The Spingold national bridge championship is held at the summer American Contract Bridge League (ACBL) North American Bridge Championship (NABC).
The Spingold is a knock-out team event that attracts the top contract bridge players in the world. The event typically lasts seven days with each day being a round consisting of four sessions of 16 boards. The event is open and seeded.
History
The Spingold Master Knockout Teams, first known as the Challenge Knockout Teams, was contested for the Asbury Park Trophy in the early days. The runner-up team in the regularly scheduled portion of the event had the right to challenge the winners to a playoff. This right was never utilized.
In 1934, 1936 and 1937, the Masters Teams-of-Four and the Asbury Park Trophy were separate events, providing two sets of winners. In 1938 the event became the Spingold Master Knockout Teams and a part of the Summer NABC. At one time, the Spingold was a double elimination event, usually lasting nine or 10 sessions. It was scored by International Match Points and was restricted to players with 100 or more masterpoints. In 1965, the double elimination method was replaced by three qualifying sessions (subsequently reduced to two), followed by single elimination knockout matches. The preliminary qualifying sessions were dropped in 1970.
The Spingold Trophy, donated by Nathan B. Spingold in 1934, is one of ACBL's most prized team trophies. The event, which attracts all of the world's best bridge players, is widely considered one of the toughest events in the world. Many bridge aficionados consider the modern day Spingold tougher to win than a World Championship.
Winners
Nick Nickell's professional teams won the Spingold nine times in 15 years from 1993 to 2007, including four in a row without change in personnel (intact) from 1993 to 1996, and two more 1998–99 after one change. The four-time winners were Nickell, Richard Freeman, Bob Hamman, Bobby Wolff, Jeff Meckstroth, and Eric Rodwell. Paul Soloway replaced Wolff and played on the other five Nickell champions, over ten years.
The champion has defended its title intact on four other occasions, 1965, 1971, 2002, and 2012.
The winners in 2011-12 and the winners and runner up in 2014 and 2015 each had two players who were later disqualified for cheating, this casting doubt on the integrity of those performances.
+ Asbury Park Trophy teams-of-four (1930–1937) Year Winners Runners-up 1930 Ely Culbertson, Josephine Culbertson, Theodore Lightner, Waldemar von Zedtwitz Michael T. Gottlieb, Willard Karn, Lee Langdon, P. Hal Sims 1931 David Burnstine, Oswald Jacoby, Willard Karn, P. Hal Sims S. Garton Churchill, Travers LeGros, Dorothy Roberts, Phillip Stockvis 1932 Michael T. Gottlieb, Oswald Jacoby, Theodore Lightner, Louis H. Watson B. Jay Becker, Herbert Lent, George Reith, Anne Rosenfeld 1933 David Burnstine, Oswald Jacoby, Richard L. Frey, Howard Schenken Sam Fry, Edward Hymes Jr., Louis H. Watson, Waldemar