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{{Short description|American contract bridge entrepreneur (1891–1955)}}
{{Infobox person
{{Infobox person
| name = Ely Culbertson
| name = Ely Culbertson
| image =
| image =
| caption = Culbertson, from a photo used in one of his 1930s bridge books
| caption = Culbertson, from a photo used in one of his 1930s bridge books
| birth_name=Elie Almon Culbertson<ref>"United States Passport Applications, 1795-1925," [https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:QVJP-MVDYElie Almon Culbertson, 1916]; National Archives and Records Administration</ref>
| birth_date = July 22, 1891
| birth_date = July 22, 1891
| birth_place = [[Poiana Vărbilău]], [[Kingdom of Romania|Romania]]
| birth_place = [[Poiana Vărbilău]], [[Kingdom of Romania|Romania]]
| death_date = December 27, 1955
| death_date ={{dda|1955|12|27|1891|7|22}}
| death_place = [[Brattleboro, Vermont]], USA
| death_place = [[Brattleboro, Vermont]], USA
| other_names =
| other_names =
| known_for =
| known_for =
| occupation = Contract bridge writer, publisher, organiser and player; advocate of world peace
| occupation = Contract bridge writer, publisher, organizer and player; advocate of world peace
| nationality = American
| nationality = American
| spouse = {{plainlist|
| spouse = {{plainlist|
* Josephine Culbertson (1923)
* {{marriage|[[Josephine Culbertson]]|1923|1938|reason=div.}}
* Dorothy Renata Bachne
* Dorothy Renata Baehne
}}
}}
| children = 4
| children = 4
}}
}}
'''Ely Culbertson''' (July 22, 1891 &ndash; December 27, 1955) was an American [[contract bridge]] entrepreneur and personality dominant during the 1930s. He played a major role in the popularization of the new game and was widely regarded as "the man who made contract bridge".<ref>Clay (1985), Preface, p. viii</ref> He was a great showman who became rich, was highly extravagant, and lost and gained fortunes several times over.
'''Elie Almon Culbertson''' (July 22, 1891 – December 27, 1955), known as '''Ely Culbertson''', was an American [[contract bridge]] entrepreneur and personality dominant during the 1930s. He played a major role in the popularization of the new game and was widely regarded as "the man who made contract bridge". He was a great showman who became rich, was highly extravagant, and lost and gained fortunes several times over.


==Life==
==Life==
⚫
Culbertson was born in [[Poiana Vărbilău]] in [[Kingdom of Romania|Romania]] to an American mining engineer, Almon Culbertson, and his Russian wife, Xenya Rogoznaya. He attended the L'École des Sciences Économiques et Politiques at the [[Sorbonne]] in [[Paris]], and the [[University of Geneva]]. His facility for languages was extraordinary: he spoke Russian, English, French, German, Czech and Spanish fluently, with a reading knowledge of five others, and a knowledge of Latin and classical Greek. In spite of his education, his erudition was largely self-acquired: he was a born [[auto-didact]].


⚫
Culbertson was born in [[Poiana Vărbilău]] in [[Kingdom of Romania|Romania]] to an American mining engineer, Almon Culbertson, and his Russian wife, Xenya Rogoznaya. He attended the École des sciences économiques et politiques at the [[University of Paris|Sorbonne]] in Paris, and the [[University of Geneva]]. His facility for languages was extraordinary: he spoke Russian, English, French, German, Czech and Spanish fluently, with a reading knowledge of five others, and a knowledge of Latin and classical Greek. In spite of his education, his erudition was largely self-acquired: he was a born [[autodidact]].
⚫
After the [[Russian Revolution (1917)]], Culbertson lived for four years in Paris and other European cities by exploiting his skill as a card player. In 1921 he moved to the United States, earning his living from winnings at auction bridge and poker. In 1923 he married Mrs. Josephine Murphy Dillon, a successful teacher of auction bridge and a leading woman player, in [[Manhattan]].<ref>The National Encyclopedia of American biography, James Terry White, vol '''46''' p106 ISBN 978-0-88371-029-6</ref> They were successful both as players and teachers.


⚫
After the [[Russian Revolution (1917)]], Culbertson lived for four years in Paris and other European cities by exploiting his skill as a card player. In 1921 he moved to the United States, earning his living from winnings at [[auction bridge]] and [[poker]]. In 1923 he married Mrs. Josephine Murphy Dillon, a successful teacher of auction bridge and a leading woman player, in [[Manhattan]].<ref>White, James Terry, ''The National Encyclopedia of American biography'', vol. 46, {{ISBN|978-0-88371-029-6}}, p. 106.</ref> They were successful as both players and teachers, and later as publishers. [[Josephine Culbertson]] retained the surname after their divorce in 1938; indeed, a revised edition of ''Culbertson's Contract Bridge in Ten Minutes'' was published under her name in 1951.<ref>[http://www.worldcat.org/search?q=culbertson%2C+josephine&fq=&se=yr&sd=asc&dblist=638&start=41&qt=page_number_link Search results for 'culbertson, josephine'] (numbers 41–50 of 73). [[WorldCat]]. Retrieved 2014-12-30.</ref>
⚫
Gradually the new game of contract bridge began to replace auction bridge, and Culbertson saw his opportunity to overtake the leaders of auction bridge. Culbertson planned a far-reaching and successful campaign to promote himself as the leader of the new game. As player, organiser, bidding theorist, magazine editor, and team leader, he was a key figure in the growth of contract bridge in its great boom years of the 1930s.<ref>{{cite book |last = Culbertson |first = Ely
⚫
|authorlink = |title = The Strange Lives of One Man, An Autobiography |publisher = The John C. Winston Company |location = Chicago, Philadelphia, Toronto |pages = |series = |year = 1940 |doi = |isbn = }}</ref><ref>Francis et al (1994), p. 602</ref>


