The von Zedtwitz Life Master Pairs is a six-session event with two qualifying, two semi-final and two final sessions, restricted to those players who have achieved life master status. At stake is the von Zedtwitz Gold Cup.
In 1930, Waldemar von Zedtwitz donated the Gold Cup, which was presented to the winners of the Life Master Pairs. The first winners: von Zedtwitz and P. Hal Sims. Waldemar von Zedtwitz (1896-1984), ACBL president emeritus, was president of the ACBL in 1948 and of its parent organization, the American Bridge League, in 1932. He was named Honorary Member by the ABL in 1931. When dissension threatened to break up the ACBL in 1948, the contesting factions agreed to von Zedtwitz as president and chairman with carte blanche power. He is credited with saving the ACBL. In 1949, upon the League’s rehabilitation, he immediately returned his carte blanche power to the Board of Directors. He helped found the World Bridge Federation and played a major role in the formation of the ACBL Charity Foundation.
As a player, von Zedtwitz was noted for his versatility in playing with exponents of different systems. He was one of the first 10 people to be named Life Master (he was No. 4) when the category was created in 1936. Von Zedtwitz won many national auction bridge champions and nearly all the contract bridge championships. He and Barbara Brier won the World Mixed Pairs in 1970 when von Zedtwitz was 74 and legally blind.
This event is restricted to Life Masters.
123 pairs registered