Marty Bergen
Encyclopedia
Marty A. Bergen is an American
bridge
player and writer. A 10-time national champion
and American Contract Bridge League
(ACBL) Grand Life Master he retired from active competition in 1993. He is still a prolific bridge writer and is a World Bridge Federation
(WBF) World International Master.
He has had a column in the Master Pointers section of ACBL Bridge Bulletin since 1976. He has also written 19 bridge books, two of which won the Bridge Book of the Year award, namely Points Schmoints!: Bergen's Winning Bridge Secrets in 1996 and Declarer Play the Bergen Way in 2005.
Bergen is well-known for his development of new conventions and treatments, including DONT
and Bergen raises
. Together with his long-time bridge partner Larry Cohen
, he popularized the law of total tricks
, support double
, and 1NT semi-forcing
.
Bergen is married to Cheryl Bergen (born Cheryl Lance) and they reside in Palm Beach Gardens
, Florida
.
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...
player and writer. A 10-time national champion
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...
and 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...
(ACBL) Grand Life Master he retired from active competition in 1993. He is still a prolific bridge writer and is a 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...
(WBF) World International Master.
He has had a column in the Master Pointers section of ACBL Bridge Bulletin since 1976. He has also written 19 bridge books, two of which won the Bridge Book of the Year award, namely Points Schmoints!: Bergen's Winning Bridge Secrets in 1996 and Declarer Play the Bergen Way in 2005.
Bergen is well-known for his development of new conventions and treatments, including DONT
DONT
DONT is a conventional overcall against an opposing 1NT opening bid. DONT, an acronym for Disturb Opponents' Notrump, was designed by Marty A. Bergen, and is therefore also referred to as 'Bergen over Notrump'. Although the method is often criticized for being too nebulous, it remains fairly popular...
and Bergen raises
Bergen raises
In the game of bridge, Bergen raises specify a conventional treatment of raising a major suit opening in a five-card major system. This convention is named after Marty Bergen, the developer of this treatment....
. Together with his long-time bridge partner Larry Cohen
Larry Cohen (bridge player)
Larry Neil Cohen is an American bridge player and writer. He is the winner of 25 North American Bridge Championships including the Vanderbilt, two Spingolds, two Reisingers, three Life Master Pairs, and four Blue Ribbon Pairs as well as a two-time winner of the Cavendish Invitational Pairs.He...
, he popularized the law of total tricks
Law of total tricks
In contract bridge, the Law of total tricks is a guideline used to help determine how high to bid in a competitive auction. It is not really a law but a method of hand evaluation which describes a relationship that seems to exist somewhat regularly...
, support double
Support double
The support double is a term used in the card game contract bridge. It is made by the opener after his right-hand opponent overcalls his partner's response to his opening bid,-History:...
, and 1NT semi-forcing
Forcing notrump
The forcing notrump is a bidding convention in the card game of bridge.In standard bidding, the response of 1NT to an opening bid of 1 or 1 shows 6 to 9 high card points and is non-forcing...
.
Bergen is married to Cheryl Bergen (born Cheryl Lance) and they reside in Palm Beach Gardens
Palm Beach Gardens, Florida
Palm Beach Gardens is a city in Palm Beach County in the U.S. state of Florida. The city is in the center of a rapidly-developing area north of West Palm Beach in the northern part of the county and the South Florida metropolitan area. , the population was 48,452...
, Florida
Florida
Florida is a state in the southeastern United States, located on the nation's Atlantic and Gulf coasts. It is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the north by Alabama and Georgia and to the east by the Atlantic Ocean. With a population of 18,801,310 as measured by the 2010 census, it...
.
Awards
- Herman Trophy 1983
- American Bridge Teachers' Association (ABTA) Book of the Year 1996, 2005
Wins
- 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...
(10)- SpingoldSpingoldThe Spingold national bridge championship is held at the summer American Contract Bridge League North American Bridge Championship ....
(1) 1984 - 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:...
(2) 1985, 1991 - 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 ....
(2) 1981, 1984 - 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 ....
(2) 1983, 1988 - Life Master PairsVon Zedtwitz Life Master PairsThe Von Zedtwitz Life Master Pairs national bridge championship is held at the summer American Contract Bridge League North American Bridge Championship ....
(1) 1988 - 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 ....
(1) 1983 - 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....
(1) 1983
- Spingold
- Other notable wins:
- Pan-American Maccabi Games (1) 1983
- Cavendish Invitational Teams (1) 1988
- Cavendish Invitational Pairs (2) 1984, 1989
- Goldman Pairs (1) 1983
Runner-ups
- 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...
(10)- 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) 1982, 1990 - SpingoldSpingoldThe Spingold national bridge championship is held at the summer American Contract Bridge League North American Bridge Championship ....
(1) 1983 - 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) 1979, 1991 - 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) 1990 - Master Mixed 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....
(2) 1989, 1991 - 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 ....
(1) 1986 - Grand National PairsNorth American PairsThe North American Pairs national bridge championship is held at the spring American Contract Bridge League North American Bridge Championship ....
(1) 1984
- Vanderbilt
- United States Bridge Championships (1)
- Open Team Trials (1) 1985
- Other notable 2nd places:
- Cavendish Invitational Teams (1) 1986