| Robert GOLDMAN | |
Statunitense di Philadelphia, nato 10 novembre del 1938, scomparve prematuramente a Dallas il 15 maggio del 1999 a causa di un attacco di cuore dopo essere stato uno dei più forti giocatori del mondo.
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Vicepresidente di una TV via cavo nella prima parte della sua vita professionale, occhieggiò il Bridge come membro più giovane della sua famiglia e cominciò a giocarlo seriamente mentre era studente alla Drexel University di Philadelphia.
Tre volte campione del mondo a squadre (1970, 1971 e 1979) e campione del mondo a squadre miste nel 1972, è stato per lunghi anni tra i primi 10 americani presenti nella classifica dei World Grand Masters di tutti i tempi e, quando scomparve nel 1999, ne occupava il 9° posto.
Sul piano nazionale vinse molti tornei tra i quali ricordiamo: 5 Spingold, 2 Mitchell, 3 Reisinger e 5 Vanderbilt e viene da tutti ricordato per la sua fortunata 25ennale partnership con Paul Soloway.
Durante la sua permanenza nella squadra degli Aces, che iniziò quando nel febbraio del 1968 si trasferì a Dallas, ha collaborato alla stesura del sistema dichiarativo Aces Scientific e tra le sue idee si annoverano convenzioni molto diffuse quali la Super Gerber (anche nota come Redwood), la Kickback, la Exclusion Blackwood e la "Goldman after Stayman".
Fu anche autore di alcuni libri di successo e ricorse nella sua qualità di insegnante in maniera massiva e accattivante all'uso del computer.
Nell'anno della sua scomparsa, ricevette la nomina a Membro Onorario dell'A.C.B.L., un privilegio questo che viene concesso solo per un lungo e meritorio servizio reso al mondo del bridge, e fu eletto nella Hall of Fame.
It should
certainly come as no surprise that Bobby Goldman was selected for induction to
the ACBL Bridge Hall of Fame in his first year of eligibility. A stellar career,
Goldman (1938 – 1999)
had many accolades and made even more contributions to the game along
with multiple victories.
Goldman’s tournament record is impressive. He earned four world titles (the Bermuda Bowl in 1970, 1971 and 1979 and the World Mixed Teams in 1972) and 19 North American championships: the Life Master Men’s Pairs (1964); the Life Master Pairs (1968); the Open B-A-M Teams (1993); the Men’s Teams (1968, 1989 and 1991); the Spingold Knockout Teams (1969, 1978, 1983, 1986 and 1988); the Reisinger B-A-M Teams (1970, 1976 and 1980); the Vanderbilt Knockout Teams (1971, 1973, 1978, 1997 and 1998). Goldman also had 13 second-place finishes in NABC events. He won both the pair and the team events at the 1977 Pan-American Invitational Championships.
At the time of his induction into the Hall of Fame, Goldman was an ACBL Grand Life Master with more than 25,700 masterpoints, and ranked ninth on the all-time list of masterpoint holders. He was also a WBF World Grand Master.
Goldman authored several books on the game, including Aces Scientific and Winners and Losers at the Bridge Table. His contributions to bidding theory include Super Gerber, Kickback, Exclusion Blackwood and Goldman after Stayman. He was one of the principal architects of the Aces Scientific System.
Goldman served as ACBL recorder from 1986–1988 and was a longtime member of the Competitions and Conventions Committee. His views on the game helped shape the modern-day Alert procedure, the ACBL convention chart, ethics and the appeals process.
Goldman was honored by the ACBL by being named the 1999 Honorary Member, presented for long and meritorious service to bridge.
Goldman’s early career was distinguished by his association with the now-famous Aces, the professional, Texas-based team created by businessman Ira Corn for the purpose of winning world bridge championships. Goldman was a member of the successful squad until 1974.
Goldman enjoyed a 25-year-long partnership with fellow expert Paul Soloway. The pair won several NABC events as well as countless regional's. Despite the fact that Soloway’s services were acquired by the team of Nick Nickell, Goldman and Soloway still played regularly and created somewhat of an on-line following with their popular "Goldway" matches on OKbridge. Goldman advocated promoting the game through on-line play.