⚫
Gradually the new game of contract bridge began to replace auction bridge, and Culbertson saw his opportunity to overtake the leaders of auction bridge. Culbertson planned a far-reaching and successful campaign to promote himself as the leader of the new game. As player, organizer, bidding theorist, magazine editor, and team leader, he was a key figure in the growth of contract bridge in its great boom years of the 1930s.<ref>{{cite book |last = Culbertson |first = Ely
⚫
Culbertson was a brilliant publicist; his team played a number of famous challenge matches, all of which they won. Two matches were played in the USA: against [[Sidney Lenz]]'s team in 1931-2 and [[P. Hal Sims]] in 1935 (this latter between the two married couples Culbertson and Sims). Four matches were played in England, against [[Walter Buller (bridge)|Walter Buller]]'s team in 1930, two against [[Henry Beasley|"Pops" Beasley]]'s team in 1930 and 1933 and lastly against Col. George Walshe's team in 1934. These matches were typically accompanied by noteworthy publicity in newspapers, on radio and on cinema newsreels, and the hands became the subject of intense discussion on bidding methods.<ref>Clay (1985)</ref>
⚫
|title = The Strange Lives of One Man, An Autobiography |publisher = The John C. Winston Company |location = Chicago, Philadelphia, Toronto |year = 1940 }}</ref><ref>Francis et al (1994), p. 602.</ref><ref>Clay (1985), Preface, p. viii.</ref>


⚫
Culbertson was a brilliant publicist; he played several famous challenge matches and won them all. Two were played in the U.S., against {{gcb|pair}}s led by [[Sidney Lenz]] in 1931–32 (the so-called "[[Bridge Battle of the Century]]") and by [[P. Hal Sims]] in 1935, the latter between the married couples Culbertson and Sims. Four {{gcb|team|teams-of-four}} matches were played in England, against [[Walter Buller (bridge)|Walter Buller]]'s team in 1930, against [[Henry Beasley|"Pops" Beasley]]'s team in 1930 and 1933, and against Col. George Walshe's team in 1934. These matches were typically accompanied by noteworthy publicity in newspapers, on radio and on cinema newsreels, and the hands became the subject of intense discussion on bidding methods.<ref>Clay (1985).</ref>
Later, a match against the other leading team of the mid-1930s, the "Four Aces", did not materialize. Culbertson was the most successful player in the early '30s, but in 1937 his team was finally beaten by the Austrian team led by Dr [[Paul Stern]], in the final of the first World Teams Championship, his last participation in a tournament match.<ref>Clay (1986), Introduction, p. 3</ref>


Later, Culbertson managed to adroitly avoid playing the leading American team of the mid-1930s, the "[[Four Aces (bridge)|Four Aces]]". Culbertson was defeated again in [[Budapest]], June 1937, in the first world championship teams tournament, by the Austria team led by Dr. [[Paul Stern]]. It was his last appearance in a tournament or match.<ref>Clay (1985), Introduction, p. 3.</ref> He never lost again, because he never played again.
⚫
Culbertson founded and edited ''[[The Bridge World]]'' magazine, which is still published today, and wrote many newspaper articles and books on bridge. He owned the first firm of playing card manufacturers to develop plastic cards, Kem Cards, and developed and owned a chain of bridge schools with teachers qualified in the Culbertson bidding system. He continued to play high stakes rubber bridge for many years, but gave up tournament bridge in 1938 to write and to work for world peace.

⚫
Culbertson founded and edited ''[[The Bridge World]]'' magazine, which is still published today, and wrote many newspaper articles and books on bridge. He owned the first firm of playing card manufacturers to develop plastic cards, Kem Cards, and developed and owned a chain of bridge schools with teachers qualified in the Culbertson bidding system. He continued to play high-stakes rubber bridge for many years, but gave up tournament and match competition in 1938 to write and to work for world peace.{{citation needed|date=December 2014}} ''Total Peace'' (1943) and ''Must We Fight Russia?'' (1947) were his most important books.<ref name=ACBLhof/>


==Challenge matches==
==Challenge matches==
⚫
These matches received a large amount of publicity, being extensively covered in the press, often making the front pages. By winning them, Culbertson suggested to the bridge-playing public that the Culbertson System of bidding was superior to the systems of his rivals, and thereby boosted the sales of his books. But according to [[Theodore Lightner]]: "Ely's real advantage was that his team was much stronger than anything others could possibly muster, We could have played different systems and won just as easily."<ref>[[Victor Mollo]], ''The Bridge Immortals'', Faber and Faber, 1967, page 149. Also published by Hart Publishing Company Inc., (New York), 1968, page 201.</ref>


⚫
These matches received great publicity, being extensively covered in the newspapers, often making the front pages. By winning them, Culbertson suggested to the bridge-playing public that the Culbertson System of bidding was superior to the systems of his rivals, and thereby boosted the sales of his books. But according to his team-mate [[Theodore Lightner]]: "Ely's real advantage was that his team was much stronger than anything others could possibly muster, We could have played different systems and won just as easily."<ref>[[Victor Mollo|Mollo, Victor]] (1967), ''The Bridge Immortals'', Faber and Faber, p. 149. Also published 1968 by Hart Publishing Company, New York; p. 201.</ref>
⚫
===Culbertson-Lenz match===

