Remembering Edgar Kaplan

By Djanwar Madjolelo

JAKARTA (JP): Edgar Kaplan, who died aged 72, was a giant of the game whose talents took him to the top in three distinctive areas, and brought him major recognition in many others.

He was the world's leading authority on the laws, a preeminently witty commentator, and, for 30 years, an influential editor of what many regarded as the flagship of bridge magazines.

Kaplan's career spanned six decades, covering every aspect of the sport: teaching, writing, editing, administrating, playing, theorizing, commentating, coaching, captaining and lawmaking. The mark he made in each was sufficient to justify great recognition.

But his human characteristics: wit, warmth, a sense of honor and decency, good manners, and wide education; were the ingredients which allowed him to disagree with other leading personalities while retaining them as friends.

Kaplan was born in New York City and learned bridge before he was 10 by watching his parents play. He continued playing at school and for a brief time at Cornell University.

After a stint with the U.S. Army Air Force in the 1940s, Kaplan returned home and went into the rag trade with his father. A few years later, when his father retired, Kaplan left the business to become a partner of the Card School of New York.

As a player, Kaplan's first American major title was the 1953 Vanderbilt. He won such titles in every decade since, a total of 28, mostly partnering Norman Kay.

Earlier this year, suffering from a two-year fight against cancer and the debilitating effects of chemotherapy, he won the Open Swiss Team at the Spring Nationals in Dallas, playing seven out of eight matches.

In June this year, he competed in the trials for the U.S. team. Thirty years earlier, he and Kay were in the U.S. team which took silver behind Italy in the 1967 Bermuda Bowl and the 1968 Team Olympiad.

Kaplan may well have been the best player never to have won a world title.

In 1967 Kaplan became editor and publisher of Bridge World, a post he retained to his death. He also wrote five books.

With Alfred Sheinwold, who died in March this year, he invented the bidding system bearing their names, which moved the science of the game a significant step forward in the 1950s.

In 1979, Kaplan was named IBPA Personality of the Year and in 1995, he was inducted into the WBF and ACBL Hall of Fame.

As an administrator he was best known for his chairmanship of the WBF (and ACBL) Laws Commission during the introduction of the 1987 and 1997 Laws, which came into force in many parts of the world this month.

He was a leading teacher at the New York Card School. he was often a coach to U.S. teams, and captained the current Bermuda Bowl champion in Beijing in 1995.

This deal occurred during the 1967 Bermuda Bowl in Miami.

Dealer : North

Vulnerable: North/South

NORTH

(S) J 9

(H) Q 10 7

(D) K 10 9 7 5

(C) A K J

WEST EAST

(S) K 7 3 (S) 5 4

(H) J 6 5 3 (H) A 9 4 2

(D) A (D) Q 6 3

(C) Q 10 5 3 2 (C) 9 7 6 4

SOUTH

(S) A Q 10 8 6 2

(H) K 8

(D) J 8 4 2

(C) 8

WEST NORTH EAST SOUTH

Kay Averelli Kaplan Belladonna

-- 1C Pass 2S

Pass 3D Pass 4S

Walter Averelli's one-club opening in the Roman system was multipurpose, but it usually meant a minimum balanced hand.

Giorgio Belladonna's two Spades response supposedly showed at least twelve high card points, but he often overbid.

After cashing the Ace of Diamonds, Norman Kay, sitting West, switched to a Heart, and Kaplan won with the Ace. Time stood still. When Edgar eventually returned a Diamond, the Vu-Graph audience applauded enthusiastically.

The defenders made two red-suit Aces and two trump tricks. But if Edgar, thinking his Queen of Diamonds was always a trick, had returned, say, a Heart, declarer would have gotten both his Diamonds away.