I was born in England and emigrated to Perth Australia with my parents in 1967. I graduated from UWA with a degree in Organic Chemistry and this was followed later with some post graduate study in Chemical Engineering at Curtin Uni.
I grew up in a card playing family with 500 and Euchre being the favourites. My first taste of bridge in high school when my Year 11 maths teacher got myself and two other students together for a game at lunch time. My love for the game continued throughout my university years where we would often play into the late night at the Chemistry Centre whilst occasionally popping out to make sure our laboratory chemical reactions were still going to plan.
My professional life was spent working as a chemical engineer at the BP Oil Refinery in Kwinana and then in management in the Japanese Joint Venture involved in the North West Shelf Gas Project (operated by Woodside). I retired from the oil & gas industry in 2016.
My longest bridge partnership has been with Don Allen for more than 20 years from about 1990. During that time we were in multiple WA open teams and won the ANC Interstate Teams competition twice in 1993 and 1999. It was Don who first introduced me to the Forcing Pass system of bidding which we played for many years. In later times we switched to Moscito as it enabled us to still play symmetric relay and also in all forms of competition.
In more recent times I have played Moscito with my life partner (Leone) and Marnie Leybourne, and Standard American with Gerry Daly.
The highlights of my bridge career are winning the 1999 ANC Interstate Teams with Don when we were massive underdogs, and the 2020 Mixed Playoffs with Leone to be part of the Australian Team. Importantly I also first met my wife at the bridge table back in 1986 at the Rosendorff’s bridge club in Nedlands.
Between sessions I try to get a bit of exercise which may just be a brisk walk. I try to not talk about the hands unless there is a system issue to be resolved.
Outside of bridge my main love is golf but unfortunately I’m not that talented. With a handicap of about 16 I fear there is more frustration than accolades coming my way. Nonetheless it’s good exercise .
National Titles
Interstate Teams winners in 1993 and 1999
State Representation
West Australian State Open team in 1988, 90, 93, 99, 2000, 02, 03, 04, 05, 08, 10, 21
West Australian State Youth Team in 1984, 85, 86
International Representation
Mixed Team 2020