⚫
This took place between December 1931 and January 1932 at two [[New York City]] hotels, and was called "The Bridge Battle of the Century". Sidney Lenz was the leader of a group of players opposed to Culbertson's domination of the game, and who called their bidding system the Official System. Culbertson challenged Lenz to a match, wagering $5,000 against his opponent's $1,000, with the money to go to charity regardless of the outcome.
⚫
===Culbertson–Lenz match===
⚫
This pairs match took place during December 1931 and January 1932 at two New York City hotels, and was called the "[[Bridge Battle of the Century]]". [[Sidney Lenz]] was the leader of a group of players opposed to Culbertson's domination of the game, and who called their bidding system the Official System. Culbertson challenged Lenz to a match, wagering $5,000 against his opponent's $1,000, with the money to go to charity regardless of the outcome.


[[Image:Austrian team 72 KB.jpg|thumb|left|240 px|The winning Austrian team at the 1937 World Championships: from left, Karl Schneider, Hans Jellinek, Edouard Frischauer, [[Paul Stern]] (Capt.), Josephine Culbertson (US), [[Walter Herbert (conductor)|Walter Herbert]], [[Helen Sobel Smith|Helen Sobel]] (US), and Karl von Blöhdorn]]
[[Image:Austrian team 72 KB.jpg|thumb|left|240 px|The winning Austrian team at the 1937 World Championships: from left, Karl Schneider, Hans Jellinek, Edouard Frischauer, [[Paul Stern]] (Capt.), [[Josephine Culbertson]] (US), [[Walter Herbert (conductor)|Walter Herbert]], [[Helen Sobel Smith|Helen Sobel]] (US), and Karl von Blöhdorn]]


The match was played as [[rubber bridge]], with 150 rubbers being played. Culbertson played 88 of these with his wife, [[Josephine Culbertson|Josephine]], partnering one of [[Theodore Lightner]], [[Waldemar von Zedtwitz]], [[Howard Schenken]] and [[Michael T. Gottlieb]] in the remainder. Lenz played with [[Oswald Jacoby]] for the first 103 rubbers, but Jacoby then resigned following a heated difference of opinion over a defensive play.
The match was played as [[rubber bridge]], with 150 rubbers being played. Culbertson played 88 of these with his wife, [[Josephine Culbertson|Josephine]], partnering one of [[Theodore Lightner]], [[Waldemar von Zedtwitz]], [[Howard Schenken]] and [[Michael T. Gottlieb]] in the remainder. Lenz played with [[Oswald Jacoby]] for the first 103 rubbers, but Jacoby then resigned following a heated difference of opinion over a defensive play.


According to the match referee, Lt [[Alfred Gruenther]] (later 4-star General and Supreme Allied Commander Europe 1953-6), after that hand Jacoby said "I made a play that only twelve players in the country would understand, and unfortunately Mr Lenz did not seem, at that particular moment, to be among that twelve". For the rest of the match Lenz's partner was Cmdr. Winfield Liggett Jr. Culbertson's team won by 8,980 points.<ref>Francis et al (1994), pp. 91-2.</ref>
According to the match referee, Lt. [[Alfred Gruenther]] (later 4-star General and Supreme Allied Commander Europe 1953-56), Jacoby said following that deal, "I made a play that only twelve players in the country would understand, and unfortunately Mr Lenz did not seem, at that particular moment, to be among that twelve." Cmdr. Winfield Liggett, Jr., was Lenz's partner for the rest of the match, which Culbertson won by 8,980 points.<ref>Francis et al (1994), pp. 91–92.</ref>


[[Terence Reese]] said "The Official System (Lenz)... was discredited... That the Culbertsons did not win more easily (for their constructive bidding was much better than that of their opponents) was due to the fact that Jacoby was a player of quite different class from any of the others".<ref>Reese, Terence 1963. The bridge battle of the century. ''British Bridge World'', August 1963, p38-43: the rest of the match was described in subsequent issues.</ref>
[[Terence Reese]] said "The Official System (Lenz)&nbsp;... was discredited&nbsp;... That the Culbertsons did not win more easily (for their constructive bidding was much better than that of their opponents) was due to the fact that Jacoby was a player of quite different class from any of the others."<ref>Reese, Terence (1963), "The bridge battle of the century". ''British Bridge World'', August 1963, pp. 38–43. The rest of the match was described in subsequent issues.</ref>
Jacoby's [[psychic bid]]s and his competitive bidding generally kept the Lenz team in the match; but Lenz himself could not tolerate Jacoby's style.
Jacoby's [[psychic bid]]s and his competitive bidding generally kept the Lenz team in the match; but Lenz himself could not tolerate Jacoby's style.


