
, as well as more than a dozen ACBL
national championships
. Many of his successes were in partnership with Ed Manfield. He is a WBF
World Grand Master and was inducted into the ACBL
Hall of Fame in 2005. In backgammon, he was runner-up in the 1996 World Cup, and is (as of 2007) ranked the #5 backgammon player in the world.
Woolsey authored many bridge and backgammon books, and contributed to the bridge bidding theory with innovations like the two-way checkback convention and a defense system against opposing notrump openings
. He won the 1978 International Bridge Press Association (IBPA) award for Best Article or Series on a System or Convention. Since 1984, Woolsey has been one of four (six as of 2005) directors of The Bridge World
s Master Solvers Club.
Kit Woolsey is editor of the online backgammon magazine GammonU.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
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...
and backgammon
Backgammon
Backgammon is one of the oldest board games for two players. The playing pieces are moved according to the roll of dice, and players win by removing all of their pieces from the board. There are many variants of backgammon, most of which share common traits...
player. He graduated from Oberlin College
Oberlin College
Oberlin College is a private liberal arts college in Oberlin, Ohio, noteworthy for having been the first American institution of higher learning to regularly admit female and black students. Connected to the college is the Oberlin Conservatory of Music, the oldest continuously operating...
in 1964. He earned a master's degree in mathematics from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign in 1965.
In bridge, he was the winner of the 1986 Rosenblum Cup
Rosenblum Cup
Rosenblum Cup is Open Teams event held every four years as part of the World Bridge Championships. The event was added to the world championships in New Orleans in 1978 to commemorate Julius Rosenblum, who served as president of the World Bridge Federation until 1976...
world teams championship. He was also runner-up in the 1982 Rosenblum Cup, 1989 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...
and won the Senior Teams at the 2000 World Team Olympiad
World Team Olympiad
The World Team Olympiad was a contract bridge meet organized by the World Bridge Federation every four years from 1960 to 2004. Its main events were world championships for national teams, always including one open and one restricted to women...
, and another gold at the 2003 Senior Bowl
Senior Bowl (bridge)
Senior Bowl, also known as the d'Orsi Senior Bowl, is a bridge competition held at the same venue as Bermuda Bowl and Venice Cup. This event first started in 2000 as an exhibition contest before growing into a World Seniors Championship in 2001. It is contested every odd-numbered year...
, as well as more than a dozen ACBL
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...
national championships
North American Bridge Championships
North 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...
. Many of his successes were in partnership with Ed Manfield. He is a WBF
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...
World Grand Master and was inducted into the ACBL
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...
Hall of Fame in 2005. In backgammon, he was runner-up in the 1996 World Cup, and is (as of 2007) ranked the #5 backgammon player in the world.
Woolsey authored many bridge and backgammon books, and contributed to the bridge bidding theory with innovations like the two-way checkback convention and a defense system against opposing notrump openings
Woolsey (convention)
Devised by Kit Woolsey, the convention is a defense against an opponent's one notrump opening; especially used at matchpoints. Bids are as follows:* Double: a four-card major and a longer minor. Advancer can bid 2 to ask for the minor , 2 to ask for the major, or 2 or 2 to play.* 2: Both majors...
. He won the 1978 International Bridge Press Association (IBPA) award for Best Article or Series on a System or Convention. Since 1984, Woolsey has been one of four (six as of 2005) directors of The Bridge World
The Bridge World
The Bridge World , the oldest continuously published magazine about contract bridge, was founded in 1929 by Ely Culbertson. It has since been regarded as the game's principal journal, publicizing technical advances in bidding and the play of the cards, discussions of ethical issues, bridge politics...
s Master Solvers Club.
Kit Woolsey is editor of the online backgammon magazine GammonU.
Awards
- Herman Trophy 1986
- Precision Award (Best Article or Series on a System or Convention) 1978
Wins
- Rosenblum CupRosenblum CupRosenblum Cup is Open Teams event held every four years as part of the World Bridge Championships. The event was added to the world championships in New Orleans in 1978 to commemorate Julius Rosenblum, who served as president of the World Bridge Federation until 1976...
(1) 1986 - Senior BowlSenior Bowl (bridge)Senior Bowl, also known as the d'Orsi Senior Bowl, is a bridge competition held at the same venue as Bermuda Bowl and Venice Cup. This event first started in 2000 as an exhibition contest before growing into a World Seniors Championship in 2001. It is contested every odd-numbered year...
(1) 2003 - Senior International CupWorld Team OlympiadThe World Team Olympiad was a contract bridge meet organized by the World Bridge Federation every four years from 1960 to 2004. Its main events were world championships for national teams, always including one open and one restricted to women...
(1) 2000 - 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...
(16)- VanderbiltVanderbilt TrophyThe trophy is awarded for the Vanderbilt Knockout Teams national bridge championship held at the spring American Contract Bridge League North American Bridge Championship ....
(1) 1991 - Grand National TeamsGrand National TeamsThe Grand National Teams national bridge championship is held at the summer American Contract Bridge League North American Bridge Championship ....
(2) 1984, 2009 - Open Board-a-Match TeamsMitchell Board-a-Match TeamsThe Mitchell Board-a-Match Teams national bridge championship is held at the fall American Contract Bridge League North American Bridge Championship ....
