The Nail Life Master Open Pairs national bridge championship is held at the fall 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) North American Bridge Championship

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...

 (NABC).

The Nail Life Master Open Pairs is a four session MP pairs event, two qualifying sessions and two final sessions.
The event typically starts on the first Friday of the NABC.
The event is restricted to players that have achieved a Life Master rating.

History

The event was introduced in 1961 and was originally for male players with a rank of National Master or higher.
In 1963, it was restricted in Life Masters.

It is named after Bobby Nail, a 1974 winner.

In 1990, it became an open event (female players allowed), but still restricted to Life Masters. Before and after opening to women, this tournament and the LM Women's Pairs

Smith Life Master Women's Pairs

The Smith Life Master Women's Pairs national bridge championship is held at the fall American Contract Bridge League North American Bridge Championship ....

 have been structured and scheduled in parallel. Several women enter the Open event and 1987 Women's winner Jill Meyers is a two-time Open winner.

Winners

Winners of Life Master Men's Pairs (1961–1989)

Year	Winners	Runners-up
1961	G. Gard Hays, Max Manchester	Martin J. Cohn, Hampton Hume
1962	Sam Fuoto, Victor Mitchell	Hal Kandler, Kelsey Petterson
1963	Sami Kehela Sami Kehela Sami Kehela is a Canadian contract bridge player. A member of the Hall of Fame of both the American Contract Bridge League and of the Canadian Bridge Federation, he is considered, along with his partner Eric Murray, one of the top Canadians ever to have played the game.Between 1966 and 1974,... , Eric Murray Eric Murray (bridge) Eric Murray is a Canadian contract bridge player and co-founder of the Canadian Bridge Federation . Along with his partner Sami Kehela, Murray is considered one of the top Canadians ever to have played the game. The Eric R...	Harry Fishbein, Charles J. Solomon
1964	Charles Coon, Bobby Goldman Bobby Goldman Robert Goldman was an American bridge player, teacher and author. He won three Bermuda Bowls , Olympiad Mixed Teams 1972, and 20 North American Bridge Championships...	2/3. Mervin Key, Harold Rockaway 2/3. Jack Blair, William Christian
1965	Paul Soloway Paul Soloway Paul Soloway was a world champion American bridge player. He won the Bermuda Bowl world team championship five times and won 30 national championships. Soloway was inducted into the American Contract Bridge League's Hall of Fame in 2002... , Alex Tschekaloff	Edgar Kaplan Edgar Kaplan Edgar Kaplan was an American bridge player and one of the principal contributors to the game. His career spanned six decades and covered every aspect of bridge. He was a teacher, author, editor, administrator, champion player, theorist, expert Vugraph commentator, coach/captain and authority on... , Victor Mitchell
1966	Carl Hudecek Carl Hudecek Carl J. Hudecek is an internationally known expert on sealing glasses, metal expansion and contraction, and metal oxidation processes for glass sealing. Hudecek holds or co-holds many U.S... , Ray Zoller	Gaylor Kasle, Ed Theus
1967	Harlow S. Lewis, Peter Pender	Donald R. Faskow, Bill Flannery
1968	Henry Bethe, John Solodar	Don Pearson, John Swanson
1969	Chuck Burger, Jimmy Cayne James Cayne James E. "Jimmy" Cayne is an American businessman, a former CEO of Bear Stearns, founder of TalkGeek.org and world-class bridge player. After losing about one billion dollars in net worth from the collapse of Bear Stearns' stock, he sold his entire stake in the company for $61 million...	Norman H. Fischer, Christopher G. Jeans
1970	Ron Andersen, Hugh MacLean	Curtis Smith, E. Lowell Yost
1971	Alan Sontag Alan Sontag Alan M. Sontag is a world champion American bridge player and author of bridge books.-Bridge career:Although he is a six-time world champion in contract bridge, winning the prestige Bermuda Bowl twice, Sontag is best known as the author of The Bridge Bum, a book "on everybody's list of the top ten... , Peter Weichsel	Steve Robinson, Kit Woolsey Kit Woolsey 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....
