The world has plenty of bridge professionals, but a bridge professional that can teach at any level is quite rare and valuable - Introducing Kevin Wilson
I teach bridge lovers about ways to improve their game. I decided to become a Bridge professional about six years ago after playing bridge for over 30 years. Bridge had been a hobby for me until I decided to make a big change. Now I speak, teach, write, and play professional bridge.
I started a software application called BridgeIQ+ in 2013 and still run the application today. I think it has tremendous potential as an educational and learning bridge application. The development hasn’t been as fast as I’d like, but it is coming along nicely and is a work in progress. You can check it out by clicking on the BridgeIQ tab.
My passion is speaking about the game and I really enjoy sharing my passion with players of all different skill levels. I like to involve the audience and have them challenge me and I like to mix in some bridge humor. I enjoy meeting new people and I’ve been told that I’m friendly and approachable. I think that is a big reason why people like to see me speak. My favorite topic to talk about is always some form of hand evaluation. New players stick to High Card Points so tightly that I love to talk about why they shouldn’t.
The Beginning
I learned to play Bridge with my siblings and parents in the Washington D.C. area. I began as a caddy and then filled in when they needed a partner for a late arrival. I loved it!
As a teenager, I got my director’s certification from the ACBL and began to direct games at Edith McMullin’s Wheaton Bridge Center. She even let me teach some new players. Thinking about what I know now, I can’t believe I did it 30 years ago! That was definitely my big break!
In 1991, I formed a partnership with another young player, Eric Greco, one of the greatest players in the world. We played in Junior (under 25) events and we won a bronze medal for the United States in 1993 in Denmark.
I took several years off to focus on my career and started playing again in 1999 with Blair Seidler. Blair taught me the value of great partnership agreements and we played together for six years, which culminated with the winning of an open NABC event, the Lebhar Imp Pairs in 2005. After Blair took a job as a high school math teacher in late 2005, our partnership ended.
Starting in 2006, I asked for and received the chance to coach and captain several United States Bridge Federation (USBF) youth teams. I relished the opportunities and was proud of the way my teams played, although we never did manage a medal. I learned to let the players come to me. I also learned to listen without speaking, which I try to continue to this day with everyone who asks me questions about Bridge.
My favorite topics to write about are mostly for expert players, although I hope one day they may be considered “Standard”. I like Splinter bids and have written about them extensively, including how to re-evaluate your hand once your partner has made a Splinter bid. I love Losing Trick Count because it is simple for newer players to understand, but I’ve adopted a less common version of Losing Trick Count, called Modified Losing Trick Count (MLTC), and I write about it as well. I suggest everyone play Accu-Splinters and Wilson 2NT, because I find they are such improvements over Splinters and Jacoby 2NT… both are based on MLTC.
I started to get more involved in the Bridge organization when I decided to become a full-time professional. My memberships and accolades include or have included:
- North American Bridge Champion (2005, Pittsburgh)
- 4th World Junior Teams Championship; 1993 Arhus, Denmark; Bronze Medal
- Featured Speaker at many North American Bridge Championships
- Past Coach and Captain - US Bridge Federation Junior Team
- Current Member - American Contract Bridge League Board of Governors - District 7
- Current Member - ACBL Ethical Oversight Committee – Appointed by a Past President
- Current Member - American Bridge Teachers’ Association (ABTA)
- ACBL Certified Director
- Certified Presenter - Learn Bridge in a Day? Seminar (for beginners)
Contact Me
Contact me today! I enjoy traveling across the world teaching individuals and groups the art of Bridge.
Fill out the form and I’ll contact you.