| Kenneth W. KONSTAM |
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Nato il 21 maggio del 1906 a universalmente conosciuto nel mondo del bridge con il nomignolo "Konnie", è stato uno dei più famosi giocatori britannici di ogni tempo.
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Educato alla Oundle School, impiegato per qualche tempo al London Stock Exchange è stato un dirigente della famosa De La Rue company per molti anni,
Maggiore dell'esercito britannico durante la seconda Guerra Mondiale, grazie al suo fluente francese operò come ufficiale di collegamento con l'esercito francese dopo il D-Day.
Membro fisso della Nazionale Britannica, Konnie vinse la Bermuda del 1955 e conquistò l'argento in quella del 1950 ed il bronzo in quella del 1962. Bronzo Olimpico nel 1964, fu tre volte consecutive Campione Europeo nel 1948/49/50, poi ancora altre tre volte nel 1954, nel 1961 e nel 1963. Nel suo portentoso palmares europeo sono allineati anche un argento nel 1953 e tre bronzi nel 1951 e 1957 e 1959.
Vincitori di diversi titoli nazionali, Konnie era un seguace del naturale e propugnava il Sistema licitativo CAB.
Konnie si spense a Juan-les-Pins sulla costa azzurra francese il 21 maggio del 1968.
Kenneth W. Konstam (1906–1968 at Juan-les-Pins), often known as 'Konnie', was
an English international bridge player, and in 1955 was one of the only British
team to win the Bermuda Bowl. He won more European Open teams championships than
any other British player.
Konstam, educated at Oundle School, was employed for a time in the London Stock Exchange. He was for many years an executive of the De La Rue company, which made playing cards, postage stamps and banknotes (the playing card business was eventually sold to Waddingtons). He served in the British Army during World War II, reaching the rank of Major. His fluent French qualified him to act as Liaison Officer to the French Army after D-Day.
Konstam was a key member of the London-based British bridge team which won the Bermuda Bowl in 1955, the first occasion a European team had beaten the United States in this competition, and the only victory for a British team in this, the world championship for teams of four. His main partner in the event was Leslie Dodds. Konnie was described by Ramsey that year as "about the best pragmatic player in the game today".
His bidding and play was rapid and direct in style; he was known for bidding borderline games, and for his acute tactical awareness at the table.
Konstam also represented Great Britain in the World Championship 1937, the Bermuda Bowl 1950, 1962, 1965; the World Olympiad 1964, and the European Championship 12 times (a record), winning in 1948, 1949, 1950, 1954, 1961, 1963. He won the Gold Cup five times: 1949, 1956, 1960, 1964 and 1965.
He was one of the proponents of a bidding system known as CAB, in which the responder to a strong artificial 2C opening had to give priority to bidding any ace he might have. The 'B' stood for Blackwood; otherwise, the system was mostly natural, with strong no-trump opening bids, and forcing jump raises as in the older version of Standard American. He was bridge editor for the Sunday Times for many years.
Konnie also played rubber bridge, which for many years was a good source of income. He had one attribute not given to all experts, namely, a great ability to partner weaker players. Many clients was surprised and delighted to find themselves winning a tournament where they would normally be back-markers.
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