(1) 1994 - Men's Board-a-Match TeamsMitchell Board-a-Match TeamsThe Mitchell Board-a-Match Teams national bridge championship is held at the fall American Contract Bridge League North American Bridge Championship ....
(3) 1978, 1986, 1989 - North American Men's Swiss TeamsJacoby Open Swiss TeamsThe Jacoby Open Swiss Teams national bridge championship is held at the spring American Contract Bridge League North American Bridge Championship ....
(1) 1986 - Blue Ribbon PairsBlue Ribbon PairsThe Edgar Kaplan Blue Ribbon Pairs national bridge championship is held at the fall American Contract Bridge League North American Bridge Championship ....
(3) 1973, 1975, 1990 - Open PairsSilodor Open PairsThe Silodor Open Pairs national bridge championship is held at the spring American Contract Bridge League North American Bridge Championship ....
(2) 1987, 1989 - Men's PairsWernher Open PairsThe Wernher Open Pairs national bridge championship is held at the summer American Contract Bridge League North American Bridge Championship .The Wernher Open Pairs is a four session MP pairs event, two qualifying sessions and two final sessions....
(2) 1972, 1985 - Mixed PairsRockwell Mixed PairsThe Rockwell Mixed Pairs national bridge championship is held at the spring American Contract Bridge League North American Bridge Championship ....
(1) 1967
- Vanderbilt
- United States Bridge Championships (5)
- Open Team Trials (2) 1989, 2009
- Senior Team Trials (3) 2000, 2001, 2003
- Other notable wins:
- Cavendish Invitational Teams (1) 1990
- Reisinger Knockout Teams (1) 1981
- Cavendish Invitational Pairs (3) 1979, 1994, 2011
Runner-ups
- Bermuda BowlBermuda BowlThe 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...
(1) 1989 - Rosenblum CupRosenblum CupRosenblum Cup is Open Teams event held every four years as part of the World Bridge Championships. The event was added to the world championships in New Orleans in 1978 to commemorate Julius Rosenblum, who served as president of the World Bridge Federation until 1976...
(1) 1982 - 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...
(19)- VanderbiltVanderbilt TrophyThe trophy is awarded for the Vanderbilt Knockout Teams national bridge championship held at the spring American Contract Bridge League North American Bridge Championship ....
(2) 1992, 1999 - SpingoldSpingoldThe Spingold national bridge championship is held at the summer American Contract Bridge League North American Bridge Championship ....
(3) 1979, 1981, 1992 - ReisingerReisingerThe 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:...
(1) 1980 - Grand National TeamsGrand National TeamsThe Grand National Teams national bridge championship is held at the summer American Contract Bridge League North American Bridge Championship ....
(2) 1977, 2006 - Mixed Board-a-Match TeamsChicago Mixed Board-a-MatchThe Chicago Mixed Board-a-Match teams national bridge championship is held at the summer American Contract Bridge League North American Bridge Championship .The event is a board-a-match team event....
(1) 1997 - Blue Ribbon PairsBlue Ribbon PairsThe Edgar Kaplan Blue Ribbon Pairs national bridge championship is held at the fall American Contract Bridge League North American Bridge Championship ....
(3) 1985, 1986, 2002 - Life Master Men's PairsNail Life Master Open PairsThe Nail Life Master Open Pairs national bridge championship is held at the fall American Contract Bridge League North American Bridge Championship ....
(2) 1971, 1972 - Open PairsSilodor Open PairsThe Silodor Open Pairs national bridge championship is held at the spring American Contract Bridge League North American Bridge Championship ....
(1) 1981 - Open Pairs ISilodor Open PairsThe Silodor Open Pairs national bridge championship is held at the spring American Contract Bridge League North American Bridge Championship ....
(1) 1996 - Open Pairs IIWernher Open PairsThe Wernher Open Pairs national bridge championship is held at the summer American Contract Bridge League North American Bridge Championship .The Wernher Open Pairs is a four session MP pairs event, two qualifying sessions and two final sessions....
(1) 2004 - Men's PairsWernher Open PairsThe Wernher Open Pairs national bridge championship is held at the summer American Contract Bridge League North American Bridge Championship .The Wernher Open Pairs is a four session MP pairs event, two qualifying sessions and two final sessions....
(2) 1973, 1974
- Vanderbilt
- United States Bridge Championships (1)
- Senior Team Trials (1) 2005
- Other notable 2nd places:
- Cavendish Invitational Teams (1) 1999
- EOE Optiebeurs Pairs (1) 1990
- Cavendish Invitational Pairs (1) 1980
- Goldman Pairs (2) 1980, 1982
Bridge
— (reprinted 1988 and 1992) Louisville, KY: Devyn Press Inc., pp. 343, OCLC 477153995. — (reprinted 1991), pp. 303, ISBN 978-0-910791-68-7. — (reprinted 1992) Louisville, KY: Devyn Press Inc., pp. 64, ISBN 0-910791-40-6. — (reprinted 1980). — (2nd edition 1983), Louisville: Devyn Press Inc., pp. 32. OCLC 10409994. — (reprinted 1990), pp 32.Backgammon
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