GOREN, CHARLES HENRY

GOREN, CHARLES HENRY (1901–1991), U.S. bridge expert. Goren, who was born in Philadelphia into a Russian immigrant family, earned an LL.B. in 1922 and a master's degree in 1923 at McGill University in Montreal. He was admitted to the Pennsylvania bar in 1923 and practiced law in Philadelphia. He had taken up bridge during his student days and eventually achieved master status, abandoning the law in order to play and write about bridge. Goren won the National Bridge Championship of America 34 times. His many books and newspaper columns earned him widespread recognition. Goren's bridge methods are known for their simplicity and teachability. He cleverly synthesized the "honor trick" strategy of Culbertson with the "point-count" invented by Milton Work. Known as "Mr. Bridge," Goren was a popular teacher and author who traveled extensively as a professional, a lecturer, and a TV personality. He was a regular contributor to McCalls and Sports Illustrated, had a syndicated newspaper column, led bridge cruises, and appeared on his own TV show, Bridge with Charles Goren (1959–64). Before his retirement from active competition in 1966, he had captured virtually every major bridge trophy in U.S. tournament play. As his health and eyesight began to fail, he settled into a quiet life in Southern California. Goren established a charitable trust during his lifetime. After his death, it became the Charles Goren Foundation. His books include Winning Bridge Made Easy (1936), Point Count Bidding in Contract Bridge (1949), New Contract Bridge in a Nutshell (1959), An Evening of Bridge with Charles H. Goren (1959), Goren's Hoyle Encyclopaedia of Games (1961),   The Sports Illustrated Book of Bridge (1961), Bridge Is My Game: Lessons of a Lifetime (with J. Olsen, 1965), Goren on Play and Defense (1974), 100 Challenging Bridge Hands for You to Enjoy (1976), Goren Settles the Bridge Arguments (1985), and Goren's New Bridge Complete (1986). (Gerald Abrahams / Ruth Beloff (2nd ed.)