1972	Les Bart, Marc Jacobus	Steve Robinson, Kit Woolsey Kit Woolsey 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....
1973	Edgar Kaplan Edgar Kaplan Edgar Kaplan was an American bridge player and one of the principal contributors to the game. His career spanned six decades and covered every aspect of bridge. He was a teacher, author, editor, administrator, champion player, theorist, expert Vugraph commentator, coach/captain and authority on... , Norman Kay	Roxy Violin, Ed Weiner
1974	Gerald L. Michaud, Bobby Nail	John Gerber, Daniel Kaim
1975	Steve Lapides, Walt Walvick	Marc Culbertson, Robert Visokey
1976	Roger Bates, John Mohan	Steve Altman, Thomas M. Smith
1977	David Hoffner, David Schroeder	Roger Bates, John Mohan
1978	Norm Coombs, Tom Hodapp	Kevin Castner, Mike Lawrence
1979	Jeff Meckstroth Jeff Meckstroth Jeffrey John Meckstroth is a multiple world champion in contract bridge, winning the Bermuda Bowl representing the U.S. five times. He is one of only ten players who have won the so-called triple crown of bridge: the Bermuda Bowl, the World Open Pairs and the World Team Olympiad... , Eric Rodwell Eric Rodwell Eric Victor Rodwell is an American professional bridge player. He has won the Bermuda Bowl representing the U.S. five times and is one of ten players who have won the so-called triple crown of bridge: the Bermuda Bowl, the World Open Pairs and the World Team Olympiad...	Zeke Jabbour, Dennis McGarry
1980	Craig Janitschke, Jan Janitschke	Bob Hamman Bob Hamman Robert David Hamman is an American professional bridge player, among the greatest players of all time.... , Paul Swanson
1981	Roger Abelson, Mike Levinson	Bob Hamman Bob Hamman Robert David Hamman is an American professional bridge player, among the greatest players of all time.... , Donald P. Krauss
1982	Bobby Lipsitz, Dan Gerstman	Lew Mathe, Harold Guiver
1983	Marty Bergen Marty Bergen Marty A. Bergen is an American bridge player and writer. A 10-time national champion and American Contract Bridge League Grand Life Master he retired from active competition in 1993... , Larry N. Cohen	Mitch Chandler, Cliff Bishop
1984	Per-Olof Sundelin, Peter Pender	Jim Becker, Howard Chandross
1985	John Mohan, Roger Bates	Jeff Meckstroth Jeff Meckstroth Jeffrey John Meckstroth is a multiple world champion in contract bridge, winning the Bermuda Bowl representing the U.S. five times. He is one of only ten players who have won the so-called triple crown of bridge: the Bermuda Bowl, the World Open Pairs and the World Team Olympiad... , Eric Rodwell Eric Rodwell Eric Victor Rodwell is an American professional bridge player. He has won the Bermuda Bowl representing the U.S. five times and is one of ten players who have won the so-called triple crown of bridge: the Bermuda Bowl, the World Open Pairs and the World Team Olympiad...
1986	Jim Krekorian, Paul Kiefer	Marty Bergen Marty Bergen Marty A. Bergen is an American bridge player and writer. A 10-time national champion and American Contract Bridge League Grand Life Master he retired from active competition in 1993... , Larry N. Cohen
1987	Bart Bramley, Lou Bluhm	Leslie West, David Ashley
1988	Bobby Levin Bobby Levin Robert J. Levin is an American professional bridge player. He is best known as the youngest winner of the world championship for national teams, namely the 1981 Bermuda Bowl, and as five-time winner of the Cavendish Invitational with his regular partner Steve Weinstein... , Larry T. Cohen	Glen Lublin, Peter Boyd
1989	Steve Lapides, Walt Walvick	Peter Weichsel, Roger Stern

Before and after opening to women in 1990, this event has been structured and scheduled parallel to the LM Women's Pairs

Smith Life Master Women's Pairs

The Smith Life Master Women's Pairs national bridge championship is held at the fall American Contract Bridge League North American Bridge Championship ....

.