===Anglo-American matches===
===Anglo-American matches===
Lt. Col. [[Walter Buller (bridge)|Walter Buller]] promoted a bidding system that he called "British Bridge", which used direct methods and avoided approach forcing bids as had been incorporated in the Culbertson System. His challenge was accepted by Culbertson, and a [[duplicate bridge#Team game|teams of four]] match took place in [[London]] in 1930. Culbertson's team won by 4,845 total points over 200 deals. Culbertson partnered his wife, Josephine, and his other pair comprised Lightner and von Zedtwitz. Later in the match Culbertson played with Lightner, and his wife played with von Zedwitz: this was the more successful line-up. The other three members of Buller's team were Alice Evers, Cedric Kehoe and Nelson Wood-Hill.<ref>Francis et al (1994), p. 584 and p. 816.</ref>
Lt. Col. [[Walter Buller (bridge)|Walter Buller]] promoted a bidding system that he called "British Bridge", which used direct methods and avoided approach forcing bids as had been incorporated in the Culbertson System. His challenge was accepted by Culbertson, and a [[duplicate bridge#Team game|teams of four]] match took place in [[London]] in 1930. The Culbertson team won by 4,845 total points over 200 deals. Culbertson partnered his wife, Josephine, and his other pair comprised Lightner and von Zedtwitz. Later in the match Culbertson played with Lightner, and his wife played with von Zedwitz: this was the more successful line-up. The other three members of Buller's team were Alice Evers, Cedric Kehoe and Nelson Wood-Hill.<ref>Francis et al (1994), pp. 584, 816.</ref>


Immediately after the Buller match, the Culbertson team played another match, against Crockford's Club. The Crockford's team was [[Henry Beasley|'Pops' Beasley]] (Captain), Sir Guy Domville, George Morris and Captain Hogg; the match over 200 boards was won by Culbertson by 4,905 points (total points scoring).<ref>Clay (1985), p. 106</ref>
Immediately after the Buller match, the Culbertson team played another match, against Crockford's Club. The Crockford's team was [[Henry Beasley|'Pops' Beasley]] (Captain), Sir Guy Domville, George Morris and Captain Hogg; the match over 200 boards was won by Culbertson by 4,905 points (total points scoring).<ref>Clay (1985), p. 106.</ref>


[[Image:Beasley v Culbertson 76 KB.jpg|thumb|right|260px| Match for the Schwab Cup, 1933. At table, from left: E. Culbertson, Lady [[Doris Rhodes]], referee Col. GGJ Walshe, J. Culbertson, [[Henry Beasley|Pops Beasley]]. Behind, far left: [[Hubert Phillips]].]]
[[Image:Beasley v Culbertson 76 KB.jpg|thumb|right|260px| Match for the Schwab Cup, 1933. At table, from left: E. Culbertson, Lady [[Doris Rhodes]], referee Col. GGJ Walshe, J. Culbertson, [[Henry Beasley|Pops Beasley]]. Behind, far left: [[Hubert Phillips]].]]


The matches in 1933 and 1934 both took place for the Schwab Cup, a trophy presented for Anglo-American matches by [[Charles M. Schwab|Charles Schwab]], an American industrialist and patron of bridge, who was president of the Whist Club of New York. In 1933, Michael Gottlieb replaced von Zedtwitz in the Culbertson team. The British team consisted of Lt. Col. 'Pops' Beasley and Sir Guy Domville, Percy Tabbush and George Morris, Graham Mathieson and Lady [[Doris Rhodes]] (pairs were sometimes aligned differently). Culbertson's team won by 10,900 total points over 300 hands. A decisive, but not overwhelming, victory.
The matches in 1933 and 1934 both took place for the Schwab Cup, a trophy presented for Anglo-American matches by [[Charles M. Schwab|Charles Schwab]], an American industrialist and patron of bridge, who was president of the Whist Club of New York. In 1933, Michael Gottlieb replaced von Zedtwitz in the Culbertson team. The British team consisted of Lt. Col. 'Pops' Beasley and Sir Guy Domville, Percy Tabbush and George Morris, Graham Mathieson and Lady [[Doris Rhodes]] (pairs were sometimes aligned differently). The Culbertson team won by 10,900 total points over 300 hands, a decisive but not overwhelming victory.