von Zedtwitz 1934 Aaron Frank, Jeff Glick, William Hopkins, Charles Porter Josephine Culbertson, Theodore Lightner, Sonny Moyse, Sherman Stearns 1935 Sam Fry, Edward Hymes Jr., Theodore Lightner, Merwyn Maier, Louis H. Watson Mitch Barnes, Huber Boscowitz, Charles Lochridge, Johnny Rau 1936 Lewis Bernard, Louis Haddad, Alvin Landy, Matthew Reilly, Philip Steiner Melvin Goddard, Sidney Silodor, Henry Vogel, Derrick Wernher 1937 David Burnstine, Charles Goren, Oswald Jacoby, Merwyn Maier, Howard Schenken Phil Abramsohn, Mitch Barnes, Henry Chanin, Morrie Elis, Fred Kaplan
+ Spingold Trophy teams-of-four, 1934 to present Year Winners Runners-up 1934 David Burnstine, Richard L. Frey, Michael T. Gottlieb, Oswald Jacoby, Howard Schenken Aaron Frank, Jeff Glick, Louis Haddad, Charles Hall 1936 B. Jay Becker, David Burnstine, Oswald Jacoby, Howard Schenken Sam Fry, Edward Hymes Jr., Merwyn Maier, Waldemar von Zedtwitz 1937 Sam Fry, Edward Hymes Jr., Theodore Lightner, Waldemar von Zedtwitz Phil Abramsohn, Lewis Bernard, Morrie Elis, Harry Fishbein, Herbert Goldberg After 1937, the Spingold became a championship of the new ACBL and part of its summer NABC meet. 1938 B. Jay Becker, David Burnstine, Oswald Jacoby, Merwyn Maier, Howard Schenken Mitch Barnes, Morrie Elis, Fred Kaplan, Charles Lochridge 1939 Oswald Jacoby, Theodore Lightner, Merwyn Maier, Robert McPherran, Howard Schenken John R. Crawford, Myron Fuchs, Charles Goren, Charles Solomon, Sally Young 1940 Oscar Brotman, Bertram Lebhar Jr., Samuel Katz, Alvin Roth Sam Fry, Myron Fuchs, Edward Hymes Jr., Charles Lochridge, Waldemar von Zedtwitz 1941 Mitch Barnes, Sam Fry, Edward Hymes Jr., Waldemar von Zedtwitz B. Jay Becker, Oswald Jacoby, Theodore Lightner, Merwyn Maier, Howard Schenken 1942 Sigmund Dornbusch, Richard L. Frey, Lee Hazen, Sam Stayman Jay Feigus, Charles Harvey, Samuel Katz, Edward Marcus 1943 John R. Crawford, Charles Goren, Edward Hymes Jr., Howard Schenken, Sidney Silodor B. Jay Becker, Harry Fishbein, George Rapée, Alvin Roth, Helen Sobel 1944 B. Jay Becker, George Rapée, Helen Sobel, Sam Stayman Simon Becker, Edward Ellenbogen, Stanley Frenkel, Peggy Golder 1945 Sam Fry, Edward Hymes Jr., Oswald Jacoby, Theodore Lightner, Howard Schenken Harry Fishbein, Lee Hazen, Alvin Roth, Waldemar von Zedtwitz 1946 William Christian, Mark Hodges, Sol Mogal, Margaret Wagar Jeff Glick, Arthur Goldsmith, Alvin Landy, Elmer Schwartz 1947 B. Jay Becker, Charles Goren, Lee Hazen, Helen Sobel, Waldemar von Zedtwitz John R. Crawford, George Rapée, Howard Schenken, Sidney Silodor, Sam Stayman 1948 John R. Crawford, George Rapée, Howard Schenken, Sam Stayman, Margaret Wagar Julius Bank, Arthur Glatt, Robert Halpin, Oswald Jacoby, Ralph Kempner 1949 Jeff Glick, Arthur Goldsmith, Bruce Gowdy, Alvin Landy, Sol Mogal Henry Chanin, David Clarren, Oswald Jacoby, Jack Krause, Waldemar von Zedtwitz 1950 John R. Crawford, Oswald Jacoby, George Rapée, Howard Schenken, Sam