Winners of Life Master Open Pairs (1990–)

Year	Winners	Runners-up
1990	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... , Hugh Ross	Tommy Gullberg, Michael Polowan
1991	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... , Hugh Ross	Larry N. Cohen, David Berkowitz
1992	Mike Kamil, Michael Rosenberg Michael Rosenberg Michael Rosenberg is one of the top bridge players in the United States. He moved to Scotland as a child and returned to New York in 1990 where he lives with his wife Debbie, also a top player....	Jeff Meckstroth Jeff Meckstroth Jeffrey John Meckstroth is a multiple world champion in contract bridge, winning the Bermuda Bowl representing the U.S. five times. He is one of only ten players who have won the so-called triple crown of bridge: the Bermuda Bowl, the World Open Pairs and the World Team Olympiad... , Eric Rodwell Eric Rodwell Eric Victor Rodwell is an American professional bridge player. He has won the Bermuda Bowl representing the U.S. five times and is one of ten players who have won the so-called triple crown of bridge: the Bermuda Bowl, the World Open Pairs and the World Team Olympiad...
1993	Brad Moss, Ravindra Murthy	Ed Nagy, Jeff Polisner
1994	Bobby Levin Bobby Levin Robert J. Levin is an American professional bridge player. He is best known as the youngest winner of the world championship for national teams, namely the 1981 Bermuda Bowl, and as five-time winner of the Cavendish Invitational with his regular partner Steve Weinstein... , Richard Katz	Michael Polowan, Steve Robinson
1995	Bart Bramley, John Sutherlin	Mark Itabashi, Gene Simpson
1996	Walter Schafer Jr., Ron L. Smith	Michael Schreiber, Curtis Cheek
1997	Jeff Schuett, Kerry Smith	Dennis Kasle, Garey Hayden
1998	JoAnna Stansby, Lew Stansby	Ron Smith, Richard Schwartz
1999	Steve Catlett, Paul Soloway Paul Soloway Paul Soloway was a world champion American bridge player. He won the Bermuda Bowl world team championship five times and won 30 national championships. Soloway was inducted into the American Contract Bridge League's Hall of Fame in 2002...	JoAnna Stansby, Lew Stansby
2000	Steve Garner, Jill Meyers	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... , Chuck Burger
2001	Piotr Gawryś Piotr Gawrys Piotr Gawryś is a Polish bridge player. Gawrys, WBF Grand Master, has won 3 world championships; World Team Olympics in 1984, Transnational Mixed Teams 2000 and Transnational Open Teams 2005. His other first places include; World Masters Individual in 1992 , European Teams Championships 1993 and... , Jacek Pszczoła	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... , Sidney Lazard
2002	Eric Greco, Geoff Hampson	Larry N. Cohen, Steve Weinstein
2003	Kyle Larsen, Jo Morse	Fred Gitelman Fred Gitelman Fred Gitelman is a leading American bridge player, as well as the founder and manager of , a bridge playing site.... , Jay Borker
2004	Richard Pavlicek Richard Pavlicek Richard Pavlicek is an American bridge player, author and columnist.-Career:Pavlicek began to play bridge in 1964 at the age of 18 while stationed in Stuttgart, West Germany, with the U.S. Army. Upon returning to Florida in 1966 he started to play in bridge tournaments in his spare time. Since... , Richard Pavlicek Jr.	Jonathan Green, Mark Aquino
2005	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... , Jill Meyers	Bobby Levin Bobby Levin Robert J. Levin is an American professional bridge player. He is best known as the youngest winner of the world championship for national teams, namely the 1981 Bermuda Bowl, and as five-time winner of the Cavendish Invitational with his regular partner Steve Weinstein... , Louk Verhees
2006	Steve Garner, Howard Weinstein	John Armstrong, Paul Hackett
2007	Björn Fallenius, 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...	Alex Perlin, Michael Prahin
2008	Nikolay Demirev, Ralph Katz Ralph Katz Ralph Katz is an American bridge player.Domestically, he has won 20 North American Bridge Championships and twice the Open Team Trials. Internationally, he has many top finishes, highlighted by a win in the 2009 Bermuda Bowl...	John Diamond, Eric Rodwell Eric Rodwell Eric Victor Rodwell is an American professional bridge player. He has won the Bermuda Bowl representing the U.S. five times and is one of ten players who have won the so-called triple crown of bridge: the Bermuda Bowl, the World Open Pairs and the World Team Olympiad...
2009	Martin Andresen, Tor Helness	Hemant Lall, Justin Lall
2010	Kazuo Furuta, Hiroaki Miura	Fred Gitelman Fred Gitelman Fred Gitelman is a leading American bridge player, as well as the founder and manager of , a bridge playing site.... , Brad Moss

Sources

List of previous winners, Page 8
2008 winners, Page 1