Ralph Katz
Encyclopedia
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
. He has three times been the runner-up in world championships (the 2010 Rosenblum Cup
, the 2007 Bermuda Bowl
and the 1990 World Open Pairs Championship
) and also has a bronze medal from the 2000 World Bridge Teams Olympiad
. Katz is a Grand Life Master of the American Contract Bridge League
with over 20,000 masterpoints
and a World Life Master of the World Bridge Federation
.
Katz, who was born in Pittsburgh, lived in Squirrel Hill
(a large residential neighborhood in the east end of Pittsburgh) and was raised in Steubenville
, first started to play bridge when he was 16. A sports enthusiast, the competitive side of bridge drew Katz to the game.
Katz's wife, Martha, is a former World Junior Teams
champion (then known as Martha Benson), and their son, Sam, is a former winner of ACBL's King of Bridge award.
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.
Domestically, he has won 20 North American Bridge 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...
and twice the Open Team Trials. Internationally, he has many top finishes, highlighted by a win in the 2009 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 has three times been the runner-up in world championships (the 2010 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...
, the 2007 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 the 1990 World Open Pairs Championship
World Open Pairs Championship
The World Open Pairs Championship is one of the competitions held as part of the World Bridge Series Championships. This Pairs competition was initiated in 1962 and is held every four years. It is open to pairs from all over the world, without any quota restrictions being applied. In its present...
) and also has a bronze medal from the 2000 World Bridge Teams 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...
. Katz is a Grand Life Master of the 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...
with over 20,000 masterpoints
Masterpoints
Masterpoints or master points are points awarded by national and other bridge organisations for success in bridge tournaments run under their auspices. Organisations which issue these points include the American Contract Bridge League , the American Bridge Association, the English Bridge Union ,...
and a World Life Master of the 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...
.
Katz, who was born in Pittsburgh, lived in Squirrel Hill
Squirrel Hill
Squirrel Hill is a residential neighborhood in the east end of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, United States. The city officially divides it into two neighborhoods, Squirrel Hill North and Squirrel Hill South, but it is almost universally treated as a single neighborhood...
(a large residential neighborhood in the east end of Pittsburgh) and was raised in Steubenville
Steubenville, Ohio
Steubenville is a city located along the Ohio River in Jefferson County, Ohio on the Ohio-West Virginia border in the United States. It is the political county seat of Jefferson County. It is also a principal city of the Weirton–Steubenville, WV-OH Metropolitan Statistical Area...
, first started to play bridge when he was 16. A sports enthusiast, the competitive side of bridge drew Katz to the game.
Katz's wife, Martha, is a former World Junior Teams
World Junior Teams Championship
The World Junior Teams Championship is a bridge competition for zonal teams of players up to about 25 years old.Now "under-26" means that players must be under 26 at the end of the calendar year. So they may celebrate their 25th birthdays during the year; Junior competition during calendar 2011 is...
champion (then known as Martha Benson), and their son, Sam, is a former winner of ACBL's King of Bridge award.
Wins
- 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) 2009 - 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...
(20)- 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 ....
(3) 1999, 2004, 2009 - SpingoldSpingoldThe Spingold national bridge championship is held at the summer American Contract Bridge League North American Bridge Championship ....
(3) 1981, 2001, 2002 - 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) 2000, 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 ....
(3) 2002, 2003, 2006 - Jacoby Open 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) 2001 - 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) 1984 - 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....
(1) 1981 - 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) 1979 - Life Master Open 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) 2008 - Open PairsSilodor Open PairsThe Silodor Open Pairs national bridge championship is held at the spring American Contract Bridge League North American Bridge Championship ....
(1) 1986 - Open Pairs ISilodor Open PairsThe Silodor Open Pairs national bridge championship is held at the spring American Contract Bridge League North American Bridge Championship ....
(2) 1996, 2003 - IMP PairsLebhar IMP PairsThe Lebhar IMP Pairs national bridge championship is held at the spring American Contract Bridge League North American Bridge Championship ....
(1) 1999
- Vanderbilt
- United States Bridge Championships (2)
- Open Team Trials (2) 2000, 2006
Runner-ups
- 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) 2010 - 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) 2007 - World Open PairsWorld Open Pairs ChampionshipThe World Open Pairs Championship is one of the competitions held as part of the World Bridge Series Championships. This Pairs competition was initiated in 1962 and is held every four years. It is open to pairs from all over the world, without any quota restrictions being applied. In its present...
(1) 1990 - 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...
(14)- 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:...
(5) 1987, 1995, 1998, 2001, 2005 - Grand National TeamsGrand National TeamsThe Grand National Teams national bridge championship is held at the summer American Contract Bridge League North American Bridge Championship ....
(1) 1986 - 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) 2001 - North American Swiss TeamsKeohane North American Swiss TeamsThe Keohane North American Swiss Teams national bridge championship is held at the fall American Contract Bridge League North American Bridge Championship ....
(1) 1979 - Open Swiss Teams (1) 2008
- Mixed Board-a-MatchChicago 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 - 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 ....
(3) 1989, 2001, 2003 - IMP PairsLebhar IMP PairsThe Lebhar IMP Pairs national bridge championship is held at the spring American Contract Bridge League North American Bridge Championship ....
(1) 2006
- Reisinger
- United States Bridge Championships (2)
- Open Team Trials (2) 1989, 1999