The following year, again in London, the Schwab trophy pitted Culbertson's team against, for the first time, a team with "two very experienced partnerships" (Reese) captained by Col. George Walshe. The American team consisted of the Culbertsons, Teddy Lightner and [[Albert Hodges Morehead|Albert Morehead]]. The British team was [[Richard Lederer (bridge)|Richard Lederer]] and Willie Rose; Harry Ingram and Stanley Hughes,<ref name=ReeseObit>Reese, Terence (1974). Obituary of Henry St. John Ingram 1888-1974; reprinted in Hasenson, Peter ''British Bridge Almanack'' (2004) 77, London, p. 196</ref> with captain Walshe and A. Frost as reserves. Culbertson's team won by 3,650 points over 300 deals. At one time the British team had built up a lead of over 5,000 points, and the Americans led by only 970 points with one session, of 30 deals, remaining. The Lederer–Rose pair tired but refused to take a rest; the last set was a disaster.<ref>Francis et al (1994), p. 733 and p. 816</ref><ref>[[Terence Reese]], ''Bridge at the Top'', Faber & Faber, 1977, ISBN 0-571-11123-8, pp. 19-22</ref> Ingram referred to the element of fatigue when he remarked that at least three of the English players had done a day's work before the evening sessions, while the Americans did not get up till lunchtime.<ref name=ReeseObit/><ref>Ingram, H. St John 1962-3. The brave old days. ''The British Bridge World'', December 1962-March 1963. [this may be the only account of the match of any length; no book of the match was published]</ref> All the same, Walshe's team had shown that the great Culbertson team was vulnerable. They were eventually beaten by Dr [[Paul Stern]]'s Austrian team, the best European team of the 1930s.
The following year, again in London, the Schwab trophy pitted the Culbertson team for the first time against a team with "two very experienced partnerships" [Reese] captained by Col. George Walshe. The American team consisted of the Culbertsons, Teddy Lightner and [[Albert Hodges Morehead|Albert Morehead]]. The British team was [[Richard Lederer (bridge player)|Richard Lederer]] and Willie Rose; Harry Ingram and Stanley Hughes,<ref name=ReeseObit>Reese, Terence (1974). Obituary of Henry St. John Ingram 1888–1974; reprinted in Hasenson, Peter ''British Bridge Almanack'' (2004) 77, London, p. 196.</ref> with captain Walshe and A. Frost as reserves. Culbertson's team won by 3,650 points over 300 deals. At one time the British team had built up a lead of over 5,000 points, and the Americans led by only 970 points with one session, of 30 deals, remaining. The Lederer–Rose pair tired but refused to take a rest; the last set was a disaster.<ref>Francis et al (1994), pp. 733, 816.</ref><ref>Reese, Terence (1977), ''Bridge at the Top'', Faber and Faber, {{ISBN|0-571-11123-8}}, pp. 19–22.</ref> Ingram referred to the element of fatigue when he remarked that at least three of the English players had done a day's work before the evening sessions, while the Americans did not get up until lunchtime.<ref name=ReeseObit/><ref>Ingram, H. St. John (1962–63). "The brave old days". ''The British Bridge World'', December 1962–March 1963. <br>This may be the only account of the match of any length; no book of the match was published.</ref> All the same, Walshe's team had shown that the great Culbertson team was vulnerable. They were eventually beaten by Dr. [[Paul Stern]]'s Austrian team, the best European team of the 1930s.


Anglo-American matches after [[World War II]], of which there were a number,<ref>Francis et al (1994)</ref> did not involve Culbertson.
Anglo-American matches after World War II, of which there were a number,<ref>Francis et al (1994).</ref> did not involve Culbertson.


==Bridge accomplishments==
==Bridge accomplishments==


===Honors===
===Honors===
In 1964 ''The Bridge World'' honored [[Harold S. Vanderbilt]], Culbertson, and [[Charles Goren]] as the first three members of a bridge hall of fame. It increased the number to nine during the next two years and all were made founding members of the [[ACBL Hall of Fame]] in 1995.<ref name=HOFby/><ref name=HOFtop/>
* ACBL Hall of Fame 1964
* ACBL Hall of Fame, 1964<ref name=HOFby>[http://www.acbl.org/about-acbl/hall-of-fame/induction-by-year "Induction by Year"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141205191454/http://www.acbl.org/about-acbl/hall-of-fame/induction-by-year/ |date=2014-12-05 }}. ''Hall of Fame''. ACBL. Retrieved 2014-12-22.</ref><ref name=HOFtop>[http://www.acbl.org/about-acbl/hall-of-fame ''Hall of Fame''] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141124142002/http://www.acbl.org/about-acbl/hall-of-fame/ |date=2014-11-24 }} (top page). ACBL. Retrieved 2014-12-30.</ref>
* ACBL Honorary Member of the Year 1938
* ACBL Honorary Member of the Year 1938


Line 85: Line 90:
* ''Contract Bridge Blue Book'' (1930)
* ''Contract Bridge Blue Book'' (1930)
* ''300 contract bridge hands'' (1933) – from the match vs. Beasley for Schwab Cup
* ''300 contract bridge hands'' (1933) – from the match vs. Beasley for Schwab Cup
* ''Contract Bridge Red Book on Play'' (1934)
* ''Contract bridge complete: the Gold Book of bidding and play'' (1936)
* ''Contract bridge complete: the Gold Book of bidding and play'' (1936)
* ''Jo-Jotte: How to Play and Win'' (1937)
* ''The Strange Lives of One Man'' (1940)
* ''The Strange Lives of One Man'' (1940)
* ''The World Federation Plan'' (1942)
* ''The World Federation Plan'' (1942)
* ''Total Peace'' (1943)
* ''Total Peace'' (1943)
* ''Culbertson System of Playing Gin Rummy'' (1944)
* ''Must We Fight Russia?'' (1946)
* ''Must We Fight Russia?'' (1946)
* ''Culbertson on Canasta: a Complete Guide for Beginners and Advanced Players With the Official Laws of Canasta'' (1949)
* ''Culbertson on Canasta: a Complete Guide for Beginners and Advanced Players With the Official Laws of Canasta'' (1949)
* ''Culbertson System of Canasta'' (1951)


==References==
==References==
{{reflist |25em}}
{{reflist |25em |refs=
<ref name=ACBLhof>
[http://web5.acbl.org/about-acbl/hall-of-fame/members/culbertson-ely "Culbertson, Ely"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160612100647/http://web5.acbl.org/about-acbl/hall-of-fame/members/culbertson-ely/ |date=2016-06-12 }}. ''Hall of Fame''. ACBL. Retrieved 2014-12-30.</ref>
⚫
}}


