Roger Trézel

Roger Trézel (11 May 1918 – 3 November 1986)[1] was a French bridge player and writer. He and his long-time regular partner Pierre Jaïs were the first two of ten players who have won the Triple Crown of Bridge.[2] Their achievement was unique for more than twenty years[3] and they accomplished it on the earliest occasion possible. Having played on the France team that won the 1956 Bermuda Bowl representing Europe against the United States, they won the inaugural renditions of both premier World Bridge Federation quadrennial events, the 1960 World Team Olympiad and the 1962 World Open Pairs Championship.[2][3] Trézel and Jaïs also won the Sunday Times Invitational pairs tournament in 1963.

They used a canapé system, generally bidding the second-longest suit first, and their becoming one of the world's strongest pairs "demonstrated the effectiveness" of the style.[4] Their partnership was terminated only by Trézel's late 1986 death in France. Alan Truscott then called it "one of the greatest partnerships in the history of the game"[3] and two years later asserted that many European cognoscenti of 30 years earlier would have called them the "world's greatest partnership".[5]

Trézel wrote several bridge books, including the Master Bridge Series with Terence Reese.

Born in Orléans, France to Pierre Trézel and Marie Prunier,[1] he died in Paris at the age of 68.[6]

Publications with Terence Reese

Those Extra Chances in Bridge

  • 1978: Frederick Fell Publishers (New York), 64p., ISBN 978-0-88391-077-1
  • 1978: Ward Lock (London), 64p., ISBN 978-0-7063-5610-6
  • 1978, 1986: Victor Gollancz (London) in association with Peter Crawley, 64p., ISBN 978-0-575-02634-6

Master the Odds in Bridge

Snares and Swindles in Bridge

The Art of Defense in Bridge

Imaginative Cardplay

  • 2014: Master Point Press (Toronto). 248p. ISBN 978-1-77140-015-2. This publication is a compendium of the four above-noted, each revised and updated.

'Elimination Play in Bridge

When to Duck When to Win in Bridge

Blocking and Unblocking Plays in Bridge

Safety Plays in Bridge

Accurate Cardplay

  • 2014: Master Point Press (Toronto). 232p. ISBN 978-1-77140-014-5. This publication is a compendium of the four above-noted, each revised and updated.

The Mistakes You Make at Bridge

References

  1. ^ a b Brasil, Cartões de Imigração, 1900-1965. Arquivo Nacional, Rio de Janeiro.
  2. ^ a b Manley, Brent; Horton, Mark; Greenberg-Yarbro, Tracey; Rigal, Barry, eds. (2011). The Official Encyclopedia of Bridge - Biographies and Results (compact disk) (7th ed.). Horn Lake, MS: American Contract Bridge League. p. 251. ISBN 978-0-939460-99-1.
  3. ^ a b c Truscott, Alan (25 November 1986). "Bridge: The Death of Roger Trezel Ended a Great Partnership". The New York Times. p. C18. Retrieved 2014-06-25.
  4. ^ Jaïs, Pierre (1975). "Extend Your Distributional Signals". BOLS Bridge Tips. With biographical preface. Reprint. Bridge Ace (bridgeace.com). Retrieved 2014-06-25.
  5. ^ Truscott, Alan (20 November 1988). "Bridge: The Art of Defense". NYT. p. 69.
  6. ^ "TREZEL Roger". Retrieved 22 July 2020.