Stayman B. Jay Becker, Charles Goren, Sidney Silodor, Helen Sobel, Waldemar von Zedtwitz 1951 Myron Field, Charles Goren, Sidney Silodor, Helen Sobel Ambrose Casner, Charles Hall, Allen Harvey, Frank Weisbach 1952 B. Jay Becker, John R. Crawford, George Rapée, Howard Schenken, Sam Stayman Jeff Glick, Arthur Goldsmith, Alvin Landy, Sol Mogal, Edwin Smith 1953 Clifford Bishop, Milton Ellenby, Don Oakie, William Rosen, Doug Steen 2/5. Ed Burns, David Clarren, Bertram Lebhar Jr., Sam Katz, Albert Weiss 2/5. F. Ayres Bombeck, David Carter, John W. Hubbell, Arthur Kincaid, Bobby Nail 2/5. Harold Harkavy, Edith Kemp, Alvin Roth, Tobias Stone, Waldemar von Zedtwitz 2/5. Ivan Erdos, Edward Frischauer, Lew Mathe, Meyer Schleifer 1954 Clifford Bishop, Milton Ellenby, Lew Mathe, John Moran, William Rosen 2/4. F. Ayres Bombeck, David Carter, John Gerber, John W. Hubbell, Harold Rockaway 2/4. Eddie Burns, Ambrose Casner, Allen Harvey, Cliff Russell 2/4. Sidney Lazard, Cyrus Newman, Lewis Rosen, Julius Rosenblum, Robert Rothlein 1955 Myron Field, Lee Hazen, Richard Kahn, Charles Solomon, Sam Stayman B. Jay Becker, John R. Crawford, George Rapée, Howard Schenken, Sidney Silodor 1956 1/3. Charles Goren, Peter Leventritt, Boris Koytchou, Harold Ogust, William Seamon, Helen Sobel 1/3. Harold Harkavy, Victor Mitchell, Alvin Roth, Ira Rubin, Tobias Stone 1/3. Robert Abeles, Kalman Apfel, Francis Begley, Louis Kelner, Ronald Rosenberg 1957 B. Jay Becker, John R. Crawford, George Rapée, Alvin Roth, Sidney Silodor, Tobias Stone Milton Ellenby, Ivan Erdos, Emmanuel Hochfeld, Jim Jacoby, Oswald Jacoby, Ira Rubin 1958 Paul Allinger, William Hanna, Sidney Lazard, Cyrus Neuman, Robert Rothlein Harry Fishbein, Sam Fry, Leonard Harmon, Lee Hazen, Ivar Stakold 1959 William Grieve, Oswald Jacoby, Victor Mitchell, Ira Rubin, Morton Rubinow, Sam Stayman Richard Freeman, Andy Gabrilovitch, Frank Hoadley, Mike Michaels, Jan Stone, Richard Walsh 1960 Charles Goren, Peter Leventritt, Boris Koytchou, Harold Ogust, Howard Schenken, Helen Sobel B. Jay Becker, William Grieve, Ralph Hirschberg, Norman Kay, George Rapée, Sidney Silodor 1961 Andy Gabrilovitch, Eddie Kantar, Marshall Miles, Bill Root John R. Crawford, Norman Kay, Alvin Roth, George Rapée, Sidney Silodor, Tobias Stone 1962 Leonard Harmon, Eddie Kantar, Marshall Miles, Ivar Stakgold David Carter, John W. Hubbell, Jim Jacoby, Gerald Michaud, Bobby Nail 1963 Russ Arnold, Harold Harkavy, Edith Kemp, Alvin Roth, Cliff Russell, William Seamon Sami Kehela, Richard Kahn, Bill Root, Tommy Sanders, Tobias Stone, Waldemar von Zedtwitz 1964 Bruce Elliott, Sami Kehela, Eric Murray, Percy Sheardown Marvin Altman, Bruce Gowdy, Fred Hoffer, Ray Jotcham 1965 Bruce Elliott, Sami Kehela, Eric Murray, Percy Sheardown B. Jay Becker, Dorothy Hayden, Norman Kay, Edgar Kaplan 1966 Bill Root, Alvin Roth, Ira Rubin, Curtis Smith William Grieve, Sidney Lazard, Paul Levitt, Harold Ogust, George Rapée 1967 Edgar