;Citations
;Citations
* {{cite book |last = Clay |first = John |authorlink = |title = Culbertson: The Man Who Made Contract Bridge |publisher = Weidenfeld and Nicolson |location = London |pages = |series = |year = 1985 |doi = |isbn = 0-297-78436-6}}
* {{cite book |last = Clay |first = John |title = Culbertson: The Man Who Made Contract Bridge |publisher = Weidenfeld and Nicolson |location = London |year = 1985 |isbn = 0-297-78436-6 |url-access = registration |url = https://archive.org/details/culbertsonmanwho0000clay }}
* {{OEB|5}}
* {{OEB|5}}


==External links==
==External links==
* {{Internet Archive author |sname=Ely Culbertson}}
* {{ACBLhof|11}}
* {{ACBLhof|culbertson-ely}}
* [http://www.cardsanddominoes.com/html/bio_scarne_culbertson_sobel_us.html#ElyCulbertson Ely Culbertson profile] at Cards and Dominoes
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20121229074053/http://www.cardsanddominoes.com/html/bio_scarne_culbertson_sobel_us.html#ElyCulbertson Culbertson profile and rules for his invented game Jo-Jotte] at Cards and Dominoes
* [http://www.chesshistory.com/winter/extra/culbertson.html Ely Culbertson and Chess] by chess historian [[Edward Winter (chess historian)|Edward Winter]], 2005
* [http://www.chesshistory.com/winter/extra/culbertson.html Ely Culbertson and Chess] by chess historian [[Edward Winter (chess historian)|Edward Winter]], 2005
* {{YouTube|UFb7PWvVvb0| ACBL interview}} of [[Alfred Sheinwold]] by [[Audrey Grant]], about his time working for Culbertson
* {{YouTube|UFb7PWvVvb0| ACBL interview}} of [[Alfred Sheinwold]] by [[Audrey Grant]], about his time working for Culbertson
* [http://thebiggamehunter.com/inventors/game-authors-in-the-u-s-a/ The Big Game Hunter] – Culbertson invented or promoted other games including ''Jo-Jotte'' (a sort of expanded [[Klaberjass]]) around 1937 and ''Eloping! The Game of Romantic Skill'', published in 1947
* [http://thebiggamehunter.com/inventors/game-authors-in-the-u-s-a/ The Big Game Hunter] – Culbertson invented or promoted other games including ''Jo-Jotte'' (a sort of expanded [[Klaberjass]]) around 1937 and ''Eloping! The Game of Romantic Skill'', published in 1947
* {{LCAuth|n86098237|Ely Culbertson|92|}}
* {{LCAuth|n86098237|Ely Culbertson|92|}}
;Josephine Culbertson
* [http://www.acbl.org/about/hall-of-fame/biography.php?id=34 Josephine Culbertson citation] at the ACBL Hall of Fame
* [http://www.worldbridge.org/women-stars.aspx Women Stars] at the [[World Bridge Federation]] – Josephine Culbertson and others, with biography
* [http://www.worldcat.org/search?q=culbertson%2C+josephine&qt=owc_search WorldCat search: Culbertson, Josephine] <!-- main page 'Culbertson, Josephine' not found; VIAF not found -->


{{Authority control}}
{{WPCBIndex}}


{{Authority control|VIAF=79280112 |LCCN=n/86/098237 |GND=140456163 }}

{{Persondata
| NAME = Culbertson, Ely
| ALTERNATIVE NAMES =
| SHORT DESCRIPTION = American contract bridge player, writer, and promoter
| DATE OF BIRTH = July 22, 1891
| PLACE OF BIRTH = Poiana Vărbilău, Romania
| DATE OF DEATH = December 27, 1955
| PLACE OF DEATH = Brattleboro, Vermont, USA
⚫
}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Culbertson, Ely}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Culbertson, Ely}}
[[Category:1891 births]]
[[Category:1891 births]]
[[Category:1955 deaths]]
[[Category:1955 deaths]]
[[Category:American bridge players]]
[[Category:American contract bridge players]]
[[Category:Bridge writers]]
[[Category:Contract bridge writers]]
⚫
[[Category:Card game personalities]]
[[Category:Romanian emigrants to the United States]]
[[Category:Romanian emigrants to the United States]]
[[Category:People from Prahova County]]
[[Category:People from Prahova County]]
[[Category:American people of Russian descent]]
⚫
[[Category:Card game book writers]]

Revision as of 20:55, 10 March 2024

Ely Culbertson
Born
Elie Almon Culbertson[1]

July 22, 1891
Poiana Vărbilău, Romania
DiedDecember 27, 1955(1955-12-27) (aged 64)
Brattleboro, Vermont, USA
NationalityAmerican
Occupation(s)Contract bridge writer, publisher, organizer and player; advocate of world peace
Spouses
​
​
(m. 1923; div. 1938)​
  • Dorothy Renata Baehne
Children4

Elie Almon Culbertson (July 22, 1891 – December 27, 1955), known as Ely Culbertson, was an American contract bridge entrepreneur and personality dominant during the 1930s. He played a major role in the popularization of the new game and was widely regarded as "the man who made contract bridge". He was a great showman who became rich, was highly extravagant, and lost and gained fortunes several times over.

Life

Culbertson was born in Poiana Vărbilău in Romania to an American mining engineer, Almon Culbertson, and his Russian wife, Xenya Rogoznaya. He attended the École des sciences économiques et politiques at the Sorbonne in Paris, and the University of Geneva. His facility for languages was extraordinary: he spoke Russian, English, French, German, Czech and Spanish fluently, with a reading knowledge of five others, and a knowledge of Latin and classical Greek. In spite of his education, his erudition was largely self-acquired: he was a born autodidact.

