Peter Weichsel

Peter M. Weichsel (born 1943)[1] is an American professional bridge player from Encinitas, California.[1]

Peter Weichsel

College and war years

Early Weichsel started playing bridge at home with his family, but did not get hooked until 1963 when he was a student at Queens College, New York. He dropped out of college and became a Life Master in 1964. His bridge career was interrupted by the Vietnam War. He served two years duty in the Navy as a winch driver aboard the USS Mount Katmai, responsible for moving large bombs out of the hold. After discharge, he lived in San Francisco in a fleabag hotel and became an "active member" of the counterculture. He felt this was a transforming experience and to the present describes himself as a reformed hippie.

The Precision Team and Hall of Fame

Weichsel returned to New York and bridge playing in the mid-1960s. His appearance, with puka shells around his neck, "really long" straight hair, beads and bell bottoms, caused "the ultra-straight bridge community" to give him "tons of strange looks...and an occasional shake of the head." He did not get a haircut until 1980. [2] Seen as a young renegade,[3] Weichsel feels that his looks may have helped his results, lulling unknowing opponents into thinking he could not have been much of a bridge player.[2]

He came to prominence in 1970 as a member of C.C. Wei's "Precision Team" team, a group of young American players that won the Spingold, defeating the defending champions who were also 1970 Bermuda Bowl champions.[4] The bridge world was described as being in disbelief by their victory.[2] When he won the 2019 Mitchell BAM, he had the distinction of winning a national title in every decade since the 1970s.[5]

Weichsel was inducted into the ACBL Hall of Fame in 2004.[6]

Bridge accomplishments


Honors
  • ACBL Hall of Fame, 2004

Awards

Wins

Runners-up

References
  1. Francis, Henry G.; Truscott, Alan F.; Francis, Dorthy A., eds. (1994). The Official Encyclopedia of Bridge (5th ed.). Memphis, TN: American Contract Bridge League. p. 766. ISBN 0-943855-48-9. LCCN 96188639.
  2. "September 2020 -The Rise and Fall of the Precision Team". www.nxtbook.com. Retrieved 2020-08-31.
  3. [ "Weichsel, Peter"]. Hall of Fame. ACBL. Retrieved 2014-12-17.
  4. "Charles C. Wei Dead; A Top Bridge Theorist". timesmachine.nytimes.com. Retrieved 2020-09-01.
  5. "WEINSTEIN Wins BAM". Bridge Winners. 2019-12-03. Retrieved 2020-09-02.
  6. "Induction by Year". Hall of Fame. ACBL. Retrieved 2014-12-16.
  7. "List of Previous Winners" (PDF). American Contract Bridge League. 2014-06-18. p. 6. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2014-10-21. Retrieved 2014-10-16.
  8. "List of Previous Winners" (PDF). American Contract Bridge League. 2014-07-27. p. 11. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2014-10-21. Retrieved 2014-10-16.
  9. "Wernher Open Pairs Winners" (PDF). American Contract Bridge League. 2014-07-22. p. 4. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2014-10-21. Retrieved 2014-10-16.
  10. "Life Master Open Pairs Winners" (PDF). American Contract Bridge League. 2013-11-29. p. 4. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2014-10-21. Retrieved 2014-10-16.
  11. "List of Previous Winners" (PDF). American Contract Bridge League. 2009-07-24. p. 8. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2014-10-21. Retrieved 2014-10-16.
  12. "List of Previous Winners" (PDF). American Contract Bridge League. 2014-03-24. p. 6. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2014-10-21. Retrieved 2014-10-16.
  13. "Mitchell BAM Winners" (PDF). American Contract Bridge League. 2013-12-01. p. 8. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2014-10-21. Retrieved 2014-10-16.
  14. "List of Previous Winners" (PDF). American Contract Bridge League. 2014-07-24. p. 14. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2014-10-21. Retrieved 2014-10-16.
  15. "Reisinger Winners" (PDF). American Contract Bridge League. 2013-12-06. p. 6. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2014-10-21. Retrieved 2014-10-16.
  16. "List of Previous Winners" (PDF). American Contract Bridge League. 2014-07-21. p. 12. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2014-10-21. Retrieved 2014-10-16.
  17. "Lebhar Imp Pairs Winners" (PDF). American Contract Bridge League. 2014-03-21. p. 8. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2014-10-21. Retrieved 2014-10-16.
  18. "Blue Ribbon Winners" (PDF). American Contract Bridge League. 2013-12-03. p. 5. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2014-10-21. Retrieved 2014-10-16.
  19. "List of Previous Winners" (PDF). American Contract Bridge League. 2014-03-29. p. 9. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2014-10-21. Retrieved 2014-10-16.
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