European Stars And Stripes (Newspaper) - May 30, 1989, Darmstadt, Hesse                              By Charles Richards associated Pressa we Rica Stop names in Budge credit Isoif Success at cards to wealthy texan s play Loi pay Oiler two decades ago Dallas businessman Ira Corn himself a Bridge player vol tend of Italy dominating the world Bridge championship so. M 1968, he dealt himself a winning hand Corn recanted i handful of players Bobby Wolff Jim Jack by. Mike Lawrence Bobby Goldman and Bihy Eisenberg and offered them modest pay if they would come Lodal is and work full time at playing body and Honing their games i joined them a y a  says Bob Hamman now 50 and ranked As the world s no 1 Plavni we d play a lot of tournaments a computer would Deal certain hands so we could practice the Type hands we nodded work  Corn dubbed his recruits the aces they were required to go through a training regimen Asil they were professional Al Letyr it was approached in that fashion As a matter of fact. Like an athletic  Hamman says the pay was t great i believe single Guys got $800 a month and the married Guys got it 000 but it was t bad at ail it was great experience All against top Echelon players i thought in was terrific getting paid to do something i liked so Well a Secretary to corded every play they made in their practice sessions and the spotlight was beamed on Good plays and bad alike in 1970. The aces brought the United slates its lust world Bridge championship since 1959 i Hoy re pouted in 1971 in very shod or Doc in respect to american Competition. Be became professionals Achan to amateurs Hamman says then in 1971. Iho aces broke up and in was Back to the pack. Hamman says. But Corn s propel had a lasting influence on the Quality of  Bridge. That s evident it you look Al the record of the players on the team since it broke up har Nornan says every player became a Rock solid player and became tougher mentally since the formation of the aces in 1968. The United stale1 cent a team to the world championship Only once without at least one member of the aces on it. Jacoby says Ito Standard of Bridge also was improved by a to ally of literature about the game much of it written by aces members or influenced by their innovations Jacoby who is a Stock broker in Dallas and Wooll write syndicated Bridge columns that appear daily in newspapers throughout the United slates Wolff and Hamman tried unsuccessfully to Market a computer software program that Bridge players could use to improve their play. They could t come up with anything that could meet their standards. Lawrence who now lives in Berkeley calif., was recognized As the Bridge author of the 70s and 80s, and a recent top ranked Bob Hamman la among players who credit a Dallas Man s play for pay training program with having a lasting influence on Quality of . Bridge. Dealing a new hand to american Bridge find the right  when the aces acre formed Thorn were probably no More than 20 Bridge books of acceptable tournament Standard Lawrence says. Now there Are probably 500 " the american contract Bridge league the governing body for tournament Bridge play has made a major push to bring new players into the game As evidenced by a growing number of tournament events in which novices May play Only against other novices the game is still dominated at the higher Levels by the big names of a decade ago. Pew new Impact Bridge professionals have emerged. Bridge players Are getting belter without doubt but the same players Are still the dominant  Lawrence says. I m not really sure Why that  some believe it s because there s Little financial Reward in Bridge such As awaits those who Excel in some Olhorn competitions. Hamman and Wolff both of whom still live in Dallas Are ranked individually As the no. 1 and 2 players in the world and together Are regarded As Iho lop partnership in the world they were part of teams that won Lour word Bridge championships Over the past 10 years. In october they teamed with Jacoby Jeff Mecks Lrol. Eric Rodwell and Seymon Dousch to emerge no. 1 from a Field of More than 50 teams in Venice to give the United slates the Only world championship Hal had eluded it the world men s team olympiad ecu sch. A Laredo Texas businessman and the Only member of the six Man . Learn who never Belore had won a world championship was ecstatic it s fantastic it s unreal he says it s the thrill of a  some Bridge professionals Are Utt the tournament Trail virtually every week of the year. Bui unlike sports such As Tennis and Goll. 80 percent to 90 percent of the tournament Field is made up of Ordinary Bridge players of varying Levels of expertise. A trophy is awarded to the player who wins the most Malc Points each year. Neither Hamman nor Wolff has Ever come close to winning it if you go after it it pretty Well is a Lull Lime venture Hamman says i play a lot of tournaments but not 40 a year which is pretty Well whal you d have to play ii gets to be quite a grind going to Boise Idaho one week and then to Bulte. Mont., and Ihen to Chicago Survey lifted him As the no 1 Bridge author today he has written 12 books on various aspects of bidding play and defense Lawrence also is regarded As one of the Foremost instructors travelling actor the United states to conduct we Klong seminars Lor classes of 25 or More Budge players. I certainly would be the first to credit Ira Corn Tor the fact that i am a Bridge author Al All. Or that i Ever began leaching  Lawrence says in 1969, after Lawrence had been with the aces Lor a year Corn told them he was contemplating writing a Bridge column and asked each of them to write live practice Bridge columns. He liked Lawrence s easy conversational style of writing and called him in he told to i wrote very Well but that instead of a column he wanted me to write a Book Lawrence says. A month later to said Michael you Are going to Sivc a series of Bridge classes in five weeks Here Are the students who will be in your class and this is where you Are logo i was literally terrified but to made me do  from the first Book and the first classes came other books and other classes. Last october. Lawrence began a monthly newsletter the first major venture of ils kind in Bridge. I am attempting to Combine about 80 percent judgment with 20 percent system Lawrence says hopefully i will still. Hamman concedes that if thousands of dollars in prize Money wore Al slake that would be different he would to in the Hunt. Some financial Reward is available Al every tournament some players pay professionals woo to $500 a Day Lobo their partners Lor various two session events about seven hours of play for the first time in years Jacoby travelled the tournament circuit last year. Playing sometimes with other pros and sometimes with paying clients he emerged As an easy Victor in the 1988 Malc Point Chase Jacoby says to made a determined run Tor the title because his father the late Oswald Jacoby won Iho title years ago. The Jacobs Are the Only father son combination to have won the trophy. Tuesday May 30,1985 the stars and stripes Page 13