After the Russian Revolution (1917), Culbertson lived for four years in Paris and other European cities by exploiting his skill as a card player. In 1921 he moved to the United States, earning his living from winnings at auction bridge and poker. In 1923 he married Mrs. Josephine Murphy Dillon, a successful teacher of auction bridge and a leading woman player, in Manhattan.[2] They were successful as both players and teachers, and later as publishers. Josephine Culbertson retained the surname after their divorce in 1938; indeed, a revised edition of Culbertson's Contract Bridge in Ten Minutes was published under her name in 1951.[3]

Gradually the new game of contract bridge began to replace auction bridge, and Culbertson saw his opportunity to overtake the leaders of auction bridge. Culbertson planned a far-reaching and successful campaign to promote himself as the leader of the new game. As player, organizer, bidding theorist, magazine editor, and team leader, he was a key figure in the growth of contract bridge in its great boom years of the 1930s.[4][5][6]

Culbertson was a brilliant publicist; he played several famous challenge matches and won them all. Two were played in the U.S., against pairs led by Sidney Lenz in 1931–32 (the so-called "Bridge Battle of the Century") and by P. Hal Sims in 1935, the latter between the married couples Culbertson and Sims. Four teams-of-four matches were played in England, against Walter Buller's team in 1930, against "Pops" Beasley's team in 1930 and 1933, and against Col. George Walshe's team in 1934. These matches were typically accompanied by noteworthy publicity in newspapers, on radio and on cinema newsreels, and the hands became the subject of intense discussion on bidding methods.[7]

Later, Culbertson managed to adroitly avoid playing the leading American team of the mid-1930s, the "Four Aces". Culbertson was defeated again in Budapest, June 1937, in the first world championship teams tournament, by the Austria team led by Dr. Paul Stern. It was his last appearance in a tournament or match.[8] He never lost again, because he never played again.

Culbertson founded and edited The Bridge World magazine, which is still published today, and wrote many newspaper articles and books on bridge. He owned the first firm of playing card manufacturers to develop plastic cards, Kem Cards, and developed and owned a chain of bridge schools with teachers qualified in the Culbertson bidding system. He continued to play high-stakes rubber bridge for many years, but gave up tournament and match competition in 1938 to write and to work for world peace.[citation needed] Total Peace (1943) and Must We Fight Russia? (1947) were his most important books.[9]

Challenge matches

These matches received great publicity, being extensively covered in the newspapers, often making the front pages. By winning them, Culbertson suggested to the bridge-playing public that the Culbertson System of bidding was superior to the systems of his rivals, and thereby boosted the sales of his books. But according to his team-mate Theodore Lightner: "Ely's real advantage was that his team was much stronger than anything others could possibly muster, We could have played different systems and won just as easily."[10]

Culbertson–Lenz match

This pairs match took place during December 1931 and January 1932 at two New York City hotels, and was called the "Bridge Battle of the Century". Sidney Lenz was the leader of a group of players opposed to Culbertson's domination of the game, and who called their bidding system the Official System. Culbertson challenged Lenz to a match, wagering $5,000 against his opponent's $1,000, with the money to go to charity regardless of the outcome.

The winning Austrian team at the 1937 World Championships: from left, Karl Schneider, Hans Jellinek, Edouard Frischauer, Paul Stern (Capt.), Josephine Culbertson (US), Walter Herbert, Helen Sobel (US), and Karl von Blöhdorn

The match was played as rubber bridge, with 150 rubbers being played. Culbertson played 88 of these with his wife, Josephine, partnering one of Theodore Lightner, Waldemar von Zedtwitz, Howard Schenken and Michael T. Gottlieb in the remainder. Lenz played with Oswald Jacoby for the first 103 rubbers, but Jacoby then resigned following a heated difference of opinion over a defensive play.

According to the match referee, Lt. Alfred Gruenther (later 4-star General and Supreme Allied Commander Europe 1953-56), Jacoby said following that deal, "I made a play that only twelve players in the country would understand, and unfortunately Mr Lenz did not seem, at that particular moment, to be among that twelve." Cmdr. Winfield Liggett, Jr., was Lenz's partner for the rest of the match, which Culbertson won by 8,980 points.[11]

Terence Reese said "The Official System (Lenz) ... was discredited ... That the Culbertsons did not win more easily (for their constructive bidding was much better than that of their opponents) was due to the fact that Jacoby was a player of quite different class from any of the others."[12] Jacoby's psychic bids and his competitive bidding generally kept the Lenz team in the match; but Lenz himself could not tolerate Jacoby's style.

Anglo-American matches

Lt. Col. Walter Buller promoted a bidding system that he called "British Bridge", which used direct methods and avoided approach forcing bids as had been incorporated in the Culbertson System. His challenge was accepted by Culbertson, and a teams of four match took place in London in 1930. The Culbertson team won by 4,845 total points over 200 deals. Culbertson partnered his wife, Josephine, and his other pair comprised Lightner and von Zedtwitz. Later in the match Culbertson played with Lightner, and his wife played with von Zedwitz: this was the more successful line-up. The other three members of Buller's team were Alice Evers, Cedric Kehoe and Nelson Wood-Hill.[13]

Immediately after the Buller match, the Culbertson team played another match, against Crockford's Club. The Crockford's team was 'Pops' Beasley (Captain), Sir Guy Domville, George Morris and Captain Hogg; the match over 200 boards was won by Culbertson by 4,905 points (total points scoring).[14]

Match for the Schwab Cup, 1933. At table, from left: E. Culbertson, Lady Doris Rhodes, referee Col. GGJ Walshe, J. Culbertson, Pops Beasley. Behind, far left: Hubert Phillips.