Kaplan, Norman Kay, Bill Root, Alvin Roth John Gerber, Paul Hodge, Dan Morse, George Rosenkranz, Bobby Wolff 1968 Sami Kehela, Edgar Kaplan, Norman Kay, Sidney Lazard, Eric Murray, George Rapée Steve Altman, B. Jay Becker, Mike Becker, Dorothy Hayden 1969 Billy Eisenberg, Bobby Goldman, Bob Hamman, Mike Lawrence, Jim Jacoby, Bobby Wolff Phil Feldesman, William Grieve, Victor Mitchell, Ira Rubin, Sam Stayman, Jeff Westheimer 1970 Steve Altman, Tom Smith, Dave Strasberg, Joel Stuart, Peter Weichsel Billy Eisenberg, Bobby Goldman, Bob Hamman, Jim Jacoby, Mike Lawrence, Bobby Wolff 1971 Steve Altman, Eugene Neiger, Tom Smith, Joel Stuart, Peter Weichsel Edgar Kaplan, Norman Kay, Don Krauss, Lew Mathe 1972 B. Jay Becker, Mike Becker, Andy Bernstein, Jeff Rubens Pat Brennan, Byron Greenberg, Edith Kemp, Cliff Russell, Curtis Smith, Albert Weiss 1973 Larry T. Cohen, Billy Eisenberg, Eddie Kantar, Richard H. Katz, Bud Reinhold Minda Brachman, Sidney Lazard, Jim Jacoby, Paul Soloway, John Swanson 1974 Lou Bluhm, Larry Gould, Steve Goldberg, Richard Shepherd Harlow Lewis, Lew Mathe, Peter Pender, Bill Root, Harry Stappenbeck, Arthur Waldman 1975 Grant Baze, John Fejervary, Lew Stansby, Piyush Vakil, Ron Von der Porten Ira Cohen, Harold Guiver, Marty Shallon, Bill Sides 1976 Roger Bates, Larry T. Cohen, Richard H. Katz, John Mohan, George Rosenkranz David Berkowitz, Mark Blumenthal, Jim Jacoby, Mike Lawrence, George Rapée, John Solodar 1977 Lou Bluhm, Dan Morse, Cliff Russell, Curtis Smith, Tommy Sanders, Eddie Wold Ken Cohen, Larry Gould, Larry Kozlove, John Sheridan 1978 Malcolm Brachman, Bobby Goldman, Eddie Kantar, Mike Passell, Paul Soloway Steve Altman, Edgar Kaplan, Norman Kay, Richard Pavlicek, Bill Root, Tom Smith 1979 Fred Hamilton, Bob Hamman, Ira Rubin, Bobby Wolff Ed Manfield, Steve Robinson, Eric Rodwell, John Sheridan, Kit Woolsey 1980 Mike Becker, Kyle Larsen, Ron Rubin, Alan Sontag, Ron Von der Porten, Peter Weichsel Rich Freisner, Brian Glubok, Mike Lawrence, George Rapée, Michael Rosenberg, John Solodar 1981 Larry N. Cohen, Ron Gerard, Ralph Katz, Warren Rosner, Allan Stauber, John Sutherlin Bart Bramley, Rich Freisner, Ed Manfield, Kit Woolsey 1982 Ron Rubin, Mike Becker, Bob Hamman, Bobby Wolff, Alan Sontag, Peter Weichsel Mark Molson, Billy Cohen, Eric Kokish, Peter Nagy 1983 Malcolm Brachman, Bobby Wolff, Bobby Goldman, Bob Hamman, Paul Soloway, Ron Andersen Luella Slaner, Marty Bergen, Larry N. Cohen, Brian Glubok, Mark Cohen, Jerry Goldfein 1984 George Rosenkranz, Eddie Wold, Marty Bergen, Larry N. Cohen, Jeff Meckstroth, Eric Rodwell Alan Sontag, Allan Cokin, Jim Sternberg, Bernie Chazen, Steve Sion 1985 Tom Mahaffey, Jack Denny, Bill Passell, Russ Arnold, Ira Rubin, Chuck Burger Ron Rubin, Jeff Meckstroth, Eric Rodwell, Mike Lawrence, Peter Weichsel 1986 Malcolm Brachman, Bobby Goldman, Ron Andersen, Mike Passell, Mark Lair, Paul Soloway Brian Glubok, Billy Cohen, John Schermer, Neil Chambers 1987