October 2017 - 32

The Royal Treatment
Richard Jeng is the 2017 King of Bridge

BY PAUL LINXWILER

T

he ACBL Educational
Foundation selected Richard
Jeng of the Atlanta area as the
2017 King of Bridge. The annual award
recognizes a graduating high school
senior for their playing record and
overall participation in the bridge
community.
At 17, Jeng already possesses
an impressive collection of titles,
especially from Youth events.
Richard plays exclusively with his
older brother, Andrew, and the duo
posted their earliest wins in the
Georgia Youth Pairs and Teams
Championships almost a decade ago.
Their record in the Youth NABCs is
astounding, with multiple victories in
the Youth National Pairs and Teams
Championships.

In "adult" NABC contests, they
have been equally effective. In 2011
in Toronto, the Jeng brothers won the
Young Life Master Pairs, and in 2015,
they were the winners of the Golder
North American Pairs, Flight B.
They made their first foray into
world Youth events in 2010, and in
2012, they took home a silver medal
representing the U.S. at the World
Youth Bridge Championships. In
2013, they captured the gold medal
in the World Youth Bridge Team
Championship and the silver medal
in the World Youth Bridge Pairs
Championship.
Along the way, Richard managed to
briefly claim the title of Youngest Life
Master in ACBL history.
Jane Champion, secretary of the
ACBL Educational Foundation, said,
"With such an astounding record,
Richard was an extremely strong
candidate for King of Bridge this year.
The members of the foundation board
were very impressed. And recognition
certainly goes to Patty Tucker and the
Atlanta Junior Bridge program for

King/Queen of Bridge previous winners
2016
2015
2014
2013
2012
2011
2010
2009
2008
2007
2006
2005
2004
2003
2002

Burke Snowden
Amber Lin
Adam Kaplan/Allison Hunt
John Altman
Murphy Green
Blake Sanders
Thomas Walsh/Adam Grossack
Nicholas Flores
Jeremy Koegel
Andrew Dubay
Sam Katz
David Banh
Robert Glickman
Scott Waldron Jr.
John Kranyak

32 Bridge Bulletin October 2017

2001
2000
1999
1998
1997
1996
1995
1994
1993
1992
1991
1990
1989
1988
1987

Erin Anderson
Gavin Wolpert
Ari Greenberg
Josh Heller
Joel Wooldridge
Kent Mignocchi
Tony Melucci
Sam Hirschman
Eric Greco
Frederic Pollack
Andrew Moss
Eric Sutherland
Brad Moss
Holly Zullo
Rich Pavlicek Jr.

1986
1985
1984
1983
1982
1981
1980
1979
1978
1977
1976
1975
1974
1973

Martha Benson Katz
Adair Gellman
Jim Munday
Billy Hsieh
Steve Weinstein
Doug Levene/Steve Cochran
Tony Marks
Regina Barnes
Matt Franklin
Marc Franklin
Warren Spector
Bobby Levin
Jeff Meckstroth
J Merrill

developing such talent."
Richard agrees with the assessment
of Tucker's role.
"Patty Tucker and her role as
president of Atlanta Junior Bridge has
been the strongest influence in my
short bridge career thus far. She was
the one who put advertisements in the
newspaper for an AJB summer camp
way back in 2006, and after my first
week there, it has been a rollercoaster
that goes ever upwards. She introduced
me to other mentors such as Lola
Sliom, Tom and Jenni Carmichael,
and eventually Michael Rosenberg and
other USBF mentors. She introduced
me to one of my first bridge books, '25
Conventions You Should Know,' and I
have since then devoured many more.
Without her and AJB, I would not be
where I am today. She has additionally
helped me grow as a bridge mentor, by
encouraging my brother and me to be
accredited teachers. Patty also allowed
me to teach AJB summer camps,
hopefully giving the same experience
to Atlanta youth as I was given many
years ago," he said.
Richard's commitment to giving
back to the game is a priority for him,
and is another reason the Educational
Foundation felt so strongly about his
candidacy.
"In middle school, I created a
bridge club and helped to teach
students bridge. Additionally, on most
Saturdays and in the summer, I help to
teach classes and camps. For example,
I taught four AJB summer camps last
summer over the span of two weeks,
giving me the ability to spread my love
for the game. And TAP Accreditation
has been very useful, giving me access
to ACBL resources. In addition to
Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of October 2017