The matches in 1933 and 1934 both took place for the Schwab Cup, a trophy presented for Anglo-American matches by Charles Schwab, an American industrialist and patron of bridge, who was president of the Whist Club of New York. In 1933, Michael Gottlieb replaced von Zedtwitz in the Culbertson team. The British team consisted of Lt. Col. 'Pops' Beasley and Sir Guy Domville, Percy Tabbush and George Morris, Graham Mathieson and Lady Doris Rhodes (pairs were sometimes aligned differently). The Culbertson team won by 10,900 total points over 300 hands, a decisive but not overwhelming victory.

The following year, again in London, the Schwab trophy pitted the Culbertson team for the first time against a team with "two very experienced partnerships" [Reese] captained by Col. George Walshe. The American team consisted of the Culbertsons, Teddy Lightner and Albert Morehead. The British team was Richard Lederer and Willie Rose; Harry Ingram and Stanley Hughes,[15] with captain Walshe and A. Frost as reserves. Culbertson's team won by 3,650 points over 300 deals. At one time the British team had built up a lead of over 5,000 points, and the Americans led by only 970 points with one session, of 30 deals, remaining. The Lederer–Rose pair tired but refused to take a rest; the last set was a disaster.[16][17] Ingram referred to the element of fatigue when he remarked that at least three of the English players had done a day's work before the evening sessions, while the Americans did not get up until lunchtime.[15][18] All the same, Walshe's team had shown that the great Culbertson team was vulnerable. They were eventually beaten by Dr. Paul Stern's Austrian team, the best European team of the 1930s.

Anglo-American matches after World War II, of which there were a number,[19] did not involve Culbertson.

Bridge accomplishments

Honors

In 1964 The Bridge World honored Harold S. Vanderbilt, Culbertson, and Charles Goren as the first three members of a bridge hall of fame. It increased the number to nine during the next two years and all were made founding members of the ACBL Hall of Fame in 1995.[20][21]

  • ACBL Hall of Fame, 1964[20][21]
  • ACBL Honorary Member of the Year 1938

Wins

Runners-up

Publications

  • Contract Bridge Blue Book (1930)
  • 300 contract bridge hands (1933) – from the match vs. Beasley for Schwab Cup
  • Contract Bridge Red Book on Play (1934)
  • Contract bridge complete: the Gold Book of bidding and play (1936)
  • Jo-Jotte: How to Play and Win (1937)
  • The Strange Lives of One Man (1940)
  • The World Federation Plan (1942)
  • Total Peace (1943)
  • Culbertson System of Playing Gin Rummy (1944)
  • Must We Fight Russia? (1946)
  • Culbertson on Canasta: a Complete Guide for Beginners and Advanced Players With the Official Laws of Canasta (1949)
  • Culbertson System of Canasta (1951)

References

  1. ^ "United States Passport Applications, 1795-1925," Almon Culbertson, 1916; National Archives and Records Administration
  2. ^ White, James Terry, The National Encyclopedia of American biography, vol. 46, ISBN 978-0-88371-029-6, p. 106.
  3. ^ Search results for 'culbertson, josephine' (numbers 41–50 of 73). WorldCat. Retrieved 2014-12-30.
  4. ^ Culbertson, Ely (1940). The Strange Lives of One Man, An Autobiography. Chicago, Philadelphia, Toronto: The John C. Winston Company.
  5. ^ Francis et al (1994), p. 602.
  6. ^ Clay (1985), Preface, p. viii.
  7. ^ Clay (1985).
  8. ^ Clay (1985), Introduction, p. 3.
  9. ^ "Culbertson, Ely" Archived 2016-06-12 at the Wayback Machine. Hall of Fame. ACBL. Retrieved 2014-12-30.
  10. ^ Mollo, Victor (1967), The Bridge Immortals, Faber and Faber, p. 149. Also published 1968 by Hart Publishing Company, New York; p. 201.
  11. ^ Francis et al (1994), pp. 91–92.
  12. ^ Reese, Terence (1963), "The bridge battle of the century". British Bridge World, August 1963, pp. 38–43. The rest of the match was described in subsequent issues.
  13. ^ Francis et al (1994), pp. 584, 816.
  14. ^ Clay (1985), p. 106.
  15. ^ a b Reese, Terence (1974). Obituary of Henry St. John Ingram 1888–1974; reprinted in Hasenson, Peter British Bridge Almanack (2004) 77, London, p. 196.
  16. ^ Francis et al (1994), pp. 733, 816.
  17. ^ Reese, Terence (1977), Bridge at the Top, Faber and Faber, ISBN 0-571-11123-8, pp. 19–22.
  18. ^ Ingram, H. St. John (1962–63). "The brave old days". The British Bridge World, December 1962–March 1963.
    This may be the only account of the match of any length; no book of the match was published.
  19. ^ Francis et al (1994).
  20. ^ a b "Induction by Year" Archived 2014-12-05 at the Wayback Machine. Hall of Fame. ACBL. Retrieved 2014-12-22.
  21. ^ a b Hall of Fame Archived 2014-11-24 at the Wayback Machine (top page). ACBL. Retrieved 2014-12-30.
Citations
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